Have you heard about volcano tourism? This is what it means and how to do it!
Types of Tourism
There are many different kinds of tourism, including:
- Cultural tourism for those who enjoy art galleries and museums
- Eco-tourism for people particularly conscious about preservation of the environment
- Culinary tourism where you get to explore a country’s cuisine, attend cooking classes
- Medical tourism where someone travels to another country for the purpose of a medical treatment (often these are of cosmetic / aesthetic nature).
But how about adventure tourism? As the name suggests, this is for the more thrill-seeking traveller, who enjoys activities likely to raise their pulse levels. From hiking to rafting to rock climbing, these are often pursuits that are physically challenging and outdoors-based.
One of the most thrilling types of adventure tourism is probably volcano tourism, and with around 1500 volcanoes globally, you’ll never be short of places to visit – but it may not be for the faint-hearted!
Volcano tourism: the basics
If you’re into travelling to destinations with active, dormant or extinct volcanoes, then this is the type of tourism for you.
It’s quite niche because there can be some risks involved, although these can be managed by using services of an experienced local guide such as volcano.cr, or by following basic safety precautions when visiting a volcano.
Prior to your trip, you should take time to educate yourself and plan for all eventualities. Don’t forget that a volcano is quite literally an opening in the Earth’s crust. This means that gases, debris and molten rock can all escape to the surface, sometimes with little to no warning.
During a volcanic eruption, lava and other debris can flow at speeds of up to 100 mph, so you don’t want to be in its path! Volcanic ash can travel hundreds of miles and cause severe health problems. So while volcanoes are some of the most fascinating places on Earth for an adventure-minded traveller, they’re to be treated with caution and respect.
Safety precautions
You should monitor your chosen volcano’s activity by checking for updates from local authorities, news outlets and meteorological offices.
You should always take care to protect yourself from any ash, wearing a dust or cloth mask if necessary, and to avoid hazardous gases. Volcanic gases can be poisonous, especially for people with heart or respiratory issues, pregnant women, infants, and young children. We would absolutely not recommend taking young children or babies to see a volcano – it’ll be dangerous and they won’t even remember it when they grow up!
Another thing to bear in mind is to avoid lava. Even if lava looks cool, it may still be hot underneath a thin crust that could break and cause you to fall in.
Finally, beware of changing weather conditions: if you’re in a region where the weather can change rapidly, this can expose you to risks of other kinds, too.
Activities on offer
Once you have reviewed safety requirements and are ready to proceed, then as part of volcano tourism you may be able to enjoy the following:
- Sightseeing: by getting up close and personal to a volcano, typically you’d be able to see a volcanic landscape,lava fields and some very unique geological formations in the volcanic area.
- Hiking and trekking: volcanoes are normally elevated so you would be able to explore trails that lead to the volcanic crater
- Geothermal baths: like a natural jacuzzi, hot springs and geothermal baths are created by volcanic activity and are a great way to unwind after a hike
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