0:00:02 > 0:00:05Now on BBC News, The Travel Show.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11On this week's Travel Show, we're in a surfing community trying
0:00:11 > 0:00:16to hold back the tide of development on the Chilean coast.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19Also coming up...
0:00:19 > 0:00:25We go looking for lost ships beneath the Canadian waves.
0:00:25 > 0:00:31We discover a novel way to make a cake in rural France.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34And our Global Guru, Simon Calder, tackles the biggest
0:00:34 > 0:00:35question in travel...
0:00:35 > 0:00:38Where next?
0:01:07 > 0:01:09Let's start this week's programme on the stunning Pacific coastline
0:01:09 > 0:01:12of central Chile.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15Punta de Lobos is best known for its dramatic high cliffs,
0:01:15 > 0:01:19with views over black sandy beaches and rocky outcrops,
0:01:19 > 0:01:25where sea lions gather.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29And it's also become famous as one of the best places to surf
0:01:29 > 0:01:33in South America.
0:01:40 > 0:01:41This is insane.
0:01:41 > 0:01:42Wow!
0:01:42 > 0:01:45With a consistent swell and regular runs of huge waves,
0:01:45 > 0:01:51Punta de Lobos is considered one of the best breaks in South America.
0:01:51 > 0:01:57And it's become a paradise for big wave surfers.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00I've arrived in Punta de Lobos at a particularly good time,
0:02:01 > 0:02:04because word has gone around that this morning's swell will be
0:02:04 > 0:02:12unusually strong, with waves of up to 30 feet.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15These huge waves have been tracked all the way from Antarctica,
0:02:15 > 0:02:19and have drawn out locals and people from across the world to watch them
0:02:19 > 0:02:21come in and crash against these rocks.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25If you look really carefully out there, what looks like little birds
0:02:25 > 0:02:28bobbing on the surface of the water, are surfers taking on these
0:02:28 > 0:02:31gargantuan waves at the risk of their lives..
0:02:31 > 0:02:33-- gargantuan waves at the risk of their lives.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35It's pretty incredible.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39One of the servers out there is Kohl Kristensen,
0:02:39 > 0:02:42-- One of the surfers out there is Kohl Kristensen,
0:02:42 > 0:02:45who flew here yesterday from Hawaii just to catch these waves.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48The forecasting these days is so good that we can actually see
0:02:48 > 0:02:51these big storms forming, and it gives us enough time to jump
0:02:51 > 0:02:54on a plane and come down here.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58Punta de Lobos, for me, is, you know, a pretty magical place.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02It has a special place in my heart.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06The point itself is one of the more beautiful places I've ever been,
0:03:06 > 0:03:10and people travel from all over the world to come here for a good
0:03:10 > 0:03:12reason - because the waves are so good.
0:03:12 > 0:03:18And, it turns out, the surfing bug is contagious.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21Everyone keeps talking about how amazing these waves are,
0:03:21 > 0:03:26so I've got my wet suit, about to jump on a surfboard and try
0:03:26 > 0:03:32and find out for myself.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36My teacher is a local who introduces novices to the art
0:03:36 > 0:03:39of surfing every day.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43I suspect, however, that he's used a rather more coordinated students.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46Looking...
0:03:47 > 0:03:50LAUGHTER.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54It turns out surfing is definitely not as easy as it looks.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07I got whacked in the face with about ten waves in a row,
0:04:07 > 0:04:10so I swallowed most of that water, I think.
0:04:10 > 0:04:11It was super fun, thank you.
0:04:11 > 0:04:11OK.
0:04:12 > 0:04:13Gracias.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16Luckily, Punta de Lobos has plenty of beautiful views to enjoy
0:04:16 > 0:04:24for those who aren't the most gifted of surfers.
0:04:24 > 0:04:29But despite its idyllic appearance, this place is not all paradise.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32In fact, it's been the site of a battle between local private
0:04:32 > 0:04:39interests and conservationists.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42Until recently, Punta de Lobos was relatively unknown,
0:04:42 > 0:04:46but over the past couple of decades, its popularity has
0:04:46 > 0:04:51soared as a surfing and a tourist destination.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54These days, 5,000 visitors arrive to the point
0:04:54 > 0:04:56daily during summertime.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58Perhaps not surprisingly, this has attracted developers,
0:04:58 > 0:05:13keen to capitalise on the area's newfound popularity.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17Much of the coast is in the hands of private owners, and plans
0:05:17 > 0:05:26were made for extensive building along the cliffs.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30A lot of private projects are real estate projects,
0:05:30 > 0:05:36big ones, were wanting to be developed here.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39Like, where we're standing here, there will be houses hanging
0:05:39 > 0:05:42on the cliffs, four buildings seven storeys high, like a surf resort,
0:05:42 > 0:05:45or not even a surf resort, but huge density of construction
0:05:45 > 0:05:47and people coming here.
0:05:47 > 0:05:52We have a real threatening situation for such a special place like this.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Matias is a director of the Punta de Lobos Foundation -
0:05:55 > 0:05:57a non-profit organisation created among locals to fight
0:05:57 > 0:06:06the development plans.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Along with other conservation bodies, such as Save The Waves,
0:06:09 > 0:06:12they've worked to halt shoreside construction and to keep the cliffs
0:06:12 > 0:06:13open to the public.
0:06:13 > 0:06:21But that was only their first challenge.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24It was a mess here.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27If you put 1,000 or 1,500 cars here, you could take an hour,
0:06:27 > 0:06:311.5 hours to just go a mile out back to the highway.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34And the second thing is that there were no bathrooms
0:06:34 > 0:06:37here, so people would do their needs in the cliffs, in wherever,
0:06:37 > 0:06:41and this would be very dirty.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45The Foundation responded by regulating the traffic
0:06:45 > 0:06:52with a roundabout and installing eco bathroom facilities.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Along with a recycled fence along the cliff line
0:06:55 > 0:07:03to protect it from the erosion of visitors' feet.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06Community involvement has been a vital ingredient in the success
0:07:06 > 0:07:08of the conservation project and some local businesses
0:07:08 > 0:07:14are adopting a low impact philosophy.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17This hotel overlooks the Punta de Lobos beach and was built
0:07:17 > 0:07:20with the aim of causing as little impact as possible
0:07:20 > 0:07:26on the surrounding area.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29Unlike earlier hotel plans, it's designed to be camouflaged
0:07:29 > 0:07:32into the hillside and it's built with local and recycled materials.
0:07:32 > 0:07:33It's all in the architecture.
0:07:33 > 0:07:43We don't want it to be like a big hotel, five storeys tall.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46We have 12 rooms - we could have had 40,
0:07:46 > 0:07:4750, but we wanted to offer
0:07:48 > 0:07:56something different, something special.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00This is a very sensitive and special place and spot for us,
0:08:00 > 0:08:01so we wanted to protect it.
0:08:01 > 0:08:08Many involved in the efforts here see Punta de Lobos
0:08:08 > 0:08:14as a landmark conservation case for Chile - one that
0:08:14 > 0:08:17could have a much broader impact than just protecting one
0:08:17 > 0:08:23favoured surfing spot.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26We are very eager that Punta de Lobos is successful
0:08:27 > 0:08:29because it's the example in order to scale this project
0:08:29 > 0:08:31throughout Chile.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33There's a need for conservation in Chile.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35We are a developing country, we're just getting
0:08:36 > 0:08:41started, and we can learn from so many mistakes.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43That Punta de Lobos could set the example for future developments
0:08:43 > 0:08:54along the coast.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00From South America to Europe next, and the village of Arreau,
0:09:00 > 0:09:03set high in the French Pyrenees.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06They're big on tradition when it comes to cooking here,
0:09:06 > 0:09:09and they've got a novel approach to making cakes that dates back
0:09:09 > 0:09:14over 200 years.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59Still to come on this week's Travel Show...
0:12:59 > 0:13:01Looking for a long haul in October?
0:13:01 > 0:13:04Our Global Guru Simon Calder has some seasonal suggestions.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07And we go to the Canadian islands, where the sea can bite.
0:13:07 > 0:13:16The Travel Show - your essential guide,
0:13:16 > 0:13:25wherever you're heading.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Welcome to the slice of the show that tackles your questions
0:13:35 > 0:13:37about getting the best out of travel.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39Coming up shortly, ideas for a great October escape,
0:13:39 > 0:13:47and managing money for Mexico.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50But first, peak tourist season in Europe is underway and so I've
0:13:50 > 0:13:52asked Britain's biggest airports for the days this summer
0:13:52 > 0:14:03when they expect to be busiest.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05Here at Gatwick, it's Sunday 13th August, with travellers passing
0:14:05 > 0:14:07through at a rate of two per second.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10At Manchester, Friday 18th August is the key day,
0:14:10 > 0:14:12and at Heathrow Airport - the busiest in Europe -
0:14:13 > 0:14:16the peak will be on Sunday 6th August, with over 250,000 passengers
0:14:16 > 0:14:17arriving and departing.
0:14:17 > 0:14:18Jane wants to know...
0:14:18 > 0:14:20What's your top long haul recommendation in October?
0:14:20 > 0:14:25At that time of year it's hard to go wrong with a trip along either
0:14:25 > 0:14:28the East or the West Coast of the USA, from Washington,
0:14:28 > 0:14:30DC, south to Florida, or on the Californian coast,
0:14:30 > 0:14:38from San Francisco to the Mexican border.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40The climate is benign, apart from the odd storm
0:14:40 > 0:14:43on the East Coast, and if you like to swim
0:14:43 > 0:14:46in the ocean, it's about as warm as it gets.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50On the East Coast, spend a few days in the US capital and then fly
0:14:50 > 0:14:53to Florida, pick up a rental car and call in at Cape Canaveral
0:14:53 > 0:15:00for the Space Coast and Miami Beach.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02Or, on the West Coast, explore San Francisco then hire
0:15:02 > 0:15:05a car for the trip south along California State Route 1,
0:15:05 > 0:15:08with some of the best coastal scenery in the world; spectacular
0:15:08 > 0:15:16cliffs and marine life, which may include sea lions.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18Highlights include Hearst Castle, the hilltop mansion of a newspaper
0:15:18 > 0:15:21magnate, the Hollywood Hills, offering genuine urban wilderness,
0:15:21 > 0:15:23and at the deep south of California, San Diego -
0:15:23 > 0:15:26the ideal city in which to end an adventure.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29Next, Pauline and Rob Stannard followed my advice to visit
0:15:29 > 0:15:34Nicaragua and simply want to know, where next?
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Well, if you enjoyed the landscapes and elements of hard-core travel
0:15:37 > 0:15:40in Central America's largest country, let me recommend a couple
0:15:40 > 0:15:41of other alluring Latin American destinations...
0:15:41 > 0:15:48Cuba and Ecuador.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50Both of them are a little frayed around the edges,
0:15:50 > 0:15:52with unpredictable but entertaining transport, and have plenty
0:15:52 > 0:16:03of beautiful towns.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06In the capitals, Havana and Quito, you'll find echoes of the colonial
0:16:06 > 0:16:08atmosphere you appreciated in Granada and Leon in Nicaragua.
0:16:08 > 0:16:14Finally, Fran wants to know...
0:16:14 > 0:16:17Is it best to take US dollars or pesos to Mexico?
0:16:17 > 0:16:17Take dollars.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21In my experience, the very best rates for Mexican pesos are to be
0:16:21 > 0:16:22found inside the country.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26So take in cash and change it at one of the many casas de cambio.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29If you're heading for Cancun and the Riviera Maya area,
0:16:29 > 0:16:31then euros or pound sterling are recognised and accepted
0:16:31 > 0:16:32at all the resorts.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35For the rest of Mexico, though, US dollars are the only
0:16:35 > 0:16:36universally recognised currency.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38Other foreign funds may be regarded with suspicion.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Whether you're travelling on a shoestring or a gold-plated
0:16:41 > 0:16:43credit card, I'm here to help, so e-mail your question
0:16:43 > 0:16:46to thetravelshow@co.uk and I'll do my very best to find
0:16:46 > 0:17:13you an answer.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16From me, Simon Calder, the Global Guru, bye for now and see
0:17:16 > 0:17:17you next time.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20And to finish this week's programme, we're off to Canada
0:17:20 > 0:17:22and the Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25The waters can be treacherous and many ships have run aground
0:17:25 > 0:17:29on the rocks here, meaning that lots of people who live in the area
0:17:29 > 0:17:32now are descendants of shipwrecked sailors, who were washed ashore
0:17:32 > 0:17:35when their ships went down, giving them a unique respect
0:17:35 > 0:17:42for the sea.
0:17:42 > 0:17:42ETHEREAL MUSIC.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44My name's Nancy Clark.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46I was born and raised on this island.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49As an islander, when we say "home", it's something very strong
0:17:49 > 0:17:51and something very rooted, because our ancestry
0:17:51 > 0:17:54is like all in one island, so our sense of belonging
0:17:54 > 0:18:25is very strong.
0:18:25 > 0:18:26Most island families have..
0:18:26 > 0:18:28It affects them in some way or another.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31My uncle, her brother, drowned and my father's brother also
0:18:31 > 0:18:46drowned, so I've two uncles that have drowned.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48My father's brother actually drowned just over there,
0:18:48 > 0:18:49right across the road.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52This is where Robert Best, he would be my grandmother's
0:18:52 > 0:18:55grandfather, and he shipwrecked from the Channel Islands on a ship
0:18:55 > 0:19:26called the Perry around 1875.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28He married a local woman.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05We have very strong ties to the sea, because it's generational.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07So my family, it's like six generations of fishermen
0:21:07 > 0:21:09and also my brother's fifth-generation boat builder,
0:21:09 > 0:21:22so these things are handed down through the families.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25I feel so comfortable here and I've never felt that
0:21:25 > 0:21:45feeling anywhere else.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47Like knowing every little nook and cranny, and the beach
0:21:47 > 0:21:50and the cape and just feeling completely at ease.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53Well, unfortunately that's all we've got time for on this week's Travel
0:21:53 > 0:21:53Show.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55Coming up next week...
0:21:55 > 0:21:57Continuing the shipwrecked theme, Ade's in Bermuda, where he'll be
0:21:57 > 0:22:00meeting the team who are digitally mapping the hundreds of underwater
0:22:00 > 0:22:04lost ships there, for everyone to be able to see online around the world.
0:22:04 > 0:22:05That was quite literally breathtaking!
0:22:06 > 0:22:09So do join us then, if you can, and in the meantime,
0:22:09 > 0:22:13don't forget you can keep up with us while we're out on the road
0:22:13 > 0:22:15in real-time, by signing up to our social media feeds.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17Details are on the screen now.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20But for now, from me Christa Larwood, and the rest