Travel Devil – Adventures Without Guilt for Sustainable Travel
Travel Devil is your gateway to a world of sustainable travel, slow travel, and truly meaningful adventures. Hosted by slow tourism advocate Clara Francken, this podcast invites you to rethink the way you move across the planet. In a world dominated by mass tourism and cheap flights, Travel Devil shows how eco travel and responsible tourism can transform not only your trips but your entire travel mindset.
Here, we explore how to travel lighter, deeper, and with intention, whether you're interested in slow tourism, eco-friendly travel, overland travel, or discovering unique travel destinations across Europe and the world. With regular updates touching on Europe travel news and trends in conscious mobility, the show brings you stories that inform, inspire, and challenge the status quo.
Each episode features travellers, adventurers, and experts who share honest experiences about train travel, bikepacking, hitchhiking, thru-hiking, cargo ship travel, family travel, solo travel for women, travelling as a couple, moving abroad, and much more. You’ll hear what it really means to reduce your carbon footprint while staying curious, open-minded, and connected to local communities.
What you can expect from Travel Devil:
- Practical insights into sustainable travel, eco travel, and slow travel
- Real conversations about responsible tourism and slow tourism in Europe and beyond
- Updates and reflections tied to Europe travel news and conscious mobility
- Tips for travel safety, travel tech, and using smart remote work tools while exploring
- Inspiration for overland travel, finding cheap train tickets, and travelling on a budget
- Stories from nomads, expats, long-distance hikers, cyclists, night train travellers, and first-time adventurers
- Advice on packing lists, packing hacks, and navigating nomad housing
- Deep dives into local community projects and sustainable initiatives shaping the future of travel
Whether you’re into eco-friendly travel, sustainable travel, slow tourism, overland routes, or simply want to expand your travel mindset, this podcast will help you explore the world in a way that feels good - for you and the planet.
Expect inspiration. Expect laughter. Expect honest stories that make you rethink how you travel.
For more conscious travel content, follow @traveldevil.podcast and @clarafrancken on Instagram.
Travel Devil – Adventures Without Guilt for Sustainable Travel
35- Why whale watching isn't always ethical & dolphins research w/ Joana Castro, AIMM
In this episode, we’re diving into the world of dolphins, whales, and what it really means to observe marine life responsibly. Guest Joana Castro is marine biologist and founder of AIMM – Marine Environment Research Association. She has spent over two decades researching cetaceans (whales and dolphins) along the coast of Portugal and beyond.
We often think of dolphin and whale watching as harmless, even educational, but Joana reveals why that’s not always the case. From noise pollution to chemical contamination, and from plastic to tourism overload, this conversation sheds light on how human presence, even well-meaning tourists, can deeply affect marine mammals.
She also shares the inspiring story of how seeing dolphins as a child shaped her career, what AIMM is doing to bridge research and conservation, and how tourists like you can spot red flags and make better choices.
In this episode, we talked about:
- Why whale and dolphin watching isn’t always ethical
- The science behind dolphin and whale sensitivity to noise
- Different types of pollution (noise, chemical, plastic) and their impact
- Red flags to watch for when booking wildlife tours
- How AIMM collects data, and why it matters for conservation
- The complex role of marine parks: harm, hope, and potential
- How to identify a responsible tour operator as a traveler
- What keeps Joana motivated after 20+ years in the field
Whether you're passionate about marine life or simply planning a trip involving the ocean, this episode offers real insight, clear solutions, and powerful motivation.
🎧 Listen now on all podcast platforms
🔗 More about AIMM: https://www.aimmportugal.org
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Want more?
- Follow the podcast on Instagram @traveldevilpod
- Connect with me on Instagram @clarafrancken
- Watch more on my YouTube channel
