Best Destinations

[Yojimbo]

Question to the serious world travelled Cruisers:

What are, have been, the best, most interesting destinations you gave gone to? By most interesting I mean those least impacted by the near inevitable onslaught of Western Civilization. What cultures that you've experienced have been as close to their original indigenous roots without Western influence? What did you discover from those experiences? Are those discoveries still available?
There is of course still a long list of natural beauty to be experienced and enjoyed in far flung places but have those cultures in those places been lost to 21st Century progress? TIA

[Benz]

As fas as I know, there's only some scattered islands in SE Asia where Westerners have not gone, and it's Highly Illegal to go. Recently a wannabe missionary bribed some fishermen to smuggle him ashore to meet this untouched culture, and quickly died in a hail of wooden arrows.
Everywhere else, you'll only find cultures that have been influenced by others. Not really sure what you're looking for, or why--is there a problem with places where you can buy groceries and fuel and medical supplies?

[Yojimbo]

I read about the missionary that tried to bell that cat. My interest is decidedly not fanatical. Nothing wrong with access to groceries, fuel, medical supplies, modern convenience or many of the benefits Western Civilization has produced. It might be interesting to experience a culture/way of life that doesn't rely on those conveniences.

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by Yojimbo

Question to the serious world travelled Cruisers:

What are, have been, the best, most interesting destinations you gave gone to? By most interesting I mean those least impacted by the near inevitable onslaught of Western Civilization. What cultures that you've experienced have been as close to their original indigenous roots without Western influence?

Answer: Most of the Eastern cultures.

There is an entire other side of the world that ISN'T Western Civilization.

Let's try not to think so ethnocentrically.

[Yojimbo]

Shrew,

I try to emulate the perspective of a friend who refers to herself as World Centric. The term Western Civilization is probably misapplied in my question. Perhaps Modern Civilization would be more apt. It might be fair to argue that Modern Civilization has spread to most corners of the world, is embraced or sought after, and for sound reasons. Wondering here if there are still cultures less effected by, or less interested in accruing the habits and behaviors of the modern world without resorting to a Talibanlike [as just an example] level of reaction.

[Kettlewell]

The Guna Yala (formerly the San Blas) islands off Panama have a unique culture that is both influenced by the modern world and still clings to many of their own traditions. I haven't been there since 2008, but they were still using traditional dugout canoes for fishing, even offshore, many lived in thatched huts, and depending on the island you visit they mostly speak their own language along with some basic Spanish. Interesting people and beautiful islands.

[Yojimbo]

Kettlewell-

Looking forward to visiting there this year, have heard it's as you described.

[Kettlewell]

The people move around the various islands, taking care of the coconut trees and collecting nuts. We encountered a dugout with extended family once that were unable to make progress into a blow and were struggling to get home so I towed them over to their island with my dink. My wife later entertained some of their children with American dances and songs (she's a teacher), and then later on in our travels we kept meeting up with this extended family on other islands. Here's my wife with some of them.

[bccoast]

Come sail up the west coast of Canada. Turn your electronics off and experience it like the Europeans did hundreds of years ago. Besides a couple towns, very remote, very much as life has always been. You can visit Yuquot village in Nootka Island where Captain Cook was the first European to reach the west coast of North America and where they signed the treaty that gave mexico south to Spain and USA and canada to the brits.

It is a pretty special place.

[Yojimbo]

Kettlewell- Very cool. Didn't know of the name change, will have to read about that.

bccoast- Did the inside passage in 1998- maiden voyage on a 195' factory trawler FV Browns Point out of Martinac Shipyard in Tacoma WA. Only made 1 quick stop in Ketchikan. No crew allowed to disembark. Heard some good stories from some Canadian guys I worked with in Kelowna- The Queen Charlottes and Haida Nation the French guys spoke well of. Crossing the Gulf of Alaska on a shakedown cruise of a new trawler was the kind of fun I used to look for. Maybe get back up that way again.

[grantmc]

Originally Posted by bccoast

Come sail up the west coast of Canada. Turn your electronics off and experience it like the Europeans did hundreds of years ago. Besides a couple towns, very remote, very much as life has always been. You can visit Yuquot village in Nootka Island where Captain Cook was the first European to reach the west coast of North America and where they signed the treaty that gave Mexico south to Spain and USA and Canada to the brits.

It is a pretty special place.

There are several historical errors in your post Christopher, but I'm sure you're right about the sailing there.
In New Zealand we have, what I think sound and look very similar to BC (although without any critters trying to kill and eat you).
Fiordland and Stewart Island are about as far away from civilisation as one can get (ok a few hard core people do sail to the Auckland Islands).

Fiordland is about 10% of New Zealand’s landmass (2.6 million hectares) and yet there are only officially 111 people living there. But few sail to either location due to the remoteness.

[bccoast]

Well there ya go, @grantmc internet research skills are far superior than my memory reading the plaques and history signs when we visited last summer. I digress. Either way, very cool area with lots of history.

@yojimbo I missed seeing in your user details that you were from Tacoma, of course you know about the PNW... cool experience you must have had on that trip.

Carry on....

[bccoast]

Originally Posted by grantmc

There are several historical errors in your post Christopher, but I'm sure you're right about the sailing there.
In New Zealand we have, what I think sound and look very similar to BC (although without any critters trying to kill and eat you).
Fiordland and Stewart Island are about as far away from civilisation as one can get (ok a few hard core people do sail to the Auckland Islands).

Fiordland is about 10% of New Zealand’s landmass (2.6 million hectares) and yet there are only officially 111 people living there. But few sail to either location due to the remoteness.

Spent a month travelling around north but mostly south island in a Land Rover with my friend chasing brown trout on the fly. He is a local Māori based out of Christchurch and very involved in the community and enjoyed lots of the history that he shared. I expect my memory on that to be laced with many historical errors as well so will just say it was cool, I would like to come back, this time on my boat