Continuing 'Round the Equator

The Equator is the designated halfway point between the Earth's North and South Poles, lying at 0 degrees latitude.

To follow-up on an earlier post, we know there are 13 countries situated along the Equator passing through three of the seven continents. We started in Ecuador and followed this imaginary line that separates the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. We traveled first heading east through the Amazon, then crossed the Atlantic to the heart of Africa ending up in the Republic of the Congo. Now, let's continue heading east across the African Continent before exploring two very different Asian archipelagos and winding up in the Pacific Ocean nation of Kiribati. Here’s what to expect from the second half of our imaginary journey 'Round the Equator.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Virunga National Park is a gem of biodiversity in the heart of Africa and it's huge, spanning over 3,000 square miles.

Unfortunately, travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is not recommended right now due to crime, political instability and civil unrest, which often puts travelers at risk of robbery or even kidnapping. The US State Department asserts that armed home invasion and assault is common and local police lack resources to respond effectively to serious crime. In fact, assailants have even been known to pose as police or security agents. So, you’ll have to bookmark this trip for later and when you do, be sure to visit Virunga National Park which straddles the Equator on the country’s eastern border. It’s Africa’s oldest national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Along with neighboring Uganda and Rwanda, it’s home to a sizable but endangered population of mountain gorillas. Only a thousand exist worldwide and Virunga has about a third of them. They are especially vulnerable because, unlike lowland gorillas, they don't survive in captivity for reasons we don't yet fully understand.

Uganda

To shelter from the rains and to protect against pests, lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park take to the trees.

As in the DRC, Uganda’s biggest draw is its gorillas. And, the country’s busiest safari destination is Queen Elizabeth National Park, which also happens to straddle the Equator. The most bio-diverse park in Uganda, it’s a beautiful combination of forests, grasslands and waterscapes. Queen Elizabeth National Park is the ideal location for gorilla trekking in Bwindi or chimp trekking in Kabale Forest. The park is also famous for its big cats, including tree-climbing lions and leopards. Game drives will reveal the park’s range of big game including elephants, buffalos, antelopes, hippos and warthogs. If you continue along the road towards Kampala, Uganda’s capital and largest city, you’ll find the country’s busiest Equator crossing. Beside a souvenir shop, there are several small sinks where travelers can try one of the Equator’s most well-known experiments and see if water drains in different directions on opposite hemispheres.

Kenya

The African or Cape Buffalo found in Meru National Park on the Equator is a large, aggressive sub-Saharan bovine.

Kenya is East Africa’s premier safari destination and is a favorite spot for animal lovers the world over. Each year, a mind-boggling 1.5 million wildebeest attempt a migration north across the Mara River, and bearing witness to this is said to be nothing short of spectacular. In the nearby Masai Mara, you can tick off the Big Five Game from your "must-see" list; lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant. Amboseli and Tsavo National Parks are similarly well-stocked. Tourists sometimes overlook Meru National Park, which straddles the Equator. However, it was once the home of George and Joy Adamson, best known for Born Free, the book and film about the orphaned lion cub they reared and released back into the wild. The Kenya Wildlife Service has worked hard to solve problems with poaching, and visitors are returning to see Meru’s varied wildlife once again.

Somalia

The gorgeous white sand along Liido Beach beckons visitors to the azure blue waters of the Indian Ocean.

Volatile Somalia on the east coast of Africa is next on our equatorial journey, but ongoing violence also makes this off-limits at present. Should peace return to this troubled region, the nation’s mercantile history, ancient fortifications, dramatic waterfalls, and endless unspoiled beaches should make it an enticing prospect for those seeking adventure. The capital city of Mogadishu lies 150 miles north of the Equator and contain’s several of the country’s attractions. These include Liido Beach, built specifically for Italian colonialists that is today one of the most popular beaches in the country where locals and visitors alike come to escape the heat on weekends. The Fifteenth Century Almnara Tower in Mogadishu is a medieval lighthouse that guided ships from across the Silk Road to the city’s harbor. Should Somalia open up again for travel, visitors will have a front row seat to its fascinating culture and enjoy its natural attractions, bask on its pristine beaches and trek across its arid mountains.

Maldives

For travelers yearning for the utmost in tropical escapes, Maldives overwater villas are the epitome of ultra luxury.

The Maldives comprises 26 ring-shaped atolls containing 1,190 coral islands, 185 of them inhabited and countless others given over to tourism. Widely considered to be the planet's most exclusive holiday destination, the Maldives is home to a string of ultra-luxurious five-star hotels and resorts that embody the ultimate tropical paradise getaway for honeymooners, sun worshipers, discerning travelers, scuba divers and celebrities. For absolute luxury, book an overwater villa in one of the swanky all-inclusive resorts and let a private butler deal with everything. The closest atoll to the Equator is Addu, the southernmost island group, though the country’s signature luxury resorts are located further north. But regardless of where you stay, nothing beats diving and snorkeling against a breathtakingly beautiful backdrop of sugar-soft sand and gently swaying coconut palms.

Indonesia

Temples on Bali are dedicated to local spirits and deities. There are more than 20,000 Hindu temples on the island.

A considerable number of the 17,508 islands of Indonesia attract tourists. I can personally attest to the allure of tropical Bali, an island known for its forested volcanic mountains, verdant rice paddies, cliff-top temples and coral reefs. Lombok also lures with the promise of deserted beaches, and Komodo Island’s home to some pretty fierce-looking dragons. On Java, you can climb Mount Bromo to experience one of the most incredible spots on the planet to watch the sunrise over a panorama of volcanic craters. The Equator cuts across Kalimantan, Indonesia’s part of Borneo. It’s the best place in the country to see orangutans in the wild. Ride down the Sekonyer River on a klotok, a type of houseboat, to Tanjung Puting National Park to observe these engaging primates hanging out in the tree tops and swampy mangroves.

Kiribati

Located in Oceania, Kiribati is made up of 32 atolls and one coral island spread out over 1.3 million square miles.

The last of the thirteen countries is the Pacific nation of Kiribati (pronounced Ki-ree-bas), where you’ll find clusters of uncomplicated coral islands from which you can dive, swim, surf, or fish. It’s the only country in the world to span all four hemispheres, as it also sits on the anti-meridian at longitude 180 degrees. However, that doesn’t put it on the International Date Line, which has bypassed Kiribati since 1995 when the government decided it was fed up with its citizens having to manage a 23 hour time difference between regions. Encompassing only 313 square miles in area, the islands of its 32 atolls are very spread out, resulting in the need for three separate time zones: UTC +12, +13 and +14. Together with Samoa and Tokelau, the easternmost part of Kiribati is the first place in the world to usher in the New Year.

This trip has shown us that biodiversity increases towards the Equator. Its favorable climate with plentiful sunlight, precipitation and nutrient-rich soil promotes the development of small habitats. In fact, countries on the Equator include almost half the world's rainforests concentrated in Brazil, the African nations of Congo, and Indonesia. All of which proves that it is indeed a fascinating world in which we live. I've enjoyed taking you on this imaginary journey and hope it's reinforced this for you, while providing some interesting reading.

Until next time...safe travels.