The Last Paradises

The Last Paradises is a documentary series focusing on beautiful places on Earth. On Worklizard, we’ve gathered a few of the episodes, viewable freely for everyone.

Episode 1: The Sulu Sea in the Indo-Pacific Ocean

The heart of the Indo-Pacific region, the Sulu sea, separates the north-ern coast of Borneo and the west coast of the Philippines. The coasts of the relatively small ocean, are home to inhabitants with a colourful culture and abundant animal life invites nature lovers for a visit. The island of Omadal is home of the Bajau. This nomadic tribe lives on wooden vessels or ashore in pile-dwellings. Harvesting seaweed generates them the money that is needed to buy all other goods on the market.

The underwater world of the Sulu sea is dominated by intact colourful reefs. Beautiful coloured mantis shrimps hunt with spears or their legs. Harlequin prawns always hold a starfish in standby to eat of. The Mimic Octopus, a squid, camouflages himself as a flounder or as a starfish. Only rarely will he be seen in his real shape, as an octopus.

The National territory of the Philippines covers 7000 islands, build from volcanic activities. The Mt. Pinatobo was considered to be extinct. But it just was dormant. When he woke up in 1991, the most powerful eruption of the 20th Century buried whole areas underneath his volcanic ashes. At the last location of this journey the camera crew got goose-flesh thanks to a very special tradition of the Ibanoi people on the island of Luzon. The team was allowed to film how these natives mummify those who passed away and bury them in tiny wood coffins.

Episode 2: Aurora – The hidden pearl of the Philippines

The Aurora Province is located on the East-Central part of Luzon Island, the main Island of the Philippines. The province of Aurora covers the eastern portion of the Sierra Madre Mountains, hence it is generally mountainous. Its coastline spans 332 kilometres in length. Aurora is a province blessed with an abundance of tourist attractions. It has its share of historical sites such as the home and resthouse of former Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon.

The province also has a beautiful Catholic church and several historical markers. Its natural attractions include picturesque waterfalls, lush greenery on mountainsides, and panoramic beaches. Surfing, snorkelling, scuba diving, mountain climbing and trekking are only some of the activities you can enjoy in Aurora. The social life is dominated by a mixture of old traditions of the natives and modern arts. So the displeasing dances of former head hunters can be admired as well as the work of highly talented artists of today’s time.

The population lives predominantly on farming and skilled crafts. It is conspicuous how engaged scientists work out solutions for an eco-logical lasting way of managing agriculture and to increase the conservation management. The influence of Spanish conquerors in Auroras history is still present at many places trough to the architectural style of historic buildings. Also a big Part of the population is Catholic.

Episode 3: Norway – The land of Fjords

This film shows Norway at its best. This touching episodes takes a good look at this breath-taking country.

The film shows primeval landscapes, fjords, glaciers, culture and animals in the typical clear, dust free lights of the northern hemisphere. The warm Gulf Stream creates a mild climate also above the arctic circle. So agriculture and live-stock breeding is possible where one expects strong winters and cold summers.

At some of the slopes of the fjords even strawberries, cherries and apples grow. Only the hinterland in the far north is covered in deep snow during the winter until Easter. But the Sami and the reindeers are pretty well adapted to these conditions.

Episode 4: The Most Beautiful Landscapes of the World

In The Paradise of The Polar Bear is a collection of short film travels which takes us on an alluring journey all around the world.

In the beginning we’ll visit polar bears in the Wapusk National Park in Northern Canada. Clear footage of newborn polar bears and a look into the famous Croatian National Park at the Plitvica Lakes.

In Ethiopia, we’ll visit the bleeding heart monkeys, or Geladas, who live on the high plateaus of the Simien National Park. And from here, we’ll travel onwards towards the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. The 1500 species of fish, 350 stone coral and 80 soft coral types are all endangered by acute coral bleaching. If the environment worsens, these images could potentially only exist on film.

From the depths of the sea-bed, we’ll venture up to some of the highest points on earth – The Alps. From here, the journey above the top peaks continues onwards towards China’s Li River. The skies here are where trained cormorant birds fish for the local people.

Off the coasts of South Africa, fishing looks completely different, when millions of sardines fall victim to predatory fish, including dolphins and sharks and even Cape gannets.