[JULY FREE REPORT]

Picture yourself in a place where when you open your eyes to look around, instead of seeing cars and buses to move around, what you see is boats, donkeys, mules and bicycles. You might think this is just your imagination and that a car-free place cannot possibly exist. But after going through this article, you might want to give your thinking another try. 

Lamu or Lamu Town is a small town on Lamu Island, which in turn is a part of the Lamu Archipelago in Kenya. Lamu Town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001, is also the oldest and best-preserved Swahili ( a language of E Africa that is an official language of Kenya and Tanzania ) settlement in East Aftrica whereby the usual mode of transport are donkeys and bicycles. Rahama Rashid, a correspondent from Lamu, told that the buildings in the mainland are built so close together that the raods are completely impassable for even the smallest cars. Residents have to walk while tourists can pay anywhere between Ksh 500 and Ksh 1000 to use donkeys to move around. Also, Lamu town is a protected World Heritage Site and any development is subject to many approvals by the National Museums of Keya, the National Environment Authority and the Physical Planning Act 2006. The town is comletely car-free. 1

The small village of Halibut Cove in Alaska is centred in Kachemak Bay State Park, which is on a protected stretch of water known as The Narrows. The majority of its structures float on docks, including the postal office. There are no paved roads in this car-free zone, thus the only way to get around is by foot, skiff or seaplane. The city is a testament to how places retain scenic beauty when left undisturbed by humans. 

The Old Town of Dubrovnik is a city of red-tiled rooftops and beautiful turquoise waterways. The Old Town is a car-free zone. Cars are not authorised to enter within the city walls; the only option is to park the car outside the city limits. Although this becomes a problem during peak tourist season, the city plans to keep the area car-free due to both environmental issues as well as to keep the heritage market area safe from air pollution. 

La Cumbrecita is a small hamlet located in Argentina which is a 30kms paved road through the Sierra Grandes which connects to La Cumbrecita.  Tourists can only enter the town on foot because all automobiles must be parked at the entrance. Because there are no cars, banks, ATM's or petrol stations, the city urges that you plan for these necessitites beforehand.

Going from cities that are car-free to a village that is absolutely road-free, Geithoorn - the Venice of the Netherlands takes beauty and sustainability up a notch. The village has a ban on cars and visitors are to park their vehicles only on the outskirts of the town. The only form of transportation in this charming hamlet is by boat along the waterways. 2

* Link to a Geithoorn Video- https://youtu.be/zu74trq9BDE

References:-

1. Mwangi, D. (2021, April 10). Why There are no Cars in Lamu & How Locals Commute [PHOTOS]. Kenyans.Co.Ke. https://www.kenyans.co.ke/news/64179-why-there-are-no-cars-lamu-how-locals-commute-photos

2. Nainani, M. (2022, March 16). Sustainable Travel: 10 Car-Free Cities For Your Travel Bucketlist. Https://Www.Outlookindia.Com/. https://www.outlookindia.com/travel/sustainable-travel-10-charming-car-free-cities-for-your-travel-bucketlist-news-187069