Green Your Get Away with Eco-Travel
Green Your Get-Away with Eco Travel!
Sub: Take a vacation you can feel good about as an ecotourist.
Thinking about getting away from it all? These days, you can vacation eco-style, help the environment and score green points for your eco-consciousness, all in one.
We’re talking about ecotourism, of course. As defined by the
Ecotourism Society, ecotourism is “responsible
travel to natural areas which conserves the environment and improves the welfare of the local people.”
The idea is that, as an eco-traveler, you opt to vacation in an area that offers some spectacular natural scenery, spend some money while you’re there to boost the local economy and take nothing home but photos and memories.
The more popular these eco-destinations become (providing, of course, that all visitors are eco-conscientious during their stay), the more likely they are to survive. The more tourism dollars these often impoverished regions can bring in, the less likely locals are to engage in practices that could harm the area – or even destroy it – out of financial need.
So here are our top picks for your next eco-vacation. Have fun, take a bunch of photos (and send some to us!) and keep it green!
Panama
Famous for the canal that bears its name, Panama (formally, the Republic of Panama) is the southernmost country in Central America, and offers the adventurous traveler some truly spectacular geography. Rainforests, more than 1500 tropical islands and nearly 500 rivers provide a stunning backdrop to thousands of species of flora and fauna.
Wild Planet Adventures, an eco-tour company with a long history of organizing thrilling eco-adventures, is a good place to start if you’re considering a visit. Their 11-day “Ultimate Wildlife Adventure” tour promises snorkeling in the crystal clear waters of Bocas del Toro, kayaking along the Panama canal, cloudforest zip-line canopy tours, whitewater rafting and more. And, like its neighbor Costa Rica, Panama offers a dizzying array of wildlife, including monkeys, sloths, crocodiles, manatees, herons, sea turtles and poison dart frogs, but with fewer tourists competing to catch a glimpse.
Iceland
The first thing you ought to know about Iceland is that its name is intentionally ironic, or
so the legend goes. According to the oft repeated tale, in order to discourage additional settlers or invaders from crowding up the place, the first inhabitants dubbed their island home “Iceland,” and called its neighboring (and much larger) landmass “Greenland.” The irony is, of course, that Greenland is pretty much covered in ice for most of the year, while Iceland is pretty, well…green – particularly for a country situated way in the northern part of the Northern Atlantic.
You can explore the wonders of Iceland yourself through the “
Wonders of Iceland Ecotour” sponsored by
GeoPassage, one of the world’s most successful green travel companies. Your journey will take you from the blasted black rock of the country’s live volcano fields to the pristine waters of its lakes and geothermal pools, to lush green farmland and to massive ice glaciers. You’ll see puffins, arctic terns and reindeer, and you’re sure to catch a glimpse of
an arctic fox, the native animal of Iceland.
Hawaii
If you want to stay state-side (if only just) check out Hawaii. Truly one of the most beautiful natural areas in the world, the Hawaiian Islands are literally teeming with eco-tour companies.
You can take an underwater tour of the stunning coral reefs around Waikiki, Maui and Kona with Atlantis Adventures, a company that operates five eco-friendly submarines.
The adventurous might like an opportunity to swim with the sharks in Oahu with Hawaii Shark Encounters, where you’re likely to find yourself virtually nose to nose with Galapagos and Sandbar sharks.
For those travelers who’d really rather just sit by the ocean and soak up the relaxation, there’s the Kalani Oceanside Retreat – 120 acres of organic agriculture, traditional Hawaiian architecture and eco-friendly accommodations.
Whatever your destination, remember to tread lightly on Mother Earth, and make all your travel as eco-friendly as possible.