Eco Vacations

Long before the time of Survivor or Survivor Man (Les, I loved Jimmy Fallon's take on you on Sesame Street - yes, I have small children), I had an idea for an adventure vacation/team-building business:

Put an array of gear and supplies in front of a group of people.  They can take whatever they can carry.  Give them a map.  They must get from point A to point B in one week.  The trek would involve camping, climbing, kayaking (kayaks provided at a specific location on the water), hiking.  No crying allowed.  

 No, I never executed the plan.

I guess I'd been a big fan of the Raid Gauloises (started by Gerald Fusil in 1989).  The Raid was a 10-day long 4-person team race (45 teams at the most - from around the world) where all members of the team had to finish each leg or the entire team was disqualified from the race.  It was mandatory to have at least one woman on each team.  It was brutal.  It was dangerous.  And it was astonishing.  I loved following it.  Check out some old videos on YouTube (here's one from the first in New Zealand - a shout out to Ged Hay!).

Anyway, this brings to mind the notion of eco vacations (eco-tourism).  Because it's about doing without the luxuries, communing with nature, seeing what you can withstand, right?  A little like the Raid?  Ok, no, not at all like The Raid - that is for the toughest people on the planet.  And unlike Les Stroud on his Amazon segment, I do NOT tolerate insects crawling all over my body.

Now that I've totally sold you on the idea of an eco vacation, let me introduce you to some gentler versions.  Because green travel does not always mean having to boil your water.

While searching for "green vacation" I was surprised to find pieces like this one at U.S. News and World Report, where the description of an excellent American "green hotel" looked like a sorry excuse for a good hotel in Europe.  I took a trip to a tiny town in Italy in June and it was over-the-top green.  'Separate every item in your garbage and turn off all of your power when you leave your room' type of green.  'Recycle your gelato spoon and cup before you leave the shop' type of green.  

I found other resources that were more helpful.  The International Ecotourism Society was one of them.  Another was http://www.environmentallyfriendlyhotels.com, which enabled me to conduct a somewhat stringent search.  

Here are a few hotels that appeal to me.  Granted, I've not stayed in these establishments.  But they do look green and very comfortable.  

Gaia Napa Valley Hotel & Spa
Hotel Terra in Jackson Hole, WY
Quinta de Bispos Country House Hotel in Portugal
Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia

Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia

What are your favorite eco-friendly destinations?