With a growing social and environmental conscience, more people than ever are looking for ways to help the environment. Whether it’s recycling, volunteering or even switching to electric cars, everybody is looking to reduce their carbon footprint. One way you can make a difference is by opting for an environmentally responsible holiday provider. Whether you are going on a tour in a smaller group, booking homestays, putting money back into local communities or are looking for a resort with an eco-certification that guarantees the resort adheres to environmental and social practices creating a sustainable and eco-friendly vacation spot, then we have picked the most eco-friendly holidays for you.
Club Med Eco-Friendly Resorts
Club Med has a global policy that supports sustainable development. Club Med aims to alleviate their contribution to the issues facing the world and the pressures on the environment by managing its own impact, plus supporting local development and respecting the environment. It’s not just the eco-resorts; 75% of Club Med resorts are Green Globe-certified for sustainable tourism.
Club Med has been granted an Eco Certification which means that they guarantee that they follow these criteria:
- They implement a plan of action for sustainable development within the Resort
- Focus on raising customers’ awareness of sustainable development issues
- Active support for the economic and social development of the host region
- Respect for the local communities
- Effective management of water, protection of biodiversity
- Energy-saving and efficiency
- Reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases
- Protection of the quality of the air, noise management
- Management of solid and liquid waste
Club Med Eco-Nature Resorts
Club Med strive to combine a beautiful holiday with all of the inclusions and benefits of a Club Med resort with the education and protection of the local flora and fauna. The Eco Nature by Club Med Resorts blend totally into their surroundings, offering a truly unique holiday in the heart of the most luxuriant natural surroundings, while enjoying the height of comfort.
Club Med Cherating Beach, Malaysia
This resort is situated in heart of a tropical forest, and is shared by macaques and gibbons. The resort perfectly blends into the surrounding flora for a sympathetic resort which seems like an extension of the forest itself.
Read more on Club Med Cherating Beach in Malaysia here >>
Club Med Rio Das Pedras, Brazil
Situated alongside a stunning stretch of private beach, this resort is in the heart of a protected nature reserve, Mata Atlantica, renowned for having among the richest biodiversity in the world. The resort takes care to nurture this beautiful site and protect it.
Read more on Club Med Rio Das Pedras, Brazil here>>
EcoCamp in Patagonia
Patagonia is one of the most beautiful and preserved biospheres in the world. Building a concrete hotel in the midst of its beauty would never be sympathetic to the environment or its resident pumas and llamas. EcoCamp Patagonia found a way to create an experience in Patagonia that is not only sustainable but also non-permanent, leaving nothing but footprints behind when they pack away their camp. This award-winning hotel is located in the heart of Torres del Paine National Park. Comprised of eco-friendly and sustainable geodesic domes, EcoCamp was the first camp of its kind and is now a leading pioneer in sustainable travel. EcoCamp provides a warm and comfortable stay with magnificent, panoramic views of the landscape, views which are not spoilt by these natural camps. You can connect with nature, see the night sky in all of its stelliferous splendour and also take part in exciting excursions.
Leave nothing but footprints with Intrepid
Since its inception, Intrepid has vowed to lead the way with sustainable tourism, opting for smaller groups, including homestays to give back to local communities, and respecting the environment around them. Intrepid also invest in local communities, human rights initiatives, wildlife conservation projects and the environment. On their tours, you will learn about key issues and how Intrepid do their bit to help alongside offering real-life experiences as you mingle with locals and learn from new communities. Intrepid has been a carbon-neutral business since 2010 and have 27 carbon-neutral offices and offer over 1400 carbon-offset trips. Intrepid also founded the Intrepid Foundation, a non-profit organisation that invests in grassroots projects around the world. They address projects such as healthcare, education, community development and animal welfare. Intrepid was the first global tour operator to end elephant rides and brought awareness to the cruelty of lion walks and orphanage visits.
Find a tour with Intrepid >>
For more information on any resorts and tours, please call us on 0800 707 6229.