Although countless hotels proclaim they are somehow "eco" these days, according to Outside Magazine these are the ten best Eco-lodges that have sustainable practices with not only the environment but also the local community.

Well there is one that I am surprised to see left off of this list. Perhaps though it is being dicounted because it of it's lack of work with the community. Having lived there though, I can undeerstand why. It's worth mentioning none the less. Maho Bay 4 Green Resorts in St. John, USVI. They have studios, tents, estates and even a work exchange programme. They are the holder of many environmental stewardship awards and for a long time held the record in standard for eco-tourist hotels. I am unsure if they still do but they are impressive all the same. They can be pricey at $100.00 a night for their eco- tents in the off season, but well worth the experience. Especially in the off season.

Unfortunately eco-friendly or not where there is traffic there is impact on nature and Maho is becoming quiet popular. However minimalizing affects and damage and doing ones best to take care is I assume the best we can ask for at this point if we want to ever see and share places.

RT

One of my favorite eco-lodges was in San Jose Succotz Belize. It was called the Trek Stop. Run by two people (I think) from Illinois. They're so friendly and the place is amazing with it's butterfly farms and medicinal gardens. They use decomposing toilets and solar heated showers. It took a little getting used to at first, but after the 2nd night I didn't ever want to leave. Plus I met the coolest travelers there, we'd all hang out in the commons drinking beer and teaching eachother card games. It was great. Just thought I'd add it for good measure.

I have another one for Belize. It's on Long Caye at Glover's Reef. Slickrock adventures runs tours from their private island (shared with Off the Wall dive shop). It's very expensive, but is eco friendly. Electricity is gathered by wind and solar power, showers are from collected rainwater warmed in the sun (still a bit chilly), and they use composting toilets.

Lots of iguanas and hermit crabs on the island, too!

Marisa

http://www.geocities.com/mumsawas

i stayed at the Punta Marenco Lodge in Corcovado, Costa Rica.

nice and remote. had to take a 2 hour boat ride to get there. no docks, just jump off into the water. 2 hours of electricity a night. home cooked meals. nice little huts on a bluff overlooking the beach and pacific below. monkeys, toucans and macaws all over. part of a rainforest preserve. whole hearted recommendation.

"It's a Lifestyle"
- me

I stayed at the Black Sheep Inn that's listed in that article. Very cute place, the nicest composting toilet I have ever used with quite a mountain scenary while you're doing your business. I loved it there!

There's a great selection of places to stay being developed already here and justification alone to have this forum.

And with many of good value I think it is energising me to use it as a future travel theme.

La Marta does not seem to be a lodge as such but more of a project though their site has reference to making contact in regard to staying.
Just stumbled across that one whilst hunting out a location in "Where is this".

Talking about eco-lodges, in Chile, I stayed in Huelmo, (un destino no turístico), as they say. visit www.rocio.nl .No tourist around!!! It is a small village off the beaten track, amazing scenery…but most even I liked was the philosophy of the couple who runs the place. They offer anti-services, (no phone, no tv, no internet, no restaurants, no souvenir shops...) they have a No- Tourist Declaration, about Fair-Trade travel, and how to build a relation equal2equal with the local community. And I had the experience, because villagers don´t depend on tourism, and you can feel it. So the relationship with them is not based on commercial, on sell-buy, no, no . And I really liked it, it is easier to talk with the locals about how to fish, or native trees´s name, or how to harvest potatoes…wonderful experience to remember.

I'm reminded of an article I read in Audubon magazine earlier this year, discussing a lodge in Peru. The article featured, in it's own words, the "...Amazon Rainforest Conservation Center (ARCC), an ecolodge and research center located eight hours up the Rio de las Piedras, a left-bank tributary of the Madre de Dios that has almost no other ecotourism."

Actually once a year Audubon has their Green Travel issue. Here's a link to this years' issue:
http://audubonmagazine.org/content/content0607.html

I don't know whether it was officially classed as an Eco-lodge but it was most definately a self-sufficient, local community friendly guest house. Called Bulungula in South Africa (closeish to Coffee Bay) - one of THE most amazing places that I visited on my RTW.

www.bulungula.com

Hi Spicey,

I've heard of Bulungula, and it's gotten good reviews as an eco-destination.

Check out the details at this recent eco-travellogue post:

http://www.ecotravellogue.com/planning-a-trip/desintati...icas-wild-coast.html

If you'd like to share more about your experience there, and whether you think it merits ranking as an eco-destination, that would be great!

Mary

I'd love to tell you about it - as I said it was pretty much the highlight of my whole trip. What do I need to do?

quote:

Originally posted by Donovan:
according to Outside Magazine

i hate outside magazine. they should call it inside magazine because that is the type of lifestyle they promote:

spending your days inside with a fancy watch and suv and $40,000 in outdoor equipment which is all designed to make you feel like you are inside on the rare occasion that you put down the magazine and glass of chianti and venture outside.

thing makes me shudder.

Hi Spicey, sorry for the delay, been busy with holidays, etc.!

As for telling us more about your trip, all you need to do, is do it!

What was the accommodation, the food, the company like? What was it about the place that made it the highlight of your trip? Was it the scenery, the activities, the ambiance?

Looking forward to hearing more from you!

Mary