Travel Green

With debate around environmental issues raging more than ever, you may want to consider taking an eco-friendly holiday. But you don’t have to travel to Africa, Essouira or some other completely obscure location to minimise your environmental impact. Here are some mainstream holiday destinations which you may not have considered for your eco holiday.

United Kingdom – The UK? Environmentally friendly? Really? Absolutely! Since the Green Tourism Business Scheme certified over 1,000 destinations and experiences in England and Scotland, the UK is quickly becoming a popular destination for eco travellers, with a growing number of green activities and accommodation options. ‘Bwlch Nant Yr Arian’ in West Wales is an old lead and silver mine which has been converted into a wildlife-friendly nature reserve and visitor’s centre. For eco-conscious accommodation, The Treehouse in Somerset, England, is made entirely out of wood, nestled in the tree tops on a small farm, but has all the creature comforts with a plasma TV, Egyptian cotton linen sheets and a cedar hot tub (that runs on a natural seaweed enzyme, of course). Flights to London are available on most major airlines, and visitors are of course encouraged to use eco-conscious travel options such as the train to travel around the UK.

Australia - If you’ve booked flights to Perth, combine luxury with efficiency and consider the new luxury walking holidays introduced by Auswalk 2011. Self-guided hiking trips will be offered around Western Australia’s Margaret River region, and allow walkers to gain coastal views of the natural landscape and wildlife. If you’re heading to Queensland, Atherton Tablelands is perfect for an eco getaway. This cool tropical rainforest plateau is great for bush walking, bird watching, horse riding, hot air ballooning, watersports and fishing. You can easily find cheap flights to Cairns, which is an hour’s drive from the Atherton Tablelands.

Canada – With beautiful natural scenery and landscapes, Canada is a perfect destination for those wishing to see the wilderness and nature without impacting the environment. Arctic Canada Wilderness & Wildlife Expeditions runs tours focused on giving you the most amazing views and experiences of nature while being non-disruptive to wild animals and plantlife. Sea Kayaking is another option if you want to see the Canadian wilderness by water while minimising your environmental impact. Flights to Canada are offered by major airlines, and be sure to do some skiing while you’re there.

For more environmentally responsible holiday options, there are plenty of eco-friendly holiday sites to help you plan your green adventure.