When the Spanish first landed on the island they referred to as “Hispaniola”, rain forests covered much of its northern parts. Were those conquistadors to come back to life and make another landing on the northern shores of the Dominican Republic, they would certainly be surprised at the extent to which the jungle has been replaced by cattle pasture. Just about the only place where things would have looked the same as 500 years ago on the northern part of the island is at Los Haitises National Park.

Saved from being converted into more munching grounds for cows and acres of oil palms by merit of its challenging limestone karst terrain, the park protects a wide variety of rare plants and animals endemic to Hispaniola. Access is mostly by boat although trails can be hiked for several kilometers across humid, hilly ground to reach its borders. Both means of entering the park can be arranged at the lodging option that is closest to its borders, a place called Parasio Caño Hondo. This eco-friendly lodge has a stream running right through the middle of its grounds and is located near patches of rain forest that harbor a good selection of local flora and fauna.

Another curious aspect of this lodge are the endemic White-necked Crows that pop in to look for food scraps around the bar and outdoor dining areas. Unlike crow species in Europe and North America, these island birds do not get along well with deforestation. They have disappeared from Puerto Rico and have become uncommon in Hispaniola (the only other place where they still occur). Paraiso Caño Hondo and the nearby national park have become the easiest places to see this strange bird in action. Whereas the familiar crows of the north tend to be dull black and make “caw”-like sounds, these crows are a beautiful glossy blue-black color, have reddish eyes, and make bizarre gurgling and squawking noises like a parrot!

For visitors to the area who aren’t into rain forest hikes, there are petroglyph decorated caves in the area as well as excellent whale-watching opportunities in nearby waters from December to April when the entire North Atlantic population of Humpback Whales visit the area to breed.

Tourists take trips to Yellowstone National Park in the United States for exciting encounters with wildlife, to African parks such as Serengeti, Masai Mara, and Kruger for incredible safaris, and to Khao Yai in Thailand to see large Asian mammals.

Only a two hour drive from massive and congested Bangkok, residents of the Thai capital do weekend trips to Khao Yai to see wildlife and get back in touch with nature. The tropical forests and grasslands of this national park cover a large enough area to provide forage and shelter for such big, charismatic fauna as Asian Elephants, Sambar Deer, Gaur (a rare, wild, Asian Ox), two species of bears, Gibbons, Macaques, and even a few Tigers.

Because much of the park is dense, tropical forest, the large animals of Khao Yai aren’t as easy to see as mammals in parks with wide open plains, but they are seen often enough to make this the most popular and heavily visited park in Thailand. This turns the campgrounds into veritable Thai jamborees each and every weekend but that doesn’t seem to reduce sightings of wild (and dangerous) Asian Elephants, semi tame and larcenous Lion-tailed Macaques, long-armed gibbons that hoot from the trees, massive, prehistoric-looking Great Hornbills (kind of like a giant, bizarre, old-world toucan), and plenty of beautiful Sambar Deer.

Visitors to the park who explore with an experienced, local guide are likely to see even more, especially if they go searching for animals at night. Tigers are pretty rare and avoid the limelight but elephants are just too big to hide. Other than the macaques and a variety of exotic, tropical Asian birds, some of the easiest animals to see are the large porcupines that visit the campgrounds at night. Covered in long quills that they rattle while walking among the tents, it can be disconcerting to see one of these dog-sized creatures stumbling around while walking to the restrooms but as long as you keep your distance, hopefully they will too (at least they aren’t carnivorous).

This title might sound like some eco-fantasy since the French are historically known for making delicacies out of various wild bird species but it’s as true as baguettes in a Parisian bakery. The bird-rich marshes of the Camargue in the southern part of the country amply demonstrate that conservation of wildlife has come a long way in France. The “Camargue” is the name given to the large and unique delta of the Rhone River. Wetlands, stony plains, and open, Mediterranean scrub provide a rich mix of habitats for several animal and plant species that don’t occur anywhere else in France.

Flamingos are common and easy to watch as they quickly stomp their feet in shallow, brackish waters of this national preserve. Hundreds and hundreds of gulls, terns, plovers, ducks, egrets, herons, and Marsh Harriers also thrive in the extensive reedbeds and shallow pools. Colorful Bee-eaters, Eurasian Rollers (a strange, open country bird dressed in different shades of blue), and Hoopoes (an even more strange pink and black bird with a thin, downcurved bill) are frequently seen in the area of the reserve, and semi-wild, black Bulls plow their way through the marshy landscape.

Other aquatic birds such as White Storks and stilts also hang out at the visitor center located just outside of the small, seaside village of Saint Marie de la Mer. This is also an excellent stop for learning more about the history and importance of this reserve. Other benefits of visiting France on an eco-vacation can also be enjoyed in the village in the form of fantastic Provencal cuisine but don’t expect to find wild birds on any of the menus; that practice was outlawed some years ago.

Further afield, the old Roman town and Van Gogh hangout of Arles appeals to the artistically oriented eco-traveler, whereas scrubby, fragrant hills around the old fortress town of Les Baux are a great place to go hiking and birdwatching.

The Mjolfjell Youth Hostel (don’t even begin to ask me how to pronounce that) is a place for people of all ages to experience the absolutely stunning scenery and fresh air of the Norwegian mountains.

Staying here is almost like camping without sleeping in a tent because the indoor accommodations are simple and comfortable while the main attractions can be found in the great outdoors. The moors and forests of this mountainous area are bisected by cold, rushing streams and make for beautiful hiking and horseback riding. Canoes and mountain bikes can also be rented to float on a nearby lake or zoom around on trails, and it’s an excellent place for cross country skiing during the winter.

The more adventurous visitors who want to challenge themselves or do their very own Norwegian dreamquest can also sign up for a wilderness survival course. Participants learn how to use a map and compass, how to survive in the wilds of Norway, and pass the night in a snow cave! I hope this last part is the graduation from the course because if not, the next step can only involve the building a Viking era boat or hand to hand combat with a bear.

For the less adventurous, (or for those who need to bring their core temperature back up to normal levels after the snow cave ordeal), there is also a heated swimming pool at the hostel. Although the pool is only open during the short summer, they make up for that with an outdoor Jacuzzi open and available to guests at all times of the year.

Green travelers will also be pleased to know that the Mjolfjell Youth Hostel gets all of its energy from its own hydro plant that runs with water from a nearby stream. Food is fresh, delicious, and includes such healthy local staples as trout and salmon.

Macaws are massive, long-tailed parrots plumaged in such bright colors that it’s heard to believe they exist outside of a zoo. Despite being more frequently seen at bird shows, on commercials, and travel brochures to tropical locales where they aren’t native (such as Jamaica, Florida, or the Virgin Islands) than in much of their natural range, large numbers of these majestic parrots can still be encountered in some of the more wild and remote areas of Central and South America.

Since they require huge areas of unbroken forest inhabited by very few people, it should come as no surprise that macaw central just might be southeastern Peru. The Amazon rain forest in this region is like an unbroken sea of every shade of green, there are almost no roads, and there are huge, uninhabited protected areas. Oh yeah, and there’s also these places along certain river banks where macaws, parrots and parakeets come to eat clay.

Yes, that’s right, they munch on dirt but it’s not just any old soil that they are interested in. The birds consistently take clods of dirt from particular river banks and only appear to be interested in certain types of clay. It’s thought that this helps them to remove toxins acquired from the fruits and seeds they feed upon as well as providing them with important minerals.

Although no one knows for sure why they do it, what is known is that large flocks of macaws and their smaller relatives show up at the same spot almost every day. This is great news for the eco-tourist because the spectacle presents some of the most evocative and awe-inspiring wildlife viewing in the world.

Among the dozen or so accessible clay licks in southeastern Peru, the most famous is at the Tambopata Research Center. The clay lick near this rain forest wilderness lodge attracts huge numbers of up to 16 species of macaws, parrots, and parakeets while rare animals such as jaguars and tapirs are sometimes seen in the surrounding forests.

On the best days, up to two hundred macaws of six species (!) fly in to hang out at and feed on the clay. They are also accompanied by hundreds of colorful parrots and parakeets. The mere sight of dizzying flocks of these birds flying around and feeding on the river back is incredible all on its own but throw in the fact that most of the birds are screaming and screeching and the experience leaves most people speechless.

San Blas is a small town that was formerly used as a base to fight pirates in western Mexico. Perhaps because swashbucklers have ceased to be a threat for some time, the town has developed a forgotten, rather neglected personality. Some of the larger hotels resemble left-over horror movie sets as they are reclaimed by the surrounding jungles, crocodiles are increasing their numbers in nearby mangrove swamps, and the town is famous for swarms of tiny, biting bugs that adore the place. These are of course a few of the reasons why San Blas is such a great destination for the eco-traveler.

This might sound like a contradiction but because San Blas is not growing by leaps and bounds like seaside locales in so many other areas of the world, habitat for wildlife is kept safe from being converted into sterile, plastic-dominated resorts.

Boat tours are excellent for seeing a wide variety of waterbirds that reside in the mangrove forests and wetlands that surround San Blas. Most of these tours also include a visit to the Tovara Springs and a crocodile farm. The springs are a swimming hole in the middle of the mangroves while the farm is self explanatory and the reason why crocodiles are frequently seen from the boat. The croc farm might also explain the presence of supposedly tame crocodiles in the springs and why more people hang out at the on-site restaurant than in the water (although no one has been attacked yet).

Back in town, other than enjoying a place that actively practices the art of taking it easy (also known as doing nothing), one of the other main activities is a visit to scrub-covered islands just across an estuarine channel. Most travelers get ferried across the narrow stretch of brackish water to hang out on the island’s beaches. Huichol natives from the highlands, however, trek down to San Blas and specifically go to this island for sacred ceremonies they have been carrying out since pre-colonial times.

Because of this, care should be taken to not disturb any prayer circles or otherwise obvious sacred sites on the island, nor should you touch any God’s Eye weavings or arrows found in the area as these are sacred objects that were purposely left behind after Huichol ceremonies.

Hotel Hellnar is 10 minutes away from Snaefellsjokull National Park where there is an abundant wildlife such as arctic fox and white-tailed eagles and the park has many incredible views of rock and ice formations as ancient lava flows are prominent in this landscape and there are a wealth of caves in the area, which are said to have inspired Jules Verne to choose the top crater at Snaefellsjokull as the entry point in his famous novel, Journey to the Center of the Earth. The hotel can help arrange horse-riding tours through lava-fields or along sandy beaches and Island Tours from Stykkisholmur where boat sails close to islands where birds such as puffins, cormorants, kitti-wakes and seaeagles nest. Also, there are many hiking trails from the hotel to a wide range of nearby natural attractions.

Hotel Hellnar is the first travel and tourism business in Iceland to be certified by GREEN GLOBE, and has been certified since 2002. This hotel is safely far away from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano which erupted in the spring of 2010 and caused so much havoc with air travel to Europe. They offer accommodations with spectacular ocean view, at the heart of Snaefellsjokull Glacier. They are open from May 10th to September 15th. The hotel was originally planned to be a spiritual retreat it is currently a modern but simple, single story wood building that comfortably coexists visually with the surrounding natural splendor. See more information on the hotel’s website.

For more information on travel in Iceland you may want to check out this great travel guide on Amazon.

Here is a website that will also provide more detailed information about sustainable travel in Iceland.

Still, it’s that childhood memory that has eco-tourists flocking to Treehotel to live out their childhood play in the trees, only this time with a little more style.

The Treehotel in Harads, Sweden is definitely not your childhood treehouse. Nestled in pine trees four to six meters off the ground, Treehotel is unarguably an eco-friendly destination. The Treehotel currently features four Tree Rooms with another, The UFO, expected to be ready in October and a room with a View planned to be ready at the end of this year or the beginning of next year. Treehotel also has a sauna and a relaxing room.

Each of the Tree Rooms has a unique and fun design, like the Blue Cone Room. Built out of lightweight materials, the room juts out into the trees via a bridge from the mountain behind it. It sits there suspended in air! The Mirrorcube is probably the closest thing to a traditional treehouse, however saying that is a bit misleading. Although it is a traditional square room surrounding a tree it’s nearly invisible. The Mirrorcube is surrounded with mirrored walls that reflect the sky and surrounding trees making it camouflaged. An added infrared layer makes the room visible only to birds.

The hotel’s philosophy according to its website is to create a comfortable, well designed hotel which allows visitors to live in harmony with nature amongst the trees. To accomplish that goal a group of designers and architects were brought together to create, not only some amazing structures that fit right in with their surroundings but to make sure the daily running of the hotel could be done using the greenest methods possible. Each room has an eco-friendly incineration toilet and water efficient hand basin so that no artificial plumbing is needed, and an electric under-floor heating system delivers warmth via an eco-friendly electricity source.

 If you are looking for an eco-retreat that isn’t too stuffy, Treehotel will allow you to not only get in touch with nature but with your inner child as well.

 To learn more about Treehotel visit their website.

There is a place where nature reigns supreme and visitors leave little trace of their presence. Where the sun rises and sets quietly as to not disturb the peace it shines upon. Getting back to nature is easy at The Tree House Backpackers Lodge in Hokianga, North Island, New Zealand.

The name should be the first clue that this is a no-nonsense eco-accommodation, The Tree House Backpackers Lodge; you can’t get more explanatory than that. But the lodge lives up to its name however, with subtropical gardens, forest and woodlands to explore, contemplate or just loose yourself.

The place is a retreat style eco-lodge that encompasses simplicity at its best. It’s rustic with wood décor and details that borrow from the natural beauty that surrounds the lodge. Though there is the convenience of a kitchen, laundry and bathroom facilities they are all located in the main lodge, and in communal style, are shared by all guests.

Located on Northland’s Twin Coast Discovery Highway between Cape Reinga and the Waipoua Kauri forest, The Tree House Backpackers Lodge provides a variety of accommodations for travelers wanting to tent camp, use a camper van or stay in a cabin, while enjoying the natural surroundings. When not exploring the natural surroundings of Hokianga Harbour check out the nearby art galleries, beaches, and historic locales.

For travelers really wanting to commune with nature however, there is enough of that on the grounds to keep any nature lover busy. Photograph the wild plant life, take in the activities of local “critters” or just sit on a picnic table and enjoy the peace of being in a place of unobtrusively observing nature.

There’s a time to explore nature and there’s a time to be one with it. For travelers looking to be an inconspicuous part of their surroundings The Tree House Backpackers Lodge is a great choice.

To learn more about The Tree House Backpackers Lodge visit their website.

Enjoy watching the animals in their natural state or have some quiet time bushwalking the property. If you crave more of an educational experience take a guided tour with retreat owner David Welford. Everything at the Cape Cassini Wildnerness Retreat was designed to “tread lightly on the Earth.”

Built on a waffle pod concrete raft, the retreat features a passive energy design of rammed earth and stone walls. An appropriate roof overhang and lots of windows allow for warmth in the winter and coolness in the summer. If that’s not impressive enough get a load of this, the retreat runs on a wind and solar powered energy system and the telephone is a radio transmitter and receiver. There’s also an organic orchard and vegetable garden. In essence there is no need to mix with the outside world while you are there unless you miss it enough to make contact!

For the true eco-tourist, there is an opportunity to do good for the environment as well by making it what the Cape Cassini Wildnerness Retreat calls a Working Holiday. The Working Holiday will help you get your green fix while adding a little of the green stuff to your pocket. You can save 50 percent off the Cape Cassini Wildnerness Retreat rates by devoting 2.5 hours a day during your stay “helping” run the retreat. Help out in the organic orchard, look for new trails and evidence of the endangered Glossy Black Cockatoos, collect firewood or debris on the beach, perform some weeding or help in other ways you see fit.

Whether you want to educate yourself on sustainable living or just get away from all the noise of the world, Cape Cassini Wildnerness Retreat has the accommodations.

Get away from it all at Cape Cassini Wildnerness Retreat.