Panama is the ultimate destination in the America’s for diversity of wildlife. Panama is a natural land bridge connecting two continents and is home to many species from South American as well as North and Central America. About 29% of Panama’s land area is protected in 14 national parks, more then a dozen forest reserves and 10 wildlife refuges. Birdwatchers have long flocked to Panama’s some 1,000 species of birds. It is also home to over 220 mammals and 354 reptiles and amphibians. There are hundreds of islands and miles of protected coral reef, sheltering an amazing diversity of marine life.

Frank Gehry, the famous architect of Guggenheim museum and other renowned buildings, is blending art and science in his latest creation in Panama, the Bridge of Life Museum of Biodiversity. It is nearing completion and was planned to open in 2010 but it maybe a bit longer before the doors open due to a variety of reasons. More info here.

Panama is becoming one of the most exciting ecotourism destinations in the Americas and there are now several exciting ecotourist possibilities you may want to consider. For most of us with limited time and desire to rough it in unfamiliar rainforest, you will want to join a tour group of some sort.

The Panama Family Adventure has a 8 day package deal reasonably priced and geared for a couple traveling with children that want a relaxed easy eco-tour of top rainforest locations as well as some time to do some tropical chilling out.

Another fascinating adventure could be the Rainforest Awakenings, on their 8 day “youth rites of passage retreat” where you get intensive close up study of the tropical ecosystem. Hiking through the rainforest,a community service day where you can help build a water catchment system for a nearby community. Also go snorkeling and discuss the tropical reef ecology, and also hike along with a Ngobe tribal member to a sacred waterfall.

If you’d rather avoid the tour groups and want to strike out on your own you may consider the 400 acre Mount Totumas Cloud Forest Preserve, started in 2008, which borders La Amistad National Park. Their website states: “The cloud forest habitats of western Panama and neighboring Costa Rica are rich in endemic species. The site provides a great potential for studies of the local biodiversity, birdwatching, orchid photography and other related areas of natural history interest.” There is a three bedroom home with off-the-grid electricity (that is available for rent to the public) They also state “Visitors to the Reserve should be prepared for an isolated wilderness “retreat” experience. The site and home is at the top of a valley bordering an immense national park.” They also have a blog and it states they are actively seeking skilled carpenters, plumbers, ecologists with cloud forest knowledge and organic and conventional gardeners, and trail designers. Check out these great photos on their flicker photo site.

Days are hot, nights much cooler; temperatures range from 90 °F during the daytime to 70 °F in the evening practically year-round. Humidity is always high at about 80 percent. The rainy season takes place between October and November, and the best months to visit are mid-December and late March. Temperatures vary according to geography. The climate is less tropical at higher elevations. In mountain areas the average annual temperature ranges from 10ºC to 19ºC

Taos, New Mexico is well known as a community and destination that welcomes artists, seekers of new age spirituality, and people who enjoy the fresh air and stunning scenery of the Rocky Mountains. Once the El Monte Sagrado Resort Spa was built, this mountain town could also be known as a site for people looking for “eco-luxury”. I don’t think there’s really any other way to describe the level of comfort, pampering, and sustainable practices experienced by guests of this hotel.

The place really looks more like an interactive art gallery than a hotel. The buildings have soft curves that don’t intrude upon the environment, carved sculptures and different types of textured furniture are commonplace, and rooms have different themes with the appropriate furnishings and decorations. For example, guests who opt for the Egyptian Suite will share their room with an imitation sarcophagus and reproductions of paintings from the pyramids, whereas eager couples staying in the Kama Sutra suite are provided with a beautiful, hardwood bed carved with images from the Kama Sutra.

Guests who don’t want to pretend they are somewhere else will enjoy the much plainer (and sculptureless) Taos Mountain rooms. According to this cheaper option, brown, white, and a splash of turquoise are the official colors of Taos.

Honestly, though, the rooms do look seriously comfortable and the place does appear to follow a philosophy of living sustainable. Building materials included recycled fly ash, and solar and geothermal power are used for some of their energy needs. There is also “The Living Machine”, an “eco-structure” that reuses water with natural filters and purifiers, and a non-chlorinated pool purified by more eco-friendly means.

The resort-spa is also set in truly beautiful surroundings at the base of the Sangre de Cristo mountains so if guests somehow become tired of relaxation and rejuvenation, they can leave the grounds of this eco-luxury hotel and go for a hike or horseback ride up into the nearby, fragrant, Ponderosa Pine and Juniper forests.

On the banks of the Tusker and Napier Rivers in beautiful Nova Scotia next to the Tobeac Wilderness Area. Recipient, Canada Sustainable Tourism Award. For information, and full listing and booking, CLICK: http://www.troutpoint.com/

Enjoy walking or birding in the rainforest with a staff naturalist; boating, kayaking, and surfing, are among the activities offered through local guides. Lapa Rios is known as a model Ecotourism project, local educational tour visits are also available.

For information and booking, CLICK: http://laparios.com/