Ecotourism doesn’t have to be boring says Assistant Web Editor, Lucy Dyer. Here are a few tips for making your holiday green

Ecotourism doesn’t have to be boring. Whether you’re hiking in France or conserving exotic trees in Kenya, here are just a few simple tips for at home and abroad to make your holiday that little bit more green:

*Unplug everything at home. Leaving things on standby will only waste electricity and cost you money

*Pack sensibly and pour your toiletries into travel-sized, reusable bottles

*Travel to the airport via train or tube or share a mini bus with a group

*If travelling by plane make sure you offset your carbon emissions

*Eat local food. This reduces air miles, benefits local farmers and helps you experience the true culture of the country

*Travel like a local. By using local transport not only are you helping the environment but it’s also a great way to experience the country from an insider’s perspective

*If you’re staying in a hotel hang your towels up to dry on the balcony, instead of leaving them on the floor to be washed everyday

*If you need to use a car why not use an electric car?

*Cancel your newspaper deliveries while you are away

While you’re away you don’t have to sit in a tent all day wearing four jumpers on your one man attempt to save the world. Here are some ways to make the most of your eco-holiday:

*Go on tours run by local people on local transport

*Take part in Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO)

*Go for a walk, cycle or hike

*A trip to the local farm, zoo or aquarium

*Relaxing day on the beach-you can even take a picnic to save money just remember to take your rubbish with you

*Museums

*Markets, perhaps a local farmers market

*Festivals, preferably eco-friendly ones

*Fishing

Need some help choosing a green holiday? Here are some ideas:

Devon, UK

Stay in an eco-cottage with five-star self-catering accommodation, all things powered by sun, wind, wood and water. Local attractions include the Beer Quarry Caves, Otterton Mill and the famous Jurassic Coast. With Devon Eco Holidays all supplies are included and they even offset the carbon for you. Great for all the family and guilt free fun.

Visit devonecoholidays.co.uk for details

Benidorm, Spain

A lot of people believe that for a holiday to be eco-friendly it has to involve a hike up a mountain or a dive in an underwater cave, however, this has now been branded as ego-tourism.

It is the modest beach holiday that should be getting all the praise and it is Benidorm that has been deemed the new face of ecotourism.

Although not always visually pleasing, large rows of high-rise hotels can actually make better use of water supplies than isolated villas with private pools. Plus Benidorm uses lots of locally produced food and many destinations are within walking distance. We mustn’t forget the carbon emitted from the flight however to make up for this you can offset your emissions. So if you’re looking for a cheap and cheerful beach destination that’s fun for all the family then it would seem Benidorm is the place to go.

Madagascar eco-tour

Terra Incognito ensures its tours are eco-friendly. It only employs local people, uses locally owned and operated lodges and outfitters and local goods and services. The trip includes lots of visits to National Parks, Nature Reserves and rainforest treks. As well as fishing, hiking, biking and the occasional relax by the beach.

You will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to see animals in their natural habitat and visit the Anjajavy resort, which is only accessible by air. Included in the price of the trip are meals, bottled water, flights, English speaking guides, excursions and drivers.

Visit ecotours.com for details

Mazzard Farm Holiday Cottages, UK

Located just outside the market town of Ottery St Mary in Devon, Mazzard Farm is a cluster of six luxury cottages. The farm is just five miles from the Jurassic Coast, which is home to some amazing sites including Durdle Door, Old Harry and Lulworth Cove.

Each cottage is furnished with all the luxuries, including high quality beds, wood burning stoves or heaters, TVs and even free Wi-Fi. To top it all off Mazzard Farm is doing all it can to be sustainable. For example, all heating, including hot water is generated through a biomass heating boiler, recycling facilities are available on site and local food is easily accessible.

To make the most of your green holiday the site has various opportunities for walking and cycling and they will even lend you a GPS. You can also indulge yourself with some spa treatments in the luxury of your own cottage and some cottages can hold up to 24 people so bring all the family.

Visit mazzardfarm.com for details

Eco holidays are the future, even Thomson are getting involved. Their hotel room of the future consists of a water-efficient bathroom where water from the wash basin and shower is used to flush the toilet, high efficiency windows, low energy coved ceiling lights powered by the resort’s own wind turbines and solar panels and fresh fruit grown in the resort’s garden. This proves that you can still be eco-friendly while having the perks of a luxury holiday.

They are the first travel company to introduce the Waterpebble into their hotel rooms. The unique and ingenious Waterpebble goes in the plughole while you have a shower and glows red when too much water is being used and it will be given to guests as a gift to take home after their holiday so it can continue to be used to transfer sustainable holidays into sustainable homes.

Written by Assistant Web Editor, Lucy Dyer

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