10 Stunning Ecotourism Destinations (PHOTOS)

Eco-friendly travel has seen a tremendous surge in popularity in recent years and, in honor of the 41st anniversary of the upcoming Earth Day (April 22), ShermansTravel.com's editors have rounded up their top picks for eco-tourism destinations to get thinking green.

Several on this list pack substantial environmental pedigree (think the Amazon and Galapagos), but there are also a few worthy up-and-comers.

Text, photos, and captions courtesy of ShermanTravel.com, adapted from "Top 10 Ecotourism Destinations."

Comments

[WinniethePuuuh]

01:08 PM on 04/07/2011

Wow I think the picture of Galapagos is stunning.... I have a bad feeling now that I'll probably never see this seaside with my own eyes..
Eco-tourism is a good idea i think, but i most of the people don't even know about it...

[CostaRicaCLOSEUP]

11:37 AM on 04/04/2011

There's eco-friendly and then there's eco-sustainable - Costa Rica is trying to move to the latter concept and its this approach that takes into account not only the effects of making a site eco friendly but all the concommitant effects to get there - e.g. plane travel, bears in the woods etc. So give support to eco sustainability to ensure those pictures, Dominica and Costa stay that way.

Cheers, Tee

Tee is the founder and senior editor of Costa Rica CLOSEUP a Travel Guide to Costa Rica with Events, Articles and Information for everyone traveling, retiring and/or purchasing real estate in Costa Rica. Please visit www.costaricacloseup.com for more information.

[Lauren Kottwitz]

05:54 PM on 04/02/2011

Gorgeous.

[zackste]

11:20 PM on 04/01/2011

Keep it cheap!!!
http://www.lifehanginginlimbo.com/2011/04/top-5-things-to-do-for-vacation-with.html

[AnnoyedCanuck]

04:53 PM on 04/01/2011

If you have to fly to get there (especially to a remote spot halfway around the world), THERE'S NOTHING "ECO" ABOUT IT.

There's a British couple I know of who run an inn in a remote area of the Canadian Rockies known for its grizzly bear population. These people run tours into the center of the grizzly hunting area, using quad all-terrain vehicles - noisy 4-wheel motorcycles that stress the bears, chase away game and tear up the thin soil. They have the gall to market this as "eco-tourism" to British travellers.

Why are people so stupid? It's no wonder the planet is a mess.

[toxicity]

07:58 PM on 04/01/2011

I agree with you wholeheartedly.

[Rozanna]

04:22 AM on 04/03/2011

Thanks, I agree. Most of these destinations require a flight and the requisite dumping of carbon dioxide.

[kimi6]

04:09 PM on 04/01/2011

I'm from Dominica and everytime I go back, I'm still stunned by its natural beauty. Trust me, you have never seen so much green in your life!

[Ramkshrestha]

02:56 PM on 04/01/2011

All of them seem amazing. I am familiar with Himalayas (Nepal) and Blue Mountain (Melbourne) only.

[SunEarth]

12:56 PM on 04/01/2011

Is there a way to get to these places with out using oil or gas?

[wkgreen]

05:43 PM on 04/01/2011

Canoe?

[SunEarth]

06:02 PM on 04/01/2011

A canoe from NY?! Thats a whole lot of paddling!

[mmkay]

11:35 PM on 04/01/2011

Walk/swim will work for all of them, but you'll need to be really fit and have a lot of time for getting there and back.

[SunEarth]

01:07 PM on 04/02/2011

I live in NY, I dont think I can walk/swim to any of them no matter how fit I am

[PackyJ]

12:50 PM on 04/01/2011

I don't want to go to Botswana.
Like Rep. Tom Marino (R-PA), I'd rather go to Africa.

[seehowtheyrun]

12:35 PM on 04/01/2011

How come the full page big shots slideshow isn't ? All I get is a small page.

[sierraseven]

05:55 PM on 04/01/2011

I can't get it to run at all. About one out of ten of these slide shows won't load for me.

[BillyClub]

12:11 PM on 04/01/2011

Don't be publishing these sites! If the Oil Cartel finds out, it could spell trouble?

[manjectionist]

11:09 AM on 04/01/2011

How can you have left New Zealand off the list? The country has a wonderful variety of different regions, the people are friendly, and they have been world leaders in conservation efforts for decades.

[Tulka2]

11:32 AM on 04/01/2011

The airline that paid AOL's Huffington Post to put up this story doesn't fly to New Zealand.....?  Educated guess.

[mmkay]

11:37 PM on 04/01/2011

NZ gets hyped whenever people see any of The Lord of the Rings. Other places need some hype too.

[Ljilja]

11:05 AM on 04/01/2011

I want to visit each and every one of these beautiful places.

But how does one do that without destroying them and robbing them of their natural beauty?

http://graciouslivingdaybyday.com/

[Tulka2]

11:01 AM on 04/01/2011

Look, i fly to a lot of places, but i don't fool myself that flying somewhere, anywhere, especially to a pristine place on the planet is eco-friendly.  


Do the math:

http://www.nature.org/greenliving/carboncalculator/

[boyd3b]

10:57 AM on 04/01/2011

Of course the ecosystem is going to be "eco-friendly."

[Tulka2]

11:03 AM on 04/01/2011

Thinly disguised travel industry promo.  This is how advertising will look in the future.  Look.... you and i came to this link of our own free will..... God help us.