Basic to Luxury Green family holidays: Eco Cabins & Camping
by Take the Family
20 May 2008
Green Places
The most environmentally conscious holiday you could have of course is to camp in a field down the road, but as we recognise that you might want something a little more exciting/luxurious and a little less muddy, we have scoured out the best, most dependable eco places that we could find.
Bear in mind, that a great number of the places listed below have made substantial contributions to the lives of the local people and all work hard to improve the land, wildlife and country they inhabit. You can feel guilty about your air travel, but not about your lodging. We have made sure that when these places promise they are eco-friendly, they mean it – sticking the word ‘eco’ or ‘green’ in front of your hotel name has become very trendy recently and often it means as little as ‘sea-view’ used to.
It is of course easier to be green in a jungle in Venezuela than it is in New York, you just have to sling up a hammock, make sure you only eat what you can catch and there you are, so please bear in mind, that ‘eco’ in the jungle, often also means ‘very basic’, which means no electricity, no a/c, lots of insects and locally grown food – as long as you and your children are happy with this, then you’ll have an amazing holiday.
Our list of ‘green’ accommodation ranges from huts on a turtle nesting beach in Australia to an enormous water park in Slovakia, hopefully there is something for everybody. We have divided them into three sections based on price and bodily comfort; the camping section doesn’t always mean tents, it just means basic lodging, hostels, huts etc – an abundance of fresh air; the cabin section can mean B&Bs or farms, but hopefully less insects and a roof over your head, finally the comfort section means luxurious accommodation, boutique hotels and resorts.
We are spoilt for choice in this green island, camping is always going to be more environmentally friendly then most other forms of holiday, but these places take it to the next level – try taking the train there (it’s always been our children’s favourite bit of the holiday)
British Camping
Loch Ossian Hostel – Scotland (Rannoch Moor)
www.syha.org.uk
For a truly responsible holiday, try visiting the (as the SYHA claim), most ecologically friendly hostel in Britain. There has always been a whiff of holy wholesomeness about the youth hostelling association and this hostel has it in spades. You are not back to the days when you had to do a daily chore, but you do feel that just staying here is a righteous act. Rannoch Moor is a remote wilderness and the hostel is perched on the edge of it. It is a superb place for walkers and nature lovers. The hostel was refurbished in 2001 and is now at the cutting edge of environmental sustainability (it is every geography teacher’s dream and quite a few of them might be staying here), including wind and solar power, grey water, dry toilet systems and even bat friendly paint! It’s a lovely, warm, comfortable place with some spectacular scenery that will leave you and your kids feeling very refreshed (check the weather!) and slightly smug.
Here are some of our other favourites:
- Trellyn Woodland Campsite – Pembrokeshire – cool camping with yurts, tipis and tents
www.trellyn.co.uk
- Deepdale Farm – North Norfolk Coast (Burnham Deepdale) – award winning backpackers
www.deepdalefarm.co.uk
- Cornish Tipi Holiday – Cornwall (St Kew) – the original and still the best
www.cornish-tipi-holidays.co.uk
British Cabins
Higher Lank Farm – Cornwall (Bodmin)
www.higherlankfarm.co.uk
For those with younger children who shudder at the thought of Center Parcs again, this is a beautiful place set up with under 5’s very much in mind. In fact you are only allowed to stay here if you have small children. It’s a brilliant idea and it’s lovely. It’s an ancient ivy-smothered place, with farm-themed playgrounds, masses of tiny animals for your toddlers to love to death, ponies to groom and countryside to explore (there’s even a local beach and steam railway!) There are nursery teas and barns to play in and luckily baby-sitting for when you really have to run away from all this toddler heaven. It’s also working hard at recycling, cutting its consumption and becoming more sustainable, we thoroughly recommend it.
Some more perfect family-friendly places:
- Eco Cabin – Shropshire (Bucknell) back to nature in a gorgeous cabin
www.ecocabin.co.uk
- Eco Cabins at the Centre for Alternative Technology – Snowdonia (southern slopes)
www.cat.org.uk
- Cabin Cariad – West Wales (Cenarth) a groovy, award-winning cabin in a beautiful place
www.underthethatch.co.uk
- Huntstile Organic Farm – Somerset (Bridgewater) camping or B&B in a wonderful farm
www.huntstileorganicfarm.co.uk
- Trelowarren – Cornwall (lizard peninsular) an extraordinary, award winning estate
www.trelowarren.com
British Comfort
Penpont – Wales (Powys)
www.penpont.com
An ecologically-sound stately home in the heart of the Brecon Beacons National Park. This place has been a labour of love for its owners, who have planted vast numbers of new trees and created a lovely organic garden. They are committed people who have created a truly memorable place; comfortable, beautiful and inspiring. You can rush around doing wholesome, outdoor pursuits in their vast estate, or just relax in the friendliness and beauty of it all. Children might even be inspired enough to start recycling and aim towards their own mini, green, stately home.
If you want your ‘greenness’ with a few more frills:
- TYF Eco Hotel – Pembrokeshire (St Davids) – healthy, outdoorsy place in a windmill
www.tyf.com
- Strattons – Norfolk (Swaffham) – eco-friendly, artistic perfection in a queen Ann house
www.strattonshotel.com
- Milden Hall – Suffolk (Lavenham) – an ancient estate, imagine ‘the Archers’ but greener
www.thehall-milden.co.uk
The rest of Europe has some pretty good places too:
The Rest of Europe Camping
Milles Etoile – France (Languedoc)
www.canvaschic.com
One of the original yurt camps and still one of the best; this place draws the same crowd back year after year who enjoy its clever mix of French chic, cuisine and the chance to sit back, feel the fresh air and stare at the starry night. It’s in a beautiful spot in the Gorge d’Ardeche and for the family who would rather have croissants and sun with their camping.
Spain and France lead the way in terms of choice, but there are others:
- Huzur Vadizi – Turkey (Dalaman) – yoga-centric camp in the mountains
www.huzurvadizi.com
- Kolarbyn Eco-lodge – Sweden (Kolarbyn) – get back to serious nature (wolves) in a log cabin
www.kpolarbyn.se
- The Hoopoe Yurt Hotel – Andalucia, Spain – stylish, comfortable, beautiful - a lovely place
www.yurthotel.com
The Rest of Europe Cabins
Agroktima Boukouvala – Greece, (Lakonia)
www.boukouvala-apartments.com
A lovely, very family-friendly farm on the beach in Vathi, its got everything any small child would ever want; wide, safe beach, warm water, pet rabbits, family barbeques and a huge fruit (olive, fig, orange) farm to raid. Its perfect and you can potter around, eating and drinking and admiring the view to your hearts content as well.
Other impressive European places:
- The Oekotel – a delightful, small, ecological hotel near Hamburg, Germany
www.oekotel.de
- Las Alpujarras – stay on an olive farm far from the tourists in Andalusia, Spain
www.holidays-in-southern-spain.com
- Can Marti – an authentic, alternative, rural retreat in Ibiza
www.canmarti.com
- Casa del Grivo – a warm, very family-friendly house stay in Udine, Italy
www.grivo.has.i
- Milia Traditional Settlement – a lovely, mountain community in Chania, Crete
www.milia.gr
The Rest of Europe Comfort
Aquacity – Slovakia (Poprad)
www.aquacity.sk
A water park in Slovakia might not be the green traveller’s first idea, but this place has just been named as the ‘Worlds Leading Green Resort’ in the World Travel Awards. It is an amazing place, a real sign for the future and great fun. It is a complex of geo-thermal swimming pools, spas, hotels, restaurants and children’s mayhem. The whole complex is virtually self-powered, using solar as well as geo-thermal energy. There are a million flumes, slides, jets, everything any water-baby ever wanted and there is also care on offer, so that you can run away for a spa treatment, or just to get your feet onto dry land. You might wrinkle like a prune, but it is a fantastic place for a family and the hotels on site are pretty impressive too.
Nothing can really equal Aquacity, but we’ve tried:
- Cerro de Hijar – a beautiful, mountain lodge in Malagar, Spain
www.cerrodehijar.com
- Hotel Bourazani – an eccentric, fascinating hotel in unspoilt countryside in Northern Greece
www.bourazani.gr
- Tenuta le Sorgive – huge farm with horses and pool and fantastic food near Lake Garda
www.lesorgive.it
If you fancy the Caribbean, but don’t fancy an enormous resort, these are just the right places for you
Caribbean Camping
Maho Bay Camp – US Virgin Islands (Cruz Bay harbour – 11km)
www.maho.org.
One of the pioneers, this tented retreat has been around since the 1970s and hasn’t wavered in its commitment to the environment. If you can cope with a bit of cold water (it is the Caribbean after all), you can rent a tent set high up on the hillside with beautiful views and the sea just below. There are cabins also if you need a bit more luxury. The camp is run with great youthful energy and is very welcoming to children. There are a number of activities laid on for them. It’s beautiful and simple, doesn’t cost the earth, has a café on the beach and a restaurant for evening meals. You can hike and watch your kids do water sports from the comfort of your yoga mat.
There is also a sister camp on St John.
Other stunning camps in the Caribbean include:
- Mt Victory Eco Camp – a beautiful rainforest retreat in St.Croix, US Virgin Islands
www.mtvictorycamp.com
- 3 Rivers Eco Lodge – an award winning lodge in Dominica
www.3riversdominica.com
Caribbean Cabins
Crescent Moon Cabins - Dominica (Sylvania)
www.crescentmooncabins.com
Another wonderful, quirky and committed place. It’s a self-sufficient rainforest retreat, with wind and hydro generators and home grown food. Nearly everything has been crafted from recycled parts, even the coffee roaster is made from old car parts (the coffee has an extra kick). The food is wonderful, (one of the owners is a chef from Pennsylvania) and the cabins cosy and relaxed with hammocks and views of the sea. It’s an easy place for children, very chilled and a wonderful way to introduce them to the concept of self-sufficient living – home grown breadfruit and mangoes are more appealing somehow than home grown spuds and turnips. You can walk through the jungle, swim in the sea or the plunge pool - a really lovely, impressive place.
There is also a small house that can be rented for a family, as most of the cabins are for two only.
Some more beautiful places to consider:
- Le parc aux Orchidees – cottages amongst the orchids in Guadeloupe
www.parcauxorchidees.com
- Jungle Bay Resort and Spa – a lovely, relaxing, authentic place in Dominica
www.junglebaydominica.com
Caribbean Comfort.
Hotel Mocking Bird Hill – Jamaica (Port Antonio-10 mins)
www.hotelmockingbirdhill.com
A lovely, clean, colourful place set up in the hills above Portland. It uses solar power to heat the water, has an anaerobic waste-water treatment and its open windows and hammocks encourage a bit of natural air conditioning. The food is delicious, there’s a lovely swimming pool, it’s very welcoming to children and is surrounded by beautiful scenery and wildlife. What more could you want. There’s also an in-house eco-spa body care package just in case you did want a little more.
Some other more luxurious options:
- Papillote Wilderness Retreat – fabulous place up the mountain, amongst the orchids in Dominica
www.papillote.dm
- Exotica Cottages – a beautiful, committed Dominican Lodge
www.exotica-cottages.com
South America has taken the concept of eco accommodation to its heart, there’s an enormous choice – here are some of the best.
South American Camping
Rock View Lodge – Guyana (Annai, North Rupununi)
www.rockviewlodge.com
You’ll have to fly in a tiny plane to get here, so if that puts you off, it’s a shame as it’s a magical place. This small lodge is set on the edge of the jungle near a large Amerindian community, one of whom is the co-owner. You can sleep in tents or hammocks or in one of the eight rooms in the lodge itself, two of which are for families. It is simple and peaceful and the food is superb, you can eat outside with the hummingbirds around the pool or in the cool restaurant. You can go bird watching, on boat trips or horse riding with the local cowboys (in a good way). The jungle is alive with extraordinary creatures just outside your window.
More back-to-nature places in South America:
- Chalalan Eco Lodge – managed by indigenous community in the Bolivian Amazon
www.chalalan.com
- Patagonian Eco Camp – extraordinary domed camp in Chile
www.ecocamp.travel/
South American Cabins
Tahuayo Lodge – Peru (Tahuayo River, Reserva communal de Tamshiyacu Tahuayo))
www.perujungle.com/lodge
Tucked into a bend in the river, in one of the most amazing reserves in the world are these award-winning thatch cabins built on stilts. You have to travel up the river to reach them - four hours from Iquitos, but you are offered a very warm welcome once you get there. The price for the lodge includes private guide and excursions and the whole place is very much about adventure, your family therefore should be a hardy one, we don’t recommend taking small children, but older ones would love it. The stilt cabins are very comfortable with four poster beds, private toilets, (you wash in the river water, neatly trapped for showers) and there are communal buffets, where meeting other intrepid travellers is part of the fun. It’s lit by solar panels and kerosene lamps and you feel just a breath away from the jungle.
More great South American places:
- Pousada Picinguaba - rainforest and French chic, amazing location
www.picinguaba.com
- Yachana Lodge – a jungle lodge with serious community credentials
www.yachana.com
South American Comfort
Finca Santa Anita – Argentina (near Salta City)
www.santaanita.com.ar
This place is truly a treat; an ancient, traditional tobacco finca set on a plain beside forested mountains. It is run by the local mayor and his large family, partly to fund a biodiversity programme for local communities. You get to join the family riding through the plantation and rafting down the Juramento River and take part in their lives. They will show you how to make traditional bread in the clay ovens and how to milk the goats for their cheese. The rooms are charming and very good value, you also have self catering option in the barns, but we recommend dining with the family and other guests, the food is from the plantation or the organic kitchen garden and is fabulous. It is very much a family/community affair and quite wonderful for children of all ages.
Carlos also runs the world’s first tobacco museum.
More South American places for your ‘wish list’
- Estancia y Bodega Colome – bio-dynamic luxury in the Andes
www.estanciacolome.com
- Rincon del Socorro – conservation in Argentina in a beautiful setting
www.rincondelsocorro.com
Central American Camping
Hotel Ecologico Finca Ixobel – Guatemala (Petan Jungle)
www.fincaixobel.com
There is a finca here with rooms or you can stay in tree houses or bungalows or you can camp, it depends how hardy you are feeling. This wonderful finca is situated in a pine forest in the Petan Jungle, in the foothills of the Mayan Mountains, it is all about being part of the jungle; a night in a tree house with the parrots calling to each other from your eaves is an experience not to be missed. You can go river tubing, or caving or riding, or trekking through the jungle or just lie in a family-sized hammock listening to the birds. The family style dinners made from local organic produce and often served under the stars is the finishing touch to a magical place.
Even more fantastic (affordable) places:
- The Lodge at Pico Bonito – wooden cabins in a cacao farm in the rainforest of Honduras
www.picobonito.com
- Coco Cabanas – lovely, beach hut accommodation on Coconut Beach, Mexico
www.cococabanas.com
Central American Cabins
Hotel Eco Paraiso Xixim – Mexico (Yucatan)
www.ecoparaiso.com
This is a place for serious nature lovers; these lovely adobe cabins are situated on three miles of white sand dunes. The adobes are simple and clean with terracotta floors, ceiling fans, hammocks and legions of geckos. There are flat sands, warm clean seas, organic meals and enormous skies. It is the sort of place that you have to be crowbarred out of. It has strong ecological principles and aims for minimum impact, even the insects are moved along rather than crushed, you can catch your own fish, go kayaking, visit local Mayan ruins, or just sit and watch your (probably older – because of a mosquito problem) children in heaven.
More for the perfect holiday:
- Balamku – beautiful little eco-hotel in the Yucatan
www.balamku.com
- Cerro Chato Eco Lodge – eco tourism on a Costa Riccan volcano
www.cerrochato.com
Central American Comfort
Chan Chich Lodge – Belize (36 miles from Blue Creek)
www.chanchich.com
This is remote luxury. This beautiful eco-lodge is set amongst the unexcavated ruins of a Mayan city and if that wasn’t exciting enough, it’s famous for its jaguar sightings. For anyone who has ever wanted to be Indianna Jones (and bring up baby Indys!), this is the place for you. There are spectacular views from here, a beautiful garden, exciting treks through the jungles and luxurious accommodation (try and stay in the villa) There’s even a pool! Its ecological credentials are sound and it has been very active in encouraging the return of threatened species.
More gorgeous places:
www.chaacreek.com
www.duplooys.com
There is a surprising lack of quality ‘green’ accommodation in the States, which has baffled us, if anybody knows why or can recommend places to us; we’d love to hear from them
North American Camping
The Golden Eco Adventure Ranch – Canada (Rocky Mountains)
www.goldenadventurepark.com
This is for all the families who like the idea of spending each day kayaking and camping and general mucking around in the great outdoors. A fairly new venture, its set within 400 acres of riverside land in the shadow of the Rockies, the space between tents and RVs is large enough for you to imagine you are all on your own out there. They offer an amazing array of exciting activities from para-gliding to skiing to serious bird-watching. Their green credentials don’t go much past providing yurts and being a low impact site, but they do offer some seriously exciting outdoor pursuits in a very beautiful area.
This is not an impressive list although the place mentioned is lovely:
- Huckleberry Tent and Breakfast – lovely ‘featherdowns’ type farm in Idaho
www.huckleberrytentandbreakfast.com
North American Cabins
Nipika Mountain Resort – Canada (British Columbia)
www.nipika.com
The Canadians know a lot about needing comfort after a day out hiking or skiing or bird watching and these lovely cabins provide it in spades. There are wood burning stoves inside the rough cut log cabins, or the more luxurious main lodge and warm, comfortable beds. The Resort is set in the mountains and the air is fresh, the snow crisp and the mountain streams taste wonderful. All their electricity is from solar or micro-hydro and they specialise in low impact activities. A lovely place if you want to enjoy the great outdoors without worrying about ruining it.
One of the owners/ski instructors used to coach the Canadian Olympic team!
Again, any other suggestions would be gratefully received; we can’t believe that good eco-friendly places are so thin on the ground in the States and Canada.
- Cree Village – the first Canadian indigenously owned eco lodge in Ontario
www.creevillage.com
There is a lot more choice in the luxury end of the ‘green’ market in the States
North American Comfort
The Ambrose – USA (Santa Monica)
www.ambrosehotel.com
A truly luxurious boutique hotel but with serious eco credentials, this is a wonderful place to stay if you want your environmentally sound accommodation to offer more in the way of creature comforts and less in the way of wild life. Situated in downtown Santa Monica, the rooms are beautiful, the design Arts and Craft and they offer some proper pampering. The enormous gourmet breakfasts are organic, there are recycling containers in every room, the rental cars are hybrid and the cleaning products are green. They try very hard to tick every box and it works, they have won various awards for sustainability and yet have not sacrificed the comfort and quality of the hotel. A lovely, sustainable hotel.
A couple of very impressive places for those who would like to splurge:
Post Ranch Inn – expensive, extraordinary, award-winning, five star eco resort in California
www.postranchinn.com
Alaska’s Sadie Cove Wilderness Lodge – beautiful, remote, award-winning lodge
www.sadiecove.com
Camping under the stars in Africa should be on everybody’s wish list
African Camping
Basecamp Masai Mara – Kenya (Masai Mara National Park)
www.basecampexplorer.com
If the idea of a safari appeals, but you don’t want to be one of a chain of landrovers staring at some poor lion, then this place is a must. The award winning Basecamp is a collection of beautiful, tented huts by the side of the river Talek, within the Masai Mara Park. It’s more luxurious than you might expect with each hut having a riverside terrace, hammocks and private open-air showers. There is also a large communal tree-house to watch game from and a good restaurant. It uses solar panels for energy and most things are made from local materials. It also collects rainwater to use for the visitors and for local people.
You can arrange small-scale safaris and meet local Masai, although you don’t actually need to leave the camp to see a wonderful variety of animals and birds. There’s even a resident crocodile, which must please every small boy, as long as they don’t get too close.
A friendly, authentic, wonderful place.
Other great African options include:
- Umlani Bush Camp – fabulous, nature camp in Timbavati Nature Reserve, South Africa
www.umlani.com
- Kahawa Shamba – stay in beautiful huts built by the Wachagga people on Kilimanjano
www.kirurumu.com/kahawa
African Cabins
Vamizi Island – Mozambique (Quirimbas Archipelago)
www.vamizi.com
Vamizi Lodge is part of a project to encourage local people to protect and sustain their island. A new clinic and school room have been built thanks to the Lodge and it has become a much cherished institution on the island. There are ten, beautiful, traditionally built beach houses, (several big enough for a family of four) and they are elegant and exotic with marble bathrooms and carved wooden screens. Crabs scuttle about underfoot and the monkeys call out overhead. You can explore the coral reefs, walk the trails or help with conservation projects. The full-board price includes guided activities such as turtle monitoring, game fishing (not to kill), diving, snorkelling, kayaking or whale watching.
There are discounts for children.
More lovely African places:
- Chumbe Island – fabulous eco retreat on a coral reef in Zanzibar
www.chumbeisland.com
- Boundary Hill Lodge – community shared, luxury lodge in a conservation area, Tanzania
www.tarangireconservation.com
African Comfort
Hog Hollow Country Lodge – South Africa (Plettenberg Bay)
www.hog-hollow.com
Wonderful name, wonderful place. This is a hotel where children are especially welcomed. It’s built on a regenerated plantation on the edge of the Matjies river gorge on the Garden Route and its beautiful rooms look out on forest and mountain range. All the lodge staff have been recruited from nearby villages and the lodge is very much part of the community. There’s a very friendly feel to the place with a communal dining room, where guests are encouraged to tell of their days adventures around the fire. There is hiking and canoeing and kayaking and horse or elephant riding, there’s whale watching and birds, monkeys, baboons (who like to entertain children at breakfast by eating their toast) and bush pigs. There is also a beautiful swimming pool; you and especially your children will never want to leave.
Gingerbread men and hot milk for the children at bedtime is a nice touch…
More great African places:
- Governors Camp – fantastic ‘trip of a lifetime’ camp in Masai Mara, Kenya
www.governorscamp.com
- Anjajavy Hotel – luxury in nature on the Madagascan coast
www.anjajavy.com -
India and other South Asian Countries are great ‘green’ destinations
South Asian Camping
Shergarh Tented Camp – India (Kanha Tiger Reserve)
www.shergarh.com
A lovely camp built by fervent ecologists. There is a lodge and six comfortable tents situated inside the tiger reserve, each with hot water and stone bathrooms. The home-grown food is delicious and eaten at the lodge, usually under the stars or by the lake. Everything is composted or recycled and the commitment is impressive. They offer low scale, very enjoyable safaris and this is a place especially welcoming to children who can practise being Mowgli.
More exciting Asian possibilities:
- Galapita Sancturya – back to basics in a magical setting in Sri Lanka
www.galapita.com
- Samakanda – cabins in an ecological lifestyle centre, set in a tea plantation in Sri Lanka
www.samakanda.org
South Asian Cabins
Barefoot at Havelock – India (Andaman Islands)
www.barefootindia.com
This is a fabulous remote retreat set in the unspoilt Andaman Islands. It was built by a native islander and his friends who look after eighteen cottages and villas (a few big enough for a family), all set in eight acres of tropical garden next to the most beautiful long, white beach. The cottages are made from local bamboo, wood and palms and are supplied by a local spring. The villas may be better for a family as they are slightly more luxurious. You listen to jazz as you eat your delicious organic dinner after a day of diving and yoga and fishing and swimming with elephants. There are two hundred and fifty species of bird on the island and most of them visit this lovely place at one point or another.
Other lovely places include:
- Fridays Place – a lovely, peaceful, natural place to relax in Kerala, India
www.kukimedia.com
- Apani Dhani Eco-Lodge – a charming, peaceful friendly lodge in Rajasthan, India
www.apanidhani.com
South Asian Comfort
Cardamom House – India (Tamil Nadu)
www.cardamomhouse.com
A labour of love by a retired British Doctor (much better than moving to Bournemouth), this small hotel is situated between a lake and the woods in a lovely tropical garden, bougainvillea smothers the buildings and the garden is full of birds. The doctor is committed to supporting the local community and runs tours there; there is also bird watching and hiking and activities for children on offer. To stay here feels like visiting a friend in the utopia he has built. The showers are solar-powered, the dinner made from produce from the hotels organic garden, everything has been thought of and it’s an impressive enterprise.
The house has only eight double rooms, families would probably have to have two.
Some very glamorous options:
- The Dune Hotel – fabulous boutique hotel in Tamil Nadu, India
www.thedune.in
- Hunas Falls Hotel – lovely hotel in beautiful 100 acres of grounds in remote Sri Lanka
www.jetwinghotels.com
Central Asia may not appeal particularly to families, but these places should entice the more adventurous of you
Central Asian Camping
Hovsgol Lake Camp – Mongolia (Hovsgol Lake)
www.hovsgol.travel.com
If you and your family are truly intrepid then you will jump at this place. Set in an idyllic spot beside (as the Mongolians claim) one of the most unspoilt areas of wilderness in the world, this camp leaves less than a carbon toe print. It has twenty, traditional, comfortable, white gers dotting the foreshore to this beautiful lake. There are also eight wooden cabins if you would like something a little more solid, a bar and a restaurant. They have a sauna, showers, satellite television and the freshest air, the clearest skies and the widest horizons imaginable. It was the first camp to run on solar power in Mongolia. They offer a wide variety of water-sports and the chance to meet local Mongolians, who advise on fishing and trekking. The dinners will be of local Mongolian fare, although they also provide cheese made with Swiss technology.
Central Asian Cabins
North West Yunnan Eco Lodge – China (North West Yunnan region)
www.northwestyunnan.com
There are not many places to stay in China that label themselves as environmentally friendly, but the Eco Lodge is different. Part of the North West Yunnan Eco tourism group, which runs fascinating trips to this remote region, the Eco Lodge offers very comfortable lodgings in a beautiful place, situated at the foot of the Jade Dragon Mountain with Wenhai Lake lapping at its steps. It’s nearly fully sustainable and community run and offers trips to the Jade Dragon or remote Yi villages. There is a three day trip to the Tiger Leaping Gorge also. You eat local vegetarian Naxi food with other intrepid travellers in their dining room and stare with pleasure at the astonishing fabled mountain in front of you. Small children are welcomed, but it is a long trip to get here.
Central Asian Comfort
Three Camels Lodge – Mongolia (The Gobi)
www.threecamels.com
About an hour and a half drive out of Ulaanbaatar into the desert, is this lovely place situated on the sand under the shadow of a volcanic rock. There is a large, beautiful Mongolian lodge (made without a single nail, in accordance to the canons of Mongolian Buddhist architecture), which you can stay in or one of the luxurious gers. The furniture inside is painted and extremely comfortable. You can go camel trekking, or hiking in the desert with local people; go bird and animal watching (there has even been sightings of snow leopards), or even visit palaeontological digs, of which there are a number around here. The lodge is committed to the local people and local area, they have initiated a twelve mile hunting ban around the lodge and it serves as a scientific and wildlife monitoring base. They are also fighting to prevent poachers and theft from the archaeological digs. The whole camp is based on sustainable development, using solar and wind power, animal dung stoves and employing only local people. Children are especially welcomed as the lodge supports various initiatives for local children to take part in conservation projects, visiting children are warmly welcomed to come and take part.
The desert however, might be too much for younger children.
Another area which excels at ‘green’ accommodation
South East Asian Camping
Wakatobi Dive Resort – Indonesia (Wakatobi archipelago, Sulawesi)
The family who snorkels together, has a blissful holiday together… This place is something special, although quite remote, it is easy to get to as it organises your flights for you from Bali airport. The lodge is set on a small island amongst pristine coral reefs and its raison d’etre is to keep them this way. It is run by committed conservationists who work with local islanders to protect their reef from foreign fishing vessels. It is an extremely well run resort, with luxurious cabins on the beach. It is one of those rare places that manage to combine luxury accommodation with ecologically sound practices. The diving and snorkelling is superb and they offer packages for beginners and children. It is remote but accessible, unspoilt yet they manage to spoil you – a very good choice for a holiday of a lifetime.
More great, but basic options:
- Phanom Bencha Mountain Resort – basic but beautiful in Krabi, Thailand
www.phanombenchamountainresort.com
- Leti 360 – wonderful camping in the Himalayas
www.leti360.com
South East Asian Cabins
Sarinbuana Eco-Lodge – Bali, Indonesia (Mt Batukaru, central Bali)
www.baliecolodge.com
A perfect place for families in a perfectly beautiful island, this lodge stands on the slopes of Mt Batukaru in Bali, surrounded by jungle. It is not hard to get to, but it feels miles away from more touristy areas. It is committed to its environmental practices and often entertains school groups to educate them about sustainable living. The tropical, organic gardens supply most of the food to the lodge and you can be taken around the cacao, coffee and coconut trees as one of the numerous walks that the lodge offers. There are even water holes in the garden for a quick family dip. The huts are beautiful, made of local wood, with large open verandas, where birds often stop for a quick peek, the beds are enormous and the rooms filled with flowers for your arrival. You can go and visit orangutans in the wild, or bird watching with local experts, or if you are feeling less energetic, they offer a bewildering array of workshops organised with local villagers including; learning about local medicine, or how to prepare local food, or learn about Balinese dancing. You will never be bored and you will never want to leave.
Indonesia is almost the best country in the world for eco accommodation; here are just a couple more:
- Sukau Rainforest Lodge – extraordinary, groundbreaking lodge in Borneo
www.sukau.com
- Udayana Eco Lodge – gentle and peaceful, an escape from the tourism in Bali
www.ecolodgesindonesia.com
South East Asian Comfort
The Atlanta Hotel – Thailand (Bangkok)
www.theatlantahotelbangkok.com
This hotel is an institution in Bangkok. It is a charming, quirky place which jealously guards its wholesome reputation; as it proudly proclaims on its website, ‘no sex tourists, no pop music and no illegal activity’. It is often difficult to find somewhere in Bangkok where you can feel comfortable taking children, but there are no such worries here. It is an old and beautiful place, one of the most photographed in Thailand with an exquisite art deco lobby. The rates are reasonable and it boasts a clientele of ‘eccentric occidentals’. The two pools are lovely, one specifically for children and the bedrooms are shabbily comfortable; it really does feel like part of old Bangkok. It has taken great strides recently to become more environmentally friendly and is very supportive of its local community.
Other SE Asian places on our ‘wish we could go’ list:
:
- Rimba Lodge – a wonderful place in Kalimantan to visit orangutans
www.rimbalodge.com
- Nihiwatu Lodge – a fabulous place for surfing and diving in Sumba, Indonesia
www.nihiwatu.com
Australasian Camping
Turtle Sands – Australia (Mon Repos, Queensland)
www.turtlesands.com
This small campsite is a bit of a well kept secret. Situated right on the beach at Mon Repos, the largest turtle hatching conservation area in Australia. Its facilities are pretty basic and it is staffed entirely by volunteers, but as you have sun, sea, sand and baby turtles who could ask for anything more. The scenery is idyllic and unspoilt, you can swim, surf or hang out to your hearts content, but the main draw is the turtles. Most of the turtles who return here to nest are endangered and extremely difficult to spot normally; at this low-key eco campsite, they are part of the natural flow and rhythm, in true Aussie style nothing is taken too seriously and it is all relaxing, fascinating and very child friendly.
More chilled Australasian options:
- Paperbark Camp – lovely tented camp between beach and wetlands in Jervis Beach, Australia
www.paperbarkcamp.com.au
- The Flying Fox – fantastic, fun, recycled, hippy heaven near Whanganui River, NZ
www.theflyingfox.co.nz
Australasian Cabins
Wairua Creative Retreat – New Zealand (Coromandel Peninsular)
www.wairuaretreat.co.uk
A lovely, family-friendly, holistic retreat set in native bush on the Coromandel Peninsular. Set up by two artists as an escape from city life, it offers delicious organic food, mostly from their extensive, eccentric garden and comfortable, almost boutique style accommodation. There is a magical outdoor spa bath, a series of creative workshops and yoga, massage, kayaking, glow worm tours, scuba diving and much else beside. There are some wonderful activities for children and much to nourish stomach and spirit for the adults.
Australia and New Zealand excel in eco-friendly accommodation:
- O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat – an old favourite, situated in beautiful, unspoilt rainforest
www.oreillys.com.au
- Blue Mountains Youth Hostel – ‘best hostel in Australia’ – great for kids, lovely setting
www.yha.com.au
Australasian Comfort
Daintree Eco Lodge and Spa – Australia (Daintree Rainforest)
www.daintree-ecolodge.com.au
Set in the magnificent Daintree Rainforest in northern Australia, the Eco Lodge utilises many means to protect and preserve the rainforest, river systems and mangroves, the biodiversity and ecosystems and the rich aboriginal cultural heritage. It manages to do all this with grace and flair and combines it with offering luxurious accommodation and a wonderful spa package. The spa uses traditional Aboriginal treatments and is at pains to hire Aboriginal people to perform them, in a beautiful, natural setting. The diversity of life in the Daintree is extraordinary, in two hectares of Rainforest there are more species of trees than you would find in all of North America or Europe for example and there are numerous walks and experiences offered by the lodge to educate, inform and entertain, most of them done in close collaboration with their Aboriginal neighbours. A remarkable place. Oh and the food is wonderful too; modern, fusion Australian, award-winning, food.
A couple more, seriously lovely places:
- Jean Michael Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort – voted ‘Worlds Best Resort’ in World Travel Awards, serious luxury – but well worth the trip
www.fijiresort.com
- Wanaka Homestead – lovely, boutique hotel by the shores of Lake Wanaka, New Zealand
www.wanakahomestead.co.nz
We would love to hear from you if you visit any of our places or have any other recommendations…
Take the Family
May 2008
Useful information about Greener Holidays:
Read Take the Family's tips for Greener family holidays.
See Take the Family's Camping Holidays .
See all Take the Family's Destinations.
Other feature articles by Take the Family
