Best Eco-friendly Places to Stay with Kids in Asia

By Rhonda Carrier

There are some wonderful and very child-friendly eco lodges and camps throughout Asia and a growing number of luxury eco-resorts built out of local materials and powered by solar energy. Many of the most environmentally friendly places are based in national parks and offer animal safaris, but there are also a large number on unspoilt coastlines. Many places were set up as part of on-going charitable efforts to improve the lives of local peoples or to help conserve the land.

"This sumptuous, fantasy eco-fort built of mud, wattle and mud in the Thar desert has nine suites plus an outdoor pool and activities including village safaris and horse-riding."

The many impressive family-friendly eco accommodation providers in Asia vary from luxury resorts to hammocks on the beach, but this is a region where one needs to read the small-print carefully: 'eco' is for some places a label rather than a commitment.

Central Asia is not an easy area to travel in with children and there are very few places that call themselves 'eco', but for the adventurous family there are some extraordinary places to stay – and getting there is part of the adventure.

We can book you an eco-friendly resort for or as part of the bespoke Asia holiday we create for you and your family, based on your exact wishes and needs. The following are some or our hand-picked suggestions; contact us to discuss your requirements and we will source a property that provides the perfect match for you.

INDIA & SRI LANKA

The Barefoot at Havelock, Andaman Islands, India

This fabulous, remote retreat is made up of 31 thatch tents, cottages and villas (all big enough for families) in nine acres of tropical garden next to a stunning long white beach. All ages are welcome. Delicious organic dinners follow days of diving, kayaking, fishing and yoga.

Cardamom House, Tamil Nadu

A labour of love by a retired British doctor (so much better than moving to Bournemouth!), this homestay is between a lake and the woods. Bougainvillea smothers the buildings and the garden with its outdoor pool and sports area is full of birds. The doctor is committed to supporting the local community and runs tours. The showers are solar-powered, the dinner made from produce from the organic garden. All ages are welcome: there are seven rooms, some with space for a child’s bed and two interconnecting.

Mihir Gar Palace, Rajasthan, India

A sumptuous, fantasy eco-fort built of mud, wattle and mud in the Thar desert, this has nine suites, one of them a two-bedroom family suite, plus an outdoor pool and activities including village safaris and horse-riding.

Chhatrasagar, Rajasthan

A collection of 20 traditional tents situated beside a dam, best for those with older children interested in nature (toddlers and young children are welcome but need to be supervised around water). Activities include bird-watching and village and farm visits. 

Apani Dhani Eco-Lodge, Rajasthan

A charming child-friendly lodge with rooms in bungalows perfectly laid out for families. Activities are community-led and include bike tours, cookery classes, craft workshops, music and yoga. 

Shergarh Tented Camp, Kanha Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, India

This lovely camp built by fervent ecologists on the edge of a tiger reserve has a lodge and eight comfy tents, each with hot water and a stone bathroom, two designed for families. The 4X4 safaris are led by certified naturalists. Everything is composted or recycled here, while the food, usually eaten under the stars or by the lake, is home-grown.

Shakti Prana, Uttarakhand, India

The is a reincarnation of Shakti 360 Leti, which was dismantled stone by stone and moved several peaks away to an even more remote location. It's the the ultimate mountain getaway – deep in the Kumaon region, it's a 5.5- to 7-hour train ride (or 1-hour flight from Delhi, followed by a 3.5- to 5-hour drive from the foothills in to the mountains, and then a 1- to-1.5-hour trek on foot. You're rewarded by a unique stay in one of seven solar-powered but luxurious stone, wood and glass cabins with Himalayan views. Children 12+ are welcome, or younger kids if you book the whole property. As well as local hiking, you can enjoy cookery classes, with Tibetan dumplings and Indian curries using local herbs on the menu. A dedicated guide is included in the fully inclusive rates.

See our features on Sri Lanka's Heritance Kandalama with its green architecture and nature outings and on its equally sustainable sister hotels the Heritance Tea Factory and the Rainforest Ecolodge in the Sinharaja Forest Reserve.

SOUTH-EAST ASIA

Borneo Nature Lodge, Malaysia

An extraordinary, ground-breaking lodge in an area teeming with wildlife including proboscis monkeys, orang utans, estuarine crocodiles and Borneo pygmy elephants – all best seen from a river cruise. Rooms are constructed between the trees to create a canopy-like setting.

Sarinbuana Eco-Lodge, Bali, Indonesia

Perfect with all ages, this lodge isn’t hard to get to but feels miles away from the touristy areas. Organic gardens supply most of its food, and you can be taken around the cacao, coffee and coconut trees. The lovely huts made of local wood have large open verandas where birds often stop for a quick peek. Have family dips in the water-holes, bird-watch with experts or sign up for workshops by local villagers, including local medicine, regional cuisine and Balinese dancing. Book the Jungle Family Bungalow high in the trees, or the treehouse sleeping up to five.

Wakatobi Dive Resort, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Although rather remote, this very special lodge is easy to get to since staff organise your flights from Bali airport. Set on a small island amongst pristine coral reefs, it’s run by committed conservationists who work with local islanders to protect the reefs from foreign fishing vessels. One of those rare places that manage to combine luxury accommodation (bungalows and villas, some right on the beach) with ecologically sound practices, it offers superb diving and snorkelling, including packages for beginners and children, plus childcare if you wish to take on more challenging diving.

Satwa Elephant Ecolodge, Sumatra, Indonesia

Eight rooms occupy four cottages within a tropical fruit garden in this property 500m from the entrance to the Way Kambas National Park with its rare Sumatran elephants, rhinos and tigers; safaris are available.

Nihi Sumba Island, Indonesia

This family-friendly luxury resort sits deep in nature an hour's flight from Bali, with villas amidst banana trees, a yoga pavilion, a child-friendly pool and lots of kids’ activities. Aiming to be sustainable, it donates a portion of its profits to malaria clinics, wells and schools via the Sumba Foundation, and 100% of guest donations go to humanitarian projects.

Rimba Orangutan Ecolodge, Kalimantan, Indonesia

This is a wonderful jungle retreat to bring your kids to to see orang-utans in the wild and other natural wonders, accessible only by boat. A percentage of profits goes to conservation projects such as tree-planting.

Udayana Kingfisher Ecolodge, Bali, Indonesia

This gentle and peaceful escape from the tourist hordes sits in a bird and butterfly conservation area in the Jimbaran hills, with gorgeous views over Bali. There’s a pool and simple rooms with Balinese outdoor garden showers.

Phanom Bencha Mountain Resort, Krabi, Thailand

A tropical getaway in the foothills of Phanom Bencha National Park, this property has  a natural spring-fed swimming pool, the chance to eat fruit fresh from the trees, and bungalows sleeping four or five. Night treks give you the chance to see geckos, slow loris and more.

The Atlanta Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand

This charming institution jealously guards its wholesome reputation, and is alo one of the most-photographed hotels in Thailand, for its exquisite Art Deco lobby. It attracts ‘eccentric occidentals’ with its reasonable rates, two pools (one for kids) and shabbily comfortable bedrooms (including family suites for up to seven). A slice of old Bangkok, it’s taken great strides to become more environmentally friendly and is very supportive of its community. It’s also home to around 40 rescue cats, most residing in the staff section.

MONGOLIA

Three Camel Lodge, Gobi Desert

A 90-minute domestic flight and drive out of Ulan Bator, this lovely place on the sand under the shadow of a volcanic rock has luxurious gers, two specially for families. You can camel-trek, hike in the desert with locals, bird- and animal-watch (there have been sightings of snow leopards) and visit paleontological digs. The lodge is a scientific and wildlife monitoring base based on sustainable development, using solar and wind power and wood-burning stoves and employing only local people.

Read about our favourite family adventure holidays in Asia and the rest of the world.