With spring upon us and summer around the corner, naturally our thoughts will turn to vacations and getaways; shedding the day-to-day routine and just being free. For many of us living a conscious lifestyle, it makes sense that our vacation destinations match our lifestyle philosophy. Enter the new darling in the hospitality and lifestyle arena: eco-travel. This arena is so large, that sifting through the different interpretations took some thorough investigation. Many travel outfits state that they offer eco-friendly tours, but beware.

At beYOU.tv, we like to define eco-travel, from our collective personal experience as: staying at facilities that are gentle on the environment and respectful of the natural habitat, give back to, and potentially employ, the indigenous populations whose land may be used, and using eco-friendly transportation to tour and get to our destination. Eco-travel is also called ecotourism. For a nice overview on both, review Planeta.com.

Let’s look at some leading eco-friendly destinations around the world:

USA

Florida: Dubbed the “holistic hipsters hideaway”, the Standard Hotel Miami serves organic food, has built around indigenous South Florida flora and fauna instead of destroying it, only change linens when asked - thus conserving water, and have a filtered water pool with the low levels of harsh chemicals and chlorine. And may I add, the bamboo floor yoga studios and radiant heat Turkish hamman are to die for.

Montana: If you dream of being a cowboy or cowgirl in a gorgeous ranch environment, the 26,000-acre sustainable cattle farm Sun Ranch Lodge in southern Montana is your destination. The company considers itself an eco-enterprise, mindfully watching over every aspect of the environment, while they maintain and your stay.

CARIBBEAN, MEXICO & SOUTH AMERICA:

Costa Rica: Usually when you think eco-travel in the Caribbean, Costa Rica comes first to mind. Costa Rica is filled with natural preserves and an abundance of micro-climates. A favorite among die-hard nature lovers is Finca Rosa Blanca Country Inn. This gorgeous hideaway is 4,000 feet above sea level, all the food is sourced from local farms and the smooth Costa Rican coffee is from a sustainable plantation.

Mexico: Mexico offers a lot. But with the propensity for the yoga community to flock down for the many yoga retreats that occur on her shores, seeking something off the beaten path was desire number one. Mission accomplished. On the Yucatan Peninsula, 15 thatch-roof bungalows comprise Hotel Eco Paraiso Xixim. The entire compound is powered by solar energy and the bungalows look out to the Gulf of Mexico. Paradise indeed.

Brazil: Brazil is the largest country and probably most culturally diverse and nature wise as well. With the deforesting of the rain forest, one must choose carefully where in Brazil they are staying and what labor and natural resources are in use. One place that should make you feel totally at ease is the gorgeous Tauana Hotel in Bahia. This resort built their own water treatment system, planted 30,000 trees to offset construction, and all the rooms are open air to pick up trade winds versus energy depleting air conditioners.

Part 2 of this series will cover Africa, Asia and Southeast Asia.

Written by: Michelle Barge