GREEN GETAWAYS
Travel with a lighter footprint while supporting local communities in these four destinations ideal for the eco-conscious traveller, writes Lorna Thornber.
It’s becoming increasingly important to Kiwis to ensure that their trips have a positive impact on the destinations they visit. House of Travel chief commercial officer Brent Thomas says that more and more, ‘‘people are looking for authentic travel experiences and the opportunity to support local businesses in the areas they travel to’’.
Happily, choosing eco-friendly accommodation and activities that support locals often leads to the most authentic experiences. These four destinations are a sustainable traveller’s dream.
NAXOS, GREECE
Far less crowded than Mykonos and Santorini, Naxos offers a taste of life in the Greek isles before mass tourism took hold. The largest island in the Cyclades group, it’s fully self-sufficient – its cloud-forming high mountains and fertile valleys producing olives, grapes, citrus fruit, figs, corn and potatoes.
Book into eco-friendly digs such as the luxurious ELaiolithos, set in an olive grove overlooking Mt Zeus and the Aegean Sea, and explore the hilltop kastro (castle), whitewashed villages and sandy beaches in an electric vehicle. Return to ELaiolithos for dinner prepared with organic ingredients sourced within a 5km radius.
CARDAMOM MOUNTAINS, CAMBODIA
Forming part of the Cardamom Mountains Rainforests, the so-called ‘‘Amazon of Asia’’, Southern Cardamom National Park is home to more than 50 species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, including sun bears, Asian elephants, gibbons and pangolins.
Chi Phat and Streung Areng are ecotourism villages run by communities that once relied on destructive trades such as hunting and logging. Both offer homestay accommodation and guided tours, which include treks through the waterfall-studded rainforest and mountain biking.
For something more luxurious, check into Canvas & Orchids Retreat, where large, luxurious ‘‘floating tents’’ overlook a palm-lined river. Join an excursion to Tatai Falls, with its dozens of turquoise pools or enjoy a snooze on your private sundeck.
NELSON TASMAN, NEW ZEALAND
Nelson Tasman is leading the charge in carbon-neutral tourism in Aotearoa, aiming to become the country’s most sustainable destination.
In 2020, the region launched New Zealand’s first Zero Carbon Itinerary, a four-day adventure supporting local businesses certified as either zero carbon or climate positive.
Picture riding an e-bike along the Great
Taste Trail; kayaking and sailing in Abel Tasman National Park; touring wineries, art galleries and natural beauty spots; and staying in a converted church home to the country’s first climate-positive pub.
PORT DOUGLAS, AUSTRALIA
The first destination to be certified by Ecotourism Australia, Port Douglas and its environs are home to the Unesco World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef.
Sustainable tourism operators abound, but standouts include the Mossman Gorge Centre, where you can take part in the guided Ngadiku Dreamtime walk offering an insight into Kuku Yalanji land and culture, and Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas, a sanctuary for native species such as koala, kangaroos, crocs and cassowaries.