JourneyEtc

These days, more and more travelers are discovering and enjoying the advantages of booking at eco lodges. Apart from adapting more eco-friendly travel tips, the travelers themselves find interest not just in exploring what Mother Earth has to offer but also helping her out in return.

Here are some of the best eco lodges in the world that offer a more rewarding experience for world travelers.

Misool Eco Resort in Indonesia

One of the best eco lodges in Asia can be found in Indonesia. Despite its remote setting, which is located in Indonesia’s Raja Ampat archipelago, going to Misool Eco Resort is an adventure in itself. The 13 bungalows at this eco lodge are made from saved driftwood. Each one is as picturesque as the next in this beautiful and strategically located eco lodge.

If you are a seasoned traveler who’s tired of the usual destinations, why not visit these green places to help you become aware of the beauty that our earth has to offer. Two places on the list may seem obvious picks, the Galapagos and the Amazon, but there are plenty of new and yet-to-be-discovered places, such as Dominica, as well as the Blue Mountains in Australia and Africa’s Botswana.

If staying in one of the environmentally friendly lodges in the middle of a rainforest appeals to you, stay in Costa Rica or Borneo. But if you wish to get up close and personal with the glaciers and wildlife, Antarctica and Alaska will give you the opportunity to experience that from an inflatable zodiac, or just at a ship’s deck. For those who love sleeping outdoors and trekking to high plateaus, trek the Himalayas.

Himalayas in Nepal

The United States National Parks stand as the natural wonders of the North American continent. They are also a monument of the commitment of the preceding generations of Americans to preserve the environments of these parks as part of the heritage of the future children of the country.

Yellowstone is the first national park having been declared by President Ulysses Grant in 1872. Over a hundred years later since that time, there are now 58 national parks in total, each with their special features and natural formations.

Since there are a lot of national parks to cover, we’ve picked out 11 with the most stunning views.

Acadia National Park: Cadillac Mountain

The road towards a green revolution is finally gaining momentum as several cities in North America have finally embraced bike sharing. The idea of bike sharing involves a person taking out a bicycle from a regulated stand and putting it back in another such stand close to where the individual is going. Bike sharing can either be charged or complementary and fits perfectly as a means of travel between two close points.

This scheme is all thanks to the example provided by Paris’ Velib. Parisians are now just reaping the benefits of this healthier and cleaner form of transportation. If you are interested to find out more about bike-sharing programs near your location, kindly check the list below:

Minneapolis

Siberia is a country of unexplored regions, vast tundra, breathtaking landscapes, and awe inspiring power. Siberia is filled with a lot of nothing, but it makes a perfect travel destination for the true adventurer deep down inside of us. There are a number of unique things to do while visiting Siberia, including taking the famous Trans-Siberian Railway to Moscow. If you plan on visiting this country it’s probably a good idea to start with Moscow, take the train into Siberia, and then go back to Moscow. It is also important to note that the proper identification, passports, and visas are extremely necessary for travel through some of these regions.

If there is one thing the US is not known for, it’s transit via bus and rail. Travel by busses and railroads is commonplace in many other developed nations, except in the US. This has changed in recent years, however. In fact, ridership for Amtrak, the United States rail system, has increased year by year for the past 7 years. Does rail or bus travel make sense for you? Well, that depends on several factors: where you’re going, how fast you want to get there, and how much you want to spend.

It’s an unfortunate reality that something as magnificent as the grand canyon can be looked as an “out of the way trip”, only “if we have time”. It’s true – the majority of visitors to the park come on the way or from Las Vegas; to these people the grand canyon is nothing more than a detour. Since grand canyon traffic is so dependent on tourist traffic, the busiest times to visit the grand canyon are the busiest tourist times – the summer months. During the winter, the grand canyon is practically desolate. To some people, this is the park at it’s finest.

Voluntourism is the act of traveling to another country and volunteering your services for the greater good of the community. It isn’t a new concept, because the Peace Corps have been providing similar services for quite some time. However, widespread voluntourism is gaining speed and becoming more popular with the eco friendly. So what are your options when volunteering abroad?

First you should find a company or group to travel with. Traveling in groups to a 3rd world country is the safest way to volunteer in another country. Going alone is fine if you are experienced or know the local languages, but a group is your best bet. There are plenty of non-profit groups out there to help you decide where you should volunteer.

After coming to a decision you usually need to apply. The application process is free and will detail your skill and abilities. If you have no skills you will not be of any use to the people that desperately need your help!