If you're the type of person who's happiest sporting a pair of hiking boots and tromping around in the wilderness, you may find yourself wanting to tromp in the opposite direction when your friends suggest a trip to Vegas. Why not scout for Mayan ruins in a Central American rainforest? Or watch endangered mountain gorillas play in their native Rwandan habitat? If this sounds more like your style, check out these five dream ecotourism holidays.
Known for its lush jungles, white sand beaches and numerous ecotourism resorts, Costa Rica has earned a reputation-especially in past few decades-as a safe and welcoming place for nature-loving travelers.
The government has set aside more than 25 percent of this small Central American country as national park lands and wildlife sanctuaries. Its biodiversity makes it one of the most popular ecotourism destinations in the world.
Eco-friendly travel is big business in Costa Rica, which makes it an easy choice for ecotourism holidays. Available accommodations range from five-star ecotourism resorts to jungle shacks, and your choice of activities--from zip lining to birding--are almost endless.
Costa Rica's neighbor to the north, Belize, has the added advantage of having English as its official language. Offering tropical jungle adventure travel similar to Costa Rica, Belize is a bit less traveled and often a less expensive alternative to its southern counterpart.
Belize is home to the largest barrier reef in the western hemisphere, making it one of the top ecotourism destinations for snorkeling and scuba diving. Its barrier islands are important breeding grounds for sea turtles and tropical fish, which you can see on any of the many available ecotourism holidays exploring the country's natural offshore bounty.
Possessing one of earth's most breathtaking landscapes, this island nation lies just south of the arctic circle. Home to active volcanoes, relaxing hot springs, vast glaciers, fjords and fantastic national parks, Iceland is one of the most unique ecotourism destinations.
Iceland is also a relatively small country, meaning that travelers can easily see a good amount of it in a short time. Within a week, you can hike lava fields, climb glaciers, visit the Laki Volcano and see puffins and other arctic wildlife at the Hornstrandir Nature Reserve.
With its huge selection of ecotourism holidays and ecotourism resorts, Kenya is the top ecotourism destination in Africa. More than 50 national parks, game sanctuaries and wildlife preserves offer ample choices for seeing lions, elephants, zebras and other types of African wildlife.
The government in Kenya is committed to protecting the nation's natural resources. As the selection of possible safaris, tours and ecotourism resorts is so great, you can sometimes find real bargains.
Somewhat new among ecotourism destinations, Surat Thani, along the Gulf of Thailand, is home to verdant jungles and several offshore islands perfect for hiking, bird watching and snorkeling. Sea kayaking is also popular. Several of the country's national parks and wildlife sanctuaries offer camping, but there are also many ecotourism resorts and eco-friendly hotels to choose from.
Trekking is popular in Thailand's Phangan and Samui regions, where you can hire local guides to show you the sites. The very adventurous may even want to try riding an Asian elephant through the jungle.