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The 4 Best Eco-Lodges for a More Sustainable Vacation

By Mike Richard Aug 10, 2021 2:41 AM

We can all agree that being green is cool, but we like to think that ethos should extend beyond just recycling your beer bottles and “leaving no trace” when you’re in the outdoors. Eco-lodges — hotels that specifically designed to create the least amount of impact on the environment — are the perfect example of Earth-friendly travel.

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For your next getaway, consider these four eco-lodges, which are among the most beautiful, unique, and sustainable accommodations in the world.

Feynan Ecolodge (Jordan)

Feynan Ecolodge, Jordan’s Great Escape overview (HD)

Jordan is one of the most rugged and naturally breathtaking countries on the planet. No hotel is more emblematic of this than Feynan Ecolodge, which has proven to be a model for eco-lodges around the world. The lodge is 100-percent off-grid, relying entirely on solar power, natural ventilation, and water from a nearby natural spring to support its 26 rooms. After dark, the winding hallways and beautifully appointed guest rooms are lit only by candlelight, creating an atmosphere that’s moody and intimate. It’s also situated amid the country’s largest, best protected, and most stunning environmental preserve, the Dana Biosphere Reserve. Here, guests will find some of the best hiking and wildlife watching in all of Jordan. It’s home to more than 800 plant species and nearly 450 animal species — some critically endangered and found nowhere else on Earth. The near-zero light pollution also makes the reserve one of the best spots in the world for stargazing and night photography.

Adrere Amellal Oasis (Siwa, Egypt)

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Adrere Amellal Oasis 1 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Adrere Amellal Oasis 2 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Adrere Amellal Oasis 3 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Adrere Amellal Oasis 4 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Adrere Amellal Oasis 5 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

We’ve previously covered Adrere Amellal Oasis before, and we’d be remiss not to include it among the world’s greatest eco-lodges. Like Feynan, this stunning Egyptian ecolodge is lit entirely by candlelight, torches, and the crystal clear skies overhead. Expect not a trace of technology — there is no Wi-Fi, no electricity, and no phones. It’s pure, disconnected bliss. The 40 rooms are adorned in the simple, traditional Siwan style: salt rock walls, locally handcrafted furniture, and palm thatched roofs. Offsite adventures include touring Cleopatra’s Well, trekking the 800-year-old Shali Fortress, and dune-hopping by Jeep through the area’s endless desert expanse.

Jicaro Island Ecolodge (Granada, Nicaragua)

Something special on Lake Nicaragua

Jicaro Island Ecolodge proves that eco-friendly hotels need not lack luxury. Located on a private island in the middle of Lake Nicaragua, this stunning eco-lodge is about as remote as one can get in Central America. With just nine private casitas, it’s intimate, peaceful, and honeymoon-worthy. The hotel relies almost entirely on the surrounding environment for water (from the lake of course) and food (there’s an onsite pig farm, chicken coops, and a garden). The hotel’s structure and custom-built furnishings were all made using locally sourced, reclaimed timber. Ask at the front desk about their dedicated sustainability tour for an overview of the lodge’s eco-friendly efforts.

The Bay of Fires Lodge (Tasmania, Australia)

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The Bay of Fires Lodge 1 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Bay of Fires Lodge 2 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Bay of Fires Lodge 3 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Bay of Fires Lodge 4 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Bay of Fires Lodge 5 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

No list of eco-lodges is complete without a mention of Australia. The Bay of Fires Lodge Walk presents not just lodging, but an all-encompassing nature experience. True to Tasmania’s rugged spirit, guests of the lodge begin their “stay” with a four-day, 22-mile trek through some of the island’s most stunning coves and beaches. Near the end of the journey lies Bay of Fires Lodge, a solar-powered luxury haven with no access to television or the Internet. The off-grid lodge sits more than 130 feet above the sea and is the only man-made structure amid 22 miles of pristine coastline. The best part? It’s only accessible on foot.

Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He’s kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South… Read Full Bio

The art of adventure packing: packing light but effective

Clothing, Coat, Jacket

If you are like me, you grew up with stories of adventure. Whether you were fans of fictional adventure like Indiana Jones and Alan Quartermain, or you loved the true-life accounts of Ernest Shackleton and David Livingstone, there is a deep pull to venture into the unknown. The desire to abandon the Mon-Fri 9-5 in search of something deeper. You could spend your time thinking about hopping a boat and sailing the seven seas like the pirates of old. You could look up at the elusive peak of a mountain and believe it begs to be summited. You could stare into the depths of a jungle and wonder what treasures it hides beneath its canopy. No matter what kind of adventurer you are, you need to be prepared for whatever the world throws at you. I have climbed Salkantay Peak and explored the jungles of Peru. I have scanned the plains of Africa in search of a giant cat (the prospect of which was much more comforting than the actual sighting and wondering if I was far enough away). And I have disappeared into the secluded areas of Svalbard. One thing that remained constant was the need for the right pack.

Here is what I learned when packing for my adventures.

Savannah Beyond the Postcard

Architecture, Building, Spire

Savannah is one of those cities that seems almost too easy to like. The live oaks are dramatic. The Spanish moss does exactly what it is supposed to do. The brick sidewalks buckle in all the right places. The houses look like they were designed by people who understood proportion, shade, and the value of a proper front step. Even the light seems to arrive with better manners than it does in most places.

I have a built-in advantage when it comes to Savannah. We have family there, so we have been back several times, not just once for the checklist version of the city. I have also done a photography workshop there, which is a terrific way to learn any city. You get up early, stay out late, and pay attention to alleys, doorways, ironwork, reflections, and the way a city changes when the tourists are still asleep.

I spent 72 hours in London with only a carry-on. Here’s how I did it in style

London

Somewhere between the baggage claim carousel and the Elizabeth Line, I realized I’d already won. As passengers from my Norwegian flight to London crowded around the conveyor belt waiting for checked luggage to appear, I was already on my way into the city. Twenty minutes later, I was headed toward central London with nothing more than a carry-on suitcase and a backpack. I’ve become a bit of a carry-on evangelist over the past few years. Not because I’m trying to prove some minimalist point or because I enjoy seeing how few shirts I can survive with. I just genuinely think it’s the better way to travel, especially for a long weekend in Europe.

My recent 72-hour trip from Copenhagen to London wasn’t exactly a backpacker’s itinerary. It included a stay at one of London’s nicest luxury hotels, rooftop cocktails, dinners worth dressing up for, and plenty of walking through Soho, Covent Garden, and the rest of central London. Somehow, everything I needed fit inside my Travelpro Platinum Elite Slim Cabin Hardshell Spinner V2, with a backpack holding my flight essentials.