Category — Ecotourism

Traveling to Kathmandu, not sure what you can afford? Not to worry, we’ve scoured the web and consulted with many Nepal trekkers…to come up with our list of top 10 attractions that you can enjoy without breaking your piggy bank. [Read more →]

Yeah, we thought that title would grab you. Although we can’t take credit for it, it’s all thanks to the kids over at Rideamigos.com. Haven’t heard of them? They’re a new carpooling website that’s all about connecting peeps, reducing pollution, and splitting rising prices between riders?

Devised by one guy whose “commute sucks” [Read more →]

Mumbai’s entrepreneurial dreams climb as high as the gleaming skyscrapers that define its skyline. This great city of more than ten million people is the capital of the state of Maharashtra and also the commercial capital of the whole country…center of industry, transportation, and communication, its fine harbor on the Arabian Sea makes its one of the world’s busiest ports. …..”Bombay” to locals, Mumbai is totally a hip place to be — from food, to fashion and a thriving nightlife, this town will keep all your senses on high alert.

Gateway of India

Be sure and visit Colaba, the tourist hub of Mumbai. Colaba starts with the Gateway of India — the landmark of Mumbai. Colaba is the South Mumbai district filled with cafes, bars, and plenty of shops. Chowpatty Beach is a popular beach where many celebrations of festivals such as Coconut Day and the Ganesh Chaturthi immersions take place. On the beach you’ll find statues of India’s freedom fighters, Lokmanya Tilak and Vithalbhai Patel who symbolize the freedom struggle. Chowpatty occupies a special place in the life of Bombay, having been the venue of mass political meetings in the pre-independence era.

In the evening Chowpatty develops a magical atmosphere [Read more →]

Monks of Sikkim

Sikkim a small, picturesque mountainous state in India. Bordering Nepal, China and Bhutan, offers a myriad of opportunities for trekking, mountain biking, mountaineering and yak safaris, with its lavish green mountain trails, extraordinary mountains and spectacular mountain rivers. In addition to its spectacular natural beauty, Sikkim also possesses a captivating cultural tradition and is home to large Nepali, Bhutia and Lepcha speaking communities. [Read more →]

Come 2008, New York City will begin offering eco-conscious travelers its first green boutique hotel. Greenhouse 26 plans to land LEED Gold from the U.S. Green Building Council with its environmental practices—including conservation of energy, electricity, water, materials and waste.

Designed by Arpad Baksa of Arpad Baksa Architect, the Chelsea-based 19-story, 28 room hotel, will be the first to employ a geothermal heating and cooling system. Another design first: Thermal breaks on room terraces. U.S. buildings have not tried out this ingenius method, which uses a thermal barrier as insulation to prevent terraces from conducting outdoor heat or cold inside.

Other green amenities include high-tech occupancy sensors for individual rooms, which will also let staff know when rooms are empty for cleaning; certified organic products including soaps, towels, robes, and mattresses, a bar/cafe with exclusively organic fair and the one amenity I’m especially curious to find out more about: a 500-square-foot, first-floor roof garden

The hotel will be located at 132 W. 26th Street. Opening is slated for Spring 2008.

Patagonia holds a special place in the hearts of adventurers, mountaineers, kayakers, trekkers and nature-lovers alike. With the arrival of the new Indigo Patagonia hotel and spa in Puerto Natales, Chile there is no excuse for not booking that flight and reserving that hotel room!

“What’s all the fuss about?” you ask. In the new main hotel building of Indigo, Chile’s favorite modern architect has done it again. Sebastian Irarrazaval has succeeded in striking a true balance between understated luxury and a straight-forward humility toward its surrounding environment.

The six-storey, 28-room building sits in the middle of Patagonia’s magnificent splendor. It’s an honest building that fits in its place as if it had always been present while also standing out as something you will definitely want to discover and explore.

If / When you go, be sure and check out their Spa: complete with three outside jacuzzis overlooking the Balmaceda glacier.

Happy Trails!

Sitting atop craggy Himalayan peaks between India and China, the remote and stunningly vibrant Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan is slowly awakening. In an effort to offer foreign visitors a rare, close-up, Amanresorts has pioneered a novel circuit with a series of intimate lodges called Amankora (derived from “aman” or “peace” in Sanskrit and “kora” or “circular pilgrimage” in Dzongkha, the Bhutanese language). Four lodges make up Amankora in Bhutan’s central and western valleys.
The lodges utilize “clean” electricity, mostly drawn from a hydro electric grid. Recycling activities boast a 95% capture rate. Adhering to ancient cultural, religious and social traditions, Bhutan annually offers a limited number of travellers wonderful insights into life in the Himalayas as it has been lived for many centuries. Guests may either visit one of the lodges or, to truly experience all that Bhutan has to offer, Amanresorts can plan a custom-made itinerary, including one or more of the Amankora lodges located in Gangtey, Paro, Punakha or Thimphu.

[youtube bsV_8-FFGgc nolink]

Europe’s first regular passenger train service powered by bio-fuel set off on its maiden journey across Britain with prime minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown hailing the launch for helping to combat global warming. The train, run by Virgin Trains, will use a blended fuel made up of 20 percent biodiesel, which is derived from biological material — typically vegetable oil.

What I wouldn’t give to be a turtle some days…to be able to retreat into my hard shell, to go within when the world is too demanding, to remain calm, peaceful, and happy…going along at my own pace. Well, being that that isn’t an option currently, the Turtle Sanctuary at Le Meridien Bora Bora is a haven for the little guys — and a whole new swimming experience for us humans

The Sanctuary’s main goal: to help save the magnificent hawksbill, green sea turtles. The hotel even offers educational presentations to teach guests about these beautiful creatures, and guests can swim with the turtles in the picturesque lagoon or even “adopt” a turtle and help in the quest to return these animals to their natural wild habitat as you track its progress online.