GREAT ESCAPES
OUR CHOICES FOR THE TOP TEN ECOLODGES RANGE FROM FABULOUS TO OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD. AT THESE "GREEN GETAWAYS," YOU CAN STAY IN A TREEHOUSE, GO ON A CAMERA SAFARI, ENJOY WORLD-CLASS DIVING, SAMPLE EXOTIC MENUS, AND EVEN VOLUNTEER FOR A WORTHY CAUSE.
by NICOLE DAVIS
Since a few tree-hugging luminaries sat around a table nailing down the definition of the word "ecotourism" 15 years ago, there has been little question as to its meaning: "Responsible travel that protects the environment and brings direct benefits to local people—those are the two pillars upon which ecotourism exists," says Costas Christ, a founding member of the International Ecotourism Society and one of those present at the powwow. But things get a little fuzzy when you talk about ecolodges. They’re supposed to be built upon the same lofty principles as ecotourism, but sometimes an "eco-friendly" resort is no more than a house of straw. "If you Google ecolodges," Christ points out, "you’ll hit almost anything—some that are doing the real work, some that aren’t doing any of it." You’ll also miss all the "green hotels" and the sustainable outfitters of the world who heat their water with solar panels and give back to the community. How to make sense of the eco-fradulent and the eco-fabulous lodges, outfitters, and B&Bs of the world? These ten choices provide a good start.