Think Green: Five sustainable destinations you should visit post lockdown.

Sustainable - /səˈsteɪnəb(ə)l/

Adj. able to be maintained at a certain rate or level.

Sustainable travel means so much more than offsetting its carbon footprint. In a nutshell, it is respecting and maintaining the destinations we visit for our future generations to enjoy. By understanding the impact we, as human beings have on our climate and its environment, we can spread awareness and educate how small changes can preserve ecosystems, endangered species and natural wildlife which in some cases, are near extinction.

In Lameman’s terms, small decisions such as choosing to ignore the sign in your hotel bathroom about changing your towels less frequently can have an adverse effect on our climate and accelerate the pace climate change is happening. Respecting our environment, the culture and wellbeing of the local people is the real emphasis on a sustainable destination.

Want some inspiration? Read on.

Rwanda, a tiny gem of a country nestled amongst the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Tanzania have turned full circle with regards to wildlife poaching. Thanks to the International Gorilla Conservation Programme, these beautiful near extinction mountain gorilla’s population is now on the rise. Some Rwandans who used to be long term poachers are now conservationists and actively promote conserving wildlife.

Many of them are supporting employment at the National Parks where they guide tourists on nature walks to spend time with mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. The entrance fees help towards conservation and employing more Rwandans to facilitate the tours and maintain the natural habitat.

Located in the Pacific Ocean, hundreds of miles from the Philippines, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, Palau is an archipelago of tropical islands. Palau has spent the last decade installing protective measures that its wildlife, biodiversity and heritage will extend its longevity for future generations. In 2009, Palau created the worlds first shark sanctuary which preserved the marine life and was also the first country in the world to ban reef-toxic sunscreen.

Arriving in Palau, each visitor must sign the Palau Pledge, a visitor contract that states the traveller must act in an ecological, ethical and respectful way during their stay. In 2012, the Rock Islands Southern Lagoon was granted UNESCO Heritage status and the funds generated from this scheme are used to better manage the islands' wildlife.

Palau is regarded as one of the most immaculate island countries on Earth and by adding sustainable tourism to their school curriculum, it will give the generations to come the education and tools they require to maintain this well-deserved accolade.

Western Canada is not overcrowded by skyscrapers or concrete retail complexes. Instead, it offers visitors a real breath of fresh air – from serene glacier-fed rivers to grizzly bears, British Colombia offers unparalleled beauty in the form of dense rainforests, the breath-taking Canadian Rockies and native eagles. It is a landscape perfect for rugged travellers seeking adventure to such natural surroundings.

The ultimate, world-class experience to exploring the Canadian Rockies must be appreciated with the Rocky Mountaineer train journey. Guests have the choice to experience two levels of luxury: the SilverLeaf and GoldLeaf services. Both these services offer world-class cabins, complimentary snacks and drinks and breath-taking panoramic views.

Whether you board the train to see and experience Hells Gate, Avalanche Alley or Jaws of Death Gorge, the scenery is nothing short of breath-taking. Riding this iconic route, it is easy to understand why the train journey appears on so many bucket lists. The Rocky Mountaineer is sustainably better than flying or driving and workers of the train line protect the areas it travels through by reducing its carbon emissions. Revenue from the Rocky Mountaineer makes annual contributions to planting new trees in British Columbia. The programme is called Tree Canada’s National Greening Program.

Greece is not the first country that comes to mind when thinking of sustainability but locally the Greeks have mastered the art of using locally sourced ingredients to producing local equivalents to favourite national dishes. The Greeks are well known for extending their warm welcome and hospitality to anyone, teaching travellers how to cook local dishes or trekking through diverse landscapes.

All eateries source produce and ingredients locally, again emphasising the importance of the innate desire and passion to support their local region, supporting the growth and protecting the environment for future generations to enjoy.

The Kalymnos Experience was set up by a group of young, passionate Kalymnians that offer local, off the beaten path experiences. These include nature walks, scuba diving and most popular, herb walks in the Kalymnos Mountains that end with the opportunity to cook a local dish using your freshly picked ingredients!

Think Green, think Sweden. Take Gothenburg for instance, 97% of its public transport runs on renewable energy and 95% of its hotels are green certified. The city restaurants also flaunt major awards in being eco-friendly.

Decades ago, the old port used to serve as a warehouse, boiler house or slaughterhouse. These have now been transformed and innovated into food halls, art galleries and urban wineries, respectively.

Gothenburg turns 400 this year and in celebration for this mammoth anniversary, a new park will be developed to bring the city closer to water and evolve over time creating a meeting place for all ages, backgrounds and interests. Fancy sweating in a sauna where the changing areas are created from 12,000 recycled bottles, or sunbathe on the manmade beach, alternatively, cool off by taking a swim in the floating pool or grab a bite to eat at the Café which was built using 100% recycled material.

Fancy taking your experience to another level? Stay at the 1200 room Gothia Towers. The largest hotel in Europe with a very good green rating. Here you will be served meals using the ingredients sourced on their rooftop garden or sip drinks sweetened with honey from their in-house apiary. Wanting some extra TLC? End the day spending quality time at the spa located on the 20th Floor which is 100% powered using wind turbines.

Feel inspired? Want to learn more about sustainable travel? Get in touch!