BRITAIN

I nominate Eco Hostel on Rannoch Moor, Scotland. It uses state-of-the-art environmental science: wind & solar power, grey water and dry toilet systems and bat friendly paint and you can't take your car. The hostel must be reached by train and then on foot. It may not be a five-star resort, but it offers something totally unique, is incredibly well thought out and is a haven for lovers of nature and peace and quiet, and for those who truly care about the impact tourism has on the environment. You leave everything just as you found it, even taking your rubbish away with you - Nadine O'Brien, Invernesshire

At Old Chapel Forge, Chichester, they believe that green tourism is not a product to be tagged on to a holiday but rather is integral to the way that they run their B&B. Through every aspect of a stay at Old Chapel Forge they strive to use environmentally friendly alternatives whether it is the use of solar panels for water heating or the fact that they try to use only organic and locally produced food. They also do all that they can to help promote their local area, which is really rather unique when it comes to tourism. It is a lovely guesthouse with friendly service and a wonderful feel to it and a stay there is always a pleasure - Candy Clarke, Ashington, Sussex

The owner-managed Strattons Hotel in Swaffham, Norfolk has eight bedrooms and a total commitment to the environment. Waste reduction and recycling is now ingrained as part of the hotel's daily life with only two per cent of the hotel's waste going to landfill. Food waste is composted and chickens are kept to eat kitchen scraps, and which in turn produce free range eggs. Sadly space does not allow me to cover all the eco-friendly/responsible achievements of Les and Vanessa Scott, assisted by daughter Hannah. Food is sourced locally wherever possible and the hotel is constantly looking at ways to further enhance its sustainable development - John Firrell, Litton Cheney, Dorset

EUROPE

Milia Ecolodge in Crete is a magnificent place and a great labour of love. It stands out in extreme contrast to the horrible damage caused by mass tourism in Crete. Their promotion of traditional cuisine and sustainable organic farming, along with community programs ties the whole approach together: preservation of land and culture - Nikki Rose, Crete

I would like to nominate the Natura Beach Hotel, Polis, Cyprus. This eco-hotel has been designed with the environment in mind: food is locally produced with much of it being grown organically in the hotel's gardens (we could pick fresh oranges), water used in the gardens has been recycled and there are no lights near the beach to disturb nesting turtles. The owner is a Professor of Biology, an expert on Cypriot plants, who offers free lectures and nature walks in the nearby Akamas Peninsula - Janet Downs, Peterborough

The refuge on Mount Parmelan at Annecy, France has dorm accommodation, a cafe/bar/restaurant and eco toilets, with all supplies and waste taken to and removed from the mountain by cable, leaving a clean natural and beautiful spot unspoilt by its visitors, who have all hiked there - Bob Dunford, via email

ASIA

Sri Lanka

Kimbuk River is about probably the world's largest elephant-like edifice, a unique eco-lodge by a river, on the edge of Sri Lanka's most famous wildlife sanctuary. The entire eco-villa with its complex and unique design was built purely by unemployed village youth. You even get to sleep in the elephant's belly... - Dinesh Watawana, Colombo, Sri Lanka

There is something special about approaching your hotel on a bamboo raft, the stresses of the journey seem to melt away instantly. Within a half hour's drive of the airport, Ranweli is one of those three star hotels which surprises you with some thoughtful touches and exceptional value for money. The food is good, the service is good, there's an excellent Ayurveda Centre, the bungalow accommodation is comfortable with great linen and wonderful ocean views. Most stay for the combination of a beach location and the wildlife and cultural activities on offer - there are resident nature guides, a mangrove boardwalk and bird-watching boat trips (we saw about 15 species of truly stunning birds). The thoughtful design makes it hard to believe there are over 60 bungalows and it is good to see a Sri Lankan hotel making such efforts towards environmental protection and sustainability - Catherine Leech, London


India

We went to Kali Wilderness Camp in Dandeli with Jungle Lodges. It offers amazing itineraries deep in the jungle, while focusing on responsible low impact travel, which is sensitive to the environment and local cultures. It really is committed to preventing damage to the natural eco system, which is a must here - John Pierce, East Sussex

I spent a most relaxing week at Friday's Place on Poovar Island, Kerala, enjoying backwater beauty, excellent food and lively conversation with its British and Sri Lankan owners, Mark and Sujeewa Reynolds. Incorporating the skills of local craftsmen and materials to create a contemporary building style, including innovative plumbing and solar power, the Reynolds have risen admirably to the challenges of establishing a genuinely eco-friendly resort in their stunning corner of this island. But we should also acknowledge this couple's courageous protests and on-going media campaign against the potential destruction of the area from sand mining - Richard Paris, Devizes, Wiltshire

Five guest houses in the Himalaya, each owned by its village, managed by the village committee, and staffed entirely by villagers. Each built to a traditional design with local materials, and solar powered. Each with only three bedrooms, and all cooking done on open fires in the kitchen using dead wood from the surrounding forests. All food using local (vegetarian) recipes and village grown produce, villages accessible only on foot by ancient footpaths. Five villages whose populations have reduced by around 80 per cent in the last 15 years. One villager said "We would all stay if we had just a little more to live on - just a few more young goats to sell". Each guest earns the village about the same as a young goat - so now hopefully nobody need leave these truly unspoilt villages in the Himalayan foothills - Martin Price, Effingham, Surrey

Thailand

The Phu Chaisai Mountain Resort & Spa, Chiang Rai in Thailand. Set in the hilltop above the village of Mae Chan, Phu Chai Sai (Mountain of Clear Hearts) has been built in harmony with nature. Bamboo has been used almost exclusively throughout the resort - Suzanne Fendick, London

Indonesia

Wakatobi Dive Resort is a superb example of how tourism can both protect and develop the environment and the local population. Since the opening of the resort it has worked with the local villagers to create a truly collaborative effort to protect the reef environment. Visitors support the local communities through their tourist pounds but are also encouraged to bring materials to be distributed through the local schools. Local fishermen help protect the reef system, abandoning the use of explosives that have destroyed large areas elsewhere because they see the benefits to themselves, their families and communities by working with the resort. I have seen the end result - fabulous coral reefs, teeming with the most amazing variety of life, stretching off into the distance. I wish I was a better advocate, but all I can say is I have read the publicity for many places, claiming to be eco-friendly. This time not only was I not disappointed, but the publicity understated its benefit to both people and place. All whilst giving its visitors a truly wonderful experience. If you get the chance, go! - Susan Shepherd, Baldock, Herts

Malaysia

My nomination is the Sukau Rainforest Lodge, set on the Kinabatangan River in the state of Sabah in Malaysian Borneo. In an area where many other lodges also operate, this lodge stands out in many ways that support the local community and the environment: it employs almost solely local people, who are incredibly knowledgable and skilful guides; they attain most supplies from local people; no electric lighting is used for aesthetic purposes; the boats used for 'River Safaris' all use electric motors only, helping the environment through the obvious avoidance of oil-based fuel, but also minimising noise pollution with the additional benefit for tourists of increasing the likelihood of seeing more timid wildlife. I hope it continues to provide visitors with a great stay regardless of whether it wins an award. - Satbir Gupta, London

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

Basata - the name in Arabic means “simplicity” - is a tranquil eco-resort in the Sinai, on the Red Sea in Egypt. It's the antithesis of the plethora of energy-guzzling resorts along the coast. You can stay in clay villas, bamboo huts or your own tent and everything is designed to reduce impact on the area and its fragile resources. Hence it has its own generator, desalination plant, extensive recycling programme and its own school for the local Bedouin children and the children of the owners Sherif El-Ghamrawy and his wife Maria - Elly Pace, Nailsworth, Gloucs

The Kasbah du Toubkal, Imlil, Morocco works with and for the Berber villagers/village. It is a most marvellous retreat with good food, stunning walks and magnificent scenery - Judith Whitworth, Rutland

Footsteps Eco Lodge Gambia - a paradise in a mad world, also there involvement with composting toilets in their local village/town has saved many lives in the wet season - Nettie Cobden, Dunmore East, Co Waterford, Ireland

Kenya

I nominate Tana Delta River Camp, Kenya. The Delta Dunes lodge is located on one of the ancient mouths of the Tana River. This is a small camp on the northern coast of Kenya which is built on the sand dunes. It uses drift wood and other items found on the beach that have been washed up on the tides. The local community has a partnership with the camp and benefits from each visit that is made by tourists. The camp has set up a community conservation project to protect the wetland area and local Orma and Pokomo tribes people. This inland delta has been cut by the Tana River, changing course back and forth across its flood plain. The resulting Lower Tana Delta Wetlands is a conservation area of 50,000 hectares set aside by the Pokomo and Orma communities to safeguard this unique ecosystem - Ruth Fripp, London

Saruni Camp in the Aitong Hills, Masai Mara, Kenya is owned and run by Riccardo Orizo. Built to ecological standards and in a conservation area just outside the Masai Mara National Reserve, Saruni Camp is a perfect safari lodge devoted to low impact eco-tourism. It provides an African adventure whilst living in a serene and relaxing environment in harmony with the local Masai people (the majority of employees being from the local community). Saruni supports the Koyiaki guiding school project which encourages and supports young Maasai in their ambition to become top level guides. Elizabeth Bulbrook, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

I would like to nominate Club Sun and Sand in Kikambala, Kenya who not only employ local people and train them to work in their hotel but run a primary school on the grounds and are heavily involved in the development of the secondary school. They understand that the future of poverty reduction is with the children and through offering them the chance to become better educated. They also run a medical clinic to help resolve medical issues that are understandably high in a developing nation such as Kenya. This hotel and their management team are comitted to providing a better quality of life for the people of Kikambala. - Shona Swain, Haywards Heath, West Sussex

Kicheche Mara camp is a luxury tented camp game lodge for 22 people situated adjacent to the Masai Mara in the Masai conservation area, Kenya. The camp supports the Masai people both in terms of employment and finance and aims to provide outstanding wildlife experiences working in close harmony with the local population - David Stansfield, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire

I nominate Hotel Club Sun & Sand in Mombasa, Kenya. A hotel that derserves this award for having so many sustainable and responsible tourism practices under one roof: promoting eradication of child prostitution; building a primary school on the road leading to the hotel and collecting equipment for the school. building a local mosque for the community in the same area as the school. Once when I visited the hotel they had a group of orphans from Nairobi who were invited to stay for a couple of the days at the hotel to cheer them up! - Emma Taylor, Crawley

Mutamaiyu House is an amazing place to stay. It is on a 49,000 acre private working ranch with the big five in residence and only a handful of guests so it's tantamount to private game viewing in undiscovered central Kenya. The standard of accommodation and service is exceptional, at a price much lower than similar places. Best of all the ranch is owned by an American pouring money into conservation and the community....so your payment for staying at the ranch is being ploughed back into the project, benefiting the wildlife including lion and rhino projects. Visiting the ranch school was very inspiring, with the first ever class just coming up to graduating and all aspiring to be lawyers, teachers, pilots etc when not a single one of their relatives had had a chance to be educated - Lindsey McIntosh, Ulverston, Cumbria

Tanzania

I'm nominating the Old Boma Hotel in Mikindani, Tanzania. It is a small, six-room hotel that is in a restored colonial fort. It was restored in is overseen by a small UK charity (Trade Aid) which uses the profits of the hotel to run a number of projects for the local community. Support is given to local entrepreneurs who want to provide produce for the hotel, it employs local people as staff. In the years since I helped on the project (1998) several shops and another hotel have sprung up in the town and as a result numerous jobs have been created. The hotel also supports a number of initiatives in the village to promote education of the local children, protection of the environment and the health of the local population - Alex Hopson, Salisbury, Wilts

Zambia

The Islands of Siankaba is a small lodge accommodating 12 guests in the Zambezi River near Livingstone. It was decided that a ‘non permanent’ feel to the camp would be important, so a combination of wood and canvas was used for all lodges. Commercially grown non-indigenous pine was used for structural construction as well as all walkways and decking. Hard wood was only used where aesthetically needed and then from sustainable commercial forests: the lodge also replanted hardwoods within the area to compensate for this. The two islands are linked by a rope bridge, with the smaller of the two islands housing accommodation chalets. Once guests cross this bridge they do not actually set foot on the island, as they walk upon a raised walkway in the tree canopy to ensure the delicate riverside environment is completely protected. The islands' nature trail also promotes tree protection with a superbly detailed description of all the trees and their local medicinal and traditional uses. Low wattage geysers have been used throughout along with low wattage long life light bulbs. Headman Siankaba, (the village headman responsible for the immediate area of the lodge, and from whom the lodge took its name) and his people are extremely proud of their way of life and the area they live in. Small groups of interested guests, accompanied by a local guide, may visit the villages on foot to get to know the people and their traditions, unaltered by commercialism so often seen elsewhere. The aim of the company is to develop a long running successful business - Susan Shand, London

At Chiawa Camp conservation is a way of life. A large portion of the camp's revenue and resources is reinvested into protecting the Lower Zambezi by supporting and implementing programs involving conservation, anti-poaching, wildlife education, and the improvement of the surrounding village communities. Chiawa Camp has also undertaken two unusual wildlife projects, reintroducing wild cheetahs and a ground hornbill into the Park. In addition, Chiawa Camp contributes school uniforms and stationery for 300 AIDS orphans in the surrounding communities with the help of Swiss Charity SidEcole. This project ensures AIDS orphans attend school and alleviate some of the financial burden incurred by those families with whom the orphans live - Susan Shand, London

Mozambique

I nominate Guludo Beach Lodge, Quirimbas National Park, Northern Mozambique and its owner/founder Amy Carter. Guludo is a shining example of what responsible/sustainable tourism is about. It has been designed and is run on the basis of environmental/ecological principles and works in harmony with the local community. It represents the future of sustainable tourism in Africa and stands in stark contrast to other tourist ventures in the region. It has been built entirely from local materials and using local craftsmen. It is staffed almost entirely by the local village. It is very definitely a luxury lodge but it shows that luxury does not need to come at a high environmenal price. Amy is an inspiration in this field. I cannot recommend Guludo Beach Lodge highly enough - Caroline Hume, Milton Keynes

Marlin Lodge on Benguerra Island, Bazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique is an amazing eco resort in the protected marine park just off the coast. This is a perfect example of the type of hotel which provides the best of both worlds; employment and revenue to the locals and minimal adverse impact on the environment. Developments such as this will hopefully ensure that the archipelago will stay as unspoiled as it is now for decades to come - Sam Laakonen, London

Zanzibar

I would like to nominate Fundu Lagoon, Pemba Island, Zanzibar a lodge in a wonderful remote beachside location. However the needs of the local community have been carefully considered in recent years. With the help of guests over the last few years enough funds have been raised to build a local village school, supply books, and train teachers from the locality, who arrive by bicyce supplied from the fund. The school is sustainable, and the lodge encourages guests to bring out school supplies. The lodge also operates a medical facility for the local village, and will use their boat to ferry locals to hospital if there is a medical emergency. The lodge is close to Misali Island a marine park, and they are very involved in the conservation work of this area - Fiona Hiscox, Exeter

Namibia

The Cañon Lodge provides visitors to Fish River Canyon National Park, Namibia, with beautifully designed accommodation and excellent service. The food is almost entirely locally produced on the Lodge's land providing guests with a healthy fresh varied diet of seasonal fruit and vegetables, dairy and meat. The isolation of the Lodge has created an entire community that cares for its environment in a sustainable way. For every visitor the lodge provides employment for 3 locals, with the benefits this brings - Malcolm Raggett, Great Dunmow, Essex

South Africa

Oudrif Farm is located on the Doring River at the foothills of the Cederberg. This unique farm is in the middle of nowhere, some 30 miles from the nearest town, the directions are quite simple, turn left at this sign, turn right at the next, then left at the solar panels, and follow the road from the white rock...simple!! All on non-tarred roads. This really is an exceptional lodge on the edge of a gorge in the dry and dramatic redstone back country of the Cederberg. Much of the area is still in a pristine state and unique plants, animals, fish and insect species abound. The river also provides ample opportunity for paddling, swimming and sun bathing on its secluded beaches. Then retreat to your unique straw bale cottage. Stylish and comfortable - from the crisp linen and modern conveniences to eco-friendly solar power. All doors, windows etc are recycled from buildings in Cape Town or other towns which have been replaced by the new architechture - John Carmichael, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire


AUSTRALASIA AND PACIFIC

I nominate Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa, Australia. Set in the almost indescribably magnificent Daintree Rainforest in northern Australia, the Eco Lodge utilises many means to protect and preserve the rainforest, river systems and mangroves, the biodiversity and ecosystems and the rich aboriginal cultural heritage - Judith Margaret Rieck, Kent

Mon Repos in Queensland, Australia - what a fantastic place! For the bargain price of $8 we witnessed baby turtles hatching. The campsite is a haven - beautiful and right beside the beach. The turtles are of paramount importance and the whole experience is based solely around them. The station is manned by volunteers and the fact that it is so busy is testament to the good job that is done. I would have been willing to pay a lot more money to experience watching the baby turtles hatching and going on their journey out to sea. Mon Repos is not heavily advertised. We stumbled upon it but it was the definite highlight of our round-the-world-trip. We recommended it to Australians living in Brisbane and they'd never heard of it. It is a truly amazing place - Angela White, Norfolk

Ningaloo Reef Retreat, on the west coast of Australia near Exmouth, is a family run, small retreat right by the Ningaloo marine park and behind stretches the Cape Range national park. You arrive at the retreat by bus and walk down to through the dunes along carefully marked, thin paths. Upon arrival you are welcomed by friendly staff and like minded people. The luxurious lodges are semi permanent tents which perch above the dunes, not affecting the development of the dunes. Toilets and showers run into compost recycling units and use a bare minimum of water. The fantastic snorkelling is 10 metres offshore in ancient, vivid reef. research occurs in a number of sciences, helped by the retreat and the beach provides nests to green turtles. There is a small library and meals are prepared with the guests help, to eat in a communial tent. The Cape Range national park offers trekking in the canyons with no need for connecting buses. Basically this is the best place as a guest and environmentalist I have ever been and would recommend it wholeheartedly - Paul Richardson, London

Yasawa Island Resort, Fiji is a beautiful resort. The bure accommodation blends in with the wonderful scenery. They employ local staff, and have helped the villages by providing electrical generators - Norman Price, Plymouth

Le Meridien Bora Bora hotel for conservation of turtles in idyllic setting on a Polynesian islet surrounded by a turquoise lagoon. It looks as if luxury can be combined with conservation. - Shelagh Bird, Winchester

CARIBBEAN AND LATIN AMERICA

Long Bay Hotel, Antigua is the last of a dying breed of retro Caribbean hotels, that stands out from the crowd for both its style, just 25 rooms and its commitment since 1966 for respecting its environment and its guests. Its Globe Green Certification has seen it achieve 'Above Best Practice' in for example, energy and water consumption, resource conservation and its social commitment.The owner Chris Lafaurie,said that he was most proud of the fact that he can offer an environmentally friendly experience without affecting his guests overall enjoyment. This is truly a rarity in the Caribbean in 2006- Clare Hickie, London

Danzante Eco-resort, near Loreto, Baja California, Mexico is a perfect example of how ecotourism and luxury can go hand in hand. The resort consists of nine rooms blended into a hillside overlooking the Cortez sea, and is solar-powered (it helps that the region gets an average 360 days of sunshine a year!). The local women are employed as cooks, and to provide spa treatments, with assistance given by the owners for proper training in the latter, and fair wages paid. The recipes follow traditional recipes and often uses ingredients from the organic resort garden, and was by far the best food I had on my trip to Mexico. The local men are employed as guides for kayaking, hiling, and sea safari boat trips. Guests are encouraged to re-use towels, and turn off lights and the ceiling fan when leaving their room. Torches which charge up by vigourous shaking are provided in each room, plus candles, to try and minimise use of electricity for lights - Caroline Rawson, Newbury, Berks Costa Rica

I nominate Lapa Rios Eco Lodge in Osa Penisula, Costa Rica. A wonderful experience that takes visitors to the heart of the rainforest and teaches them about sustainable living from food choices, conserving resources (water and electricity). Staff are from local communities and there is work with a local school. - Katherine Pomfret, Stow-on-the-Wold

Punta Islita in Costa Rica - the community own the hotel and therefore directly benefit, allowing a full conservation programme and buy-in to an eco friendly environment. The project raises funds to develop schooling and encourages local workforce involvement. All in all, an example of how community projects should work - Karyn Watt, Edinburgh

Nicaragua

Four lodges nominated by Sarah Gilbert, London

I’d like to nominate Rio Indio Lodge, near San Juan del Norte. Set in the Rio San Juan Wildlife Refuge – part of the Indío-Maiz Biological Reserve, which is the largest lowland tropical rainforest north of the Amazon – part of its remit is to care for rescued animals and supervise their reintroduction into their natural habitat. The lodge also donates petrol to the Ministry of Natural Resources to help them fight illegal poaching and logging, and works with them to control gill net fishing. The Lodge guides are Rama Indians who are indigenous to the reserve.

I’d like to nominate Morgan’s Rock, Nicaragua for its commitment to eco- and agro-tourism. Set in dry tropical forest the 15 solar-powered bungalows designed from a variety of sustainable woods, were built to minimize their impact on the environment and to blend into surroundings. The furniture was made by local artisans and the Pacific breeze provides air-conditioning. The private beach is a nesting place for sea turtles, where they are protected and monitored and the reserve's 4,500 acres include tree-farming, reforestation and conservation projects. A large proportion of the food is organic own produce or locally sourced and there are waste-management, recycling and water-treatment programmes in place. They employ people from the local community and concentrate on education and training. They also work on infrastructure projects within the local community and help out a local school.

I’d like to nominate Domitila Private Wildlife Reserve in Nicaragua, for its commitment to the preservation of one of the last remaining areas of dry tropical forest on Nicaragua’s Pacific coast. Its owner, Maria Jose Mejia, is passionate about conserving the biodiversity of the land that has been in her husband’s family for generations. She’s equally passionate about fostering an ethos of conservation in the surrounding communities, beginning with the education of her staff. As well as over 200 howler monkeys, it’s the habitat of numerous species of birds, butterflies, insects, flora and fauna, and a flourishing centre for specialist scientific study. You sleep in rustic palm-thatched cabins, the bathrooms have compost toilets and solar-powered showers. After dark, you dine by candlelight on fresh, local produce prepared by neighbourhood cooks.

I’d like to nominate Finca Esperanza Verde (Green Hope Farm), near San Ramón, Nicaragua, for its support of the local rural community and conservation of the tropical forest. The project is run by the Sister Communities of San Ramón, a non-profit organisation operated by US volunteers, and consists of an ecolodge, organic coffee farm and nature reserve. Profits from the farm stay in San Ramón and support community projects, such as a school for local children and fresh water schemes. The lodge and cabins are built of hand made brick and local materials, showers are solar-powered, electricity is hydro-powered, food is locally-sourced and all waste is composted. The farm has an all-Nicaraguan staff and the guides are local, ex-agricultural workers. You can also spend a few days with a family in San Ramón to learn about the rural way of life.


Ecuador

I would like to nominate The Black Sheep Inn in Ecuador. It is an eco-friendly hotel, which encourages responsible tourism. They've got compost toliets, shower rooms built with used glass bottles - you name it, they have done everything as ecologically friendly as possible, and really contributed to the local community - Atsuko Yamaguchi, London

The Sacha Lodge near Coca in Ecuador is extremely well run with maximum use made of fossil fuel-free transport (canoes) and renewable energy sources. The lodges are made of hardwoods but well maintained so the surrounding habitats were not badly compromised. Every tourist group is allocated a native local guide and the reserve works sympathetically with local communities - Claire Dunn, London

Kapawi Lodge, Ecuador: a fantastic lodge on the border of Ecuador that will be handed over to the Achuar indigenous community in 2011 for them to run on their own, but in the meantime employs local Achuar people, teaches visitors about the local community and enables the locals to protect their culture without having to rely on letting in oil companies or timber companies - Stuart Hatcher, London

Belize

Hickatee Cottages, in South Belize, is completely built from virgin jungle by a young couple. They have built cottages for visitors to their lovely area. They are dedicated to farming their land in a completely natural way and growing crops. The food grown is cooked with love for their guests. They live near to the various animals that can be seen on safari type trips like jaguars - Barbara Epstein, London Chile

Campo Adventura, Chile is a truly fantastic organisation and example of responsible eco-tourism. Proving how working with the local community, the environment (an area of now protected pristine rainforest), and natural recourses can work so well, provide such an enlightening experience and place to really get away from it all - Deirdre Lindsay, Maldon, Essex

Brazil

It has to be the Praia do Forte Eco Resort in Bahia, Brazil. This wonderful resort is situated within an ecological reserve and is the first of it's kind in the entire country. It promotes activities such as visiting the Tamar Turtle Project, the Siparanga Natural Reserve, and birdwatching along the Timeantube Lagoon, all the while actively encouraging sustainable development and the protection of the delicate tropical ecology of Brazil. By establishing this type of tourism in a country long exploited for its wealth of natural resources, Praia do Forte has set an excellent example for other resorts in Brazil. - Maria Thomas, London

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