Still, if you’re new to eco-travel, ecolodges are a great place to start. Frame your trip around an ecolodge that stands out. Look for places that have gained international recognition and awards for the conservation and community work they are doing. Look for places that meet third-party green certification standards. Find your fantasy ecolodge, then make it the centrepiece of your trip.

Here are a few ideas for inspiration.

An eco-chic lodge at Ecohotel, one of the three 'ecohabs' near Santa Marta, Colombia. Photo courtesy of Ecohabs Santa Marta

Ecohabs Santa Marta in Colombia

Think outside the resort box and opt for one of the three ‘ecohabs’ at Ecohabs Santa Marta, a chic addition to one of Colombia’s most prized natural areas, Tayrona National Park, where lush green forests and stunning coast are just waiting for exploration near the popular beach town of Santa Marta.

If you go with Ecohabs Tayrona or Ecohotel, you get a beachfront spot without any high-rise interference. Or venture a little farther inland to Ecohabs Minca, and you’ll be immersed in thick vegetation against a mountain backdrop.

The #1 reasons to stay at Ecohabs Santa Marta: they’re designed to be visually integrated into their surroundings, built primarily with local materials and include ethnic aspects inspired by the huts of Tayrona’s indigenous tribes.

Click here to learn more about Ecohabs Santa Marta.

San Miguel del Bala in Bolivia

When people think Bolivia, they often imagine jagged snowcapped mountains, dizzying altitudes and a vast white plain of salt. But to the northeast of La Paz, Bolivia shares the low-lying Amazon basin with Brazil, Colombia and Peru. Here you can visit Rurrenabaque, Bolivia’s gateway to Madidi National Park in the Amazon jungle, where you’ll find some of the most lauded ecotourism projects in South America.

One great example is San Miguel del Bala, a lodge owned and operated by an indigenous Tacana community. With help from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and a few large nongovernmental organisations, the group of 35 families built the lodge and provided themselves an alternative to traditional extractive trades like logging and hunting.

The #1 reason to stay at San Miguel del Bala: after taking in the incredible biodiversity of Madidi National Park, you can relax with a weaving class with women from the local community.

Click here to learn more about San Miguel del Bala.

The water catchment system on the Chumbe Island bungalows near Zanzibar, Tanzania, demonstrate the green technology that makes it a certified long-run destination. Photo courtesy of Chumbe Island Coral Park Lodge

Chumbe Island Coral Park in Zanzibar, Tanzania

Off the coast of Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania is the hypnotic Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar. Although officially part of Tanzania, the island is very much its own place, with a strong cultural identity and amazing natural assets.

A short boat ride from Zanzibar takes you to Chumbe Island, a coral sanctuary. Here you’ll find the Chumbe Island Coral Park lodge that is using the latest in eco-technology. For example, each eco bungalow has a water catchment system that allows it to capture its own freshwater supply during the rainy season. The water is then filtered and pumped for use.

The #1 reason to stay at Chumbe Island Coral Park: It meets the standards of Global Ecosphere Retreats, which certifies it as a long-run destination.

Click here to learn more about Chumbe Island Coral Park.

Sukau Rainforest Lodge in Borneo, Malaysia

Go wild in Malaysia with a visit to Borneo’s most prestigious ecolodge, the Sukau Rainforest Lodge. Getting there takes some doing – the last leg of the trip involves a short boat ride down the Kinabatangan River and into the depths of the Sukau Rainforest. It’s ideally located as a jungle trekking adventure home base.

Sukau Rainforest Lodge has been turning heads since 1997, when it won its first award: the British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Award. Since then, it has gained distinction from major players like Trip Advisor, Ecoclub.com and most recently the World Travel Awards.

The #1 reason to stay at Sukau Rainforest Lodge: guests can join its reforestation campaign by taking a moment to plant their own rainforest tree.

Click here to learn more about Sukau Rainforest Lodge.

The walls of Adrère Amellal near Cairo, Egypt, blend seamlessly into the surrounding desert landscape. Photo courtesy of Adrère Amellal

Adrère Amellal in Cairo, Egypt

In the deserts surrounding Cairo, Egypt, a desert ecolodge called Adrère Amellal has the fantastical beauty of a nomad’s weary hallucination. The handcrafted buildings of stone and clay blend into the natural landscape surrounding them, as if they could disappear at any moment. This is an upscale retreat with top-notch culinary options.

The #1 reason to stay at Adrère Amellal: with no electricity, the rooms are softly lit with a dozen beeswax candles and the starry desert sky.

Click here to learn more about Adrère Amellal.

Visiting a rainforest is a unique nature experience. During the day, these unique biomes burst with a busy buzz and bright flashes of colour. At night, the air comes alive with the shrieks and calls of the forest’s many nocturnal creatures. Cicadas drone, bats flap beneath the canopy, a monkey howls in the distance.

Amidst all this natural beauty, it’s important to tread lightly. Remember that rainforests today cover just six percent of the earth, yet they are home to an estimated 40 to 75 percent of all the world’s plants and animals, including many still just being discovered. Sadly, despite efforts to protect them, many habitats are continue to be endangered by logging and overdevelopment.

The tropical rainforest habitat is home to between 40 to 75 percent of the world’s plants and animals. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Tatters

Well-planned ecotourism is one key to rainforests’ continued survival. It places value on preservation of nature as a commercial resource. Reputable tour outfits offer employment opportunities for locals as leaders and wildlife guides, enabling them to earn their money through sustainable and environmentally responsible forms of income. Travellers’ passion for traditional culture encourages locals to continue ancient forest-friendly practices.

Before your next escape to the rainforest, do some research in advance. The right tour operator and a great local guide can help you spot wildlife and make the most of any adventure.

Get Up Close to the Real Rainforest in Corcovado, Costa Rica

Away from the crowds of much-visited Monteverde, another sort of park awaits visitors in Costa Rica. National Geographic once labelled Corcovado National Park as “the most biologically intense place on earth,” and you’d be hard pressed to prove them wrong. Accessible via Puerto Jimenez along the Osa Penninsula, the  425-square-kilometre park is one of the last places to spot jaguars in Central America. It is also home to endangered species such as the Baird’s tapir, Harpy eagle, ocelots and more. Staying overnight in the park is strongly recommended, possible in a basic, budget and rustic eco-lodge or one of several ranger stations.

The Bolaven Plateau in the Champasak Province of southern Laos is known for its many scenic waterfalls. Photo courtesy of Miranda Siu

Climb High in the Champasak Province of Laos

Well known for its collection of ancient Khmer ruins, Champasak Province of southern Laos contains a wealth of natural thrills in the form of beautiful jungles and raging waterfalls. Wildlife enthusiasts can try to spot rare and endangered species like yellow-cheeked gibbons, Asian elephants and Irrawaddy dolphins, while other adventures await thrill seekers who head high above the treetops. Two- and three-day zip line treks allow travellers to unleash their inner Tarzan in the canopy of this semi-evergreen forest.

Become Better Acquainted with the Jungle in Borneo

The tropical island of Borneo is home to some of the world’s oldest rainforest. As a nature lover’s paradise, it is also one of the last natural habitats for endangered animals such as the Bornean orangutan, Clouded leopard and several native bat species. Guided trips can be booked from cities such as Kota Kinabalu or Sandakan on the Malaysian side, or Banjarmasin on the Indonesia side.  In addition to being thrilling, night-time jungle treks are probably the best way to spot nocturnal wildlife.

Encounter a City Lost in the Jungles of Colombia

The dense jungles that constitute Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Mountains are the historic domain of the early Tayrona civilisation. Among the ancient chiefdom’s best known archaeological sites is Ciudad Perdida (the “Lost City”), accessible via a six-day guided trek through a dense tropical forest. Hikers depart from Santa Marta, the city along Colombia’s Caribbean coast. The trek includes lots of opportunities to learn about the area’s indigenous people – descendants of the Tayrona – and plenty of time for spotting wildlife such as tapirs, deer and endemic hummingbirds.

Observe Life in the Amazing Amazon of Brazil

Capital of the Brazilian state of Amazonas, the city of Manaus is a popular point of departure for ecotourists visiting the Amazon region.  From this gateway city, visitors can easily arrange regional cruises that visit remote communities along the Amazon River or schedule boat transfers to jungle lodges and resorts with river-view bungalows. The Brazilian Amazon famously encompasses 33 percent of all the world’s surviving tropical rainforests and its biodiversity is unparalleled. One in five of the world’s fish species is found in its waters, while the jungle itself boasts 2.5 million recorded insect species and is home to a wide collection of endangered animals like spider monkeys, jaguars and poison dart frogs. Enjoy the best of the river and the surrounding rainforest.

The port city of Manaus, Brazil, is a gateway to the incredible Amazon region. Photo by Rodolpho Emanuel

Revel in the Natural Beauty of Rwanda’s Nyungwe Forest

Extending for over 1,000 kilometres, Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park is the largest protected area of high-altitude montane rainforest in Africa. Nestled in the heart of one of the continent’s most biodiverse regions – the Albertine Rift – Nyungwe boasts an exotic collection of rare orchids and endemic birds, as well as a large concentration of primates. Anyone looking to track chimps, however, will need to spend some time here. For the best chance at sighting mankind’s closest relative, consider booking a guided trip in the forests of Nyungwe.

To learn more about about jungle adventures on The Travel Word, read about travellers’ hiking and trekking experiences in some of the planet’s most exciting jungles.

First, before we even got to Colombia, we had to digest the government travel advisories. A visit to the country equalled full-time danger: exercise a high degree of caution; be vigilant; avoid travel to rural parts of Colombia and on and on.

Pack horses and donkeys ford their way across a stream in Tayrona National Park, Colombia. Photo courtesy of Norm Rath

Jumping that hurdle mentally, once we had settled in Santa Marta – our base city in Colombia – we noticed our guidebook warned the best option in case of a snake bite in Tayrona was to head for an eco-cabin cluster inside the park for the immediate administration of anti-venom serum; do not take the time to head back to Santa Marta. The popular resort town of Santa Marta, a hot (average mid 30 degrees Celsius), extremely humid and sun-drenched spot of almost 500,000 people, sits on the Caribbean coast like a once-beautiful ageing lady fanning herself with ocean breezes.

Aware of the hazards, we asked our Irish-born inn owner for advice about visiting Tayrona. He was adamant: Go. Here’s how to get there. Here’s what you can expect. We long ago discovered that on-the-ground intelligence is best.

From Santa Marta to Tayrona

Once upon a time, Tayrona was a combat zone for drug trafficking between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), one of the western hemisphere’s oldest Marxist guerrilla groups, and right-wing paramilitary units. Today, Tayrona proudly displays its true nature as a safe environment for tourists. Since its elevation in status to a national park in 1969, this biodiversity area covering 12,000 hectares of land and 3,000 of sea has been growing in popularity. Within its territory are sandy beaches, dazzling blue/azure ocean waters, tropical dry jungle and a rainforest up to 900 metres in the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

A Tayrona National Park camping site on the Caribbean coast at Arrecifes in Colombia. Photo courtesy of Heather Rath

Getting to the Tayrona from Santa Marta took one and a half hours using three types of vehicles: taxi to the bus terminal (US$2.50), people’s bus for an hour (US$2.50 per person) and the park collectivo (US$1.25 per person). The general advice we got for exploring the area we had selected was to follow the trail for an hour and a half to our destination on the coast. That sounded easy, but that’s when the ambiance of Tayrona kicked in.

Under a Jungle Spell

Surrounded by calling birds, colourful butterflies, shrieking monkeys and crawling cutter ants with their loads of leaf pieces, we forgot the cacophony of noise in the city. With tall tropical trees, swaying palms weaving a canopy of interlocking green fingers above, and thick, lush vegetation sprouting on all sides, we fell under the spell of the jungle.

The main trail we followed was up and down: it twists and turns through narrow paths between high and low ridges of rock triggering leaps from above, below and across the uneven, sometimes muddy, ground. A tiring terrain, it offers no relief from the streams of sweat that pour from every pore. Since donkeys and horses also use this trail, an overabundance of manure awaits human feet forced to tread in impassable places.

The uncrowded beaches along the Caribbean in Tayrona National Park, Colombia, are just one of its many faces. Photo courtesy of Heather Rath

Yet every so often there is a reprieve. Shhhhh… see the agouti rustling in the underbrush? Listen… hear the squawks from above? A family of titi monkeys plays in the treetops.

After what seemed like an eternity, we broke out of the jungle at Arrecifes on the Caribbean coast, where authorised campsites dot the shore. After our hot and humid slog, we decided it was all about the journey and not the destination.

For another half hour we hiked along the seaside, fording four streams, meandering through clusters of mangroves, until we reached our Caribbean destination: La Piscina (The Pool), a bay of smooth, safe-to-swim/snorkel waters sheltered by a long stretch of unspoiled barrier reef. (Other beach areas along the coast produce strong and dangerous undertows.) As it turned out, the destination too was worth it (lo valió)!

Plenty of Life

The park, once the land of the indigenous Tayrona people, offers a few archaeological ruins of interest, as well as activities like nautical sports and horseback riding. It is home to more than 100 mammals, among them jaguars, ocelots and monkeys, most nocturnal and many on the endangered list. Other endangered species include reptiles like the loggerhead sea turtle, mixed in with fearsome snakes, at least 300 species of birds such as the rare Andean condor, valuable marine fauna, unspoiled coral formations and endemic vegetation. (Cacti, orchids, bromeliads, mosses and trees, contribute to the richness of, and necessity for, protecting the park’s environment.)

Found in Tayrona National Park, the titi monkey is endemic to Colombia and is an endangered species. Photo courtesy of Heather Rath

Park entry fees are approximately US$18 for foreigners; US$7 for nationals (in April 2012).

For more ideas on where to stay and what to do around Santa Marta, visit www.santamarta-hotels-tours.travel, the whl.travel local connection in Colombia.

Their practice in experiential and mindful travel and their locals’ knack for identifying, explaining and sustaining the distinctive qualities of a place make them the perfect go-to people for travellers looking for unique ways to experience a destination. But sometimes, when travellers prepare to hit the road, they’re not choosy about where they want to go: they’re actively looking only for the best of the best – the best experiences in the best destinations based on information from the best travel experts.

To facilitate that process, whl.travel has announced the winners of its 2011 internal competitive performance review. Based on their work in 2011, four tour operators – one from each of four broad geographical areas – have been singled out as models for a set of whl.travel standards critical to the operation of their own businesses but also fundamental to the success of the global network. Assessment criteria included response times and customer service, maintaining an active social media presence and keeping destination Web portals up to date.

The whl.travel local partner in Malawi: The Responsible Safari Company (left to right: Chimwemwe Siyabu, Kate Webb, Dom Webb, Andrew Kayuni). Photo courtesy of The Responsible Safari Company

Malawi Triumphs in Africa

In Africa, whl.travel is anchored in about 40 destinations across 20 countries. Taking honors on this continent was the Responsible Safari Company, the whl.travel local connection for Malawi. Apart from demonstrating a strong commitment to community development through sustainable tourism initiatives, they have proven that they are serious about client services.

The whl.travel local connection in Boracay, Philippines: Go Discover Travels (left to right: Kristiana Jorjah Espiritu, Trudy Allen and Chaddy Cocjin; not pictured: Helen Atanacio and John Maclang). Photo courtesy of Go Discover Travels

The Philippines Shine in Asia and the Pacific

The whl.travel local partners in Nepal, the Philippines and northeast India stood out from the mix of more than 70 destinations in 26 countries in Asia and Oceania; however, it was the Philippines’ Go Discover Travels, one of the first partners to join the whl.travel network, that came out on top for their whl.travel Boracay Travel website. They also manage portals in the Philippines for Cebu, Palawan and Manila.

The whl.travel local expert in Corfu, Greece: Corfu Sunspots Travel (right to left: Sandra Broedner and Chrysa Tsakalakou; Andronikos Moutos not pictured). Photo courtesy of Corfu Sunspots Travel

Corfu Takes the Limelight in Europe and the Middle East

Corfu Sunspots Travel Ltd, the whl.travel local expert in Corfu, Greece, ranked above approximately 40 other destinations in about 20 countries in Europe and the Middle East. What started as a small family-run business back in 1986 has blossomed into one of Corfu‘s largest, most reputable and successful agencies.

The whl.travel local partner in Santa Marta, Colombia: Las Pleyades (Fabiola Duerig and Oliver Blanco). Photo courtesy of Las Pleyades

Colombia Conquers in the Americas

The whl.travel local connection in Santa Marta, Colombia, was crowned the winner in the Americas, where there are about 50 whl.travel destinations in 15 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The site for Santa Marta is owned and operated by Las Pleyades, a small company that is a big player when it comes to developing social and environmental travel.

“While every network is only as strong as its weakest link, it’s also as ambitious as its strongest,” commented Rob Shortland, CEO of whl.travel. “whl.travel relies on each local operator to help build and develop our shared global brand. If we want travellers to support local companies then it’s essential that their service standards compete with, if not exceed, that of the large global powerhouses. Add in a large dollop of local knowledge and we’re tough to beat.”

Fabiola Duerig and her husband Oliver, the cofounders of Las Pleyades Travel, enjoy a sunset over the bay of Taganga in Santa Marta, Colombia. Photo courtesy of Las Pleyades Travel

Fabiola is proud to call Colombia home and to share it with travellers eager for a local’s insights. As a seasoned traveller herself, she can appreciate the value of a local travel experience.

WHL Group: Which is your favourite WHL Group destination and which would you most like to visit?
Fabiola: My favourite destination at the moment is my own home – Santa Marta, Colombia – because I am able to experience its natural beauty every single day. Colombia as a whole is a great country in every sense, which more and more foreign tourists are starting to realise.

Outside of Colombia, the destination I would like to visit is India. Despite the poverty and misery I might see there, where 80 kids die every day from curable diseases like rabies, I don’t want to shut my eyes. It’s real. India has a very special culture and way of thinking, one so different from that of the western world. I also love their way of dancing and all the colours. I look forward to exploring it someday.

WHLG: What would you never travel without?
Fabiola: For me, the two biggest essentials are music and a passport. The rest are details.

Bahia Concha is part of what makes Santa Marta, Colombia Fabiola's favorite destination. It is also where she is lucky enought to call home. Photo courtesy of Las Pleyades Travel

WHLG: What do you miss most about home when travelling?
Fabiola: I suppose it depends on the country I visit. Here on the coast of Colombia, I really miss the high quality and variety of European food, but if I were travelling in Argentina, for example, I wouldn’t notice this so much. What I always miss, no matter the destination, are my friends and family if they’re not there with me to share all the exciting experiences of travel.

WHLG: What’s the most adventurous trip you’ve ever taken?
Fabiola: I would have to say a trip down the Death Road from La Paz, Bolivia, to a small town in the mountains. It is said to be beautiful, but I don’t think it is worth it because the road is so dangerous that you see the old remains of vehicles down below. Also, local people drive so fast that accidents are inevitable. So I am just glad to have survived that!

WHLG: What is your funniest travel experience?
Fabiola: It’s hard to say which is the funniest because I’m lucky to have lots of really funny ones to choose from. On more than a few occasions, I’ve found myself in situations I almost could not believe because it was so funny and surreal. But at the same time I know that it will be less funny when I try to relate it to someone because you have to live it. This is one of the joys of travel with your partner or your friends – you can laugh so many times about the same stories for years. You will always have the memories of that extraordinary, unusual situation that you shared.

Oliver looks out onto the stunning hills of across from the bay of Tananga with Kike, another partner on the Las Pleyades team in Santa Marta, Colombia. Photo courtesy of Las Pleyades Travel

For example, when I was travelling in Bolivia with a friend, the bus stopped in the middle of the night because there was a technical problem, as happens a lot there. When we got out of the bus to see what they were doing, we saw that they had pulled a frog out of the wheel! They managed this in a few hours without any technical instruments. It was amazing, but, as I said, it’s not that funny unless you were there.

WHLG: What is your scariest travel experience?
Fabiola: I felt frightened while crossing the border from Peru to Bolivia at night. I know now why it is not recommended!

WHLG: If you could go on holiday with anyone famous – living or dead – who would you take?
I would visit Fidel Castro with Albert Einstein in Cuba. I just think that they’re both admirable. Although they may have a lot of failures (like every human being), they are intelligent enough and I would help them to open their minds so we could improve all together. Maybe we’d find a political formula that solves all our social problems. Of course, I would take my husband Oliver with me too!

WHLG: Describe the best and worst accommodation you’ve ever stayed in.
Fabiola: The best would have to be Finca Barlovento here in Santa Marta between the river and the Caribbean Sea. The waves of the ocean sound like a whisper in your ears and the natural beauty just overwhelms you.

On the other end of the spectrum: as a backpacker I saw a lot of accommodations that compete for the ‘worst place’ award. Backpacker accommodations can surprise you in both negative and positive ways. I am happy with a clean bed in a clean room with a private bathroom, although it can also be shared, although shared bathrooms are generally less clean. The worst thing I’ve ever seen was in Peru, where the room smelled like bad eggs and Oliver found excrement on the floor of the bathroom. We decided to leave and found a great hostel (called La Casona) at a very fair price.

Fabiola and Oliver pose with team member Gilbert (center), who is one of their best drivers and friends. All three are very excited about their new vehicles, part of what makes them the best transfer service in Colombia between Santa Marta, Cartagena, Tayrona Park and Sierra Nevada. Photo courtesy of Las Pleyades Travel

WHLG: Describe your earliest travel memory.
Fabiola: I have early memories of the beaches in Southern Europe on holidays when I was two or three years old. I remember surfer beaches, the Mediterranean Sea and the Adriatic Sea.

WHLG: Please briefly explain what you think local travel is.
Fabiola: To me, local travel is being aware that you are visiting a different place where people have different habits and cultures, and if you are ready to accept and respect this, you can dive in and have a true travel experience. It’s about getting in touch with local people and eating in local restaurants to try the typical and recommended dishes. As an alternative to ‘all-inclusive’ resort-style travel, local travel means staying in small cabanas in the surrounding areas where you can see how local people really live, and choosing local tourist guides. Local guides can help you learn a lot about the people and their culture in a short time, because they have a great wealth of knowledge about the area, the history and the people.

WHLG: In what ways do you see local travel benefiting the country in which you live?
Local travel involves many different local people as the service providers of accommodations, tours and transportation. In this way, small companies have a chance to create jobs for more and more local people. We feel that, in our case, as a travel agency, this is one of our most important roles.

Key to preserving the area’s beauty for future generations is a strong environmental conscience, like the one exhibited by Las Pleyades, a local tourism company operating in the region since 2008 and setting green trends with its eco-conscious transfer and ground transportation services on the Colombian coast. Now, Las Pleyades is bringing its local efforts to a larger market by partnering with Green Path Transfers, a new global environmentally friendly transfer service.

The tranquil beach of Bahia Concha is set against Tayrona National Park's mountains, the Sierra Nevada for which Santa Marta, Colombia, is famous

A Natural Transition

When Las Pleyades first got started, its main aim was to provide access to accommodations and tours in Santa Marta. According to Fabiola Duerig, the company’s co-founder, the decision to provide transfers as well came naturally, in response to customer interest and desires. Initially this was in the form of complimentary taxi rides; however, as demand increased over time, a key business opportunity was revealed.

Joining forces with Green Path Transfers was the next logical step for Las Pleyades: a chance to formalise its approach. “We became a Green Path Transfers partner because we realised that transportation would become one of our new core businesses,” Duerig acknowledged.

At present, Las Pleyades’ transfer services cover the entire Caribbean coast of Colombia, including travel between the main coastal cities of Santa Marta, Barranquilla, Cartegena, Buritaca, Palomino, Riohacha and La Guajira. The trips most frequently requested run from Santa Marta to Cartagena or Tayrona National Park.

Gilbert, seen here with his taxi overlooking the Santa Marta coastline, is a driver/guide who works frequently with Las Pleyades. Photo courtesy of Las Pleyades

A Local Travel Experience

Las Pleyades–operated transfers add to the well-rounded experience the company provides to travellers. Their two bilingual drivers often even serve as tour guides; they help in purchasing local goods or groceries and showing visitors around, in addition to offering lifts to hotels, guesthouses or fincas (country estates or ranches), so no one gets lost.

In a country with Colombia’s reputation, this level of attention promotes a vital element of security. “Although security in Colombia, and even more in Santa Marta, is now much better, we are still in Colombia and tourists have to be careful with whom they interact,” Duerig said. “So this transportation guarantees safety from the beginning for people who don’t like risks.”

Of course, visitors love to interact with and learn from locals, which is easy when in the company of a knowledgeable driver. The transfer itself becomes part of the travel experience. In the end, travellers get more than just a transfer service or tourist experience, but rather a local experience.

Green Goals

Drawing attention to the value and importance of sustainable travel is a fundamental goal for this Santa Marta transfer and tourism company. By offering green alternative transport, the team at Las Playedes inspires travellers to think about how they can help preserve the planet.

Tayrona National Park is a huge natural paradise with exuberant vegetation, endless white-sand beaches (like Cabo San Juan del Guia pictured above) and an old indigenous settlement. Photo courtesy of Las Pleyades

Las Pleyades’ fleet of vehicles includes four taxis, 10 14-passenger vans and a chiva (wooden traditional Colombian open bus) with 40 seats. All vehicles use compressed natural gas instead of normal gasoline whenever travelling in urban areas, and whenever possible and accessible in rural areas as well.

“Here in Santa Marta, the taxis work with natural gas – so it is cheaper, environmentally more responsible and the taxi driver spends less, so he gains more,” commented Duerig. “For us it is important that local people like to work with us and deliver the best possible service.”

Local Gems

For responsible travellers, ecotourists and adventure seekers, Duerig recommends two nearby must-see natural paradises, both easily reached by vehicle.

Tayrona National Park, a natural reserve of 60 square kilometres is a wonderland for birdwatchers and site of some of the best beaches in the world. It is located 40 minutes east of Santa Marta.

Minca, a small village in the Sierra Nevada mountains, sits in a coffee-producing region and provides a tranquil escape for birdwatching, waterfall exploration and relaxation in a lush environment.

Just five minutes from Santa Marta, the small fishing village of Taganga, seen here at sunset, is just one of many area attractions enjoyably reached by local taxi. Photo courtesy of Las Pleyades

Green Partnerships

Las Pleyades adds to the growing number of local partners that have joined ranks with Green Path Transfers. The Santa Marta–based company looks forward to expanding the reach of its responsible-transportation business to travellers from all over the world and learning lessons from other Green Path Transfers partners.

“I hope that we may expand this business as soon as possible and represent Green Path Transfers in Colombia as its first environmentally conscious ground transportation company,” said Duerig. “I hope for mutual learning between us and the other Green Path Transfers partners.”

To learn more about Green Path Transfers and how to be part of carbon-neutral travel arrangements that emphasise green technology in a growing number of destinations around the globe, visit www.GreenPathTransfers.com.

Santa Marta, Colombia

The greatest historical claim to fame of Santa Marta, Colombia, is that it is one of the first places in the Americas colonised by the Spaniards in the 16th century. Known as the “pearl of the Colombian Caribbean,” the historic port is one of immense natural scenery and boasts the highest coastal mountains in the world – the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.

The tranquil beach of Bahia Concha is set against Tayrona National Park's mountains, the Sierra Nevada for which Santa Marta, Colombia, is famous

Anyone who visits Santa Marta must visit Tayrona National Park, a natural paradise with some of the best beaches in the world, the mystical Lost City in the nearby mountains and the surrounding estuary mouths of rivers at the Caribbean Sea. It is also worthwhile to visit the small bays and towns nearby to interact with local people and to learn about their customs and culture.

In the city of Santa Marta, travellers can find in South America’s oldest building (La Casa de Aduana, from 1531) as well as the “mother of all Colombian churches”. A final must-see is the open-air museum Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, a 17th-century hacienda where the liberator of South America, Simón Bolívar, spent the last few days of his life.

Day Trips

Visitors can easily fill an entire day with the fascinations of Tayrona National Park, the indigenous town of Pueblito and marvellous Crystal beach. However, we recommend trying a combination tour so that travellers can maximise their sightseeing time. For example, a Sierra Nevada and Tayrona National Park tour covers a lot of ground, from the small coffee town on Minca just 14 kilometres from Santa Marta to the Sierra Nevada highlands and back down to Crystal beach, all in one day!

The Pozos Azulues, or Blue Fountains, are a refreshing sight near the small coffee village of Minca just 14 kilometers outside of Santa Marta, Colombia

Other day trips in the area should always include a short visit to the quaint fishing village of Taganga or the tourist town of El Rodadero by Chiva bus.

Cruise-ship passengers stopping in Santa Marta can make the most of their short time with specially tailored tours. Other excursions like sport fishing and helicopter rides are available for those who aren’t up for the popular six-day trek to the Lost City (Ciudad Perdida).

Shopping

Avenida Quinta is a lively street for shopping in Santa Marta and finding the latest fashion, while antique shops and traditional clothes shops surround the Cathedral. Of course, there are plenty of typical souvenir shops in El Rodadero with all the standard tourist knickknacks and the local sweets handmade with local fruits that visitors love to sample. The classic souvenirs in Santa Marta are pieces of jewellery and handicrafts made of seashells. The typical hat of the coastal people, the sombrero vueltiado, is also a hot item.

Restaurants

For great, authentic Santa Marta cuisine, a favourite among locals is definitely the Hotel Sierra’s Sound in Minca, 30 minutes from Santa Marta on the way to the Sierra Nevada. It offers delicious regional dishes such as roasted meats (and some international options too) in a relaxed atmosphere right next to the Minca River.

A wealth of biodiversity and wildlife, such as this toucan in its natural habitat, can be spotted in the Tayronaka Reserve near Santa Marta, Colombia

In the city, some good Santa Marta restaurants are Chuchos and the Gran Manuel (both famous for seafood), and Ben’s & Josep’s always comes through with nice juicy steaks. Just recently, a small tapas restaurant called La Tasca opened next to Parque de los Novios, offering very authentic Spanish tapas at a fair price. In Carrera 6 Nr 14-15 there is a nice local restaurant that serves up typical almuerzos (lunches) with soup, chicken, meat or fish accompanied by rice, fried bananas or beans with salad only for 5,000 pesos (about US$3).

Local Treats

The beaches of Santa Marta are said to be the best of the Colombian Caribbean and each one has its own enchantments, especially the beaches of the Tayrona National Park. The surf is dangerous at the beautiful strands of Arrecifes and Cañaveral, while la Piscina and Cabo de San Juan are very calm bays. Only reachable on foot are the lesser-known bays of Neguanje – Cinto, Chengue and the so-called Sea of the Seven Waves.

Of all the beaches on Santa Marta, the calmest and warmest are Bahía Concha and Bonito Gordo. Close to there, you have the small bays from Sisihuaca to Playa Grande and finally Taganga, while surfers congregate at the beaches next to Tayrona Park like Los Angeles, Los Naranjos and Casagrande.

A view of the Cabo San Juan del Guia beach, one of many lush stretches of coast to be discovered in Colombia's Tayrona National Park

Night Out

Santa Marta’s nightlife is less wild and impressive than larger destinations like Cartagena. Visitors will find the most action on the weekend. The bigger nightclubs and bars are located next to Parque de los Novios, and the more laid-back Crab’s Bar or the Figueres Bar hide out in Calle 18 No 3.

Nearby Taganga has become the new hot spot, where local haunts like Sensation and El Mirador de Taganga are great places for locals and foreigners alike.

For anyone who want to enjoy local Vallenato sounds or salsa, just hang out in any grocery store, Maria Bukana or the Terraza Latina in Calle 30.

Buritaca is located at the base of the northern foothills of Colombia’s Sierra Nevada, 50 minutes from Santa Marta. In recent years it has become a popular tourist destination; travellers of all kinds – both domestic and foreign – have fallen in love with the crystal-clear waters of its estuary mouth, the tongue of perfect beach and the magical surrounding landscape.

Buritaca also has a rich history dominated by its strategic location used for centuries by local indigenous groups. It was the centre of the ancient Tairona civilisation, which thrived along the edges of the Buritaca, Don Diego and Guachaca rivers. As their culture was as well developed as their sense of rightful belonging, the Buritaca tribe was amongst those who fiercely resisted Spanish conquest int eh 16th and 17th centuries.

The ruins of the ancient Tairona settlement, rediscovered in only 1976, were first named Buritaca-200. Today, although the indigenous people refer to the site as Teyuna, tourists call it the Ciudad Perdida or Lost City.

Located between 900 and 1200 metres above sea level in the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta on the right side of the Buritaca River, the Lost City is a complicated system of interconnected constructions, stone-paved pathways, stairs and walls set on a series of terraces once used as the foundations for ceremonial centres, houses and food stores. Structures have been discovered across an area of approximately 35 hectares, a site now managed by the Colombian Institute of Anthropology as an Archaeological National Park. As such, it has become one of the most important tourist attractions of Santa Marta and, in 2007, the Lost City (or Teyuna) was voted fifth on the list of the Seven Wonders of Colombia.

Buritaca is still today also an important place for the Koguis tribe, descendants of the original Tairona people who try to maintain their traditional culture in spite of the modernisation of Santa Marta. As Buritaca is the main point of access to the Sierra Nevada for them, it is one of the strategic cultural points where they perform their rituals in honour of Mother Nature.

.

Visit the whl.travel Flickr photostream for a set of more pictures of Sant Marta.

.

Santa Marta, known for its beautiful beaches, thrilling festivals, great weather, good value and laid back vibe, is one of Colombia’s most popular resort towns, attracting tourist from around the world throughout the year.

Santa Marta has a colourful mix of mutually respectful ethnic groups with different socio-cultural traditions. The Kogui children pictured above are the direct descendants of the ancient Tayronas and they try to maintain their traditional culture in villages that you may visit for a shared learning experience.

Located in the north of the country on a quiet Caribbean bay with the gorgeous Sierra Nevada Mountains as a backdrop, this port centre is the oldest ‘modern’ city in Colombia. However, not far away in the lush jungles of the Sierra Nevada is the ancient Ciudad Perdida, or Lost City, spiritual home of Colombia’s Tayrona Indians.

With the launch of www.santamarta-hotels-tours.travel, whl.travel connects travellers to Oliver Blanco, Fabiola and the team from Las Pleyades, your local connection in this pearl of the Colombian Caribbean. The team offers a wide-range of accommodation, including local bungalows and fincas on the long sandy beaches. They can also assist travellers in arranging trips to the famous Santa Marta Aquarium or eco-adventures to the Lost City. As local experts, they’re also superb sources of tips about the best places to eat in Santa Marta or advice on things to see and do in and around the city, like the famous Museum of Gold, with exhibits from the Tayrona civilization.

Says Oliver, on behalf of the team: “We are thrilled to be able to offer travelers from all over the world the best of this unique natural paradise responsibly, from the promotion of existing tourism opportunities to supporting and developing new options and outlets, but always protecting and caring for the people and the natural treasures that make Santa Marta one of the most special places in the world.”

Santa Marta is the first Colombian travel portal in the whl.travel network, but stay tuned for more to come.

———-

EN ESPAÑOL / IN SPANISH:

Santa Marta es conocida por sus playas lindas, sus festivales emocionantes, su buen tiempo, buenos valores y su ambiente relajado, es uno de los lugares de descanso más populares de Colombia, que atrae a turistas de todo el mundo durante todo el año.

Tayrona Park is a huge natural paradise with exuberant vegetation, endless white-sand beaches and an old indigenous settlement

Localizada no norte do país, em uma baía calma do Caribe, com a maravilhosa Serra Nevada ao fundo; este centro porteño es la ciudad ‘moderna’ más antigua de Colombia. Y no muy lejos de allá, en la selva exuberante de la Sierra Nevada, está la Ciudad Perdida, que es el hogar espiritual de los antiguos indígenas de Colombia, los Tayronas.

Con el lanzamiento de www.santamarta-hotels-tours.travel, whl.travel conecta a los viajeros con Oliver Blanco, Fabiola y el equipo de Las Pleyades, tu conexión local en esta perla del Caribe colombiano. El equipo ofrece una amplia gama de alojamiento, incluyendo cabañas y fincas locales ubicadas en las largas playas de arena. Ellos también pueden asistir a los viajeros para organizar excursión al famoso Aquario de Santa Marta o eco-aventuras a la Ciudad Perdida. Como expertos locales, también son una buenísima fuente de recomendaciones sobre los mejores lugares para comer en Santa Marta o consejos para cosas que ver y hacer dentro y alrededor de la ciudad, como el famoso Museo de Oro con exposiciones de la civilización Tayrona.

Dice Oliver en el nombre del equipo: “Nos alegramos muchísimo de ser capaces de ofrecer a los viajeros de todo el mundo lo mejor de este paraíso natural único de una manera responsable; desde la promoción de las oportunidades turísticas existentes, así como el apoyar y desarrollar nuevas opciones de mercados, pero siempre protegiendo y cuidando a las personas, y los recursos naturales, que hacen de Santa Marta uno de los sitios más especiales en el mundo.”

Santa Marta es el primer portal de viaje colombiano en la red de whl.travel, pero sigan preparados para más!

———-

EM PORTUGUÊS / IN PORTUGUESE

Santa Marta é conhecida por suas belas praias, festas emocionantes, ótimo clima, bons preços e ambiente descontraído. É uma das cidades turísticas mais populares da Colômbia, atraindo turistas de todo o mundo durante o ano inteiro.

The mystical Lost City (Ciudad Perdida), hidden in the jungles of the Sierra Nevada, was home of the ancient Tayrona tribe and has become one of Santa Marta's main tourist attractions

Localizada no norte do país, em uma baía calma do Caribe, com um cenário deslumbrante das montanhas da Serra Nevada ao fundo, este centro é o mais antigo da cidade ‘moderna’, na Colômbia. No entanto, não muito longe nas selvas exuberantes da Serra Nevada está a antiga Cidade Perdida, ou Lost City, o lar espiritual dos índios colômbianos, os Tayrona.

Com o lançamento do www.santamarta-hotels-tours.travel a whl.travel conecta viajantes a Oliver Blanco e Fabiola Duerigue da equipe de Las Pleyades, a sua conexão local a esta pérola do Caribe colombiano. A equipe oferece uma ampla variedade de acomodações, incluindo bangalôs e pousadas nas longas praias de areia branca. Eles também podem auxiliar os viajantes em organizar viagens para o famoso Aquário de Santa Marta ou eco-aventuras para a Cidade Perdida. Como peritos locais, eles são também fontes excelentes de dicas sobre os melhores lugares para comer em Santa Marta ou conselhos sobre coisas para se ver e fazer em torno da cidade, como o famoso Museu do Ouro, com exposições da civilização Tayrona.

Diz Oliver, em nome da equipe: “Estamos entusiasmados por poder oferecer aos viajantes de todo o mundo o melhor deste paraíso natural de forma responsável, a partir da promoção de oportunidades de turismo existentes para apoio e desenvolvimento de novas opções e pontos de venda, mas sempre protegendo e cuidando do povo e os tesouros naturais que fazem de Santa Marta um dos lugares mais especiais do mundo.”

Santa Marta é a primeira cidade colombiana a fazer parte da rede whl.travel, mas fique atento pois outras virão.