Green Wedding Chica

Who said that having an exotic honeymoon can’t be eco-friendly as well.  There are so many exciting options right now to help you have a green honeymoon.

The first thing you should be thinking about is if you really have to leave the country.  If you do not travel often – there are so many fantastic eco-wonders right here in the US!  However – if you are looking for the complete getaway.  Here are a few of my eco-friendly favorites!

Well – with my husband being from the Dominican Republic – I have to start with my favorite!  The Dominican Republic has been heralded as one of the top 5 most eco-friendly countries in the world!!!  They have one of the most protected forest in the world which forces Dominicans to reuse wood until it quite literally turns to dust!  Conservation of energy is a must at almost all of the resorts and most have an amazing filtration rainwater system and solar panels.  The coral reefs are in fantastic condition as they are fully protected as well (fines and jail are an imminent threat for any object thrown in the the coral reef and anywhere around its coast).  On top of the amazing selection of things to do in the Dominican Republic – the price for most resorts, hotels and packages tend to be hard to beat.

My favorite thing to do is to go up to Altos de Chavon and dine while looking over Chavon river.  Not only is Altos de Chavon an architectural and visual delight – it is also a major arts university with outreach programs through its Cultural Center Foundation.  A must see if you are in the Dominican Republic.

While in the Dominican Republic, you can rock climb in the morning and then surf on the beach all in the same day!

Puerto Rico – Since it is a United States protectorate, you can still consider it local.  Really not that far off the east coast and it boasts the US’s only  tropical rainforest which is amazingly protected.  The best way to enjoy the rainforest is through a day trip to El Yunque.  There are so many amazing things to do just in El Yunque alone.  The other natural wonder  about 1.5 hours southwest of San Juan is the Rio Camuy Cave Park – which is the 3rd largest cave system in the world (so far).

Botswana – Besides the flight (which you should carbon offset at www.carbonfund.org), Botswana is a hot bed for eco-tourism.  More than half of the wildlife is protected by the government.  If you are looking for an adventure honeymoon – think about the Kalahari Desert and get a guide!  This is the type of honeymoon that will require a travel agent! (Some historians say that the Kalahari Desert is where the Garden of Eden was!)

Happy Green Traveling! ~ Katie Martin