New Year’s is a great time to reflect on what we’d like to bring into our lives in the coming year. Health, wealth, and the pursuit of happiness are mainstays, but for us travelers, our goals can take a broader view. Where do you dream of going this year? Have you always wanted to explore Asia? Backpack around South America? See the sites of the United States? Have a vacation in Europe? There’s no time like today to make your travel dreams come true.

As travelers, we step into foreign worlds and then leave again, but just like everyone on this planet, we leave our footprints as we go. Traveling with a conscience is far from impossible, however! There are many ways you can fulfill your travel dreams while still leaving a positive impact on the places you visit– and the choices you make before, during, or after your journey can all make a positive difference in the world.

If earth-friendly travel is one of your resolutions for this year, volunteering is one great way to do it. All this week we will be covering ideas to incorporate volunteering into your globetrotting getaways. From teaching English abroad to conservation trips, we’ll you give you plenty of inspiration for traveling to India, Africa, Cambodia, Central America, and more.

The National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations defines geotourism as “tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place—its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents.” To travel with integrity, we explorers of the world want to ensure that we leave each destination better than it was when we arrived on its shores. Tourism is notorious for leaving behind environmental waste, for example, but in today’s world of ecotourism, we can actually promote conservation of the land we visit and enjoy. And this sort of earth-friendly travel doesn’t have to be an arduous task that takes the fun out of our scant, precious vacation time either; the simple choices we make for where we put our money when it comes to tourism companies, hotels, and adventures can make an immense difference.

Planning a trip for 2008, and want to leave behind a positive impact? There are many choices of things to do! Many Realtravelers have found volunteer travel to be not only rewarding, but also fun. Here’s some ideas to get you started:

-If you like working with children, perhaps volunteering at orphanages is for you. RealTraveler Miss Brown traveled to Thailand while also seeing many local sites. Nat King volunteered at an orphanage in Kenya, Sasha Chernenkoff volunteered in a village in Guatemala, and Little Haxby helped the babies and teenagers of Uganda.

-If you’re an animal lover, there are many places to volunteer and help various species around the world. Conservation centers and animal sanctuaries can offer up-close interactions with your favorite furry friends while you help make their lives better, too. Many Realtravels have enjoyed the Elephant Nature Park near Chiang Mai, Thailand, for example. Other travelers have enjoyed monkey conservation centers, whale watching trips, and more. Get more inspiration by reading up on Animal-Encounter Travel.

-Do something unique! You can learn a new skill like surfing, sailing, knitting, football, or sharpen up your English skills while volunteering. Check out Volunteering Abroad in Muizenberg for one such story.

–Organizations like Stay Another Day allow travelers to extend their travels to stay longer in a destination and volunteer there. It’s a great way to have an independent vacation as well as give back to the destinations you enjoy, and you’ll learn way more about the place than the average tourist.

-Whenever possible, stay at hotels that work to save energy and resources. Check out our article Green Hotels to learn more.

More inspiration from Realtravelers’ blogs:

-Niamn and Cathal volunteered in Zambia
-Olivia and Matt volunteered in Chiang Mai
-Mamber Pamber volunteered in Mexico City
-Alex H volunteered in Tak
-Voices of Africa volunteered in Mozambique
-Manako Adventures volunteered in India and Nepal
-In Wanderland volunteered in South Korea and elsewhere

More Resources:

Volunteer Travel Blogs
Destination Travel Guides
Travel Deals

Happy 2008, everybody!

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Along with soaking up rays, swimming in warm surf, hanging ten on the crest of a wave, playing beach volleyball, diving and snorkeling amidst tropical fish, whale watching, or the multitude of other fantastic activities beaches offer travelers, helping the environment and making sure it stays beautiful for the next generation of travelers is a great way to spend the day at the beach. Beach cleanup is becoming a small, but extremely important, part of the beach lover’s travel itinerary. Programs dedicated to sustainable tourism are helping travelers become volunteers, by organizing beach cleanup groups. These groups are a fun way to meet other travelers, and to give something back to the gorgeous environments that make traveling so extraordinary.

RealTraveler ISingInTheRain spent a semester studying in Hawaii. Along with trips to beautiful Volcano Park, hikes through Waipio Valley, and plenty of days relaxing and playing on Hawaii’s awe-inspiring beaches, this traveler also dedicated some time to helping clean up trash along the sands of South Point Beach in Hali. She describes the experience as both fun and fulfilling in her journal, Beach Clean Up, Whale Watch and Makalawena!:

“On Saturday, my friends and I went to South Point to participate in a clean up of the shoreline. Hawaii gets trash from Asia and the western US so there was litter covering the coast- much of it was plastic. It was disheartening in a way, because we all knew that within a span of time, the sea would carry more trash to the beach and cover it again. But it was still nice to clear out some spots, to meet new friends, and it also was a very educational day. You can learn a lot about pollution and recycling but when you see the effects with your own eyes, the lessons sink in on a deeper level.

I think it was important that we went out and did the clean up because only weeks before, our school went out to Green Sands which is a beach around that area. The entire zone is Hawaiian homelands, so it’s with great respect that we should use the property. It seemed fitting to return the amazing beach experience with a few hours of picking up trash.” (more…)

Planning your next beach holiday and want to know how to get involved in a beach cleanup day? Plenty of wonderful ecotourism groups are out there, like the group E4 who organize volunteers to clean up the beautiful beaches of Costa Rica, and in California, travelers can partake in Coastweeks, a three week celebration of California’s dazzling beaches. During this event, many thousands of California’s (and visitors!) come together to clean up the coast and spend the day in the sun. Many coastal states, in fact, have similar celebrations — contact your travel agent, look online, or visit your next beach destination’s travel bureau for more information on how you can become a travel volunteer.

For suggestions, resources, and travel ideas for your next beach holiday, visit these useful links:

Hawaii Travel Resources:

Hawaii Travel Guide
Top Spots in Hawaii
Hawaii Trips
Hotels in Hawaii

California Travel Resources:

California Travel Guide
Top Spots in California
California Trips
Hotels in California

Other Great Resources:

Beach Travel
Volunteer Travel

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