If you’re an environmental traveler like me you’re probably looking for the best eco-friendly tourist destinations for your 2025 vacation.
And you want your money to go to the places on Earth that are helping Earth.
Somewhere with a nice outdoors or a green city to explore.
Because those are the places that are celebrating and protecting the Earth
And we want to celebrate and protect the Earth with them.
So here are some eco-friendly tourist destinations that you could consider traveling to in 2025.
What is Ecotourism?
Ecotourism is a form of tourism that focuses on preserving the environment, while providing travelers with an enlightening experience of the natural world.
Ecotourism aims to be sustainable in terms of environmental impact.
This usually means things like traveling to eco-friendly countries, reducing travel waste, conserving water, using public transport, and supporting local businesses.
It can also mean doing activities that have minimal impact on the environment, like hiking, climbing, skiing, swimming, or even bird watching!
Bhutan
Bhutan is one of the up and coming leaders in ecotourism, becoming the world’s first carbon negative country in 2017.
They were able to achieve this by investing in green initiatives such as bringing down their carbon footprint from tourism, training workers in green fields, building better organic farms, and educating their people about climate and the environment.
And that brings us to the one downside, and that is that Bhutan is a little bit on the expensive side because they charge a Sustainable Development Fee of $200 per day.
Even though it’s a chunk of money, Bhutan makes it well worth the fee. It has a rich culture, stunning scenery, and so many places to visit.
Bhutan is a great place to visit, especially for nature lovers.
Places to visit
Thimphu: If you’re looking for a great taste of Bhutan city life, look no further than the capital, Thimphu. You will be surrounded by trees and mountains as you visit the various bars and clubs enjoying a nice fresh bottle of Bhutanese ara.
Gangtey Valley: Since you’re a nature lover, be sure to check out Gangtey Valley. Stop by the Gangtey Goemba, a monastery from the 17th century that towers over the valley, for some tranquility. Beyond that there are plenty of trails with lots of outdoor activities!
Singapore
Singapore is the perfect place to come if you want to blend city life with nature.
Singapore is currently the greenest city in Asia, and that’s thanks in large part due to its green construction requirements, which means developers must replace any nature they remove.
It’s also known as the Garden City due to all the greenery, parks, and tree lined streets that give the city its iconic, green look.
Over the past few decades, the city has gone at lengths to improve the air and water quality, add to the biodiversity, and has been investing in environmentally-friendly ways to improve transportation, housing, and waste management.
And they aren’t done yet, over the next decade or so, Singapore plans to add 300 acres of parks and green space, adding more electric cars to the road, and tripling the amount of bicycle trails.
Places to visit
Gardens By the Bay: This is probably the most beautiful part of Singapore and quite possibly any city in the world. Here you will find the Supertree Grove, and the massive indoor waterfall that always comes up any time you Google “Singapore”. Check out more than 160,000 different plants, and walk on the 72 foot tall OCBC Skyway.
Haw Par Villa: Also called the Tiger Balm Gardens, Haw Par Villa is a free to enter park with lots of crazy statues representing humans, animals, and confusion values. It takes about 2 hours to get through the whole park, and you will see many scenes from Buddhist, Taoist, and Chinese history and mythology.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica might be the first country that comes to your mind when you think of ecotourism because it's one of the most eco friendly countries in the world.
I mean, the country has everything - various wildlife, rainforests, beaches, mountains, rivers, volcanoes, and amazingly beautiful cloud forests.
Costa Rica is very protective of its lands too, and for good reason.
National parks and wildlife reserves make up 25 percent of Costa Rica. It’s said that something like 5 percent of all of the planet's total biodiversity is in Costa Rica.
Some parks and places are so protected that only a certain number of people can go per day. Good on Costa Rica for protecting its beauty.
Places to visit
Nicoya Peninsula: This area of Costa Rica is perfect if you like beaches, hiking, and sightseeing. It’s got 80 miles of shoreline dotted with little towns and villages, and plenty of beaches. Check out Tamarindo or go hiking around the peninsula.
Ecotermales Fortuna: If you’re staying in San José, you can head to the Ecotermales Hot Springs. These natural hot springs are heated by the Arenal Volcano, and perfect for relaxing after a nice long hike. There are plenty of hot springs and even a waterfall!
New Zealand
If you’ve seen the movie, The Lord of the Rings, then you no doubt know of the absolutely majesticness of New Zealand’s natural, untouched beauty.
Over the last 20 years, New Zealand has worked hard to become a leading nation in ecotourism. They’ve stuck with their sustainability commitment to preserve and regulate their wildlife and environment.
And that’s a good thing because tourism in this country relies heavily on the natural environment. And the nation’s economy relies on the money that tourism brings in.
But tourism isn’t the only thing that relies on the environment. Did you know that a quarter of New Zealand’s energy comes from its own geothermal sources?
Places to visit
North Island: The North Island of New Zealand has a diverse amount of things to do. You could visit Auckland if you want a trip to the city, hike at Waikato, spa at Rotorua, or bike at Manawatū.
South Island: The South Island of New Zealand is a little bit smaller than the North Island, but there is still plenty to do. Here you can hike the glaciers on the West Coast, hike in Nelson Tasman, whale watch in Kaikōura, or take a boat cruise in Fiordland.
Finland
Finland is a great country to go to if you are considering ecotourism. They are one of the greenest countries on Earth and it shows! Well... not in the weather.
Over 75% of Finland's land is covered by forests, which is great news for those outdoors people, but for the planet too, because forests help support biodiversity and regulate the carbon in the air. And forests make the land look incredibly beautiful!
Finland is one of the happiest countries on earth. This is partly due to its environmental health and eco-friendly policies. Who can be sad with all the clean air, water, and closeness to nature?
Finland is looking ahead to a green future. They plan to go carbon neutral within the next 15 years, and will also invest in jobs for renewables and the environment.
Places to visit
Helsinki: This city is FInland’s capital and largest city. In the city you can enjoy delicious food, interesting architecture, and fun museums. If you take a step outside of the city you will discover nature trails with many different spots to hike in the beautiful forests.
Lapland: For the more outdoorsy adventurers Lapland is the perfect place for you. There's hundreds of miles of untouched wilderness for you to hike through, and at night you will be treated to a natural light show of the Northern Lights. Don’t forget to hang out with the indigenous Sámi people!
Barbados
Barbados might not be the first place you think of when planning a trip for ecotourism, but this island nation has started to face the facts of climate change and rising sea levels, and have begun a green transition.
Since the 1990s, Barbados has been pushing to preserve its beauty and investing in its local economies using green practices. They even eliminated single use plastics which saw a massive decrease in pollution from tourists.
Because Barbados is a small island nation, they don't have much of a carbon footprint to begin with. They've got some of the cleanest air and purest water on Earth.
Don’t sleep on Barbados if you’re looking for some eco-friendly travel destinations.
Places to visit
Adventure: If you are looking for adventure you can find lots of it on Barbados. You can go flyboarding, kite surfing, caving, go-karting, hiking, climbing, surfing, or even take part in an island safari tour. Explore the island and get lost!
Relax: If you're someone who comes to a tropical island to relax then that's okay too. On the island You can chill and read on one of the many beaches, drink at the bars, go fishing, catch a concert, or maybe even a little snorkeling?
Denmark
A great place to go for eco-conscious travelers is Denmark. The country has been really committed to sustainability focusing a lot at reducing its carbon footprint over the last few decades.
Even though Denmark doesn’t have as much forest cover as a lot of the other countries on this list, they still have so much to do outdoors.
Especially because they have a “right to roam” policy that allows for public access to beaches, forests, and paths, which encourages outdoor activities like hiking, biking, and camping.
Denmark is also made up of over 1,000 islands, with clean harbors for swimming. You can even take a swim in Copenhagen’s harbors!
Places to visit
Copenhagen: Denmark’s capital is the perfect place to spend your time if you love exploring the city. Besides swimming in the harbor, you can see the Little Mermaid, Rosenborg Castle, or take a canal boat ride. Don’t forget to try smørrebrød, a flæskesteg sandwich, or a nice, traditional Danish breakfast.
North Jutland: This is kind of a unique place in Denmark, and you can join the 250,000 people who come here every year. There are a few cities to visit like Skagen or Aalborg, or you could enjoy the great outdoors with a shifting sands mountain or a buried lighthouse.
Norway
Norway might just be one of the most photogenic countries on this entire Earth.
Not only do they have breathtaking glaciers, lakes, mountains, fjords, and even beaches, but Norway are also the masters of a beautiful sky with the Northern Lights, and crystal clear views of the Milky Way.
Norway’s government knows that their land’s beauty is the key to success and has invested heavily into protecting their coastline and other natural parts of the country.
There are so many nature activities to do in Norway, such as hiking, caving, rafting, or dog sledding!
Just remember, it might be a little cold!
Places to visit
Oslo: This city is Norway’s capital, and has been steadily improving over the last 10 years or so. You can get into a floating sauna, check out a museum, hit up one of the many events, or if you want to check in with your natural side, you could go skiing or hiking in one of the many major forests that surround the city.
Tromsø: The land of the Northern Lights, is located in Northern Norway. It’s somewhere you should go if you are a little more adventurous. Here you will be whale watching, hiking, bird watching, freezing, and seeing the sun at midnight. Or not seeing the sun at all. Also, I’m pretty sure you have to carry a gun with you everywhere in case of polar bears.
Switzerland
Switzerland is a great country to go to for ecotourism because of its commitment to sustainability.
Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city, constantly comes in at the top of the world’s greenest cities lists.
That’s because of its policies to reduce its energy consumption to 2000 watts per person, as well as reduce each citizen’s carbon footprint to just one ton per year. Not only that, but 90 percent of the city’s energy comes from renewable resources like solar!
There is also no question that Switzerland boasts one of the most epic landscapes in the world. There’s the Matterhorn and rest of the Alps, crystal blue waters of Lake Geneva, and the beautiful Rhine Falls.
Places to visit
Zurich: Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland, and most likely the city you’re going to spend your time in. Here you can visit Lake Zurich, Old Town, the Museum of Art, or hike Uetliberg. Plus there are plenty of sustainable transportation options such as trams, buses, and trains.
Matterhorn: If you’re the adventurous type, climbing the Matterhorn might be for you. You can take a walking tour during the warmer months to make it more comfortable. It’s 15,000 feet tall and gives you some incredible views. So grab some decadent Swiss chocolate and start climbing!
Sweden
Sweden is another great place to consider for ecotourism. There seems to be a trend with these European countries. They’re green and happy!
Sweden allows free use of the outdoors through their program, 'Allemansrätten' or the Right of Public Access. This guides tourists to enjoy the parts of the country that contribute positively to the environment, and even helps the local economies!
Like many of the other countries on this page, Sweden has pledged to be fossil-fuel-free by 2030, so they have been really investing in their renewable energy infrastructure. They have also been promoting green transport and ecological products.
There are a lot of reasons to visit Sweden, and the beautiful environment and sustainable practices are just some.
Places to visit
Stockholm: Stockholm is the capital of Sweden, but also the capital of Scandinavia. The city blends rich history with the natural world, allowing you to see cultural gems across from beautiful green oases. Check out the districts of Östermalm, Norrmalm, and Old Town ro really get all the Stockholm vibes!
Åre and Östersund: For the outdoors people, Åre and Östersund are the perfect places to spend your visit. Located in Northern Sweden, these two gems offer a bunch of stuff to do like skiing or watching the Northern Lights. Take a moment to breathe in the fresh mountain air and really appreciate life.
Summary
Ecotourism is a form of tourism that focuses on visiting natural areas while promoting the conservation of the environment, respecting the local culture, and contributing to the well-being of local communities.
There are many great countries to travel to if you are interested in ecotourism, but some countries really stand out.
A few of them are Bhutan, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark!
Now it’s time to visit all the green cities and majestic landscapes for yourself!
