Eco beaches for your bucket list
Eco beaches for your bucket list
Just how clean and sustainable are the popular beaches most tourists visit?
Eco beaches for your bucket list
If you’re an ocean lover, no doubt beaches around the world will be on your travel itinerary. But just how clean and sustainable are the popular beaches most tourists visit?
While many beaches may look clean and healthy to the passing traveller, this is not always the case. Dozens suffer from pollution, and rubbish is easily buried by sand and plants. The truth is, most eco beaches are less public, and often not as visually pleasing as frequently visited ones, reports The Guardian. Organic litter such as seaweed covering the shore is a good sign, as are mangroves and coral reefs in the water.
If you want to visit beaches that promote sustainability and ask that you minimise your human footprint, check out our gallery below.
For more on eco travel, including eco hotels, tours and airlines, read our article Going Green.
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- A 7km beach, Whitehaven has won multiple awards, including “Cleanest Beach in Queensland,” and national awards for environmental protection. Visitors have limited access and must register with a tour guide to visit the beach.
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- Part of Oswald West State Park, Short Sands Beach is under protection by the state of Maine. The state’s goal is to preserve the entire state park’s natural beauty, including its beaches.
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- A former volcanic crater site, Hanauma Bay is the first Marine Life Conservation District in Hawaii. Visits are restricted, and it is mandatory to view a video about preserving the ecosystem before entering.
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- Unlike many popular Thailand beaches, Koh Libong is protected by the Trang Province, whici is dedicated to ecotourism and sustainability.
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- Part of the National Marine Park, Gerakas beach and the surrounding area is protected. Visitors can join in on the turtle clean up at the end of the day.
