The following is an excerpt taken from the Spring 2011 issue of WEALTH Magazine.

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Before solidifying your next vacation plans, consider the latest trend in eco-awareness — ecotourism.  We’ve spotlighted three green luxury travel destinations.

Every day, more people introduce another element of eco-awareness into their daily lives — recycling instead of discarding, opting for reusable grocery bags in lieu of paper or plastic ones, and choosing eco-friendly vehicles over gas guzzlers.  As you plan your next getaway, consider the latest trend for reducing your footprint on the planet — ecotourism.

According to The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), “Ecotourism is responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.” Put simply, it’s an opportunity to experience areas around the world in their natural form without putting an environmental strain on them.

Converting your vacation into an eco-friendly travel experience will likely inspire more sustainable efforts in your everyday life.  ”Not only do you have a feeling of satisfaction that you haven’t contributed to global warming, but you feel inspired and motivated to bring something back with you besides memories, pictures and videos,” says John Clifford, president of luxury travel consultancy InternationalTravelManagement.com based in San Diego.  ”That’s the magic of travel — it’s very rewarding to people.”

What’s more, with eco-friendly travel, parents can expose their children to far more than they could through typical ski trips, beach excursions or European tours.  It’s a great opportunity to discover and adopt new habits that promote a more eco-friendly lifestyle at home.

“These practices, many of which are fairly simple, can inspire visitors to take them home and apply them to their own lives,” Clifford says.  ”Whether it’s inspiring a family to grow their own vegetables in their yard, sponsor a nearby beach cleanup or park reforestation, or something similar — as long as the family comes back home with the impetus to ‘do something’ — the ecotourism and sustainable travel has made an impact on the family.”

While it’s possible to turn a trip to any destination into an eco-friendly vacation, several locations across the globe have made it a priority to promote ecotourism.  Consider any of these three spots that offer a one-of-a-kind luxurious experience, all while safeguarding the environment.

China’s Yunnan Province

Most travelers immediately consider the bustling cities of Beijing or Hong Kong for their China vacation destinations of choice. But for those seeking an eco-focused experience, the Yunnan Province in Southwestern China is a lesser-known alternative.

Ecotourism has taken off in this region of China. Travelers can experience the region’s many natural wonders, says Mei Zhang, founder of WildChina, a sustainable travel company based in Beijing. One such wonder is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site of the Three Parallel Rivers (Yangtze, Mekong and Salween rivers). In addition, over the last 10 years, Zhang says, there has been a surge in tourism facility construction projects – most pledging to have minimal impact on the environment.

ACCOMMODATIONS: For sustainable lodging, Zhang recommends the Linden Centre near Dali City. The estate – built by a local warlord in the years before the Communist Revolution – has been renovated with modern amenities yet maintains much of the original architecture of a traditional courtyard mansion. The hotel is meant to be a model of “architectural renovation, cultural conservation and a primary partner in the sustainable development of the local economy.”

While it provides certain contemporary services, such as Wi-Fi, the hotel purposefully doesn’t include televisions in the rooms. Instead, guests are encouraged to interact with one another, hotel staff and villagers in such activities as accompanying one of the hotel chefs on a vegetable market visit.

For those who wish to gain the full experience of a Tibetan monastery, Zhang recommends the Songstam Hotel in Shangri-La. A true treasure of the community, the hotel was built by local craftsmen from local wood and stone, Zhang says. It features Tibetan rugs and antiques, and an almost completely Tibetan staff. The hotel also offers energy-efficient, wood-burning stoves in every room.

ACTIVITIES: Pudacuo National Park in Shangri-La provides the perfect opportunity to hike through a biologically sensitive area with a rich plant kingdom and many endangered species of animals, offering firsthand learning opportunities for younger children.

Shangri-La also is home to Songzanlin Monastery, the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan. Monks live a frugal, rural lifestyle, eating meals together and choosing to walk or ride bikes rather than burn automobile gasoline. “You can visit the praying halls or join villagers for their local celebrations,” says Zhang, who says visitors’ behaviors naturally change when they’re in this eco-friendly area. “Visitors here walk into everyday life. When you get to these sacred places and everything’s so natural and beautiful, and you see the monks practicing, people are so inspired by their surroundings that they keep quiet and stay out of the way to respect the cultural heritage.”

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To read about other green luxury travel destinations Costa Rica and Peru’s Cusco and Machu Picchu in the full article, please click here.

To learn more about WildChina’s journeys to Yunnan, check out South of the Clouds & The Ancient Tea & Horse Caravan Road: An Expedition with Jeff Fuchs. The latter journey is a immersive, small group journey which departs September 12, 2011. For inquiries, please e-mail us at info@wildchina.com.

Much time has passed since China first joined UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 1987, when The Great Wall, Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (aka the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an), Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian, Mogao Caves, Mount Taishan and the Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang were inscribed alongside many of the world’s greatest cultural and natural treasures.

Twenty-three years and 33 inscriptions later, the landscapes of China Danxia are China’s 40^th site on the prestigious list – a list whose allure is proving increasingly irresistible to some career-minded local officials.

But today some Chinese are beginning to wonder if massive amounts of public funds spent by local governments on packaging sites for UNESCO’s consideration could be better spent elsewhere. Furthermore, many are becoming convinced that inscription on the World Heritage list is unnecessary altogether.

A recent survey conducted by China Youth Daily and two popular Chinese websites minyi.net.cn and sina.com.cn found that half of its 1,784 respondents felt that it was “not worthwhile” for local governments to spend large sums of money on applying for World Heritage status. More than half of those surveyed said they have no plans to go to recent Chinese nominations for the list.

The Hunan provincial government reportedly spent a total of 400 million yuan (US$58.8 million) on “preparation and organization procedures” and the county of Libo in Guizhou province ran up debt of 200 million yuan in its failed bid to join the list, according to a Global Times report.

But it is the case of Xi’an’s Daming Palace that has spurred the current online debate about the value of World Heritage status. Recently constructed portions of the palace compound that were modeled after ancient buildings were demolished during a whopping US$5.89 billion renovation of the site scheduled to be completed in time for the October 1 National Day holiday. In the face of public anger at the wasting of funds, an official related to the project said the demolition was necessary in order to meet World Heritage standards.

If the China Youth Daily survey is remotely consistent with general sentiment around the country, then local governments may have to work harder sell their case for using public funds to attempt to woo UNESCO. More than 68 percent of respondents said they didn’t believe that World Heritage status was necessary for protecting important sites, and only 9.1 percent supported applying for the list at all.

We were interested to learn on CNNGo today that Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, has recently been named Asia’s first “City of Gastronomy” by UNESCO.

How did it beat out the competition (which is fierce, considering the many delicious Asian cuisines that exist)? Besides its delectable history of fiery cuisine, the city fit UNESCO’s extensive criteria for the distinction described by CNNGo:

“A city must have a well-developed cuisine that is characteristic of the region; nurture a vibrant community of chefs and traditional restaurants; show local know-how of traditional culinary practices and methods of cooking that have survived industrial and technological advancements; maintain traditional wet markets; have a history of hosting gastronomic events; prove active in the promotion of sustainable local products; and be committed to nutritional education and the inclusion of bio-diversity conservation programs in cooking schools.”

As author Annabel Jackson mentions, this is a great opportunity to showcase some of China’s lesser-known cuisine to the world. As big fans of Sichuan, we’re thrilled that the area is receiving more publicity for its culinary heritage.

Read more about Chengdu’s appetizing award and its culinary delights on CNNGo.

Incredible scenery, history, and culture. Overrun destinations, touristy shops, and luxury chain hotels. In Lijiang, Yunnan province, there is a constant push and pull of cultural value versus cultural commodity, authentic experiences versus commercialized sites.

After what many consider Lijiang’s tragic transformation from quaint town to loud, touristy hub, is there any beauty left in Lijiang?

We consulted Huang, one of WildChina’s top guides in Lijiang and a true expert on local culture and history, on his views regarding tourism in the area and beyond.

WildChina Travel: What, in your mind are the best aspects of tourism in Yunnan?
Huang Huaihai: Yunnan’s rich variety is certainly its best trait. From the southeast to the northwest, Yunnan boasts an incredibly diverse array of climates, minority cultures, topographies, cuisines, historical sites, and more. In one province there is so much to experience.

WCT: What about the worst?
HH: The downside of such an attractive area is that Lijiang and Zhongdian [Shangri-La] have become commercialized and, to some degree, artificial. UNESCO [United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization] World Heritage Sites are often overcrowded with tourists, and many shops and restaurants now cater exclusively to travelers. At the same time, these and other travel-friendly towns boast the best infrastructure in the province. Tourists can easily access these areas, whereas other parts of Yunnan, or China, may be incredibly difficult to reach.

WCT: To combat over-commercialized sites, where do you think you should take clients instead?
HH: Dali, in northwestern Yunnan, is less touristy and still has a lot of cultural and historical value. In addition, I suggest the outskirts of Lijiang. Rather than simply visiting the Old Town, traveling to meet a Bimo (a very special and exclusive experience) and explore local villages makes for a great 1-2 day trip. Lijiang acts as a good access point from which to travel to these lesser-known communities.

WCT: So, why don’t more people do this already? What are potential setbacks of going to off-the-beaten-path destinations in Yunnan?
HH: Transportation is certainly the biggest issue here. Flights and other modes of transportation can become quite costly when there aren’t direct connections to more remote areas. In some cases, it is not practical at all, because road infrastructure is poor and distance between locations is too great. Comfort also becomes an issue, when long drives on bad roads create discomfort for clients. A bad lengthy travel experience poses the risk of canceling out the enjoyment of the cultural experience.

WCT: What, if anything, can travel operators like WildChina do to fight mass tourism in Yunnan, and China as a whole?
HH: This is a difficult question, because the local government is always in favor of development. Development means money for their province, which means infrastructure, prosperity, and a higher quality of life. They will stop at nothing to develop. Thus, off-the-beaten-path becomes a sort of sacrifice – you must be passionate enough to always be in search of unique and different ways to experience life, culture, and history here. This means engaging in sustainable adventure travel in China: trekking to explore remote communities, doing exhaustive research to gain more local knowledge, and re-thinking ways to travel sustainably.

WCT: If you could give advice to those visiting Lijiang today, what would it be?
HH: The crowds at historic sites speak to their cultural and historical value. Visit them early for a quieter look at Lijiang’s marvels. And, focus your attention on personal interactions when you travel – that’s when you’ll truly learn about what life is like for local people. Experiences like this can surpass any tourist trap.

What do you think? Post a comment, and follow @WildChina on Twitter.

The Wuyi Mountains, located in northwest Fujian Province, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. According to UNESCO, “Mount Wuyi is the most outstanding area for biodiversity conservation in southeast China and a refuge for a large number of ancient, relict species, many of them endemic to China.” Home to the “most representative example of a largely intact forest encompassing the diversity of the Chinese Subtropical Forest and the South Chinese Rainforest,” the Wuyi Mountains are also one of the world’s most ideal locations for the cultivation of camellia sinensis, the tea plant.

The tea grown on Mount Wuyi is unique to all other tea in the world. It is called cliff tea because it grows on the sides and bottoms of mineral-rich cliffs, coddled and protected by steep gorges.

Camellia sinensis is a very sensitive plant. Every element of nature from soil to water to sunlight strongly impacts the final outcome of the tea that we drink. When Luyu, the great Tang Dynasty tea sage, wrote the Classic of Tea (Chajing), he described the perfect conditions for cultivating it—Wuyi contains all of them.

Wuyi’s high cliffs protect its old tea trees from natural hazards and balance the level of sunlight, ensuring that the tea trees don’t receive too much. Wuyi Cliff Tea is highly sensitive, and when I tasted two versions of the same varietal grown on the same mountain, one on the north side and one on the south side, the difference in flavor and qi was unmistakable. The tea growing on the north face had received a more balanced level of sunlight and so its energy, flavor, and fragrance were rounder, smoother, and more even.

The cliffs also help to regulate the temperature in the region. During the day the cliffs absorb heat from the sun, and, at night, when the air cools off, they release heat, keeping the temperature in the valley relatively constant.

Water is crucial to all plants. Each morning the Wuyi gorges guide mist through their humble openings, covering their tea trees in a nutrient-rich veil of moisture. The waterfalls here also seem endless. Even days after the last rainfall, water pours from cliff tops, ensuring that the tea trees are always vitalized.

As I moved along a high mountain pass, weaving in and out of waterfalls and walking alongside fluttering butterflies, it was impossible to ignore the power of the mountains before me. As I took a rest by a water-covered cliff next to a group of old tea trees, I inhaled deeply. The smell of the wet, mineral-rich cliffs and the sweet oolong tea trees intermingled, merging into one great spirit; that’s the taste of true Wuyi Cliff Tea.

In the Song Dynasty, the father of Neo-Confucianism—Zhu Xi—chose the Wuyi Mountains as the setting to revive Confucian thought. It was here that he proclaimed, “The Wuyi Mountains stand like the high pillars at the gates of heaven, supporting all the East. To live is to know the infinite universe, though its creative forces remain forever a mystery.”

Entrance to Shaolin Temple tourist site, Henan

Kung fu is synonymous with China. Not unlike giant pandas, dumplings, Mao, The Great Wall and Qingdao beer … eventually, it will creep into conversation. Perhaps this has become even more the case since 2008, when the DreamWorks animation ‘Kung Fu Panda’ was released (which I confess to seeing at the movies and also watching numerous times on DVD after receiving it as a birthday present!).

With only a few days to travel on my recent holiday break, and having already travelled extensively throughout China, I decided to head northwest into Henan Province, to explore the home of Kung Fu.

Almost immediately after my arrival, I felt that Henan was different from some of its richer coastal neighbours. As I only spent a few short days in Henan I don’t want to make too many assumptions, however living here appeared to be ‘harder’. Signs of this could be seen from my bus and train windows, with heavy industry causing significant air pollution, agriculture (in sometimes difficult conditions) being the main form of employment and a visible poverty. I do want to be quick to point out though, that the people, just like the rest of China, were really lovely and friendly, and the food – just as delicious!

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China has 38 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a designation that can sometimes be both a blessing and a curse to these cultural and natural areas due to the influx of tourists. So how can we ensure responsible travel in these sites? WildChina Founder Mei Zhang and The Nature Conservancy (TNC)’s Lulu Zhou tackled this issue on air today during Let’s Travel!, a weekly, global radio talk show hosted by New York-based Susan Raphael.  

First Bend of Yangtze River, Yunnan

Lulu, who oversees sustainable tourism and environmental education projects in Yunnan‘s Three Parallel Rivers World Heritage Site, pointed out a major difference between protected areas  in the U.S. and China: whereas in the U.S., no communities reside inside national parks, in China, it’s a different story. In the Three Parallel Rivers area (named after a mountainous region in southwest China where three of Asia’s mightiest rivers, the Yangtze, Mekong and Salween, run parallel), almost 300,000 people reside in the site, with 36,000 people within the core zone. Since relocation of these communities isn’t an option, it’s key to engage the communities themselves in conservation work to help preserve the site. 

Mei agreed, noting that a change in mindset and an education process are required. At WildChina, we hire and train local guides for our journeys, who benefit directly by providing high-end, sustainable travel services. This training allows us to practice green travel, particularly in hiking trips – for instance, we emphasize responsible outdoor practices, such as Leave No Trace, where travelers “pack it in, pack it out.”

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While the tiled roofs of Lijiang make for picture-perfect views, the scene on the streets of this UNESCO World Heritage Site is often less than tranquil. According to a report from UNESCO, from 1997 to 2007 Lijiang’s Old Town visitors grew from 1.7 million tourists to over 5 million tourists per year. While Lijiang has unfortunately lost much of its small-town charm and culture, there are still many fun things to do in the less-visited areas nearby.

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As is obvious from our previous posts about Yunnan, we at WildChina can’t say enough about this beautifully diverse southwestern province. Not only do we regularly run tours to the area, but we also love reading about the eye-opening experiences of other travelers.

Latest case in point: Stan Sesser of the Wall Street Journal has just written a piece, “Treasures Without Tourists,” in which he describes “one of the most spectacular sights on earth:” the Yuanyang rice terraces. One of three spots in Yunnan being considered for UNESCO’s World Heritage Site designation (along with Maotian Mountain National Geopark and Dali Old Town), these rice paddies were cultivated along a mountain range by the ethnic Hani minority. A photographer’s dream, the terraces are a breathtaking sight, particularly when the sun reflects off the water-filled paddies.

But whether the area can stay a “treasure without tourists” remains to be seen. While World Heritage designation can be a bit of a curse, often leading to rapid over-development and commercialization, for Yuanyang it would also be a blessing: more funds to preserve Hani culture and provide educational opportunities for their youth.

Yunnan continues to be an inspiration for interesting commentary, with National Geographic‘s May 2009 issue featuring a piece on Shangri-la (Zhongdian). Mark Jenkins explores this “complicated” and “confounding” Tibetan town in southwest China and the competing visions for its future. Will tourism and development invariably lead this area to lose all of its mythical and spiritual qualities?

As Jenkins notes, “tourism saved the place” after the Chinese government banned commercial logging in 1998; but that, in turn, has led to the commercialization of Tibetan culture. This trend — seen in many other hidden gems in the developing world — is certainly troubling. But as travelers, that doesn’t automatically mean we should stop visiting such places, which still have a lot to teach us about traditional lifestyles and choices.

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