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The Sierra de San Francisco archeological site, located in the central part of Mexico's Baja California peninsula, has a set of rock paintings belonging to what is known as the Great Mural, a pictorial tradition that experts consider to be one of the greatest in the world. It is estimated that these paintings were made at least 7,500 years ago, amid canyons in the area's majestic mountains.

This photograph shows a group of images in the "La Pintada" cave, located on a cliff nearly 200 feet above the bottom of a ravine. La Pintada is more than 550 feet long and its large mural is almost entirely decorated with hundreds of images of human figures wearing strange headdresses and bearing long spears and arrows painted black and ochre tones; different animals are also portrayed.

In 1993, UNESCO designated the rock paintings of Sierra de San Francisco a World Heritage Site.

This photograph is courtesy of Ecoturismo Kuyimá.

This entry was posted on February 7, 2014 at 12:24 PM and has received 149 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

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Who doesn't love watching the setting sun after a fun-filled day of travel, disappearing below the horizon and turning the sky into a beautiful canvas of red and orange hues?

Today we want to share some amazing photos of sunsets from the sustainable hotels listed on our website:

Baja California Peninsula, México

Baja California offers a unique contrast between intense ocean-blue water beaches and arid desert landscapes. Photo by RED Sustainable Travel.

Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna, Costa Rica

The Arenal Volcano is well known for providing tourists with magical eruptions in the night. But this photo proves that the views are just as great right before dark. Photo by Catarata Eco Lodge.

Cancún, México

Cancún has amazing beaches and a great weather, but its romantic sunsets may be what has made it one of the top destinations for couples getaways and weddings. Photo by Dreams Riviera Cancún Resort & Spa.

Yacuma Protected Amazon Rainforest Reserve, Napo, Ecuador

Imagine experiencing a sunset right in the heart of the Amazon jungle! Photo by Yacuma Ecolodge.

Lago Atitlán, Guatemala

Lake Atitlán, also known as the "mirror of the sky," has been called the most beautiful lake in the world. So you can expect exceptional views behind its three impressive volcanoes. Photo by Hotel y Centro de Convenciones Jardines del Lago.

Monteverde, Costa Rica

Most of us like to sit, relax, and enjoy a sunset. But zip lining in the amazing cloud forest is another option to enjoy this magic moment! Photo by Hotel El Establo .

This entry was posted on January 21, 2014 at 5:36 PM and has received 721 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

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From the early seventeenth century to the early nineteenth century, the Spanish established a great number of Catholic missions throughout what is now northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. These settlements were built to spread the Christian faith among indigenous communities and also served as a vanguard for the expansion of Spanish settlements and mining operations. Some of these sites and colonial structures still remain and are wonderful places to visit, especially in places where they are still essential to local cultural and religious activities.

The San Ignacio mission, located in the town of San Ignacio in Baja California Sur, Mexico, is one of these alluring cultural remnants. It was founded by the Jesuit missionary Juan Bautista de Luyando in 1728, and about 60 years later the Jesuits built an impressive church that is known as one of the most beautiful of all Baja's mission churches for its elaborate facade, engraved stone plaques, and plaster ornamentation. This church is largely in its original condition thanks to a 1976 restoration and is used to this day by the local community for masses, weddings, funerals, and daily worship.

Ecoturismo Kuyimá, a sustainable tour operator managed by a community council consisting 95% of local people, offers tours to San Ignacio and its church.

(Source, source)

This entry was posted on December 6, 2013 at 11:35 AM and has received 1156 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

It's almost Halloween--the perfect time to highlight an awesome creepy bat cave where adventurous travelers go to climb, rappel, and even play paintball! There's also a 2,625-foot zipline that runs through the cave's chambers. And when we say bat cave, we're not talking about a secret superhero lair – this place is home to six species of migratory bats!

This cool, off-the-beaten path destination is located in the Mezquital Valley, an indigenous region in central Mexico. Grutas Xoxafi, a nearby ecotourism center, offers comfortable accommodations, campgrounds, delicious local food, and guided tours. Check out their SustainableTrip profile for more photos and information about activities!

This entry was posted on October 25, 2013 at 4:28 PM and has received 1156 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

An Earth-friendly wedding in paradise is a beautiful way to start a lifelong partnership of love! This elegantly magnificent venue on the Riviera Maya in Mexico just takes your breath away.

This photo was taken at Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa, a Rainforest Alliance Verified hotel.

This entry was posted on October 18, 2013 at 4:14 PM and has received 609 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

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What do you look for when you're choosing a vacation destination? Have you ever noticed that most popular tourism destinations are located near a body of water? Whether it's a vast blue ocean, a serene lake, or a bubbling river teeming with wildlife, water is a huge part of tourism. Not to mention the water that travelers use for drinking, showering, and other basic needs.

It's extremely important to consider the impact of your vacation on local water resources. The following tours showcase stunning waterways and ensure a light water footprint, and all of them are led by members of Tour Operators Promoting Sustainability (TOPS), a Rainforest Alliance network of Earth-friendly, local tour operators.

Costa Rica:

Costa Rica Sun Tours has a "Turtles, Whales & Dolphins" tour for marine wildlife lovers.

Nicaragua:

Gray Line offers a "Water & Tourism to Protect Our Future" tour on the legendary Lake Nicaragua.

VaPues Tours offers a "Rainforest Alliance Green Itinerary" that showcases the diverse and beautiful regions of Nicaragua.

DeTour, Viajes y Cultura has a "Land Surrounded by Water" tour that features cloud forests, volcanoes, and environmental education.

Peru:

Condor Travel's "Volunteer Program: Misminay Water Project" gives travelers the opportunity to meet and work with a rural community.

Mexico:

Explora, Ecoturismo y Aventura offers a "Highlands to the Lacandon Jungle" tour that visits indigenous rainforest communities.

This entry was posted on September 24, 2013 at 12:36 PM and has received 1389 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

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Do you want to see the beautiful Mexican Caribbean? Perhaps watch whales in the Pacific near the wonderful Baja California peninsula? Or learn about the rich and varied culture of the country by visiting rural destinations and archaeological sites? Mexico has all this and much more to offer. Better yet, most of these places have sustainable accommodation options to suit the needs of every tourist.

Since 2005, the Rainforest Alliance has been promoting sustainable tourism in Mexico, primarily as an active member of the Mesoamerican Reef Tourism Initiative (MARTI). Also, there are now 81 tourism companies active in the Rainforest Alliance verification program in Mexico, ranging from small hotels to large resorts, mainly in Mexico City and the Mexican Caribbean. These companies recently received the S Distinction awarded by the Mexican Secretariat of Tourism (SECTUR) to companies committed to sustainability practices.

The Rainforest Alliance has been working with the AMResorts hotel chain to improve the sustainability performance of its hotels in Mexico. AMResorts has six luxury hotel brands with 32 properties in Mexico, Jamaica, Curacao, and the Dominican Republic that cater to all kinds of guests, from young families and newlyweds on honeymoons to adventure travelers.

Thanks to this collaboration, AMResorts has made impressive investments in a number of wildlife conservation programs and enterprises designed to benefit local communities. For example, Dreams Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa has released more than 300,000 sea turtle hatchlings through its Dreaming of Freedom habitat protection program. Dreams Puerto Aventuras Resort & Spa provides space in its gift shop where the neighboring Maya community sells artisanal products such as jellies and honeys. At Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa, staff are motivated to start their own businesses selling services to the resort, such as car washes, barber shops, and convenience stores.

More than 10,000 of AMResort's employees in Mexico are receiving online training in best management practices for sustainable tourism so that they themselves become agents of change in the hotels, as well as in their homes and communities. This training will be extended to other Mexican companies verified by the Rainforest Alliance.

The Rainforest Alliance is also working with the Mexican government's Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) to promote sustainable tourism practices among small and medium-sized ecotourism businesses, mainly in rural communities, which can apply for certification under their national standard. These small businesses are found throughout the country, from the Vizcaino Reserve in Baja California Sur to the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve on the Yucatan Peninsula. All offer varied and invaluable natural and cultural wealth and are key to preserving traditional Mexican cultures and valuable ecosystems. Moreover, these small businesses are the main or only source of income for these communities and families.

To date, the Rainforest Alliance has assessed the sustainable performance of nearly 40 tourism businesses in 11 ecotourism circuits in Mexico, and has trained about 94 people from 35 companies on planning and sustainable management of their businesses and ecosystems. As a result, businesses not only improved their practices, but some of them also became Rainforest Alliance Verified^TM , which means that they met the Rainforest Alliance's standards for sustainable tourism businesses.

The next time you visit Mexico be sure to look for businesses – whether small rural inns, medium-size hotels, or luxury resorts – with the seal of the Mexican Ecotourism Standards, the S Distinction, or the Rainforest Alliance Verified^TM mark. We make it easy for you – you can find a list of them on SustainableTrip.org!

This entry was posted on September 18, 2013 at 3:26 PM and has received 1011 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

There are 5 destinations in Mexico that have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites for their outstanding ecological importance and natural beauty. Incidentally, these sites represent some of the best ecotourism destinations the country has to offer!

1. The Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino

Comprised of two lagoons on the Baja California Peninsula (Ojo de Liebre Lagoon and San Ignacio Lagoon), this coastal destination is spectacular for wildlife viewing as it is a significant wintering and breeding ground for marine mammals, most notably for gray whales in addition to harbor seals, California sea lions, northern elephant seals and blue whale. A large number of resident and migratory birds also nest in these wetlands.

Gray whales are among the friendliest and most active whale species, often slapping their tail fins, breaching, and surfacing near boats to the delight of whale watchers. To protect these magnificent creatures, the Mexican government has set strict regulations for whale watching vessels, so be sure to book your tour with a company that is up to the national sustainability standards (denoted by an orange flag with a whale image), like the excellent Casa Mexicana de la Ballena Gris and Ecoturismo Kuyimá.

2. Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve

Every fall, millions of monarch butterflies from all across North America migrate to the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve to spend the winter and rest up for their northward journey in the spring. The beautiful and delicate butterflies congregate in clusters, weighing down tree branches and carpeting the forest floor. When they take flight, they beat their wings in a soft pitter-patter and fill the skies with brilliant orange, creating a truly exceptional spectacle of nature.

There are trails through the forest leading to the main concentrations of butterflies. Travelers can go on foot or on horseback with a local guide.

3. Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

Sian Ka'an is located on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, not far from the ever-popular beaches of the Riviera Maya--making some of its more accessible parts convenient for day trips. Its name means "where the sky is born" or "gift from the sky" in the Mayan language.

Sian Ka'an is the largest coastal protected area in Mexico and contains a variety of ecological habitats including coral reefs, tropical forest, mangroves, beaches, and cenotes (sinkholes). Local tour operators offer guided boats tours or kayak expeditions along the Mayan Canal, which winds through the clear waters of the lagoons and mangroves. There are also are 23 Mayan archeological sites in the reserve.

Sustainable hotels in the area include Sandos Caracol Eco Resort & Spa ($76-100), Hotel Fairmont Mayakoba ($200+), and Hotel El Rey del Caribe ($51-75).

4. Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California

This site isn't one destination per se – it comprises 244 islands and coastal areas in the Gulf of California (also known as the Sea of Cortez) and includes the previously mentioned El Vizcaino whale sanctuary. The area has been described by Jacques Cousteau as the "world's aquarium" and the "Galápagos of North America."

Travelers can explore uninhabited islands, snorkel with colorful parrotfish and surgeonfish, spot huge cacti on the beach, and see a wide diversity of bird species, including the Costa's hummingbird. Sea lions, pelicans, great blue herons, and boobies bask in the sun on rocky island coastlines, while dolphins and whales frolic just offshore.

5. El Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve

Just south of the Arizona border, this reserve is a fascinating desert landscape that couldn't be more different from the other destinations listed in this article. It was just declared a World Heritage site in July of 2013, making it the most recent Latin American addition to the list.

The reserve contains dormant volcanoes, red and black lava flows, gigantic volcanic craters, and huge dunes that can reach up to 650 feet high. The area is beautiful in the way that the surface of the moon is – dramatic, ancient, and seemingly desolate. But don't be fooled--this subtropical desert is home a large amount of biodiversity, including more than 540 species of vascular plants, 40 species of mammals, 200 birds, and 40 reptiles. As you might imagine, most visitors to this place are hardcore adventurers who are looking for something remote, wild, and unique.

Learn more about all of Mexico's World Heritage Sites on the UNESCO website.

This entry was posted on August 22, 2013 at 1:16 PM and has received 1517 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

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Did you know that Latin America is home to more than 64 species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises, representing 75% of the world's 86 known species of cetaceans? For this reason, the region has become a favorite destination for tourists who want to see and interact with these amazing species.

Whale watching tourism generates about $300 million of revenue annually and benefits some 91 communities in 18 Latin American countries. As a result,many coastal communities have chosen this more environmentally-friendly economic alternative to fishing or irresponsible marine resource exploitation.

The number of companies offering sustainable whale watching excursions has grown significantly in recent years. Travelers can hire tour companies that respect environmental legislation and have certifications and verifications of their sustainability, and in some cases, special responsible marine tourism certificates. On SustainableTrip.org, you can find a list of these companies.

Today we invite you to experience five of the best destinations in Latin America for watching whales and other cetaceans:

1. Baja California, Mexico

The waters of Baja California and the Sea of Cortéz are the best place for spotting the famous gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus). The peninsula has saltwater lagoons surrounded by desert where the gray whales come to mate and give birth in full view of spectators. The best season for whale spotting in Baja California is from January to April, but during the rest of the year you can also see blue whales and sperm whales.

2. Bahía Ballena, Costa Rica

The southern Pacific region of the country has important habitat for humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). These creatures migrate twice a year (from late December to late April and from July to September) to the warm waters of the bay to mate and calve. To protect this valuable site, the government of Costa Rica created Ballena Marine Park, a sanctuary for these and the other marine species such as common dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, manta rays, and hammerhead sharks.

3. Praia do Rosa, Brazil

Brazil is the leading tourist destination in South America for marine mammal watching, receiving 167,107 observers each year. It also had record whale spotting in 2011, with 11,500 documented sightings. Praia do Rosa, a beautiful beach in the southern Atlantic part of the country, receives southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) every year from June to November. These animals delight tourists with magnificent jumps that reveal up to 75% of their bodies.

4. Chiloé-Corcovado, Chile

The Chiloé Island and the Corcovado Gulf area in southern Chile has the largest concentration of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) in the southern hemisphere. It is one of the richest coastal habitats in South America, which is why these giant whales come here to satisfy their formidable dietary requirements of two to eight tons of krill per day. Blue whales stay in Chile from December to April.

5. Valdés Peninsula, Argentina

This site is considered the mecca for whale watchers because it is where the largest breeding population of southern right whales congregates, with an estimated 4,000 individuals arriving every year. Other marine species are also common on the peninsula, such as orcas (killer whales), sea lions, elephant seals, and penguins. Thanks to its natural riches, it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The peak sighting season is from July to December.

This entry was posted on August 7, 2013 at 3:24 PM and has received 1916 views. There are currently 2 comments. Print this entry.

Mexico's Copper Canyon, in the heart of the Sierra Madre Mountains, is one of North America's most impressive natural wonders. What is called the "Copper Canyon" is actually a group of six massive canyons that is four times the size of, and, in some places, twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in the United States. Though named for the color of its rock walls, Copper Canyon is actually quite verdant. Oak and fir forests cover the highest altitudes, brushwood and scrub push out of dry canyon slopes, and huge fig and palm trees grow in lower reaches, where the climate is tropical and wet.

The most popular mode of transportation for visitors is the Chihuahua-Pacific (or "Chepe") railroad, which runs between the cities of Chihuahua and Los Mochis and traverses the Urique Canyon, the deepest in North America. The ride treats passengers to breathtaking vistas of towering cliffs, colorful flora and fauna, and remote mountain villages. Popular stops include the picturesque colonial town of El Fuerte, the relatively large town of Creel with its convenient budget hotels and many restaurants, the peaceful mountain village of Cerocahui, and the old mining town of Batopilas, in the depths of the Batopilas River gorge. Visitors can get off at any stop to explore the canyons and towns by bike, on horseback, or on foot.

This destination is remote and rugged–perfect for adventure travelers and a far cry indeed from the chic beach resorts of Mexico's Riviera Maya region. The Copper Canyon is home to the Rarámuri (or Tarahumara) indigenous people, whose name approximately means "The Fast Runners." Tales of their running prowess abound; they have a tradition of ultra-marathon competitions of up to 200 miles over rough terrain, and they historically hunted deer by chasing them on foot until the animal collapsed from exhaustion. Many Rarámuri are still semi-nomadic, living in log cabins during the summer and moving into caves at lower altitudes during the winter.

Some Rarámuri communities are happy to welcome travelers, offering guided tours along the ancient mountain paths and sharing cultural customs, food, and handcrafts. The Rarámuri are known for their intricate hand woven baskets, which they sell directly to tourists to help support their families. If you patronize a traditional craft store in one of the region's town centers, be sure that the proceeds will benefit the community. Some stores, like the Jesuit-run Artesanías Misión in Creel, donate all proceeds to cultural development and the local hospital. That said, be aware and respectful of the fact that some Rarámuri communities have chosen to remain closed to the outside world, protecting a traditional way of life that is many centuries old.

Hundreds of bird species make Copper Canyon a fantastic birding destination as well. A cruise along the El Fuerte River offers bird watchers opportunities to spot many colorful species including the military macaw, vermillion flycatcher, black hawk, squirrel cuckoo, crested caracara, black-throated magpie jay, and white-winged dove.

The Copper Canyon is a must-see for any adventure traveler. The majestic cliffs and ridges, lush forests, beautiful rivers, and unique cultural experiences will make for the perfect sustainable trip.

This entry was posted on July 17, 2013 at 1:19 PM and has received 671 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.