Check out this list of ten of the best ecovillages in the world for sustainable travel.
Sustainable travel is a mode of tourism that aims to have a smaller carbon footprint and leave a positive impact on local peoples and economies.
For those who want to see the world, but also make their trip more sustainable, there are no better destinations than ecovillages.
An ecovillage is a type of intentional community that places a strong emphasis on sustainability, including permaculture design, green technologies, natural building, etc.
An ecovillage is:
an intentional, traditional or urban community that is consciously designing its pathway through locally owned, participatory processes, and aiming to address the Ecovillage Principles in the 4 Areas of Regeneration (social, culture, ecology, economy into a whole systems design)
according to the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN).
Most of these communities are small and striving to create a more sustainable lifestyle. None are perfect models but offer plenty to teach about how we can implement regenerative solutions to the world’s pressing problems.
Ecovillages make inspiring destinations for a winter get-away, well-deserved vacation, or as part of a bigger tour or intentional communities.
The list below isn’t exhaustive! Check out these maps and directories for more guidance on where to find sustainable communities.
Always remember to get confirmation of your stay before traveling to a community. This guide will help if it’s your first time: How to Visit an Intentional Community.
Bon voyage!
10 Of The Best Ecovillages For Sustainable Travel In The World
1.) Piracanga Ecovillage
Piracanga Ecovillage is one of the best kept secret ecovillages in Brazil, located on the Maraú Peninsula – Bahia. The setting is a stunning beachfront, where the turquoise Atlantic ocean meets the Piracanga River, with lush rainforest as a backdrop. Far from civilization, Piracanga can be difficult to reach but well worth the effort. Travelers can participate in one of the many projects in the community, catch some surf, and relax under coconut palms.
The Piracanga Ecovillage main website is in Portuguese, but the website of Unah (educational organization) is easy to navigate with information about housing and their plant-based restaurant: https://unah.eco/en/home-v2-en/
2. ) Pachamama Ecovillage
Both an ecovillage and a spiritual retreat center, Pachamama is home to close to 100 residents in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. After planting thousands of trees, residents have completely transformed this 500-acre cattle farm into a tropical paradise. Featuring an organic vegetarian restaurant, bamboo constructed gathering spaces, composting toilets, renewable energy, and oceanfront vistas, Pachamama is a place to stay for a vacation or a lifetime.
Visitors can choose from camping, casita, or bungalow lodging for affordable prices, or sign-up for a work-exchange for multiple months at a time. 2 week minimum stay. Workshops frequently offered. See https://www.pachamama.com/ for more.
3. ) Auroville
Auroville is arguably the largest intentional community in the world, with over 3,000 residents. Located in Pondicherry, India, residents have transformed what was once a barren desert into a thriving city among a food forest. The spiritual and physical center of the community is called the Matrimandir, a towering meditation globe, covered in leaf gold. The purpose of Auroville is to realize human unity.
Auroville has 92 guesthouses with a wide variety of daily activities ranging from tours of the Matrimandir to yoga classes and farm dinners. Best is to arrange your stay through their Visitor Center: https://auroville.org/page/visit-and-stay
Want to go to Auroville within a supportive group? Join an Ecovillage Tour to India! Explore the best that Auroville has to offer with all the logistics taken care of and the support of a group of fellow travellers. Learn more: https://ecovillagetours.com/india
4.) Sunny Hill
Sunny Hill is an idyllic tiny community in the heart of Slovenian Istria. Rural and rustic, far removed from the buzz of the city, with magnificent views of the Adriatic sea and the Alps, Sunny Hill community is a perfect outpost for exploring the unique cultural and natural heritage of Istria. Even as a guest, you’ll be part of the community, partaking in various chores, welcome to meetings — and still you can be as laid back as you prefer to be.
Volunteers and guests are welcome throughout the year. Accommodations include a shared kitchen, compost toilets, and community room. Be in touch to arrange your stay: https://soncnigrici-istra.eu/
5.) Crystal Waters
For a trip to the land down under, a visit to Crystal Waters is a must. This community is nestled in 640 acres of bushland at the headwaters of the Mary River. Over 200 people of all ages live in Crystal Waters, with hundreds more in the local area who gather for regular events. The houses they have designed feature the best of natural and ecological building practices, with the entire property having been designed according to permaculture principles.
Visitors will likely stay at the community’s EcoPark, a camping area with tent and van sites, as well as bunkhouse rooms and cabins. Be aware, no dog and cat pets allowed. Learn more at https://crystalwaters.org.au/eco-caravan-park/
6.) Rancho Mastatal
The perfect place for visitors who embrace responsible tourism, Mastatal may be one of the best kept secrets of Costa Rica. Instead of a beach location, this community comprises 300-acres of wildlife refuge and waterfalls in a pristine jungle. As an education center, here you can both relax in the beauty of nature as well as learn practical skills in permaculture design, natural building, renewable energy, agroforestry, and much more.
Visitors can expect to stay in lodging constructed from natural materials and enjoy plentiful locally sourced meals. 3 night stay minimum. Many courses, events, and some work-exchange opportunities. https://ranchomastatal.com/
Journey to Ranch Mastatal and more intentional communities in Costa Rica. Registration is open for winter Costa Rica Ecovillage Tours. Learn more at https://www.ecovillagetours.com/costa-rica
7.) La’akea Community
For those seeking a smaller, more close community experience, look no further than La’akea located on the big island of Hawai’i. This family-style, consensus-based, and egalitarian intentional community will be a true immersion into a different way of life. During your stay you’ll get to enjoy being surrounded by mountains, oceans, steam vents, dense jungle and warm pools. Short drive from the active volcano and fresh lava fields.
Visitors must email to arrange their stay. Tours of our land and community are offered on Saturday’s twice a month. Farm support is welcome for longer stays. See the visitor page here: https://permaculture-hawaii.com/visiting-us/
Journey to La’akea Community and more intentional communities in Hawaii. Registration is open for winter Hawaii Ecovillage Tours. Learn more at https://www.ecovillagetours.com/costa-rica
8.) Earthaven Ecovillage
For a stateside vacation and community immersion, Earthaven Ecovillage is a world apart. Driving from Asheville up the side of Black Mountain you’ll find this community scattered among the rolling hills of North Carolina. Home to over a hundred residents, with ample gardens, forests, and natural buildings, this community is a thriving example of how we may create a more sustainable future.
Earthaven’s School of Integrated Living (SOIL) is the organization that arranges most stays at the community, including for workshops, events, and visits. Group tours are offered most Saturdays. Longer term work-exchange and rental opportunities. https://www.earthaven.org/
9.) Torri Superiore
There’s something enchanting about a 13th Century stone maze of a house, consisting of 160 rooms, that is a home to one of the most memorable ecovillages in the world. On the border between Italy and France, Torri Superiore is tucked away in a mountainous valley that is very accessible, and yet feels really remote. Old olive orchards on steep mountain slopes above a winding river, ancient houses and terraces surround narrow roads that lead to Torri Superiore. Plenty to explore in this reinhabited ancient community!
Staying at Torri Superiore takes you back in time. Each room is unique. The guesthouse is open from March to December. Learn more at: https://php7.torri-superiore.org/en/home/
10.) The Panya Project
Any traveler to southeast Asia should include this community and permaculture center on their list. The 10-acre site is situated in the low hills of northern Thailand, an explosion of permaculture between the conventional rice/soy/corn farms of the local village. This small community has produced thousands of permaculture design graduates, making it an excellent spot to get your permaculture training on… all for an affordable price.
Volunteers are welcome to come help support the various projects of the community, but they are not a guesthouse. Be in touch to learn about joining a permaculture course or lending your time to the project: https://www.panyaproject.org/
Want more recommendations for amazing community destinations custom for you?
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Happy travels everyone! Let us know how your trip goes in the comments below.
Where are you planning for your next community adventure?
I love everything about this website, but I do think that the Findhorn Ecovillage deserves a place on the above list. And that’s not because I happen to live there; I’ve visited and researched numerous, so think I can make an unbiased plug for what’s probably the most full-featured (in terms of ecological housing, construction and infrastructure) and culturally rich (music, dance, theatre, ritual, celebration etc.) intentional community of them all. With love and respect, Graham.