Top 10 Best Portuguese Beaches

For many Tourists, Portugal is equal to sun and see!!! We know Portugal is far from being only that, but we sure have some of the most beautiful in the world...

The Independent took the difficult task of making the Top 10 of our lovely beaches and here are the three winners:

 Vila Praia da Ancora, Costa Verde

Portugal's "green coast" in the northern, Minho region, extends from the Spanish border to the city of Porto and is characterised by wild beaches that are popular with surfers and windsurfers alike. The beaches north of Viana do Castelo are among the country's prettiest, in particular the stretch at the fishing town of Vila Praia de Ancora, which offers calm water for swimmers. Protected from harsh winds off the Atlantic by the Serra d'Arga hills to the north and the Monte de Santa Luzia to the south, it is particularly popular with bathers during the summer.

2 Adraga and Baleal, Costa de Prata

Further south between Porto and Lisbon there's a change of colour and we're on the "silver coast" with its white sandy beaches which are equally popular with watersports enthusiasts and sunbathers. The beach at Adraga, near Sintra, set between two hills and accessed via a steep, winding road, is popular with surfers. So is the fishing port of Peniche, a little further north. For calmer waters head for the stretch of unspoilt sand further east at Baleal.

3 Estoril and Cascais, Costa de Lisboa

Just below the Costa de Prata is the Costa de Lisboa, where residents of Lisbon flock to escape the city heat on summer weekends. The ritzy town of Estoril is the principle destination, with casinos, upmarket hotels and five beaches lined with bars and restaurants. The water is calmer than along Portugal's main stretches of coastline, because the beaches face south. Just to the west lies Cascais, about a 20-minute walk away, again popular with Lisbon escapees. There, Praia de Guincho is considered one of the country's best beaches for windsurfing, whereas Praia da Rainha and Praia de Ribeira are more popular with families.

See the top 10

Top Five Destinations for Ecotourism

Independenttraveler.com's Top Five Ecotourism Destinations, an Ecotravel's Dream


Palau
Long before it was featured on the 10th season of "Survivor," the island nation of Palau was recognized as one of the world's foremost diving destinations. In the crystal-clear sea just off the coast is a colorful underwater wonderland, featuring more than 500 species of coral teeming with some 1,400 kinds of fish. On land, travelers can wander along unspoiled beaches or go trekking through dense jungles. Palau's remote location in the westernmost corner of Micronesia has helped to shield both its natural resources and its cultural traditions from the detrimental effects of mass tourism, and the locals are working to make sure their island paradise stays pristine well into the future.

Norwegian Fjords
Their remote location and strict environmental regulations have helped preserve the pristine beauty of Norway's famous fjords, with their snowcapped mountains, tumbling waterfalls and crystal-clear waters. Visitors can go hiking or biking over the rugged terrain, or take a scenic boat ride through the towering fjords. A wide variety of wildlife lives here, including eagles, seals, porpoises and seabirds. Along with the region's natural attractions, the fjords are also home to many small fishing villages where local cultural traditions have survived for hundreds of years.

Costa Rica
Costa Rica is practically synonymous with the term "ecotourism," and for good reason. Misty cloud forests, black sand beaches, thick rainforests and rushing river rapids offer outdoor activities for active travelers and nature enthusiasts. A dazzling array of creatures including monkeys, sloths, crocodiles, jaguars, sea turtles and poison dart frogs, live in Costa Rica's many national parks. Costa Rica is widely known for its proliferation of wildlife refuges and the diversity of its animals and plants.

Kerala, India
The small state of Kerala, on India's southwestern coast, is often referred to as "God's Own Country" -- a label that doesn't seem at all hyperbolic once you've visited its clean sandy beaches and lush virgin forests. This is one of India's most unspoiled corners, home to hundreds of unique animal species and nearly a quarter of the country's 10,000 plant species. The nilgiri tahr, an endangered mountain goat, takes shelter in Rajamala National Park, while elephants, bison and wild boar roam freely within the Lake Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. In the past Kerala's ecosystems were threatened by excessive forest clearing, but these days many of the state's forests are now protected, and tourist officials are encouraging environmentally responsible travel to the area.


Kenya
Kenya is best known for its wide savannas teeming with lions and elephants, but most travelers don't know that it's also home to mountains, lakes, rain forests, deserts and beaches, each with its own unique ecosystem and wildlife. Kenya's incredible natural diversity is protected in some 50 national parks and reserves across the country, from the virgin rain forests of the Kakamega Forest Reserve to the wildebeests who migrate to the Masai Mara National Reserve every July and August.

Source: http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=741&category=22

World Top Ten Ecotourism Destinations

http://www.shermanstravel.com/slideshow/Top_10_Ecotourism_Destinations/

Sustainable Travel & Ecotourism in Portugal at Frommer's

Ecotourism in Portugal may have been slow in coming, but it is beginning to take hold in this beautiful land. Many places are overbuilt, especially along the seacoast. But other areas, especially in the interior, are being preserved and set aside for future generations to enjoy.

Portugal's major national park is Peneda-Gerês, in the Minho district, north of the city of Braga, close to the Spanish border.

But the little country has many specially protected areas, which are nature reserves. Most of these are in the mountainous regions, including Montesinho, near Bragança; Alvão, near Vile Real Amarante; and Serra dos Candeeiros, near Fátima.

In recent years, the government has also declared some of Portugal's coastal areas as protected landscapes, rescuing them from developers. These areas include the resorts of Esposende; Sintra-Cascais; and southeast Alentejo, near Cabo de São Vicente.

If you'd like to find lodging in Portugal's protected areas, check out Turismo da Natureza em Portugal at Av. Eng. Arantes e Oliveira #13, 4B, 1900-221 Lisboa (www.icat.fc.ul.pt).

Solares are family homes as opposed to hotels, and each of them offers a holiday experience with a personal touch. However, within this category the accommodations are wide ranging, from elegant country houses to rustic cottages, even farmhouses, each with an individual character. Some of the TURIHAB homes have hosted visitors since the 16th and 17th centuries. Hosts will arrange a series of leisure activities such as fishing, hunting, golf, swimming, hiking, tennis, horseback riding, cycling, and wine-tasting.

For a list of eco-friendly accommodations, scattered throughout the country, search www.itsagreengreenworld.com. Various homesteads, quintas, and villas scattered throughout the country accept guests, ranging from the Algarve north to the Minho. Perhaps you'll book into a yoga retreat or else a quinta on the slopes of the Caramulo mountain range in central Portugal.

Another good site to peruse for ecotourism is http://ecoclub.com, listing members and activities that center around ecotourism. For example, you might hook up with "Nature Meetings" on the island of Madeira, the first company on that island to provide in-depth walking experiences. You might also link yourself to an eco-friendly yurt holiday in the mountains of Portugal near the ancient university town of Coimbra, or else an ecological estate in the famous Serra da Estrela Nature Park, where you can stay on the banks of the River Mondego at a large granite-built farmhouse with a private pool.

Responsible Travel (www.responsibletravel.com) contains a great source of sustainable travel ideas run by a spokesperson for responsible tourism in the travel industry. Sustainable Travel International (www.sustainabletravelinternational.org) promotes responsible tourism practices and issues an annual Green Gear & Gift Guide.

You can find eco-friendly travel tips, statistics, and touring companies and associations -- listed by destination under "Travel Choice" -- at the TIES website, www.ecotourism.org. Also check out Conservation International (www.conservation.org) -- which, with National Geographic Traveler, annually presents World Legacy Awards (www.nationalgeographic.com) to those travel tour operators, businesses, organizations, and places that have made a significant contribution to sustainable tourism. Ecotravel.com is part online magazine and part ecodirectory that lets you search for touring companies in several categories (water-based, land-based, spiritually oriented, and so on).

In the U.K., Tourism Concern (www.tourismconcern.org.uk) works to reduce social and environmental problems connected to tourism and find ways of improving tourism so that local benefits are increased.

The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA; www.abta.com) acts as a focal point for the U.K. travel industry and is one of the leading groups spearheading responsible tourism to Portugal.

The Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO; www.aito.co.uk) is a group of specialist operators leading the field in making Portuguese holidays sustainable.

Read more: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/portugal/0235020277.html#ixzz1IfgntCxa

Sustainable Travel & Ecotourism in Portugal

Sustainable Travel & Ecotourism in Portugal

First “green flight”

"The very first transatlantic flight optimized from start to finish to reduced noise and emissions levels was operated yesterday. (...) During the 9 hour and 30-minute flight, procedures were activated to improve the aircraft’s energy efficiency. These optimized procedures, applied at each flight stage and coordinated among all project participants, reduced fuel consumption (and hence carbon dioxide emissions) throughout the flight, from taxiing at Paris-Charles de Gaulle to arrival on the parking stand in Miami.

The coordinated application of these procedures during the flight cut CO2 emissions by 6-9 metric tons and saved 2-3 metric tons of jetfuel."

Source: http://learn-about-sustainable-tourism.blogspot.com/