Looking for a vacation in the region? Why not make it a “green” vacation? Thankfully for the planet, being eco-friendly is an ever-growing trend and there are many resorts in the Caribbean region that are doing it very well.

Here are five of the best eco-friendly resorts in the region.

Hotel Mockingbird Hill, Jamaica

A romantic, 10-room “eco-chic” hideaway, Hotel Mockingbird Hill is cradled by acres of tropical gardens. Recycled bottles water the garden by drip feed and there’s no air-con, television or telephones. The hotel’s restaurant produces its delicious meals from locally sourced ingredients. Mockingbird Hill has been twice voted Caribbean Green Hotel of the Year.

Blue Horizons Garden Resort, Grenada

The grounds of this six-acre resort on a hillside above Grand Anse Beach were planted with 9,500 indigenous plants and trees creating a refuge for 27 species of birds. The property operates on rainwater collection, solar water heating and gravity-fed water storage tanks. The resort also emphasises sustainable seafood and local produce. Blue Horizon’s has prestigious Gold membership status Green Globe Certification.

Natura Cabana, Dominican Republic

This palm-thatched boutique hotel and spa, with 12 cabanas, is nestled among passion fruit and citrus trees by the shore. Natura Cabana’s eponymous cabanas are all constructed from locally sourced materials. The resort’s two restaurants make use of ingredients from the property’s organic vegetable and herb garden.

Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Aruba

A Green Globe High Achievement Award winner uses an on-site photovoltaic solar panel system to the power grid, helping it to run on 47 % clean energy. Guests are gifted with reusable water bottles and invited to participate in the resort’s monthly beach cleanup. The cleanup removes around 500 pounds of waste from Aruba’s beaches each year.

Chaa Creek, Belize

Chaa Creek, located at the foot of the Maya Mountains, is surrounded by nature trails, Mayan temples, and rivers. Chaa Creek puts its revenue to good use, putting ten %towards environmental and community projects under the Chaa Creek Cares initiative. The owners of Chaa Creek also established the Belize Foundation for Conservation to promote environmental education, cultural awareness, and sustainable conservation practices.

Sources: Independent, Trip Savvy, Chaa Creek, Tropix Traveler