6 eco-travel destinations you must experience
There are many types of travelers, and with so many places to visit in the world, opportunities to tailor your experiences to suit your tastes are becoming the norm. For those seeking to immerse themselves in ecotourism, there are plenty of options to choose from. Here, we've rounded up some of the most exciting opportunities in dramatic destinations.
Andaman and Nicobar, India
A group of nearly 600 picturesque islands belonging to India — near Myanmar and Thailand — lie in the Bay of Bengal. Their rich biodiversity is evident by the various forms of flora and fauna on land, as well as in the water surrounding the islands. Jolly Buoy and Red Skin islands located in Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park offer an incredible underwater view of coral and marine life, and is located about 30 kilometers from the capital city of Port Blair. The Cinque Islands are most known for their unspoiled beaches as well as a sandbar that adjoins the North and South Cinque islands, making them a scuba diver's dream. Private resorts are scattered throughout the islands and camping sites allows travelers to take in the lush green forests surrounded by blue sea.
Borneo, Malaysia
Just north of Borneo in the Sulu Sea, turtle lovers now have a place to make an impact by contributing to conservation efforts for endangered turtles in the area of Turtle Island. By visiting the island, you will be helping rescue the green and the hawksbill turtles. Day trips as well as overnight trips, which offer more opportunities to witness the turtles laying eggs, are both available. While assisting park rangers, guests can also see the hatchlings journey to the sea.
Coral Bay, Australia
If swimming with the biggest fish in the world is on your bucket list, head to Australia. Ningaloo Reef, located in Coral Bay, is home to many ecotour operators with options such as whale watching and dives, and even swimming with whale sharks. Guides use spotter aircrafts to locate the whale sharks and then navigate to them. The crews, which are passionate about conservation and research, then take guests into the waters to actually swim with these majestic creatures.
Mauritius
In the southeast of Mauritius lies the tiny island of Île aux Aigrettes, which was declared a nature reserve in 1965 and since 1987 has been under the management of the Mauritius Wildlife Foundation. The island is home to more than 20 species of animals and the organization welcomes visitors who are interested in learning more about the species and their environment. The organization relies in part on the engagement and assistance of visitors. To reach the island, guests can rent small boats from the mainland or take one of the scheduled shuttles that depart daily. Visitors are welcome to stay for the day and set up arrangements prior to arriving for longer volunteer opportunities.
Costa Rica
There isn't one specific place in Costa Rica best known for ecotourism, because the entire region is considered one of the most biodiverse in the world. Costa Rica alone has 20 natural parks, eight biological reserves and a series of protected areas enticing eco-conscious travelers. Visitors can enjoy guided bird-watching tours, horseback riding and hiking through green mountain paths. Tortuguero National Park is best known for sea turtles nesting — which takes place each year — and its natural canals are heavily populated with protected species such as crocodiles, manatees and otters.
Norway
Similar to Costa Rica, Norway is a country blessed with natural beauty, including waterfalls, fjords, mountains and glaciers. Protecting this beauty is a way of life in Norway and areas of the country have taken steps to go beyond preservation and become a certified sustainable destination. To qualify for this certification, the destination must demonstrate its ongoing commitment to providing superb experiences for guests while minimizing the negative impact of tourism. Sustainable destinations within Norway include Trysil, Norway's largest skiing destination, Vega Islands, a UNESCO-protected site just south of the Arctic Circle, and Geilo, a small town at the foot of two national parks: Hallingskarvet and Hardangervidda.
United is committed to operating sustainably as well as responsibly. United Eco-Skies® was created to reinforce that commitment and to encourage others to do so as well. We are always looking for ways to reduce our footprint in the air, on the ground and at our facilities.

On March 19, 2020, United operated its first flight carrying cargo without passengers on board. While the passenger cabin was empty, its cargo hold was completely full, carrying more than 29,000 pounds of commodities from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Frankfurt Airport (FRA).
A year later, United Cargo has operated more than 11,000 cargo-only flights carrying more than 570 million pounds of freight. To support the COVID-19 pandemic recovery efforts, United Cargo has also transported more than 113 million pounds of medical and pharmaceutical products on both cargo-only and passenger flights as well as approximately 10 million COVID-19 vaccines, providing global communities access to the items they have needed most.
"At the beginning of the pandemic, we knew we were uniquely positioned to utilize our widebody aircraft and our network to keep commodities moving, so we quickly mobilized various departments throughout the airline to launch a cargo-only network of flights that would keep commodities moving," said United Cargo President Jan Krems. "Thanks to those efforts, United Cargo has delivered millions of items to countries all around the world. We would not have been successful without the steadfast support of our employees, industry partners and our customers."
Since last March, United Cargo has transported almost 850 million pounds of freight on cargo-only and passenger flights. The airline will continue to monitor market trends adjust its cargo-only flight schedules to help ensure we are meeting our customer's evolving shipping needs.
Whether you haven't flown with us for a while or just need a quick refresher before your spring trip, read this list of tips to know before your flight and arrive at the airport travel-ready:
1. Download the United app for contactless bag check, travel assistance and more
Before your flight, download the United app to view your flight status, check in, sign up for flight notifications, locate departure gates, access our free personal device entertainment when available and more. We've also updated our app with new features that can make your trip a little safer, including contactless bag check.
Don't forget to use Agent on Demand for help with any and all questions you may have before your flight. This new capability is available at all our U.S. hub airports and allows you to use your own mobile device to contact a customer service agent via phone, video or chat to help with day-of-travel questions while you're at the airport. Learn more about Agent on Demand here.
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5. Get familiar with CleanPlus
United CleanPlus℠ is our commitment to delivering industry-leading cleanliness as we put health and safety at the forefront of your experience. We've teamed up with Clorox to redefine our cleaning and disinfection procedures and Cleveland Clinic to advise us on enhancing our cleaning and disinfection protocols, like:
Disinfecting high-touch areas on board and in the terminal
Using electrostatic spraying, Ultraviolet C lighting wands and more advanced measures to clean aircraft cabins before boarding
Redesigning our mobile app to allow for touchless check-in and contactless payment, along with enhanced travel assistance features
Implementing high-efficiency (HEPA) filters on our aircraft that completely recirculate cabin air every 2-3 minutes and remove 99.97% of airborne particles, including viruses and bacteria
Studies show COVID-19 exposure risk is minimal when air filtration systems and masks are in use, so you can rest assured that the steps we've taken to keep you safe truly make a difference.
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Federal law requires all travelers to wear a face mask in the airport, including customer service counters, airport lounges, gates and baggage claim, and on board during their entire flight. Make sure you review the requirements for face masks, including what an acceptable face mask looks like.
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Before packing your bags, check to see what exactly you can carry on and what you should plan to check. You can also copy your confirmation number into our Baggage Calculator tool to learn about the bag allowance included with your reservation, as well as the cost of checking any additional bags.
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Check the United app regularly for the latest updates on weather conditions, flight status, gate numbers and seat assignments. You can also visit our Important Notices page to find essential information and updates about travel waivers, international travel, TSA and security, airports and United Club locations.
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Once you're on board, it's time to sit back and enjoy your flight. Our flight attendants will be happy to help you with anything else you need.
This week, we were honored to become the first U.S. airline to join the UNICEF Humanitarian Airfreight Initiative to combat the COVID-19 pandemic by transporting the vaccine and other critically needed supplies to underserved areas of the globe.
"We are committed to helping the global community in any way we can, and we all must work together to do our part to bring this health and humanitarian crisis to an end," said Director of Cargo Specialty Products Manu Jacobs.
We will leverage our expertise to transport these critical pharmaceutical and healthcare shipments around the world safely, efficiently and expediently. We are proud to partner with the United Nations to support this global effort and provide equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.
Together, we are facing an unprecedented challenge. United Together, we rise to meet that challenge.
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20 UCSF Health workers, who voluntarily set aside their own lives to help save lives, are on their way to New York City.
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This is the story of Jason and Shantel. You see, Jason and Shantel love each other very much. They also love traveling and they love the classic Adam Sandler film, The Wedding Singer.
It all began when Jason reached out to United's social media team, hoping for assistance with his upcoming plan to propose. Some phone calls and one borrowed guitar later, the stage was set for Jason. Put all that together, mix in some helpful United employees and, voila, you have a truly memorable marriage proposal. Congratulations to this fun-loving and happy couple, and here's to many more years of making beautiful music together.
A big thank you to Chicago-based flight attendants Donna W., Marie M., Karen J. and Mark K. for making this proposal come to life.
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