I don’t do much reblogging anymore, but this article from Tailwind Jungle Lodge in San Pancho, Mexico caught my eye. San Pancho is right up the coast from La Cruz and Banderas Bay Mexico, where we stayed in the La Cruz Marina and anchorage a number times on our cruising sailboat. Once we had the pleasure of meeting Tamara Jacobi and her family and buying her book. Tamara is an author and one of the owners of Tailwind Jungle Lodge, featured in the story below.
But I need to let you know that I really flubbed my cut and paste from the email story I have and the process of moving it to my post. This is NOT how is looks on her email so please read IT or click the links above to go right to her website.
So, please enjoy “Bring your own mug” by clicking this link or reading below:
What Kind of Footprints Do You Leave? Travel Tips from our Ecolodge in Mexico
Did you remember your coffee mug? No, we’re not judging. We forget ours sometimes when we’re traveling too. Don’t worry—we have lots of fun mugs waiting for you at the Tailwind Jungle Lodge! But what about on your journey here to our ecolodge in Mexico? The airport. The taxi. The coffee shop before your flight. That simple question got us thinking…every adventure leaves a footprint. As travelers, how can we tread a little lighter? More importantly, how can we leave the places we visit just a little better than we found them?
After twenty years of welcoming guests to our eco lodge in Mexico, we’ve learned that traveling thoughtfully isn’t about being perfect. It’s about a hundred small choices that, together, make a meaningful difference. The places we visit become richer because we were there—not poorer.
Here are a few of our favorite ways to tread a little lighter.
Bring Your Reusable (Fill in the Blank)
This one is a low hanging fruit.
A reusable coffee mug.
A refillable water bottle.
A reusable shopping bag.
A food container for leftovers.
Reusable cutlery.
Straw?
These simple items don’t take up much room in your luggage, but they can replace dozens of disposable cups, bottles, bags, and takeout containers during a single trip.
Your airport coffee. A smoothie after surfing. Leftovers from your favorite taco stand or fresh fruit from the market. You’ll probably use your reusable friends more than you think. Don’t have any yet? We highly recommend checking out our buddies at Klean Kanteen.
Support Local Families
One of the most meaningful choices we make while traveling is deciding where our travel dollars go. Somethings we can do to support local businesses and families includes:
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Choose family-owned restaurants over large chains.
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Shop at local markets.
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Purchase handmade souvenirs from local artisans.
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Hire local guides.
Every meal, coffee, and souvenir is an opportunity to help a local family thrive.
Book Direct Whenever Possible
Whenever you book directly with a locally owned accommodation, guide, or tour operator, more of your travel budget stays within the community. If possible, try to avoid 3rd party OTA such as Booking.com or Airbnb. As a small family-run ecolodge, we’ve seen firsthand how direct bookings help local businesses care for their staff, maintain their properties, and continue creating memorable experiences for guests.
If booking direct is an option, it’s one of the simplest ways to support the businesses in the places you visit.
We’ve recently partnered with some new travel sites that are building unique communities focused on sustainable travel and doing good for local communities. You’ll find the Tailwind Jungle Lodge now listed on TRAppe travel here and TrUsMileWay here. We’re excited to be part of these like minded communities of global travelers.
Choose Human-Powered Adventures
Some of the best adventures don’t require an engine. Go surfing instead of 4 wheeling. Paddle instead of taking a motorboat. Ride a bike. Hike the jungle trails. Go sailing. Walk through town. You’ll often discover that slowing down isn’t just better for the planet—it creates richer memories too.
Waste Less
Nobody gets it perfect. We certainly don’t! But a little mindfulness goes a long way. Recycle whenever possible (EntreAmigos has created a great recycling program in San Pancho with bins throughout town!).
Compost if facilities are available. Bring your reusable container when eating out. Say no to unnecessary plastic. Reuse what you already have.
When you’re visiting our place and the nearby community of San Pancho, we highly recommend checking out incredible recycled art gallery and community programs at EntreAmigos. It’s one of our favorite examples of creativity, education, and environmental stewardship coming together. Every community should have a place like this!
Before You Leave Home to head to our ecolodge in Mexico
Thoughtful travel actually begins before your vacation does. Before heading out the door, consider:
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Unplugging unnecessary appliances.
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Turning off lights.
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Adjusting your thermostat or air conditioning.
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Using up perishable food.
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Setting your home up to use less energy while you’re away.
A lighter footprint starts at home.
Stay a Little Longer
One of the greenest ways to travel is also one of the most enjoyable. Instead of racing from destination to destination, slow down. Spend an extra day. Walk a little farther. Get to know the people behind your favorite café. Watch another sunset. The slower we travel, the more deeply we connect—with a place, its people, and ourselves.
Respect the Wild Places You Came to Enjoy
Part of the magic of travel is getting to experience places that are still beautifully wild. Give wildlife space, leave shells and natural treasures where you find them, stick to trails when appropriate, conserve water, and leave the beach a little cleaner than you found it. Sometimes being a thoughtful traveler is simply remembering that we’re visitors in someone else’s habitat.
BONUS: Choose thoughtful toiletries/sunscreen. What we put on our bodies eventually makes its way into the environment too. When possible, pack biodegradable soaps and shampoos, mineral-based sunscreen (we love Badger), and other products that are gentler on the natural places you’re visiting. This is especially important when you’ll be swimming, snorkeling, or spending time in rivers and the ocean. A little thought about what’s in your toiletry bag can help protect the water, wildlife, and ecosystems you’ve traveled so far to enjoy.
A Final Thought
Beyond the footprint measured in plastic bottles or carbon emissions, mindfulness travelers are also aware of how they make people feel. Every destination we visit is someone’s home. When we travel with curiosity, gratitude, and respect, we become more than visitors—we become part of the story of that place.
Smile at your server. Learn a few words of the local language. Take time to appreciate the people, culture, and natural beauty around you. Support the businesses that make a community unique.
Travel has an incredible ability to change us. With a little intention, it can also help the places we love continue to thrive for generations to come.
Happy travels… and don’t forget your coffee mug. ☕
Visit us in the jungle
Seems like great advice and fits right in with our model for slow travel….with family. This is a break in our stories about various anchorages we stopped in on our cruising sailboat but a perfect week to feature this story.
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