Style Substance Soul | An online gathering of women who strive to look good, feel good, do good.

You know we’re all about being green but that doesn’t mean you’re going to find us skimping on comfort, especially when we’re on vacation.

According to The International Ecotourism Society, the travel and tourism industry is the largest business sector in the world economy so its practices have a huge impact on our planet. Ecotourism, defined as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people,” is a growing trend and we decided to see what it really means.

Amy turned to Christie Cash to find out how ecotourism is brought to life at the gorgeous Puakea Ranch on The Big Island of Hawaii, where she watches over her guests – and the environment – as owner/head ranch hand. The restored ranch is listed on the state’s Register of Historic Places is the epitome of luxury without pretension and definitely sets the standard for eco-tourism.  

What was it about ecotourism that drew you to create this vacation sanctuary?

 I wanted to create the kind of family vacation I craved in Hawaii: one that was friendly to the planet and Hawaii in particular. Anything other than a huge resort, cookie-cutter condos, manicured golf courses and the sprawl of overdone, overpriced second and third homes used two times a year. The moment I got out of the car to walk around the ranch, I thought, “This is the Hawaii I want to come to with my family.” 

Why is ecotourism an important and growing travel alternative?

 Low impact, conscious travel is a choice that more people are interested in making as we become increasingly dominated by the fast-paced, mass-produced, mega-consumption world most of us live in day to day. This includes all aspects of our daily life in any urban/suburban society. A vacation “away” from the 300+ room resorts actually feels much more like a real vacation. It is difficult to really “relax” when you are surrounded by the same crowds of people, drinking the same mass-produced Starbucks coffee and eating a $20 hamburger in an over-air-conditioned small room dominated by a flat screen TV in the wall.  

Those types of resorts get a bad rap from environmentalists and many locals, especially in Hawaii.

 Yes, you are right. And we are very sensitive to that in every decision we make. At the ranch, we are doing our part to preserve the culture of our area by restoring the original plantation homes and recording the stories and collecting photographs of the original families who lived and worked here, dating back to the 1870′s. While we offer WiFi and cable, we also a glimpse into the past and a reminder of just how good a tomato pulled off the vine or a fresh, free-range egg can taste.

My goal is to give visitors to the Big Island an alternative to the typical resort, condo or vacation home experience. The ranch is more like a luxury homestead in a gorgeous Hawaiian setting.  We offer kitchen composting in each bungalow that goes to our gardens or to our chickens. No A/C, just open windows and fans. Recycle bins at each bungalow. Water catchment in place to help us irrigate.  A big garden to pick from.  Grey water is used to water the gardens surrounding the bungalows. Eco-friendly kitchen and laundry soaps are provided to insure the grey water won’t harm our plants.  This is low-density, low-impact tourism, in line with the community values of North Kohala. 

What kind of questions do potential guests ask when they’re booking a vacation? 

Is the kitchen fully equipped? Where is the closest grocery store? The closest beach? Can the kids pick the eggs by themselves? The ranch is more about the “experience” than whether we are using off grid energy. No one asks questions like that! They just like the fact that we adhere to a “reduce, reuse and recycle, eat local, buy local” philosophy. It’s like taking a small step back in time, in paradise.

What are travelers who are attracted to a retreat like yours looking for? 

Our guests are looking for a home away from home with the added extras they can’t get at home, like fresh eggs from the chickens, picking from the garden and fruit trees, laying in the hammock with a gorgeous ocean view with no one around for as far as the eye can see, yet just minutes away from the shor line and the charming towns of Hawi and Kapaau, which have great local restaurants. There are no “chains” of any kind in North Kohala. Each shop, gallery and restaurant is locally-owned and operated and offers a truly unique authentic local flavor. The community of North Kohala is very eco-minded and proud of the small town, agricultural roots it is striving to maintain. 

What kind of comments do you get from guests at the end of their stay? 

 Well, here are a few from TripAdvisor.com:

 ”This place is outstanding. What a gem. Such surprising style and luxury in the rural but beautiful area of north Kohala.”

“Puakea Ranch was the perfect mixture of location, views, architectural design, historic restoration and the owner and caretaker’s hospitality. Puakea Ranch provided exceptional accommodations with privacy, beautiful natural setting and peace and quiet.”

“I’d go back tomorrow and stay forever if I didn’t have to go to work! :)”

tags: big island, christie cash, ecotourism, hawaii, paukea ranch

This entry was posted Wednesday, July 21st, 2010 at 7:00 am and is filed under guest contributors, substance, women of StyleSubstanceSoul. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Feel free to leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.