“It's that time of year
When the world falls in love,
Every song you hear seems to say
Merry Christmas,
May your New Year dreams come true”

If you’re anything like us, as soon as Christmas is over and the sales begin, New Year dreams usually revolve around getting away from the cold and wet of the Northern Hemisphere and escaping the chaos of the commercial gorge and the slump of January dark days and unexciting evenings, with all-too pervading resolutions to make ourselves and the world a better place this next year. And my goodness we need it after the last one.

Switch off, recharge. Recognise the power of retreat, reconnecting and revitalising.

Well here’s some inspiration for your dreams: Sea-side sanctuaries, and super-sustainable too, so just by going away and doing that, you create a positive impact all round. Ocean-side, these places aren't just great on marine conservation but also water scarcity issues too!

May your days be merry and bright - in the sun, sea and surf!

$$ Nikoi Island, Indonesia – shoes off, kick back, simple barefoot luxury at its best. Rent one of just 15 private villas on this private island. Failing that, take your mates too and rent the whole island! All the while enabling education, employment, training and cultural preservation for local communities. More >>

Chumbe Island Coral Park, Private Marine Protected Area

$$$ Chumbe Island, Tanzania - The first privately established and managed Marine Protected Area in the world. Pristine coral reefs & exclusive thatched eco-bungalows, idyllically set in coral rag forest, 30 seconds to the beach. Natural beauty with privacy, with a sense of freedom facilitated by the open design and air conditioning of sea breeze. All while supporting conservation and education. More >>

$$ Pangaea Exploration, oceans worldwide – if you fancy a more active sea adventure, learn to sail or join a crew on an inspiring scientific and personal exploration mission to make the unseen seen, from the toxics in our bodies to the toxics in our seas. More >>

Lapa Rios Ecolodge: Osa Peninsula, Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica.

$$$ Lapa Rios, Costa Rica – Sustainable luxury on the Osa Peninsula, at one of the most nature-immersed ecolodge experiences in the world where Central America's last remaining lowland dense tropical pristine rainforest joins secluded shores. Learn about the marine biology of the Golfo Dulce, one of only four tropical fjords in the world, see land crabs, starfish, sea cucumbers, any of the three species of dolphins (common, bottled-nosed or spotted) and turtles, kayak in the ocean mangroves, surf on the local beach, or whale watch where the huge bay meets the Pacific Ocean. More >>

Kayaking past Floreana Lava Lodge, Floreana Island

$$ Floreana, Island The Galapagos – Paddle board by turtles, kayak by marine iguanas, where else could you be? Stay in an ocean-front cabin for the first community-based tourism in The Galapagos and the old island way of life in Floreana, the smallest of the inhabited islands. The luxury of privileged access to a wonderful world of rare wildlife and community in one of the few world Heritage Marine Reserves. More >>

Lobster fishing, Sainte Luce, Madagascar

$ Madagascar – features heavily in David Attenborough's latest BBC Planet Earth 2 programme. But it’s not locust swarms, Indri jumping round the forest or mouse lemurs in flowering baobabs! As the 4th largest island in the world, its coast is immensely important. Apply to volunteer on ocean-side conservation, community and construction sustainable development projects. More >>

"Our planet is still full of wonders. As we explore them, so we gain not only understanding, but power. It's not just the future of the whale that today lies in our hands: it's the survival of the natural world in all parts of the living planet. We can now destroy or we can cherish. The choice is ours."

— Sir David Attenborough, in closing, Planet Earth 2.

As we say in our manifesto, “Aspire to inspire, strive to sustain. Love our Wonderful World.” Click the top navigation links to find out more about sustainable places, their people and purpose and understand how your holidays can benefit sustainable development.

Be an Earth Changer, here’s to helping make the planet a better place in 2017.