可持续探索加勒比海的9种方法

发表于：10/8/20 | 2020年10月8日

勒巴维特·莉莉·吉尔玛 is an award-winning journalist who has been living in the 加勒比海 since 2008. In this guest post, she shares her tips and advice for exploring the 加勒比海 in an ethical and sustainable way while benefitting the 本地 communities that call the islands home.

2005年，我去了加勒比地区的第一个假期。我选择了圣卢西亚（Saint Lucia），并且像典型的初学者一样，我住在一个全包度假村。在三个星期的时间里，我被加勒比海的色彩，美丽的海滩和该地区的自然美景所震惊。

But I realized that what moved me the most were the cultural reminders of my childhood in West 非洲: the plantain dishes and chicken stews, the tropical gardens filled with hibiscus and palms, the drumming and soca beats, and the warmth of the 本地s. Three years later, I packed my bags, left my corporate legal career behind, and hit the road with dreams of becoming a 旅行作家和摄影师 在加勒比海。

距北美仅有20多个岛屿和数百个海滩，距离加勒比海短途飞行比以往任何时候都容易。即使在今天，在全球大流行中，加勒比海岛屿仍在 美国人和加拿大人最安全，最诱人的目的地 寻找家附近的逃生路线。与世界其他地区相比，该地区的整体COVID-19感染率较低，这主要是由于大多数加勒比国家与邻国之间被水隔开。

但是，这是大多数人可能没有意识到或花很多时间思考的事情：加勒比海地区还是世界上最依赖旅游业和最脆弱的地区。在最依赖旅游业的全球十大目的地中， 八个在加勒比海。该地区还遭受了大众旅游业的负面影响-沿海地区大型，外资拥有的全包式度假胜地的持续不断发展以及邮轮旅游业的发展都造成了严重的环境和社会经济问题。

For instance, large resorts have exacerbated coastal erosion as a result of being built too close to the shoreline, and they’ve also caused a shortage of commodities in surrounding communities, including power and water, as the average tourist’s use of these resources is higher than a 本地’s daily usage. In the past, cruise lines have also caused 塑料污染加剧，并在加勒比地区进行非法倾倒.

首先，气候变化对加勒比岛屿的打击最大。世界旅游和旅行理事会预测，加勒比海地区将成为 2025年至2050年间世界上风险最高的旅游目的地. 学习 研究还表明，到2050年，海平面上升将使至少60％的度假胜地面临风险。反过来，温度升高和大气中二氧化碳的增加导致珊瑚白化和海洋酸化，影响了加勒比海的珊瑚礁。

Perhaps the greatest threat of all is the lack of significant trickle-down economic benefits from tourism to 本地s because most visitors stay in all-inclusive resorts 要么 book tours with foreign-owned companies. Did you know that an online all-inclusive resort booking translates into 80% of those vacation dollars going directly to a foreign corporation overseas — not to the 本地 economy — before the traveler even sets foot in the destination?

这是什么意思呢？您在加勒比海旅行中做出的每个决定，从支持一家使用太阳能和水循环利用的酒店，到您选择的旅行社类型以及您所携带的礁石安全防晒霜，都将产生巨大的影响。

如今，随着经济危机的到来，大流行使加勒比海地区的情况更加严峻，我们必须利用这段时间来重新思考探索加勒比海地区的方式。我们要 看该地区 不是作为我们使用和滥用的商品，而是作为需要保护和获得同等程度的保护的独特人群的家园 过度旅游和环境虐待 和欧洲其他主要目的地一样。

作为独立的旅行者，我们有能力在未来几年中改变我们最喜欢的热带度假区的潮流。享用朗姆酒，鸡尾酒和细沙吗？很好-在做出选择后可以在未来几年内打造一个更健康，更绿色，文化底蕴丰富的地区，旅游业将使社区受益。

一旦旅行完全恢复正常，您可以通过以下9种简便方法来可持续地探索加勒比海地区。
 

1.住在小型旅馆，社区经营的旅馆或旅馆

From hostels and guesthouses to boutique hotels, villas, and rainforest lodges, there are some incredible 本地ly owned places to stay 在加勒比海。 Whether you’re into mountains, beaches, 要么 rainforests, these kinds of accommodations are usually run by 本地s 要么 long-time residents who are eager to immerse you in their communities. This way, you get a more authentic cultural experience, including 本地ly sourced meals and expert 本地 guides that these properties have relied on for years.

您还可以找到社区经营的住宿；这些通常是隐蔽的旅馆或由社区团体或合作社成员经营的旅馆，其运作方式与私人旅馆一样。但是，当您享受真实的住宿-双赢时，收入将平均分配给成员。

“Staying 本地” goes a long way toward supporting the 本地 economy, ensuring that your travel dollars reach those who deserve it the most, from the farmer supplying the hotel to the tour guide who gets repeat business.

To find these various types of 本地ly owned 要么 本地ly invested accommodations, you’ll have to do a little extra research.

First, contact the destination’s tourism board and ask for 本地ly-owned hotel recommendations in the area that interests you; you should also scan their website’s hotel listings.

Second, you can find a handful of special guesthouses and 本地ly run hotels on Booking.com — but take the additional step of searching for the property’s own website for more information and booking directly through it.

Third, depending on the destination, you can find unique 本地 properties listed on TripAdvisor.com, under the “B&旅馆”类别。

Last but not least, you should search for and read 本地 news outlets from 要么 blogs on your destination; these often cover the domestic side of tourism and tend to feature more 本地ly owned properties.
 

2. Bike, walk, 要么 use 本地 transportation

Touring a 加勒比海 island on two wheels is becoming more popular than ever. On your next visit, swap the safari truck excursions for a biking tour. Bike Barbados is a perfect example; you can rent a variety of bicycles from this shop in St. Lawrence Gap, on the main tourist drag, and escape along Barbados’s diverse coastline before ending up back at the beach. It’s a great way to make 本地 friends, find hidden corners, and discover a different side of the destination. Other established bike tour companies around the 加勒比海 are:

• 佐纳·比奇（Zona Bici） 在圣多明哥
• CuleBike 在蓬塔卡纳地区
• 阿鲁巴电动自行车之旅 在阿鲁巴
• Ruta自行车 在哈瓦那
• 圣卢西亚自行车 在圣卢西亚

You can also ask your hotel’s staff if they provide bicycles for rent 要么 for free; if they don’t have any, ask for a 本地 bike shop recommendation.

Getting around by public transportation is also a good way to reduce your footprint and contribute to the 本地 economy. You’ll get a glimpse of island life, see how most people get around, and discover places along the way that you might have missed.
 

3.参加烹饪班，进行美食之旅，并注册文化体验

What better way to learn about the 本地 cuisine than signing up for a cooking class 要么 hopping on a food tour? Aside from the fun side of tasting new dishes, it’s a great way to support 本地 agriculture in the 加勒比海, by pumping your dollars into some delicious food, sourced straight from farmers and chefs’ gardens.

Although over 80% of produce in the 加勒比海 is imported, the tide has begun turning toward increased food security for 本地s through growing one’s own food and practicing permaculture principles. Supporting 本地 food production means you’re supporting the country’s efforts in lowering its dependence on exports — which can include genetically modified seeds — while increasing self-sufficiency. This becomes critical when major storms hit 要么 when borders shut down (say, due to a pandemic).

Barbados Food Tours offers a three-hour food walk around historic, UNESCO-designated Bridgetown, while showing you favorite 本地 lunch spots and dishes. Belize Food Tours operates fun evening food tours in San Pedro, as well as cooking classes in a state-of-the-art studio. Other options include Tru Bahamian Food Tours and Trinidad Food Tours.

浸入文化的另一种不错的选择是寻找社区组织或合作社提供的讲习班或游览。既定文化的一个很好的例子， 社区运行的经验是在波多黎各Loiza的COPI社区中心的孟买舞蹈工作坊, just outside of San Juan, where you’ll learn not only bomba moves but also Afro–Puerto Rican history. Beware of tour companies that don’t collaborate with 本地s and that sell cultural experiences as an “add-on” as a way to attract tourists.

要找到由社区领导者领导的沉浸式体验，还需要进行其他研究：使用诸如“ [目标]中的X Workshop”之类的关键词搜索社交媒体和互联网，并挖掘谁提供体验。

订阅可持续的加勒比旅游倡导者平台是保持了解的另一种方式，例如，我的新 看到加勒比海 主动性或 阳光和短剑博客， 社会企业 当地客人 在波多黎各， 玫瑰堂社区发展组织 在圣文森特和格林纳丁斯等地。
 

4.参观保护区和可持续性项目

从珊瑚种植计划到再生农场再到野生动植物保护，加勒比海地区都有令人难以置信的自然保护项目。例如，在伯利兹，伯利兹奥杜邦协会（Belize Audubon Society）拥有许多受游客欢迎的保护区，包括Cockscomb Jaguar Preserve。现场设有新的客舱供狂热的观鸟者和博物学家或任何在野生动植物丰富的保护区过夜以寻求不同体验的人。您将学到更多有关加勒比海生物多样性的知识，并且每天与科学家互动，这是您呆在常规旅馆中从未有过的。

In the Dominican Republic, where protected areas have been at risk in the last decade, your visit to vulnerable national parks — such as Jaragua National Park, the Sierra de Bahoruco, and Valle Nuevo National Park — goes a long way toward supporting the work of 本地 environmental 要么 ganizations and naturalist guides while you learn about critical wildlife conservation issues.

但是您如何在加勒比海地区找到既定的环境项目呢？第一步是了解您所前往目的地的环境挑战。从那里，您可以查找当地最著名的自然保护非营利组织。例如， 大自然保护协会在加勒比地区的工作 可以在巴哈马，牙买加，海地和维尔京群岛等地找到。的工作 美洲可持续目的地联盟 还是加勒比地区多个项目的背景信息的绝佳资源。

目的地的旅游局和酒店协会是重要的信息来源，因为它们经常支持并赞助保护项目或计划。您也可以向您的房东或旅馆询问那些鲜为人知但影响力较大的社区团体，这些团体在当地开展着有意义的工作，从文化保护到海龟保护。

Before you donate funds 要么 rush to volunteer, please consult the tourism board, your hosts, and the 本地 要么 ganizations for advice on how you can best use your skills while on vacation, if at all. As a visitor, learning about a country’s environmental and conservation challenges before your trip is far more effective because you’ll get a sense of where to tread lightly and where your tourist dollars are needed the most.

如有疑问，只需花些时间参观对公众开放的保护区和国家公园，因为您的访客费有助于全年维护和保护该地区的生物多样性。在旅游局网站上可以轻松找到国家公园的清单。
 

5. 店 本地

Skip the made-in-China trinkets and find 本地ly sourced, handmade souvenirs. Whether it’s jewelry, textiles, 要么 paintings, the 加勒比海 is filled with talented and innovative artists. Visit art galleries with on-site botanical gardens like Ahhh Ras Natango Gallery and Garden near Montego Bay, find ceramics at Earthworks in Barbados, and Dominican hand-sculpted art in specialty stores like Galeria Bolos 在圣多明哥’s Colonial City. There are also artist studio workshops and a chance for one-on-one interactions, like taking a Taino pottery class in Puerto Rico, after which you get to take your creation home with you.

Know what grows in the 加勒比海 destination you’re visiting and then purchase straight from the 本地 factories and stores: coffee, chocolate, tobacco, rum, and spices are among the many choices.
 

6. Eat and buy 本地ly sourced food

Are you planning to cook your own meals and self-cater during your stay? Head to your nearest outdoor market; there’s one in every major town. Go on the busiest market days — Saturdays are usually the best bet — when there are more vendors per shopper and you can learn about 本地 produce so you can cook what’s in season. This might seem simple, but purchasing 本地ly grown produce supports these farmers and small entrepreneurs while preserving the legacy of native plants that grow on the island.

Approach vendors and ask them to point out which fruits and vegetables on their stands are native; there are often 本地 varieties that are worth a taste. Ask what’s in season. I’ve found most market vendors are more than willing to share their knowledge if you’re respectful and interested in buying and cooking 本地, rather than merely looking for photos.

海鲜也是如此。确保您问法律上是什么季节的鱼以及暂时不在市场上的鱼。了解龙虾或海螺的封闭季节是旅行者的责任之一。

在一些目的地，例如多米尼加共和国和牙买加，经常看到流动的水果和蔬菜摊贩从汽车后备箱或手推车中卖出并在附近滚动–请利用这一优势，因为它们提供的价格是超市无法比拟的。

You’ll not only eat healthier by buying 本地 food that’s in season but you’ll also sleep great knowing that you’re contributing in a big way to the country’s food scene and identity.
 

7.对塑料说不（装好水壶，带上竹制用具）

Speaking of shopping at 本地 markets 要么 supermarkets, don’t forget to pack a reusable shopping tote when you’re heading to the 加勒比海, as well as a reusable water bottle. As in much of the world, plastic is a serious problem on the islands, but it’s exacerbated in the 加勒比海 because many destinations don’t have recycling capabilities. There are also bamboo utensils you can purchase and bring with you in a post-COVID world.
 

8.尊重文化庆祝活动和规范

加勒比海的节日和丰富的文化庆祝活动是前往该地区不同目的地的最佳原因之一。但是，虽然很容易假设我们会参加在度假小镇后院举行的活动-而且大多数活动都欢迎游客-但重要的是要记住，有些活动实际上不是宗教仪式或神圣仪式t用于拍照或公众注视。

例如，如果您打算在一月份参加Accompong Town Maroon音乐节，那么在音乐节开始之前会有一种神圣的仪式；虽然可能会欢迎您远距离观看，但是除非得到村领导的事先许可，否则您不能通过拍照来中断或破坏仪式。同样，并非所有伯利兹加里富纳文化仪式都适合游客和照相机。无论您身在何处，都要始终保持尊重，并确保在加入之前先询问是否欢迎您。
 

9.待久一点，旅行慢

尽管对于加勒比海游客来说，周末度假和一周假期是正常的，但该地区实际上是在几个月内缓慢探索的理想之地。如果您能够远程工作并像数字游牧民一样生活，您将有机会看到加勒比海多个岛屿的相似之处，并欣赏其独特之处，从地形，美食到音乐和历史。放慢脚步也可以减少足迹，同时让您更深入地了解加勒比海地区的结构，因此您将了解到，在美丽的海滩和美味的piñacoladas的表面吸引力之外，世界的这一部分多么复杂和令人着迷。那就是真正的冒险开始的时候！

不管您过去是否想过如何可持续地探索加勒比海并以真实性对待它，还是由于大流行而重新考虑它，这九种方式都将使您走上体验这一多样化地区的道路更深层次，同时最大程度地减少您对游客的影响。

There’s a popular saying we love to repeat in this part of the world: “Life needs the 加勒比海.” But the 加勒比海 also needs you — to immerse yourself in its destinations slowly and sustainably, with the intention of learning about its diverse cultures, supporting the 本地 economy, and protecting the environment while rethinking where you place your vacation dollars.

运用上述可持续旅行原则，轻松做出具有变革性的假期选择-对您，对大自然母亲以及与您接触的人来说，都是如此。加勒比海地区是一个充满乐趣的充满活力的地区，与世界其他美丽地区一样，也应吸引有心智，有经验的旅行者。希望旅行恢复后，您会成为其中一员！

勒巴维特·莉莉·吉尔玛 是一位屡获殊荣的埃塞俄比亚裔美国人旅行新闻记者和摄影师，自2008年以来一直居住在加勒比海地区的各个地方。她在可持续旅行和加勒比海地区的工作曾在AFAR，《福布斯》，《塞拉利昂》，《达美天空》和《孤独星球》中露面，以及BBC，CNN和Oprah等网点。她是...的创始人 看到加勒比海，这是一个新平台，展示了通过自然，遗产和社区探索加勒比海地区的未来，受影响驱动的方式。 Lily目前位于多米尼加共和国圣多明哥。