Responsible travel isn’t a fleeting hashtag anymore — it’s a movement. Modern explorers aren’t just ticking destinations off a list; they’re seeking travel which is more meaningful, better connections, and choosing to stay in places that care for people, animals and the planet. At the heart of this shift lies one unmistakable trend: eco lodges.

These aren’t your typical hotels. Eco lodges embody purposeful living while you travel, blending comfort with conservation, community, and culture. In a world grappling with climate change, overtourism, and cultural dilution, eco lodges offer a refreshing alternative: travel that gives back, not just takes.

Let’s unpack why eco lodges are rapidly becoming the future of responsible travel, and why you should stay in one when visiting Moalboal and the Philippines.

Travelling in the Philippines is an unforgettable experience, but how you travel can make a real difference. If you are visiting Cebu and staying in or around Moalboal, packing thoughtfully helps reduce waste, travel more responsibly, and arrive prepared for a low-impact stay in a tropical environment.

This eco-friendly packing list for the Philippines focuses on practical items that support sustainable travel, from minimising plastic use to coping comfortably with the heat, humidity, and island conditions. It is especially useful for travellers staying at eco lodges or nature-based accommodation in Moalboal, where mindful choices help protect the surrounding land and marine environment.

Whether you are snorkelling, exploring waterfalls, or simply slowing down and enjoying island life, these essentials will help you travel lighter, waste less, and make the most of your time in the Philippines.

Are you trying to have a plastic free Christmas? Do you want to be more eco-friendly and have a green, zero waste Christmas? The easiest way is to do it yourself and have a hand-made festive season.

Christmas may be the most wonderful time of year, but not for our environment. Wherever you look, plastic is used from the tree, to the decorations, to wrapping paper. However it doesn’t have to be this way, you can have an eco-friendly Christmas and plenty of fun.

It was important our first Christmas at the Eco Lodge was plastic-free, so I began researching handmade eco-friendly Christmas trees, and DIY decorations. I discovered a huge variety of options, and chose what I thought would be the most fun to make, the easiest, and what would give us the most zero waste Christmas.

From dried oranges to paper stars, I enjoyed putting together our green Christmas Tree and all the handmade decorations to hang from it.
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Moalboal Eco Lodge share our handmade, plastic free, eco-friendly Christmas tree and decorations.

As Christmas approaches, 2020 will undoubtedly be the strangest festive season any of us have experienced. Yes things will be different, and if you are someone who loves to celebrate Christmas, you can still do so in style, but it may require a different approach.

Choosing a more sustainable approach to Christmas is the way to a better future. If you watched Netflix’s David Attenborough documentary “A Life on Our Planet”, you will have heard his plea regarding climate change, and how we need to do something now. 

Every year the festive season is a time of excess; too much eating and drinking, buying so many presents people get into debt, stressing about cooking far too much food it ends up wasted in landfills. 

Although it is the season to be jolly, the spirt of Christmas has become lost. It’s not about how much money you spend or how many presents you buy. If 2020 has shown us anything, it’s to value time spent with friends and family more. 

Christmas is the season for being charitable, and after a difficult year, presents are not always the best way of showing your love. Remember that spending lots of money on a gift doesn’t necessarily make it special.
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Moalboal Eco Lodge share an eco friendly gift guide for all occasions; Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Birthday, or any occasion where you need to give a present. 

FACT: Switching your toiletries to plastic free or zero waste will give you more luggage space, AND reduce your suitcase or backpack weight. Great news if you are taking a trip and want to use a small bag, especially if you are travelling by plane.

In future travel, flying under “the new normal” means some airlines (such as British Airways) are only allowing hand luggage which can fit underneath your seat. If you usually take a few toiletries in your carry-on bag in case of lost luggage, moving to plastic free options will be perfect for you.

Overhead lockers may be out of use in post-Coronavirus lockdown, minimising touchable surfaces within the plane and reducing unnecessary movement.  However, this does mean only essentials can be taken on board such as your passport, mobile phone, hand sanitiser, face mask, pen, small snack etc. 

Airlines may also be reducing the weight limit for checked in baggage. The heavier the aircraft, the more it cost to fly and airlines are already struggling after months of being grounded. To keep ticket prices as affordable as possible but still recouping lost revenue, airlines have to reduce costs any way they can.

By switching your toiletries to plastic free or zero waste, you will save valuable weight, save space, the 100ml liquid limit doesn’t apply, and you don’t have to worry about liquids spilling over your clothes.
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Moalboal Eco Lodge share how you can make a few easy plastic free and zero waste changes to your toiletries.

As travel resumes following the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine and lockdowns, extra precautions will need to be taken. Living a “new normal” life will include more thought and preparation if we are to remain safe and healthy, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of our planet.

Single use face masks, small hand sanitiser bottles, latex gloves, polystyrene take-out containers, plastic bags – it’s already polluting our planet and having catastrophic effects on the war against single use plastic. Disposable masks and gloves have been found on beaches which are washed into the ocean during high tide, and have been discovered littering nature trails, park-lands and green areas.

Sustainable practices often take a back seat in times of crisis, but for people who wish to travel responsibly, we have to continue fighting. Until a vaccine is found we will all be living with the threat of COVID-19, but staying safe during Coronavirus doesn't mean more plastic. The way forward is not to disregard all we have learnt about zero waste and using less single use plastics, but to continue with the good practices already in place. 

YES YOU CAN BE PLASTIC FREE AND ZERO WASTE DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.

Moalboal Eco Lodge want to help you travel eco-friendly after COVID-19 quarantines, so here are our 12 plastic free and zero waste travel tips during Coronavirus.