A train ride across the country, wildlife conservation, green-certified hotels: eco-friendly travel looks different for everyone. But ultimately it revolves around exploring the world while minimizing your impact on the environment. For me, it looked like visiting the Palmaïa resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico for a wellness weekend where I reconnected with nature on every level – from physical (biking for the first time in years) to spiritual (a turn of events that I was not at all expecting).
One of the top-rated properties on Hotels.com’s Perfect Somewheres 2024 list, the Palmaïa resort is so in tune with the planet, nature is in its very name. “AïA” means connection to the environment, according to the website. “[AïA is] a double-sided mirror to our true, inner selves. She is harmony and disruption, the source, the circle of life, the root of meaning, and the giver of purpose,” it reads.
That thinking permeates every aspect of the resort, like the foliage-lined pathway where guests ride their bikes or the locally-sourced, plant-based meals that you can customize based on your needs. It even houses a cenote that everyone helps preserve: you can only swim in it without sunscreen to avoid introducing chemicals to the natural underground water system. Plus, Palmaïa is working toward being one of the first carbon-energy-neutral resorts in the world, and currently uses solar power from over 2,000 panels and other renewable sources – a true feat that I hope will inspire other resorts to do the same.
As someone who watches wildlife documentaries almost nightly, I loved Palmaïa’s commitment to preserving nature. And after struggling with health issues including worsening allergies, I decided to adopt a plant-based diet for the first time and was grateful for any guidance – as well as a non-judgmental launching pad from which to explore a new way of eating.
Eco-friendly travel and spiritual wellness are indeed interconnected, and my time at the resort made that ever clearer.
If I’m honest, though, I didn’t think the trip would have much of an emotional impact. I’m not an easy sell on the promise of spiritual restoration at wellness retreats, and I was pretty sure that any relaxation I felt would disappear the minute I returned to New York City, and had to lug my suitcase through the airport while being shoved in every direction.
Despite my reservations, I signed up for the meditative concert, a meeting with an astrology partner, and a hot-stone massage at the Atlantis jungle spa. After a weekend’s stay, I actually did feel more at peace (and if you can believe it, that hasn’t changed since my return to the city). My takeaway? Eco-friendly travel and spiritual wellness are indeed interconnected, and my time at the resort made that ever clearer.
Keep reading to learn about my experience at Palmaïa in Playa del Carmen.
