www.ecotravelindia.com -- Eco-friendly and `eco'nomical too

Reshma Krishnan

THE INTERNET is cluttered with money-related portals that auction, offer investment advice, do brokerage and are into e-commerce.

But here is a Web site with a difference -- one that claims to calm you and take you away from the everyday stress of the city life.

The site is www.ecotravelindia.com. The concept of commercial ecological travel has been around abroad for a decade now, but in India, it is just catching on. It involves an experience of the great outdoors, living off the nature as it were. Since the idea is still in its nascent stage, much of our wilds are reserved for foreign travellers.

But, now, Ecotravelindia allows you to visit places, probably, you never knew existed, and learn and experience something that is far-removed from the hi-tech world.

Site layout and review: Promoted by Dream Catcher, the site focusses on eco-travelling in South India -- Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Pondicherry and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The site is, essentially, based on the elements of nature travelling -- be it the excitement and adventure of wildlife or the leisure of walks by the sea. It is classified into six modules -- wildlife, adventure, conservation, heritage, leisure and corporate training.

Each section gives an outline of a number of destinations with a brief description of each, its highlights and the number of days you would require to see them. Take the wildlife section. It describes the Mudumalai hills, home to the elephant and the gaur, and describes the kind of accommodation you can get and all other details.

For those with special interests, say, butterflies or birds, the site offers special holidays with expert guides.

Adventure and heritage: The adventuresome, can sail the sea in a catamaran or learn to climb mountains. The site assures your safety, and promises to take care of all your gear, from tents to sleeping bags, food and travel.

But ecotravelindia.com is not all about fun. Packages are also available for the diehard environmentalists. There is, for instance, a chance to watch turtles and the Turtle Conservation Society at work.

A chance to catch up on the local heritage should make this a favourite for any traveller. Visit fishing villages and find out how they are conserving the environment around them, despite the hazards of city lifestyles. The site is especially useful for budding artists wanting to paint nature, for the crew offers to take you some of the most scenic spots. For budding artists, classes are also conducted.

The corporate package section, an interesting angle to the site, might interest firms that want to motivate their employees. Packages cater to induction of graduate trainees and also the middle- and senior-management.

Using the site: The site is probably most useful for the city dweller who sees wildlife mostly on the television. There are experienced guides who will take him around the most fascinating places.

Perhaps the most innovative feature of the Web site is the ``design-your-own-holiday'' facility. You begin by filling in a form. You can say how many of you would like to go (or alone), where, the place you would like to see, and the experience you are looking for. You must also specify the city of departure. The most important feature is that the traveller can choose among three levels of comfort, economy, moderate and deluxe, to suit his/her wallet. Once the details are given, the crew uses them to give you the perfect package.

Another good thing about these holidays is that though they are short, they are as perfect as a long European holiday or a romantic getaway. Those of you travelling from the North or abroad will find it useful if you make this a part of your travel plan.

There are other features that make the site a nice one to visit. It contains some beautiful photographs and a number of interesting snippets about India's wildlife and parks that make for good reading. There is also information about the crew, the history of the organisation, testimonials by a number of visitors who have used the packages to give you a fair idea on what is on offer.

Site ideas: The site could be more comprehensive on the many places on offer. For instance, a little history about the heritage areas or, perhaps, a better description of the place.

There is also no mention of the cost of any of the packages, except for the choice between economy, moderate and deluxe. This lack of detail might confuse potential travellers and also make a holiday budget difficult.

But contact information is provided and it is likely that anything further you want to know will be sent to you by e-mail. The site is one of its kind and if you are a nature lover, amateur/hardcore conservationist, it is probably a good one on offer. Happy eco-travelling!