Farm stays, for those mainly living and working in cities, are a novel way to reconnect with nature and rural traditions. Beyond being an idyllic vacation spot surrounded by greenery and fresh air, farm stays are also educational. It enables visitors to learn first-hand how food is grown, raised, and gathered, and the amount of work and resources that go into doing so. Moreover, it opens one’s eye to the possibilities of creating a healthy environment and community through these farm stays’ sustainable practices and conservation efforts.
So for your next vacation, consider a rural retreat not just to relax but to learn and support sustainable and eco-initiatives. For that, check out this list of the best eco-friendly farm stays around the world.
We handpicked these listings carefully, considering (wherever possible) Superhost status, recent guest reviews, location, accommodation type, prices, availability of dates, decor, and amenities. The image galleries get refreshed with the latest updates regularly. They were last updated on June 01, 2024.
1. Vik Chile; San Vicente de Taguatagua, Chile (from USD 519)
Nestled in the cool and serene Cachapoal Valley, Vik Chile offers an unforgettable retreat experience filled with majestic mountain scenery, flavorful wines, and amazing accommodation amenities.
Aware of the effects of agriculture on the environment, this place has a thoughtfully designed winery and has taken initiatives to maintain sustainability with its practices. It sources electricity from solar energy and uses free-cooling architecture and natural insulation. Vik Chile also plants new trees to keep its carbon footprint negative as part of its care for the surrounding mountain, valleys, and forests.
Vik Chile
Address: Hacienda Vik, Millahue
15945.34 km (9908.0 mi) from Sindhudurg Fort Ferry
2. Willow-Witt Ranch; Ashland, United States
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
The United States offers an innumerable selection of farm stays around the country. However, Willow-Witt Ranch in Ashland, Oregon, takes it a step further by letting guests discover the beauty of nature even as they enjoy their time. It has a selection of accommodations that guarantees a comfortable stay, such as the Farmhouse Studio, Meadow House, a camping site, and wall tents.
The farm stay will let guests experience feeding animals, gathering eggs, milking goats, and farming vegetables. It also comes with an educational tour detailing eco-diversity, the water tables, and the effects of commercial logging on the area’s wildlife.
As for sustainability efforts, this place has established holistic farm practices in line with American Tree Farm System’s standards. These practices ensure that forests remain a steady renewable resource while preserving plant and animal diversity.
Willow-Witt Ranch
Address: 658 Shale City Rd, Ashland, OR 97520, United States
Price: from 60 USD
Travelers Review: 4.9 (from 36 Google reviews)
3. Babylonstoren; Simondium, South Africa (from USD 662)
Babylonstoren is one of the oldest Cape Dutch farms in the Cape Winelands District Municipality. Intrepid guests of this farm stay will find an incredible blend of modern pampered luxury and incredible eye-opening experiences, be it with the food, wines, and stay.
You can choose from comfy accommodations, including farmhouse suites, cottages, and family houses. Moreover, you can indulge in a refreshing swim in the swimming pool, which is a restored farm reservoir with scenic views. Alternatively, head to the Garden Spa to unwind and relax.
This place prides itself as an entity that promotes sustainable practices. Its massive garden estate grows its own food, providing everyone with abundant fruits, vegetables, and livestock products. The grounds are irrigated with specially-engineered water-saving systems, while electricity is sourced from solar panels that power nearly the whole estate. This place also uses plant-based cellophane and reusable packaging as a substitute for plastic and uses aluminum for metal implements due to its ease of recyclability.
Babylonstoren
Address: Klapmuts Road
8004.53 km (4973.8 mi) from Sindhudurg Fort Ferry
4. Heckfield Place; Hampshire, United Kingdom
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Heckfield Place was once a Georgian-era family farmstead restored into a fantastic countryside getaway destination. Part of its mission lies in preserving and passing on the irreplaceable wealth of a clean and life-giving place to future generations.
While the comfy and equipped accommodations are modern, this place has taken measures to protect the environment, such as banning single-use plastics and replacing them with locally sourced natural materials. Food and ingredients are also harvested directly from the property’s farm and greenhouses, reducing road traffic and fuel use for transporting goods.
The estate uses 90% LED lights, and heating is sourced from biomass boilers. Moreover, the estate harvests rainwater through its boreholes. The farm uses biodynamics, taking advantage of natural fertilizers instead of artificial ones. These include peelings and cuttings from the on-site restaurant, turned into compost. Another highlight of this place is its bee colonies, enriching pollination in the area.
Heckfield Place
Address: Heckfield Place, Hampshire, RG27 0LD, England, United Kingdom
Price: from 550 GBP (699 USD)
Travelers Review: 4.7 (from 295 Google reviews)
5. TODO Farm; Son Hoa, Vietnam
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
TODO Farm is proud to call itself a nature resort where travelers can rest and recover while admiring the Van Hoa Plateau’s scenic valleys and slopes. During their stay, guests can enjoy the comforts of a lovely hillside stilt house, glamping tent, aquarium room, or dorm room. They can also purchase delicious vegetables, fruits, and herbs from the organic farm. Moreover, there are flower gardens with roses and myrtles, among many others.
Guests can sign up for a first-hand experience working at the farm. These duties include plowing, seeding, catching pests and worms, harvesting, packing, and processing. The farm is certified by the government, assuring guests that its products are organic and safe.
TODO Farm
Address: TODO Farm, Van Hoa village, Son Long commune, Son Hoa district, Phu Yen province, Vietnam
Price: from 300,000 VND (13 USD)
Travelers Review: 4.6 (from 106 Google reviews)
6. Bali Eco Stay; Bali, Indonesia (from USD 81)
Bali Eco Stay offers the idyllic atmosphere of a rainforest retreat while pampering guests with the lavish luxuries of a high-class resort. Guests will have breathtaking sights and lush, verdant surroundings. Traditional bungalows will serve as accommodations, each of which is uniquely designed and decorated. Rooms here also have locally sourced and hand-made natural soaps and shampoos.
With horticulture expertise and inspiration to educate travelers about nature’s gifts, this stay made its mission to create an eco-friendly getaway that enriches the lives of locals and tourists. The initiative focuses on a healthy coexistence with nature, using permaculture systems for growing crops in the food gardens. The water is sourced from springs flowing from Mount Batukaru, filtered but not treated with chemicals.
Single-use plastics are banned, and electricity is sourced from the river’s hydro turbines. Moreover, the property even uses a water-efficient system through low-water pressure showers and dual flush toilets. Another feature of this place is that its used water is incorporated in wastewater gardens. Further, this stay supports community development initiatives.
Bali Eco Stay
Address: Kanciana Village Kumetug Desa Gunung Salak, Tabanan, Bali, Indonesia, 82113
5327.4 km (3310.3 mi) from Sindhudurg Fort Ferry
7. Ahsa Farmstay; Mae Chan, Thailand
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Check out Ahsa Farmstay for an authentic farm stay experience in Thailand. The host and her family welcome travelers from all walks and corners of the world, inviting you to embrace the beauty of Chiang Rai while staying at their traditional-yet-modern guesthouse. Mingle with the family and the locals as they teach you how to cook northern Thai cuisine. You can also experience traditional rice farming and rubber tree tapping. Moreover, you can try other activities such as trekking, local sightseeing, and availing of herbal saunas.
The guesthouses were built to preserve the techniques and traditions of the locals while at the same time making them relevant to today’s society. The building materials include reused resources, such as reclaimed timber. Water is sourced from rainwater, while earth-mixed concrete and roofing tiles used are from local suppliers.
Ahsa Farmstay
Address: Mae Salong Nai, Soi 1, Pa Sang, Mae Chan District, Chiang Rai 57110, Thailand
Price: from 5,350 THB (150 USD)
Travelers Review: Excellent 4.7 (from 59 Google reviews)
8. Burnside Organic Farm; Margaret River Town, Australia
Reasonable pricing for spacious bungalows with full kitchens.
Well-maintained property with fireplaces, outdoor baths, and farm walks.
Conveniently located 10 minutes from town with beautiful scenery and a peaceful atmosphere.
Lovely local produce available for cooking, and the farm tour includes animal feeding.
Burnside Organic Farm offers a memorable down-to-earth farm stay experience with an authentic rustic ambiance. Accommodations here are eclectic and self-contained bungalows, each with a patio, fireplace, and barbecue grill. Moreover, the rooms were built from natural materials, including timber, stone, and rammed earth.
The farm is 15 hectares (37 acres) of greenery and is home to vineyards, avocado orchards, caper crops, and beehives. It even has families of geese, chickens, and other farm animals. The products here are also certified biodynamic, per the Biodynamic Federation Demeter International. Part of the federation’s standards requires products to be ethical, environmentally safe, and made without artificial chemicals and fertilizers.
Burnside Organic Farm
Address: 287 Burnside Road
7088.87 km (4404.9 mi) from Sindhudurg Fort Ferry
9. Maachli Homestay; Vengurla, India
More than just a regular farm retreat, Maachli Homestay in India seeks to inspire its guests by way of its incredible rainforest-style escape. Visitors can witness lush plant life and the lively yet pleasing cacophony of the area’s rich wildlife. Take a plantation tour to explore and learn about farming, life in and of the jungle, and medicinal plants. Another activity involves pottery lessons by artisans from the nearby village.
The accommodations here conform to vernacular architecture, in which designs are dependent on the local needs, traditions, and availability of materials within the area. Cross ventilation, a natural cooling system, is even installed.
This place seeks to preserve its surrounding natural beauty. No trees have been cut during the construction of the property, and forest plants that contribute to the area’s green layer have also been planted. The property even minimizes the use of cement, concrete, and plastic. Moreover, water for drinking and cooking is from the farm’s spring.
Maachli Homestay
Address: Major State Highway 4 Ishavasyam, Manjardewadi, At Post-Parule,Tal-Vengurle, Vengurla, Vengurla, India, 416523
11.61 km (7.3 mi) from Sindhudurg Fort Ferry
10. Farmhouse Resort & Spa; Sameakki Mean Chey, Cambodia (from USD 202)
Reasonably priced with occasional expensive buffet menu during peak holidays.
Beautifully made bungalows, serene farm tour, excellent spa treatments, and free bike rentals.
Just 2 hours drive from Phnom Penh, surrounded by greenery, serene and peaceful.
Exceptional food made from locally grown produce, with a limited but wonderful breakfast menu.
Farmhouse Resort & Spa lies in an idyllic countryside, about an 80-minute drive northwest of Phnom Penh. The suites and bungalows conform to traditional architecture and designs but with modern comforts and amenities in mind. Rejuvenate with the help of the on-site spa and refreshing massages to soothe your body. This place even gets most of its food from its own farms.
This farm resort is a project by Smiling Gecko, a Swiss non-governmental organization whose aims involve providing aid, education, training, and employment in Cambodia. The resort and farms are all staffed by locals who were given training and education.
Through this project, the organization was able to establish local schools with medical aid and facilities. Moreover, it provides work opportunities, such as sewing workshops, carpentry shops, a bakery, and a campus kitchen, to name a few.
Farmhouse Resort & Spa
Address: Sameakki Mean Chey District
3387.04 km (2104.7 mi) from Sindhudurg Fort Ferry
Escape from the urban life and retreat to a farm stay
If you’re ever feeling overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of urban life, look up what a farm stay can do for you. It offers a great opportunity to relax, learn ecological and sustainable values, and support community development. So, plan your itinerary now, and don’t forget to check out these best eco-friendly farm stays around the world.
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