These Ecopods Aim To Help Portugal’s Tourism Wave

You can stay in these adorable ecopods on a remarkably beautiful remote island while offsetting your tourism footprint at the same time.

A network of tiny solar-powered flat-pack cabins have opened on the Azores Islands, 1643 kilometres west of Portugal in the North Atlantic Sea. The huts are perched among the islands’ striking volcanic landscapes, sitting high on stilts made from recycled electrical poles.

They’ve been been designed and developed using locally sourced and sustainable softwoods, and can be assembled at the drop of a hat.

The smallest cabin is only 15 square meters, but it has everything you need including a fridge, a coffee machine, a sunken seating area, a TV, a loft bed and an outdoor wood-heated bathroom.

Aside from being very beautiful, the cabins serve a greater purpose. They’ve been designed to tackle the island’s ecological and economic problems caused by an unexpected influx of tourism.

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Travellers have been flocking to the Azores region to experience the unique and untouched natural environment, and to dive deep into an array of adventure sports. With the small island economy unable to keep up with demand, these cabins are a quick and sustainable solution to put people up for the night.

They’ve been installed by the Tourism and Agribusiness Development Company of the Azores (TADA) who hope to use the low-impact design for disaster relief too.

A picture-perfect remote island holiday while covering your footprint? Yes please.

(Images: TADA)