People snorkel and enjoy the inlet at Xel-Ha Lagoon water park and ecology center along the Riviera Maya south of Cancun, Mexico.

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All the "green" hotel stuff — not washing the sheets and towels every day, planning to start an organic-produce-buying program — just doesn't seem like a good enough gift to the world this year. Not when barefoot vendors in ragged clothes are still hawking jewelry outside big, luxurious resorts, and schoolkids in nearby villages can't get their hands on a book.

All the buzzwords are confusing: ecotourism, geotourism, ethnotourism, sustainable tourism.

A traveler has to do some serious research to figure out who's really giving the world something back these days.

We talked to a lot of people and did a lot of reading in circles such as the World Heritage Alliance, Sustainable Travel International, ResponsibleTravel.com and the International Ecotourism Society.

The result is this short, unscientific list of places mentioned more than once.

Travelers can help save the Santa Fe River if they stay at the luxury Inn of the Anasazi. The river was recently declared America's most endangered by the nonprofit organization American Rivers.

Though it hasn't been a big, rushing river for decades, the Santa Fe has run dry because of damming upstream. The inn donates 20 percent of standard room profits to the Santa Fe Watershed Association to help. Mention the "Save the River" campaign when you book your reservation.

The lodging is a 57-room boutique hotel run by Rosewood in downtown Santa Fe. Rooms are decked out in Santa Fe style with kiva fireplaces.

What to do: Eat great Northern New Mexican food, ski, hang out at the plaza, hike in the Santa Fe National Forest, visit amazing galleries and museums.

Rates: Doubles in January start at $239 Sunday-Thursday, $289 Friday and Saturday.

Information: www.innoftheanasazi.com.

Samuel Raphael says he is driven by a "burning desire for social justice" for his people on the island of Dominica.

He runs Jungle Bay resort on the island in the eastern Caribbean, between Martinique and Guadeloupe. His work there was a homecoming — his family migrated from Dominica to St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, when he was young, and he returned after a successful career in real estate.

The need was dire. When free trade took effect, Dominica's primary source of jobs and revenue — banana plantations — dried up. Some 8,000 plantations dwindled to about 1,000 in the early 1990s. Some 70,000 people left the island, about half the population.

Raphael used local workers to build and furnish the resort in 2000, training them in construction, furniture building and restaurant work. Ninety percent of the food served to guests is from surrounding farms.

"We're building up a dynamic community around tourism," he says. The lodge directly employs 61 local people.

Ground was just broken for House of Hope, a home for physically challenged orphans, Raphael says.

Jungle Bay has 31 cottages built carefully to preserve the surrounding jungle.

What to do: This is not a traditional beach resort — the beach is rocky and the waves large. Instead, consider hiking to see 72 species of orchids, mountain biking, visiting hot springs and waterfalls or snorkeling.

Rates: Posted online, $259 per person through May 15 for the Jungle-Spa Adventure Package, including a daily massage, facial and a choice of scheduled daily tours and excursions.

The basic package for the same dates (cottage and breakfast only) is $199, single or double occupancy.

Information: www.junglebaydominica.com.

Five historic haciendas in the Yucatan were the start, all carefully restored to become luxury hotels, says Carola Diez, director of Fundación Haciendas en el Mundo Maya. People in the Mayan villages surrounding the haciendas were employed to help, and ancient building techniques were revived through the effort.

But, says Diez, the real work began in 2002 when Hurricane Isidore crashed across the Yucatan Peninsula. The foundation was set up, and the hotels' Mexico City-based developers, Grupo Plan, started building housing in 26 communities — nearly 2,000 homes, says Diez. A political scientist, she started the foundation with Grupo Plan.

Today the foundation provides libraries, a cooperative handicraft program to help Mayan women earn an income by selling embroidered goods at the haciendas and at boutiques in Merida, six health clinics and other resources for 16 communities. Some of the hotel spas employ ancient Mayan "bone healers" in treatments, in an effort to preserve the culture.

The haciendas are operated by Starwood Hotels and Resorts.

Merida is within driving distance of all the haciendas. The resorts, all different and restored: Haciendas Santa Rosa, San José, Temozon, Uayamon and Puerta Campeche.

What to do: Activities vary, from visiting sea turtles to exploring Mayan ruins.

Rates: Starting room rates posted online vary from $214 per night for a double at Hacienda Santa Rosa to $315 at Uayamon and Puerta Campeche.

Information: www.haciendasmexico.com. Also, "Casa Yucatan" by Joe P. Carr and Karen Witynski (Gibbs Smith, $24.95) is all about haciendas in this part of Mexico.

● Paraiso de La Bonita and Fairmont Mayakoba — Riviera Maya, Mexico.

Members of the World Heritage Alliance that support sustainable tourism and communities around WHA sites.

Information: www.paraisodelabonita.com and www.fairmont.com/mayakoba.

● Myths and Mountains, travel adventure tours.

The owner, Antonia Neubauer, founded READ (Rural Education and Development) Global, which has built 35 libraries that are also community centers in Nepal.

Myths and Mountains offers "custom cultural and immersive tours" of Asia, Southeast Asia, South America and Antarctica. It gives $50 for each traveler who uses the tour company to READ Global.

Information: www.mythsandmountains.com.

● CC AFRICA, luxury safaris.

Runs 40 safari camps in 16 destinations, some with butler service. Its nonprofit arm, Africa Foundation, builds clinics and classrooms, supports small businesses and has programs for helping children.

Prices vary widely.

Information: www.ccafrica.com and www.responsiblesafaris.com.