Welcome to Nature’s Paradise It seems ages ago when I made my first visit to Costa Rica. I was here to dive Cano Island off the Peninsula de Osa coast. Rolando Arburola, our host, picked me up at our hotel in San Jose. We began our adventure on a winding road known as the Pan American highway. We traveled through the cloud forests to de Osa. It was a memorable three weeks that included the Peninsula de Osa, San Jose Valley, Arenal and Gunacaste. I left knowing I had to return. Three weeks was just enough to sample what Costa Rica had to offer. During subsequent return trips, I have discovered river rafting on the Rio Pacuare, canopy tours in Manuel Antonio, kayaking among the mangroves of Crocodile Bay, surfing in Jaco and, diving the Catalina Islands near Gunacaste. Although Costa Rica is great for the outdoors person, there is a level of comfort and for every excursion. You have a choice of accommodations, from hillside cabins to oceanfront villas! Costa Rica is easy to reach, with affordable flights from most major U.S. Gateways. During my extensive travel, I have found one common denominator that makes Costa Rica a complete destination - its people. Costa Rica is the most peaceful country in Central America. I can attest to the fact that these are happy people, and their interaction with visitors is shown by the way they reach out to connect and communicate. You have a question, need directions - you can always find a friendly person willing to help. I hope you find the information contained within EcoGuide Costa Rica helpful. With each edition, we will expand our coverage. Remember, it can be found online: www.EcoGuideCostaRica.com. Pura Vida - pure life! Richard H. Stewart Editor-in-Chief
Costa Rica The Origins Of
Costa Rica is located on the Central American Isthmus, surrounding the point 10掳 North of the Equator and 84掳 West of the Prime Meridian.
INovember. On the Caribbean coast,
The Geography
Costa Rica borders both the Caribbean Sea to the east and the North Pacific Ocean to the west with a total of 1,228 km of coastline - 212 km on the Caribbean coast, and 1,016 km on the Pacific coast. Costa Rica shares a border with Nicaragua to the north 309 km long, and a border with Panama to the south 330 km long. The area of Costa Rica totals 51,100 km of which 50,660 km is land and 440 km water making Costa Rica slightly smaller than the U.S. state of West Virginia. The nation's terrain is coastal plain separated by rugged mountains. The Cordillera Central and the Cordillera de Talamanca form the spine of the country and separate the Pacific and Caribbean watersheds. Costa Rica claims an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles and a territorial sea of 12 nautical miles.
The Climate
The country has a tropical and subtropical climate, is part of the Neotropic ecozone, and also a part of many ecoregions including Costa Rican seasonal moist forests, Bocas del Toro-San Bastimentos Island, San Blas mangroves, Mosquitia-Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast mangroves, Southern Dry Pacific Coast mangroves, Central American dry forests, and Talamancan mountain forests. The Gulf of Nicoya, an inlet from the Pacific, contains several small islands, the largest of these being Chira Island with a population of around four thousand. Costa Rica's dry season in most places is from December to April, while the rainy season is from May to
however; December is by far the wettest month. The highland areas are always cooler with areas at the lower elevations warm to hot depending on the season.. The lowest elevation levels in the country are on the western and eastern coasts at sea level. The highest point is Cerro Chirrip贸, a volcanic mountain with an elevation of 12,500 ft which is part of Chirrip贸 National Park. On a clear day, it is possible to see both the Caribbean and the Pacific from its peak.
The Environment
Like all Central American countries, Costa Rica is considered a biodiversity hotspot. According to INBio, about 4.5% of the world's biodiversity can be found in Costa Rica; home to some 12,119 species of plants of which 950 are endemic. There are 117 native trees and more than 1,400 types of orchids of which a third can be found in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Almost a half of the country's land is covered by forests, though only 3.5% is covered by primary forests. Wildlife diversity is very high with over 441 species of amphibians and reptiles, 838 species of birds, 232 species of mammals, and 181 species of fresh water fish. Costa Rica has high levels of endemic species including 81 species of amphibians and reptiles, 17 species of birds and 7 species of mammals. It is also important to note that many species are endangered.
EcoGuide | 6 | Costa Rica
IMAGES BY RICHARD H. STEWART
IMAGE BY MARTIN van GESTEL www.RichCoastDiving.com
IMAGE BY MARTIN van GESTEL www.RichCoastDiving.com
Cos ta Rica, Pura Vida! According to the World Conservation Monitoring Center, 209 species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and plants are endangered. Some of the country's most endangered species include the harpy eagle, the giant anteater, the golden toad and the Jaguar. IUCN reports the Golden toad as extinct. Costa Rica is highly recognized for its national park system, administered by SINAC (Sistema Nacional de Areas de Conservacion, or “National System of Conservation Areas”). This agency oversees the 26 national parks, and more than 160 protected areas in Costa Rica. The other types of protected areas in Costa Rica are National Wildlife Refuges, Biological Reserves, Protection Zones, and Absolute Nature Reserves. Together the protected areas comprise over one-fourth of Costa Rican territory with 9.3% of the country protected under IUCN categories I-V.
IMAGES BY RICHARD STEWART
The Culture
Costa Rican culture is influenced by Spanish culture, with the exception of Limón and the Cordillera de Talamanca. IMAGE BY RICHARD STEWART
The official language of Costa Rica is Spanish. Native languages include Bribrí and as well as others spoken by thousands of Costa Ricans. English is the first foreign language and the second most taught language in Costa Rica, followed by French, German, Italian and Chinese. Roman Catholicism represents 76.3% of the population. 44.9 percent of the population identify themselves as practicing Roman Catholics, 25.6 percent non-practicing Roman Catholics, 13.8 percent evangelical Protestants, 11.3 percent report they do not have a religious affiliation, and 4.3 percent declare "another religion."
EcoGuide | 8 | Costa Rica
Rainforest Alliance R
ainforest Alliance is at work around the world in forests on farms along seashores in kitchens, stores, classrooms, press rooms, and boardrooms creating global standards to help protect biodiversity, and offering economic opportunities to populations in need. Rainforest Alliance, a non-profit organization, is helping people change their land-use practices, setting standards for long-term sustainable use of resources to conserve the planet’s great wealth of biodiversity, and helping people use resources they need without compromising them for future generations. By reducing the deleterious impacts of forestry, agriculture and tourism — especially in ecologically critical regions — and by improving the lives of people residing and working in these areas, Rainforest Alliance is setting new standards. With more than 35,000 members and over 20 years experience with active projects in more than 75 countries, Rainforest Alliance is recognized as a world leader in successful design and implementation of conservation measures and methods which will sustain our Earth’s people and places for decades to come. Rainforest Alliance is working toward a 21st century green revolution. Unlike its 20th century forerunner, the new green revolution does not depend on petrochemicals, deforestation and enormous inputs of water to fuel growth – rather, provides people with the information and tools they need to make their practices more sustainable and to create a market demand which aids in achieving their supply goals.
Making a Difference
Tourism economy represents 5% of the global Gross Domestic Product and contributes 8% of total employment, both directly and indirectly. International tourism ranks fourth in global exports and is the main source of foreign exchange for one-third of developing countries. This labor-intensive in-
Transforming the Tourism Industry
dustry offers an important opportunity to increase employment and reduce poverty, particularly among developing nations. Tourism is a vital source of income for many developIMAGE: J. WEBB
ing countries when practiced responsibly and in harmony with the environment; while irresponsible practices can result in pollution, deforestation, inefficient energy use and cultural exploitation. By 2020, the number of tourists is expected to double resulting in even greater pressure on the delicate ecosystems around the globe. Rainforest Alliance helps the tourism industry conserve the environment and provides sustainable livelihoods by training tourism business owners in Latin America with socially and environmentally sound practices. In addition, Rainforest Alliance provides incentives for tour companies to source from sustainable tourism services. Through training workshops and on-site technical assistance, managers of hotels, restaurants and tour operators learn about clean technologies, waste management, recycling, carbon offsetting, preserving local culture and heritage, biodiversity, conservation, and gender equality. Rainforest Alliance requirements include training modules EcoGuide | 10 | Costa Rica
and manuals aligned with internationally recognized criteria for sustainable tourism managed by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (www.gstcouncil.org). When a business enters the program, a Rainforest Alliance assessor performs an initial sustainability evaluation of the business’s practices. Based on the results, an action plan is made to help businesses fill in the gaps in their performance. A year and a half later, an assessor revisits the businesses to do a follow up evaluation to measure the progress. The businesses who achieve a compliance score on their verification visit receive a multitude of marketing and communications incentives, such as being included in Rainforest Alliance promotional materials and those of its allies (like this guide). Businesses also receive press trips or familiarization trips with international media and tour operators, and the trilingual online portal, SustainableTrip.org, and others. Businesses are also eligible to use the Rainforest Alliance Verified™ mark on their websites and promotional publications confirming their sustainability commitment to their clients. Rainforest Alliance also creates demand for sustainable tourism among consumers and enables them to travel responsibly through education about the principals of sustainable travel by promoting businesses that are committed to conserving natural resources and cultures, and facilitating the development and dissemination of regional and global standards for sustainable tourism.
Costa Rican Roots
Rainforest Alliance’s Sustainable Tourism Program grew out of early efforts to support and advise eco tourism projects in Costa Rica. In 1999, a young Costa Rican intern in the New York office began investigating sustainable tourism in a more in-depth
manner. This investigation led to the start of the program the following year. Three years later, the establishment of Sustainable Tourism Certification Network of the Americas contains a network of over 130 member organizations representing 23 countries. Over the past decade, the Rainforest Alliance’s Sustainable Tourism Program in the Costa Rican office is still being led by that same Costa Rican intern, now Vice President, who has galvanized dozens of major organizations working in the tourism field, such as the United Nations Environment Program, the World Tourism Organization, the United Nations Foundation, Travelocity, Expedia and others to produce and promote a set of international standards for sustainable tourism. Rainforest Alliance has also pilot-tested these standards widely across Costa Rica, in areas such as Talamanca/Bocas, Sarapiquí and the Osa Peninsula. An important 2009 study, conducted in Costa Rica, demonstrated the impact this tourism work has already achieved in Costa Rica in a relatively short period of time. The study examined several hotels in the Sarapiquí region that participate in our program. All of the hotels clearly bettered their environmental, social-cultural and economic performance with some showing extraordinary improvement. Our criteria covers environmental aspects such as waste-water treatment and wildlife protection, social aspects such as worker safety and community interaction, and business aspects such as profitability and quality of services. Over a period of 18 months, the hotels increased their overall compliance with our criteria from 4.5 to 7.8 (on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being non-compliance and 10 being full compliance). This study has been widely disseminated making the case for sustainable tourism and the best management practices around the world. The hotels’ involvement with Rainforest Alliance is setting them apart from their peers and making the Sarapiquí region a major destination for sustainable tourism. Once again, a clear example of a Costa Rican model leading the way for Rainforest Alliance's global efforts. To date, our tourism program has provided technical assistance and/or verified compliance with sustainable tourism practices with more than 500 tourism operations and has trained over 7,000 people. More than 100 of these operations are now third-party certified by a credible local program. In Costa Rica, there are 125 businesses involved in our program, representing an area of 3,378 hectares and benefiting 1,500 workers: These enterprises are also helping to support 281,000 hectares of national conservation areas. For more information about our tourism program, please visit our website: www.rainforest-alliance.org/tourism, or write to sustainabletourism@ra.org. EcoGuide | 12 | Costa Rica
List of National Parks of Costa Rica Arenal Volcano National Park Barbilla National Park Barra Honda National Park Braulio Carrillo National Park Cahuita National Park Carara National Park Chirripó National Park Cocos Island National Park Corcovado National Park Diria National Park Guanacaste National Park Irazú Volcano National Park Juan Castro Blanco National Park La Amistad International Park La Cangreja National Park Las Baulas National Marine Park Manuel Antonio National Park Maquenque National Park (proposed) Palo Verde National Park Piedras Blancas National Park Poás Volcano National Park Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park Santa Rosa National Park Tapantí National Park Tenorio Volcano National Park Tortuguero National Park Turrialba Volcano National Park
www.CostaRicaNationalParks.com.
INTERNET RESOURCES Blue Dream Hotel - www.BlueDreamHotel.com Ciudad Perdida EcoLodge - www.CiudadPerdidaEcoLodge.com EcoGuide Costa Rica - EcoGuideCostaRica.com Elemeto Natural Tours - www.ElemetoNatural.com ExploradoresOutdoors.com - www.ExploradoresOutdoors.com Gandoca Cabinas - www.GandocaCabinas.com Guanacaste Chamber of Tourism - www.LetsGoGuanacaste.com ICT Costa Rica Tourism - www.VisitCostaRica.com Kèköldi Indigenous Reserve - www.Kekoldicr.com La Costa de Papito EcoLodge - www.LaCostaPapito.com Lost Inguana Resort.com - www.LostIguanaResort.com Mapache Rent A Car - www.Mapache.com Monteverde Information - www.MonteVerdeinfo.com Manuel Antonio Information - www.ManuelAntonioToday.com Rainforest Alliance - www.RA.org Rainforest Radio - www.RainForestRadio.com Rich Coast Diving - www.RichCoastDiving.com Ramada Herradura - www.RamadaHerradura.com Toro Blanco Resort - www.ToroBlancoResort.com Volcano Lodge - www.VolcanoLodge.com
EcoTours
Elemento Natural, Southern Caribbean Elemento started 7years ago with the idea of camping and adventure trips. They love camping and did that a lot, and thought it was an innovative idea not explored. As it turned out, that market segment was not easy to reach so they started all kinds of different tours. They have always had a eco-operator profile, but they would organize any tour with their main focus on customization and flexibility (in addition to sustainability). Alonso and Roberto went to the same high school - Alonso studied tourism and got his MBA. Roberto studied industrial engineering and received his masters in Natural Resources Management. Elemento Natural has organized tours for USA, French, Canadian, Swiss, Norwegian, Spain and Mexico. Which is why, when it was time to explore a few of the more remote areas on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica - this duo was the obvious choice. I wanted to see the tropical side of this country - coconut palms, Iguanas, turtles - so Roberto mapped out a plan - Limon, then south along the coast to Cahuita, Gandoca, Manzanillo and Puerto Viejo -something where we would have a true remote, soft adventure experience. Our first stop was the Ciudad Perdida EcoLodge - (www.CiudadPerdida EcoLodge.com), bordering the Cahuita National Park, a quaint and very comfortable ecolodge constructed from cultivated hard woods. The craftsmanship was amazing - the wood walls, the floors and the furniture - and with the environment at their forefront of concern, sorted recycled containers where conveniently place through the rooms and property. Ciudad Perdida is just minutes from the parks beach and convenient to the local food store, restaurants and shops. That afternoon we met up with Sebastian Hernandez for a look at the Bri Bri Green Iguana project (www.Kekoldicr.com). The Green Iguana population had dwindled to such an alarming number that it prompted the Bri Bri community to establish the Kèköldi Indigenous Protected Area for reproduction and release EcoGuide | 16 | Costa Rica
of the Green Iguana into the forest On our next leg of this journey would take us to the very remote region of Gandoca where we were about to have our most close to nature, Costa Rican experience. After more than 40 minutes of traveling a long and narrow gravel road, surrounded by banana fields and over narrow wood bridges, we arrived at the village of Gandoca. As we pulled up to our accommodations - Cabinas el Rinconcito (www.GandocaCabinas.com) - we knew we were in for a treat. Surrounded by a jungle filled with the sound of Howler Monkeys, we quickly unloaded our back packs into the simple, but clean and comfortable rooms and headed to the beach to check out the Gandoca Sea Turtle Project. Since the projects beginnings in 1984, poaching on beach has dropped to nearly zero as a result of 24/7 protection by volunteer sentries. The next morning we got up very early to see the sun rise over another of the area’s natural attractions - the Gandoca Lagoon. From Gandoca we back tracked to the main road and drove along the beach road that took us through Puerto Viejo, Playa Cocles, Playa Chiquita and Punta Uva before ending up at the Almond and Coral EcoLodge. This was an amazing lodge with all of the room build above ground allowing the flora and fauna to move about naturally without restriction. The Blue land crabs particularly enjoyed that! Our final stay in the southern Caribbean was with yet another great ecolodge - La Costa de Papapito - a lush tropical “Garden of Eden” on the edge of the jungle and across from the ocean - also a favorite area for surfers. All in all, the four days and five nights gave us a glimpse of what Costa Rica’s Caribbean felt - much like the islands of the Caribbean - laid back and carefree - but with the Tico friendliness! Contact Elemento Natural for info: www.ElementoNatural.com.
EcoTours Exploradores Outdoors, River Rafting River Rafting - It is something one has to do. You just get up at the crack of dawn and do it! River rafting is a natural in Costa Rica with dozens of rivers to choose from. This particular morning, we are waiting for the Exploradores Outdoors van for the hour and a half ride to Siquirres where they have their own private Exploration Center.
We arrive to a light breakfast and time to prepare for what will be a wet and wild ride! Lockers are provided to secure our belongings and then, off we go into the next shuttle for a 20 minute ride up and over the mountains that loom over the Rio Pacuare. Along the way our guide and raft leader, Juda, explains a few basic instructions. “Forward” - meaning we are to paddle forward. “Backward” - meaning we are to paddle backwards. “Get down!”- meaning, hit the floor and duck!“ OK!?” I was feeling pretty confident at this point, after all, I had done two other rafting excursions in Costa Rica, but no one ever said “Get Down!” I have to admit, I felt a little intimidated. Rio Pacuare is an awesome river gorge with steep green cliffs; a beautiful sight from both atop the mountain and on the river itself. As we reach the peak of the mountain, we transfer into a four wheel drive Range Rover for the rather steep ride down to the river's edge. It is here where we gear up: life jacket, helmet, paddle and waterproof pouch for a small camera. After a few minutes to select who the brave one will be who sits up front, off we go. “Forward”, barks Juda, and a
paddling we go. “Stop”, he commands, and we stop paddling. This goes on throughout entire trip, but we quickly become a team and paddle in sync. Ten or so minutes into the adventure, I am beginning to wonder, “where’s the white water?” Not too long after that, we get around a bend and Juda is saying, “remember my instructions; when I say “get down, Get Down!” “Forward”, he barks and we get in sync to tackle the first rapid. “Whoo-hooo”, everyone shouts after surviving, and with that we do a high paddle five! This goes on for 5 hours along the 18 mile stretch where we really do hit a number of thrilling “get downs”! In fact, we experience a total of 52 rapids. About 2 hours into the trip we stop for a hearty lunch before climbing back into our rubber rafts for the final stretch. It was truly a fun and exhilarating experience. As for the “get down” part, I now know I am now ready for the next level of rafting adventure! Exploradores Outdoors. www.ExploradoresOutdoors.com, info@Exploradores.com.
EcoTours BioMarine Station , Ostional, Guanacaste The Ostional National Wildlife Refuge is located in the counties of Santa Cruz and Nicoya in the province of Guanacaste, and is bounded on the North by Punta India, and on the South by Punta Guiones Nosara extending three miles out to sea. The refuge is comprised of 300 Ha of land and 800 Ha of ocean.
The Ostional Wildlife Refuge protects marine turtle species such as the Olive Ridley (Lora) and Leatherback (Baula) at Playa Ostional on the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica. On this beach, huge laying seasons known as “Arribadas” are considered the largest in the world. As many as a million sea turtle eggs are laid in the beach nesting areas each year. Biomarine Station welcomes partners to share in the vision and the development of Costa Rica’s first Biopark of Ostional which includes trails and a marine turtle outdoor exhibition. The best time to visit Ostional is just before and during an ARRIBADA. "Arribadas" occur all through the year, at least once a month, and in some months, may occur twice. During the rainy season between the months of June and December, one will see larger "arribadas" meaning the number of nesting turtles may be in the range of hundreds of thousands as opposed to tens of thousands during the dry season months. The largest "arribada" on record in Ostional took place in November, 1995, when a calculated 500,000 fe-
Costa Rica Caribbean Cahuita Perdida EcoLodge is situated in a privileged location bordering the world famous and enchanting Cahuita National Park for an experience never to be forgotten. www.CiudadPerdidaEcoLodge.com. Cabinas El Rinconcito Simple cabinas, clean and comfortable, and located a palm-shaded stroll from the beach offering rooms with private or shared baths for up to four people. www.GandocaCabinas.com. La Costa de Papito is located a half Kms from Puerto Viejo. A lush tropical "Garden of Eden" on the edge of the jungle and across the road from the white sand Cocles beach. www.LaCostaDePapito.com.
Elemento Natural is a tour operator that specializes in the Southern Carribean and all of Costa Rica. From cabins to ecolodges, nature tours to kayakinging, contact them at www.ElementoNatural.com.
males came ashore. The Olive Ridley Sea Turtles of Ostional National Wildlife Refuge in Costa Rica are world famous for their arribadas with thouands of sea turtles covering the nesting beach of Ostional. In 1993, the Cruz Sevilla family entered Ostional area to invest in a conservation project which attracted the attention of BBC London, universities and other nature lovers. On thirty of the hectares, a station house was built in a forest dominated by rosewood, ironwood, purple heart and fruit trees. The remaining reforestation became the home to deer, monkeys and other species. The property also encompasses five buildings to host students and ecotourists. As the result of not cutting a single tree during the construction, the pool is the shape of a seven. Plans are currently in place to study the sustainability of people who live in the refuge with domestic animals, and another to study those who farm organic vegetables using egg shells left behind by the turtles. Development parters are welcomed. Contact: WendyPlus@gmail.com.
EcoTours Image: Martin van Gestel
Rich Coast Diving Playa Coco, Guanacaste Forming the eastern borders of Guanacaste are a chain of volcanoes that stretch out to join the Cordillera de Guanacaste and Cordillera de Tilaran mountain ranges. Offering some truly terrific hiking facilities, tourists can trek their way to the summit of a number of volcanoes,
including Rincon de la Vieja Volcano Area, to enjoy some really breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside. Passing through lovely lush dense forests, which play host to a fabulous array of exotic plant and wildlife, many rare and endangered animals and birds live here including jaguars and tapirs. From these mountains also flow various rivers that roll down to form an alluvial plain drained by the Rio Tempisque. This river in turns nurtures the province before emptying itself into the Golfo de Nicoya. A region steep in culture, the name Guanacaste is derived from the word quahnacaztlan, which is a native word for the guanacaste tree. This tree is the national tree of Costa Rica. Scuba diving in Guanacaste is excellent as the water conditions here are near perfect most of the year. With plenty of beaches accessible to everyone, you do not have to worry about overcrowded diving zones as well, as you have miles and miles of remote coastline to dive in. One of the best scuba diving zones in Guanacaste has to be the Playa del Coco, located in the north of the Nicoya Peninsula.
Play Here
Stay Here
Perfectly located in the center of the wondeful Playa delCoco area. Only 50 meters from the beach and close to the nightlife, the Toro Blanco is a brand new resort. The entire complex is surrounded by a wonderful tropical garden where each afternoon there appears a group of monkeys on one big guanacaste tree. Won’t you visit us?
Toro Blanco Resort, Playa del Coco www.ToroBlancoResort.com
The beaches here are beautiful; however, the scuba diving here is amazing with a plethora of marine life to enjoy. Manta rays, sharks, whales, dolphins, turtles, eels, and schools of vibrant tropical fish can be seen swimming here everyday. One of my favorites is the BAT ISLANDS (Islas Murcielagos), an advanced dive with Bull Sharks, Black Tips and occasionally Tigers. The maximum depth here is about 100 ft and the overnight charters are the best way to dive these islands. The diving is pristine and you can also expect to see bridges, caverns, coral and sponges and of course lots and lots of fish. For an even greater variety of location, visit one of the most experienced dive operations - Rich Coast Diving - is owned and operated by Martin and Brenda van Gestel. For accommodations, check out the new resort - Toro Blanco - for Rich Coast dive packages and room rates. For more information: www.RichCoastDiving.com, www.ToroBlanco.com.
ResortViews Lost Iguna Resort, Arenal
The Lost Iguana Resort is a boutique hotel with 42 uniquely appointed rooms on 120 acres in a primal rainforest in the central area of Arenal. Lost Iguana Resort is located in the northern region of Costa Rica just two miles from the active Arenal volcano. Every room has a perfect view of the volcano and the jungle. The 120 acre resort has both reforested land and primary forest trails with over 3,000 indigenous trees. The pristine resort property is filled with plants brought from the jungle so guests can experience a true jungle experience while staying in a luxurious room. Toucans, jaguars, pumas, jaguarundis, tolomucos, pizotes, deer and wild boar - all have been spotted on the property. The Lost Iguana is dedicated to protecting this fragile
Volcano Lodge, La Fortuna
piece of paradise and follow rigid green concepts. All cleaning products are biodegradable, waste is recycled, low voltage lighting is used, water comes from a deep well and is as pure as any spring water. Lost Iguana even has a water treatment plant which purifies all water used on the property; once purified it is released back into the river. Amenities include: in-room internet, restaurant, reception area, the Palapa bar, convenience store, two pools (one heated with a swim-up bar) and a spa by the river with two saunas complete with waterfalls and small pools. To keep in shape, Lost Iguana Resort provides a complete gymnasium, and two private massage bungalows by the river. For more information: 011(506) 2267-6148, LostIguanaResort.com.
Set in the middle of this amazing country of Costa Rica, Volcano Lodge and Gardens has become the entryway of lush beauty. The lodge itself is set within a tropical garden watching over the fiery activity of the Arenal volcano, close to the thrills of a canopy adventure and the calm relaxation of some of the most beautiful hot springs in the world. In the late 1980’s, the La Fortuna Area in San Carlos began to appear as an important tourism destination giving rise to many tour service companies. Among the first entrepreneurs were the brothers Castro Miranda. In May of 1999, they inaugurated the Volcano Lodge Hotel with a total of twenty rooms. The success of their little hotel was so great, that don Asdrúbal Castro Miranda left the tour operator business to dedicate himself completely to the Volcano Lodge duplicating its capability by 2003.
The Volcano Lodge still continued to grow, and by 2005, had reached 70 rooms, and added a second restaurant, a pool and a jacuzzi to the existing facilities. All of the structures were built in a pure environment which reflect and enhance the experience and beauty of the Arenal volcano thus becoming Volcano Lodge and Gardens in 2008. Styled after the traditional local homes, Surá offers a warm, comfortable atmosphere. Although the capacity can manage up to 100 people, one still feels private. Volcano Lodge is the location to explore the magic of the Arenal Volcano, enjoy traditional local cuisine, international dishes, or to simply hang out at the bar. Formore information: 1-800-649-5913 www.VolcanoLodge.com
Join us in exploring virgin, unspoiled locations both above and below our waters for a completely renewed sense of well being. Dive@RichCoastDiving.com, www.RichCoastDiving.com.
ResortReviews
Ramada, San Jose Ramada Plaza Herradura is located just 10 minutes from Juan Santamaria International Airport and 15 minutes from San Jose downtown and features 229 rooms, the Conference Center and 12 meeting rooms.
All rooms are air conditioned, with cable TV, WiFi and minibar, breakfast buffet and airport shuttle. There are 3 swimming pools, 3 unique restaurants, bar, casino and spa, and access to the
exclusive Country Club nearby, where you can enjoy the golf course, tennis courts, gym and olympic swimming pool. The Social Corporate Responsibility program (SCR) of the hotel has 2 simultaneous objectives: keeping and strengthening an excellent relationship with the
neighboring community, and reaching the highest possible productivity of the staff by creating a strong feeling of belonging, pride and correct conduct aligned with the values (Honesty, Commitment, Passion for service, Sustainability) The SCR Program recieved the 2009-2010 Award for Tourism Merit by the National Chamber of Tourism. Ramada Plaza Herradura hotel operates under sustainable standards. We are proud to be a Level 5 Sustainable Tourism Certified Hotel (CST), by the local tourism authority (Costa Rica Tourism Board), member of the Sustainable Tourism Certification Network of the Americas. The Ramada Herradura was the first hotel in San Jose to fulfill this important achievement and its staff is committed to provide the guests an excellent experience in accommodations, gastronomy, meetings and conventions, with high quality service and sustainable standards. Visit their web site at www.RamadaHerradura.com.
Need WE SAY MORE!
Our goal is for you to have an unforgettable kite vacation - so we take care of you all day long. www.bluedreamhotel.com
Hotel Casa Roland San Jose, Costa Rica
San Jose, Costa Rica’s most elegant bed and breakfast is Hotel Casa Roland vacation resort. Only five minutes from San Jose’s domestic airport, Tobias Bolanos, and only a half hour from Costa Rica’s international airport, Juan Santamaria. Phone: (506) 2231-6571 | 2231-0452, Fax: (506) 2290-5462 Toll Free USA and Canada, 1.800.214.1786
ECOGUIDE COSTA RICA DIRECTORY Only 5 minutes from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO). Free tranportation. Free full breakfast buffet.
www.hotelaeropuerto.co.cr ECOGUIDE INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY
EcoGuide Costa Rica is published by EcoMedia & Marketing, Ltd., San Jose, Costa Rica. Richard H. Stewart, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief; Jani Schulz, Associate Publisher Jennie Varga, Associate Editor; Sheila Greenfield, Stratigic Marketing; Jackie Monge, Advertising Sales Costa Rica, Ph: 501.8913.3029; U.S. Sales; 352.817.5893, Richard@EcoGuideCostaRica.com; Content may not be reproduced without written permission. ECOGUIDE is a trademark of EcoMedia & Marketing, LLC. U.S. Ph: 352.817.5893, info@EcoGuides.info. EcoGuides are printed on 100% FSC certified paper in compliance with the environmental and social standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).