PARADISE ON EARTH

IN 2020, PRINCE WILLIAM and The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge launched an incentivised decade-long campaign – the Earthshot Prize – to find solutions for protecting and restoring nature, cleaning our air, reviving our oceans, building a waste-free world and fixing our climate. The prize centres on these five Earthshots which, if achieved by 2030, will improve life for generations to come. By then, there will be at least 50 solutions to the world’s greatest environmental problems. Each year, five Earthshot Prize winners receive money (more than $6 million) to support various agreed upon environmental and conservation projects.

Since winning the coveted 2021 Earthshot Prize to protect and restore nature, Costa Rica continues to drive the global environmental agenda, now legalising an extension of its marine reserves to increase its protected area from three percent of its ocean territory to the High Ambition Coalition target of 30 percent. This follows three decades of work by Costa Rica’s government to save the country’s vast forests that have been devastated by unregulated exploitation. Almost all of the country’s energy is renewable, and the aim is to achieve 100 percent by 2030. Seventy percent of all buses and taxis are expected to be electric by 2030, with full electrification projected for 2050. According to the Earthshot Prize, the government’s plan to compensate Costa Ricans for planting trees and restoring ecosystems resulted in the forests doubling in size to more than 53 percent cover, enabling flora and fauna to thrive and leading to a boom in ecotourism that injected $4 billion to the economy. This with a population of just over five million.

Where The Jungle Meets The Sea

Located on the Isthmus of Panama between North and South America, Costa Rica entrenched a sustainable tourism model in the public and private sectors decades ago to mitigate its vulnerability to climate change. Costa Rica makes up 0.03 percent of the world’s landmass and around half a million species are known to live there, equal to about five percent of the estimated species on Earth. Sustainability, innovation and inclusivity are priorities to attract global travellers ready to adapt and do their bit to reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to conservation and cultural heritage.

The influence of the beautiful local landscapes is evident, and the property seamlessly integrates into the environment. Rock was quarried and wood was harvested in the area to minimise embodied carbon in the project. Indigenous tribes, who live in settlements in the Costa Rican mountains, produced the natural fibre ceilings. Even recycled wine and spirits bottles were used as decorative and insulating materials on the facade.

According to David, “Many think true five-star luxury can’t be obtained by strictly following ecological and low-carbon initiatives, but I disagree. From the locally made botanical and organic spa and bath products to the impossibly soft and velvety sheets on our beds made from recycled plastic bottles, we take green to the limit without sacrificing the quality of the experience.”

While each of the magnificent villas can be rented individually, when combined they become the basis for an exclusive-use resort for events and special celebrations. Both villas are fully staffed, offering a butler, bartender, housekeeping, driving services and gourmet breakfast daily. A concierge handles transportation bookings, tours, spa treatments and dining. Most guests favour a farm-to-table menu and can hire a personal chef for lunches and dinners at the villa.

Villa Punto de Vista estate promises an extraordinary experience rather than an ordinary adventure, exceeding expectations among global luxury travellers focused on wellness, ecotourism, sustainability and developing meaningful human connections. The upshot of an indulgent stay here is a reconnection with oneself and another and a journey to self-discovery most of us are looking for, even if unknowingly. ■ villapuntodevista.com

Extraordinary Experience

The eco-conscious Villa Punto de Vista estate (right) is a relaxing, nurturing environment and provides a transformative experience through authentic and genuine service and hospitality, organic and artisanal food and a spellbinding location. The 2.5-acre private seaside retreat, perched over the golden sands of Costa Rica’s pristine Manuel Antonio Bay, comprises two luxury villas: the 10-bedroom Villa Punto de Vista and eight/ninebedroom, Villa La Isla. The design by co-owner and architect David Konwiser, a Costa Rican native, reflects an ingrained commitment to the planet and sustainable initiatives, from the choice to go vertical to minimise the impact of the building’s footprint to the use of elements that are organic, recyclable and biodegradable. The estate incorporates green practices, from energy-efficient systems and solar power roofs to using rainwater and compostable plates, cups and straws.

LOCAL ARCHITECT BRIAN MCKECHNIE’S COLLECTION