The Celebrity Guide to Costa Rica Hideaways

Vacation like a celebrity by following the lead of those who do it best…

Celebrities are known for having discerning tastes and demanding schedules, so when it comes time to vacation, it’s all about escape from the ordinary and relaxation. Those who follow Hollywood travel gossip may notice the Central American nation of Costa Rica’s increasing headline presence, attracting stars looking for just that. The country best known for its eco-tourism is on its way to becoming an established A-List sanctuary with luxury hotels and private properties that rival those of Miami, Maui and Cabo San Lucas.

Trailblazers like Mel Gibson and Gisele Bundchen led the way with their multimillion dollar beachfront properties on the Nicoya Peninsula, while the sunshine, verdant tropical coastline and relative anonymity sealed the deal for a new class of elite visitors to the country. Be it for relaxation, romantic getaways, business or a greater cause, the rich and famous are frequent visitors to this trendy destination’s most luxurious hideaways.

Vacation like a Rock Star

Known as one of the top 20 best backdrops for a destination wedding, Costa Rica has managed to net some famous lovebirds in their search for the most romantic scenery in the world. Most notably, the country played host to the 2006 marriage of pop singerPink and Freestyle Motocross Racer Carey Hart. The Grammy award-winning bride waltzed down a sandy aisle to the tune of Billy Joel’s “She’s Always a Woman” at the Four Seasons Papagayo as 100 guests including Lisa Marie Presley looked on.

The exquisite 5-star resort, the smallest of the Four Seasons brand, is known for its ultra-exclusive service and privacy, making it a top pick for celebrity vacationers to Costa Rica. Its extensive list of famous guests also includes singer couple Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz (lead singer of Fall Out Boy), who visited the resort together for a tropical getaway in January 2008. They may have been inspired by Brad Pitt andAngelina Jolie who made reservations at the Four Seasons under the pseudonym “the Black family” during a United Nations Good Will Ambassador trip in which they spent Christmas with Colombian refugees in the country’s capital.

Sustainable Celebrity Vacations

For the new class of jet setting hippies wishing to make less of a mark both on nature and the paparazzi radar, Costa Rica’s top sustainable hotels offer the perfect combination of privacy and relaxation. These places cater to those with a heightened sense of environmental awareness and have become synonymous with Costa Rica’s eco-friendly image. The Lapa Rios Lodge, one of Costa Rica’s first sustainable luxury hotels on the Osa Peninsula, has an extensive celebrity guest list that includes John McCain and his wife Cindy, Formula One racecar driver Michael Schumacher, and the Queen’s Representative and Governor of Turks & Caicos Richard Tauwahre.

Punta Islita is another boutique resort that has made a big name for itself attracting guests like Enrique Iglesias, David Hasselhoff and Madonna, according to the hotel’s Vice President Eduardo Villafranca. The sustainable hotel is one of the most remote in the country, offering infinite space and privacy for its guests and employment and empowerment programs for the local community.

Another off-the-beaten-path hotel that wowed celebrity guests Charlize Therone andKevin Bacon is Finca Rosa Blanca in the hills above San Jose. The hotel was awarded a perfect score on its Sustainable Tourism Certification for clean environmental and social practices and is the perfect hideaway for guests desiring fresh air, relaxation and privacy.

Private Hideaways

Costa Rica has not yet been featured on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, in part because the multimillion dollar vacation homes along its shores have popped up so inconspicuously. As a popular destination for Latin America’s own rich and famous, the E! Latin America channel’s Luxe World recently shed light on some of the country’s most lavish vacation homes and 5-star hotels. The show’s host and Soethby’s realtor to the stars Anolan Dragitsch said “Now I understand why Salma Hayek, David Hasselhoff, Jennifer Lopez, Donatella Versace, Cavalli, Shaquille O’Neal, Janet Jackson, Britney Spears and Carolina Herrar always spoke to me about Costa Rica.”

The program featured exquisite homes and Costa Rica vacation rentals such as Villa Buena Onda, a 10,000 square foot mansion on the popular Guanacaste coast that is rumored to have hosted several famous guests to the region. The villa not only boasts a full-time 7-person staff including gourmet chef and concierge, but all tours and transportation are also private, catering to guests who wish to maintain a low profile while visiting the natural and cultural treasures of the area.

Several celebrity properties that not even E! Entertainment could touch include Mel Gibson’s $25 million property on Guanacaste’s Playa Barrigona, which has played host to several celebrity buddies including Britney Spears, and Gisele Bundchen’s private vacation home in the beachside surf town of Santa Teresa where she’s hosted ex and current boyfriends Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Brady, respectively. Several Costa Rica Real Estate companies have reported property purchases by other stars including Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon, Sting, Harrison Ford and Bobbie Phillips.

For those not ready to make the financial plunge, high end vacation homes can be rented by celebs and regular travelers alike to make for idyllic, no-strings-attached tropical getaways. English band Jamiroquai rented a home in the quiet gulf town of Tambor for over a month to record their last album, while Gwyneth Paltrow and hubbyChris Martin (lead singer of Coldplay) spent a lavish vacation at the March House in Mal Pais.

Mixing Business with Pleasure

Costa Rica’s temptation as a tropical getaway is enhanced by its proximity to the United States. Jet-setting is synonymous with the celebrity lifestyle and accessibility is crucial to trip feasibility for travelers with a packed schedule. Direct flights to Costa Rica are shorter and less expensive than flying across the continental United States, allowing one to board an international flight in the morning and hit the beach by noon.

For the rich and famous who just can’t get away from the job, Costa Rica is the most modernized Central American nation offering business opportunities and the technological infrastructure necessary to stay in touch with reality. Costa Rica’s President Oscar Arias has become the country’s top ambassador to the stars, inviting big screen visitors like Steven Seagal and Mel Gibson to discuss the future of the movie production industry in Costa Rica. Bill Gates also paid the Costa Rican president a visit last April to discuss the country’s information technology potential before continuing on vacation to the Four Seasons with his family.

Despite the growing Costa Rica buzz among inner celebrity circles, the tourism industry will have any visitor feeling like royalty. As the top source of revenue in the country, a job in tourism is a source of pride and employees are well educated, bilingual and enjoy what they do. Service is personalized, warm and friendly and the tropical ambiance will inspire anyone from celebrities to middle class families or Fortune 500 CEOs to strap on a pair of Tivas for a waterfall hunt or try their hand at beginner surf lessons.

After all, over stressed work situations and the desire for privacy and relaxation aren’t just for the rich and famous, but they can teach us a thing or two. If you too need a break from the daily grind, follow the celebrity trail to Costa Rica.

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Beaches

Costa Rica Beach GuideThere are numerous Costa Rica Beaches on the over 1500 kilometers (1000 miles) of coastline in that country. Here is an overview of some of the great Costa Rica Beaches to be enjoyed.

Carribean Coast

Limon

Puerto Limon is the main tourist center in the central Caribbean area, with the country's largest seaport for import and export, as well as beautiful beaches and interesting nightlife with an Afro-Caribbean flair. In the vicinity are beautiful Caribbean beaches with the only reef in Costa Rica.

Cahuita

Cahuita is a beach that is situated nearby to Limon. A national park is situated here which protects the coral reef and marine life. Nice sandy beaches in the area.

Puerto Viejo

Puerto Viejo is further south further south from Cahuita and makes a lovely place to visit. There are a numberexclusive hotels and beaches along this area.

Tortuguero

This region is North of Lim

on. The whole region is comprised of natural canals that lie behind a thin strip of land and the sea. There are extraordinary jungle lodges and canal tours for you to enjoy. Garfish, Caimans, and Manatees are often seen here. You can only get to Tortuguero by airplane or boat. This is also a major turtle nesing region.

Barra del Colorado

Like Tortuguero you this is another of the Costa Rica beaches that must be reached by boat or plane.This is the place to go if

you love fishing. Tarpon is the prevailingadversary here, but there are many other species as well. There are luxurious fishing lodges here.

North Pacific

Guanacaste

The Guanacaste coastline is known as the Golden Coast. There are many gorgeous Costa Rica beaches, some with full-blown resorts and others with few people on them. This is a very popular destination for tourists, especially now since the opening of the Liberia International Airport. Playa Tamarindo and Playe Grande are among some of the more poplar beaches in the area.

Central Pacific

Montezuma (Nicoya Peninsula)

Montezuma is on the inner rim of the Gulf of Nicoya, cross

ing by ferry from Puntarenas. It

is a popular destination for the youthful foreign crowd. There are small hotels here but not all have telephones. The Cabo Blanc

o National Park is within reach.

Naranjo to Cabo Blanco (Nicoya Peninsula)

There are many lovely hotels along this area and plentiful fascinating places to visit. Situated in the Inner rim of Golfo de Nicoya. Considered difficult to get too by some but it's not really the case. Puntarenas

This is a good point to start expeditions into Guanacaste and down the Pacific coast. From here you can take ferries across th

e Gulf of Nicoya to the Nicoya Peninsula. This is the maincity on the Pacific coast, with a boardwalk, plentiful hotels and restaurants . It is located on a small peninsula with the gulf on one side and an sluice on the other side. where there are numerousness marinas and numerous commercial fishing operations. This use to be the primary seaport of the Pacifi

c coast.

Jaco

Jaco beach is about an one hour drive south of Puntarenas. Many Costa Rica beaches are great for surfing and Jaco is a excellent center for surfers. There is nice beach break in town and extraordinary great surf spots in the vicinity like Hermosa, Escondido, and further away are the long rides of Bocca Barranca. There are many hotels, and plenty of tours to take. San Jose is about a two hour drive away.

Manuel Antonio

Manual Antonio, although the mos

t small of the national parks, is one of the most popular ones. Nice white sand beaches, rocky headlands, and a tropical forest for the backdrop. There are lovely accomodations along this Costa Rica beach.

Quepos

Adjacent Manuel Antonio is

the town of Quepos, the sport-fishing hub of the region. Marlin and Sailfish are the big catch.

South Pacific

Osa Peninsula

A very natural region which contains the country's largest national park, Corcovado. This is the southernmost peninsula on the Pacific.

Corcovado

Stupendous rainforest tours, sea kayaking and scuba diving are common in Corcovado. Isla del Caño is close, with its Indian burial grounds and awesome diving. Whale sightings are common among these Costa Rica beaches.

Golfito

There are cloistered hotels and lodges sequestered among the rainforest here. Golfito is the prevailing town and is the harboragein this region.

About the Author

Detlef is with Costa-Rica-Beaches.net. A guide to the wonderful beaches of Costa Rica.

Selva Verde and Playa Nicuesa

Resorts go eco-sensitive

Posted By CHRISTINA JONAS, THE CANA

DIAN PRESS

You smell them before you see them, or at least our guide did.

"Oh, wow," exclaimed Erick, a youn

g Costa Rican, motioning us to be quiet.

As we crouched in a thicket, deep within a rainfo

rest, he pointed toward the riverbed. "Peccaries."

We watched in amazement as ei

ght of the wild boar-like creatures clattered noisily across the rocks of a dry riverbed. The wiliest one knew w

e were there and came to investigate.

It was only then that Erick told us t

hat these animals will eat anything, including humans.

"Do we run or make lots of noise?"

I whispered, not taking my eyes off the beast.

"No, climb a tree," he replied.

"But you said earlier not to touch the trees because there could be snakes in them," I retorted, incredulous at the predicament we

found ourselves in

.

"Save your life first, then worry about the snakes."

With that, Erick rose, laughing, an

d the peccary darted for the undergrowth. We learned that in this area there are two species -the friendlier collared peccaries that we had just met, and white-lipped peccaries that are much more aggres

sive.

As we r hike to a picturesque water

fall, we were awed by the beauty of the rainforest. Leaves were as big as elephant ears and trees towered 55 metres. Moss and fern grew thick underfoot, adding their hue to the lush green canvas, while brilliant jewel-coloured dragonflies, multi-coloured butterflies and a dazzling array of flowers added splashes of vibrancy.

It is horrifying to think that only one-quarter of Costa Rica's original forest cover is still standing, and that, despite the steps the country

has taken to conserve nature, about 8,

000 hectares are deforested annually.

Our trip took us to two resorts trying to make a difference.

The first was Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge in the Osa Peninsula, an environmentally sensitive resort set on a 66-hectare private preserve in one of the most remote areas of Costa Rica. To get there you must fly from San Jose to Puerto Jimenez, landing at a small, single-runway airport before boarding a boat for a trip across the Golfo Dulce (sweet gulf).

From the water the area looked desolate, except for a lone pier. That's because the lodge and cabins are set amidst the dense forest, affording guests close-up views of white-faced monkeys, green parakeets and scarlet macaws.

The resort was built by Michael and Donna Butler, former New Yorkers, who wanted to combine conservation with ecotourism, nature, adventure and sports.

"I backpacked a lot around Central America after college and I was amazed by all the activities in this area and yet it was so primitive," Michael said. "It was like escaping to the middle of nowhere."

The couple's vision included a tree house-style lodge, the use of alternative energy, open-air cabins with private outdoor showers, a limited number of guests (22 is the maximum) and the promotion of sustainability and ecotourism, whereby they conserve the environment and improve the well-being of the local people.

In keeping with their efforts, during construction they used recycled materials such as roof tiles made out of plastic banana boxes and posts and beams made out of naturally fallen wood. The gardens and landscaping are pesticide-and herbicide-free and only organic-biodegradable cleaning products are used.

Other conservation efforts include a drying shed that can dry 39 loads of laundry in less than two hours on a sunny day, an endangered tree nursery, recycling and composting programs and solar-powered lights.

Instead of taking a boat to town to purchase fruit and vegetables, they grow their own, including avocados, bananas, grapefruits, oranges, lemons, pumpkins and pineapples.

Lodge meals focus on national and regional cuisine, and often feature fish caught that morning by guests.

The Butlers hope that guests will apply some of Playa Nicuesa's conservation methods upon returning home, and strive to educate everyone about the rainforest, as its destruction will result in the extinction of thousands of species.

Costa Rica, a country roughly the size of Nova Scotia, has five per cent of the world's flora and fauna, so it has a lot to lose. It is home to more than 9,000 species of plants, 200 mammals (half of which are bats), 160 amphibians, 220 reptiles, 850 birds and numerous insects.

It is a land where you are awakened by the loud roars of howler monkeys, surprised by a capuchin peeking in your room and amazed by toucans and scarlet macaws flying free.

Iguanas more than a metre long crash amongst the treetops, armadillos cross your path and, if you are really lucky, you could spy a puma or jaguar. Or if unlucky, a boa constrictor or viper.

The second resort we visited is a pioneer of the ecotourism movement in Costa Rica.

Giovanna Holbrook, matriarch of the family that owns tour operator Holbrook Travel, was visiting the Sarapiqui region in 1984 when she learned of plans to destroy 200 hectares of primary rainforest. She impulsively purchased the property to save the forest, and shortly after built Selva Verde Lodge and Rainforest Reserve, which in addition to accommodations, features a nature reserve with hiking trails, a butterfly garden and an education and conservation resource centre for area residents, travellers and volunteers.

Gabriel González, the manager, said the resort is part of the Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) program, which encourages companies to use recycled products, properly dispose and treat waste, install water-and energy-saving devices, conserve and expand Costa Rican forests and implement better information management systems.

Selva Verde continues to improve its carbon footprint.

"Last year we put in 400 energy-efficient light bulbs and installed solar panels which heat the water for 40 of our 45 guest rooms," Gonzalez said. "We also use laundry chemicals that are biodegradable and we have hired a guard to walk around the jungle to discourage hunters."

Selva Verde is also one of the 12 sites on a new Costa Rican bird route that runs along a corridor that has 520 bird species, including the endangered great green macaw. The first of its kind in Central America, the route was created partially with funding from the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is modelled on similar trails in the United States that promote conservation through tourism. Travellers can stay at the resorts on the route or arrange day trips through tour operators.

Modern Traveler - January 2009

Modern Traveler - January 2009

Brooke Shields pops a green ant in her mouth and grins broadly.

Pamela Cox

World Bank to Provide $3 Billion for Central America

Posted on February 14th, 2009 by Carolyn Ramer

The vice president of the Caribbean and Central American World Bank region, Pamela Cox, has visited several Central American countries where she has met with presidents and government authorities to discuss the current economic crisis.

Pamela Cox World Bank

For Costa Rica alone, the bank has approved a US$500 million loan that will seek to mitigate the financial impact the U.S financial crisis may have on the country. According to Cox, the World Bank has approved such loans since the crisis is due to external factors and not to wrong internal management.

Cox met with Costa Rican president Oscar Arias and Minister of Finance Guillermo Zuñiga. In a press conference, Cox announced that the World Bank would provide US$13 billion for the Caribbean and Central America of which US$3 billion will be for Central America and US$500 million for Costa Rica.

The Minister of Finance for Costa Rica stated that the country will request the loan although it will not withdraw funds unless absolutely necessary. Costa Rica has been given the option to request partial withdrawals when needed.

During her visit to Costa Rica, Cox also mentioned that Central America strongly depends on its commerce with the United States. The possible decrease in demand on behalf of the United States will have a substantial impact on Central America’s economy.

The financial crisis has made only affected certain industries in Costa Rica so far. The majority of the population remains cautious yet unaffected. Tourism has taken a step forward in strengthening its sustainable practices that will greatly benefit the country during the financial crisis.

Costa Rica hotels, restaurants, tour operators and related businesses have steadily shifted to green practices that will reduce its dependency on traditional energy and commercial sources.

Source of post:

Costa Rica Travel Blog

Grand Opening JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa

JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa celebrates its grand opening in Costa Rica

Thursday, 12 February 2009

Marriott International, Inc. celebrated the grand opening of its 310-room JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa in Santa Cruz, Costa Rica. The resort is operated under a franchise agreement with Hotel Real de Pinilla, S.A., a subsidiary of Real Hotels & Resorts of El Salvador. It is the fourth Marriott International-branded hotel in the country.

The new resort is located approximately one hour from the Daniel Oduber Liberia International Airport, and is part of the 4,000 acre Hacienda Pinilla Beach Resort & Residential community. Perfectly situated on the Pacific Ocean, the new and growing development offers an 18-hole golf course, equestrian center, tennis courts, as well as the JW Marriott Guanacaste Spa.

“We are delighted to work with Real Hotels & Resorts, and to see our award-winning JW Marriott brand grow in Latin America, “ said Ed Fuller, president and managing director of international lodging for Marriott. “Costa Rica is an exciting leisure and incentive travel destination, especially for eco-tourism, and attracts a diverse group of visitors. Coupled with Marriott’s global reputation for service and quality of product, we are confident this resort will be successful.”

Speaking for Real Hotels & Resorts, President & Chief Executive Officer Ricardo Poma, said “Our company is thrilled to be working with Marriott on this unique project. Our goal is to position it as the preferred resort for travelers to Costa Rica.”

For dining and entertainment the resort features six dining outlets including two specialty dining restaurants offering traditional Costa Rican and contemporary international cuisine, as well as a variety of other restaurant options for guests.

For conferences and social events, the JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa has over 75,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, ranging from intimate conference rooms to larger ballroom facilities.

The current Marriott International lodging portfolio in Costa Rica includes the Costa Rica Marriott Hotel San Jose, the Los Suenos Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort, and the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel San Jose. Marriott plans to open three additional hotels over the next three years in Costa Rica including the Residence Inn San Jose, the Courtyard by Marriott San Jose Airport, and the Courtyard by Marriott Guanacaste El Coco.

Mel Gibson Gal

Nicked by a Zip Line in Costa Rica:
"Nicked by a Zip Line in Costa Rica (Apocalypto :Lipstick Jungle

Traveling to another country rearranges my atoms, especially on the trip home. As Allen and I make our way back to San Francisco from San Jose, Costa Rica, 30,000 feet in the air, I review my time in Central America and I decide the adventure nicked me, like a scratch on an otherwise worn table.

We did everything everyone does in Costa Rica. We ate mounds of gallo pinto (rice mixed with black beans,) drank guaro (liquor from sugar cane,) hiked up tropical slopes, traipsed into rain and cloud forests, kayaked into the bayous of Mangroves, rafted down the class three Balsa River peppered with huge rocks that insisted on hanging us up, and for hours bumped over desperately poor roads.

But it was the zip line that nicked me.

We bused forty minutes out of Manuel Antonio into a Palm Grove where we jammed and jived for another forty-five minutes until we reached the camp where we were to suit up for the zip line. The routine requires that first you are belted into a harness that is guided between your legs and around your waist. Next you're outfitted with heavy-duty working gloves and a helmet that makes you look like an insect. The idea is, with your hands gripping the clamp line, you careen through the jungle canopy on a wire at speeds that sometimes reach forty-five miles an hour. The set up is as follows: two hundred feet up, wires are stretched between giant trees and the strand over which you zip can reach four to five hundred feet to a half mile.

Okay, I decide. This is good. Right? Exciting, exhilarating. A healthy injection of adrenalin into every nook and cranny that makes up my body as well as my psyche. If I fall from a platform I'll be dead. If an arm gets hung up in a passing vine it will be torn out of the socket. If I merely mess my panties I'll be forever humiliated.

Okay, let's go.

The zip line guides are young, muscular, funny, kind and confident. Two accompany you on your journey. One zips over the line to be there to meet you and help you mount the platform once you've zipped. The other assists you position your trolley on the wire in preparation for your zip.

I'm on the platform, standing on my tip toes as Julio jams the trolley on to the line. He turns me toward the jungle. "Ready?"

"Let her rip."

I'm flying through the canopy. Giant leaves wave as I wing down the line. What I'm about to describe happens in the matter of seconds because fear time runs differently from normal time. Fear time slows things down to the point that I have the opportunity to detect a buzz from a gargantuan insect that follows me. Though I'm holding on for dear life, I risk a glance at what I'm positive will be a sickly-green creature with thick, dripping mucus from its mouth about to devour me. I look right, then left. No alien creature, not even a creature of this world and I realize it's the sound of the wire under the stress of my weight and speed.

And then I feel two strong arms pulling me onto the platform. I did it! I zipped. Okay. Let's go back to the hotel and lie by the pool, have a guaro sour, read pop novels and cruise into the sunset.

"Sorry, lady," says Julio in his lilting Costa Rican accent. "Ah, si, you have nine more lines to do. Did I tell you that you are about to repel off a platform and drop two hundred feet down a rope. Oh, yeah, lady, did I mention the Tarzan swing where you fling yourself into space and you will shriek in terror? Pura Vida!"

I zipped, I repelled, I flung, I shrieked and I loved every minute. However, later when I sat on the rustic porch of a jungle restaurant, palms rustling their green fans softly, and I nibbled a portabello sandwich and sipped a beer, I noticed I was on the brink of tears. I think the emotion came from a prayer that whispered up my spine. It went something like this: Thank you for imbuing me with enough juice to get me on the line. Thank you for letting me survive so I'll see my children and grandchildren again. Thank you for not nicking me so deeply so I'm left with just enough memory of joy of the experience to allow me to overcome my next fear. Which is: I'm going to make a movie.

BioGem

Costa Rica named first BioGem country by NRDC

(InfoWebPress – www.journalcr.com) – For the first time, the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) has designated a country as a BioGem, Costa Rica, as a recognition of its efforts to become the world’s first carbon-neutral nation. "These BioGems are some of the last wild and unspoiled places left in the Western Hemisphere,” said Robert Kennedy, Jr., senior attorney at NRDC. “By naming these places as BioGems, NRDC is empowering hundreds of thousands of concerned individuals to take effective action to save these natural treasures for generations to come." Since 2001, NRDC has campaigned to save more than 30 special natural places that offer sanctuary for endangered wildlife, curb global warming and provide livelihoods for local communities. NRDC redesigned its “Save BioGems” Web site with new features in order to more effectively mobilize online activists to protect these areas. In Costa Rica, NRDC is working with the Energy and Environment Ministry to identify measures to help the country meet its commitment of becoming the world's first carbon-neutral nation by 2021. Additionally, NRDC also just signed an agreement with the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) on energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. In partnership with one of Latin America’s leading ecological facilities — the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE), located in Costa Rica — NRDC has launched a rainforest rejuvenation project to plant 30,000 trees to restore a natural rainforest. These actions will help Costa Rica reaffirm its position as a global environmental leader and reduce pressure on its biodiversity and other natural areas. In addition to Costa Rica, other BioGems added to the list include the Carrizo Plain National Monument in central California and the Peace-Athabasca Delta in Alberta, Canada, which are in danger because of oil and gas exploration. “We have a new opportunity under the Obama administration to protect and save a number of our BioGems,” said Jacob Scherr, co-director of NRDC’s BioGems Initiative. “Places like the Tongass National Forest, Utah’s Redrock Wilderness, and wildlife like the polar bear remain in danger after eight years of reckless policies.” For more information, go to www.SaveBioGems.org. source : The journal

NatureAir has been selected as one of three finalists in the 2009 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards conservation category.

NatureAir

NatureAir S.A.
CONTACT: Alexi Huntley
TEL: 506-299-6000
E-MAIL: ahuntley@natureair.com
WEB: www.natureair.com
Click here for Media Kit.

San Jose, Costa Rica–NatureAir, the world’s first carbon neutral airline, has been selected as one of three finalists in the 2009 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards conservation category.

This year the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) received a record number of entries from more than 40 countries and six continents.

“It is a great honor to be recognized by the WTTC for our efforts in sustainable tourism and conservation. We consider this to be a motivator to continue searching for new ways of doing business that add positive value to the social and environmental challenges we face in the communities we serve,” said Alexi Huntley Khajavi, NatureAir Commercial Director.

NatureAir compensates 100% of its greenhouse gas emissions through its preservation and reforestation of tropical forests in southern Costa Rica’s rich biodiversity zones of the Osa Peninsula. Since the projects beginning in 2004 the airline has compensated for nearly 20,000 tons of carbon dioxide though the protection of more than 500 acres of tropical forests. In addition, the company’s innovative use of bio-diesel (a mix of vegetable oils and recycled cooking oils) is estimated to reduce 160 tones of CO2 emissions per year.

"The Tourism for Tomorrow Awards judging process goes beyond just what a company says it is doing in sustainable tourism. Our next phase of judging involves an on-site expert evaluation of each finalist to assess what they are doing in practice, leading up to the selection of one winner in each category," said Costas Christ, Chairman of Judges.

Since 2003, the WTTC’s prestigious awards recognize best practices in sustainable tourism in four different categories - Destination Stewardship, Conservation, Community Benefit and Global Tourism Business.

The winners from each category will be announced at the 9th Annual Global Travel & Tourism Summit in Brazil this May.

To learn more on NatureAir’s conservation efforts visit its Nature Blog: http://blog.natureair.com/. NatureAir welcomes your questions and comments at its educational, social networking forum.

About NatureAir
NatureAir is the world’s first certified carbon neutral airline, and the fastest growing regional airline in Central America. Since its inception in 2000, NatureAir has grown from flying 18,000 passengers annually to more than 140,000 in 2008. The company got its start with one plane and 17 employees. Now it has a fleet of eight planes and more than 150 employees. NatureAir is the only twin-engine airline in Costa Rica with both scheduled and chartered flights, and offers 74 daily flights to 17 destinations in Costa Rica, and Panama. The Rainforest Alliance, Conde Nast Traveler and Virgin Holidays have recognized NatureAir for its sustainability efforts, as100% of its carbon emissions are offset through conservation and reforestation. NatureAir is the exclusive Central American airline for the best hotels and tour operators worldwide. It is known for its award winning on-time performance and its staff’s adventurous spirits. For more information visit: http://www.natureair.com

Sand and Sea to Spare in Costa Rica

Rebecca Cooney for The New York Times

Horseback riding on one of the beaches at Nosara.

By TED ROSE

Published: January 18, 2004

THE Nicoya Peninsula juts off Costa Rica into the Pacific Ocean like a misshapen ear. It is rugged terrain, formed by the string of volcanoes inland. Other than a few large beach resorts in the far north, Nicoya's coastline has missed much of the development that has spread across the country.

Skip to next paragraph

Rebecca Cooney for The New York Times

Waterfalls in Montezuma, Costa Rica.

In a search for an affordable, relaxed beach vacation, I first visited Nicoya in January 2002, traveling to Montezuma, a small town on the bottom tip of the peninsula, and returned last year. Once an active fishing village, Montezuma has developed a reputation as a backpacker haven, a beachside Katmandu.

One can fly from the capital, San José, to several spots on the Nicoya Peninsula, but on my first visit my three friends and I chose a combination of buses and a ferry ride. With the closest landing strip about 18 miles away, everyone completes the trip to Montezuma by road.

The town is at the base of a steep line of cliffs, a few dozen buildings cozied up against the Pacific Ocean. A string of long beaches stretches to the south; a picturesque lava-rock coast backed up against thick jungle lies to the north.

Montezuma itself is a cosmopolitan oasis, dominated by young visitors from Europe and South America. Its two main streets form an L and serve as an intimate town center. I counted one late-night bar, one mini-supermarket and one town drunk.

We settled into two simple rooms at Cabinas Mar y Cielo, a six-room operation behind one of the main gift shops. I soon discovered more elegant, affordable accommodations north of town, but I stayed faithful to Mar y Cielo. It was centrally situated, yet generally quiet. I could open my door and see the ocean a few hundred feet away.

Soon enough, I settled into a pleasing schedule, alternating the natural and the urbane. After a morning dip in the surf, I might head to town for a mango and papaya smoothie. I'd take a hike to the waterfall. Then I'd return to town to check my e-mail. By sunset, my friends and I might meet on the beach and go to La Playa de los Artistas, the best among Montezuma's handful of good restaurants.

We had intended to move around Nicoya, but Montezuma got the best of us. We stayed there for 10 days and vowed to return.

On my next visit in January 2003, I found myself less enamored of Montezuma. The town had grown slightly, sprouting a new supermarket and a couple new lodgings, but I suspect my tolerance for Montezuma's culture had simply diminished. I found the active night life unappetizing and during the day I found myself longing for a beach with fewer young backpackers.

I proposed that my friends and I travel to Nosara, a small town about halfway up the Nicoya Peninsula.

Most of the roads in Nicoya are slow, winding and poor. All of them are set in the region's vertiginous landscape. Rather than endure a dusty five-hour car ride we decided to charter a boat for the two-hour trip up the coast.

The ocean was choppy, but from the water we had arresting views of the untouched coastline. We negotiated for some fishing time, which meant our 18-year-old captain idled the boat while we ineffectually cast lures for about 45 minutes.

Because of the currents, our boat landed about 10 miles south of Nosara in Sámara, an upscale beach town popular with well-heeled Costa Ricans. As we approached Sámara's wide cove, our young captain recommended we stay in Sámara rather than arrange for a car to drive to Nosara. "Nosara is very quiet," he said, scrunching his face. "Sámara is more fun."

I wanted to leave for Nosara as soon as possible.

Less than a town, Nosara is more like a sprawling settlement. There are no paved roads, and handmade signs for tourist chalets dot the roads. We followed the signs to Lagarta Lodge.

If not for its location, Lagarta Lodge would be a forgettable place: a collection of seven simple rooms, a modest pool and an open-air patio. But the patio happens to be situated several hundred feet above a private nature reserve that stretches north for miles and is bordered to the west by the Pacific. It is a stunningly vast view.

Lagarta is run by a friendly couple: Myriam, a native of Colombia, offers a generous dose of Latin hospitality, while Marcel, a Swiss national, keeps order in the house.

I worried about losing the culinary quality of Montezuma, but Marcel and Myriam eased my fears the first night with their weekly buffet ($12), which attracts people from around Nosara and features a generous barbecue of meats and 12 homemade salads. Their simple breakfasts of fresh fruit and homemade cereal ($6) were equally satisfying.

And really, I hadn't come to Nosara for the food but for the outdoors. I soon learned I had my pick of the beaches. Playa Guiones, a long, white stretch of sand, lies to the south. To the north, visible from Lagarta, is Playa Nosara, which has the best surf. Beyond that was Playa Ostional, which is home to popular nesting grounds for thousands of olive ridley sea turtles. I stuck to the one within short walking distance, Playa Pelada, an intimate crescent lined with palm trees.

I loved the 15-minute stroll down to Playa Pelada. It began on an invariably empty dirt road and led to a monkey path through the jungle that ended up at an invariably empty beach. There my friends and I commandeered a makeshift bench under a lonely tree in the sand. We called it our recording studio and brought down a guitar to play during the hottest hours of the day.

Early one morning, I spent some time exploring the Reserva Biológica Nosara, the 125-acre protected area below Lagarta Lodge. The air soon became muggy and filled with the sounds of howler monkeys. I explored the handful of trails through the valley of mangrove trees and tangled vines.

Another day, Myriam arranged for a friend and me to go horseback riding through the reserve and around Nosara. We found the small area where the surfers hang out as well as a few other isolated tourist spots like our lodge, and a good number of "For Sale" signs, but otherwise Nosara was pretty much empty. We headed to the ocean for a gallop on the beach.

Visitor Information

Among the airlines that fly from the United States to San José are American, Continental and Northwest. To get to the Nicoya Peninsula from there, you can rent a car, take a bus (it is about a five-hour trip by road and ferry to Montezuma) or fly. Sansa, www.flysansa.com, and NatureAir, www.travelair-costarica.com, fly to landing strips at Tambor, Sámara and Nosara ($58 to $80 one way). The major airport in Liberia is near the northern part of the peninsula. The international dialing code is 506.

In Montezuma, it's hard to find a place that isn't near the ocean. I stayed at Cabinas Mar y Cielo, (506) 642-0261, which offers double rooms with bath for $25 to $40.

The attractive Hotel Los Mangos, (506) 642-0076, fax (506) 642-0259, Web site www.hotellosmangos.com, features a pool with an incredible view and individual bungalows ($81); book well in advance.

Hotel Amor de Mar, telephone and fax (506) 642-0262, www.amordemar.com, has a wonderful lawn and tide pools and comfortable, simple rooms for $35 to $87, double.

Among Montezuma's restaurants, La Playa de los Artistas serves the best dinner in town (entrees about $10) and Pension Lucy's has a simple lunch with great ceviche for about $3. El Sano Banano has good fruit smoothies ($2).

In Nosara, the seven rooms in the Lagarta Lodge, (506) 682-0035, fax (506) 682-0135, www.lagarta.com, are $70 to $80 a night. A popular dining choice is Olga's on Playa Pelada.

TED ROSE is a writer in residence at Shambhala Mountain Center in Colorado.

Central and South America > Costa Rica

The Best Ecolodges & Wilderness Resorts

Costa Rica Travel Guide

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The term "ecotourism" is fast becoming ubiquitous within the travel industry, particularly in Costa Rica. Ecolodge options in Costa Rica range from tent camps with no electricity, cold-water showers, and communal buffet-style meals to some of the most luxurious accommodations in the country. Generally, outstanding ecolodges and wilderness resorts are set apart by an ongoing commitment (financial or otherwise) to minimizing their effect on surrounding ecosystems and to supporting both conservation efforts and the residents of local communities. They should also be able to provide naturalist guides and plentiful information.All of the following do.

La Selva Biological Station (south of Puerto Viejo; tel. 524-0628; www.ots.ac.cr): Sure, this place is geared more toward researchers than tourists, but that (along with the surrounding rainforest and extensive trail system) is what makes this one of the best ecotourism spots in the country.

Arenal Observatory Lodge (near La Fortuna; tel. 290-7011; www.arenal-observatory.co.cr): Originally a research facility, this lodge has upgraded quite a bit over the years and now features comfortable rooms with impressive views of the Arenal Volcano. There are also excellent trails to nearby lava flows and a nice waterfall. Toucans frequent the trees near the lodge, and howler monkeys provide the wake-up calls.

La Paloma Lodge (Drake Bay; tel. 239-2801; www.lapalomalodge.com): If your idea of the perfect nature lodge is one where your front porch provides some prime-time viewing of flora and fauna, this place is for you. If you decide to leave the comfort of your porch, the Osa Peninsula's lowland rainforests are just outside your door.

Bosque del Cabo Rainforest Lodge (Osa Peninsula; tel./fax 735-5206; www.bosquedelcabo.com): Large and comfortable private cabins perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean and surrounded by lush rainforest make this one of my favorite spots in the country. There's plenty to do, and there are always great guides here.

Corcovado Lodge Tent Camp (Playa Carate; tel. 257-0766; www.costaricaexpeditions.com): Located right on the border of Corcovado National Park, these accommodations are in spacious individual tents set within walking distance of the crashing surf. The whole operation is run by the very dependable and experienced Costa Rica Expeditions.

Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge (Golfo Dulce; tel. 866/348-7610 in the U.S. or 735-5237; www.nicuesalodge.com): This new lodge is by far the best option on the Golfo Dulce. Set in deep forest, the individual bungalows here are a perfect blend of rusticity and luxury.

Tortuga Lodge (Tortuguero; tel. 257-0766; www.costaricaexpeditions.com): The canals of Tortuguero snake through a maze of lowland primary rainforest. The beaches here are major sea-turtle nesting sites. This is not only the most comfortable option in the area, but it's also another of the excellent ecolodges run by Costa Rica Expeditions.

Selva Bananito Lodge (in the Talamanca Mountains south of Limón; tel. 253-8118; www.selvabananito.com): This is one of the few lodges providing direct access to the southern Caribbean lowland rainforests. There's no electricity here, but that doesn't mean it's not plush. Hike along a riverbed, ride horses through the rainforest, climb 30m (100 ft.) up a ceiba tree, or rappel down a jungle waterfall. There's fabulous bird-watching here, and the Caribbean beaches are nearby.

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Eco-tourism leaves print in Costa Rica

Unspoiled natural beauty and wildlife can still be found away from the hordes of tourists

By Alex Hutchinson, CanWest News ServiceJanuary 13, 2009

On my first day in Costa Rica, a woman in San Jose explained to me why bus rides in outlying areas can sometimes take four hours to cover 40 kilometres.

"The geography is so hilly here that the only way to build roads is to dynamite the hills, but now we are all doing eco-tourism," she explained shrugging expressively. "So we're not allowed to dynamite the hills anymore."

It's a national sacrifice that has paid off: Costa Rica is the original eco-tourism success story, the home of innovations like zip-line tours through the rainforest canopy, and a world leader with 25 per cent of its land protected from development. About 1.7 million tourists visited the tiny country (population four million) in 2005, generating an estimated $1.6 billion US in revenue, more than twice what exports of coffee and bananas bring to the country.

Gallery: Costa Rica's wild forests

These days, everything from eating lunch to screaming through the woods on an all-terrain vehicle is branded as an eco-experience. But the balance between success and sustainability is a delicate one, and some of the country's most popular attractions now risk being overrun by tourists tripping over each other in their search for solitude and unspoiled natural beauty.

"Costa Rica is known as being the father of eco-tourism, as far as countries go," says Brian Mullis, the president of Sustainable Travel International, a Colorado-based advocacy group. "But since that time, they've lost market share to neighbouring countries like Nicaragua, where there are far fewer tourists, and where it could be argued that the environment at some of the major sites is much more pristine."

Gallery: Costa Rica
Lonely Planet Guide to Costa Rica

My girlfriend and I went to Costa Rica for two weeks in early December, at the tail-end of the rainy season. Even though that's a bit before the tourist high season, which spans the dry months from mid-December to April, we found that some of the "must-see" destinations were disappointingly crowded.

But we also found plenty of places protected by remoteness, bad roads, or arduous hikes, where the wildlife and the landscape were every bit as stunning as at the big destinations. You don't have to veer too far off the beaten tourist track to recapture the original spirit of eco-tourism -- and with a bit of extra planning you can help ensure that your presence doesn't make things worse.

Gallery: Wild Animals
More Outdoors Travel

The signs posted at the entrance and along the trails of Manuel Antonio National Park are clear and multilingual: "Do not feed the monkeys!" The problem is bad enough that the authorities have even begun publishing the names and photos of people caught breaking the rule in the local paper.

So perhaps we shouldn't have been surprised when, as we hiked along the park's main trail, an enterprising capuchin monkey jumped on my girlfriend's back and started tugging at the zipper of her backpack. Or when, a few minutes later, a coati (a raccoon-like animal) dashed out of the undergrowth and snatched a packet of cookies literally from my hands.

That was a low point: aside from the negative ecological impact, I was pretty hungry at the time.

Manuel Antonio is the most visited park in Costa Rica. Along with monkeys, there are sloths, iguanas, toucans and more than 350 other species of birds in the rainforest and along the rocky coastline. But the word we heard most often to describe it from travellers and locals in other parts of the country was Disneyland. The narrow trails are so congested that regular traffic jams occur whenever someone stops to contemplate the sadly tame animals.

To its credit, the Costa Rican government is trying to save the park from the perils of its own success. It has capped the number of daily visitors at 600 (800 on weekends and holidays), and the park is closed on Mondays to give the animals a breather.

In contrast, just 40 kilometres south along the coast from Manuel Antonio, we went to a wildlife refuge called Hacienda Baru where the monkeys actually seemed surprised to see us. The difference: a bone-jarring unpaved road that took more than three hours by bus.

We spent about five hours at Hacienda Baru, which is just outside the laid-back surfer town of Dominical, hiking the trails and taking a guided zip-line tour through the rainforest canopy. We saw far more animals than people -- just one group. And our guide showed us how to poke a stick into a termite nest to get a snack (termites have a nutty, almost peanut-butter taste if you crunch them with your teeth, we discovered), and how to use live leaf-cutter ants to suture a cut. It was everything we had hoped Manuel Antonio would be.

We had stumbled on an important fact of Costa Rican travel: the farther south you go, the more unspoiled the surroundings are. In the northern part of the country, heavily developed beach resorts dot both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. While most airline flights still head to San Jose, in the middle of the country, the airport in Liberia started accepting international flights in 2003, providing even more direct access to the northern resorts.

Instead of going south, you can also go up. We climbed Mount Chirripo, the highest point in the country at more than 3,800 metres, spending the night in a refuge built into the rock two hours below the summit. At the top, on a clear day, you can see both the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east. Located about three hours southeast of San Jose, it's not too remote -- but the hike to the refuge, advertised in guidebooks as about eight hours one-way (it took us considerably less), keeps the crowds down.

It's not that having other people around is, in itself, bad. In fact, we shared the mountain refuge with about 40 other hikers, mostly Costa Ricans and Germans. Perhaps because it was a self-selected group willing to tackle the long trail, but we found them to be a very friendly bunch, appreciative of their surroundings and respectful of the trails, which were free of garbage and tame wildlife.

The presence of tourists, paradoxically, is often crucial to preserving rainforest and other wilderness. Both Manuel Antonio, in 1972, and Corcovado, in 1975, were declared parks at the last possible moment, with bulldozers and loggers waiting at the threshold. With a little foresight, says Mullis of Sustainable Travel International, it's possible to use your tourist status as a force for good to preserve more wilderness is preserved and to spread the economic benefits among the local community.

Mullis suggests calling ahead to potential lodgings to ask about their sustainability policies. For instance, the Inn at Coyote Mountain uses wind energy, grows its own organic fruits and vegetables and hires all its staff locally.

The prices at upscale eco-lodges might make a sparkling conscience seem like a luxury. But many of the same steps are being taken by less expensive lodges, Mullis says.

And another option is to try community-based tourism: "You can stay with local people for a fraction of the cost of a four-star lodge, and you know that you're contributing to the local economy and keeping money in the country."

After two weeks there, my own advice can be distilled to two basic points.

First: go, if you get the chance. It's beautiful. Second: put in the extra effort to visit places off the usual tourist routes. It may be the only way to keep the Cheeto-starved monkey off your back.

IF YOU GO:

- Getting there: Air Canada has three direct flights from Toronto to San Jose each week (www.aircanada.com). Other major airlines offer flights that connect in the U.S., typically Miami or Atlanta. Charter flights are also available to either San Jose or Liberia, in the northern part of the country -- check with a travel agent.

- Visas: Canadian citizens don't require a visa for visits of less than 90 days. Further details are available at the website of the Costa Rican embassy in Canada (www.costaricaembassy.com)

- Where to stay: Community-based tourism gets you out of the usual tourist traps, and into rural communities where you will be hosted by local people. You may find lodging for as little as $15 a night, but the real value comes from the local tours, which typically cost an additional $30 to $50. To explore the options, Brian Mullis of Sustainable Travel International suggests the following websites: www.ActuarCostaRica.com and www.KeyToCostaRica.com.

Manuel Antonio, the town next to the national park, is full of tourist traps. But it also boasts La Posada Jungle Bungalows (www.laposadajungle.com, 1-506-777-1446), which combines luxuriously appointed rooms and cabins bordering the park with the friendliness of a B&B. Owner Mike Auvil is a consummate guide to the area. And as un-Costa Rican as it may sound, don't leave without trying the thin-crust pizza. Rates start at $50 US a night, $90 in high season.

Or try Hacienda Baru (www.haciendabaru.com, 1-506-787-0003) in addition to, or even instead of Manual Antonio National Park.

- Where to eat: Start with the simple: sodas are inexpensive restaurants found throughout the country, serving casados, a typical meal of rice, beans, vegetables and meat, for as little as $2 or $3. Our favourite was the unpretentious Soda Nanyoa (on the main road in the surf town of Dominical, 1-506-787-0164): cheap but reliably good, also great for breakfast and fresh fruit smoothies.

Down the road and a step up the status ladder is Maracatu (1-506-787-0091), billed as "natural tropical cuisine." In contrast to every other tourist place in the country, their casado is advertised as non tipico, or "not typical" -- instead, it boasts brown rice and organic greens. The fresh, locally caught ahi tuna we had here was the culinary highlight of the trip.

A typical entree goes from $5 to $10.

For a more upscale excursion, Le Monastere (www.monastere-restaurant.com, 1-506-289-4404) is located on a mountaintop overlooking the sprawling capital, San Jose. The building is a former monastery abandoned for decades; the cuisine is French and fairly expensive ($10 to $20 for a typical entree, but you can easily spend more). On the lower level is a bar and grillroom: less formal, less expensive, the same romantic view.

- What to see and do: If you've always dreamed of hanging 10, Costa Rica is a great place to try surfing -- even for a complete beginner. A two-hour private lesson goes for $35 US per person, and by the end of the lesson you should be able to stand up -- however briefly -- as you catch a wave. Worth it even if you never do it again.

To get away from the feeling that everyone is following the same guidebooks that you are, check out some of the local guides and small-scale eco-tours listed at www.earthfoot.org

© Copyright (c)

By Alex Hutchinson, CanWest News ServiceJanuary 13, 2009

South Pacific

Rainforest adventure in Costa Rica not for the squeamish

Lodge can only be reache

d by boat

By Gary May, Canwest News Service

sounds as though a band of banshees is whooping it up outside our door. No longer are the distinctive, ghostly roars of the howler monkeys coming from deep in the rainforest, they are right outside our cabin. We lie in bed, beneath our bug net, grateful we'd decided to pull the louvred doors closed the night before, after awakening that day to small animal droppings strewn across our floor.

A visit to the Playa Nicuesa Lodge on Costa Rica's South Pacific shore is a thrilling experience, but not one for those squeamish about bugs, poisonous snakes and brazen howler monkeys. The lodge can only be accessed by boat.

There are no roads to the outside world, no quick dashes to a nearby hospital in case of snakebite. This is the rainforest, and the lodge is established as a place to experience all that it has to offer.

Sure, you could spend your time reading novels while lounging in a hammock, splashing in the warm waters of the Pacific's Golfo Dulce and fishing off the dock for red snapper. No one will mind. But to appreciate Playa Nicuesa at its best, you should venture farther afield.

To help do that, the lodge employs a group of friendly, knowledgeable and English-speaking guides who, because of its isolation, live on-site. To escape for some R&R, the guides, too, must take the resort's boat and cross the bay to Puerto Jimenez or Golfito, where you can catch a plane.

Erick Cruz Correa is one such guide, a serious 34-year-old who takes deserved pride in his expertise on the plants and animals on the lodge property, which abuts Piedras Blancas National Park.

During a forest walk around the 165-acre resort, Erick stops frequently to explain the uses of various plants: how a tea made from the piperacea can be rubbed on the skin to fight infection, or how juice from the noni alleviates indigestion and flushes the system.

The ebullient bartender Jonathan Gonzales not only creates fabulous local drinks, he also volunteered his time one evening to take a small group on a late-night stroll, flashlights in hand, to seek out the resident caiman and crocodile, which like to spend their evenings at the lagoon where it enters the ocean.

Freiman Venegas Zuniga and Juan Diego Soto lead us one day to a pristine waterfall in the national park where, after the steamy trek, we gratefully slip into the refreshing pool that forms at its base. On the way back we hike through an old plantation once operated by the family who owned the property before selling it to Americans Michael and Donna Butler.

The Butlers left New York, where he was an urban planner and she designed urban spaces, to set up Playa Nicuesa in 2003 as a true sustainable preserve. "Sustainable" and "eco-friendly" are the current buzzwords that drive Costa Rica's burgeoning tourist industry, but dig just beneath the surface and often you'll find little action to back them up.

The Butlers' enterprise is one of the exceptions. They generate their own electric power but keep the lights down low, have no electronic gadgetry such as TVs and Internet and built their all-wood resort from either naturally fallen or farm-grown wood.

There are 19 woods used in the resort's construction, all from the region, including almond, teak and eucalyptus.

Ingredients for the truly gourmet meals, prepared by chef Edixon Lazcano, are either grown on-site or purchased at a nearby market.

"People are fascinated with the tropics," says Michael Butler. "They want to live simply, live healthy, have an active lifestyle. There's a fascination with getting in touch with nature. The fact that it's reachable only by boat makes it more attractive."

Donna Butler says many guests have been inspired to return to Playa Nicuesa in order to do volunteer work in the area. The lodge is small and will remain so. There are four rooms in the Mango House and five cabins -- three single-room and two double -- located throughout the property. The lodge can be booked for conferences or family gatherings and with extra beds for children can accommodate about 25 people.

Each cabin comes with an oversized open-air shower, the water from which helps irrigate a little indoor garden. Don't worry about losing your room key -- there isn't one.

Guests come to the soaring, open-air main lodge for communal meals. The table groans with fresh fruit, vegetables and fish. There's lots of Costa Rican coffee and teas all day long. After dinner, guests linger a while to socialize but with a long, active day under their belts they soon drift back along the path to their cabin or room. Better get some sleep: those howler monkeys will be rousing you from bed before you know it.

IF YOU GO:

- Where: Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge is on the Golfo Dulce/Osa Peninsula.

When to go: Playa Nicuesa is closed from Oct. 1 to Nov. 15. High season runs from Nov. 16 to April 30, but it can still be very rainy into early December. The rainier "green season" runs May 1 to Sept. 30.

- How to get there: Air Canada has regular daily flights to San Jose, Costa Rica. From there, fly to Puerto Jimenez or Golfito on Nature Air (www.natureair.com). There, a Playa Nicuesa representative will meet you for the boat trip to the resort.

- Cost: High-season rates start at $180 per person per night for a Mango House suite and $200 for a private cabin, including all meals and some activities. Activity packages are available or tours and yoga/massage can be purchased individually.

- Other activities: Grab a kayak and visit Casa Orquidias private botanical garden; go horseback riding or mountain biking; charter a day-long fishing expedition; take the mangrove boat tour to see the boas hanging from the branches under which you pass; snorkel; windsurf; sign on for an edible landscaping lesson and help chef Edixon Lazcano prepare dinner.

For more information: Go to www.playanicuesa.com

- Bartender Jonathan's favourite drink: This is a traditional Costa Rican drink, similar to a dark mojito.

Ingredients: the local Centenario Conmemorativo brand dark rum, quartered fresh limes, two or three teaspoons of brown sugar, crushed ice, sprinkle of cinnamon.

Pour 1.5 ounces of rum into a large, sturdy glass. Fill the glass three-quarters full with quartered limes. Crush the limes with a pestle, being careful not to crack the glass (even Jonathan sometimes does). Add two or three teaspoons of brown sugar. Fill glass with crushed ice. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service

San José

A nice play to stay and one to drink in San José

• January 30, 2009 – 8:01 pm
• Posted in Costa Rica - everyday life
• Tagged backpacker, hotel, hotel bar, san jose costa rica, switzerland

All right, today its time for another topic. Tourism and stuff. I happen to live in San José, Costa Rica and dig the place very much. When it comes to Latin American capitals, San José is certainly the most pleasant one in my opinion. It’s safe enough for me to enjoy life here without having to spend my time in taxis and condos (as you might have to in Guatemala City), the climate is perfect and it’s just got the size I love. From where I live (los Yoses), I’m out of the city I 15 minutes by bike. There are plenty of day tours you can make on weekends, so if city life gets to me I always find the opportunity to breathe some fresh air and enjoy the colors of nature.

Nightlife is also interesting and it has developed a lot in past years. I suck at dancing salsa, so it’s good to have some opportunities to dance to other music (mainly electronic). On Wednesday’s, Lubnam is the place to go. It’s small and crowded on Wednesday’s, but it has great music (and good lebanese food if you’re hungry). Bar 83 is close to where I live and has an interesting alternative crowd - so does Area City.

But there’s also a hotel bar I occasionally like to hang out: the Fleur de Lys’s bar. They have happy hour on Tuesdays and Fridays with live music and an interesting crowd. Being a son of a lawyer I was always interested in legal shop talk. So because the Fleur de Lys is in the “circuito judicial” (where the courts and public attorneys are), there are lawyers and judges enjoying their after-work beer here. Not my usual crowd, but nice for a change.

It’s here that I go to know Patrick. Patrick is a Swiss that a backpacker’s called Casa Leon. It’s in the middle of the city, so any visitor to Costa Rica must enjoy the place. Recently I have managed to visit his small hotel for the first time and I liked it very much. It’s small and personal and apparently there’s a friendly crowd hanging out there most of the time. His prices are cheap, so I do recommend it for any budget traveler in Costa Rica. Patrick has been living in Costa Rica for about three years know and is married to a Tica. He is an interesting crossover between Switzerland and Costa Rica and speaks German, Spanish, French and English (these Swiss, they always speak so much…). I can only recommend you pass by there - or San José’s Hotel Fleur de Lys‘ bar, for that matter - in case you are looking for a place to stay. Patrick also offers travel assistance and will happily answer questions if you plan to visit more of the country. San José is the inevitable starting place for any trip to Costa Rica. Many travelers don’t happily spend their time here, but if you like a good night out, you will enjoy San José. Also, it’s not too bad to stay here for a bit and planning a good route before continuing to the rest of the country.

source:

Central American histories

Opinions about Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama with a traveling touch