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Blog Archive: February, 2009

Costa Rica Family Adventure – Tico Style

23 Feb

By Lisa Khajavi

Costa Rica is a great vacation destination for a wide variety of reasons and a wide variety of travelers.  This intimate country boasts stunning tropical weather, abundant flora and fauna, an incredible national park system, amazing beaches, stunning mountains, a vast array of activities, diversity of ecosystems in a compact area, strong relative value, huge range of accommodations from exotic luxury options to nature-based ecolodges, etcetera!  However, what really stands out to me after over 6 years of traveling to this country and living here for the last 4 and a half years, is what an incredible haven this is for family travel.  The Costa Rican people, affectionately known as ‘ticos’, love families and babies and generously express a special touch for the young, old and in-between.  You will hear ‘estoy para servirle’ often, which means ‘I am here to serve you’.   As long as your behavior is gracious, it will be completely sincere.  From the moment you arrive at Juan Santa Maria Airport in San Jose and proceed through customs, this will be apparent. There is a special line for families with young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and anyone with medical or special needs. Our first visit was when my youngest daughter was a tender 6 weeks old, and as soon as they saw me and my bundle, older daughter of 3, and husband, we were whisked into the expedited line and sent right through.  Genuine hospitality will find you, whether you are with family, children, or not.  However, when you are with children and/or elders, there is a wonderful extra effort made and the sincere desire to go above and beyond to accommodate will impress you.  I can’t think of a more enjoyable country for any family trip; there are activities to delight any age group and any fitness level.

Our daughter Daria with guide on Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Zip Line

A Costa Rica family adventure is such a great opportunity for you and yours to bond in a unique way, away from the crazy daily races that most of us participate in.  I love the process:  you have a clear planning stage, beginning, middle, end, and the post-travel memories and experiences that can last a lifetime.  To top it off, there is a common goal all can work toward together:  to have a great time!   Start by narrowing down destinations and activities.  Even if you have various priorities and opinions, you will likely be able to cover it all in Costa Rica.  We have cloud forests, rainforests, Pacific beaches, Caribbean beaches, surf camps, snorkeling, whitewater rafting, hiking, horse back riding, camping, all-inclusives, you name it!  Engage your kids to help in the planning and execution however they can contribute.  Encourage them to document the trip by keeping a journal, taking pictures, and collecting memorabilia.  Pick out some travel books together.  There are beautifully illustrated field guides of flora and fauna to identify the numerous amazing creatures you see here in Costa Rica.  The airports here have a nice selection, but if you do this in your hometown it could be a helpful part of the planning stage.  Your son or daughter might decide they have a burning desire to see a Tapir, so you would then need to choose the right area near the appropriate National Park.  A Costa Rica family adventure is not only a great time together; it can be super educational as well.

Rafting with family and friends on Sarapiqui River

I am consistently impressed with tours in Costa Rica.  Just because you are relaxing at a beach destination doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy an estuary trip, or volcano excursion, or a zip-line through the cloud forest.  From all destinations there are half-day and day trips for all kinds of tours.  When deciding on tours, I recommend always choosing the guided option.  Generally the guides here are college educated, super friendly, and take great pride in their unique knowledge which really makes the experience an excellent added value.  My husband and I took our girls for a guided waterfall hike at Lapa Rios in the Osa Peninsula and if it weren’t for the terrific guide we would have missed out on so much.  He knew just where to find a bat in a furled leaf, the dust-like spores of a fern that left perfect imprints on our clothing, cup-like mushrooms, frogs, and so much more.  The two big highlights for us were when he scraped some sap from what he called a kerosene tree, placed it on the end of a walking stick and lit it up like a lantern and when he stopped to show us the clever spider that intentionally weaves in small twigs into its web which happens to match the body color of the spider.  The spider leaves a small gap between the twigs where he can hide, making the appearance of one continuous twig-amazing!  We were so enthralled that we waited to see if the spider would retreat to the camouflaged position, and sure enough we were able to see it!  I have been so happy to have had the guides on every guided tour that I have taken in Costa Rica.  I have found that they are also sensitive to ages and abilities which will make a big difference for your group as well.

Lisa and daughters Alia and Daria watching the kerosene sap burn on Lapa Rios waterfall hike

Some of my favorite places to go with my family:
All of these places have numerous tours in addition to what is mentioned below.

1.    Lapa Rios Eco Lodge in the Osa Peninsula

For up close and personal nature, a truly sustainable experience, great food, views, excellent service, and luxury in the jungle, adventure. This lodge really is best for ‘outdoorsy’, somewhat adventurous families and kids 5 and older.  It is my gold standard for eco-lodges.

2.    Punta Islita on the Pacific Coast

They have tours, services, and even spa treatments geared for families.  The spacious villas can accommodate families beautifully.  The cuisine, service and views are wonderful; kids of all ages will love it.  The tiny local community is a treat.

3.    Harmony Hotel in Nosara

Very elegant, sustainable, healthy cuisine.  Yoga for all levels.  Great beach for boogie boarding, swimming and surfing.  The locals and the clientele have relaxed international flair.  Kids of all ages will do well; baby/toddler friendly pool.

4.    Hotel Capitan Suizo in Tamarindo

This is a Swiss-run charmer on one of my favorite beaches ever.  The pool and restaurant are totally family-friendly.   You have the benefit of a bustling community with lots of services, amenities, and restaurants, however when you stay at Capitan Suizo you are in your own lovely little world.  The beach is one of the best I’ve experienced for kids of all ages where you all can swim, surf, and boogie-board.   The staff is great.  There are several local surf schools that are fantastic for all levels.

Alia and Daria’s first surf lesson in Tamarindo

Travel is good food for the soul. I don’t think there is a better way for a family to refresh, bond and create memorable experiences together.  If you choose Costa Rica for your family adventure you will have memories to cherish; you will be delighted.  In my experience, those that visit enjoy themselves so much they return because there is so much here to savor!

Costa Rica Family Adventures- Tico Style
By Lisa Khajavi

 
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Posted in Family Adventure

 

Costa Rica Eco Travel News

16 Feb

Blazing Trails with Biodiesel
By Lisa Khajavi

The NatureGroup of companies again is blazing a trail to be leaders in the travel industry on the quest to be greener.  NatureAir has kicked off the very first Costa Rican alternative fueling station through its own aviation fueling company, Aerotica. Since June 2008, Aerotica has been offering biodiesel in addition to aviation gas and jet fuel. The biodiesel is from 100% recycled vegetable oil and can be used in any ground vehicle that runs on regular diesel.  NatureAir, Costa Rica Nature Vacations, and Aerotica (both fuel company and the eponymous flight school), use only biodiesel for all diesel ground or fleet vehicles.  These include airplane tugs, fuel trucks, delivery trucks, and vans.  Even employees are able to purchase biodiesel for their personal diesel vehicles.  NatureVacations clients, when being transferred by ground, enjoy comfort and style in Mercedes vans powered by 100% biodiesel.

Currently, the airline purchases the refined biodiesel from a local provider, and the supply is complemented by used cooking oil brought in from the homes of NatureAir employees.  Some employees have visited local restaurants to increase the amount collected, thus saving even more used oil from entering rivers.  NatureAir supplies the receptacles with small filters free of charge to employees.  A program to increase the amount collected is being developed to incorporate local school cafeterias and more restaurants.  Additionally, the ability to sell biodiesel on a retail basis in the future is being analyzed.  The aforementioned ground vehicles all proudly display these stickers:

NatureAir purchased Aerotica, now almost fifty years old, in 2003.  In 2000 NatureAir burst onto the scene making the huge commitment to be Costa Rica’s only, and the world’s first carbon neutral airline, recently recognized by the United Nations Environmental Program for this achievement.  Other organizations that have recognized NatureAir’s achievements in responsible travel include the Rainforest Alliance, Conde Nast Traveler, Virgin Holidays and others. Originally, the purchase of Aerotica was to secure the most important resource to the airline.  This enabled the fuel to be of the highest quality (proper filters, tanks, delivery) and that the fueling process would be controlled by NatureAir, thus ensuring safety and on-time performance.

While not directly involved in the costly development of a sustainable aviation fuel, the airline is cautiously optimistic that there will be a viable alternative fuel in the next five years. Based on its commitments to the environment at present, it is certain this company will be at the head of the line for their fleet.  NatureAir continues to be dedicated to being the world’s most environmentally friendly airline, in spite of the very difficult challenges in this current marketplace.

“This program is an important milestone in NatureAir’s dedication to protecting the environment and conserving our natural resources,” said NatureAir Founder and CEO Alex E. Khajavi. “We wanted to do something beyond our carbon-neutrality airline program. The world’s natural resources are precious and this alternative fuel program is a step in the right direction to keeping our air and waters healthy.”

Costa Rica has a wonderful opportunity to capitalize on its well earned reputation as an ecotourist destination committed to conservation of the environment.  This can only happen by companies walking the walk, not just talking the talk by ‘green washing’.  NatureAir, and its group of companies, including NatureVacations, is leading the way by pioneering legitimate efforts to protect and conserve the environment.  The hope is that other companies take the lead and do the same.

Costa Rica Eco Travel News
Blazing Trails with Biodiesel
By Lisa Khajavi

 
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Posted in Costa Rica Eco Tourism

 

Costa Rica Eco Travel

02 Feb

The evolution of ‘Ecotourism’
by Lisa Khajavi

Costa Rica Eco Trave Hotels and Packages

As a world-wide leader in nature-oriented travel, with 5% of the world’s biodiversity within only .035% of the world’s land, Costa Rica continues to be in the spotlight for ecotourism.  Since 1993, tourism has been the top generator of foreign revenues for Costa Rica, surpassing both bananas and coffee.   The ICT (Costa Rican Institute for Tourism) acknowledges that the tourism in Costa Rica has become mainly ecotourism.  It is easy to see why, with Costa Rica’s 25 national parks, 58 wildlife refuges, 32 protected zones, 15 wetland areas or mangroves, 11 forest reserves, 8 biological reserves, as well as 12 other conservation regions.  The array of flora and fauna is staggering.  Martha Honey of the CESD (Center on Ecotourism and Sustainable Development) cites the following:

“This West Virginia-sized country boasts more bird species (850) than are found in the United States and Canada combined, more variety of butterflies than in all of Africa, more than 6,000 kinds of flowering plants (including 1,500 varieties of orchids),  and over 35,000 species of insects.  Costa Rica is, as former minister of natural resources Alvaro Umana put it, a biological superpower.”  (Honey 2003)

Dolphins in Drake’s Bay, Osa Peninsula
Dolphins in Drake’s Bay, Osa Peninsula

All of this natural wonder in the most stable country both socially and politically in Central America, perhaps even all of Latin America, is heaven for especially the ecotraveler.  To its credit, Costa Rica has the highest percentage of protected land in the world (Fenell and Eagles 1990).  Further, Costa Rica has preserved these lands and natural habitats in such a way that they are more accessible to tourists than those of any other country in the region (Budowski 1993).  The small size of the country is a huge factor as well; a traveler has the opportunity to visit more destinations per visit if desired.

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) defines ecotourism as:

“Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.”

The history of ecotourism is interesting.  The term ‘ecotourism’ was coined in 1983 by Hector Ceballos-Lascurain, one of Mexico’s top architects as well as renowned environmentalist and Ecotourism expert.  Ceballos-Lascurain is the Director General of the Programme of International Consultancy on Ecotourism (PICE), and special advisor on Ecotourism to the World Conservation Union (IUCN).  The following definitions are quoted from Ceballos-Lascurain in an ecoclub.com article Meet the Architect of Ecotourism.

1983 definition:  “Ectourism is tourism that involves traveling to relatively undisturbed natural areas with the specific object of studying, admiring and enjoying the scenery and its wild plants and animals, as well as any existing cultural aspects (both past and present) found in these areas.”   His hope was that the result would be that people would become more knowledgeable and aware of nature and thus likely to be more involved in conservation issues.  This very desire came to fruition.

He revised the definition in 1993, which was then adopted by the IUCN in 1996 as its official definition, which states:  “Ecotourism is environmentally responsible travel to relatively undisturbed natural areas, in order to enjoy, study and appreciate nature (and any accompanying cultural features, both past and present), that promotes conservation, has low negative visitor impact, and provides for beneficially active socio-economic involvement of local populations.”

What began as a niche in the early 80’s has grown exponentially with far-reaching effects.  From the roots of ecotourism sprang ‘responsible’ and ‘sustainable’ tourism, and as seen above ecotourism is now defined to include the latter.  In October of 2008, United Nations Foundation Founder and Chairman Ted Turner joined the Rainforest Alliance, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to announce the first-ever globally relevant sustainable tourism criteria at the IUCN World Conservation Congress. The new criteria was developed to offer a common guide to the burgeoning practice of sustainable tourism and to help consumers, businesses, governments, non-governmental organizations and education institutions to ensure that tourism has positive, rather than negative effects on local communities and the environment.  To find out more, check out www.SustainableTourismCriteria.org.

In order to promote tourism providers that practice sustainability, the Costa Rican ICT developed the Center for Sustainable Tourism (CST) which provides certification to businesses that are committed to sustainable practices.  The certification is given at levels from 1 to 5 green leaves, with many businesses currently certified and in process.   The Rainforest Alliance recognizes the CST as a valid entity to promote and ensure sustainable practices in Costa Rica.  Countless others in tourism are involved in sustainable practices in Costa Rica that are under the radar.  Also there is the newly formed Costa Rican National Chamber of Ecotourism (CANAECO) which is Rainforest Alliance affiliated.   With all of these organizations to help promote and enforce authenticity, backed by huge consumer demand, there is sure to be more and more in the tourism sector on board to protect Costa Rica’s priceless ecosystems and communities.

If you are interested in Ecotravel or Ecotourism in Costa Rica, speak with an expert contact us here.  We can provide you with invaluable advice about anything you have interest in regarding ecotourism in Costa Rica.

NatureAir and NatureVacations are proud to practice environmental and social responsibility. NatureAir is The world’s first certified Carbon Neutral Airline and presents an informative  video  at http://www.natureair.com/carbonneutral/ .  Also to learn more about our biodiesel program see http://blog.natureair.com/.

Lapa Rios Eco Lodge - Osa Peninsula - South PacificLapa Rios Eco Lodge – Osa Peninsula – South Pacific

Costa Rica Eco Travel
The evolution of ‘Ecotourism’
by Lisa Khajavi

 
4 Comments

Posted in Costa Rica Eco Tourism