• About
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Me
NEVER MISS A TRAVEL DEAL
Main LogoLight Logo
  • Home
  • Destinations
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • Australia
    • Europe
    • Balkans
    • Caribbean
    • North America
    • Oceana
    • Central America
    • South America
  • For You
    • Resources
    • Questions
    • Travel Tips
    • Solo Travel
    • Travel Inspiration
    • Photography Guide
    • Motivation
  • Substainable Travel
  • Travel Guides
  • Get Involved
  • Travel Gear
    • Photography Gear
    • Travel Gear
    • Women’s Packing List
    • Men’s Packing List

Costa Rica Eco Travel – Top Eco-Friendly Travel Packages

January 22, 2020
1
0
Share

Costa Rica is a beacon for sustainability and environmentally friendly tourism. Sustainable tourism, eco-friendly travel, green hotels, responsible tourism – you can find it all in Costa Rica.
The country has become an example for the world with nearly 30% of its land protected. Visiting national parks is a great way to enjoy some of Costa Rica’s beauty while being sure your money is going to support something like the national park system.

Ecotourism in Costa Rica is one of the key activities of the tourism industry in the country. Ecotourism draws many tourists to visit the extensive national parks and protected areas around the country. Costa Rica was a pioneer in this type of tourism, and the country is recognized as one of the few with true ecotourism.

Almost half of all international visitors participate in ecotourism, according to The Costa Rican Tourism Institute. Ecotourism tours in Costa Rica usually are focus on great outdoors epic adventures and wildlife observation.

Here are the best vacation packages highlighting the prime locations in Costa Rica.

Arenas Del Mar
Photo credit: Arenas del Mar / Facebook

Arenas Del Mar

Arenas del Mar Beach & Nature Resort is bringing the two concepts closer together — Sustainability and Luxury. This a 38-room resort with a beachfront is located within an 11-acre private nature reserve overlooking Manuel Antonio National Park. This was the first luxury hotel to receive the Five Sustainability Leaf Award in Costa Rica. Arenas del Mar has led the way in the area of using sustainability and is a carbon-neutral practice.

Some of the sustainable practices at Arenas Del Mar include chlorine-free pool water, solar-heated water, underground electricity systems that do not affect nearby wildlife, use of electric cars, low-flow toilets, energy-efficient lighting, recycling and composting, and the use of recycled materials and soap produced at the hotel from leftover cooking oil from the kitchen. Other eco-friendly amenities include in the resort routine are the use of organic and biodegradable personal care products, complimentary reusable water bottles, and organic coffee.

At Arenas Del Mar get rid of all plastic water bottles from our resort. You’ll have access to two beautiful beaches, Playitas Beach and Espadilla Beach.

It’s within walking distance from the most renowned national reserve, Manuel Antonio National Reserve. You can check their Sustainability Tours at any one of their hotels and lodges and explore the wildlife and jungle that surrounds this ocean property will take you on an exotic tropical journey.

Zipline Rainforests
Photo credit: Pattaya Unlimited / Flickr

Zipline Through the Rainforests

Costa Rica is world-renowned for its canopy tours, also known as zip-lines. Ziplining is one of the best ways to experience the country’s lush and thriving forests. these tours offer travelers a unique chance to experience the rainforest as never before.

Many of Costa Rica’s national parks offer canopy tours, among the most popular, are in Arenal, Monteverde and Manuel Antonio.

Imagine sailing through the treetops hundreds of meters in the air with a chance to spot some of the country’s diverse wildlife. Don’t worry, safety is a top priority. With nearly a quarter of the land covered with rainforests, there are dozens of family-friendly locations and companies to take you on this thrilling adventure.

Costa Rica nation’s environmental services payment program established in 1997 to support property owners who leave the forest untouched.

It isn’t hard to find a hotel or lodge with zip line activities available on-site!

Explore Local Farms

The National Program of Organic Agriculture (PNAO) promotes the development of organic agriculture in Costa Rica. In 2000, more than 3,500 organic producers were registered with certification agencies, and in 2003 that number increased 13% to nearly 4,000.

A tour around Costa Rica’s organic farms is one of the best ways to enjoy local fare and learn about how the nation produces its fresh ingredients and best practices from local farmers. These tours provide a chance to learn about organic farming and make visitors think twice about where their food comes from. There are many eco-lodges and resorts that have their own organic farms where guests can volunteer. This is a perfect opportunity for adventurers who want to learn more about local farming while enjoying their stay in Costa Rica

Take the El Trapiche Sugar Mill Day Tour and explore the plantations in Monteverde.

Arenal Volcano

Visits the Volcanoes

Costa Rica has over 60 volcanoes but only six of them are active. The Arenal volcano has been considered as one of the best places to explore in Costa Rica. It is Costa Rica’s largest and most recognized volcano with its natural volcanic-fed thermal springs, waterfalls, Lake Arenal – Costa Rica’s largest lake, and a rich ecosystem of exotic wildlife.

Some tours combine several activities into one action-packed, fun-filled day like canopy tours, waterfall rappelling, mountain bike rides, rafting trips.
You can join an offer private luxury SUV with a private tour guide/driver and explore some of the areas around volcanoes.

Costa Rica volcano tours is an amazing destination for adventure vacations that include climbing, exploring and just marveling at the sight of volcanoes.

Parador Resort and Spa
Photo credit: S. Rae / WikiPedia

Parador Resort and Spa

The resort offers plenty of activities, pools, spas and restaurants on-site and it is close to nature trails, beaches and the ocean.

It is spread on 12 acres of rainforest just minutes from the country’s best beaches and the little, lovely Manuel Antonio National Park. Parador Resort & Spa is an award-winning full-service resort that proudly is offering responsible luxury.

It takes big participation in reforestation and beach clean-up programs, composting and recycling, energy and water saver programs, use of rainwater and biodegradable soaps and detergents.

Research Adventure Park
Photo credit: Geoff Gallice / WikiPedia

Veragua Rainforest Research & Adventure Park

The Veragua Rainforest Research & Adventure Park is a worldwide model for tourist attractions in terms of conservation, research, and sustainability.

The province of Limón provides amazing national parks, whitewater rafting and pristine beaches with nice surf. The Research & Adventure Park is located only 40 minutes from the Caribbean town of Limón. The park includes among other attractions, the largest indoor nocturnal frog exhibit in the world, butterfly garden, reptile vivarium, hummingbird garden.

How to travel eco-sustainably

Avoid bottled water
Travel with sustainable, eco-friendly or fairtrade travel agencies
Reduce consumption of meat
Use eco-friendly products
Book eco-friendly accommodations
Support local economies

Questions to ask when booking ecotourism tours

  • One of the first things you can check to be sure you are supporting local community is if the majority of employees are local?
  • Ask the tour guides and operators what sort of training or licenses do they have?
  • How does the tour operator reduce its impact of plastic waste?
  • Do they guarantee animal sightings? This should never be done as we can’t promise when wild animals will come out and say hello.
  • What kind of accommodations are you staying in? Are you staying at eco-friendly hotels and going on true ecotours?

Featured image photo credit: Mario André Cordero Alfaro / Flickr

Want to learn more about Costa Rica? Check our other posts:
Sustainable Tourism in Costa Rica
The 10 Best Costa Rica Eco Tours

Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Share 0
costa ricaeco-friendlyeco-travelGreen Eco-Lodges
Related Posts
Promote Sustainable Tourism

10 Effective Ways to Promote Sustainable Tourism

August 14, 2019
0
3

The ways in which the tourism industry could promote sustainable tourism and practices, rather than damage local environments and cultures, are getting explored more and more from non-governmental organizations, industry, trade unions, local authorities and governments.

The regular traveler needs to be more involved into the eco-travel and sustainable idea and adopting to increase sustainability; be it to the environment, local community projects or initiatives, through animal experiences and especially when sourcing hotels.

Worldwide tourism accounted for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions from 2009 to 2013, new research finds, making the sector a bigger polluter than the construction industry.

The global tourism industry has been growing at an annual rate of around 5 percent, outpacing the growth of international trade.

What is Sustainable Tourism?

Sustainable Tourism is a traveling system that is deemed to have a more positive impact on the environment than the negative impacts. Sustainable travel is becoming a popular venture where tourists get inspired to partake the eco-tours, which are fun and adventurous.

Tourism is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world and is a major source of income for many countries. Tourism also provides many jobs which have helped restore local economies.

Most people like traveling, going on a holiday, but tourism can also cause serious problems, such as loss of cultural heritage, economic dependence, and ecological degradation.
Learning about the impacts of tourism has led many people to find more responsible holidays. These include various forms of alternative or sustainable tourism such as: ‘nature-based tourism’, ‘ecotourism’ and ‘cultural tourism’. Sustainable tourism is becoming so popular recently.

According to the World Tourism Organization, sustainable tourism is “Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and host communities”

How to travel Better and Sustainably

As tourists, we should be mindful of how we travel and our impact when we arrive in a destination.

nonstop flights
Photo credit: Eberhard Grossgasteiger from Pexels

1. Take a nonstop flights

The number one easy green tip: book a nonstop flight. Look for the shortest flight path to your destination. Takeoffs and landings to cause most of a plane’s carbon emissions
Where possible book for direct flights, because use the least amount of fuel, it’s simple and efficient and you help to reduce the plane’s carbon emissions which are generated mostly from taking off and landing.

2. Research the accommodations.

If you plan to stay in a hotel, choose a place that holds itself to high environmental standards and ask the management to share their sustainability policy. They should be certified by a third party, such as Rainforest Alliance or the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. Choose local places to stay, as opposed to a large foreign corporation. That way you help a greater portion of the profits to stay in the community.

3. Travel with reusables.

Create a habit to pack a reusable water bottle, a travel mug, a cloth shopping bag to use for grocery purchases, a metal straw, utensils, and a container for leftovers. If you have these with you, you’ll never need to use single-use disposables.

4. Support local restaurants.

Spend time and have a meal in restaurants that are run by locals and support their small businesses as opposed to having multiple meals at the hotel. This is a good reason to don’t choose All Inclusive. Supporting local restaurants usually means locally sourced ingredients and it is a great way to meet locals who are enthusiastic about you trying their traditional food. All-inclusive package holidays mean you pay up-front for your accommodation, food and activities. This means tourists have little incentive to go elsewhere and often do not go out to local restaurants

Support Sustainable Tourism
Photo credit: Artem Beliaikin from Pexels

5. Buy souvenirs from local stores.

If you have to purchase souvenirs – buy them from authentic artisans and purchase unique local handcrafted items. Avoid purchases that will get tossed in the trash eventually. Avoid imported souvenirs that have a larger carbon footprint. Check where an item is made; you want something that’s truly local. Invest in things with value, such as art, textiles, and ceramics.

6. Pack smart. Pack smart

It is important thing is to pack light. It will make your life so easier. A great quote from Oneika Raymond can remind you of the importance of luggage:

“For every hotel with a luggage cart and paved street, there’s a town on a mountaintop on the Italian coast with 150 stairs. Try rolling that bag then.”

Avoid plastic at all. Especially, plastic bags and bottles. Instead, bring a reusable water bottle that you can refill and carry your own linen bags. Many local sustainable accommodations can provide water fill-up stations as well as reusable bags in your room.

The global travel community can change the way we travel and help preserve a lot of the world’s resources. If we do not do the necessary steps, our future generations may not experience what we have been fortunate to see.

You can find laundry all over the world, so you don’t have to pack many clothes! Havier luggage contributes more to carbon emissions because the plane requires more fuel to carry the heavier loads.

Remember to carefully select your personal care products, especially sunscreen. Many products are packed with chemicals in that harm not only you but the environment too.
Try to use toiletries that come in paper packaging rather than plastic. You can find my eco-friendly travel packing list here.

7. Volunteer with NGOs and Join Community Tourism Projects.

Always research volunteering opportunities and the organizers to ensure that your time, money and resources are actually going to a good cause. Take opportunities to involve yourself in local projects and community tourism organizations. These may be volunteering opportunities or a chance to learn about local life and practices.

8. Use sustainable tour operators with green accreditations

Whenever you can ensure to walk instead of taking public transport. This is not only better for carbon emissions, but it has a lot of health benefits for you as well.
Choose places that aren’t so far, that you can reach without relying on need to use a car, or that is pedestrian- or bicycle-friendly.

9. Walking where possible

Before you book your tours, do research and look for accreditations such as GSTC, Green Globe, Rainforest Alliance, EarthCheck, Green Tourism Business Scheme (UK) and other regulatory bodies.

Read reviews on third party websites such as Google, TripAdvisor, and TrustPilot reviews. Read reviews and blog posts from travel bloggers who you trust.

10. Share your sustainable travel experiences

Share your responsible travel experiences and stories with your family, friends or even people you meet, on social media! The more you talk about the way you travel, the more you reinforce how important it is to eco-travel.

Sustainability and Eco-awareness are incredibly important topics – how have your travels/trips been influenced by this? I’d love to hear your thoughts on Sustainability and Eco-tourism? What do you do in support of reducing carbon emissions?

Photo credit: John Norton/Spotted Eagle Ray (Aetobatus narinari) Flying underwater

Reduce Your Meat Consumption

10 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Consumption

June 19, 2019
0
0

Eating less meat is better for animals, people and the planet. You can reduce your meat consumption by eating some vegan or vegetarian meals and by reducing the amount of meat you eat in each meal.

World’s leading health organizations now encourage a reduction in the amount of meat people consume. The World Cancer Research Fund recommends we “choose mostly plant foods, limit red meat and avoid processed meat”. A study by Oxford University’s department of public health found that eating meat no more than three times a week could prevent 31,000 deaths from heart disease, 9,000 deaths from cancer and 5,000 deaths from stroke, as well as save billions of dollars.

The cost of meat has risen 10 percent in the last decade. Plant proteins such as lentils, peas or dried beans cost less than the equivalent amount of animal protein. Eating less meat can save you money!

Below you can find the 10 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Consumption

Meat Free Monday helps reduce meat consumption

1. Try going meat free for one day a week

Sign up for Meat Free Mondays! This 15% reduction in your meat consumption can be massively beneficial to the environment and your health.

vegetarian protein sources

Photo credit: rawpixel.com from Pexels

2. Ensure you get enough protein from vegetarian sources instead, like lentils and almonds.

Proteins are essential nutrients for the human body. They are one of the building blocks of body tissue and can also serve as a fuel source. The Recommended Daily Allowance of protein is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

Buckwheat Garden Salad
Photo credit: thehealthyfoodie

3. Experiment with new grains and vegetables

Add a variety of new flavours and textures to your meals by trying combinations with new veggies. You can try this buckwheat garden salad.

vegetarian dishes
Photo credit: Ella Olsson from Pexels

4. Look to cuisines from countries with well-known vegetarian dishes such as Indian and Mexican recipes.

chicken noodle soup
Photo credit: HM Grand Central Hotel from Pexels

5. Buy meat on the bone, as bones not only add extra flavor but can also be used to make stock for another meal – such as chicken noodle soup.

reduce meat consumtion
Photo credit: Marta Dzedyshko from Pexels

6. Adding a meaty texture to your meal

If you really like your meat, add ‘meaty’ flavors by using dried mushrooms or soya sauce, and ‘meaty’ textures like aubergines following this mushroom risotto recipe.

meat dishes with beans
Photo credit: Pixabay from Pexels

7. Bulk up meat dishes with beans, grains or vegetable.

Try adding extra carrot into a Bolognese. Or if you are making beef burgers, try putting some cooked lentils into the mixture to make lentil and beef burgers.

hummus recipes
Photo by Naim Benjelloun from Pexels

8. Reach for whole and unprocessed snacks rather than vegan junk food

Carrots and hummus or apples with peanut butter rather than cookies – as getting maximum nutrition means you will feel the most satisfied with your meal.

Red Cabbage
Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels

9. Use meat sparingly, and as an extra flavor, such as bacon pieces in this Braised Red Cabbage.

Mushroom Sausage Rolls
Photo credit: thebrownpaperbag.com.au

10. Try substituting your favorite foods for meat-free versions

Instead of pre-packaged sausage rolls, try making these Mushroom Sausage Rolls.

More reasons to reduce your meat consumption

Think of the animals

Billions of animals are killed for meat each year. Most of them are raised in overcrowded cages, with no room and no access to daylight or fresh air. All farmed animals end their lives with a brutal death. Reducing consumption and eating less meat is a step that helps not only animals but the environment as well.

The facts:

Animals convert plant protein and energy into meat protein and energy inefficiently.
12 kgs of grain are necessary to produce 1 kg of beef.

This means that the amount of the world’s available nutrients is reducing disproportionally.

Over 800 million people on the planet are suffering from hunger or malnutrition, and the amount of cereal that could be enough to feed three times this number of people is used to feed stocks.

Stop the extinction of species

Agricultural expansion and overfishing are the two major factors causing loss of species and biodiversity. If we do not stop this, in the next 100 years will be a global mass extinction of species.

Check out these article for more tips about how to eat more environmentally-friendly.

Photo credit: Pixabay from Pexels

1 Comment
    ExoRank says: Log in to Reply
    January 23rd 2020, 9:37 pm

    Awesome post! Keep up the great work! 🙂

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

San Blas Islands Panama San Blas Panama - Essential Things to Know Before Visitingby padmin / January 7, 2020

“Travel in a respectful way. Don’t harm cultures or lands but seek ways to improve them. Stay in lodges and hotels that are ecologically sound, that use solar, recycle and employ locals. Purchase goods and services that benefit the local economy.”

Latest Travel Tips

Subscribe to Our Newsletter & Get Latest Updates.

Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. You can learn more about our affiliate policies here.

© 2025 The Sustainable Travel. All rights reserved.
Created by  PND Design | SEO by: SEOCrunches

  • About
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Me