• About
  • 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
4
Shares
Share 4
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Share 0
costa ricaeco-friendlyeco-travelGreen Eco-Lodges
Related Posts
Costa Rica nature

10 Facts About Transportation in Costa Rica

November 14, 2019
0
0

Costa Rica is a small Central American country bordered to the north by Nicaragua and to the south by Panama. The country is known for its beaches, volcanoes, and biodiversity and almost a quarter of its area is made up of protected jungle.

The geography of Costa Rica makes it an ideal tourist destination. Make sure if you are using insect repellent that it does not contain citronella or other harmful pesticides that could hurt the local wildlife as well as if you are using a sunscreen make sure it is eco-friendly.

Here are nine important things to know about transportation in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica transportation options

There are plenty of options for getting around Costa Rica – from domestic flights, private transfers, rental cars, shuttles, public buses to taxis, and trains. Each option offers varies in flexibility, budget and comfort.

Domestic Flights

For those who can afford a faster and more comfortable type of transport, there are local airlines that offer domestic flights to several Costa Rica destinations.
Costa Rica has several domestic airlines AeroBell, Nature Air, Paradise Air and Sansa, offering daily flights to many major tourist destinations.
There are 48 main airports, only 4 being international. Airline costs in Costa Rica are pretty reasonable.
If you plan to fly domestically in Costa Rica, keep in mind that you’ll be flying on small planes and luggage weight limits are strictly enforced, expect bumpy flights and schedule change.

Renting a Car

Many of these cars are 4×4 and used throughout the country.
Most of the tourists are using public transportation while exploring the Metropolitan Area and then rent a car when heading out to the countryside.
Car rentals are good for couples and families who want to see a lot of the country and don’t mind driving

Renting a car it is a great way if you want the flexibility of exploring the natural beauty of the country in-depth, stopping to take pictures and settling down at any roadside restaurant you come across. Rent a car only if you feel comfortable driving in a foreign country.

Renting a car in Costa Rica can be a bit expensive. Rentals cost between $41 and $160 a day.

public transport Costa Rica
Photo credit: Dru Kelly / Flickr

Public Busses

Costa Rica has a well established public bus system and it is often compared to the best in Central America with routes throughout the entire country.
Taking the public bus is incredibly cheap, but it is not always the most comfortable.
The bus service is a good option for budget travelers, backpackers, couples and small groups traveling on a tight budget and want to meet locals, however, they can get very crowded. Luggage space is also limited in most public buses.

Taxis & Uber

Uber is legal in Costa Rica, but the government doesn’t like it so use the service with caution. Uber tends to be about half the price of taxis.

Costa Rica’s official taxi services are red and orange if they are airport taxis. All authorized taxis must have a meter and make sure it is turned on when entering the vehicle. You can find plenty of taxis in towns and cities city, with the exception of car-free communities like Tortuguero. Unfortunately, you can still find unlicensed taxi services. You can easily distinguish the official taxis by looking for a yellow triangle with a code in black on the vehicle’s side door.

Taxis are cost-efficient and reliable, but you should understand how they work before using one. If a pirate taxi gets caught carrying a passenger, he or she could get fined. You do not have to tip the driver.
Accessible taxis or an SUV or a van are available upon request.

Train transport system
Photo credit: Jasperdo / Flickr

Trains

Trains are a great option for adventurous. They are fast and cheap. A private company – AmericaTravel – organizes occasional weekend tourist trains from San José to Caldera.
There are currently two major railways in Costa Rica: The San Jose Light Railway and the Tico Train Tour.

Unfortunately, much of the railway system requires major repairs.
The railways are very cost-effective especially for traveling within the Central part of the country but may not be a good choice for other parts of the country. You can always take a train to a major city and then take a taxi to your final destination.

Shuttle Services

Shuttle service is a shared transport alternative on a minibus or coaster. This is a good option for people traveling in small groups.
They operate daily between popular destinations across the country. Shuttles must be booked in advance.

Private Transfers

Private transportation is the safest and most convenient way to get around Costa Rica. It is flexible and it can be planned to and from anywhere in the country. This service can be customized to fit your travel needs.

Private transfer rates are often cheaper than those of a taxi.

Boats / Ferries

Costa Rica has destinations that can be reached only by water using a ferry or boat.
The other time you will need to take a boat is if you are going to Tortuguero.

Costa Rica ATV
Photo credit: Dave Merrill / Flickr

Bikes, ATVs, and other equipment rentals

If you are exploring beach towns or other coastal places bikes, ATVs or scooters are available to rent.

Horseback Riding is a Good Option

Horses have always been a part of Costa Rican culture. It can be a very pleasant way to get around Costa Rica. Going on a horseback riding tour will offer you a cultural experience as well as an enjoyable one. You can ride through an untouched rainforest trail and spot howler monkeys, sloths and scarlet macaws, or you can trot along the sandy shorelines while enjoying a stunning sunset view.
When riding, make sure to wear eco-friendly sun protection, closed shoes and long pants.

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

Curitiba Brazil

How Curitiba became Brazil’s most Sustainable City

August 14, 2019
0
0

Curitiba is the capital of the southern Brazilian state of Paraná. It is known as a cultural center, Curitiba is home to a number of performance venues. Curitiba is one of the largest cities in the prosperous Southern region, and its population is largely descended from German, Ukrainian, Russian, Italian and Polish immigrants. The city’s population is close to 2 million.

Curitiba’s eco-city initiatives began long before the current mandate to clean up cities was born. In 1971, architect Jaime Lerner was elected mayor for his first out of three terms and came up with innovative and creative solutions.

The city has 17 new parks, 90 miles of bike paths, trees everywhere, and traffic and garbage systems that officials from other cities come to study.

The average salary resident of Curitiba about 3.5 times greater than the minimum in the country, thus taxes in Curitiba are not higher than in the whole country.

Integrated transport system
Photo credit: EMBARQ Brasil / Flickr

Integrated transport system

Curitiba, Brazil pioneered the use of bus rapid transit and is viewed as a model bus rapid transit (BRT) system for other countries in Latin America and around the world. Curitiba was the first city in Brazil to organize private bus operation in catchment areas and the first city in the world to implement a full BRT system.

They are widely recognized for their many innovative features. The overall system is the result of many incremental decisions aimed at improving service quickly, pragmatically, and affordably.

The bus system includes about 37 miles of median busways and carries about 2 million people per day. About 70% of Curitiba’s commuters use the bus system even though Curitiba’s automobile ownership and per capita incomes are significantly higher than the national average for Brazil.

Buses also travel on urban roadways, so infrastructure investments can be substantially lower than the capital costs required for rail systems.

Curitiba parks
Photo credit: traveltoparana

The buses run frequently—some as often as every 90 seconds and the stations are convenient, well-designed, comfortable, and attractive.

Curitiba has one of the most heavily used, yet low-cost, transit systems in the world.
They initiated a system that focused on meeting the transportation needs of all people—rather than those using private automobiles. They avoided large-scale and expensive projects in favor of hundreds of modest initiatives.

Passengers pay a single fare for travel throughout the system, with unlimited transfers between buses at terminals where different services intersect.

Very limited public parking is available in the downtown area, and most employers offer transportation subsidies, especially to low-skilled and low-paid employees.
Additionally, to avoid congestion in central areas, various streets in the city center were pedestrianized.

The result was a highly reliable mass transport system that dramatically reduces automobile usage, fuel consumption and emission levels in the city. A versatile, cost- and time-effective model that can be implemented by making improvements to existing transport infrastructure and vehicles.

A low-cost transit system used by over 75% of travelers in Curitiba, a city of three million-plus. Eliminates about 27 million automobile trips annually, saving 10 million gallons of fuel and lowering the city’s CO2 emissions by 25%. A model for developing cities worldwide.

Curitiba park system
Photo credit: Ben Tavener / Flickr

Increased green space

The city administration had to find a solution for the frequent flooding that was taking place due to the geographical position of the city.

Curitiba’s park system was designed to preserve the river’s meandering course. During heavy rains the river backs up and spreads out into the low-lying area of the parks, forming temporary lakes and mimicking a natural floodplain.
Curitiba has 400 square kilometers of public parks or forest space or more than 50 square meters per inhabitant. It emits 25 percent less carbon per capita than most Brazilian cities.

The local botanical garden is divided on the site of the former city landfill, it serves as a recreation and research center. In addition, there are 17 parks – and each is dedicated to a particular topic. In addition, these parks are easily accessible using the public transport system.

Curitiba developers get a tax break if their projects include green areas.

Curitiba’s Recycling Initiatives

Curitiba’s citizens separate their trash into just two categories, organic and inorganic, for pick-up by two kinds of trucks. Curitiba has also spearheaded programs that encourage residents to keep their streets clean and recycle, in exchange trash and recyclables by offering them bus tokens, food, and cash.

The trash goes to a plant that employs people to separate bottles from cans from plastic.

Recovered materials are sold to local industries. The recycling program costs no more than the old landfill, but the city is cleaner, there are more jobs, farmers are supported and the poor get food and transportation. Curitiba recycles two-thirds of its garbage – one of the highest rates of any city, north or south.

Brazil sustainable city
Photo credit: Stephen Downes / Flickr

Social Opportunity

Curitiba now has the most developed in the Brazilian system of social support and one of the most viable educational and outreach programs. Students are educated to become engaged citizens through learning progressive social and environmental concepts at an early age. A great example of this is the recycling program.

The Brazilian city of Curitiba has developed a model of successful operation and development, learning to deal with a wide range of issues from transport and economic – to the social and environmental.

The success of the city can be largely attributed to mayor Jaime Lerner, whose goals are largely rooted in developing a city that works efficiently for all its residents, and produces a society of satisfied individuals. Curitiba is an excellent example of a society working together as a collective.

It is hard to believe that so many cities in the world today are unable to find solutions for better mobility, sustainability and general quality of life.

Featured photo credit: Stephen Downes / Flickr

Want to learn more about other sustainable destination? Check out section sustainable travel destinations.

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.

© 2020 The Sustainable Travel. All rights reserved.
Created by  PND Design | SEO by: SEOCrunches

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