OSA PENINSULA, Costa Rica - Sustainable tourism is heating up the travel industry – but long on the forefront of eco-friendly luxury is Costa Rica’s Lapa Rios Ecolodge, nestled within over 1,000 acres of Central America’s last remaining lowland tropical rainforest and overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
For travelers with a green conscious, Lapa Rios has been providing the ultimate harmonious escape since 1993 and works diligently to continually enhance and update their acclaimed Sustainability Program. By offering interactive tourism with greater respect for the social-cultural and ecological interests of local communities, high service standards and the ability to protect and regenerate the natural environment and local customs, Lapa Rios grants guests the unmatched feeling of doing the planet good – while providing a perfect slice of paradise to soak up and enjoy.
Built as a private nature reserve, Lapa Rios blends seamlessly among its surroundings, featuring 16 suiita-thatch bungalows perched 350 feet above the churning sea, and a main lodge that houses a fine-dining restaurant and bar – all hidden beneath the dense, tropical canopy.
Not only do guests contribute to the conservation of the rainforest with a stay at Lapa Rios, they are offered the opportunity to learn about and truly experience a sustainable environment at its best. From Sunday night “sustainability chats” – where local conservationist groups discuss environmental issues with guests – to Tico Cooking Classes that feature Costa Rican cuisine, Lapa Rios ecolodge thrives in educating eco-minded travelers.
Some activity options offered at Lapa Rios include:
The Sustainability Tour: A “behind-the-scenes” look at the daily practices of Lapa Rios – including biodegradable building materials and the bio-gas produced by pigs.
The Carbonera School Tour: Allows guests to visit the community school and meet local children, many whose families are supported by employment at Lapa Rios. Plant a Tree in the “Volunteer Rain Forest”: Guests can contribute to the reforestation program by transplanting a primary rain forest seedling to an area of second growth.
For more information on Lapa Rios, their detailed sustainability practices, or to inquire about packages, rates and reservations please visit www.laparios.com or call 506-735-5130.
"Communicating with our office via e-mail, phone/fax is difficult.
Often hours pass without any phone service to the remote Osa Peninsula.
Please have patience and keep trying."
