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Archive for the ‘Eco Tourism’ Category
Monday, September 27th, 2010
Today, six of us did the famous Montezuma beach horseback ride from town all the way to the “El Chorro” waterfall. This is one of the most magical spots in Costa Rica, where a small river pours off a cliff and splashes into the sea, next to a pristine beach.
I had walked down to the waterfall many years ago not long after I first arrived in Montezuma, and the two hour journey each way was very tiring in the tropical sun, so I was looking forward to let a “caballo” do most of the work for me. Plus, it was going to be the first time riding horses with my girlfriend Yasmin, who grew up riding them since she was three years old, on a remote jungle farm in Colombia.
Our guide was Marvin, who was recommended to Anamaya by friends who live in Montezuma and love horses. They had told us that Marvin treats his horses the best, and so we always call him when our guests want to make this horseback journey to the waterfall, which is nearly every week.
Our guests were all part of Anamaya’s yoga and meditation retreat. Jory and her mom Mary Anne led the pack. Mary Anne has her own horse in Canada and is a very experienced rider. Plus she was once a professional kayaker and all around outdoor adventurer. Brent is a race-car driver, and has recently taken up yoga as a way to help mitigate the shock his body takes from his frequent races and occasional crashes. Also with us was Shelley, who was one of the first people to book two yoga retreats with us in a row.
We headed down the beach, knowing that most likely we were going to get rained on, because there were dark clouds all around, storms out to sea, and this is the heart of the rainy season… late September and October are the wettest months here. But it’s still warm and beautiful. The weather was gentle with us… producing just enough wet to keep us cool without making us uncomfortable.
Along the way we passed the fairly recently established sea turtle protection area, where volunteers are camped out on Playa Grande and protecting the sea turtle eggs from nest robbers. The eggs are deposited in a protected area and the baby turtles will hatch a few months later, and are helped to the sea. This project has been needed for years, so I was very happy to see that it finally is happening, and I made a mental note to contact the project’s managers to see how I or Anamaya might be able to help.
Our trip took us along a great variety of terrain, from long, flat, hard-packed sand beaches like Playa Grande, deep mud that splashed on us, huge fields of driftwood that the horses cold barely navigate through, steep rocky climbs, and meandering jungle trails.
One of the things that struck me on this trip was how remarkably different the character of each beach we passed by seemed. Montezuma was white sand, and Playa Grande is a darker sand. The last beaches were redder sand… very soft, and there were also places where the entire beach seemed to be nothing but seashells. These would make great “shelling” beaches, but taking shells and rocks off the beaches in Costa Rica is illegal. After all, hermit crabs need those beautiful shells more than we do, and without the large shells around these days, they can never grow to their full size.
The waterfall was just as I remembered it… but with more water this time in the rainy season. This waterfall many years ago was even more spectacular than it is today. It used to pour off a large overhanging lip, falling directly into a nearly circular pool that one could swim in. But an earthquake collapsed the cliff edge and now the water hits the rocks before going into the pool. Unfortunately that was before my time, so I was never able to see it.
After a short time at the falls, and a snack of fresh pineapple prepared by Marvin (which Brent and Mary Anne had to defend from the hungry horses!) we headed back to Montezuma. By the time we arrived home, everyone, except perhaps Mary Anne, had very sore backs and rear-ends, and we all starting planning to book our next massages. But the trip was great… just absolutely gorgeous from beginning to end. I took several hundred photos, mostly from a moving horse so 95% of them were blurry, but I picked out the best for this gallery.
Tags: costa rica, Eco Tourism, horse tours, horses, montezuma, waterfalls
Posted in Eco Tourism, Life at Anamaya | No Comments »
Sunday, July 11th, 2010
Written by Jackie Sloves for Anamaya
Ecotourism and Anamaya Hotel Resort
Costa Rica is known for being the leading country in the world for ecotourism. Ecotourism is the notion that one can travel without having detrimental effects on the environment. This type of travel can manifest in many ways – exploring national parks, experiencing wildlife reserves, and even staying in sustainable accommodations. In choosing to participate in ecotourism, one upholds the integrity of the environment, while still enjoying the experience of traveling. At Anamaya Resort Hotel, we are proud to be environmentally friendly while still providing you with the experience of a lifetime. From our food to our construction, we keep sustainability a top priority. Our food is all organic and locally grown, much of our furniture is made from recycled materials, and we compost and recycle a majority of our waste. With Costa Rica on its way to becoming the first carbon-neutral country in the world, Anamaya is doing its part to contribute to that goal.
Why Costa Rica?
There are many ways why Costa Rica has become a hub of ecotourism. One of the main reasons is its incredible biodiversity. When traveling to Costa Rica, one has access to rainforests, cloud forests, beaches, volcanoes, and countless species of exotic wildlife. Here in Montezuma, Anamaya is tucked into a pocket of rainforest, with a private trail to waterfalls, and a 270 degree view of beautiful pristine ocean. Montezuma borders one of Costa Rica’s 24 protected national parks. Another reason why Costa Rica is an ideal place for ecotourism is its safety; the country doesn’t have a military, and this gentleness is mirrored in its citizens. Unlike other developing nations, Costa Rica is politically stable and has one of the lowest violent crime rates. In addition, the quality of life is relatively high in Costa Rica, especially in the town of Montezuma. Montezuma is known as a blue zone, in which people enjoy much longer and healthier lives. Another major factor contributing to ecotourism in Costa Rica is the convenience of travel to and from the United States. Costa Rica is a desirable destination because it is closer than Africa and Asia, while still offering a chance to experience exotic wildlife and scenery.
Pros and Cons of Ecotourism
Despite proponent’s claim of the sustainablility of ecotourism, critics say it is still harmful to the environment. Ecotourism is an industry that profits from being environmentally conscious, so there is an inherent risk of businesses who make eco-tourism claims not practicing what they preach. It is a danger that monetary profit is a higher priority than preservation and protection of nature. However, there are many benefits of ecotourism that cannot be overlooked. The alternatives to ecotourism are: tourism that has negative environmental impacts or no tourism at all. The latter alternative does not seem to be a feasible option, since it is human nature to have curiosity and a desire to explore. Since tourism is an industry, it must be done in the best way possible – the most environmentally conscious way. Thus, ecotourism has many benefits, when practiced with integrity and proper motives. It prevents industries with negative environmental impacts from becoming established, encourages conservation efforts on an individual and local level, and also has positive economic affects on a developing country. In general, ecotourism is practiced with integrity in Costa Rica. The government, the citizens, and the tourists of Costa Rica are proud of and have a desire to preserve the natural beauty of the land, which helps protects Costa Rica’s largest industry: tourism.
For more information about sustainable construction, click: Costa Rica Green Building.
Tags: costa rica, costa rica eco lodge, eco lodge, Eco Tourism
Posted in Eco Tourism | No Comments »
Monday, October 12th, 2009
Why is being “green” important? Isn’t it just another over-hyped bandwagon everyone jumps on and eventually disappears?
“Green” is the future… not a passing fad. Countries around the world are continually improving their laws and green requirements, so it’s smart business to get ahead of the curve rather than retrofitting a business later. Plus, being energy efficient saves money, and attracts clients. And in the luxury market that we’re in, the clients are the most educated about what’s green and what’s not. Rich people are all shopping at Whole Foods these days. People who can afford not to be slowly poisoning their family with today’s toxic products, then they are spending the money on cleaner options, which are becoming available in every category… travel included.
How does Anamaya Resort offer health benefits? Why do you feel that is important? What’s your definition of “health” at Anamaya?
Our rooms are as non-toxic as possible to build in Costa Rica. Most people don’t even know that every paint, every varnish, every sealant, every piece of fabric, every plastic part, etc is constantly out-gassing “VOCs” (Volatile Organic Compounds) creating what’s known as a “toxic box” effect in most homes. Today’s focus on good insulation and stopping energy/heat loss has even made the problem worse by keeping toxicity inside the home. Hence the rising rates of cancer, allergies, asthma, etc. At Anamaya, most of the food is organic and produced locally, plus our rooms are non-toxic and anti-allergenic. They are designed for good airflow too. It’s a remote area so the air and water are exceptionally clean and clear as well. Plus we have a variety of detox and health services that we offer: infrared sauna, accupuncture, lymph drainage massage, etc.
How would you define the “Anamaya experience”?
Everything about Anamaya is designed to be exceptionally healthy, refreshing, and fun. The view takes away the breath of even the most jaded traveller who thinks he or she has seen everything. People feel lucky to just know about such a place and the whole place is a “photo op”. Our guests love sending photos of themselves their back to their friends and family to make them jealous. All our staff are exceptionally fun and amazing people who enjoy what they do and it rubs off on our guests. I know every hotel in the area and there’s nothing like what we offer at Anamaya… our guests feel like they are part of something special… joining a big happy family for a week or two. One of our guests said that he believes that everyone who visits Anamaya, when he or she looks back on his life in his old age, will list his visit to Anamaya as one of the top ten most precious experiences in his life, alongside the time he climbed to the top of the Pyramids of Egypt, and the visit to Machu Pichu. That’s what we’re hoping to achieve here.
Say, a visitor at Anamaya enjoys the mind, body and spirit experience…but when they go back home, they are back to the same old habits and atmosphere…or are they?
We hope to not just entertain, but to inspire. We hope our guests will fall in love with the lifestyle that they experience here at Anamaya, and vow to make changes in their life. Our website is full of information about what we believe in… about health, toxicity, organic food, etc, and we’re constantly adding new information. Anamaya is part of a spearhead of good health that is driving into our toxic culture, setting an example of how things should be done and what we can expect in the future, and we are providing information about what we’re doing, and why, to everyone, hoping our competitors will imitate us. What a great concept… businesses competing to see who can provide the healthiest experience for their clients? That’s my personal dream as a green entrepreneur. Please, compete with me in this and challenge me to do even better!
Who is your ideal traveler/visitor?
We hope to appeal especially to people in various creative industries, such as film and music, and to people interested in organic/healthy food and living. Because it’s one of the most beautiful hotels in Costa Rica, we also know it will naturally appeal to all wealthy travellers who are usually looking for an exceptional experience. But despite our high-end appeal and luxurious features, the Anamaya experience is not about pampering our guests like some 5-star resorts do. We appeal more to the younger action/adventure traveler or honeymooning couple who are looking for something phenomenal that’s still a little rough around the edges. I would compare the Anamaya experience to something more like an African safari (without the dangerous beasts) than going to a Four Seasons Hotel.
Can you give me some fun, interesting or unusual facts about Anamaya or the people behind it? Any smaller hooks you can think of? It can be completely random…
Probably the most interesting thing about Anamaya is that the four people running the hotel… Geoff, Karen, Joseph,and Daniella, are all professional fire dancers. Some of us have performed for Cirque du Soleil (for their VIP parties, not in the shows themselves.)
You have an extensive history with “green development” – what draws you to it?
I have a strong desier to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem. Also, I did a seminar with Tony Robbins and I rememeber how he talked about ways to motivate onesself. He said that if your job or business has values that are aligned with your heart and mind, then you will naturally wake up every day more motivated to work and excel. At that time I had a jewelry/fashion business and although I loved the creativity, I wanted a business that was more green oriented, and so I vowed to work towards that goal. Anamaya is about everything that I love most… organic healthy food, green building, fire dancing and entertainment. So I’m more excited about this business than any other I’ve participated in.
- Geoff McCabe CEO/Owner, Anamaya Resort
Tags: costa rica, health resorts, wellness centers, Yoga, yoga retreat
Posted in Eco Tourism, Interviews | No Comments »
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