Eco Tourism

Eco Tourism in Costa Rica and Nicaragua Eco travel is not just about enjoying yourself and thinking only of yourself in the process, it is about advocating eco-friendly places that respect their plants, animal and cultural life at the same time supporting the wellbeing of the locals. These concepts are primary elements of eco-tourism and any traveler can travel with care while enjoying themselves at the same time. Costa Rica and Nicaragua are two of the best countries in Central America for eco-tourism and any biology or botany lover will feel right at home there. No place is better suited for eco friendly tourism than Costa Rica, which ranks number one in the Happy Planet Index as the “greenest” place in the world, while the Environmental Performance Index in 2008 ranked it number five. Its biodiversity is plentiful and all types of forests can be found – rain, dry, cloud and oak forests. The same goes for aquatic habitats, which is even professed in the country’s name; Costa Rica is Spanish for “rich coast”. There are some 13,000 species of plants, 850 species of birds and let’s not even get into the 365,000 insects. Here are some eco friendly parks that are worth a visit in Costa Rica: 1. Corcovado National Park is recognized internationally by ecologists for its amazing biodiversity but what really is of interest here are the big cats like the jaguar and puma. There is also the endangered tapir, and four monkey species including the endangered Geoffroy’s Spider Monkey and the Central American Squirrel Monkey which is only found in Costa Rica and Panama. 2. Tortuguero National Park in English means “full of turtles” and this park is known for the yearly nesting of the endangered green turtle. But other turtles nest here too such as the massive leatherback, hawksbill and loggerheads. Other animals are three species of monkeys, sloths, 320 species of birds and various reptiles. 3. Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is excellent for plant lovers as there are 2,000 plant species and hundreds of species of orchids. There are also more than 400 types of birds.

Next Door in Nicaragua: There are daily bus rides from San Jose, Costa Rica to Managua, Nicaragua. Managua has been known to drawn tourist for other reasons, but of late it is beginning to get a reputation as an eco-tour destination as well. Take note: while Nicaragua has great biodiversity, it is still largely untouched. So if you want more of the ‘real deal’, this is where to go. In fact, new species are still being discovered. But for the same reason, it will also offer less tourist friendly comforts and the forested areas are more out of the way and getting there can be more tiresome. Plus, facilities tend to still be quite primitive. Eco-tours are offered by Nicaragua’s ecotourism industry and likely they will include the Los Guatuzos Wildlife Refuge, El Chocoyero Nature Reserve, and the Indo-Maiz Biological Reserve among others. If you want to check out some aquatic eco-friendly places I recommend: 1. The Corn Islands. This place is lush with fruit trees, palm trees, white sand beaches, clear waters and lovely coral reefs. Once a haven for 17^th century pirates and buccaneers, you may want to explore a nearby 17^th century Spanish Galleon. A room here can be had for less than US $10 and lobster lovers can get them fresh from the islanders for US $1.50. 2. Bluefields. This distinctive, unique town is strangely flavored with British colonial buildings, West Indian cottages and plantations reminiscent of Louisiana. But the real draw is the surrounding ecology, as Bluefields is a protected harbor site. There are tropical rain forests, a huge diversity of plants and animals, and the beautiful nearby Pearl Lagoon. If you plan on an eco-tour, these two countries will give you a good range of tour options from an eco-tour that is well developed and comfortable in Costa Rica to the rough and hardy, real deal Nicaragua which, with plans to develop its ecotourism, will not likely stay that way for much longer. This is a guest post by Scott Zest who writes for Briefcases Direct, a website that offers a unique luxury briefcase range direct from the manufacturer. He is a travel writer with a special interest in cross-cultural understanding and off the beaten-path adventures. He has traveled around the world to locales in Europe, Asia, North America, and Central America and focuses most of his travels in adventure areas such as Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Mexico. Scott currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife Gwen and three dogs.