Golden Buddha Beach Resort in Thailand’s view of Responsible Tourism

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At Golden Buddha Beach Resort we have lived and breathed ecological and community sensitive hospitality for the last 18 years. Initially this was as much by necessity as by design. Located on a remote island with no electrical mains, no scheduled boat service and the only village one hour away has ensured that Golden Buddha has become acutely aware of its environment and its importance. At Golden Buddha we pride ourselves on our approach to responsible tourism. Put simply we define this as: To maximize the positive impacts and minimise the negative impacts of tourism on the local community and environment. Importantly we do not view responsible tourism with the mindset that once we have achieved the badge, stamp or accreditation that we are there. Instead we believe it is an ongoing process of improvement and development whilst finely balancing the objectives of business and responsibility.

The definition of an Eco Resort is generally left up to marketing geniuses. For instance, Blue Bamboo Eco Lodge might say, “Only organic soaps and shampoos are used in our facilities.” All the while consuming huge amounts of energy on air conditioning, water features and paying staff below the minimum legal wages and firing them with a day’s notice. At Golden Buddha we have a period of 6 months with little rain and a lot of sunshine that brings strong interest from international visitors followed by 6 months of the southwest monsoon with lots of rain and storms. These characteristics lead Golden Buddha Beach to use simple, low impact construction for its 25 individual houses and all communal buildings. The luxury must to be provided by nature, not man. Buildings are spaced apart and permitted to comprise no more than 12.5% of any one-rai plot. Building heights are restricted to maintain the spacious feel and emphasise the surrounding rain forests. All buildings are constructed predominantly with plantation sourced tropical hardwoods using local Thai craftsmen. As all power has to be generated on site, it was obvious that big generators and daily transport of large quantities of fuel were going to be both wasteful and expensive. Thus, the decision was made to rule out the use of air conditioning and hot water showers and excessive electricity. This policy continues to this day.

Golden Buddha hires locally wherever possible. This policy is both practical and necessary. Who else knows how the island’s community life works? What is acceptable and what is not? Who else knows the local environment and wildlife better? Furthermore, most people on the mainland think it is a bit peculiar to live in such an isolated environment with few urban conveniences. Currently all the staff at Golden Buddha are from Thailand and 90% are fromthe island or the nearby coastal villages. In addition, where services are available by local businesses, large or small, we use local. The head of the island’s TahPaeYoi village provides all boat services to and from the resort using energy efficient longtail boats powered by 14 hp engines. Small business operators in Kuraburi town provide ground transportation services for our guests. The closest accountant is in Takuapa and we use her services. It is a symbiotic relationship. Yet simply hiring local does not mean one is building responsible tourism on Koh Phra Thong. It takes much more. All of our staff are paid significantly above the legal minimum and we pay their taxes and social insurance. They all get paid legal holidays and vacation pay. Unlike many Thai hotel operators, we try to provide year around employment to staff that want it. When we are not busy with guests, they take their holidays and visit family, and at the resort do maintenance, plant trees and carry out other rainy season tasks. Training is another important contribution to the local staff on the island. Our training is heavy on skills for the hospitality industry and English language. Other training is more specialised such as food management, hygiene, carpentry, diesel engine maintenance, computer usage and sustainable gardening.

Our environmental policies continue to evolve. They are based on 1) good science, 2) practicality, and 3) guest acceptability.We lose a lot of business by not having air conditioning and hot water, but there are plenty of places for those tourists. Instead, we provide healthy food made with fresh, local ingredients. Electric power is provided from 6pm to 11pm in the houses, which is acceptable for most people. We have two generators of different sizes. Except when the resort is at full capacity with guests we use the smaller one at 2 litres per hours of fuel consumption. That saves 4 litres/hour over the larger one, which is generally only used 20 or so days/year, or as a backup. We don’t power water pumps for swimming pools; rather we provide miles of un-spoiled oceanfront beaches and a calm bay for guests to enjoy in just about any weather condition. What works in some places doesn’t work in others. Waste material is a problem everywhere. We would like to see everything that comes on the island go off again. Whereas in some communities’ glass beer and soda bottles are recycled, that is not possible here. As recently as 2 years ago the glass bottles were simply being buried after crushing. In 2008 we realised that beer and sodas in aluminium cans would actually solve an environmental problem for us. Aluminium has commercial value and is purchased locally. We no longer buy any bottles and only get beverages in cans. The result is that our staff collect these from any place they can; from the bar, the houses or those left carelessly on the beach and take them to Kuraburi to sell for some extra money. Another simple waste management problem has been plastic packaging. Two years ago a businesswoman in Kuraburi that sourced all our vegetables, fruits and meat was using a massive number of disposable plastic bags. We cannot recycle them and the only practical thing to do with them is burn them. We don’t have the complete solution, but we have made great strides. We have reusable plastic boxes and coolers, which go back and forth to her business. She packs them up and sends them to the pier and they return to the island. What plastic packaging does come to the island now goes back to the mainland for proper disposal. Since our island is virtually all sand and poor in biological carbon, we are able to benefit by saving all food scraps which are composted along with grass clippings, coconut branches and other natural trash. During the rainy season our staff utilise the compost in our gardens. These vegetables and fish they catch after work make a substantial contribution to wholesome staff meals for almost six months each year.

At Golden Buddha we do care about the environment, our staff and the local community. And, of course,we care about our guests. After all, we are in the hospitality business. Guests want to relax and enjoy the local surrounding without hardship. We are believers in science. It can have bad uses or good uses. Wewill continue to explore ways to use wastewater for our gardens, solar for power and lower energy techniques to purifywater.We are not too sanguine about making ice in the resort. The laws of thermodynamics are not very forgiving and it simply takes a lot of energy to cool water from 25 C to -4 C with current technology. We continue to look for improvements and we welcome all feedback, suggestions and potential partnerships.

For more information contact: myles@goldenbuddharesort.com com or go to Golden Buddha Beach Resort

6 Eco Lodges get perfect scores in the Eco Rating at Eco Tropical Resorts

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Eco Rating perfect scores

I am thrilled to post 6 Eco Rating perfect scores by eco lodges that have scored 5 out of 5 on our Eco Rating. I’ve even added a link in the menu because these 6 lodges deserve recognition! Two are in Costa Rica, two are in Fiji, and one in Honduras and the other in Dominica.
They are:
Bosque del Cabo Rainforest Lodge in Costa Rica
Eco Rating 5 out of 5
Bosque del Cabo Rainforest Lodge

Finca Exotica in Costa Rica
Eco Rating 5 out of 5
Finca Exotica Ecolodge

Mango Creek Lodge in Honduras
Eco Rating 5 out of 5
MangoCreek Lodge

Matava in Fiji
Eco Rating 5 out of 5
Matava

Nakia Resort and Dive in Fiji
Eco Rating 5 out of 5
Nakia
Resort and Dive Fiji

Rosalie Forest Eco Lodge/3 Rivers Dominica
Eco Rating 5 out of 5
Rosalie
Forest Eco Lodge

All of these lodges are awesome!

Small Hotel of the Year goes to Table Rock Jungle Lodge in Belize

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BTB Honors Key Pioneers at its 11th Annual Tourism Awards Ceremony for Small Hotel of the Year

Belize City, Belize – June 8th, 2011 — The evening of Wednesday, June 8th, 2011, was witness to the spectacular as the Belize Tourism Board (BTB), with a gathering of distinguished guests such as the Prime Minister of Belize, Honorable Dean Barrow; the Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Culture, Honorable Manuel Heredia Jr.; and a host of tourism stakeholders, took the time to honor the Belize Tourism Industry’s top performers and leaders at the 11th Annual Tourism Awards Ceremony.

The Tourism Awards Ceremony recognizes and honors those organizations, industry partners, and individuals who have all made outstanding contributions to the industry. These awardees are those who have taken the time to mold Belize’s natural tourism product into outstanding experiences that serves to draw millions to our shores.

Table Rock Jungle Lodge, located on the Macal River in the Cayo District, was awarded this year’s prestigious Small Hotel of the Year Award. This category recognizes a licensed hotel with 20 rooms or less that captures the true essence of local hospitality at its very best, represents cultural and/or natural heritage authenticity, and achieves consistent customer service excellence across the board. The bulk of Belize’s 700 hotels fall into the Small Hotel category.

In addition to being selected Belize’s Small Hotel of the Year, Table Rock Jungle Lodge has also been honored with receiving this year’s Belize Green Business Award, 2011 Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence, and 2010 Travelers’ Choice Award (Trip Advisor).
For more information about this lodge: Table Rock Jungle Lodge

About Belize

As one of the last unspoiled places on earth, Belize offers travelers the richly rewarding authenticity they seek in a Caribbean getaway. With direct flights from the U.S. and Canada, this tropical paradise is nestled between Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the west and south. For generations, the English-speaking people of Belize have demonstrated a commitment to preserving the country’s unique charms. Belize offers a land rich in natural beauty and steeped in the history and culture of its Maya past. Renowned for having the second largest barrier reef in the world, Belize’s pristine waters, exotic marine and wildlife, lush unspoiled landscapes and superb diving truly make it Mother Nature’s Best Kept Secret. For more information on how you can Be One With Belize, visit www.travelbelize.org.

For more information:

http://www.ambergristoday.com/content/stories/2011/june/09/san-pedro-receives-top-honors-tourism-awards
http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/55772
http://www.sanpedrosun.com/news/btb-honors-pioneers-at-11th-annual-tourism-awards/
http://www.guardian.bz/all-politics/3367-11th-annual-tourism-awards-ceremony

Whether you’re looking for Caribbean extend stays or Antigua vacation hotels from sandals, let Eco-Tropical help!

Girls just wanna have fun… in Costa Rica and Nicaragua

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May 18, 2011, San José, Costa Rica – This summer and fall, leave work and life stresses at home and round up your favourite gal-pal for a Central American girlfriend getaway.

From now through Nov. 15, 2011, Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality is offering new Girlfriend Getaway Packages at all six of its Costa Rican and Nicaraguan properties. Known around the world for their highly sustainable and Earth-friendly ways, the hotels offer a range of outdoor activities for girls on-the-go with on-site amenities for ladies in need of relaxation including: surf lessons, ziplining over a rainforest canopy, rebalancing the sprit with private yoga, learning to make authentic tortillas, and more.

“Our studies show that the dream Girlfriend Getaway often includes an international destination, a long weekend, a pool or beach location, and plenty of fun things to do in the company of their inspirational female buddies,” said Managing Director of Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality, Andrea Bonilla. “We’ve created our new Girlfriend Getaway Packages specifically around these interests. We set the stage for a fabulous getaway during a time when we can offer great value.”

Perks of the Girlfriend Getaway Packages vary at each of the Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality properties:

Lapa Rios Ecolodge
Costa Rica’s Lapa Rios Ecolodge is set on a private nature reserve spread over 1,000-acres of Central America’s last remaining lowland tropical rainforest. This property’s Girlfriend Getaway Package includes five nights accommodation for the price of four, three gourmet meals per day, transfers to and from the Puerto Jimenez airport, a sustainability tour of the Lapa Rios property (includes participating in your own Plant a Tree program) and an on-site, guided tour (choices include bird watching at sunrise, a local medicine walk and exploring the rainforest). The five-night Girlfriend Getaway Package starts at $2,175 US.

Finca Rosa Blanca Plantation
Come stay at the first certified sustainable hotel in Costa Rica, and the only property to achieve a perfect score on the Sustainable Tourism Certification program. This property’s Girlfriend Getaway Package includes three nights accommodation, three gourmet meals per day, transfers to and from the airport, a tour of the inn’s organic coffee plantation, a rainforest massage and a head-to-toe massage. The three-night Girlfriend Getaway Package starts at $1,843 US.

Arenas Del Mar Beach and Nature Resort
Set on two private white sand beaches in Costa Rica, Playa Espadilla and Playitas, the resort is safe, close to a range of nightlife activities and offers a number of activities, tours and adventures. This property’s Girlfriend Getaway Package includes five nights accommodation for the price of four, transfers to and from the airport, breakfast each day, two 50-minute massages (one per guest), a tortilla-making class, a sustainability tour, 25 per cent discount at the gift shop and a choice of tour (explore Manuel Antonio National Park, go bird watching, hike the Biezans Beach, go horseback riding, white water raft or take a surfing lesson). The five-night Girlfriend Getaway Package starts at $1,590 US.

Latitued 10 Resort
Stay in one of the private casitas at this private beachfront resort in Costa Rica for the ultimate in gal pal relaxation and fun. This property’s Girlfriend Getaway Package includes five nights accommodation for the price of four, gourmet breakfasts, transfers to and from the airport, a surf lesson, dinner prepared by a private chef with a complimentary bottle of wine and the choice of one of four tours (hike the Montezuma Waterfalls, explore the Malpais canopy, go horseback riding or discover local turtles). The five-night Girlfriend Getaway Package starts at $1,587 US.

Jicaro Island Ecolodge
Girlfriends will feel good staying on their own private island at Jicaro Island Ecolodge, Nicaragua, a lodge built with minimum impact to the island and with careful planning in terms of water supply, wastewater treatment and electricity usage. This property’s Girlfriend Getaway Package includes three nights accommodation for the price of two, transfers to and from the airport, three gourmet meals per day, two 50-minute massages (one per guest) and a sunrise or sunset kayaking tour. The three-night Girlfriend Getaway Package starts at $1,970 US.

For more information or to book, contact us at info@cayugaonline.com.

Table Rock Wins Green Business Competition

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The University of Belize (UB) in partnership with the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA), the Belize Tourism Board (BTB), and the Belize Hotel Association (BHA) has announced Table Rock Jungle Lodge as the winner of Belize’s 2011 Green Business Award!
The Faculty of Science and Technology (FS&T) of UB conducted the Green Business Competition. All Belizean businesses, such as banks, media houses, hotels, agro-industries, field stations, etc. were encouraged to apply for the award.

Table Rock Jungle Lodge was recognized as a leader in the use or promotion of green practices and technologies, as well as for its sustainable and responsible practices for the benefit of the environment, the people of Belize, and the overall development that contributes to the conservation of our natural resources.

Lecturer in the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mr. Eden Garcia, says that “UB envisions that this Green Business Competition will act as a powerful catalyst to sensitize businesses about the importance of being environmentally friendly and to inspire other businesses to take the initiative in adopting new practices that can make them future leaders as Green Businesses in Belize.”
Table Rock thanks the outstanding work of our dedicated staff in helping us achieve this great honor. We will continue our efforts to reduce our footprint in this beautiful land and to improve our eco-friendly practices in the coming years.

Gecko Villa, Thailand: Interview Under a Traveller’s Palm

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Up in the countryside of Northeast Thailand, in Udon Thani province, we recently sat down with Khun Ten, one of the owners of Gecko Villa, to discuss his unusual Thailand holiday villa, Isan itself (or the Northeast of the kingdom), and the property’s support for responsible, eco-friendly tourism.

Gecko Villa is a rural Thai holiday villa offering fully catered vacations of two nights or more, for anywhere between one and six guests. The villa enjoys a unique and tranquil rural setting among rice paddies and plantations stretching from the property’s private swimming pool.

What made you choose Isan as home for your holiday villa?

In fact, Isan chose us! I was born and raised near Khon Kaen and my wife is from this village here in Udon Thani province, so we are both locals.

The region is one of Thailand’s least developed, and employment is difficult to secure here, with the exception of working one’s own rice farm smallholding: this is always precarious, as a successful crop always depends on the weather patterns, and incomes are very low.

It was a friend who was in the hotel business who created the impetus to launch Gecko Villa – to create local employment and prevent the migration of parents to Bangkok or elsewhere to seek work. Traditionally parents, like my wife and I, have migrated to seek work whilst leaving children in the villages with grandparents, and we wanted to avoid such a split of our family.

How did you go about the construction of the villa?

From the inception of Gecko Villa, both I and the villagers involved were keen to ensure that the villa be designed, constructed and finished using only local skills and labour – and then be operated by local villagers, who would maximize the use of local produce and encourage the preservation of indigenous traditions.

And when I say local, I mean local! All of the builders and craftsmen who worked on the construction were from the three small villages nearest to the property. In decorating it, we used traditional Isan silks, cottons, cushions and Isan-heritage Ban Chiang pottery.

What makes Gecko Villa eco-friendly?

It’s a number of things we do, all of which add up.

In fact, villagers in Isan are very close to the land and have been for centuries, so tradition and necessity also play a major role. As an example, harvesting rainwater and minimizing water usage is automatic in a location where there is no mains water supply – you’ll see every house around Isan has big earthenware jars beside them. These collect rainwater from the roof and store it for later use.

Using salt water chlorination in the swimming pool (as opposed to chlorine) makes sense here, an area where salt is abundant in the ground. Growing vegetables organically is a local tradition in villages whose inhabitants do not want to waste scant funds on fertilizers.

From the outset, the property was constructed on disused rice paddies so no negative economic impact occurred. The wood used is local “Pradoo”. It is heavier than teak and twice as hard and is resistant to termites, grows rapidly, and is well suited to the soil of the Northeast. Most importantly, it is a local and sustainable tree that has the advantages of teak without the environmental implications.

At Gecko Villa we have reforested several acres of disused rice paddies with indigenous species, to help restore the local ecosystems.

We practice recycling and waste disposal programs. Again, these are in fact things that have happened in Thailand for a long time, practiced by people referred to as Saleng.

The villa uses power efficient, energy and water saving fittings and equipment. If one thing upsets us it is the high cost of solar power devices in Thailand: it seems absurd in a country where sunshine is almost always guaranteed and we would love to be able to deploy this!

I understand you are a keen cook. Can you tell me about Isan food?

We cook all meals for our guests during their holidays with us – and I’m always happy when guests learn how to make something special and can then recreate these dishes at home! Isan food is famous for its spiciness and complex depth of flavor – blending the spicy, sour, sweet and salty. Some local dishes include Larb – a spicy beef salad with fresh herbs; Som Tam – a zingy and crunchy green papaya salad, and of course sticky rice – the staple accompaniment to Isan meals.

We also cook traditional Thai food, and I suppose the greatest differences between the two are the extra spiciness of Isan food, and the fact that Isan cuisine rarely uses the “curry paste and coconut milk” formula of central Thai dishes. For us, the fresher the better!

The locals here have traditionally lived off the land, rather than simply on it, and we are always happy to show guests traditional hunting and food gathering techniques, and how these can be preserved only if the natural balance is maintained – and pollution avoided. For the more adventurous, there are local specialties including a golden array of crunchy, deep fried insects…or the kick of red ant eggs!

All produce is sourced locally, and we run our own organic herb and fruit orchards, growing limes, chilies, lemongrass, basil, pea eggplant, banana, mango, passion fruit, dragon fruit, mint, spring onions, jackfruit and more! The rice we serve is quite literally from our doorstep, from our own paddies.

How do you provide more enjoyable experiences for visitors and meaningful connections with local people?

Gecko Villa is deliberately limited to accept only a maximum of six guests at a time. They are directly welcomed by the local villagers involved in the property (including me!), with whom they have frequent daily interactions. We will involve guests in daily Thai village life and rituals (if they want!) and show them the area, explaining facets of life that may not be evident to visitors.
We also make sure that visits are generally made in ways that minimize the impact on the environment and maximize direct contact with the locals (ie visits by bicycle or boat rather than by minibus!)
Stays at Gecko Villa are tailored for each guest. Visitors may wish to relax in the privacy of the villa, or to be fully integrated into the local ways of life by the families that run the property – participating in rice farming, in temple or local village school visits, museum tours, Thai cooking classes, and so on. These activities are free of charge: additional services such as traditional Thai massage are sourced locally by experienced villagers to whom payment is made at cost, directly. We specifically aim to attract visitors who are interested in experiencing the ‘real’ Thailand, away from the major tourist centers. Those involved in the project thus understand the need to preserve and promote traditional local culture and ways of life. These are explained to guests at the property, but also on our website.
We also accompany guests to important ecological sites such as the listed wetlands of Nong Han, to museums such as Ban Chiang, and to a variety of local households to witness and experience life here at first hand.
In fact, it is the very local-specific things that interest guests the most often so we want to preserve and promote local Isan traditions – khit weaving, silk making, morlam music, Isan food, and Isan ceremonies such as Phuk Xieow. Most people will remember things that are unusual or special to them, such as visits to the local lotus lake, helping out with a rice harvest, learning to drive a tuk-tuk, negotiating local wet markets or giving alms to monks from rural temples, or discovering how silk is woven on old-fashioned wooden looms…

How successful has Gecko Villa been?

We have just had our tenth birthday!

I must say though, at the beginning, things were difficult. Very few people had ever heard of Isan, and the idea of a fully catered pool villa here, with local interaction, was a new one.

But I think time was on our side. The internet changed travel planning, allowing small, individual properties such as ours to gain a foothold. The, as we started to welcome back repeat visitors, word of mouth became a great ally. And finally, I think our concept came of age, as more people now want a genuine, authentic experience – they want to meet the locals and make a difference – and they are less tempted by a simple hotel or resort room where they are just a room number.

After ten years, we were also able to launch our second Thai holiday villa, Green Gecko. We aim to carry on what we do best, but ultimately think that two villas is enough: we want to keep the personal touch!

If I may, I’d like to thank all of the guests we have had the opportunity to meet over the years. The families here would not be here today were it not for them, and when guests come back, it really is as friends. I’d also like to thank the team at Thailand Holiday Villas who have given us so much support. We are so thankful to all of them!

For more information on Gecko Villa: Gecko Villa

Cayuga Hospitality Discounts During Green Season

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April 14th 2011, San José, Costa Rica – Budget-minded and adventure-seeking travellers who don’t mind a little rain are clicking their gumboot heels this month as a collection of award winning Central American ecolodges prepare to launch into “Green Season”.

The nickname comes from the increase in precipitation that Central America experiences from May through October – while regional rainforests return to their signature lush, green color, visitors benefit by getting to keep a few more greenbacks in their wallets.

During Green Season, discounted rates and packages can be had at any of the six Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality-managed resorts, hotels and ecolodges in Costa Rica or Nicaragua: Latitued 10 Resort , Lapa Rios Ecolodge, Finca Rosa Blanca Plantation, Arenas Del Mar Beach and Nature Resort, The Harmony Hotel and Jicaro Island Ecolodge. The high-end hotels, known around the world for their uber-sustainable and Earth-saving ways, are perfect for that dream family vacation and offer a number of kid-friendly activities, like white water rafting, nature hikes, zip lining adventures and snorkelling escapades.

“It’s a great time to visit Central America: temperatures remain high and it hardly ever rains the whole day through. Plus, there’s great surfing, outrageous wildlife-viewing opportunities and fewer guests at the resorts,” said Hans Pfister, CEO and principle of Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality. “And with summer vacation right around the corner, now’s the time for families to take advantage of these great Green Season rates. For the same price, where would you rather take your kids: Costa Rica or Disneyland?”

As an added bonus during Green Season, Costa Rica’s domestic airline, Nature Air, is offering free round trip tickets for two children accompanying two adults on flights within the country from May 1 through Dec. 15, 2011 (restrictions may apply).

Discounted hotel rates are in effect at each of the sustainable hotels from May 1 through Oct. 31, 2011. In addition, a number of other special promos are available to make the family vacation just a little bit easier on the wallet:

• Stay for five nights and pay for only four: this enticing offer is available from April 25 through Aug. 25, 2011 at Latitude 10 Beach Resort, Lapa Rios Ecolodge and The Harmony Hotel; and from April 25 through June. 30, 2011 at Arenas Del Mar Beachfront and Rainforest Resort.

• Stay for three nights and pay for only two: this offer is available from April 25 through Aug. 25, 2011 at Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Plantation & Inn and Jicaro Island Ecolodge; and from Aug. 26 though Nov. 20, 2011 at Latitude 10 Beach Resort, Lapa Rios Ecolodge, Arenas Del Mar Beachfront and Rainforest Resort and The Harmony Hotel.

• Stay for two nights and pay for only one: from Aug. 26 through Nov. 20, 2011, stay at Jicaro Island Ecolodge or Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Plantation & Inn and take advantage of this whale of a deal.

• Kids stay and eat for free: looking for an eye-opening family vay-cay? This offer is available June 15 through Sept. 15, 2011 at Lapa Rios Ecolodge, Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Plantation & Inn, Arenas Del Mar Beachfront and Rainforest Resort and The Harmony Hotel.

For more information please contact Hans Pfister at hans@cayugaonline.com.

Wildlife Corridors – Path of the Tapir

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Waterfall Villas joins ASANA in efforts to save the Path of the Tapir Biological Corridor – Costa Rica
Sighting a Tapir is a barometer for success in conservation efforts; like jaguar and parrots, these are rare migratory animals. In the rainforest of Costa Rica, the tapir is one of the animals that symbolize the vibrancy of the rainforest, because only when the forest is in its primordial essence, pristine and flourishing do these animals suddenly reappear.

The Path of the Tapir extends from the Osa peninsula in the south pacific of Costa Rica all the way to Manuel Antonio National Park passing through the Baru rainforest, and into the mountains of Tinamaste where the ridge is so vertically steep that virgin forest is still intact.

Here the largest waterfalls of Costa Rica are shrouded by a thick emerald green gallery. Amongst this rainforest in the heart of the Baru rainforest, Cascadas Farallas Waterfalls are protected in a private reserve set up by the Waterfall Villas to preserve the waterfalls and their unique habitat for wildlife. The Waterfall Villas reserve is right on the Path of the Tapir, an official certified biological corridor. The Waterfall Villas is an eco-retreat commited to rainforest preservation. Cascadas Farallas Waterfall Villas

“The path of the Tapir Biological Corridor represents one of the last remaining wild areas in Costa Rica, and as such enjoys an incredible diversity of flora, fauna, habitats, and ecological processes.”
Richard Margoluis, president ASANA

Along the Path of the Tapir, there are a scattering of private reserves, 5 National Parks, and various critical biological areas under threat: the Corcovado National Park, Terraba-Sierpe National Wetlands, Talamanca Mountain Range (where the only indigenous Costa Rican tribes still live), Los Quetzales National Park, the Marine Ballena National Park, and the Manuel Antonio National Park.

Conservationists have found that although these magnificent parks in Costa Rica are saving animal populations, the migratory animals need to venture outside of the protected areas to mate, feed, and breed. Healthy populations of animals in the parks require that the gene pool is wider than a small protected area.

The importance of maintaining the health of a biological corridor stems from the phenomena of the dead zoo – this happens when protected areas are located on a peninsula /or isolated areas surrounded by development and the gene pool is so small that animals eventually decline because of poor health. When the gene pool cannot be enhanced by natural migrations and is limited, then it has been required for new animals to be brought in manually to keep the animal populations healthy (as in Manuel Antonio). This new realization about sustaining natural selection in animal populations has conservation groups focused on protecting the biological corridors – natural migration paths that are connections between protected areas.

This conservation effort in Costa Rica has been lead by a group called ASANA (An acronym for Friends of Nature in Spanish). Unfortunately, the group was quite fragmented for some years, although they managed to start the protection process. Recently, a professional world class conservationist started to lead the group as president, Richard Margoluis. This is quite fortunate as the conservation efforts are very challenging, and he has major projects underway.

The Waterfall Villas and the Cascadas Farallas Waterfall Reserve, owned by Fateh and Franco Bolivar, is dedicated to preservation of this Biological Corridor – the Path of the Tapir. The Waterfall Villas is now the conservation group’s first corporate sponsor member.

In the last 10 years, an amazing comeback has been observed and many birds (over 400 species) including Macaws, and many other rare mammals (146 species) can be found well beyond the confines of the parks – throughout the corridor. But unfortunately, that seems to be a short lived success story as the greed and demand of more powerful entities is looming close.

Time -critical Threat to the Rainforest!
Exceptionally high demand arising from the USA for electric power has the Costa Rican monopoly electric company, ICE, envisioning $$ signs in their eyes! ICE defined a very ambitious project to create three major dams scheduled to flood vast rain forested areas, and this will impact particularly important and fragile areas in the most sensitive area of the Terraba River near Ojochal and Sierpe in the OSA, effecting the wetlands and the indigenous way of life of the Indigenous peoples. ICE’s plan will include dumping hot water used in the electric process into the wetlands. These wetlands stretch out to the main breeding grounds of the humpback whales who come to the National Marine park in the hundreds every year between July – Oct.

The most insidious part of ICE’s project is to dedicate in place 4 high voltage power lines with high electro magnetic fields upon a few hundred towers right through parts of the Path of the Tapir right into the rainforest canopy and stretch these beyond Manuel Antonio to Parrita where the electric power will then be routed into already existing lines all the way to Mexico on route to the USA – the power’s final destination for consumption. There in the USA, an unknowing population with a high demand for power is about to alter the most precious gem of rare and diverse rainforest on the planet.

The diagram shows the areas that are in the Path of the Tapir ( Paso de la Danta in Spanish)

The Waterfall Villas is in the bright blue area near Dominical right in the Path of the Tapir – although not directly effected in the ICE project, the entire area will eventually decline. All of these areas that are not directly in the parks will be effected by this high voltage electric power – unless ASANA’s members and friends can raise enough funds to hire lawyers to fight this giant corporation ICE in Costa Rica, to mitigate this threat . These planned power lines can be moved over to the grey area on the map outside of the migratory path and the populated areas to circumvent a tragedy to the Costa Rican rainforest. In the grey area no conservation dangers exist. However, this would cost about $50 million more to ICE so as to not damage the most fragile rainforest. This is the cost that has been put on the preservation of the most incredible biodiverse corridor in the world.

The new website of ASANA will be released in April, and will have a place where you can donate to this well worth cause to save rare animals and indigenous peoples through the already established International Community Foundation (ICF) acting as the fiscal agent in the US with the “Friends of ASANA” fund. In the USA, this donation is tax deductable because of the ICF’s 501(c)3 status to receive donations.

If you are a friend of the rainforest, please do what you can to help ASANA in this effort to keep the great strides of the last 10 years continuing so that the rain forests of this area will be completely resorted to their former splendor for future generations and not destroyed by corporate giants.
For more information about Cascadas Farallas Waterfall Villas: Cascada Farallas Waterfall Villas

“It was my greatest adventure in my life!” review of Turneffe Flats green hotel in Belize

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The most active my past vacations have been are touring churches, towns, restaurants and wineries throughout Italy. When my husband told me he had enough and it was time for “his” type of vacation, well, I was pretty disappointed. He came home one night and said we are going to Turneffe Flats on the Turneffe Atoll in Belize. No discussion. I pouted for two months after this announcement, until I started to do research on the country and the resort. My mood changed to eager anticipation, but I wasn’t a diver nor a fishing addict, so I thought I’d be laying on the beach every day reading, while he fly fished. Not my idea of a great vacation. I couldn’t have been more wrong! I signed up for the Atoll Adventure and it was the best adventure of my life! I spent 6 days with Abelino Coe- the creator and guide for the package, and everyday was a blast. Abel taught me how to snorkel – please note, I have fear of being over my head in water!! He started me out in the shallow flats looking at amazing coral beds with over the top tropical fish. Every day Abel took me to another location with different offerings, getting a little deeper each time. One day 4, we traveled with the divers to the Blue Hole – and Abel and I snorkeled our way to the edge with the coral reefs. That was an amazing time – and definitely one for the bucket list! Visiting Half Moon Caye that same day to view the Red Footed Boobies and to snorkel the island was another great adventure. During that week, Abel and I traveled to different parts of the Atoll and sought out manatees, sand/shore creatures, crocs, birds, butterflies, flora and fauna. Visiting Half Moon Caye for the Red Footed Boobies and to snorkel the island was another great adventure.

I really enjoyed meeting others from around the world. Sharing breakfast and dinners was great fun – and the food was excellent every single day. The chefs in the kitchen, and the wait staff, received standing applauses on our last evening. I even bought the TF cook book and the special Belizean spice mix so that I could keep reliving my great Belizean adventure at home.

I wasn’t prepared to snorkel so I came with nothing and used the resorts’ equipment. I came home with a long sleeved “skin” that I bought in the TF gift shop- which was the best buy of my vacation. Saved my back from getting burnt while snorkeling in the water. I ended up wearing white ankle socks with my fins, as I couldn’t stop snorkeling!

The resort only accommodates a small number of guests so getting to mingle with everyone was a real bonus. And each staff member was most accommodating, most respectful and genuinely pleased that we selected Turneffe Flats for our vacation. Sharing meals with the staff was a bonus, as I learned more about the Belizean culture.

Our room was very comfortable – the bathroom plush actually – and who can beat an ocean / sunrise view?

Snorkeling (and fishing) is great right off the pier, as the coral reef runs right out in front of the resort. So you can continue the adventure on your own in the late afternoon. Also drinking Pantie Rippers and Beliken Beers under the thatched deck in the late afternoon is pretty good too.

And I just learned that Turneffe Flat is putting in an Infinity Pool at the water’s edge. This will be of great use after you come home from your adventure in the late afternoon, and evening as well, especially under clear starry and moonlight nights. How romantic!

Additional information:
The country/culture is so diverse, so plan to add several days before or after Turneffe Atoll. Guides can take you to the Mayan ruins and into the jungle areas – so worth it. Tubing down Stann Creek while visiting Cockscomb Jaguar Preserve was great fun. In my next trip I’ll visit San Igancio and Ambergis Caye. And I plan to come home with more Belize Rum and Guatemalan coffee!

To visit Turneffe Flats website: Turneffe
Flats

Matava wins AON Fiji Excellence in Tourism Award 2010

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Matava has been awarded the Environment/Local Sustainability Award at the AON Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards.

KADAVU, FIJI ISLANDS – 26th February 2011 – Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco-Adventure Resort is proud to be announced as the winner of the Environment/Local Sustainability Award at the AON Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards 2010 for its policies on environmental sustainability and the environment.

The annual Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards night sponsored by AON was held at the The Warwick Resort and Spa on the Coral Coast on Friday 26th February 2011, and attended by Matava Director, Stuart Gow. Many local tourism operators and business people attended the evening presentations. This year there were over a thousand nominees in the 12 categories. This glamourous event was Red Sea Rig & Cocktail theme, welcoming guests with a 3 course dinner, an awards ceremony & fantastic live entertainment with a turn out of over 400 guests

Matava was proud to be nominated in 3 categories, and was chosen as a finalist in all nominated categories at this year’s AON Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards. Bite Me Gamefishing Charters and Mad Fish Dive Centre were recognised as finalist in the Fiji Experience Award, and Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco Adventure Resort was a finalist in the Quality Accommodation Award as well as winning the Environment/Local Sustainability Award.

“We are extremely proud to win this award. We have been lucky to win overseas and global awards for our environmental policy in the past year, but it is especially gratifying to be recognised at home by our colleagues in Fiji.” said Mr Stuart Gow, one of Matava’s Directors.

Richard Akhtar, Managing Director of Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco Adventure Resort said “At Matava, we are of course both happy and proud to receive this prestigious award. We find it even more important that the industry, by rewarding environmental efforts, choose to take a stand for the environment we depend on. We also see it as an important continuing signal to the community which at the same time can serve to inspire the numerous individuals and companies who have been doing so much, and continue to do even more in the field of environmental enlightenment and conservation. This award has highlighted Fiji’s leading role and efforts in this regard especially.”

About Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco Adventure Resort

Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco Adventure Resort, is an eco adventure getaway offering you a fun and unique blend of cultural experiences and adventure activities in the environmentally pristine and remote island of Kadavu in the Fiji Islands. Matava – Fiji Premier Eco Adventure Resort is a PADI Dive Resort as well as a Project AWARE GoEco Operator. With more than 12 years experience in the Fiji Islands, Matava is recognized as a leading educational dive centre. Matava offers accommodation for up to 22 guests in lush tropical surroundings in traditional thatched Fijian ‘bures’ with hardwood polished floors, louvre windows and private decks offering privacy, comfort and superb ocean views.

For interviews, images or further information please contact Stuart Gow, Stuart@Matava.com, t: 679-997-5416

About AON Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards:
The awards which have been in existence for 14 years, honour those who have made a significant input to Fiji’s most important industry. The prestigious awards are given to individuals, groups and companies in a broad range of categories; covering accommodation, restaurant and dining, tours and transportation, environmental and local sustainability. Winners were chosen as part of a nomination process which began late last year and closed in January. Recipients of the various awards have proven dedication, active participation and innovation in their fields of speciality, and have thus merited the esteem of the industry. Over the years, the AON Excellence in Tourism Awards has grown in prestige and now not only bestows recognition but serves as an incentive for individuals and companies to aspire to greatness in the sector.

Contact:
Stuart Gow
Stuart@Matava.com
+679 997 5416
Matava