Eco Vacation In Costa Rica
Costa Rica has some of the most diverse scenery in all of Central America, and with so much natural beauty, it’s not hard to understand why Costa Rica is called the ‘rich coast.’ When you come here you will be surrounded by lush rainforests, misty volcanoes and dramatic coastlines. This also means Costa Rica offers plenty of eco-tourism adventures to choose from and which might be a little different than what you’re used to.Tom and I have never been to Costa Rica before. So when the opportunity arose to visit the beautiful landscape of Costa Rica, we jumped at it. Getting a great deal on flights with SouthWest Airlines and booking a vacation rental home with VRBO made our trip even more affordable. We decided on a place in Guanacaste, staying in an area called Cactus Lake that was near multiple beaches, Montezuma (where you can play with sea turtles), and some other hot spots like Nicoya.
Costa Rica is quite a travel destination for many reasons. Its ecological diversity, physical geography and climate have helped create one of the most lavish and diverse eco-systems in the world. The country has earned worldwide praise as a model and example of sustainable eco-tourism, making conscious efforts to preserve its natural resources while providing an ecosystem conducive to both business and pleasure.
Eco Vacation In Costa Rica
Which are the Best Ecolodges in Costa Rica?
There are few countries in the world that conjure a stronger image of ecotourism, perhaps, than Costa Rica. Home to howler monkeys swinging between tree top canopies, macaws colourfully displaying their rainbows of feathers, and iguanas cleverly blending in – there’s no denying that the natural landscape of Costa Rica is phenomenal. Not only that, but well worth protecting – with over 250 mammal species, Costa Rica is a gem for the conscious traveller with plenty of places to stay that care about their footprint as much as you do.
Not only will you find yourself spoilt for choice when it comes to finding the best eco resorts Costa Rica has, but this garden of eden land is also home to some of the best eco lodges in the world. It can sometimes be tough to decide which eco lodge, Costa Rica to choose – there are just so many.
With the rise in popularity of sustainable tourism, unfortunately not all eco-lodges are as eco as they may claim. Here, I cover some of our favourite (truly) eco lodges and eco resorts that I experienced on my recent trip to Costa Rica and some recommendations from a few of my blogger friends! Get ready to discover the best eco lodges Costa Rica has.
This guide to the best eco hotels in Costa Rica includes some of the best luxury eco lodge Costa Rica options, the ultimate dreamy eco resorts, Costa Rica, as well as Costa Rica rainforest lodge accommodation and budget friendly Costa Rica ecotourism resorts.
Covid-19: Please check the latest travel advice and restrictions for Covid 19 and check cancellation policies before booking.
- Which are the Best Ecolodges in Costa Rica?
- Ecotourism in Costa Rica – A Little History
- The Best EcoLodge in Costa Rica Shortlist
- Costa Rica Eco Lodges by Region
- Eco Lodges in Guanacaste
- Eco Lodges in Limon & The Caribbean Coast
- Eco Lodges in La Fortuna, Alajuela and San Jose (Alajuela)
Ecotourism in Costa Rica – A Little History
Costa Rica is unique not only for its number of beautiful wildlife species, but also for the fact that it has nearly 30% of its land reserved as national parks and wildlife reserves, thus protecting the land from future development.
Ecotourism in Costa Rica is one of the big draws, and has been since the 1960’s when Costa Rica opened its first National Park. In addition to the government protected National Parks there are many privately owned reserves that are run by environmental groups and not for profit organisations. It was this dedication to the national park system that created the opportunity for Costa Rica to become the natural sanctuary for wildlife that it is today: Prior to the 1960’s the country was set on the same path as the rest of the central American region, with wide scale logging and deforestation taking place.
Since the 1960’s and 70’s Costa Rica has established a reputation as the destination for Ecotourism. As a nature lovers’ paradise it’s natural that ecotourism is a strength of the travel industry in Costa Rica. Part of the draw is Costa Rica’s diverse landscape, topography, and seasonality: from Volcanoes to desert, to rainforest, the country has varied terrain as well as coastline stretching along both the Pacific and Caribbean oceans.
As such there is plenty to do for the responsible traveller visiting and staying at one of the rainforest lodges Costa Rica has, and there is one of the best range of sustainable accommodation, perhaps anywhere in the world. Here are some of my favourite eco lodges in Costa Rica as well as some of the best luxury eco lodge Costa Rica options that’ll make you want to check in immediately!
The Best EcoLodge in Costa Rica Shortlist
Scroll down for my detailed ecolodging Costa Rica reviews for each resort/lodge, or use this handy comparison table of my best eco lodge Costa Rica picks:
| Eco Lodge Name | Check Rates / Book Now | Best For | Region | Budget |
|---|
| Amazonita Ecolodge | BOOK NOW | Hiding out in the jungle away from it all | Osa Peninsula | $$$ |
| Luna Lodge | BOOK NOW | Exploring Corcovado National Park | Osa Peninsula | $$$$ |
| Lapa Rios | BOOK NOW | The ultimate honeymoon getaway / luxury jungle retreat | Osa Peninsula | $$$$$ |
| Bolita Rainforest Hostel | BOOK NOW | Jungle on a budget | Osa Peninsula | $ |
| Si Como No | BOOK NOW | Being in the heart of the action; wildlife sanctuary | Manuel Antonio | $$$ |
| Santa Juana Mountain Lodge | BOOK NOW | Close to Quepos but far from the crowds; supporting reforestation. | Quepos | $$$ |
| Pacific Edge Ecolodge | BOOK NOW | Incredible views & intimate vibe; supporting local artisans | Uvita | $$$ |
| Nammbu | BOOK NOW | Possibly the prettiest beach in Costa Rica (Playa Carillo) | Nicoya Peninsula | $$$$ |
| Drift Away Ecolodge | BOOK NOW | A quiet and unspoiled area with beautiful beaches | Guanacaste province | $$ |
| Rio Perdido | BOOK NOW | Thermal rivers, pools and spas galore… | Guanacaste province | $$$$$ |
| Samasati Nature Retreat | BOOK NOW | Yoga and Ayurveda retreats | Puerto Viejo (Limón) | $$$$ |
| Pacuare Lodge | BOOK NOW | The very best of sustainable luxury tourism in Costa Rica | Limon | $$$$$ |
| Finca Rosa Blanca | BOOK NOW | Staying on a working coffee farm | Heredia Province (close to SJO international airport) | $$$$ |
| Rancho Margot | BOOK NOW | Living the off-the-grid life | Arenal / La Fortuna | $$$$$ |
| Tacacori Ecolodge | BOOK NOW | Its beautiful gardens | Alajuela | $$$ |
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Costa Rica Eco Lodges by Region
We’ve divided our favourite ecolodges up by region so you can plan your trip to Costa Rica with the best sustainable accommodation options in each region.
Here’s a handy map of ecolodges in Costa Rica included in this guide:
Eco Lodges in Osa Peninsula (Puntarenas)
The Puntarenas district spans the western (Pacific) coast of Costa Rica from the Nicoya Peninsula in the North, down to the remote but beautiful Osa Peninsula in the south. Dry season runs from October to May and monsoon is in the summer months.
Tucked far away from the weekend trippers, the Osa Peninsula is home to some of the very best lodges in Costa Rica – welcome to your very own slice of paradise. Just bear in mind that access is not straightforward to some of these, and you won’t always be able to pop around the corner to a supermarket, as some are very remote.