Costa Rica Ecotourism

September 3, 2009 | Posted by costaricamodernecoliving

With thousands of acres of rich natural beauty, Costa Rica’s national parks and reserves are just begging to be explored by the adventurous. With everything from molten volcanoes, lush jungles and cloud forests to waterfalls, endangered species and pristine white and black sand beaches, Costa Rica is one of the top destinations in the world for ecotourism. The breathtaking scenery is made richer with over half a million different animal species that makes Costa Rica one of the most bio-diverse countries on the planet (source: wikipedia).

Ecotourism is defined as visiting a country to explore the untouched natural surroundings while leaving little to no environmental impact. While ecotourism is known for its environmental protection efforts, it also provides a larger benefit to Costa Rica by providing government funding that keeps the country’s national parks beautiful, pristine and well-managed. Costa Rica is a country that encourages sustainability and thrives on ecotourism, providing tax benefits to people who open eco-friendly businesses. Costa Rican ecotourism helps sustain local communities, funds the continued preservation of the national parks, and enables the country to continue its healthy economic development.

Some of the more popular forms of Costa Rica ecotourism travel include stunning nature hikes, rare bird watching and athletic adventures such as kayaking and biking. Costa Rica’s ecotourism also includes unique conservation vacations, a growing trend in Costa Rica thanks to increasing foreign awareness of the troubles faced by the country’s beautiful indigenous wildlife. One species receiving a lot of attention lately is Costa Rica’s leatherback sea turtles, majestic gentle giants who are hovering on the brink of extinction. Since the rich Costa Rican coast offers a safe nesting habitat for the sea turtles, many ecotourism groups have created conservation vacations where eco-minded tourists can play an important role in aiding the preservation of the sea turtle population.

Tourists planning to partake in Costa Rica ecotourism should keep a few rules in mind while traveling. Most importantly, remember that the goal of ecotourism is to avoid impacting the country’s natural beauty and biodiversity. This means avoiding the introduction of any non-native plants, fruits, or food, properly disposing of all trash, and not taking anything with you from your travels (save for your memories and gorgeous pictures to wow your friends and family with back home). Preserving the beauty of Costa Rica through green ecotourism will go a long ways toward maintaining its majestic appearance for future generations.

Categories: Costa Rica, Eco-Tourism and Vacations | Tags: best ecotourism, conservation vacation, Costa Rica, Costa Rica ecotourism, Costa Rica travel, eco-friendly travel | 1 Comment »

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