After disboarding from a twin-prop airplane, landing on air strip bordered by a cemetary, I was a little wary of my decision to visit this part of Costa Rica. The Lapa Rios staff met us as we got off the plane, put us into a Land Cruizer Destroyer and drove us to one of the coolest locations I could have imagined.
--Lodging
Open aired bungalows. Low in number to ensure a minimum of a 180 degree view of the primary rainforest. We were woken by howler monkeys, visited by Macaws, and introduced to a few coatis (Costa Rican version of a racoon). The wildlife is the top reason to visit. Our bungalow had a deck with a hammock that allowed us to stretch out together and just watch nature. We also overlooked a valley giving us a long distance view. With a pair of binoculars, we could catch all kinds of wildlife.
--Experience
No urban noises, open air, forest walks, beach excursion, surfing options.
--Ecofriendly
Nightly you ordered your meal so that they only bring to the lodge the required amounts. Despite this limitation, the menu was varried and showcased a variety of the local cusine. Apparently our left overs were fed to local pigs. The methane from the pig waste was then trapped to provide the heating for the onsite staff accomodations. The lodge took the eco-challenge further by ensuring they included the indigenous population with jobs and by providing education (daily English classes).
