Short answer: Community-based ecotourism refers to lodges and tourism attractions that are owned by grassroots community conservation organizations. In these communities, tourism helps to conserve tropical forests, preserves local culture rather than destroying it, and helps farmers supplement their income so that they can stay on the land. More background information: When I first came to Costa Rica in 1971,...
Short answer: "Community-based" on this website means "owned by local, grassroots conservation and community development organizations that have their own rainforest reserves and build their own lodges and tourism attractions." "Regular" ecotourism is any ecotourism business not owned by community organizations. More background information: During the last 25 years, many Europeans and North Americans have been inspired to buy up...
If volunteers are willing to make a substantial time commitment, then volunteer assignments are possible. But, mostly, just by visiting community lodges, hiking in their exuberant rainforest reserves, enjoying their delicious country cooking, interchanging ideas with the local people and becoming inspired by their conservation efforts, you are doing enough, knowing that what you pay for lodging, food and guided...
Homestays are possible in some communities, but most of the communities on this website have their own lodges, with rooms with private bathrooms. Some have shared baths. Meals are included in the price of lodging....
Some places can be visited for just the day. For example, the trip by dugout canoe to La Casa de las Mujeres in Yorkin can be done for the day while staying in Cahuita or Puerto Viejo on the Atlantic; Los Campesinos Reserve can be visited just for the day from Manuel Antonio, Dominical or Uvita. Or you can stay...
If you use the maps on this website, speak Spanish and are good at stopping and asking for directions, then going on your own is possible. There is no public transportation to most of the community-based destinations, but you can take a bus to a nearby town, and a taxi from there. Either way, you must make reservations in advance:...
ACTUAR, the Costa Rican Rural Tourism Association, was created in 2001 by grassroots conservation organizations in many parts of Costa Rica that had been funded by the UN Development Program to create their own community-owned ecolodges, forest reserves and adventure attractions. This means that finally rural communities are entering into the thriving ecotourism industry, using tourism to supplement rather than...
