If your kind of luxury is secluded ocean views and horse rides on the beach … if you award stars to destinations based on the number of species found on the grounds … if you love “all-inclusive” but hate swim-up bars … Corcovado Adventures Tent Camp, on the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica, is your next green vacation. Southwest of Drake Bay, the ten-year-old tent camp delivers pared-down luxury (beach-front lodging, included meals, activities galore) without all the distractions (cruise ships, souvenir shops, bad-mannered tourists).
Of course, it’s easy to lose the distractions when the only way to get to the camps’s Las Caletas beach is by sea or foot. Hoof it or hire a boat – either way you’ll be trading modern hassles for a stretch of golden sand. Corcovado is road-less, car-less, and aims for stress-less. Summer Dawn Carney, the camp’s reservation manager, says her favorite ways to spend time here are swimming, hiking, kayaking, and birding. The camp offers plenty of free equipment (kayaks, canoes, surfboards, snorkeling gear, etc.) to explore the surrounding water and rainforest. They also offer a wide variety of tours, from diving at Isla del Cano ($125/person for guide, boat, lunch, and gear) to a day of wildlife hiking in the nearby Corcovado National Park ($85/person for transportation, guide, lunch, and park fees).
Accommodations at the tent camp are simple. Large tents have wood-frame beds and decks and are covered by big tarps to keep out the heat and rain. Bathrooms are shared, with a separate shower area. (Be prepared; there's no hot water). The camp uses solar and hydro power as well as well as a diesel generator for limited electricity at night. Only one room of the resort uses electricity, so the camp’s carbon footprint is super-low. To protect the insane amount of biological diversity surrounding the resort (150 mammal species, 400 different kinds of birds, a heck of a lot of fish), all cleaning supplies are non-toxic. The camp uses local fish and organic produce (as available) to create Costa Rican and international dishes. The resort’s tours are all run by native Costa Ricans, which keeps tourism dollars in the community and helps educate visitors on local culture and history. That guest education is a main goal for the camp, reports Summer, along with continued rainforest conservation.
Come back tomorrow for Corcovado Adventures Tent Camp rates and Summer’s suggestions for trip preparations.
---
30% off Lonely Planet Guidebooks
Find Cheap Flights from 100+ Sites with One Click.
2008 Sierra Club Wilderness Calendar
Books to help you live green!
---
Recent Comments