In 2006, Meghan Casey and her husband Davis Azofeifa purchased Chilamate Jungle Private Reserve, a 52-acre (21-hectare) reserve in Costa Rica's San Juan-La Selva Biological Corridor founded by Don Lindley Lumsden and his family in the 1940s. Together, Meghan and Davis built the Chilamate Rainforest Eco Retreat, a Rainforest Alliance Verified™ sustainable lodge.

Visitors to Chilamate can enjoy rafting, canopy exploration, horseback riding, zip-lining, mountain biking, kayaking, safari boat tours, sport fishing, swimming and more. We spoke with Casey about the reserve, home to 500 bird species, 300 tree species, and nearly 140 mammal species.

Question: How did you and your husband come to own the property?

Casey: In 2006, just after the birth of our daughter, my husband and I were trying to come up with a family project that would make a conservation difference in the area. One day, we were walking by the river and decided to explore a little farther than usual. We came across some people who turned out to be caretakers of the property. They let us look around and we asked if the owner was selling. A few days later, we got a call from Don Lumsden's daughter, who was then in charge of the reserve. She had been having trouble maintaining it, but had refused to sell because she wanted the next owner to be someone from Sarapiqui (as my husband is) who was committed to protecting the land.

Question: What are you doing to manage the retreat with an eye toward sustainability?

Casey: As soon as we started [building the lodge], we got the Rainforest Alliance's manual for best tourism practices. We also attended a number of [Rainforest Alliance] training sessions. We learned even more when Rainforest Alliance verification program auditors came to our property and gave us some great advice about improvements we could make.

Question: Tell us about some of their most valuable suggestions.

Casey: While my husband and I have always been committed to sustainability, we were not exactly business people. When the auditors came the first time, we had no computer, no website, no written materials and no real business plan. They gave us ideas for the business side of our project. They helped us develop a sustainability plan and a mission statement, and they told us that we needed to keep track of everything we were doing in terms of our work in conservation with the local community.

Question: What other sustainable business practices have you adopted?

Casey: We exclusively use biodegradable soaps and cleaning products, and we have solar panels that provide much of our electricity. We use live bacteria to clean the plumbing system. All of our organic waste is composted and we recycle everything we can. My husband is also really creative about devising eco-friendly alternatives. For example, he built a system of diverting rainwater for showers and toilets.

Question: Has doing all this helped your business to thrive financially?

Casey: Yes, purchasing waste wood and recycled materials from local businesses brings costs down significantly. In addition, our commitment to conservation appeals to visitors.

Question: How does Chilamate support the local community?

Casey: We support our neighbors' businesses whenever we can. We have a place close by where we buy cheese, eggs, milk, chicken and even fish. We also recommend that our guests go on tours with local companies.

In addition, Chilamate Rainforest Eco Retreat facilitates a program with Earth University and about 60 families in our community who run small farming operations. We meet periodically, and the farmers learn how to integrate affordable sustainable practices into their everyday farming.

We also give discounts to guests who make a donation to the community, do service days or support the community in some way.

Question: What's next for Chilamate?

Casey: We'd love to expand our reserve so that more of the region's biodiversity can be protected. We also want our neighbors, the smallholder farmers, to be able to continue their work; it's not easy for them to sustain themselves.

Question: Any highlights from your time managing the lodge and reserve?

Casey: When we first got here, I kept meeting kids and parents who had never even been in the rainforest before. I am proud to say that today there is not a single child in any of the three closest schools who has not visited us. This year, we're developing a program in the local schools so that students of every grade can come to the reserve at least once a year and experience walking through a rainforest.

This entry was posted on February 4, 2014 at 1:30 PM and has received 468 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

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Imagine staying at a hotel surrounded by the most delicious fruit trees and plants--where every trail you explore offers a sweet, natural snack. This is what you'll find at Fond Doux Holiday Plantation, on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, which features a delicious "edible landscape."

Oranges, bananas, starfruit, coconut, coffee, nutmeg, cinnamon, and giant pods of cocoa grow all over this 19th century colonial plantation. In this picture, you can see their home grown cocoa beans drying in the sun after the fermentation process. These are used as the main ingredient for many delicious recipes, like their famous cocoa tea!

This entry was posted on January 24, 2014 at 1:39 PM and has received 321 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

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Who doesn't love watching the setting sun after a fun-filled day of travel, disappearing below the horizon and turning the sky into a beautiful canvas of red and orange hues?

Today we want to share some amazing photos of sunsets from the sustainable hotels listed on our website:

Baja California Peninsula, México

Baja California offers a unique contrast between intense ocean-blue water beaches and arid desert landscapes. Photo by RED Sustainable Travel.

Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna, Costa Rica

The Arenal Volcano is well known for providing tourists with magical eruptions in the night. But this photo proves that the views are just as great right before dark. Photo by Catarata Eco Lodge.

Cancún, México

Cancún has amazing beaches and a great weather, but its romantic sunsets may be what has made it one of the top destinations for couples getaways and weddings. Photo by Dreams Riviera Cancún Resort & Spa.

Yacuma Protected Amazon Rainforest Reserve, Napo, Ecuador

Imagine experiencing a sunset right in the heart of the Amazon jungle! Photo by Yacuma Ecolodge.

Lago Atitlán, Guatemala

Lake Atitlán, also known as the "mirror of the sky," has been called the most beautiful lake in the world. So you can expect exceptional views behind its three impressive volcanoes. Photo by Hotel y Centro de Convenciones Jardines del Lago.

Monteverde, Costa Rica

Most of us like to sit, relax, and enjoy a sunset. But zip lining in the amazing cloud forest is another option to enjoy this magic moment! Photo by Hotel El Establo .

This entry was posted on January 21, 2014 at 5:36 PM and has received 721 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

From Selva Verde Lodge's beginnings in the 1980s, it was a pioneer in supporting the local community, especially women. Deep in the lowland tropical rainforests of Sarapiquí, founders Giovanna Holbrook and Berth Carter hired members of remote local communities to work at their budding ecotourism lodge. They established a rule that staff members must retrieve their own paychecks, so that husbands could not collect their wives' earnings, helping women to gain domestic empowerment and independence.

For a long time, attending school was just a dream for Sarapiquí's poorest children because their families could not afford the cost of textbooks. Consequently, in 1993, Selva Verde Lodge partnered with JADE (Joventud Activa Desarrollo Educativo, or "Active Youth for Educational Development") to open a public library to give local children free access to the textbooks they needed. From these noble beginnings, the library evolved over the years into the Sarapiquí Conservation Learning Center (SCLC), a robust community center that is now the local headquarters for the San Juan-La Selva Biological Corridor. Today, this impressive place is a community center, conservation organization, and ecotourism operation all in one.

Travelers to the Sarapiquí region come for the multitude of nature activities available in this lush jungle setting, such as rafting on the Sarapiquí River and visiting nearby hot springs, waterfalls, and volcanoes. Twenty minutes away from SCLC is another amazing ecotourism attraction: La Selva Biological Station, one of the world's most important sites for tropical biology research. La Selva Biological Station offers accommodations in its Rainforest Alliance Verified™ ecolodge and nature tours with bilingual naturalist guides. Back at SCLC, travelers can take advantage of the center's rich cultural ties and participate in Costa Rican cooking classes, Latin dancing classes, and visits to local schools and farms.

The Sarapiquí Conservation Learning Center remains the only public library in the region. It is currently implementing programs such as a children's theater camp, preschool story time, open lab computer assistance, movie days, adult literacy programs, women's empowerment workshops, and celebrations for national and international holidays, such as World Water Day.

If you're looking for a great gift for an environmentally-conscious loved one (or if you're in the generous holiday spirit yourself), think about making a donation to SCLC's library! You'd be hard pressed to find a better cause than giving the gift of books, learning, and literacy. Learn how to make a donation on SCLC's donation page.

This entry was posted on December 18, 2013 at 12:35 PM and has received 1428 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

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Guanacaste, a province located in the northwestern part of Costa Rica, showcases some of the most beautiful sites in the country – and the beautiful Catarata Oropéndola is one of them! This waterfall spills an impressive 82 feet (25 meters) in a natural shower to a sparkling turquoise pool below. It is placed in a beautiful vegetated canyon of Río Blanco (White River), close to the Rincón de la Vieja volcano, making a picturesque tropical oasis that is inviting for a refreshing swim.

Hotel Hacienda Guachipelín organizes horseback riding and hiking tours to Oropéndula waterfall. Visitors can go by horseback 45 minutes on a scenic trail and then have a short walk to get to the waterfall canyon. There are two options available for those who prefer to enjoy a hike. One departs from the hacienda by minibus to the parking lot of the national park (10 minutes); from there, they walk 15 minutes to the waterfall. The second option is hiking a scenic forest trail from the hotel to the waterfall – approximately 1.5 hours each way.

This entry was posted on November 29, 2013 at 5:33 PM and has received 424 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

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Dominica is a small island (only 750 km2) but it has a tremendous and unspoiled natural wealth – in fact, it has been nicknamed the "Nature Isle of the Caribbean"!

One of the most amazing places in Dominica is the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a luxuriant natural tropical forest and an UNESCO World Heritage Site centered on a 1,342-m-high volcano with the same name. The sights in the Morne Trois Pitons (which means "mountain of three peaks") include the Valley of Desolation, an area with about 50 fumaroles and hot springs; a flooded fumarole called the Boiling Lake; Titou Gorge ("little throat"), a small waterfall situated deep in a water-filled gorge; and Emerald Pool, located at the base of a 40 foot waterfall.

This is photo from Rosalie Bay Resort, a sustainable hotel that is located at the foothills of the Morne Trois Pitons.

This entry was posted on October 4, 2013 at 7:55 PM and has received 895 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

At the age of 21, Sarah Begum realized a childhood dream by leaving the UK to live with the Huaorani indigenous tribe deep in the forest of the Ecuadorian Amazon. Sarah immersed herself completely in the Huaorani way of life--hunting, gathering, and even marrying a local warrior. She made a documentary film of her journey called "Amazon Souls," which screened at the Cannes Film Festival for the first time earlier this year.

The Huaorani's ancestral home, Yasuni National Park, is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. The park is situated at the intersection of the Andes, the Equator, and the Amazon basin, where a stunning variety of birds, amphibians, insects, mammals, and flora converge. Some Huaorani communities welcome travelers, offering guided tours through the forest and a first-hand look into their fascinating way of life.

Begum's film raises awareness around the importance of rainforests and the rich cultures of its peoples. She spoke with us about her life-changing experience with the Huaorani.

Q. What inspired your journey to the Amazon rainforest?

Begum: When I was 9 years old, I learned about deforestation at school and immediately wanted to know more. My curiosity gave birth to a dream and a passion to save the Amazon rainforest.

Then at the age of 21, I was studying filmmaking at Kingston University and I didn't feel like I was getting enough from the course. I was appointed president of the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) and asked to come up with ideas for a project. I instantly thought of the Amazon rainforest and my classmates encouraged me to develop the idea.

I gave up my role at SIFE to focus on making my very first film in the rainforest. I poured my savings into the project, got some funding from a couple of private investors, and was awarded the Enterprising Student Award for my idea.

Q: Why did you choose to live with the Huaorani tribe?

Begum: I did a lot of research on tribes and I felt the greatest connection with the Huaorani. Their relationship to jaguars fascinated me as well as their pristine way of life and their status as the fiercest warriors of the Ecuadorian Amazon. I was compelled to find out more about them in person.

Q: What surprised you the most about their way of life?

Begum: I thought it would be how they hunt for food and gather resources–but the thing that surprised me the most is how westernization is affecting their culture.

Q: What are the big issues facing the Huaorani?

Begum: The biggest issue is losing their home and way of life to deforestation and oil exploitation. Recently, President Rafael Correa and the Ecuadorian government abandoned an initiative to keep oil in the ground. Ecuador needed to raise $3.6 billion to prevent drilling for oil in the park. When Correa closed the project, he had only raised $13 million. If this [drilling and deforestation] goes ahead, the Huaorani's way of life will be severely threatened.

Westernization is also a problem. While some young members choose to coexist with the western world, spreading the message about protecting their lands and raising awareness of their culture through eco-tourism, other members have chosen to abandon their culture completely.

Q: How do tourism activities impact the Huaoroni?

Begum: Tourism can have negative as well as positive effects. But ultimately, the Huaorani tribe does rely on ecotourism to sustain the jungle and their existence.

Q: Your documentary film, "Amazon Souls," screened at Cannes earlier this year. When can the public expect to see the film?

Begum: I am hoping to release the film worldwide once a broadcaster decides to take it on. After broadcast, I would like to make it available in many other forms for the public to be able to view and share. Fingers crossed! I also intend to go back to make a sequel, so hopefully with lots of support and backing I can make this happen. It would be great to show the Huaorani "Amazon Souls" in person.

Q: What's the one message you hope to spread?

Begum: We all need to unite as one in order to raise awareness of what is happening in the Amazon rainforest, and in rainforests all over the world. Oil exploitation and deforestation need to end. The rainforest shelters such beauty. The Huaorani are under serious threat--not only of losing their home, but of losing their way of life.

Q: What can people do to help protect the rainforests and the Huaorani way of life?

Begum: People are actually not very far away from the rainforest–-many things we use and eat are from the Amazon. We should be grateful to the Amazon for providing such treats and we can show our appreciation by supporting campaigns that aim to save the Amazon rainforest. We need to come together to raise awareness by spreading the message of its existence, its suffering, encourage support from others and share stories and videos such as "Amazon Souls." People can also help by supporting the Rainforest Alliance and others who aim to protect the Amazon on a daily basis.

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Inspired to plan your next sustainable trip to the Ecuadorian Amazon? Check out Napo Wildlife Center and Sani Lodge to get started!

This interview was originally posted on the Rainforest Alliance's Frog Blog.

This entry was posted on September 10, 2013 at 5:05 PM and has received 773 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

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Caracol, located in Belize's Chiquibul National Park, 4 miles from the Guatemalan border, is the largest Maya archaeological site in the country. Around 650 AD, during the peak of its development and expansion, the urban area of Caracol had a radius of approximately 10 km and covered an area much larger than the city of Belize today. In fact, this archaeological site is larger than the impressive ruins of Tikal in Guatemala, but most of it has not yet been restored.

So far, the three main plazas that have been discovered in Caracol are surrounded by pyramid-shaped temples and various sculptures. More than a hundred tombs and a huge number of hieroglyphic inscriptions have also been found. One of the main attractions in this refuge is the "Caana" complex, which in Maya means "place in the sky," since it rises more than forty meters above the plaza below.

This photograph is from the San Ignacio Hotel Resort, which organizes tours to Caracol and other archaeological sites in Belize.

This entry was posted on September 6, 2013 at 1:36 PM and has received 903 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

The Amazon is one of the most famous travel destinations in the world, its very name synonymous with wilderness, nature, and adventure. It's no surprise that this natural wonder of the world attracts so many travelers each year--it just may be the ultimate ecotourism experience! Here are some fascinating facts about the incredible Amazon:

1. One in ten known animal species on Earth exists in Amazonia.

Though the Amazon covers a relatively small portion of the Earth's surface, it is extremely rich in biodiversity. Many of its species are so highly specialized that they live nowhere else in the world, and we are continually discovering new species that we didn't previously know existed. For example, since just 1990, seven new species of monkeys and 12 new species of fish have been identified!

The rainforest is also home to the smallest monkey in the world, the pygmy marmoset, and the largest eagle in the world, the harpy eagle. Some other interesting animals of the Amazon are capybaras, sloths, pink river dolphins, and emperor tamarins.

2. The Amazon River is the largest river in the world by volume, with a total flow greater than the top ten rivers worldwide combined.

One-fifth of the world's entire fresh water supply is found in the Amazon Basin. It contains more fish species than the entire Atlantic Ocean and the largest number of freshwater fish species on Earth, including more than 25 species of piranha, electric eels, and pirarucus, the largest freshwater fish.

3. The Amazon is both the "lungs" and the "thermostat" of our planet.

The Amazon rainforest's trees and other plants continuously recycle carbon dioxide into oxygen, producing 20% of the world's oxygen supply. It is also one of the world's primary carbon reservoirs. Through the sequestration and storage of carbon dioxide, the rainforest acts as the world's thermostat, regulating temperatures and global weather patterns.

4. The Amazon rainforest helps us fight cancer.

Of the 3,000 plants the U.S. National Cancer Institute has identified as useful in the treatment of cancer, 70% are found only in rainforests. Twenty-five percent of the active ingredients found in the cancer-fighting drugs available on the market today come from organisms found only in the rainforest. And only about 1% of rainforest plants have been examined for their medicinal properties.

5. There are more than 200 indigenous groups still living in the rainforest – some of which have never had contact with the outside world.

Many of these indigenous groups still live the centuries' old traditions of their ancestors, eschewing modern technology in favor of a life more in tune with nature. Some communities have opened their doors to visitors, starting lodges and tour companies to share their knowledge of the Amazon with travelers.

6. The Amazon rainforest represents more than half of the remaining rainforests in the entire world, and it's shrinking.

Once, rainforests covered 14% of the earth's land surface. Now, they cover 5-7%, and that area is decreasing rapidly. Scientists predict that if deforestation continues at the current rate, the last remaining rainforests on our planet could be consumed in less than 40 years!

Do your part to protect the rainforest by traveling sustainably. Many hotels participate in reforestation projects, and even get their guests involved with their sustainability efforts.

Are you ready for your Amazon adventure yet?

This entry was posted on August 14, 2013 at 6:32 PM and has received 1857 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

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Food is an essential part of the travel experience. Exploring a new country or city always opens a window to new ingredients, flavors, and dishes that feed the body, the soul, and even the mind, as the cuisine of a region also contains much of its history and the traditions of its people.

The dining experience in Latin America is a feast with tropical fruits and vegetables that are always fresh and juicy and often unfamiliar to visitors. In this photo from Pacuare Lodge in Costa Rica, you can see a great banquet of locally sourced ingredients that are used to prepare the meals that are offered at this mountain hotel.

Another secret ingredient is the cooks themselves. Instead of using world-renowned chefs, Pacuare Lodge hires young people from nearby communities who are passionate about cooking and trains them to develop their culinary talent. The menu merges the secrets of the local cuisine with innovative recipes to delight guests with unique and very natural dishes.

This entry was posted on August 9, 2013 at 2:07 PM and has received 518 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.