Posada Rural La Amistad de Chira

Overview

Description

Isla de Chira is the largest island in Costa Rica’s Gulf of Nicoya and it is the only one that has the essential infrastructure and services (electricity, doctors, schools, and more) to support tourism.

People on the island live in harmony with nature; approximately half of the island is a protected mangrove forest. At night you can see a sea of stars and listen to the sounds of the dry forest -- the crickets, the wind, the rustling leaves, the owls, and more. The birds announce the dawn and the pelicans show the islanders where to find bait. Artisanal fishers work to the rhythm of the tides. Life is tranquil.

The trip to the island is an adventure. You can board a boat in the Gulf and share the ride with other islanders, watch a crocodile sunbathing on the beach, travel in the bed of a truck to reach the island, or ride a bicycle around the village; visiting the Isla de Chira is a personal adventure.

Rooms

Six quadruple rooms with private baths; one dormitory room with shared bath. Total capacity for 24 people.

Making a Difference

Number of employees: 4

Percentage of local employees: 100%

In 2000, the Women’s Association of Isla de Chira was established to create alternative sources of income for the women of Chira, who traditionally made their living from fishing. They now dedicate themselves to maintaining and making sustainable use of the island’s natural resources.

This group is a pioneer in rural community tourism on the island and they work in harmony with the environment, using solar energy for cooking, managing waste, composting to produce organic fertilizer, conducting environmental education on the trails, controlling forest fires, sustainably managing the mangroves, and more. They create opportunities for their neighbors on the island as well as for themselves, and they are showing that it is possible to help communities through their tourism business and sound management practices. When you visit the island, you are collaborating with them to help them build their dream.

Rates

$26 – $50

For more details about rates, please write .

Getting There

Nearest international airport: San José (SJO).

Travel time to nearest airport: 2.5 hours.

To reach the community of Palito on Isla de Chira, there are several ways to get to the Costa de Pájaros, where public boats leave for the island from the dock (departures at 7:00 am and 1:00 pm, 45-minute ride). Once you are on Chira, you should go to the community of Palito (20 minutes by car), or you can make prior arrangements for a guide to be awaiting you.

If you travel from Guanacaste via Playa Naranjo, you should turn to the left in San Pablo de Nandayure and continue 3 miles (5 km) to Costa de Pájaros.

If you are leaving from San José, take any of the buses going to Cañas, las Juntas or Liberia (Pulmitan de Liberia terminal, Calle 24, Avenida 5-7, Tel: +506/256-9552). Get off at the entrance to Chomes and across from the Chomes clinic, take the bus to Costa de Pájaros.

Private transport prices can also be requested from ACTUAR.

Additional Information

Additional Web sites

• www.eco-index.org/search/resultss.cfm?projectID=865 (available in English and Spanish). Ecotourism Project for Isla de Chira: La Amistad Lodge and Tours, Women's Association of Isla de Chira (Asociación de Damas de la Isla de Chira). Project profile available on the Eco-Index.
• www.actuarcostarica.com/app/cms/www/index.php?id_menu=162&pk_product=18 (available in English, French, German and Spanish). General information about the business and activities for visitors, available on the ACTUAR Web site.

Date This Information Was Provided

September 2009.

Photos courtesy of Posada Rural La Amistad de Chira, Costa Rica, for SustainableTrip.org.