Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/162438
d a , d a e d e t h e l e leaves, the top accolade of the country's Certification for Sustainable Tourism authority. At the bottom of a leafy ravine, a small turbine shed hums energetically as water plunges 55 metres to a paddlewheel generator. The six kilowatts it produces is just enough to power the 100 garden lights, kitchen, lounge and office, and the wine cellar's air conditioner. (I suppress a pang of guilt at having enjoyed a glass of Pinot Noir with last night's meal.) To round out the tour, Andreas points proudly to a bio-digester they are testing: soon it will turn septic waste into methane cooking gas. It's not often that beauty and practicality go hand-in-hand, but this place is the whole package. While organized nature tours are the lodge's specialty, these also occur spontaneously. I follow a blue morpho butterfly into the dense jungle, coming upon a foot-long stick insect and a false fer-de-lance (a harmless snake whose defense mechanism is to resemble the country's deadliest). In the dense canopy above, a troupe of howler monkeys (relocated from farmland by lodge staff) call happily across treetops bejewelled with toucans. The following day, I backtrack upstream by road and kayak the Pacuare in an inflatable canoe. After rafting, the autonomy of the canoe adds to the excitement – although when I flip it end-over-end I have no one to blame but myself. After taking my reluctant leave from the lodge – which, of course, entails donning that helmet and life jacket again – I meet with Emilio Zúñiga. The co-owner of a threeleaf (and, rather impressively, carbon neutral) tour agency and travel outfitter based in San José, he will drive me to my next lodge. Zúñiga has worked hard to create an environmentally sustainable business. "Eco-tourism in this country is the result of three big events," he tells me. "The Nobel Peace Prize, the volcano and the World Cup." As we descend into a verdant valley, Zúñiga relays the story of how, in 1948, rebels led by José Figueres overthrew the reigning political dictatorship. Figueres amended the constitution, abolished the military and set the country on an uncertain but resolutely peaceful future. He paved the way for President Óscar Arias, who in 1987 brokered a peace deal to end the civil wars raging in Central America, earning himself a Nobel Prize. Then came the 1990 World Cup. Costa Rica didn't host, mind you – it simply competed. But this sparked a national pride that in turn fuelled a desire to protect the whole country, environmentally and socially. "The most important thing that kick-started ecotourism, though, was the volcano," Zúñiga continues, explaining that Costa Rica literally exploded onto the tourist map in the 1990s when long-dormant Arenal became (scarlet macaws) iStock, (zip-lining) Steve Bly/All Canada Photos, (pool) courtesy Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens p20-25_Costa_Rica.indd 23 one of the most active volcanoes on the planet. Rustic lodges replaced cattle ranches and Arenal, where we're headed now, became a hot spot (excuse the pun) for volcanologists and outdoorsy types. It's dark by the time we arrive at Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens, and the cluster of restaurants on the main "street" are abuzz with alfresco dinner activity. At first glance, Nayara's coveted three leaves are a little hard to spot. On inserting my key card into a socket on the wall, the room jumps to life like a small carnival: pot lights and wall sconces fill the room with brilliance and two air conditioners chirp melodiously. There is also a TV, DVD player, phone and ample towels and robes – in short, it resembles any luxurious hotel. On the nightstand, a card informs me: "Water is life. Only use the necessary," but the two indoor rain showers, outdoor shower, double vanity and Jacuzzi give me ample opportunity to squander it. (Not that I'm complaining: it all looks delightful after a day on the road.) Costa Rica's genius is that well-run eco-lodges can offer guests every luxury and still be mindful of the environment. Nayara composts all of its food scraps (or sends them to farms for pig feed), uses lowwattage LED lighting and biodegradable cleaning products, monitors water use, recycles wastewater and avoids using pesticides westworld >> fa l l 2 0 1 3 23 13-08-19 9:09 AM