A Hidden Treasure in Southern Costa Rica

This exclusive Rainforest Lodge is surrounded by the undisturbed primary lowland rainforest of the Piedras Blancas National Park, an extension of the Corcovado National Park and the clear waters of the Golfo Dulce. The remote lodge at Playa San Josecito is only accessible by a boat ride of about 30 minutes either from Golfito or Puerto Jimenez.

The Lodge consists of more than 300 hectares (750 acres) of titled property and 7.57 acres Maritime zone property with concession. The property was bought to conserve the existing virgin rainforest, and to set up a small place for nature and animal lovers to experience the magnificent world of an almost untouched environment on an individual basis, far away from tourist crowds.

The lodge comes with all the needed permits to operate an eco-tourism business:  ICT, Permisos Sanitarios for both, Restaurant and Hotel,  Alcohol license for Bar, Restaurant and Cabinas.

Buildings and Infrastructure:

Ø     5 detached, spacious wooden Deluxe Bungalows (388 sq. feet), with comfortable bamboo furniture, ceiling fan and shower/toilet (warm water until sunset), as well as a large, private veranda of 161 sq. feet. All bungalows have hand-crafted wooden doors with individual motives:

Ø       Bungalow Capuchin                                   3 single beds

Ø       Bungalow Scarlet Macaw                          1 double and 1 single bed

Ø       Bungalow Toucan                                       1 double and 1 single bed

Ø       Bungalow Sloth                                            1 double and 1 single bed

Ø       Bungalow Jaguar                                          3 single beds

Ø       3 spacious Standard Rooms (280 sq. feet) built with concrete/block construction. The room accommodations include; comfortable bamboo furniture, ceiling fan and a large, private veranda (108 sq. feet) on the jungle edge or close to the small freshwater pool. All rooms have hand-crafted or painted wooden doors with individual motives:

Ø       Room Squirrel Monkey                               2 single beds only            (on the jungle edge)

Ø       Room Margay                                               2 single beds only            (on the jungle edge)

Ø       Room Coatimundi                                       3 single beds                     (close to the pool)

Ø       Restaurant with bamboo decorated ceiling and a large, covered rooftop observation deck furnished with comfortable bamboo sofas and decorated with lush tropical plants. The first floor furnished with 6 tables, a cozy jungle bar with refrigerator and chairs for leisure.

Ø       Ladies’ and Gents’ Restrooms painted with tropical jungle sceneries.

Ø       Spacious, well equipped Hotel Kitchen (gas stove, electrical household appliances, 2 domestic refrigerators’)

Ø       Food Storage Room

Ø       Laundry Room with washing machine

Ø       Staff House with 3 bedrooms, all with private toilet/shower, small staff kitchen, porch, TV

Ø       Fully equipped Workshop

Ø       Pelton-House for hydro-plant and backup-gasoline generator

Ø       Beach Ranchito with hammocks

Ø       Information Ranchito with handouts about local Flora and Fauna, traditions

Ø       Chlorine-free Swimming Pool, fed by the overflow of the hydro-plant

Ø       Natural Pond fed by the overflow of the chlorine-free pool

Ø       Safe steel platform of about 9 m height at forest edge for birding and nature studies

Ø       Farm house which could be used as an additional staff house

Ø       Private House with spacious living room, bedroom, shower/toilet, guest bedroom with bathroom, porch.

Ø       Black Water System:

Ø       5 biological Sewage Tanks

Ø       Infrastructure Electricity:

Ø       Hydro-plant (Pelton wheel) with generator of 15 kWa and 12 kWa

Ø       Backup Gasoline Generator of 9kWa

Ø       Water-Intake up in the mountains

Ø       Pipeline of high pressure Tubes of a length of 1’500 meters feeding the hydro-plant

Ø       2 Solar-panels and transformers installed to run the Radio Marina and one of the alarm systems

Ø       Infrastructure Drinking Water:

Ø       Pipeline of Tubes of a length of 1’500 meters

Ø       Water Tank (1.20m high, 4.14m length, 3.458m width = 17.2m3)

Ø       Communication System:

Ø       Telephone GSM-system with Internet Access

Ø       Radio Marina equipment

Ø       Security:

Ø       2 Alarm-Systems running on 110V and 12V

Ø       Sensitive Lights

Ø       4 Fire Extinguishers (3 chemical / 1 high pressure water)

Ø       hoses connected outside all wooden Houses in case of fire

Ø       life vests for boat transfers and tours

Ø       well stocked medical first aid box

Ø       Satellite dish with Direct TV

Ø       1 Boat with Evinrude 50 Motor (Honda 50 HP 4-stroke motor presently in repair; one boat out of the water)

Ø       2 double-sea-kayaks

Landscaping

Ø       Large, well-kept Garden with a variety of tropical plants such as orquideas, palm trees, heliconias, ginger, etc. etc.

Ø       Native plant section marked with numbers with plant description

Ø       Fruit trees such as banana, papaya, mango, citrus fruits etc. etc.

Trails and tours / Flora and Fauna

Due to its great variety of ecosystems the Lodge is a secluded, true nature paradise off the beaten track in a yet not well promoted area offering jungle hikes and boat tours to the Rio Esquinas.

Ø       Various trails leading through extensive heliconia field, secondary and primary rainforest, pasture with various fruit trees

Ø       Excellent Birding, so far around 340 bird species identified by birding specialists

Ø       Abundance of Mammals

Ø       4 species of poisonous dart frogs

Ø       Various nature studies by biologists on birding, primary rainforest trees, tracks of mammals etc.

Ø       Lodge beach safe for swimming (no rip tides, no big waves)

Ø       Medium sized waterfall with 3 cascades

Ø       Possibility to install Canopy or to add hanging bridge

Ø       Possibility to build rustic overnight camp overlooking the Golfo Dulce

Marketing and Promotion

Ø       Well introduced within San Jose based agencies and abroad as an eco-lodge devoted to conservation

Ø       Various Articles about the Lodge in tourism section of newspapers in California and Florida

Ø       Well-designed Homepage

Ø       Included in all major Travel Guides

Ø       Guest book with enthusiastic comments by clients about their stay at the Lodge

Ø       Recommendations (word-of-mouth) by former clients

Ø       Certified with 3 Green Leaves by ICT within their Sustainable Tourism Certification; presently measures are being taken to be upgraded to Level 4

Outlook

Ø       Growing demand for eco-tourism destinations worldwide

Ø       In 2003, number of foreigners visiting the country increased by 7.1% compared to the average international travel increase of only 3% to 4%

Ø       43% increase of international flights coming to Costa Rica in 2003

Ø       more direct non-stop flights from Europe to San Jose

Ø       Growing interest by San Jose based agencies during the past few years to promote the Southern zone even though it is more time-consuming and more expensive for tourists to get there

Ø       The Southern Zone with the Golfo Dulce region is often referred to as the last frontier of Costa Rican tourism with breathtaking tropical rainforest, remote beaches and diverse wildlife

Ø       The Costa Rican Tourism Fair Expotur 2004 has shown that most of the interest in tourism is starting to center around the Southern Zone. Local and international travel agencies/tour operators are beginning to focus on this area (Tico Times 04.06.2004)

Ø       More and more TV-documentaries on the wildlife of the Southern zone

Ø       Easier and quicker car access when the Coastal Highway is finished

Ø       Tourism to the Southern zone being pushed by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute and by the present Government

Ø       International airport planned in Palmar Sur

Memberships

Ø       Member of Grupo Futuropa (Asociacion para la Promocion Turistica de Costa Rica en Europa)

Ø       Member of The International Ecotourism Society (TIES)

Features

Ø       Abundant titled open space outside the national park corridor.

Ø       Ideal property for biological study and stations:  low lands, fields, secondary growth, primary growth, canopy and more.

Ø       Extension of trail net possible

Ø       Hanging bridge over the (3 cascade) waterfall could be added

****Information and photos supplied by owner.