Costa Rica family tour, 11 days

Planet

Costa Rica is one of the world’s most eco-conscious countries, which makes our job a little easier! Nevertheless, we pay the same level of attention here as we would anywhere in the world to ensure that we are offering holidays with the smallest impact possible. Our local partners in Costa Rica employ their own full-time Sustainability Manager to ensure that the hotels and services we use match their own standards (they have the highest sustainability accreditation possible within the Certification for Sustainable Tourism Program), whilst we ourselves have achieved Travelife’s Better Places Partner criteria. We also work with Animondial to ensure that any activities involving animals meet their strict welfare standards.

During this holiday you’ll stay in a Monteverde lodge which has been awarded the Ecological Blue Flag, and is making further strides in terms of energy conservation and waste management – they’re even helping to lead the auto-revolution by installing an electric car charging point! Elsewhere, you’ll also visit a non-profit wildlife sanctuary in Manuel Antonio, where rescued animals are rehabilitated and released back into the wild whenever possible.
We also make a contribution to another trusted wildlife rescue centre in Costa Rica every time we book a new holiday to the country.

Before you travel with us, you’ll receive our ‘How to be a Responsible Traveller’ document, which gives advice on local issues, how to protect wildlife and how to minimise your impact on beautiful Costa Rica. We also encourage feedback from our travellers to raise any concerns about potential environmental risks so that we’re able to act on them swiftly with our partners.

People

We have a policy of using small-scale, locally-owned accommodation wherever possible. This allows us to be confident that revenue is staying within the local area. Due to the country’s pleasant climate and relatively relaxed real estate rules, many hotels are either owned or part-owned by foreigners. Whilst we prioritise Costa Rican owned hotels, if we do work with foreign owners we ask that they are residents in the country and employ locally, so that benefits still filter through to the local community. On your final night in Alajuela, our first choice hotel is owned and run by a Dutchman called Peter and his Costa Rican wife of over 20 years, Flor. They have lived in the country together for many years, and provide employment for a number of other local people.

We steer clear of all-inclusive resorts in Costa Rica, and most of the hotels and lodges we work with are within easy reach of local restaurants and shops. Not only does this give you the chance to try lots of delicious Costa Rican food (El Lagarto nearby your Manuel Antonio hotel is highly recommended!) but it also means that the money you're spending stays within the local area.

Throughout our trips we use Costa Rican guides and drivers, most of whom are originally from that specific area of the country. Not only does this mean that money is staying within the local community, but also that the service and knowledge our travellers receive is top-notch. You’ll often be picked up from the airport in San Jose by Jorge, who is from the city and whose daughter works on the operations team in the office of our local partner.

Closer to home in our Brighton office, we encourage an open environment which provides opportunity and support for our staff. We also offer a paid charity day every year to all employees, get involved in local schemes such as beach cleans, and regularly march in the annual Brighton Pride Parade.