I have lived in Costa Rica the most of my live, but was until this year, last summer, when I visited Finca Exotica and it was an unforgettable experience, the way they live in Corcovado really filled me with admiration and respect for nature. The ecolodge is located in a very remote region of the country, surrounded by a huge forest jungle.
Maintaining a sustainable hotel in a place like this it’s a challenge, you need to be commited with a sustainable lifestyle: a way of life in balance with nature, since the hotel is immersed in it. Here I tell you some details that make this hotel unique and special.
Sustainable facilities
Sustainable lifestyle means green building. The whole complex of Finca Exótica is designed to intervene as less as possible with the jungle, you won’t find concrete corridors or large buildings. The constructions of Finca Exótica are mainly made of bamboo or wood of fallen trees in the area, everything is connected by trails and you sleep in tents (glamping) or in open to the night breeze (no walls) rooms . The boundary between nature and your room will be very tenuous.
Hard to imagine? This video will show you a little bit of the rooms where you could stay.
Electric power is produced by renewable sources. When I visited the hotel I had no television, no water heater, no air conditioning, in exchange I had the breeze of nature, refreshing water, board games and friends to chat.
The electric lights are also turned off a little while after dinner, giving way to the darkness of the night and the brightness of the moon. Here the sunlight marks the rhythm of the day and this causes the environment to be the protagonist.
Although most of the time you will pay attention to the vibrant forest that surrounds it, the facilities of the Ecolodge are really beautiful. The Casa Grande, the social area of the hotel, is a large terrace with a view of the sea and hammocks where I spent the afternoon reading a book.
It also has a fully equipped open kitchen, where I could meet the cooks, and a large dining room where we shared meals with all hotel guests. In this way I met fascinating people from around the world!
The facilities also include a large wooden deck where we practice yoga with an incredible view of the sea. This place is ideal to meditate and feel the intense connection that Finca Exotica allows with Nature.
Healthy local food
Sustainable lifestyle means healthy food. Delicious dishes are produced from Finca Exotica’s kitchen, which are mostly produced with local ingredients and eaten all together in one large table to share the experience with the hotel staff and other guests. This is a great way to connect and meet new people.
The chefs are experts and they gave us to taste the exotic fruits of the rainforest such as jackfruit, mangosten, cashews and breadfruit, we also ate fresh fish from local fishermen and meats from nearby farms.
The menu can adapt your dietary needs, be it vegan, vegetarian, omnivore or have specific allergies. In the same way you will always enjoy a healthy dish, balanced and made with fresh ingredients and especially with a lot of dedication. Just what the body needs to feel healthy and explore the nearby jungle.
Healthy life and in harmony with Nature
Although it is a hotel, it really does not look like it. The way they live here is inspired by the balance of Nature and all the lessons that the rainforest teaches us. Hosts welcome you in a relaxed way and make you feel welcome. They open the door to a peaceful place, ideal to inspire and connect with other people.
More than employees, those who work at Finca Exotica have chosen to live like that and deeply love what they do, it is easy to get their enthusiasm. Part of the daily routine that is lived in the hotel includes meditation, yoga, walks along the trails of the farm, massages, reading and sunsets.
By living this way, the rhythm of Nature is energizing and cleans up whatever regret you have. Finca Exotica Ecolodge is a great example of Sustainable lifestyle and a place to meet again with yourself.
*Melissa Jiménez is a journalism graduate from the Universidad Latina de Costa Rica. Writer of articles on nature, yoga, cinema and related topics. Blog: https://melissajimenezcr.wordpress.com/
