• Columbus came to Cost Rica in 1502
• When Spanish came they were interested in Coffee
• When Spanish took over for 250 years they influenced food
• After Spanish started buying coffee (early 1800s) it became a CR's valuable export
• Built railroads to transport coffee (1890)
• To fund railroads they planted banana trees

Bananas were soon another valuable export of CR

• With money from exports funded education and health
• Today cost Ricans are coffee extreme coffee lovers (all businesses are closed around three because of coffee breaks)
• GALLO PINTO=RICE AND BEANS
• Most sea food exported so they don't eat much
• Variety of food because of multiple environments
• Makes lots of sugar
• Their food has Jamaican heritage
• Sugar cane is used throughout their food selection, even drinks
• Sweet corn makes up many of the traditional dishes: corn soup, corn pancakes
• Tortillas used in every meal
• When Spanish found little gold they turned to agriculture
• Before Spanish arrived Costa Rica so poor that they even the Governor had to farm his own food

The History of Costa Rican Food

Nobody knows much about the History of Costa Rica before 1502 when Columbus first arrived there. We do know that in the ages before Europeans invaded their culture they developed a typical Mexican diet centered around beans and rice. When the Spanish came and began to make stable colonies about sixty years after Christopher's first voyage to Costa Rica they had an instant interest in the coffee they found. However it wasn't until the early 1800s that coffee became Costa Rica's most valuable product. It was in such high demand that in 1890 railroads were built across Costa Rica to transport it faster. To help pay off the loans needed to make the railroads the Costa Ricans planted banana trees along the rail road tracks. In no time the banana fruit was another extremely valuable product to the people of Costa Rica. The Spanish rule of Costa Rica for 250 years certainly left an influence on many aspects of Costa Rican culture, including food. The strong trade routes of bananas and coffee beans are still running smoothly, as well as the Costa Rican love for coffee. They honor the role coffee has played in their history every day by closing down all stores and business to take a coffee break.

Normally, a quiet town of 2000 residents, Tamarindo's population swells to 5000 come tourist season. And who could blame them flocking here? Tamarindo's close proximity to airlines and transportation, national parks to its north and south, its abundance of marine life, its surf reputation immortalized in the classic Endless Summer II, hotels, restaurants and shops, makes Tamarindo truly a great place to discover Costa Rica.

Make Tamarindo your base as you take an eco-friendly tour in Costa Rica; go visit an estuary, watch the famous leatherback turtles make their way into the blue waters of the Pacific, explore the national parks and rainforests, and see coral reefs and marine life as you snorkel or scuba dive.

Tamarindo is a great place to vacation if you love the outdoors. You can take an excursion in the great outdoors and go golfing, hiking, biking, fishing, white water rafting and of course surfing.

Once a quiet little fishing village and before that a part of the Guanacaste cowboy region, Tamarindo has quickly gained ground as a premiere travel destination worldwide among not only surfers but all kinds of jetsetters. Tamarindo's rich history also provides for an eclectic mix of European, Mestizo, Afro-Caribbean and North American culture. This culture is evident in the music, cuisine and in the easy-going nature of its people.

Nightlife in Tamarindo can rival the rush, exhilaration and adrenaline of many big city clubs, discos and bars. All throughout the relatively small town of Tamarindo you can see bars, clubs, restaurants and discos lined along the streets just ready to make your nighttime as enjoyable as daytime in Tamarindo.

When it comes to staying in Tamarindo there are many hotels along the strip that cater to the budget and wallet of all kinds of travelers. So in Tamarindo you never have to worry about the value of your dollar.

All who come to Tamarindo never want to leave; many jetsetters have gone to Tamarindo and fallen in love with its laid-back, surfer charm, never to return. You can see ex-pats from Europe, North America, Asia and the Caribbean now calling Tamarindo home, so don't say I didn't warn you about Tamarindo's charm.

You can meet people from all cultures in Tamarindo, surf to your heart's content, enjoy the outdoors and greet strangers with a smile, so don't miss your chance to add to the eclectic, welcoming flair of Tamarindo.

It is specifically involved with traveling to natural destinations, building awareness on the conservation of the environment, providing perks for conservation practices as well as financial benefits for the local people.

Ecotourism is different from nature-based tourism. Nature tourism uses natural destinations to lure tourists and includes such activities as kayaking, mountain biking, fishing, camping, hiking and others. The biggest difference between ecotourism and nature tourism lies in the fact that the former contains educational elements and efforts are geared towards environment conservation.

There are four types of ecotourism: hard ecotourism, general or soft ecotourism, adventure ecotourism and educational ecotourism. Hard ecotourism focuses on activities that involve intense ecotourism such as non-hotel accommodations. Soft ecotourism is most common where tourists can observe nature and culture of the local people. Adventure ecotourism involves activities that are high risks such as bungee jumping. Educational tourism is one organized by educational organization complete with lectures and presentations.

There were two major factors that led to the creation of ecotourism. These are : the environmental movement in the 1970's and 1980's and a general dissatisfaction with mass tourism due to over development, pollution and insensitive foreigners (Honey, 1999; Orams, 1995). The combined effect of environmental awareness and great dissatisfaction of mass tourism led to ecotourism.

David Weaver noted that “interest in ecotourism, now widespread among tourism planners and marketers, is rationalized by a number of popular assumptions regarding the sector's potential economic, environment and socio-cultural benefits” (Weaver 1999, 795).

Proper planning and implementation of these ecotourism programs must go hand in hand in order to attain success. It is important to point out that a number of ecotourism projects have failed because of lack of planning and implementation guidelines. The consequences would be disastrous in such cases because economic gains cannot replace the social and environmental damages that ecotourism could contribute.

A number of experts are uncertain over the role of ecotourism in the context of international development. A number of literatures written on ecotourism express either skepticism or optimism.

The Need for Sustainable Development

In early 1987, the term “sustainable development” gained international recognition. The Bruntland Commission defined it as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” ( Our Common Future, 1987, p. 43). In terms of international development, it is taken in the context of social, economic and environmental impacts of development.

For ecotourism to meet the world's stamp of approval, it has to be sustainable. The main goal of ecotourism therefore is sustainable development. In order for the ecotourism strategy to be effective, it must help preserve the environment for the future generations which is the primary concern of the local sectors in Costa Rica now.

Costa Rica's Ecotourism

Costa Rica was a pioneer in ecotourism. Its ecotourism industry has reached a much higher level of maturity compared to other countries. That is why interest in the impact of ecotourism in Costa Rica is also very high. Costa Rica serves as a concrete example of the possible advantages and disadvantages ecotourism will bring. Proper planning and implementation of ecotourism are derived on the lessons learned in Costa Rica's first-hand experience.

According to Honey (1999) estimates showed that the demand for ecotourism is growing at a 10 to 30 percent annual rate. Due to its potential huge impact to the environment, socio-cultural and economic aspect of Costa Rica, it is important to assess its effectiveness and sustainability.

Costa Rica has the makings of a good ecotourism spot. It offers a biologically diverse place in the regions of South America. Its ecosystem is comprised of 12 different life zones. An estimated 4% of all living species thrive in Costa Rica despite its very limited .01% of global territory. Its cloud forests, active volcanoes and huge species of flora and fauna made it ideal for ecotourism.

Costa Rica has all the necessary attractions for ecotourism. It has national parks, a democratic government, a temperate climate and hospitable people. It boasts of the highest standards of living, the largest middle class base and the best public health care system, the best public education and highest literacy rate in all of Latin America (Honey, 1999). Not only that infrastructures are also very good with its paved roads, telephone and electricity access. Its airport facility met international standards and only a few hours flight from the United States.

Tourists from the United States flock to Costa Rica with 39% of them saying nature as the main reason. The government of Costa Rica, fortunately, quickly recognized the importance of ecotourism in their industry and took steps to protect their natural resources. As a matter of fact, a fourth of the country forms part of the 29 parks and protected areas, considered as one of the world's highest protection rates of the natural resources. As ecotourism grew, Costa Rica's economy also grew as best reflected in the country's gross domestic product. In 1995, tourism became the highest money-making venture in the country followed by banana, coffee and beef industry.

Costa Rica was able to meet to the expectations of the tourists by supplying an environmentally conscious tourism. The huge tract of land under the protected area preserved the natural beauty of the environment in Costa Rica. This, in turn, sustains the tourist influx into the country. A number of local and governmental programs have been established to further promote education and conservation of ecotourism. For instance, Monteverde region of Costa Rica which housed a number of notable and popular ecotourism spots such as Monteverde Cloud Forest Private Reserve, the Community Reserve of Santa Elena, the Butterfly Garden, the Orchid Farm, the Community Art Center, CASEM, the Cheese Factory, the Frog Farm and the famous Sky Walk-Sky Trek.

To preserve natural beauty, ecotourism sectors provide guides to accompany the tourists to educate the tourists or impart knowledge about the sites. The Sky Walk project was started by a local family and required the involvement of the entire community. This provides jobs to the locals which they could use to purchase things they need in turn helping the economy move forward. The local schools, churches and road projects also get much needed support from projects such as these.

Costa Rica has not always been a major tourist destination. As a matter of fact, its transformation to become a famous tourist hub was short of miraculous. Ecotourism has started in Costa Rica as early as the 1970's. It took off in 1980's when the government worked hand in hand with USAID, World Bank and IMF to further develop it.

Economic Impacts

The role of economics in ecotourism could not be understated. It was first and foremost the reason behind the creation of ecotourism. It is said that “years ago, the travel agents first dreamed up the idea of "ecotourism" were clearly looking for new markets, not ways to save the world” (Miller and Tangley, 1991, p. 153).

The greatest promise ecotourism holds is its ability to marry economic gains with environment conservation. The movement of travelers from developed to developing countries is essential to earn the much needed dollars to spur the economy. However, this is not the case observed by many in Costa Rica.

Revenue leakage seems to be the order of the day. Revenue leakage is defined as the money which escapes the local economy and went back to developed countries. “In Costa Rica, which by the early 1990's was the number one overseas ecotourism destination for the United States travelers, half of every tourist dollar never left the United States, and only 20 cents actually went into the local economy according to a USAID study” (Honey, 1999, p. 89).

In this scenario, it will be hard for Costa Rica to benefit from ecotourism. Money leaks are observed in the different aspects of the ecotourism business. For instance, paying money to tour operators made up mostly of foreigners, importing of products that attracts foreign tourists and the payment of plane fares to foreign owned airlines.

The economic boost derived from ecotourism is unquestionable. But in order for ecotourism to remain sustainable, the large amount of the profit must go the local communities. According to estimates, 90% of revenue leakage occurs in communities adjacent to natural attractions. In the Tortuguero National Park of Costa Rica, a mere 6% of the total income will go to the local communities.

In order to maximize the economic gains of ecotourism in Costa Rica, revenue leakages must be addressed effectively. Legislation properly in place would make enable the locals to generate a huge percentage of the profits. Also, the need to put up local businesses using indigenous materials and using local labor has to be emphasized to prevent revenue leakage.

Another negative result of ecotourism is it can cause an increase in the cost of living for the locals. A study conducted in the Osa peninsula showed that ecotourism made the inhabitants poorer not richer as thought. Converting the area to a tourist attraction would mean higher cost of living for the locals but the income remains the same because the profits generated often go to outsiders with more experience leaving the community to share the crumbs.

Also, local entrepreneurs do not receive the much-needed financial aid from the government in order to make them competitive. It would be hard for local entrepreneurs to continue without financial backing especially if foreign investments start pouring in. It is important therefore to encourage local initiatives to develop the ecotourism sector before turning to foreign investors.

Exploitation in the marketing of ecotourism poses another economic problem to Costa Rica. This is referred to as “green washing”. Some members of the travel industry want to capitalize with the growing ecotourism market by marketing products as ecotourism even though they have nothing to do with environmental responsibility, whatsoever. “These environmental opportunists package the same travel that was once considered exploitative in a green ribbon, and travelers return home with the illusion that their luxurious vacation was actually good for the environment” (Roberts and Thanos, 2003, p.84).

Another economic dilemma Costa Rica needs to face is the growing dependence on tourism to generate income. Tourism is the number one money-making ventures in Costa Rica totally eclipsing the performance of its former exports like bananas and coffee. What makes this total dependence risky is the fact that tourism is seasonal and is subject to change. One may experience tourism boom in one year and suffer tourism bust in another. In other words, it is not a stable source of income. Too much reliance on it could put a lot of people's jobs at risk.

Complete takeover of foreign investment could also lead to economic problems since it affects the sense of ownership of the locals. For instance, the prices of real estate have sky-rocketed to immense heights that even the locals cannot afford to buy their own lands. Inflation can cause increase of cost of living which could displace a lot of people.

Roberts and Thanos (2003) believe that “as long as ecotourism remains dependent on the international economy it appears it will be influenced and ultimately overpowered by the corporations that dominate the industry”.

A number of critics of ecotourism projects not just in Costa Rica but also in other developing countries have been very vocal about its supposed lack of economic benefits. Critics believed that developing countries the likes of Costa Rica would not likely benefit from international tourism because most major tourist expenditures such as plane fare are taken care of by businesses outside the country.

The reality though paints a different picture. Costa Rica enjoys a high 40% rent capture which is used by owners, managers, guides, meals and accommodation providers for operating expenses. The percentage is actually higher than what most people expect considering Costa Rica does not have local airlines that could compete with international carriers. In ecotourism industry, having privately-owned accommodations are preferable compared to large hotels and restaurants since they can provide better service to tourists. These privately-operated and smaller hotels in turn employ a number of locals and help the economy.

Environmental Impacts

The national park system in Costa Rica is the main attraction in ecotourism. The first strictly protected area came about in 1963. There are now 30 parks and more than 2230 different protected areas in Costa Rica.

One of the environmental effects of ecotourism is overcrowding and impacts of using it. It can give undue pressure to environmentally sensitive areas. Overcrowding natural areas with visitors could result in environmental degradation. “A major environmental cost is the possibility that local carrying capacities, difficult to gauge as they are because of their complexity, will be inadvertently exceeded in the long term by activity associated with ecotourism, especially in those cases where the sector is growing at a rapid rate” (Weaver, 1999, p. 796).

Overcrowding or sudden influx of tourists could lead to excess in the local carrying capacities which will have negative impacts on the environment since the locals are left with the responsibilities of coping with solid waste generation, pollution, habitat destruction, forest degradation and trail erosion. It could also degrade the delicate balance of the ecosystems and threatens the environment from which it depends.

Since ecotourism is getting less seasonal which means Costa Rica can expect tourists all year-round, concerns for its environmental impact particularly from cause-oriented groups also abound. A year-round tourism could mean increasing the conservation efforts to further protect the environment. Take for instance, the local fauna. There is an open and close season for the fauna. During the close season, local fauna are given time to mate. A year-round travel could affect the mating routine. Also, ecotourism thrives on image. As ecotourism grows they might be some problems in the image the ecotourism conjures. A tourist might expect quiet, isolated and untouched beaches but when he comes to Costa Rica he might be disappointed to see the beach flooded with other ecotourists like him. This could pose a potential problem in marketing the place.

Of course, keeping the environment at a minimum is almost impossible with increased number of tourists flocking to the place. Increasing number of hotels constructed, more lights on the streets and on the houses and increased visitors coming in and out of the country are observed to affect the sea-turtle nesting and the sea-turtle itself by changing its pattern of nesting.

It is therefore imperative that ecotourism minimizes these adverse effects by focusing on low-impact construction, controlling the number of visitors in a certain area and using great care when interacting with the fauna and flora.

A concrete example of the problems from the environmental impacts of ecotourism is best exemplified by the Manuel Antonio National Park. The park often experienced overcrowding, lack of planning and over-development of the affected community. This resulted in improper waste disposal which caused a number of the resident monkeys in the area to feed on garbage. In this instance, it is important to point out that conservation measures should be put in place ahead of generating profit in order to protect the environment and to make it sustainable.

The deterioration of the environment will affect tourist visits in the long term. Therefore, to make the area not only sustainable but also income-generating for a long time, conservation measures must be firmly in place.

Social Impacts

To make ecotourism beneficial to the locals, the people should actively contribute to the planning and implementation phase of the project. This area leaves a lot to be desired of since communities did not form part of the decision-making process and private operators particularly foreigners did not consult the community about their plans for the place. Since the local communities have the biggest stake in the consequence of the ecotourism program, their voice should be heard or ideas should be solicited in establishing sustainable ecotourism.

The involvement of the local community to the project could spell its success or failure. The support of the local community is very important because they create the kind of environment that tourists want. Their participation is also essential in identifying the impacts, whether positive or negative, of ecotourism to the affected area. The involvement of the community could also lessen future conflicts.

Ecotourism could possibly lead to the collapse of social and cultural structures. Therefore, it is important that tourists be aware of the cultural dynamics at work in a particular community to make ecotourism work. By using the skills and knowledge of the local people, ecotourism could encourage the native culture. The good news is ecotourists are found to appreciate the local tradition, customs and cuisine compared to other offerings.

The dangers of associating isolated communities with rich foreigners could also be high. A situation called “commofication” could occur which is the erosion of the culture and community structure. Locals may change their practices to accommodate the foreigners.

Conclusion

The overall impact of ecotourism industry to Costa Rica has been very positive. It also helped that the local government and organizations worked hand in hand to promote the environment. Guidelines have been established and followed to be able to facilitate the growing need for ecotourism.

As ecotourism will grow - so will the need for accommodations. This, of course, will have a direct impact on the environment. They may need more places to develop, more space for the tourists. That is why strict implementation of environmental guidelines is essential to minimize the social impact on Costa Rica environment.

The local people should be at the center of the ecotourism development. This is to encourage them to devote their time and full support to ecotourism undertakings thus minimizing the likelihood of negative impacts of ecotourism.

People who are planning a trip can take a chartered flight from more than 5 locations in North America. It is best to ask the travel agent for good rates which sometimes offer a nice hotel to make the person enjoy the stay. Tourists can rent a car or take a bus to visit Costa Rica's sites.

The capital is San Jose which is situated in the province of Alejuela. This is one of 7 provinces that make up the entire country.

Costa Rica is gifted with 9 volcanoes. Three of these are still active. These are the Arenal, Poas and the Irazu. Tourists can arrange a tour with the hotel and visit any of these sites.

The beaches of Costa Rica are simply amazing. The country has 1000 miles of coastline on the east and west and people can arrange to go there to enjoy its white sands. A special treat should tourists come in the month of April until October is the arrival of sea turtles which lay eggs on the beach.

There are a lot of nice dive sites for those who want to explore underwater sea life. The person just has to sign up and see turtles, eels and other marine animals along the country's coastline.

The country has more than 3 national parks. Each is protected by law and since the country hasn't industrialized, a lot of these have been well preserved such as its tropical rain forests. There are a lot of bird species here that are not found in the rest of the world and taking a guided tour is another interesting experience.

Other sights that the person can look at are some churches that date back to the occupation of the Spaniards. These places which date more than 500 years old are still intact and not damaged by war.

People who decide to get a meal will not be shocked since the country has a wide cuisine. This dates back to the times of the Spaniards to those of its neighboring countries. Since a lot of Americans have decided to move here and retire, certain influences on the local food industry have also happened.

The country has its own national museum which shows the history of the country before Christopher Columbus discovered it in the 16th century until the present. Those who want some entertainment can visit the national theater and catch a little bit of Costa Rican culture.

Tourists who want to experience some extreme leisure activities can try bungee jumping at the Clorado River Bridge. There are trips from the capital which can take the person or a group there to have some fun. Other interesting things that people can do together are some white water rafting along the river.

Costa Rica is truly a place for those who want to relax and have some fun. The person can check some information from the internet or through a travel agent to get the best rates to enjoy this tropical paradise.

• Though Costa Rica has its own currency (the Colon), most stores list prices in terms of U.S. dollars since there are so many U.S. tourists and access to U.S. dollars is easy. However, in order to exchange money, travelers must visit an official exchange, as illegal exchange of currency is forbidden. Head's up: most banks close at 3p.m.
• Costa Rican travelers: be wary; Costa Rica is a stopping point along the well-known drug route through Central America. Though drugs and drug trafficking are illegal and punished quite severely, many tourists do get caught up in drug-money schemes, so tourists are warned upon arrival to guard their personal safety.
• There are about 52 species of hummingbirds in Costa Rica, making Costa Rica a true North American hummingbird capitol. The Costa Rican hummingbirds are most often found in the rain forest, as they pollinate flowers in the area where bees cannot travel.
• Monkeys are one of the most common mammals in Costa Rica - next to bats. There are about four common species of monkeys in Costa Rica, including the Howler money, Spider money, white-faced capuchin, and the squirrel monkey. Most monkeys live in groups of 10 to 40 with other animals.
• There are four kinds of toucans in Costa Rica, including the keel-billed toucan, chestnut-mandibled toucan, collared aracari, and the fiery-billed aracari. Toucans are found almost entirely in or around the rain forest. There are also over 332 species of parrots, but only about five live in Costa Rica, including the scarlet macaw, great green macaw, red-lored parrot, white-crowned parrot and the barred parakeet.
• Bug-phobists look out! There are about 750,000 species of insects that live in Costa Rica, including about 20,000 different types of spiders!
• Guaro is the local alcoholic liquor of choice. The beverage is inexpensive and is made from sugar cane. Costa Rica also produces a fine coffee liquor - straight from the coffee bean.
• Though Costa Rica is the second smallest Latin American country (it's only about 30,100 square miles), it's one of the most culturally and geographically exciting. The country borders the Caribbean and Pacific waters and has a broad mix of low lands and hilly volcanoes. As such hikers and water-lovers will be equally as impressed.
• Vaccinations are not mandatory. However, there are Red Cross stations in just about every town throughout the country, making vaccinations readily available. Many hikers get vaccinated before traveling to the country, as Typhoid and Hydrophobia are common.

Costa Rica is one of the most valued environmental destinations in North America. Whether you're taking off for a backpacking trip, historic inquiry, or kayaking journey, Costa Rica is sure to provide an environment that cannot be replicated. Be sure to take your hiking boots and swimsuit - you never know when you'll hike to the top of a cliff only to jump into a crystal clear pool below!