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Nature Tours & National Parks in El Salvador

Monday, August 16th, 2010

la-coco-view

Barra de Santiago, El Salvador

El Salvador is a nature-lover’s paradise. With a large variety of unique plants and wildlife, its geographic location is ideal for those seeking an eco vacation. With so many sights to see, from the breathtaking volcanic lake, Lake Coatepeque, to El Imposible National Park, El Salvador is the perfect place to experience the beauty of nature first hand. Many nature tours in El Salvador are available through La Cocotera Resort as well as various tour groups in the area.

La Cocotera offers exciting eco and nature tours including an exploration of the Ruins of Joya de Ceren and San Andres, a Santa Ana Volcano Tour and a day hike in El Imposible National Park.

Ruins of Joya de Ceren

Visit the Mayan ruins of Joya de Ceren and San Andres on this unique, full day nature tour. Named a UN World Heritage Site, this archaeological region offers unforgettable panoramic volcanic views from beautiful Cerro Verde. Tour includes transportation, a pack lunch, park entrance fees and a guide. Cost: $175 for up to 2 people.

Volcano Tour

This tour is for the athletic and adventurous. Climb the Santa Ana Volcano, the highest in the country, with magnificent views of other volcanoes and lakes. The effort will be well worth it! This full day trip is  relatively strenuous and sturdy shoes are necessary.  Transportation, lunch, entrance fees and a guide are all included. Cost: $165 for up to two people.

El Imposible National Park

The San Salvador area is well known for El Imposible, a tropical rain forest and El Salvador’s largest national park. Explore its diverse collection of animals and plants on this educational hike.  During the nature tour, you will also learn about the Scarlet Macaw reintroduction program. The trip is a 1/2 day hike and includes transportation, drinks, entrance fees and guide. Cost: $150 for up to 2 people.

Other types of nature tours and activities that are readily available at or near La Cocotera Resort include ocean and estuary kayaking, deep sea fishing, birdwatching, and a behind the scenes eco tour of our resort.

If you have other nature tours in El Salvador that you would like to book while staying with us, we would be glad to help point you in the right direction.

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What Makes us an Eco Friendly Resort?

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

la-coco-restaurant

As an eco-friendly resort, we constantly strive to ensure that our hotel and practices always put the environment at high priority. But what does that entail exactly? We wanted to take the time to share with you what makes La Cocotera truly an eco friendly resort.

La Cocotera was built following the “green leaf” system utilized by the Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST).   The planning of the resort involved mapping out how to carefully minimize footprints on the land and ensuring that structures were built around the natural landscape. Local natural materials such as palm fronds, sustainable teak wood, plant vines, natural stone and hand woven fabrics are used throughout. In fact, all the wood used in construction was derived from sustainable teak plantations.

Energy conservation and recycling are also important elements of our eco resort. We use solar energy, energy saving lightbulbs and kinesthetic power flashlights. We have a biological (not chemical) waste water recycling treatment plant and we utilize gray water recycling as well as black water recycling, which not many hotels do. All trash is presorted for recycling before it leaves the property.

At La Cocotera, we pride ourselves on the freshness of the food we serve. Mangoes, cashews, almonds and our own citrus trees are all grown on the property and we use them in our desserts.  We will soon be buying Tilapia fish from the local elementary school, which is raising them, and will be adding a vegetarian menu. For drinks, we use plastic cups made from corn  which are 100% compostable.

A few of our other eco friendly resort features are:

  • Environmentally safe products, shampoos and soaps
  • All cleaning products are environmentally safe
  • Ionization pool filtration, rather than chlorine and other chemicals
  • All rooms are non-smoking

Being a green hotel is more than just having environmentally friendly practices in place. We also educate our guests by offering a free Behind The Scenes Eco Tour that shows you all we are doing to be green. We educate all our staff in the same way.

As an eco friendly resort in El Salvador, we are glad to offer world-class accommodations in a beautiful and unique setting. We encourage environmentally conscious travelers, nature and luxury lovers alike to visit our green hotel in El Salvador for a different vacation experience surrounded by nature, far away from the stresses of everyday life.

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El Salvador Ecotourism: Olive Ridley Sea Turtles

Friday, October 16th, 2009

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One of the great advantages of ecotourism is the opportunity to witness nature’s wonders first hand. Just one of the many unique and amazing animals that reside in our little area of El Salvador is the olive ridley sea turtle. If you are lucky, you may be able to see this sea turtle on the Barra de Santiago beach.

Olive ridley turtles get their name from the coloring of their heart-shaped shell, which starts out grey when they first hatch, but becomes olive green once the turtles are adults.  Olive ridley turtles are one of the smallest species of sea turtle, with adults reaching 2 to 2.5 feet in length and weighing 80 to 110 pounds.

Female olive ridley’s have a remarkable way of nesting that sets them apart from other animals. Large groups of turtles gather off shore, then simultaneously come ashore to nest and lay their eggs. The  nesting rush is known as an “arribada”,  which is Spanish for “arrival”. During these arribadas, hundreds to thousands of females come ashore to lay their eggs.

The olive ridley turtle’s conservation status is threatened, which means it is likely to become endangered unless the circumstances threatening its survival and reproduction improve. In breeding populations on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, the Olive Ridley turtle is endangered. The main cause of the historical decline of the olive ridley sea turtle is the collection of eggs and killing of adults on nesting beaches.

turtles

At La Cocotera Eco Resort, we sponsor a turtle release program that allows guests to participate in the release of baby olive ridley turtles into the Pacific ocean. Our eco lodge aims to promote ecotourism and inspire guests to help preserve our natural environment. We purchase the eggs from locals and raise them until they are ready to be released. If you would like to learn more about our eco resort and the turtle release program, contact us at info [at] lacocoteraresort.com

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Traveling Green: Ecolodge Packing Tips

Friday, September 4th, 2009

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Traveling green doesn’t just mean staying at an ecolodge or turning off the lights when you leave your bungalow, you can pack green too! Here are some tips on what to bring to our beachfront ecolodge and how to keep it eco-friendly.

El Salvador has a tropical climate with two seasons: verano, or dry season (November to April), and invierno, or wet season (May to October). Rainfall during this time is usually a single downpour during the day or night with the rest of the day being sunny. The year round average air temperature is between 70 ° - 90 ° F (or 21 ° – 32 ° C), with the hottest months typically being March and April.

Remember to bring lightweight, waterproof outerwear if you plan to travel during the wet season.  To keep things wet/dry while you are out and about on excursions, such as a tour of El Imposible National Park, simply re-use old plastic bags as containers.

Pack light!  Barra de Santiago is a tropical area so you don’t need to bring any heavy clothes. Packing lighter will lighten the load for you and for all your transportation vehicles. Bring a mix of long and short sleeve shirts for hot days and cooler nights.  Instead of denim, which can be heavy and uncomfortable in the humidity and heat, opt for breathable materials for shorts and pants.

If you plan to embark on any eco tours, remember to bring hiking and/or walking shoes along with your beach shoes. On a similar note, bringing a day travel bag for hikes or eco tours is a great way to keep the essentials (sunscreen, water bottle, etc.) with you as you explore the area.

At La Cocotera, we encourage our guests to explore the wonderful natural area surrounding the ecolodge, from the ocean to the estuary to the mangroves. While you’re out and about, it’s a good idea to wear bug repellent.  Many repellents products contain harsh chemical ingredients that are bad for the environment and for you. Look for non-chemical repellents, or better yet, make your own!  Good herbs that repel mosquitoes include basil, eucalyptus, cloves, geranium, peppermint, rosemary and lemon balm (citronella). You can make your own repellent by combining 10 drops essential oil (see list of herbs, above, for choices) 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Combine the ingredients in a glass jar; stir to blend. Dab a few drops on your skin or clothing.

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Eco Vacations: Barra de Santiago Estuary and Mangrove Forest

Friday, August 28th, 2009

La Cocotera Eco Resort is located on the sandy shores of the Barra de Santiago coast, with the Barra de  Santiago Estuary and Mangrove forest as its neighbor. If you are looking for an eco vacation that offers relaxing luxury and intruiging wildlife exploration, then La Cocotera is for you.

Barra de Santiago is home to seven different species of mangrove, and measures approximately 2,000 hectares (4,942 acres). Along with lush vegetation, the inner mangrove coastline is a haven for thousands of native and migratory birds and a various wildlife. Guests at our resort can view several types of wildlife while floating along the peaceful estuary waters including iguanas, lizards, marine mammals, shellfish, sea turtles, crocodiles, blue crabs and more!

If you are a nature and wildlife enthusiast who is looking for the perfect eco vacation activity, you must try kayaking through the Barra de Santiago estuary. To learn more about kayaking, see our other post on Eco Resort Nature Activites: Kayaking. For those staying out our eco lodge, Kayak rentals are included.

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Airline Tips & Tricks to Get You to Your El Salvador Hotel

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

It seems airlines are still finding new methods to charge more these days, a wise consumer should try to save money when it comes to flying. Here some great tips for saving money that have been collected from other travel bloggers, industry insiders and personal experiences so that you can get the most out of your vacation and visit to our El Salvador hotel.

Here are five ingenious and easy ways to get discounts when flying. With just some help from the Internet and a little time, you can find multiple sites that offer discounted rates. With even a little more work, you can find the absolute best price possible. The following are some good tips to get you discount airfares:

  • Do your research. There are a lot of offers available only on the Internet if you look closely. It’s easy to look at flight search engine sites like cheapoair.com, kayak.com and mobissimo.com. After a little research you should find it is best to book at least two weeks ahead, preferably three. Flying mid-week will also significantly drive down the cost.
  • Sometimes doing all of your research online isn’t enough. In many cases travel agents might be able to get you a deal. Ask them upfront what you would expect to pay for a particular destination such as El Salvador.
  • Travel in groups. There are a lot of travel agents out there that will offer discounts to groups of people.
  • Make sure to travel in the off-season. Like mid-week deals, airlines and hotels offer discounts in the off-season months and you can benefit by traveling at these times. For example, at our El Salvador hotel, we have lower prices during off peak months.
  • Use your research as leverage. Use what you have learned when comparing deals and talking to people. See if they can match the price or lower. Many sites and hotels offer a best price guarantee so if you find a better price after booking then they will price match.

With just a little research and help from others, you can save a great deal of money for yourself and your friends making for a great eco vacation. If you have any tips or tricks of your own, please, feel free to comment and share. Happy traveling!

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Eco Travel Tips from Your Environmentally Friendly Resort

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

Traveling around the world can offer some of the greatest inspiration to preserve this wonderful gem that we call Earth, but traveling can also be harmful for the unaware eco-consumer.

In an effort to witness all the natural beauty of Central America and its world renowned national parks, make an effort to avoid inadvertent damage. Take these steps from National Geographic’s Traveler for the ultimate guide to sustainable travel:

  • Try booking a stay at an environmentally friendly resort or hotel. Be mindful of the global impacts of resources used; take initiative to find a local eco friendly hotel or even community environmental programs near your lodging.  Visit  LaCocoteraResort.com to read about our environmentally friendly methods and our Green Leaf Certification.
  • Make sure to unplug your home or office when you leave for a vacation. Responsible traveling begins at home! Before you head out, make sure to unplug any appliance that won’t be in use while you’re away, such as computers, phone chargers, televisions, video game players and microwaves. According to Thomas Kostigen, co-author of The Green Book, “as much as 10 percent of the electricity used in your home is wasted energy burned by adapters, chargers, computers and other appliances that we leave plugged in when we’re not using them.”
  • When you are making preparations for your trip, go paperless. Use online resources to plan and book your trip, and only when necessary, print out maps and other materials at home on recycled paper.
  • To lessen the negative impact of your travels - and help ensure optimum positive impact - thoroughly research your destination before you book. Traveling to some destinations during the market-induced high season can increase your overall negative impact, so planning a month earlier or later can be beneficial.
  • Finally, visit during a festival, or schedule your trips in conjunction with vibrant, local celebrations that provide a window into the culture and help support traditional crafts and customs. This helps sustain local economies and cultures. Travelers support the living culture because they spend money on food, lodging, locally made crafts or local events. One of our most popular events at our hotel is the turtle release program, which helps the eco system and supports the culture without inadvertently trampling it.

All these methods are simple and helpful ways to travel better and show respect for the ecosystem both in your own home and all they way across the world.

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“Responsible Traveler” Pledge for Eco Resorts and Visitors

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

A corner stone of our tropical El Salvador eco resort is, of course, a great concern for the environment that is shared by many of the patrons and guests here. Beyond booking an eco-friendly resort for a vacation, an organization called the World Heritage has put together an online Responsible Travel Pledge, a list to help travelers remain mindful during their journey. By signing the Friends of World Heritage, the list hopes to empower others and help preserve the natural and cultural attributes that make places you visit, like El Salvador, unique.

Actions that visitors can take to alleviate any ecological footprint are understated but important. The Responsible Travel Pledge challenges travelers to incorporate three basic tenets when planning a trip and when traveling to a World Heritage site:

  • Discover the natural and cultural beauty of World Heritage sites by learning about the history, customs, folklore, and biodiversity that make them so special.
  • Share their commitment to these sites with hotels, tour operators, and other travel-related entities.
  • Preserve the natural and cultural values of World Heritage sites by following designated trails, respecting local rules and customs, and not removing archaeological or biological treasures.

By signing the Responsible Traveler Pledge, travelers can take small but important steps to preserve  more than 850 places that the international community has recognized as World Heritage sites, and help ensure that these natural and cultural treasures remain for generations to come. Visit www.globalproblems-globalsolutions.org to learn more about World Heritage sites and to sign the Responsible Traveler Pledge.

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Eco Tourism: Hiking in El Imposible National Park

Monday, June 29th, 2009

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Photo:  Daylife.com

Did you know? El Imposible National Park is so named for the once-treacherous El Imposible Pass, where a steep and narrow gorge between two mountains blocked the route of coffee farmers transporting their coffee by mule-train. In 1968, the government constructed a bridge at El Imposible Pass, opening up transportation from Tacuba to Cara Sucia.

El Imposible National Park is part of the Apaneca–Ilamatepec range of mountains and is located 70 miles west of capital city San Salvador.  The park is a protected natural area offering the largest biological diversity in El Salvador.

The park covers 12,850 acres of tropical mountain forest. More than 1,000 species of plants are found in the park,  as are such endangered animals as the puma, crested black eagle, emerald toucan, aardvark and white-tailed deer. El Imposible is considered one of the most important natural reserves in Central America not only because of its wildlife, but because it is one of the few existing examples of the typical Mesoamerican Pacific coastal rainforests. Access is by hiking and four-wheel-drive vehicle only.

There are 3 major trails in the park: a 1km nature hike, a 6-7km loop into the valley to see a delta of two rivers, and a 8-9km hike to Cerro Leon the highest point in the park.

La Cocotera’s proximity to  El Imposible National Park, make hiking a popular eco tourism activity for our visitors. Reservations and permits for each visitor are required in advance. Call or ask us at the front desk about El Imposible Tours and we’ll be happy to help you!

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Eco Resort Nature Activities: Kayaking

Wednesday, June 17th, 2009

kayak

As an eco resort, one of the activities we encourage guests to try is kayaking. Our unique location allows guests to go ocean kayaking, or to take a kayak out and explore the variety of wildlife in the estuary.

Paddle along the coastline and discover beautiful sights and deserted beaches. If you prefer a more mellow adventure, kayak through the mangroves lining the resort and marvel at the majestic volcanic peaks that serve as the backdrop to the resort.

lake-coatepeque

Lake Coatepeque

If you want to make a day trip of it, visit Lake Coatepeque,  a beautiful crater-shaped lake located at the foot of the Santa Ana volcano. At 26 km wide and 120 meters deep, it is one of the region’s largest lakes and is particularly scenic with green slopes rising up 250 to 500 meters on all sides. The island in the center, called Teopan, is said to have been used as a spiritual retreat for ancient Mayan leaders.

Kayak use is included with your stay at La Cocotera Resort. Just ask and we’ll be happy to help you arrange your trip!

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