When you come to La Cocotera Eco Lodge and Resort and stay at our eco resort be sure to go on our “Behind the Scenes Eco Tour.” The staff at our eco resort would be more than happy to show you our different eco processes at La Cocotera Eco Resort. We will show you our biological, not chemical, waste water recycling treatment plant. We will also show you our solar energy capabilities and our ionization pool filtration system.
You can also have the opportunity to participate in our turtle release program. The turtle release program is sponsored by our eco resort and allows hotel guest to aid in safely releasing thousands of newly hatched Olive Ridley turtle into the ocean every year.
Don’t forget about our Species Reintroduction Program. La Cocotera is the proud sponsor ofEl Salvador’s official program to reintroduce the Scarlet Macaw into the country. Guests can learn all about this exciting program and meet people involved in the project. Guests of the eco resort can also see our Scarlet Macaws and the latest edition to our birds, our Yellow-Naped Parrots.
Our eco resort is proud to announce the latest additions to the parrots that we have at our eco resort. We have received two yellow-naped parrots named “Pancho” and “Patricio.” Pancho was given to La Cocotera after he was found in an abandoned house in El Salvador by the police. The police did not know what to do with him so they gave him to La Cocotera. We do not know much about Pancho’s background; but, we can assume that he was taken care of by a few women because he will say women’s names like, “Carmen” and “Maria.” At La Cocotera, we are very impressed by his extensive vocabulary. Patricio is only a baby parrot and Pancho has been teaching him to talk. Pancho, for example, would say, “¡abarra la puerta!” Now, Pancho and Patricio say, “¡abarra la puerta!” which means in English, “open the door.” Patricio was found in the area near La Cocotera as a chick in a nest that had been poached.
Our two new yellow-naped parrots are a great new addition to the Scarlet Macaws that are part of our Species Reintroduction Program. Yellow-naped parrots are endangered. Deforestation of the regions these birds are from along with the illegal removing of the young for pet trade contribute to the decline in numbers of yellow-naped parrots. Yellow-naped parrots are all green when they are young and as they mature they develop the “yellow-nape” on their necks.
When you’re staying at La Cocotera, be sure to check out the yellow-naped parrots! See if you can even teach the parrots some new words to say, they love to talk!
La Cocotera has been featured in Frommer’s Nicaragua El Salvador Travel Guide and in El Salvador: A Great Destination (Explorer’s Guide).
Frommer’s lists La Cocotera as a “find.” Frommer’s says, “Staying here is an unforgettable experience.” We are so pleased to be recognized by Frommer’s. Furthermore, we are so glad that Frommer’s identified what La Cocotera tries to achieve with the eco resort. Frommer’s describes the ecoresort and some of the eco-friendly features at La Cocotera:
This is one of the finest ecolodges in all of Central America and certainly one of the most luxurious hotels in El Salvador outside of San Salvador. It offers a rare taste of international style in a remote and beautiful part of the country. La Cocotera gets the balance right: utter comfort with a social conscience. It employs locals, uses sustainable energy, promotes nature conservation, and blends right in with its environment.
As an ecoresort, La Cocotera features solar-powered hot water and brown-water recycling, and it even incubates turtle eggs, gathered from illegal vendors around the country, for release by guests into the sea. The staff is gracious and friendly.
El Salvador: A Great Destination (Explorer’s Guide) describes Barra de Santiago as “one of the most remote beaches in El Salvador.” The guide then continues to talk about La Cocotera Resort and Ecolodge, “This outstanding ecolodge on the endless beach may be a bit upscale for folk really watching their carbon footprint, but it’s fantastic. Six spacious palapa-topped bungalows are hewn from natural materials, with exquisitely crafted bamboo detailing and gorgeous solar-heated showers with smooth black rocks all around.”
Be sure to check out these travel guides on your way to La Cocotera!
During the months of October through February the flowers are blooming on the Ruta de las Flores, or “Route of the Flowers.” The road, which is located near our eco resort, gets its name from the white flowers that blossom on coffee plants that are in region. The “Route” through its 36 kilometer road will take you through El Salvador’s coffee growing region and links five towns together where locals have kept their traditions and culture very much alive.
In the town of Nahuizalco, you will be able to admire the beautiful hand-crafted furniture and enjoy the night market that is illuminated by oil lamps, lanterns, and candles. Juayúa offers one of the largest food and artisan festivals where you will be amazed at the variety of local and international food that you can eat. A notable black Christ statue is located in Juayúa at La Iglesia del Cristo Negro or “Black Christ Church.”
Apaneca has two lagoons, Laguna Verde or Green Lagoon and Laguna de las Ninfas or “Nymphs Lagoon,” which provides for stunning landscapes. You can soar over Apaneca through forests while getting a bird’s eye view of the area with an Apaneca Zip Line Tour.
Every weekend in Salcoatitán, you can enjoy a large selection of food in front of the colonial church of San Miguel Arcángel. El Salvador’s first coffee plantation was located in Salcoatitán. Be sure to check out the local art galleries and eco-art.
The “Route” ends with the village of Concepción de Ataco. Concepción de Ataco is rich in history as it dates back to pre-Columbian times. There are viewpoints where you can gaze at the town and its surroundings. While driving, there are multiple viewpoints where you will be able to pull over and enjoy the scenic views that El Salvador has to offer. La Cocotera’s closeness to Ruta de las Flores makes this a must do activity for any eco-friendly traveler.
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.
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.
El Salvador is slowly earning a reputation as the ideal place for sun, surf and peaceful solitude. Travel to this tropical area is on the rise as word gets out about ideal surfing conditions, unique wildlife, beautiful beaches and captivating culture. For those who seek a travel experience a little bit off the beaten path, but with the trimmings of a picturesque beach vacation, La Cocotera ecolodge should be your first stop. In her article for the Travel Section of The New York Times Online, Bonnie Tsui dotes on the charm and beauty of El Salvador:
“A lingering reputation of El Salvador as a war-torn place has kept many foreign visitors at bay, but the country’s beaches, volcanic craters, pristine cloud forests and bird sanctuaries are setting it up to be the next Costa Rica, without the crowds. Authentic local experiences abound: rustic roadside stands everywhere sell pupusas, the country’s famous corn tortillas, usually filled with gooey cheese and refried beans. Out on the water, seasoned oyster divers, their floats and nets bobbing on the surface, are ready to chat between trips down to the rocky seabed.”
Like any area that experiences a spike in travel, big hotels have begun to sprout. By traveling to smaller coastal villages such as Barra de Santiago, you will experience the same El Salvador that Tsui describes. With waves that are mellow but challenging, mouth-watering local fare, friendly local people and plenty of opportunity for nature exploration, staying at an El Salvador ecolodge is a travel experience you don’t want to miss.
Read the full article on El Salvador travel at travel.nytimes.com
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!
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.
TACA (www.taca.com) , the official airline of El Salvador, featured La Cocotera Resort in their in-flight magazine, Explore. TACA flies to 39 destinations in 22 countries in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean, including daily flights to 9 major U.S. cities. TACA flies daily non-stop from Los Angeles to San Salvador.
In his article, Heeding The Call Of Nature, Ken Rivadeneira describes the picturesque scenery of Barra de Santiago, our secluded resort and the turtle release program we sponsor:
As the waves splashed and receded, I dipped my hands into the bowl that held a dozen fragile, small, hard-backed reptiles and scooped one of the creatures into my palms. It instinctively flapped its paddle-like fins, and I set it on the sepia-colored sand of El Salvador’s Barra de Santiago, watching as it slowly followed the sunset and made its way into the Pacific. The only footprints on the sand were turtle tracks.
This sea turtle and its 11 bowl-mates had been born and raised in La Cocotera Resort & Ecolodge, the first true eco resort effort in El Salvador, and one of the few in Central America that carries the idea of being environmentally conscious through every aspect of its operation. “Part of being ‘eco’ is to not leave such a big footprint on the land,” says Joseph Bruderer-Schwab, founder of the resort. “I feel really proud and good inside, that I [created the resort] that way, with the environment in mind.”
La Cocotera is a very secluded place, but it’s beautiful natural surroundings and charming accommodations cannot help but catch the eye of seasoned travelers. MSNBC.com recently published an article on the Top 10 Central American Beach Escapes, and La Cocotera made the list! Here’s what they had to say:
With tourism so new here, visitors are often treated more like friends of the family. The country’s Balsam Coast is known as a surfers’ paradise, but those seeking solitude should check out the ultra-remote Barra de Santiago, on the northern Pacific coast, a national park with estuaries and mangroves on a broad, tawny sandbar. Inside the park, El Salvador’s first eco resort, La Cocotera Resort & Ecolodge, debuts in style with thatched-roof bungalows set in a stand of coconut palms. In August and September, guests can see thousands of endangered Olive Ridley turtles hatch in the park’s sanctuary and then help release them into the ocean. Getting there entails a complimentary 1.5-hour car transfer from San Salvador or, at an extra cost, a chartered plane or helicopter ride.
