Archive for June, 2009

“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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El Imposible National Park, El Salvador

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 El Salvadoran 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, making 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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Posted in Activities & Events, Eco Travel Tips, La Cocotera Updates, Travel Guides | 3 Comments »

Planning Your Eco Resort Trip: A Map of Barra de Santiago and Surrounding Areas

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

La Cocotera Eco Resort is located in the secluded and peaceful little town of Barra de Santiago. It is about an hour and a half drive from San Salvador and is situated right on the beach near the Guatemalan border. In order for prospective guests to get a better idea of where exactly they’ll be staying, we’ve decided to put up a few maps showcasing the area.

The arrival airport destination for those visiting our eco resort is capital city San Salvador. Airlines servicing  San Salvador include: American, United, Continental and TACA, the official airline of El Salvador. TACA (www.taca.com) flies daily non-stop from Los Angeles to San Salvador. Flight time is approximately 4 ½ hours.

Guests can also fly to San Salvador non-stop from most Central American capitals as well as connecting through the U.S. via Miami (2 ½ hours), Dallas (3 ½ hours), Washington, D.C. (4 ½ hours) or New York City (5 hours).

elsalvadormap

Ground transportation from and to San Salvador airport is included in the price of your stay at our eco resort and  it is approximately a 1 hour 45 minute drive. Helicopter and Private Plane transportation from to and from San Salvador airport is available at an additional cost.

barramap

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La Cocotera Featured in Explore TACA Magazine

Saturday, June 20th, 2009

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.”

Read the full article here

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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 eco 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, 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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Posted in Activities & Events, Eco Travel Tips | 3 Comments »