The Truth About Costa Rica | Travel Documentary

When you mention Costa Rica to most people Lush jungles zip lining and Pura Vida are usually the first things that come to mind we found plenty of that but after spending three weeks in the country our adventures led us to even more Hidden Treasures surprising room for Progress incredible people and more alternative ways of living and traveling than we could have ever expected in this video we are going to be bringing you along with us on our three-week journey across Costa Rica to show you some of the most incredible Eco projects we have ever seen and provide you with an honest first-hand experience of what visiting this country really is like so come along with us as we discover what the pure life is really all about welcome back to going green we've just touched down in San Jose Costa Rica's vibrant capital city and the gateway to a seemingly unreal world of Adventure so let's go the humidity and a line of endless taxi drivers greeted us the second we stepped outside the San Jose airport but we already had a ride sorted brought to us directly at the airport by Go Remote Costa Rica our car was ready for us to jump in and go we are straight into it from getting off the plane here is straight on the main roads let's hope we don't crush the first stop of our adventure is toucan Rescue Ranch located about 40 minutes north east from the airport in Heredia this incredible project is helping to rescue rehabilitate and release injured or abandoned Wildlife back into their natural habitat if their condition allows founded in 2004 toucan rescue ranch's mission is to give Costa Rican wildlife a fighting chance and also provide Sanctuary to those who cannot survive in the wild on their own this ensures a brighter future for Native species while also creating a space for education and activism for locals and visitors alike to get involved alongside offering public tolls taking rescue ranches animals are looked after by a dedicated team of veterinarians volunteers interns and full-time animal protectors like our tour operator Andrea who told us each permanent resident story and gave us some insight into how the animals who found their forever home at Toucan Rescue Ranch are given all the love and care they need one key aspect of what Andrea told us is that in Costa Rica it's illegal to take a selfie with wild animals this practice promotes the illegal exotic animal trade and mistreatment of animals for the benefit of Tourism and profit so one big thing to look out for when researching sanctuaries to visit specifically in Costa Rica is if this practice of holding and taking selfies with wild animals is encouraged we made a full video showing you our time at Toucan rescue radish that you can check out in the link below from chicken Rescue Ranch we headed north towards what is known as the adventure capital of Costa Rica La Fortuna but what we didn't anticipate was the treacherous Journey that lay ahead of us quickest route suggested by our map was a four-hour Journey along a single Lane steep Mountain Road with our lack of experience of driving in Costa Rica we put full faith in the route the app suggested and set off we chose to travel to Costa Rica during the rainy season which has the benefits of fewer tourists and more Greenery however it can also mean that landslides are more common encountering a landslide on a single Lane Road in the middle of the Jungle along with 100 other cars was not how we planned to spend the first night of our trip ah stuck in a traffic jam trying to get up to La for tuna it looks like there was loads of landslides because of all the rain that's been coming down so the road has been blocked but after five hours of unforgiving driving we finally arrived at our hotel in La Fortuna [Music] the next morning we were greeted by a close-up view of the incredible Arenal Volcano from our bedroom window one of the many drawers of La Fortuna is the natural Hot Springs scattered throughout the area we wanted to test them out for ourselves and highly recommend booking a hotel that has some on-site to avoid expensive admission fees after yesterday's very exhausting day we're going to be taking a little bit easier today and we're going to be enjoying the hotel we've got hot springs here now that we're in La Fortuna so we're going to be jumping in those um we're gonna go and check out the La Fortuna waterfall and right now we're off to a vegan breakfast place so we're gonna go and get some pancakes and waffles we headed to organico a vegan-friendly breakfast spot in the heart of La Fortuna and it did not disappoint the juices smoothies bowls and chocolate pancakes were well worth the wait after breakfast we were eager to see our first Costa Rican waterfall we're here at the La Fortuna waterfall the La Fortuna waterfall is only a short 10 minute drive from the main town and although the entrance fee is on the pricier side it's well worth a visit the waterfall is extremely powerful this time of year due to the amount of rainfall and was an impressive sight a dip in the refreshing stream was definitely needed after the 500 steps down towards the foot of the waterfall the real magic though was in the Stream that flowed around the corner from the waterfall which was more hidden away from the tourist entrance and didn't have a strong of a current this was where we really started to be immersed in the Pura Vida of the jungles of Costa Rica hotel we learned of the Arnel volcano viewing deck situated at the top of the property so behind these big trees is the arena volcano the most notable volcano in this area of Costa Rica that was only active or last active a few years ago um and this is the Los Lagos Hotel Lookout Point if you didn't know you were here you would never know because at the end of a big dirt road but perfect the sitting and doing this amazing volcano thank you this was the best place for an uninterrupted view although you'll definitely need a 4x4 for the Steep Gravelly Hills of the area it is a Hidden Gem well worth seeing fortunately Go Remote Costa Rica supplied us with this awesome Toyota RAV4 that we named Ravi which was both incredibly fuel efficient and perfect for unpredictable Steep and Rocky Terrain big shout out to go remote Costa Rica for helping us sort this trip they help remote workers come to Costa Rica and get settled with a rental car hotels to stay in and if you want to check out more click the link below the next morning before setting off on the next leg of our adventure we had a traditional veganized Tico breakfast made of guyot pinto plantains and pico de gallo heading Northwest from La Fortuna we next arrived at what can only be described as heaven the Ria Celeste hideaway hotel is a stunning Oasis situated on the edge of the tenorio Volcano National Park offering 16 luxury Eco Villas immersed in the rainforest so we're currently walking through the national park on our way to the Rio Celeste waterfall we just checked into the Rio Celeste hideaway hotel amazing I mean it's just I'm so beautiful absolutely beautiful so can't wait to get back there later and enjoy the vegan menu and relax the hotel is only a five minute drive away from the entrance to the famous Rio Celeste waterfall a 25-minute hike from the entrance to the waterfall is required and with the park closing at 2PM in the rainy season we made the quick decision to leave exploring the hotel until later in the day and swiftly headed to the waterfall and it was so worth it you continue past the waterfall there's a 650 meter walk to apparently a blue lagoon but there's like we've been walking for about two kilometers and we've still not seeing anything yet foreign why does it smell eggy because the hot springs really sulfur from the Earth from inside the earth it's really cool it's also made with water nice and blue and there's probably some cracks living in there but we don't know I'm not getting him we're not getting in but it looks like we want to like this is yeah after trekking through the national park and enjoying some fresh coconut water we made it back to the Ria Celeste hideaway hotel and could finally enjoy all that it has to offer the rooms offer a balcony that overlooks the rainforest as well as a private outdoor shower area the bathrooms and bedrooms are also just as beautiful alongside being beautiful the hotel's care and conscientiousness for the environment and local community only increases its appeal for us ninety percent of the hotel's property is a protected nature reserve for guests to explore its Gardens are chemical free and its greenhouses grow some of the food used in the kitchens gray water from showers sinks and toilets are treated in a biodigester so that the water doesn't go to waste and the hotel has even adopted a local school to educate the next Generation on why caring for the planet is so important the hotel also owns a yoga deck that offers classes like this sound healing experience and the private section of the nearby aqua blue Rio Celeste offering guests the perfect place to feel it warm with the surrounding nature the pool in jacuzzi area of the hotel was also just as relaxing and to top it all off we then enjoyed the hotel's signature chocolate facials which fell and smelled Divine after a delicious candlelit vegan dinner in the intimate restaurant we ended our evening with some fun in the games room where I proceeded to whoop Ben's butt at darts this is the moment Ben loses [Music] the next day we enjoyed another delicious Tico breakfast before heading out to go tubing along the Rio Celeste with Rio Celeste Aventuras after a quick safety briefing with the key message being keep your bum in the air or the rocks will hurt we got into the river with our two guides and started to head Downstream what started as a lazy river soon became fast Rapids and that's when we knew we were in for an action park experience this is crazy within minutes of the rapid starting I was flipped completely upside down by both the currents and me leaning too far back but I was fortunately away from any big rocks at this point I understood that this was not for the faint artist however the two guides that were with us made us feel incredibly safe with one at the front guiding the way and one at the back rescuing anyone that got caught on the Rocks which somehow always ended up being carer yeah they were rescuing me every other minute but if you're looking for an exhilarating experience whilst in Costa Rica tubing is a must it was so much fun but keeping your butt in the air like the guides instruct is key your tailbone will thank you later oh so we just finished up tubing on the real Celeste and it was so much fun but a little bit scary yeah because about one minute in I did a backflip yeah and then it taught me like this is you can't mess around it um because there are a lot of Boulders in the in the water but yeah so much fun highly recommend after a wonderful day in one of Costa Rica's most remote Corners we got back in the car and started to make our way to the Mountaintop town of Monteverde known for its hanging Bridges zip lines and Wildlife tours all situated within what's known as the cloud forest the drive from Rio Celeste to Monteverde was an intense four-hour Journey along the winding roads over the mountains Hills and Valleys of the alejuela Puntarenas and Guanacaste provinces of Costa Rica we pass through endless Villages prayed all the way up some Steep graveled inclines and took in some incredible views that can only be found off the Beaten Track [Music] before nightfall we arrived at sender Monteverde our home for the next four days and a hub of eco-consciousness in a busy tourist town the hotel's proximity to attractions including the famous cloud forest and hanging Bridges was certainly a draw for us but it was cinder's responsible business practices and true care for the environment that sealed the deal the hotel is free of single-use plastics has individual solar panels on each guest cabin to power light and heat water and all employees on Native Costa Ricans the hotel is also right next door to the Gucci Wildlife Reserve and a special access directly from the cabin area from here we knew that we'd have a conscious space to come back to after going out to explore so after an excellent veganized Tico breakfast that the staff were incredibly accommodating about making for us we headed out for a tour of the nearby salvatura park home to eight of the area's hanging Bridges it's a little bit wet one key aspect we continually managed to forget though held camera ringing out her clothes was that we were visiting the cloud forest during Costa Rica's rainy season our guide wearing a poncho and Wellies was fine and did a great job of explaining the importance and significance of the area after about five minutes our trainers and thin rain jackets lost the battle the following hour and a half of walking through the downpour were wet and cold to say the least but we still loved seeing the tree canopy from such an incredible vantage point and highly recommend taking the toll even though getting back to a hot shower was the only other thing on our minds the next morning with clear skies forecasted until the late afternoon we decided to embark on our most adrenaline pack day yet at 100 Aventura Adventure Park we traversed 11 zip lines including the longest zip line in Latin America at nearly a mile long this bird's eye view of the cloud forest was unlike anything either of those had ever seen before and we loved our experience so much that we even decided to do the last two zip lines float on our stomach like Superman little did we know that the most daunting part of our day had yet to be faced we thought the Tarzan swing would be a gentle swing over the rainforest we never imagined it would entail jumping off a platform and waiting for the Rope to catch you like a bungee [Music] I'm good I'm good oh my God I thought that was the end we only recommend this if you really want a thrill thankful and full of adrenaline from our few days exploring the cloud forest we made our way back down the mountains toward an alternative way of living redefining self-sufficiency and what it means to be a community today we're Alegria Village in the hills of San Mateo Costa Rica exploring what a Community Driven regenerative future looks like and getting to know the people who are making it happen located about an hour from the country's capital of San Jose Alegria Village is a Haven for those seeking to live a self-sufficient Mindful and regenerative life while also ensuring that their impact is as minimal yet as beneficial to the surrounding environment as possible we had the chance to meet Stephen inside alegria's stunning yoga sheller he told us more about how the village started and his hopes for its future from a very young age I just questioned everything you know it's like I and I just started thinking about like who is the designer of this place things just kind of happened around us you know Food Systems Medical Systems governance you know and it's just kind of crazy you know and it's like who's the designer behind it and do we have any say you know like do we have any say in this design and uh and yeah I kind of decided from a young age that I think we do you know I think we really can shift things alegria's community garden holds everything from bananas to papayas mangoes Goa beans and so much more but our favorite plant of all is the shampoo ginger plant used by indigenous people for thousands of years to clean both body and hair Kira got to try it out for herself and we love the smell of it we made a full video on our visit to the Eco if you want to learn more be sure to go check that out we just finished up at Alegria Village and it was incredible incredible absolutely incredible the knowledge that they had especially Stephen absolutely incredible and the fruit we've eaten probably five types of bananas amazing just the knowledge of everyone that works there and the dedication and commitment to preserving and restoring the land that they've bought is just unreal and these homes which are for sale right now or the plots basically for sale to build homes on right now are all going to be Eco and working with the lens much as they possibly can and it really just seems like such a Serene incredible place to settle down if that's what you're looking for like wow amazing we are heading Southwest towards Evita to see some of the most beautiful and untouched parts of the country while on our way though we couldn't help but be horrified and saddened by the miles and miles of palm forests along the side of the main roads Palm forests Produce Palm Oil a cash crop of recent years found in everything it is inexpensive to produce an extremely profitable due to global demand however unsustainable palm oil production is also extremely bad for the environment not only is essential rainforest cleared for palm trees to be planted causing immense habitat loss for both animal and plant life but it also creates a monoculture or a practice that only produces one crop in an area this monoculture can rapidly deplete the soil of various essential nutrients and can lead to soil exhaustion over time this leaves the land unable to grow anything after only a few cycles of harvesting with Costa Rica being such an environmentally Progressive place in regards to relying on 99 renewable energy and conserving biodiversity through endless National Parks and Wildlife refuges we hope that the country eliminates this detrimental practice soon and provides its people with more sustainable and regenerative work opportunities Costa Rica is great in so many ways and we hope that future generations of Natives expats and tourists alike have the chance to witness it in all its True Glory pulling into ovita the sense of paradise has returned Vita is one of the many expat hubs of Costa Rica with probably one of the most relaxed surf Town Vibes we've yet to have experienced about an hour south of Torres di capos juvita is home to laid-back cafes and vegan options Galore small B and B's within walking distance of the beach and the Merino bayana National Park also known as the whales tail Beach so we're now in uvita and we are currently staying at Synergy Retreats and just look at this place it is beautiful and we're now with Kira's brother Queenie oh and Chino he keeps following us everywhere here we're visiting family friend Robert at Synergy his Retreat and event space in the heart of Evita Robert has lived in Costa Rica for the last five years so we're ready to see all that his corner of the country has to offer from a Local's perspective Synergy is probably what you'd imagine staying in Costa Rica to look like open our buildings offering space to practice yoga and meditation an aqua blue pool Lush fruit trees housing Wildlife like macaws and monkeys and space to feel connected with the world around you it's open to hosting multi-day Retreats and seminars fundraisers and even has a few living furry friends to keep you company after talking to Robert about what we can get up to nearby and found only five minutes away the spot for a swim this is the ovita waterfall a beloved spot by locals and tourists alike to take a quick dip or even jump from the waterfall itself for an admission fee of Just 2 000 colonists per person you can spend as much time as you want there and your payment allows the family that manages the property to keep the trails and platforms safe and sturdy and the stream clean and let's just say we didn't waste any time and Kara maybe had a little bit too much fun hours at the waterfall did it for us and we're ready for dinner luckily right next door to Synergy is indomitos a fully plant-based restaurant where you want to order one of everything on the menu and we kind of did today we're heading to another much bigger waterfall about 30 minutes into the mountains called nahaka this is one of Costa Rica's most picturesque double waterfalls that you have to see to believe what we didn't realize though was the challenge that lay ahead of us to make it there after collecting our entry passes at the top of the mountain we drove down steep inclines to get to the parking lot at the start of the trail although we always hike when we travel to mountainous places the steepness and muddiness of these trails in addition to the unbearable heat and humidity left us struggling what do you think guys uh well two out of three of us so the journey to the waterfalls is about a two mile hike but it's up and down up and down so gotta bring you walking shoes don't come in your flip-flops and a half the waterfalls it's been quite a trick you can hear it the Mist you get sprayed with when viewing the Falls feels like a cool shower though so this reward was going to be good enough for us so now we're hungry and exhausted but dominical the town at the base of the mountain has been widely recommended as a must-seeing so we headed over to check it out and what do three sweaty hungry vegans find none other than the mecca of Health Food Shops in Southwestern Costa Rica Mama toucans mama tookens has high quality Fresh Products for all diets and they're in the top spot in my heart when I spotted their take on My One True Love carrot cake we also popped across the street for something Savory out fat noodle we were able to veganize their Pad Thai and Teriyaki stir-fry dishes which were delicious having a nap and a shower re-energized us so next we set out to see one of the key things that uvita is famous for Marino bayena National Park this National Park is one of the smaller ones in Costa Rica but protects key species of both plant and animal life the nearby Rio uvita and quebrada Grande feed directly into the ocean here and a winding Beach leads you to a natural landmass that looks from above like a whale's tail the tail is only visible and accessible at low tide so checking the tide schedule is key before venturing to the park why can't we see it fortunately innovita there is also a huge emphasis on protecting the oceans especially with biological reserves and other biodiversity hotspots like the oso Peninsula nearby we're heading home now to get some rest before tomorrow when we'll finally be able to get involved with some Acosta Rica's marine conservation efforts foreign we woke up extra early and drove about 20 minutes south of uvita to meet with marine biologist Laura Dive Master and Wildlife expert Julian and their team at innociana in Oceania is a non-profit organization working in Costa Rica California Thailand and Spain to protect some rewild the world's oceans through Innovation and education we're here at the marine conservation and education center learning more from innociana's dedicated team of Engineers biologists and dive masters from around the world about their groundbreaking research projects internship programs and public expeditions Costa Rica's Marine Wildlife is among some of the most awe-inspiring and biodiverse in the world we sat down with Julian to understand how they intend to conserve this diversity I have been working in the last year within USANA as the operation manager of the project in Costa Rica in the MCC what we want is to reach local community we believe that conservation is not possible if you don't work in the educational side and educate the local communities are very important in oceana's work ranges from monitoring water quality to researching invertebrates and protecting coral reefs and also keeping Tops on animals including whales dolphins sharks fishes and turtles today we're getting in the water with them too to experience their work firsthand in a very special place 40 minutes south in the town of sierpe in a boat awaits ready to take us and the team through the fresh waters of the Rio sierpe and out into the Pacific Ocean toward Canyon Island Canyon island is a protected biological Reserve with abundant reefs dense populations of terrestrial and Marine wildlife and strict regulations that all visitors must adhere to visiting canoe Island without a certified guide is not allowed and visitors are rarely permitted to step onto the island the only building on the island is the ranger station which has 24 7 staff that ensure these rules are followed and its natural beauty is protected we suited up it up and gotten the water to observe the Sea Life Below spotting a sea turtle and plenty of incredible reefs our hours spent on the water coincided with observing another devastating effect of Modern Life plastic although extremely remote kanu island is not exempt from plastic pollution with currents and Tides carrying trash from hundreds of miles away to collecting these natural areas so in case you need another reminder stop buying single-use plastic wherever you can use what you already have and always dispose of your trash in the best way possible at the end of our day we act together with the research team to check out their findings in water quality monitoring and populations of local wildlife in oceana's work it's vital to not only the Aquatic habitats of Costa Rica but also throughout the world through globally interconnected marine conservation efforts the organization's impact is growing and they're always open to people like you to help make this happen after days of fun and relaxation in uvita we headed even further south to one of the most biodiverse places on Earth the Osa Peninsula the peninsula's 700 square miles may seem small but it holds two and a half percent of the entire world's biodiversity said to have been one of the only places to have not frozen over during the last ice age so thousands of species of animals flocked to its dense rainforest to thrive and thanks to extensive conservation efforts on both land and at Sea Thrive it has the majority of the peninsula is protected within corkovado national park where you must hire a licensed guide to gain entry and cannot bring any single-use Plastics whatsoever in to be fully immersed in this natural wonder we venture down to Clinton Lodge an Eco luxury hotel that sits at the top of the Osa Peninsula and has a much views of it all offering six private multi-room cabins with panoramic views of the gulfo Dolce Clinton Lodge directly supports conservation efforts through its on-site produce garden frog Sentry and Butterfly Garden delicious plant-based dining options are available to enjoy for breakfast lunch and dinner and the incredibly accommodating staff are always ready to help you with anything you need so we've just checked into Concan Lodge and it is an absolutely beautiful property we're currently staying in one of these little Villas and we have a view of the ocean peninsula the Villas themselves combine luxury with connectedness with nature with no glass windows and using only locally sourced building materials the cabin screens prevent Wildlife from entering the cabins but still allow a fresh Gulf Breeze to flow throughout the property itself also offers an expansive swimming pool several hiking trails leading to breathtaking viewing platforms and kayaks and jet skis that are available for guests use at any time the concierge will also happily set up a tour for guests to visit corcovado National Park or Drake Bay nearby if desired we used a few days with kunken Lodge to truly exhale being so immersed in nature at all times of the day allowed us to create space in our minds again to be present whether we are kayaking swimming reading on the deck washing the gulf from a lounge bed or exploring the property crunken Lodge offered us a sense of Peace seemingly impossible to find in the busyness of life slow living and getting back to Our Roots revitalized us and helped the three of us to create memories that we will never forget like spotting your feeding pot of wild dolphins on our last night as the sun went down feeling restored and ready for our last few days in Costa Rica it's now time to visit a project we had personally been really looking forward to that is redefining the way we look at protecting and restoring nature thank you located in the village of La Gamba next to Piedras Blancas National Park and only 40 kilometers from the Panamanian border refugeotinti is the epitome of a biodiverse Haven restored by humans from a once toxic and desolate area founded in 2016 by Alexander tinty Refugio sits on over 60 acres of land and is now abundant with essential native plants animals and microorganisms it is an excellent example of permaculture a practice that reconciles human societies with the natural environment its core pillars are self-sufficiency sustainable architecture habitat regeneration and self-regeneration the land that Refugio tinti sits on was once primary rainforest then a site where toxic waste was dumped and later taken over by cattle farming this left the land Barren and the soil completely compacted and depleted Alexander saw this as an experiment and opportunity to see if what once was could one day be again then I experimented with my own garden until I felt now I'm ready to do something bigger and this place here is 24 hectares and it borders on the national park Piedras Blancas which is 14 000 hectares and our concept here was to expand the park and after years of patience practice and letting nature take back its land refugeotinti now thrives with multiple abundant food forests and a greenhouse wet and dry compost a self-sufficient water filtration system housing for guests and volunteers alike a solar-powered food dehydrator and grounds for some locals to stop by our goal here is to raise biodiversity to restore whatever is left and to help nature to recover because she is incredibly resourceful and recovers very fast as long as you met her Alexander is also working with local communities to create school programs to educate children on the power and impact they can have in their own homes and on the surrounding environment Refugio tinti also offers Public tours for you to learn what changes you can make where you live to allow the world around you to thrive taking all we had learned and experienced over the last few days we got back in the car to head off on the final adventure of our trip driving back North along the Pan-American Highway we're heading to Taurus hotspots kapos and Mama Antonio to see what draws millions of tourists every year and what part of the area plays in supporting the country's sustainability goals the hills of the kapos and mammal Antonio areas Overlook the bright blue Waters of the Pacific Ocean below and offer endless opportunities for adventure so we are currently in Manuel Antonio National Park and it's beautiful there's lots of wildlife around but at the same time it is kind of disappointing because it's very very tourists catered it's like Disneyland yeah shouldn't be like in the middle of the national park there's a restaurant where you can buy you know food and souvenirs and it's all in plastic and it's like I don't know it kind of just takes the like the like the genuine National Park Vibe and what it should be away I'm getting here like the amount of people trying to scam you to get into the parking they even dress up as National Park ranges so that you can park in their place so they can take your money yeah they take your money and they don't watch your car and you genuinely don't know who to trust here which is kind of scary so although like most people say if you come to Costa Rica come to my Montana we advise against that I would say do corcovado in the oso Peninsula Peninsula go to the places that tourists haven't been to yet yeah exactly it's it's disappointing and it's sad it's sad because the bet at one point this was a beautiful area this is what happens when you put a cafe in a national park talk about our encounter with the monkey further cemented our belief that humans still have a long way to go when it comes to learning to understand and respect nature and not simply treating these beautiful natural places like theme parks the next day we visited a great local example of a team looking to play a part in raising the Public's level of knowledge and respect for natural habitats and the importance of proper care practices about 20 minutes Inland from Manuel Antonio in the town of naranjito Lies Villa vanilla a farm situated on over 100 acres of lush rainforest growing some of the most expensive and sought after spices in the world Villa vanilla was founded in 1987 by Henry Kozinski he took over this formally desolate cow pasture and using the principles of biodynamics revitalize the London to become an abundant Food Forest biodynamic farming enhances the soil's nutrient content using farm-sourced materials in order to ensure optimal plant growth and development like these cacao husks that are dried and used in compost today Villa vanilla's Lush rainforest produces cacao and chocolate products of the highest quality sale on cinnamon allspice and pure vanilla beans which is the second most expensive spice in the world we're here today meeting up with Henry's son and daughter who now run Villa vanilla Christopher and Jennifer and who are showing us exactly what makes this place so special the farm started in 1987. my dad started growing vanilla vanilla is native to this area it's native to Southern part of Mexico and Central America people think that it comes from Madagascar or Madagascar is the number one grower of it now in the world but was actually brought there from Mexico over by the French vanilla grows in the rainforest vanilla does not grow on mass Farms so they wanted to mimic that on the farm how do they try to do that they try to bring in other types of also tropical spices to have everything growing so today that's what we have mainly we have vanilla vanilla still the main crop on the farm but we have roughly anywhere between maybe 10 to 15 other tropical spices growing along with the vanilla to kind of create that rainforest environment they also offer tours of the Villa vanilla property so that you can see these spice producing plums first hand every single vanilla flour has to be hand pollinated so during pollination season it's extremely intense we have people roaming the farm for two hours a day roughly from 6 a.m to 8 A.M with a small toothpick in hand and they're all pollening as many flowers as they can why remember how we said that cacao the cacao flour has a very short shelf life roughly 36 hours and then you'll pretty much fall well vanilla it's almost eight hours so if that vanilla flour is not pollinating in eight hours it's going to drop to the ground and it's going to consider that this year it will not become pollinated so pretty much it's a Race Against Time you have to that remember that that one vanilla flour that you're pollinating is open that one day on our two hour walk around some of the property we spotted giant cacao pods and hailed the scent of The Fragrant bark of the cinnamon tree tasted spicy PODS of black peppercorns and learned about the precise Artistry that goes into ensuring pollination harvesting and drying of the spices that Villa vanilla produces after spending the morning learning all about Villa vanilla spices it was now time to taste a few Specialties while overlooking the rainforest starting with a flavor-packed chai latte we then tried their signature turmeric latte also known as golden milk and cacao a drink prepared ceremonially by indigenous communities for thousands of years it was rich dark a little spicy with added cayenne pepper and ultimately delicious after the tour in Villa vanilla's gift shop we purchased some of their cardamom dark chocolate 70 dark chocolate buttons Ceylon cinnamon and a bottle of pure vanilla extract now knowing how much time and precision goes into pollinating vanilla and after just opening the bottle and smelling it I know I'll never buy fake vanilla again whether you're heading to the Manuel Antonio area for only a short time over several days Villa vanilla and its rainforest spices are a must visit as we started making our way along the buck roads leading to San Jose the final projects we knew we needed to check out is situated high in the mountains and acts as a sustainability education center Rancho Master towel located in the village of the same name was founded in 2001 with the goal of educating others about how to live more responsibly and intentionally we met with founder Tim O'Hara who showed us around part of his sprawling 300 acre home used to feed educate and regenerate visitors and the local community pretty Dynamic diverse projects but essentially we bring people into the space to teach them about a variety of topics related to sustainability the main focus is being natural building agroforestry and food processing and fermentation much like Refugio tinti Rancho mustatel's Mission from the start has been to restore the land back to its former glory while also providing opportunities for learning and growth I guess a place of hope for people to to to gain inspiration and create an example that proves that it's possible to start a project like this and engage in a lifestyle like this without giving up your happiness and then lastly just having a place for my daughter to escape to in the apocalypse that's true before our flight out of San Jose we spent one final night stay organized for us by our friends at Go Remote Costa Rica alongside being a place to rest our heads for the night this apartment was a place we could all reflect on the last three weeks of Crazy Beautiful Adventure packed Costa Rica and all the incredible people and furry friends we met along the way these weeks have shown us what venturing into the unknown really feels like how small changes can really have a big impact and how far we as humans have left to go if there's one thing we can all learn from being in places like Costa Rica it's that taking care of nature can come in many different shapes and sizes and although we may encounter challenges or roadblocks each of us has to start somewhere not only for the sake of our planet but also for the sake of all of us thank you so much for watching if you enjoyed this video make sure you hit the like And subscribe button to see more videos like this we'll see you in the next one foreign

Channel: Going Green

Views: 257,295

Keywords: costa rica travel tips, san jose, costa rica travel vlog, travel, tips, travel tips, travel hacks, travel vlog, travel videos, costa rica, costa rica clean, costa rica 4k, costa rica travel guide, costa rica travel, pura vida, central america travel guide, best travel tips costa rica, best travel tips for central america, uvita costa rica, volcano arenal, eco travel costa rica, hot springs, couples travel guide, la fortuna, monteverde, manuel antonio, eco friendly travel

Id: IBaGnB94bfM

Length: 43min 18sec (2598 seconds)

Published: Sun Oct 16 2022