Hotel La Cusinga Lodge and Preserve

Marino Ballena - Uvita - Costa Rica

Welcome to La Cusinga Lodge, a naturalists' heaven
on the Southern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica...
...a whole tropical experience.

La Cusinga Lodge is a coastal rainforest ecolodge dedicated to marine and terrestrial conservation and environmental education. Its location on the southern Pacific coast provides guests with sweeping ocean views and a relaxing beach vacation. In addition La Cusinga is part of a private nature reserve that supplies the visitor with an unparalleled look at Costa Rican wildlife and rainforest. The reserve consists primarily of 250 hectares of virgin rainforest that borders thousands of more acres of privately protected forest. On Costa Rica 's still wild south-western Pacific coast, La Cusinga Lodge borders Ballena Marine National Park which was developed to protect the humpback whales that frequent the coast. La Cusinga Lodge was established in order to share the unique site with Costa Ricans as well as international visitors. Besides getting exposure to rural Costa Rican culture and beautiful vistas, visitors have access to highly prolific areas of primary tropical rainforest and unspoiled coast, all conveniently accessible.

Activities

La Cusinga maintains several trails that wind through the pristine protected rainforest and along the beautiful beaches. From three-hour treks through the forest to short walks down to the beach there are trails for all ages and abilities. On each trail the visitor is sure to get a glimpse of the diverse Costa Rican wildlife. Wildlife at La Cusinga is abundant and you will see many species that may include: morpho butterflies, tree frogs, ospreys, parrots, parakeets, toucans, howler monkeys, bottle-nosed dolphins, hawksbill turtles and the great humpback whale. Our local guides en joy accompanying guests of all ages & origins and showing them the most elusive creatures. In addition to hiking trails there are opportunities for snorkeling, surfing, fishing, dolphin and whale watching, horseback riding, sea kayaking, scuba diving and island and mangrove exploration. If you are interested in learning about the native Costa Rican culture there are fun and informative activities highlighting reforestation work, woodworking, furniture making, and tropical agriculture. Download the complet list of birds.

 

Commitment to Sustainability

The commitment that La Cusinga lodge has to sustainable development and the community is evident throughout the lodge. The buildings are made from their own reforested woods, local materials, and are nestled in naturally harmonious settings. All black and grey waters have a septic treatment that assures that no pollution ends up in the forest, river or the ocean. All of their electricity is from solar and hydropower, and the sun heats all their water. All trails are done in a way that has the least impact on the surroundings and the least amount of erosion takes place. The food they serve is made from products from our own gardens, and local suppliers of organic products. All our waste is recycled, organic produce is used for compost and all other products are recycled or taken to the municipal waste disposal site. La Cusinga has been making a positive impact on the community since it's beginning. They hire local Costa Ricans who often stay for ten or more years. The lodge is a member of ASOPARQUE, the entity that co-manages the Ballena Marine National Park . Additionally they are very active in the conservation of the park, humpback whales, the rain forest, beaches, and turtles. La Cusinga uses educational programs, such as speakers, seminars, and financial investment to conserve and preserve the surrounding resources and beauty. They host fun-days for the local schools, and make it an educational event for the students, professors and parents. Lastly, La Cusinga has been a voice for the community in the government concerning the preservation of humpback whales.

 

Accommodations

The private cabins at La Cusinga each have magnificent ocean views and contain 2-3 beds, hot water and comfortable breezy rooms. In addition there are cabins that large groups can rent out, with dorm style accommodations, hot water and ocean views. All the cabins and rooms are crafted from trees grown on the property and are decorated with all local crafts and arts.

 

Marino Ballena National Park

This park protects important habitats such as the sandy beaches, rocky beaches, estuaries, mangroves, scarps, islands, coral reefs that represent a very important environment for the reproduction of marine diversity.

In this marine park the most widespread type of vegetation is the mangrove, in which the red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle), the black mangrove (Avicennia germinans), the tea mangrove (Pelliciera rhizophorae), the buttonwood mangrove (Conocarpus erectus) and the white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa) occur. The alcornoque (Mora megistoperma, a very large tree with large thin buttresses, makes an irregular appearance).

Between Piñuela Point and Uvita Point a marine abrasion platform has formed. It is connected to the mainland via a sandy bridge or tombolo, which took shape naturally through the diffraction of the waves on the rocky point. It can be visited easily at low tide. On Ballena island and the Las Tres Hermanas islets there are two species of reptiles: the green iguana (Iguana iguana), and the basilisk (Basiliscus basiliscus). Magnificent frigate birds (Fregata magnificens), white ibis (Eudocimus albus) and brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) use these islands as a roosting site.

The coral reefs are made up of five of the 18 species recorded in the Eastern Pacific. In addition to the wealth of fish and the abundance of marine invertebrates in the park waters, it is possible to see common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), bottle nosed dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and, occasionally, humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), sometimes with their young and in groups of 2 to 3. Marine turtles lay their eggs on Ballena Beach

The terrestrial limits indicated by a line of markers establishing the inalienable public zone, with the restricted area of the maritime terrestrial area and the border of the adjacent wetlands and mangroves. The maritime boundary is constituted by an imaginary line enclosing the belt of rocky coral reefs formed by Tómbolo of Uvita Point, Ballena Island, Tres Hermanas (three sisters) and its surroundings, originating on the mouth of Higuerón or Morete River, and ending on Piñuelas Point.