Cielo Lodge, Golfito, Costa Rica
It’s so rare that I start to write an article and I’m unsure of where to begin because I experienced something truly remarkable. But this is one of those moments. I recently returned from a trip that changed the way I saw tourism in Costa Rica…and it was so incredible, I had to share with you all.
If you didn’t know, I have been living in San José, Costa Rica for the past year. Getting to explore the country by car, boat, plane, and the occasional bus from coast to coast… Loving every minute of the adventure. However, recently I got to truly experience the rainforest of Costa Rica in a way I didn’t know was still accessible in the country.
Costa Rica is known for tourism. And anyone who’s been here knows that country caters to westerners because of the variety of experiences you can find in the country, the safety of the country, and their slogans for eco-friendly holidays. But I went to a place that really differentiated itself from everything else I have experienced while living here.
Cielo Lodge is situated in Golfito, Costa Rica. A little town that exists because it was once home to the largest banana exporter in the country. Fast forward to today and it’s known as a deep-water port, and the place locals can go to “buy electronics”… WHAT? I’ll come back to that—- but for now let me share with you the first truly eco-friendly stay I experienced in Costa Rica.
You can sail into Golfito, but coming from the city, I decided to take the flight that will have you gripping the side of your seat in the little 10-seater-hopper plane from San José. You’re first greeted with “WARNING, WARNING, WARNING, PULL UP!” From the airplane as it makes a sharp turn into a little runway next to the side of some large and beautiful green hills situated by the beach. This heart stopping moment can be avoided if you decide to sail in… (It’s really not that bad, but funny the first time you experience it).
Just a 25 minute ride up one of those beautiful hills, you’re greeted with a smile, a fresh juice cocktail, and a view that will set your heart on fire. You’re not on the beach, but you’re overlooking the entire gulf of Gulfo Dulce from the tropical rainforest of the southwest… Just about 200 miles from the Panama border.
If the views don’t do it for you, the lodging will. Each morning coffee is brought to your bungalow— set into the treetops with your own outdoor shower, hammock, natural wood finishings, and the sounds of the waterfall just below.
Speaking of waterfalls, there’s three on the property and a 30 minute hike will get you to and from the most serene and peaceful jungle you’ve ever been immersed into. Not to count the fact the property also hosts a naturalist who will take you bird watching in the morning, and out to find the frogs and lizards of the night! The amount of wildlife that is just existing in the area is unreal. I saw several Toucans, Capuchin Monkeys, and even a Pizote wandering through the property. In addition to the numerous birds, plants, frogs, and butterflies!
And the food—- I will never forget how good the food was because I couldn’t believe it was so amazing, yet so far from society. They even have a chef just for the bread, and the focaccia rivaled that of a Michelin star restaurant.
If that wasn’t enough, they also host an included full-day tour to see the dolphin pod of over 100 dolphins who call Gulfo Dulce their home, as well as enter their untouched mangroves to see incredible wildlife such as crocs and bird species that can only be found in this area. The tour ends with you visiting a TRUE local (AKA Tico) restaurant out of one of the resident’s homes, just off the mangroves. Afterwards a short walk to a private beach to stay as long as your heart desires. The beach itself isn’t considered private, but this area of Costa Rica is so secluded we didn’t see another person on the beach as far as the eye could see.
My husband, Rutger and I had three magical days at Cielo Lodge, founded by Nicole and Keith Goldstein. The pair came to Costa Rica in 2005 on a family vacation and fell in love with the country, the area, and the people. That sparked a dream that took over 15 years to come to fruition. Opening in 2021— Just after the pandemic, Nicole and her husband Keith did everything they could to minimize the impact of building in the area.
“And so the idea, so for us, it was really to minimize our impact as much as possible and yet still do the project.” Nicole said, “So minimal land movement, trying to make sure that there's natural airflow in all the buildings, trying to use materials that are going to last so that we're not having to redo things, which becomes unsustainable. And then partnering with the local community, finding employees from the local community, using the resources from the local community to help us, so that we're supporting them as well.”
And this isn’t greenwashing—- Cielo Lodge has promised to preserve over 102 hectares of their main, 114 hectare property, planted thousands of native hardwood trees and fruit trees for the animals after cleaning out invasive species from the previous land-owner, they’re also completely off-grid, powered by solar panels and a small micro-hydro system, and gravity is used to move the drinking water to the water storage tanks.
From the smallest details of locally woven coasters, to the ingredients used in each cocktail—- every part of this place was thought out with sustainability and support for the local community. Which brings me back to the electronics depot… After the banana exporters left Golfito in the 80s, the community was left with nothing, So the government of Costa Rica built an electronics depot out there as a way to get people to travel to this southern area… and bring tourism (even if it was only from the locals). The current population of Golfito is about 11,000… Part of why this area is still so rural and untouched. Besides the deep-water port, there’s also a small, but well run local marina for those of you looking to come by boat. With plans to make this marina a bigger part of Golfito in the coming years.
Nicole told me “Golfito's gonna become an ecotourist destination for sure. My vision for Golfito, my hope, is that it becomes like a little Sausalito, but without too much gentrification. So local people start small businesses that cater to tourists who are coming, but it's like a venue for artisans to show their crafts, and then the tourists go into the little store and they buy these crafts, or it's like biodegradable soaps and shampoos in another store, or coffee and chocolate in another. So it's like artisan-made things that are small-scale, small business, that are owned by the people of this town. That would be the best.”
By the way, Cielo Lodge is the only accommodation of its kind in the entire area— luxury, all inclusive, sustainable, and the most immersive experience I’ve had during my time in Costa Rica.