We welcome you to our beautiful country and invite you to join Hotel Makanda by the Sea on our mission to save and protect our natural resources.  Costa Rica, as a leader in Eco-Travel, as well as the protection of the environment, encourages your participation and support in our goal to further the preservation of our endangered flora, fauna and natural resources.  Our general mission at Makanda by the Sea is to assure that our guests experience the best vacation possible and upon departing our lovely hotel, we strive to leave each guest with a positive perception of Makanda’s dedication to customer service, value for their vacation dollar, and the confidence that they have positively contributed to the advancement of our community, its residents and our goal to protect the environment. With your cooperation, you can be a contributing member of our Go Green program!  To that end, we invite you to familiarize yourselves and help us in our efforts.  The following is an extensive list of some of the ways you can be a part of our “Go Green Team”, helping to neutralize the carbon footprint you leave, while still enjoying your stay in Paradise!!

At Makanda we encourage…..Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!!

With that said, the following list is just a sampling of our dedication to protecting the environment:

• To assist in the preservation of our natural water resources, the hotel has implemented the use of water saving appliances, as well as gardening restrictions and the use of indigenous plant species well adapted to local weather conditions.
• Makanda limits laundering hours and has strict monitoring controls in the overall use of our water.  We kindly ask that you do your part too!  To that end, we encourage a voluntary guest program to reduce laundering by choosing whether you will require daily towel and sheet changing and washing service.
• All detergents and cleaning products in use throughout the hotel are certified biodegradable and eco-friendly.
• Each day Makanda is broadening its recycling program throughout the facilities by assigning staff members to the separation of all glass, plastic, aluminum, paper, carton and organic products.  Proceeds are donated to local church programs.
• All organic material becomes food for our compost pile, which is then maintained and used to fertilize our gardens.  All fertilizers and pesticides are of organic nature to avoid harm to the environment.
• Makanda works closely with the company Bio-Solutions for the proper treatment of all water run-off systems, which not only enables us to reuse grey water for irrigating gardens, but for the protection of the surrounding aquifers.
• Guests are encouraged to save energy by limiting their use of electrical appliances (air conditioners, lights, televisions, etc.), especially when not in their room.  Energy saving appliances are used throughout the hotel, as well as energy saving fluorescent light bulbs.
• The restaurant at Makanda, Sunspot Bar & Grill, uses and encourages the use of reusable linen table cloths  and napkins to minimize the use of paper products.
• Our administrative offices have converted to a paperless system as much as possible.  Information is printed only as needed and all print paper is recycled to use both sides whenever possible.
• Hotel Makanda strongly believes that environmental responsibility extends to Social Responsibility aspects as well.  Therefore, we have incorporated many measures to that end, here is a brief list:
  • Our hotel purchases local products from local vendors whenever possible.
  • Our staff is comprised of members from only the surrounding local communities.
  • Donations to community organizations such as COPAZA, which are dedicated to improving the communities of Quepos and Manuel Antonio by offering cultural alternatives to discourage drug use, vagrancy and complacency, as well as assisting in the elimination of sexual exploitation of women and children, and the financial support of our local police departments, just to name a few.
  • Many products and local tour affiliates used by Hotel Makanda donate proceeds from their sales and proceeds to support environmental causes.
  • There are so many other measures that are much too long to list.

But your help does not stop here, there is more specific help you can give to the Quepos and Manuel Antonio area, as well as the grounds of Makanda by the Sea, please read on!!
Although you might find the feeding of the monkeys (and other wild animals) to be a thrilling experience, you are not doing the monkeys a favor.  In fact, your are actually harming them.  Here are 10 reasons why not to feed the monkeys:

• Monkeys are highly susceptible to diseases from human hands.  They can die from bacteria transferred off your hand that has no ill effect on you.
• Migrations to human-populated areas to be fed increases the risk of dog attacks and road accidents.
• Irregular feeding leads to an aggressive behavior towards humans and other species.
• Contrary to the stereotype, bananas are not the preferred food of monkeys in the wild.  Bananas, especially those containing pesticides, can be upsetting to the monkeys’ delicate digestive system and cause serious dental problems that can lead to eventual death.
• Feeding creates a dangerous dependency on humans that diminishes the monkeys’ survival abilities.
• Feeding interferes with the monkeys’ natural habits and upsets the balance of their lifestyle centered on eating wild fruits, seeds, small animals and insects.
• Contact with humans facilitates poaching and the trade in illegal wildlife.
• Pregnant females who are fed nothing but bananas during their pregnancy will not give birth to healthy infants.  The babies will be malnourished, or never develop to term, and die before birth.
• Monkeys need to travel an average of 17 kilometers each day to be in good physical condition.  If they know that food is available in a particular location, they will not leave that area.
• Not only do we pass on diseases to animals when we feed them by hand, but they can pass diseases to us as well.

The monkeys do not realize this, but now you do!  Please don’t facilitate the extinction of one of Nature’s most amazing creatures for your own pleasure.  Find out more about saving the monkeys at www.kidssavingtherainforest.org.

• Destroy trees, extract plants or any other type of forest product.
• Hunt or capture wild animals, or to collect or take anything related to their natural existence.
• Hunt marine turtles of any species, or to collect or extract their eggs, or any other product related to their natural existence.
• Line, mark or stain, or cause any type of damage or deterioration to the plants, the equipment, or the park facilities.
• Fish industrially.
• Collect or extract coral, shells or rocks, or any other product, as well as disturbing the bottom of the sea.
• Collect or extract rocks, minerals or fossils, or any other geologic product.
• Carry firearms, harpoons or any other instrument that can be used for hunting.
• Introduce animals or exotic plants that are not native to the environment.
• Relocate or to water cattle or to raise bees.
• To cause any type of environmental contamination.
• Extract stones, sands, gravels or similar products.
• Give food or water to the animals.
• Construct electrical or telephone lines, aqueducts or paved roads.
• Initiate any type of commercial, agricultural or industrial activity.

The above list is according to the laws set by the National Park System.

To further enable our guests to assist us in our “Go Green” mission, Makanda would like to take a moment to familiarize you with more of the rules, regulations and laws that have been established by the Costa Rican Government and National Parks system, in order to help you avoid inadvertently harming the environment.

• The capture or trade of wild animals is prohibited in all National Parks or Reserves, domestic flora and fauna, and all products or by-products of such.
• The export, import or transfer of any species specified on the endangered species list, or products thereof, is strictly prohibited.
• The Ministry of Atmosphere and Energy strictly forbids the possession, hunting, fishing or extraction for whatever reason, be it products or by-products of any species of flora or fauna listed as being in danger of extinction.
• Any species in danger of extinction shall be dealt with on a scientific platform to assist in the preservation, regeneration and longevity of each individual endangered species.
• Countries not listed as members of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna & Flora are strictly prohibited to transfer, import or export any species that’s survival is considered in danger.  Further information can be found at www.cites.org.
• It is universally prohibited to pick, extract, disturb or remove all wild flora and fauna found within protected parks and reserves.

Violations of the above are considered a crime, punishable by laws both National and International.  Therefore, we kindly encourage everyone to cooperate in our efforts to encourage the protection of our Natural Biodiversity and Resources, and thank you in advance for choosing to be a part of a growing international ecological consciousness!!  Future generations are depending on you!!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!!