Tips for sustainable travel

Sustainable travel starts with you. An environmentally friendly holiday begins with making conscious choices, from booking your flight to what you pack, how you get around, and how you behave while travelling. At Into Nature, we help you plan your trip and provide practical tips to reduce your carbon footprint and travel more sustainably in Costa Rica.

Before you go:
Choose a sustainable travel organisation, such as Into Nature, that avoids large group tours and mass tourism highlights.
Pay a little more for your flight to fly responsibly. Services such as CO2ZERO allow you to offset emissions by supporting certified climate projects, such as those initiated by WWF under the Gold Standard.
Learn about Costa Rica’s ecosystems, culture, and how to travel consciously and respectfully.

What to pack:
– Rechargeable batteries and a solar-powered charger or torch (e.g. a WakaWaka).
– Eco-friendly toiletries such as biodegradable shampoo, DEET-free insect repellent and reef-safe sunscreen.
– A reusable water bottle or thermos refill from large containers instead of buying plastic bottles.
– Avoid souvenirs made from wildlife, shells or coral.
– Leave space in your suitcase for respect: don’t expect the same comforts as at home.

While in nature:
– Stay on marked trails to protect delicate ecosystems and wildlife habitats.
– Travel light and tread lightly. Don’t behave like a mass tourist.
– Respect the rhythm of local life, and contribute rather than consume.

Packing

Travel light and tread lightly. Only pack what you truly need. Using a smaller backpack or suitcase saves space, and fuel: each kilo of luggage uses around 4% of its weight in fuel per hour of flight.
Roll your clothes and fill any hollow spaces, such as inside your shoes.
Consider bringing items to donate locally.
Check out our Into Nature packing list to travel smarter and lighter.

Plastic

Minimise your use of plastic. Many hotels and shops offer water refill stations, so be sure to bring a reusable bottle. If you do buy bottled water, make sure you recycle the bottle or give it away, as locals may be able to reuse it.
Never leave waste in remote areas where recycling is rare.
Take your plastic waste to larger towns, where supermarkets often accept bottles.
Say no to plastic bags, which are still widely used, and opt for a reusable bag or purchase an eco-friendly bag made locally instead. Small choices can make a big difference.

Driving

Drive light, travel aware. Every part of your journey matters, including your time on the road.
Choose a fuel-efficient or hybrid car.
Set off early, when it’s cooler and nature is coming alive..
Open the windows to connect with your surroundings and limit your use of the air conditioning
Take a break from driving during the hottest part of the day to enjoy the scenery.
Avoid driving at dusk or in the dark, as this is when wildlife is most active and at risk.

Eating and drinking

Eat mindfully and support locally. Choose ‘sodas’, small, authentic eateries, across Costa Rica.
Eat more plant-based and seasonal dishes and choose organic produce where possible.
Avoid fast food and packaged meals; fresh, local food is better for you and the planet.
Say no to plastic straws and cups when ordering drinks, and bring your reusable alternatives.

Lodging

Smart habits for sustainable stays:

Charge wisely: Don’t leave your device on charge overnight; one hour is often enough. Only recharge when needed.
Go solar: Use solar-powered chargers like the WakaWaka.
Save energy: Turn off the air conditioning, lights and devices when you leave your room.
Reuse linens. Skip daily towel and sheet changes.
Conserve water: Take short showers instead of baths.
Avoid single-use items. Bring your toiletries and ask for glass containers instead of plastic ones.

Tours and wildlife

Support the locals.
Choose local guides and community-based tours.
Go green: Pick eco-friendly activities in small groups.
Respect wildlife: Never feed or lure animals for photos.
Protect hummingbirds: Don’t use feeders with sugary water, as this harms their health.

Costa Rica
A Pioneer in Ecotourism and Sustainability

Costa Rica is globally recognised for its biodiversity and environmental protection, with almost a third of its land designated as parks or reserves. It is a world leader in renewable energy, with around 70% of its electricity generated from hydropower, wind and geothermal sources. In 2017, it ran on 100% renewable power for 300 days. It is the only country in the Americas with a nationwide ban on oil exploration.

Tourism, driven by this sustainable image, is the main source of income. The government is aiming to ban single-use plastics and raise environmental awareness.

Despite facing challenges from growing tourism and infrastructure pressure, Costa Rica remains a prime example of how environmental values can support sustainable growth.

Back in time for sustainable agriculture

In the early 1980s, Costa Rica was experiencing high rates of deforestation driven by agriculture and cattle ranching. Cleared land was considered more valuable. This trend started in the 1950s with the establishment of large-scale banana plantations, followed by palm oil and pineapple farming. These activities damaged forests and ecosystems through the heavy use of chemicals.

Today, Costa Rica is working to reverse this trend, yet only 15% of farms currently employ organic methods.

The hidden cost of pineapples

The pineapple on your hotel breakfast plate probably originates from Costa Rica, the world’s largest exporter of pineapples. While this is a profitable industry, it causes significant environmental harm. Many plantations rely on pesticides that are banned in Europe due to their toxicity to humans and wildlife.

Profit often takes precedence over sustainability, and few producers voluntarily adopt eco-friendly practices. Although international demand for responsibly grown food is increasing and certifications such as the Rainforest Alliance offer a way forward, government oversight remains limited and meaningful regulation is lacking.

Sustainable ecotourism vrs. eco-hype

Since the mid-1980s, Costa Rica’s focus has been on environmental conservation, driven by revenue from tourism and subsidies for the rainforest. As an increasingly popular eco-destination, the country has expanded its nature projects and eco-lodges, and now requires certified guides. Many businesses highlight ‘eco-friendly’ practices to attract environmentally conscious tourists.

However, not all eco-accommodation is truly environmentally friendly. The government lacks the resources for enforcement and on-site inspections, which makes the sustainability of some certificates questionable. Some highly rated hotels harm wildlife, for example by causing birds to fly into large windows, and offer activities that damage the environment, such as quad biking and sport fishing, despite animal protection laws.

These negative practices are often hidden from foreign travel agencies and tourists, who prioritise profit over sustainability. For instance, poorly organised turtle-watching tours during the nesting season can disturb the turtles, causing them to abandon their eggs. Properly organised tours must ensure that animals are not disturbed.

What about sustainable waste processing?

Costa Rica aims to eliminate all plastic waste by 2025, reflecting growing public awareness of the environmental impact of plastic. In Uvita, near the Marino Ballena National Park, supermarkets are reducing their use of plastic by offering biodegradable bags. While the country plans to ban disposable plastics, its current waste management system cannot handle all waste, with around 20% ending up polluting the environment, as seen with the plastic-covered Río Tárcoles. Reducing plastic use and improving recycling are vital for the sustainability of tourism, with tourists playing a key role by minimising waste and choosing eco-conscious accommodation.

How can you contribute to sustainability in Costa Rica?

To travel sustainably in Costa Rica, choose small, independent agencies that genuinely operate sustainably. Many agencies claim to be eco-friendly, but actually book through large local operators that focus on mass tourism and harm fragile ecosystems. Popular tours such as sea turtle watching in Tortuguero, night tours in Monteverde and wildlife tours in Manuel Antonio often suffer from overcrowding, which negatively affects both nature and the visitor experience.