Photo Friday – How the Rangers and Volunteers Live in Cano Island
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Cano Island is a precious gem about one hour off the coast of Osa Peninsula. It is a tourist mecca and a huge money maker for many tour agencies. It is also a Marine National Park falling into the hands of a third world country, ues Costa Rica is an environmentally conscious country, but still 3rd world.
We were invited to stay over by a friend of mine who’s boyfriend is the Park Ranger of the Island and had the rare opportunity to sleep in the ‘biological station/house’.
On a daily basis over $20,000 is exchanged hands with different tour operators and the entrance fee covered by the Costa Rican government which is $10 a head and $15 if you’re snorkeling. Plus, they have seldom volunteers who arrive here paying a ton of money to ‘do good’ and instead leave confused as to what exactly they are contributing to.
None of this money trickles down to the actual island. The living conditions of this place would have any semi-decent building shut down and most probably burned down.
Since the tourists are completely unaffected by it and the staff are simply happy to have jobs, I doubt anything will change in the near future.
For more great Photo Friday friends go to Delicious Baby.
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- Photo Friday – The Meaning of Esperanza Crickets
- Photo Friday – Semana Santa in Antigua Guatemala Behind-the-Scenes
0 Comments
May 1st, 2009 at
Your blog always gives me so much to think about, and Marina if I’m ever in Carlsbad I’ll be happy to give you a library tour. They even have a mural by Janelle Cannon who wrote Stella Luna since she used to work there!
May 1st, 2009 at
Hi Bridget!
I will definitely take you up on your Library tour offer! It sounds more like a museum than a Library:)
May 2nd, 2009 at
Would it make a difference, you think, if the tour agencies or tourists demanded to see where the money goes, or actually see improvements made for the people on the island?
May 2nd, 2009 at
Costa Rica is definitely on my list of places to visit. Hopefully we’ll be able to take your tour!
May 4th, 2009 at
Yet another reason dealing with large tour companies, resorts and the like isn’t the best way to travel.
Thanks for sharing your story.
May 4th, 2009 at
Hi Dominique,
I agree. You really need to know where your money is going, rather than just believing that it’s going to a good cause.
May 5th, 2009 at
Interesting to read your first-hand insights. Tourism has so many by-products, and third world countries have many mixed incentives. I'll look forward to more of your updates & posts.