Macaw Lodge

Macaw Lodge, in the forested hills of Turrubares near Carara

Macaw Lodge sits in the Cerros de Turrubares, the hills inland from the Central Pacific, where humid rainforest meets the dry tropical forest of the north. It is a small, quiet lodge surrounded by forest, gardens and orchards, near Carara National Park. It suits birders, nature lovers and anyone looking for a peaceful stop with yoga and good food.

Why we choose it

• Built for birders. Two kinds of forest meet here, so the bird list is long, with scarlet macaws, toucans and the sunbittern among the highlights.
• Chocolate from the orchard. The lodge grows fruit and cacao, and a cacao tour shows you how chocolate is made from the pod.
• Real quiet. There are no shops or restaurants nearby, just forest, waterfalls and a yoga shala surrounded by bamboo.

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Rooms and views

The Standard Rooms are in the main lodge, with a balcony looking over the lobby. Around the property are the bungalows: the Standard Bungalows, the Natural Bungalows, closer to the forest, and the Family Bungalow, the largest of them, for families travelling together.

Whichever you choose, the sounds of the forest come in through the window at dawn.

On the property

The restaurant cooks Costa Rican dishes, and much of what you eat comes from the lodge's own gardens and orchard. The yoga shala sits among the trees for morning classes, and trails lead through the forest to the waterfalls.

The lodge works to keep its footprint light, using solar power and water from its own spring, which fits the setting.

Location and getting there

The lodge is in the Turrubares hills, inland from the coast and near Carara National Park. On the way in, we stop at the Tárcoles bridge to look down at the crocodiles in the river, and from the lodge we arrange guided birding in Carara and days on the beach at Jacó.

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