Costa Rica

The green jewel of Central America

Costa Rica a small country yet is a place that you can come to celebrate the bounty of nature and is mighty in biodiversity: the country is home to more than 12,000 species of plants, 1,239 species of butterflies, 838 species of birds, 440 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 232 species of mammals. It also is blessed with a wide variety of  terrains including dry tropical forests, green tropical forests, sun-kissed beaches lined by verdant green jungles, and rugged mountain landscapes with active lava-spouting volcanoes to grace the skylines. Costa Rica is located in Central America and is nestled between Nicaragua to the North and Panama to the South, while being flanked by the Pacific Ocean to the West and the Atlantic Ocean to the East.

Unparalleled biodiversity

Preserving nature for generations to come

After decades of deforestation that devastated Costa Rica’s ecosystems by clear-cutting approximately 65% of Costa Rican rainforest, the country passed a ban on clear-cutting mature forests. The government actively supports reforestation, and the country has become known as a global leader in confronting its environmental concerns. Tourism — including eco-tourism, where people come to enjoy its natural wonders — is the country’s largest industry.

Unlike most of the country, the Nicoya Peninsula — where Siva Ashram is located — has only two seasons, which vastly differ from one another: a wet season (May through November) and a dry season (December through April).

Did you know: Costa Rica is the only Western country without a national army, making it an especially ideal, peaceful setting for Siva Ashram.

Nature’s Home

Welcoming the local inhabitants - rent is free!

As Costa Rica was deforested, the natural habitats of its indigenous wildlife were destroyed.

By cultivating native plants and trees on Siva Ashram, we are re-establishing the natural habitat for Costa Rica’s indigenous mammals, birds, butterflies, reptiles and amphibians that desperately need safe habitats.

We welcome all of the local wildlife to live here on Siva Ashram. We think of our work as creating a wildlife bed and breakfast where animals can live rent-free, come and go as they please, eat fruit from our over 100 fruit trees, and begin to thrive once again.

When you visit Siva Ashram, we hope you will glimpse some of its native inhabitants — including howler monkeys, variegated squirrels, a variety of birds, white-nosed coati, blue morpho butterfly and more. You may even see a crocodile sunning itself on the banks of the Nosara River. We hope you will treasure those sightings. There are no cages here, so the birds and animals come and go as they please. If the wildlife isn’t feeling photogenic when you come, we hope you’ll visit again for another opportunity to see life on the wild side!