Eco-Turismo Guayacanes: Guayacán Real Foundation
In Guanacaste, just three kilometers from Sámara, Eco-Turismo Guayacanes demonstrates that tourism can also be a tool for conservation, where the Guayacán Real (Guaiacum sanctum) has become a long-term mission.
Eco-Turismo Guayacanes
Costa Rica is internationally recognized for its leadership in nature conservation. Nearly 30% of its territory is under some category of protection and the country has promoted pioneering initiatives to recover ecosystems that for decades were threatened by deforestation. However, beyond the national parks and protected wilderness areas, there are private projects that are also writing a story of environmental recovery. Today, this conservation work is driven by the Guayacán Real Foundation, created in 2020, and supported by Eco-Turismo Guayacanes, a nature-integrated lodging project that allocates more than 10% of its revenue to funding the foundation.
In addition to the financial contribution, the property serves as the organization’s headquarters and provides land, infrastructure, nurseries, labor, and other resources for the establishment and care of young Guayacán Real plantations. In this way, each guest contributes directly to the recovery of one of Costa Rica’s most valuable forest species.
A tree that was on the brink of extinction
In 1980, Costa Rica declared the Guayacán Real endangered, when only about one hundred adult specimens survived in the country. For centuries, its extraordinary wood, recognized for its strength and density, was highly valued in Europe and other regions of the world. Added to this was the extraction of its natural oil, known as guaiacol, which was historically attributed medicinal properties, making this species one of the most exploited on the American continent.
The result was the disappearance of the Guayacán Real throughout much of its natural range and a drastic reduction in its populations.
Its recovery represents an additional challenge due to its slow growth. A guayacán can take nearly 300 years to develop a trunk of barely 50 centimeters in diameter and, during its early years, competes for space and light with faster-growing species. Therefore, each tree that manages to establish itself represents an important advance for the conservation of the species.
A foundation to recover the species
With the purpose of reversing this situation, the Guayacán Real Foundation was born in 2020, whose mission is to protect, preserve, and recover Guayacán Real populations through production, reforestation, and environmental education programs.
Each year, the foundation delivers around 200 young trees to schools, communities, and families, promoting ecological restoration and citizen participation. Thanks to the support of Eco-Turismo Guayacanes, it also maintains nurseries, develops new plantations, and continues to expand the areas dedicated to the recovery of this species.
Planting a guayacán is not an act for immediate benefit. It is a commitment to future generations and to the conservation of the biodiversity that characterizes the Tropical Dry Forest.
How can you help?
By staying at Eco-Turismo Guayacanes, you become part of this conservation effort. The value of your stay goes directly to the Guayacán Real Foundation, supporting the production of new trees, reforestation, and the protection of the Guayacán Real in the Sámara area.
A pioneering restoration project
The first plantings of this species began as part of an eco-reforestation program. Since then, more than one thousand guayacanes reales have been planted, making the site one of the most important conservation projects dedicated to this species.
Perseverance has marked the Guayacán Real restoration process. From the beginning, the team faced extremely difficult conditions: prolonged droughts associated with the El Niño phenomenon, strong winds, pests, diseases, and even forest fires. This experience has shown that ecological restoration does not happen overnight. It is the fruit of decades of work, commitment to nature, and the conviction that each tree planted can make a difference in the conservation of a species.
A legacy for the future
The Guayacán Real teaches a valuable lesson about time. While its growth can be measured in centuries, the decisions to protect it must be made today.
Each new tree planted represents hope that this species will continue to be part of the landscapes of Guanacaste and the natural heritage of Costa Rica. The work of the Guayacán Real Foundation demonstrates that, with effort, planning, and community participation, it is possible to give a future back to one of the most extraordinary trees in America.
Staying here is a way to help ensure that the Guayacán Real continues to be part of Guanacaste’s natural landscape.
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