SUSTAINABLE TOURISM EXPERIENCES IN PROTECTED AREAS WITH COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT

Transcription

1 SUSTAINABLE TOURISM EXPERIENCES IN PROTECTED AREAS WITH COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT

2 WELCOME The CARIBE MAYA is an initiative that promotes the sustainable tourism with community management in Guatemalan s Caribbean coast and in the coastal zone and islands of northern Honduras, that are part of the Mesoamerican Reef System. This fascinating region is distinctive due to its white sand beaches and the turquoise sea, its exuberant nature and the highest mountains of the Caribbean as well as its barrier reef, which is catalogued as the second biggest in the world. This region is the place where the Mayan and the Garifuna living cultures converge. Picture rights: Antonio Busiello/WWF WWF Guatemala Mesoamérica INGUAT Instituto Guatemalteco de Turismo Destino Atlántida-CANATURH Shutterstock

3 Experience the Caribe Maya of Guatemala and Honduras, where the Mayan wisdom and mysticism merge with the Garifunan joy and flavor; where you will disconnect your body to connect your soul. Places that smell like copal an aromatic tree resin, taste like coconut and sound like the rhythm of drums, making your spirit throb. Belize Adventures that will leave you breathless, culture that will fill you with experiences, while promoting sustainable tourism with community management in sublime protected areas. Área de Usos Múltiples Río Sarstún Centro Ecoturístico Río Tatín-Ak Tenamit Parque Nacional Río Dulce Guatemala Izabal Plan Grande Quehueche Casa del Casabe Laru Beya Cayo Quemado Restaurante Buga Mama Centro Ecoturístico Agua Caliente Spa Natural Caribbean Sea Puerto Cortés Parque Nacional Janette Kawas Fábrica de Casabe Ereba Chips Cotinga Art Parque Nacional Nombre de Dios Refugio de Vida Silvestre Texiguat Cuero y Salado Tours Honduras Cayo Menor Cabañas del Bosque Cangrejal Tours Parque Nacional Pico Bonito Cayo Mayor Monumento Natural Marino Archipiélago Cayos Cochinos Parque Nacional Cerro Azul Copán Parque Nacional Pico Pijol

4 Ecotourism Center in the Tatín Ak Tenamit River Río Dulce National Park, Izabal, Guatemala Agua Caliente Ecotourism Site Río Dulce National Park, Izabal, Guatemala Cave tourism and natural spa Mayan Q eqch i Experience Gastronomic and cultural tour The tour begins with the welcoming sound of the marimba musical group of the Ak Tenamit Association. Afterwards you will see how the Pachay Fish, a traditional dish of the Mayan Q eqch i culture, is prepared. While the Pachay Fish is being grilled, you may walk through pathways until you arrive to the Ak Tenamit Educative Center, where you will learn about this initiative, make your own corn tortillas, and visit the vegetable gardens. By the end of the visit you will taste a delicious malanga soup (a local tuber resembling a sweet potato), the Pachay Fish and a delicious banana dessert with orange sauce, while the local dance group delights you with the Deer Dance and you have the opportunity to buy some local handcrafts. Accommodation The center has 5 cabins that share a bathroom. Each cabin has capacity for 1 to 4 people in bunk beds. They are wooden cabins with palm roofs and are surrounded by tropical rainforest. They are ideal for resting and enjoying the scenic beauty offered by the place. Venture yourself in a hike by the caves, sacred places that represent the entrance to Xibalbá, the Underworld according to the Mayan worldview, where you will be able to observe stalagmites and stalactites, as well as fossils of animals. You should then relax in a natural sauna cave, which releases steam from the bowels of the Earth. The local guides will give you naturally mineralized clay from the cave, so that you can prepare yourself an amusing and healthy face mask. Finally, take a bath in the sulphureous thermal waters, enjoying the spectacular view of Río Dulce and refresh yourself with a delicious natural beverage in the restaurant facilities. This experience includes: Guided tour in the cave Natural sauna and clay face mask Entrance to the thermal waters and a natural beverage. If you wish, you can hire a pleasant relaxing massage, offered by members of the community. An authentic natural spa with community management in a spectacular protected area! Local cuisine Come and taste the traditional dishes of the Guatemalan Caribbean region. Managed by the Ak Tenamit Association (502) (502) (502) Managed by the Tiq walha Association (502) (502)

5 Cayo Quemado Ecotourism Site Río Dulce National Park, Izabal, Guatemala Plan Grande Quehueche Multiple Use Area, Sarstún River, Livingston, Izabal, Guatemala Gastronomic Workshop Enjoy the Gastronomic Workshop by preparing a delicious ceviche with fish and coconut, donkey snail or shrimp. Enjoy it with Casabe (a local bread made of yucca), a refreshing natural beverage and a dessert made of Jocote de Mico, a unique fruit of the region. Connect your senses with a hike through the tropical rainforest, surrounded by the Caribbean nature and environment. Accommodation The site offers 3 bedrooms with a shared bathroom and capacity for 1 to 2 people in each room. It is a wooden cabin with a palm roof, surrounded by the tropical rainforest. It is ideal for resting and enjoying the scenic beauty offered by awesome Río Dulce. Local cuisine Taste here the traditional dishes of the Guatemalan Caribbean region. Cave tourism Take a walk for 1 hour and 20 minutes through the tropical rainforest from the community Plan Grande Quehueche to Plan Grande Tatín, and visit the amazing Cueva Del Tigre (tiger cava), a sacred place that represents the entrance to Xibalbá, the Underworld according to the Mayan worldview. This monumental rock formation protects the Tatín river pools, where you can take a refreshing bath in a natural pool. Hiking Take a walk for approximately 1 hour from the Plan Grande Quehueche village through the tropical rainforest of the region, accompanied by a local guide, to a majestic place created by nature itself, called 7 Altares. This paradisiac place is a river that in its trajectory has formed seven natural pools where you will be able to immerse yourself and enjoy nature in its maximum splendor. Accomodation Flor de Montaña Eco Hotel offers 3 bedrooms that share a bathroom. Each room has capacity for 1 to 4 people. They are wooden cabins with a palm roof and are surrounded by the tropical rainforest. They are ideal for resting and enjoying the scenic beauty offered by the place. During the night of lodging, visitors can participate in a Mayan ceremony and enjoy dinner, accompanied by the rhythm of the local marimba. Managed by the Women s of Cayo Quemado Commitee (502) (502) (502) (502) Managed by the Flor de la Montaña Asociation (502) (502)

6 Laru Beya - House of Casabe Livingston, Izabal, Guatemala Buga Mama Restaurant SCHOOL AND TRAINING CENTER Livingston, Izabal, Guatemala Murals Tour and Casabe Gastronomic Workshop Begin touring the main streets of Livingston and learn about the history of the arrival of the Garifuna to that place and about other aspects of their culture by taking the Murals Tour. Next you will board a tuc tuc (motorcycle-taxi) in order to arrive to the House of Casabe, where you will participate in the artisan elaboration of the Casabe or yucca bread (yucca is a local crop tuber). During the workshop you will learn and at the same time participate in the elaboration of the Casabe, from the yucca s grating to the extraction of liquids and placement for cooking. Finally, you will sample different Casabe flavor varieties, such as natural, species, cinnamon and peanut. This experience includes: Murals Tour Tuc tuc Casabe workshop and sampling Caribe Maya Experience Enjoy a unique 1-hour show in which 20 members of the Garifuna Percussion Orchestra of Guatemala will delight you with the most select of the music and dance of this impressive culture, while expressing their history and traditions. In order to complete the Caribe Maya experience, you will enjoy the best Garifuna and Maya-Q eqch i gastronomy, merged in the tasting menu: Tapado, Casabe, rice and beans, and red salad, which are traditional dishes of the Garifuna culture, and the Pachay Fish, which is a traditional recipe of the Maya Q eqch i culture in Izabal. You can t miss this opportunity! This experience includes: Live Garifuna music show Tasting menu The Buga Mama School Restaurant is runned by the Ak Tenamit Association and it is where young people studying in the educational project can do internships and become agents of change in their communities. This is an enriching experience with a purpose! Managed by the Laru Beya Asociation (502) Managed by the Ak Tenamit Association (502) (502) (502)

7 Cabañas del Bosque (Forest Cabins) Nombre de Dios National Park, Atlántida, North Coast of Honduras Cangrejal Tours Nombre de Dios National Park, Atlántida, North Coast of Honduras Guaruma Educational Trail Tour of Tropical Fish It is a guided tour among fruit trees, medicinal plants, timber and some orchids including their ecological importance and interpretation. The trail ends with a refreshing plunge in the crystal clear waters of La Muralla ravine. The difficulty is low, with a duration of approximately 2.5 hours. It includes a light meal. Snorkel through the Cangrejal river and its tributaries, where you can discover more than 70 species of fish, of which 3 are unique to this ecosystem. The tour lasts approximately 3 hours and includes a light meal. Photography Tour Accomodation This is an Eco lodge that has 6 bedrooms with private bathroom and a capacity for up to 4 people each. The rooms offer the necessary comforts to relax. It is the ideal place to enjoy nature and to connect with the adventure activities in the Cangrejal River. Local cuisine They offer traditional dishes of the Honduran Caribbean and the speciality of smoked meats prepared with firewood from nance tree, a local fruit native of Central and South America. Trail through the tropical forest and Bejuco waterfall The trail begins with a seemingly impenetrable green wall. It is the habitat of hundreds of species and an icon, thanks to the beautiful Bejuco waterfall, which gives a wonderful postcard at the end of the walk. The difficulty is high, with a duration of approximately 4 hours. It includes a light meal. A group of young photographers formed by the Guaruma organization with the help of Foto Kids -- some of them with international awards-- will guide you to the basin and trails of the Cangrejal river for a photographic tour of wildlife in a majestic natural scenery. The tour lasts approximately 4 hours and includes a light meal. Reservaciones La Ceiba Info@reservacioneslaceiba.com (504) explorelaceiba Reservaciones La Ceiba Info@reservacioneslaceiba.com (504) explorelaceiba

8 Cotinga Art Pico Bonito National Park, Atlántida, North Coast of Honduras Laru Beya, East End Natural Marine Monument Cayos Cochinos. Atlántida, North Coast of Honduras Nature and Art Connect your senses with nature and art. Let a local artist show you, in a different way, the landscapes of this beautiful national park, while you learn to paint or, if you are already an artist, while you share with them the art of painting. Cotinga Art will provide you with all the necessary supplies and logistics for the workshop. You will also enjoy the ride in tuc tuc (motorcycle-taxi) to reach the spectacular scenery. The workshop lasts 3 hours approximately. Garifuna Experience Snorkel through the reefs of the keys, enjoy a virgin beach and walk the path to see the pink boa. Visit the Garifuna community of East End and learn about their history and culture, while enjoying the Punta music and their gastronomy. This experience includes: Round trip transportation from La Ceiba to East End, Cayo Mayor Garifuna traditional lunch Entrance to the protected area Snorkel equipment and guide Accomodation It offers wooden cabins with 2 bedrooms with private bathroom for groups of up to 9 people. Community Restaurant Laru Beya offers breakfast and a variety of Garifuna traditional dishes like seafood soup, fried fish, fish tacos and a variety of vegetarian options, among others. Reservaciones La Ceiba Info@reservacioneslaceiba.com (504) explorelaceiba Reservaciones La Ceiba Info@reservacioneslaceiba.com (504) explorelaceiba

9 Cuero y Salado Tours Barras de Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge, Atlántida, North Coast of Honduras Casabe Ereba Chips Factory Wildlife refuge, Barras de Cuero y Salado, Atlántida, North Coast of Honduras Cuero y Salado experience Begin with a train journey, symbol of the banana heritage of the area, to the Salado river bar, where you can learn a little about local life and its gastronomy, tasting a fresh cheese called cuajada or have a basket of cookies and hotcakes baked in firewood. In the river you will cross aquatic trails, you will be able to appreciate monkeys, birds and aquatic species such as caimans, turtles or, if you are very lucky, a shy manatee. End your trip with a dip in the sea and delicious Caribbean food. This experience includes: Train journey Gastronomic experience Aquatic tour or guided birdwatching Lunch Cuajada or cookies as refreshment Casabe Cultural Experience During the Casabe tour, a dish made out of yucca a local crop tuber-, you will learn about the properties and preparation of this gastronomic heritage of the Caribbean, as well as the flavoring and commercialization process. End up tasting this delight with different flavors. Casabe Gastronomic Workshop Enjoy a pleasant moment with the producers of Casabe, owners of the factory, who will share their best recipes during the workshop. Ask about the bird-watching route. Discover how to integrate Casabe to the contemporary cuisine, preparing delicious appetizers and snacks or preparing your own recipe. An unforgettable dining experience! Reservaciones La Ceiba Info@reservacioneslaceiba.com (504) explorelaceiba Reservaciones La Ceiba Info@reservacioneslaceiba.com (504) explorelaceiba

10 So that you can enjoy your stay in the Caribe Maya, we have designed 6 CIRCUITS that will allow you to disconnect from the routine. Ask your Travel Agency or Tour Operator and visit CONNECT WITH: Live Cultures of the Caribe Maya Nature and Adventure of the Caribe Maya Caribe Maya of the North Coast of Honduras Caribe Maya of Izabal Caribe Maya Flavors Active and Cultural Tourism in the Caribe Maya NECESSARY EQUIPMENT Fresh clothes comfortable shoes and sandals swimsuit towel bottle of water sunglasses cap or hat sunblock mosquito repellent binoculars camera waterproof jacket

11 Connect with the living cultures of the Caribe Maya Río Dulce National Park and Livingston, Izabal, Guatemala - Natural Marine Monument, Cayos Cochinos Archipelago, Atlántida, North Coast of Honduras. 4 DAYS Live authentic cultural experiences by entering into contact with the host communities, while enjoying their gastronomy, handicrafts, dances, rituals and other manifestations of both cultures, which are located in natural reserves of incomparable beauty. Start the day visiting the Tatín- Ak Tenamit River Eco Tourism Center. Enjoy the traditional Deer Dance, visit trails and orchards, participate in a Mayan ceremony and prepare your own tortillas. Learn to prepare Pachay Fish, a characteristic dish of the Mayan Q eqch i ethnicity and taste this ancestral recipe. Prepare and taste your own Caribbean ceviche, participating in the workshop directed by the Cayo Quemado Women s Committee. Visit the Agua Caliente Natural Spa: enter in a cave, prepare yourself a mask with naturally mineralized clay, enter the natural sauna, enjoy an exotic energizing beverage and dive in the sulphureous thermal waters. If you wish, you may end this healthy journey with a relaxing massage. Live the Caribe Maya experience: enjoy a unique show in which 20 members of the Garifuna Percussion Orchestra of Guatemala will delight you with their music and dance. Taste a dish with the best of Garifuna and Mayan Q eqch i gastronomy. Learn about the story of the arrival of the Garifuna to Livingston through the Murals Tour. Ride a tuc tuc (motorcycle-taxi) to go to the House of Casabe, where you will participate in a workshop to learn the traditional preparation of this typical Caribbean dish. Participate in a creative workshop of Art and Nature in trails of the Pico Bonito National Park, directed by young local artists. Connect with the Garifuna Experience in Cayo Mayor in the Natural Marine Monument of Cayos Cochinos Archipelago. Get in touch with the Caribbean culture, while visiting a virgin beach, taking a snorkel tour and walking the paths to see the pink boa. To finish this wonderful journey, you will enjoy the Garifuna gastronomy, music and dance, which are World Heritage of Humanity.

12 Make a tour riding a mountain bike through a rural path of approximately 6 kilometers from Livingston to the Mayan Q eqch i community Plan Grande Quehueche. Visit Cueva del Tigre (Tiger Cave), a spectacular rocky formation where you can enjoy the scenic view and take a bath in a natural pool. Connect with the nature and adventure in the Caribe Maya Río Dulce National Park, Sarstún River Multiple Use Area and Livingston, Izabal, Guatemala Nombre de Dios National Park, Cangrejal River, Atlántida, North Coast of Honduras. 4 DAYS If you like the adrenaline and riding a bike is your thing, adventure yourself through these protected areas of incomparable beauty while the host communities share with you their valuable natural and cultural legacy. Come to Agua Caliente Natural Spa, where you will be able to observe stalagmites and stalactites as well as fossil remains of animals. You should then relax in a natural sauna cave, which releases steam from the bowels of the Earth. The local guides will give you naturally mineralized clay from the cave, so that you can prepare yourself an amusing and healthy face mask. Finally, take a bath in the sulphureous thermal waters, enjoying the spectacular view of Río Dulce and an exotic natural beverage. Make an unforgettable journey in cayuco (canoe) by the mangroves to the Bird Island in Cayo Quemado. Enjoy snorkeling in the river to observe different tropical fishes and the adventure of tubing in Cangrejal river. Explore or take a photographic wildlife tour by the Guaruma path, in the basin of the Cangrejal river, taking a walk in which you will learn about local flora and fauna. Make an optional half-day tour to the Cuero y Salado wildlife refuge with a train ride, symbol of the area s banana heritage, to the Salado River bar, to visit water trails and observe the impressive nature of the place.

13 Enjoy the Cuero y Salado experience. Travel in a colorful train, symbol of the area s banana heritage, as far as the bar of Salado river. Visit aquatic paths and enjoy the amazing place s flora and fauna. Connect with the Caribe Maya of the North Coast of Honduras North Coast of Honduras, Atlántida: La Ceiba - Cayos Cochinos Natural Marine Monument. Live the cultural experience in the Casabe Ereba Chips factory and learn how to prepare this bread made of yucca, a gastronomic heritage of the Caribbean culture. Practice snorkeling and do the tour of tropical fish in the Cangrejal river. Enjoy tubing down in the overflowing Cangrejal river. 4 DAYs For adventure, eco tourism and creative tourism lovers in natural reserves of spectacular beauty. An unforgettable experience of sustainable tourism with a community-based management. Connect with the Garifuna Experience in Cayo Mayor in the Natural Marine Monument of Cayos Cochinos Archipelago. Get in touch with the Caribbean culture, while visiting a virgin beach, taking a snorkel tour and walking the paths to see the pink boa. In the East End community you will have an authentic encounter with the Garifuna culture, their music, their dance and gastronomy World Heritage of Humanity, while you learn about the history of their presence in the Honduran Caribbean. You should participate in the Art and Nature Workshop, in which young local artists will share their art, directing the participants to paint on canvas the most beautiful of the flora and fauna of the Pico Bonito National Park.

14 Connect with the Caribe Maya of Izabal Izabal, Guatemala: Río Dulce National Park Livingston 3 days Indulge in the Mayan Q eqch i and Garifuna living cultures, living unique experiences in protected areas of spectacular beauty, enjoying the Caribbean climate and the hospitality of the people. Start the day visiting the Eco Tourism Center in the Tatín-Ak Tenamit River Eco Tourism Center. Enjoy the traditional Deer Dance, visit paths and orchards, participate in a Mayan ceremony and prepare your own tortillas. Learn to cook the Pachay Fish, a characteristic dish of the Mayan Q eqch i ethnicity and taste this ancestral recipe. Visit the Agua Caliente Natural Spa: enter in a cave, prepare yourself a mask with naturally mineralized clay, enter the natural sauna, enjoy an exotic energizing beverage and dive in the sulphureous thermal waters. If you wish, you may end this healthy journey with a relaxing massage. Tour the main streets of Livingston and learn about the history of the arrival of the Garifuna to this place by taking the Murals Tour. Next live the experience of boarding a tuc tuc (motorcycle-taxi) in order to arrive to the House of Casabe, where you will participate in the artisan elaboration of that traditional Caribbean dish. Live the Caribe Maya experience: enjoy a unique show in which 20 members of the Garifuna Percussion Orchestra of Guatemala will delight you with their music and dance. Taste a dish with the best of Garifuna and Mayan Q eqch i gastronomy. Have an encounter with the Mayan Q eqch i culture, traveling from Livingston to Plan Grande Quehueche in the back of a 4x4 truck. An experience you will not forget! Get to know how the community lives, taste authentic local food, participate in a Mayan ceremony and enjoy marimba melodies performed by the hosts.

15 Connect with the flavors of the Caribe Maya Río Dulce National Park, Izabal, Guatemala and Sarstún River Multiple Use Area, Izabal, Guatemala. 5 days Learn about the history, customs and traditions of the Caribe Maya through the flavors, scents and textures of the most traditional recipes of the place, prepared by the host communities, in spectacular protected areas. Live an unforgettable culinary experience, participating actively in the preparation of the most delicious typical dishes of the region of Izabal, in the Guatemalan Caribbean, where the Mayan Q eqch i and Garifuna cultures will share the best of their gastronomy and traditions. Healthy detoxifying drinks Infusion of almond leaves, lemon and avocado leaves Malanga soup, a tuber cultivated in the region Pachay Fish with the ancestral recipe of the Mayan Q eqch i ethnicity Seafood ceviche Jocote de mico dessert Cabbage and beet salad and beetroot with Casabe chips Seafood tapado Rice and beans Coconut flan Cannelloni stuffed with juncus and corn Yucca in garlic sauce Pinol delicacy and other delicious food of the place In addition, you can enjoy an incomparable tasting of innovative proposals of gastronomic creative tourism in the Caribe Maya of the North Coast of Honduras. Cinnamon cookies with pepper and honey, coconut and ginger cookies or oats and honey cookies. Fish tacos Fish soup with machuca Casabe appetizers and treats

16 Connect with the Active and Cultural Tourism in the Caribe Maya Río Dulce National Park, Izabal, Guatemala and Sarstún River Multiple Use Area, Izabal, Guatemala - Pico Bonito National Park, Cangrejal river and Archipelago Cayos Cochinos Natural Marine Monument, Atlántida, North Coast of Honduras. 5 days Connect with the culture by sharing with the host communities, discover new destinations of nature and adventure, in the most impressive protected territories of the Caribe Maya. Visit the Agua Caliente Natural Spa: enter in a cave, prepare yourself a mask with naturally mineralized clay, enter the natural sauna, enjoy an exotic energizing beverage and dive in the sulphureous thermal waters. If you wish, you may end this healthy journey with a relaxing massage. Live the Caribe Maya experience: enjoy a unique show in which 20 members of the Garifuna Percussion Orchestra of Guatemala will delight you with their music and dance. Taste a dish with the best of Garifuna and Mayan Q eqch i gastronomy. Hike through the tropical from Plan Grande Quehueche to the pristine natural pools of 7 Altares, where you can take a refreshing swim in a spectacular environment. Have an authentic encounter with the Mayan Q eqch i culture in Plan Grande Quehueche. Participate in a Mayan ceremony and taste the local gastronomy, while enjoying the music of the marimba, played by the hosts. Participate in the art and nature workshop where young local artists will share their art and lead the participants to paint on canvas, the most beautiful of the flora and fauna of Pico Bonito National Park. Practice snorkeling and do the tour of tropical fish in the Cangrejal river. Enjoy tubing down in the overflowing Cangrejal river. Connect with the Garifuna Experience in Cayo Mayor in the Natural Marine Monument of Cayos Cochinos Archipelago. Get in touch with the Caribbean culture, while visiting a virgin beach, taking a snorkel tour and walking the paths to see the pink boa. In the East End community you will have an authentic encounter with the Garifuna culture, their music, their dance and gastronomy World Heritage of Humanity, while you learn about the history of their presence in the Honduran Caribbean.

17