Bungle in the jungle during the rain season and save on a Costa Rican getaway. Rates drop dramatically since many travelers are skittish about venturing anywhere near Nicaragua this time of year. Risky, perhaps, but for those who seek showers (thunder makes my hubby’s heart pound) then try the Corcovado Adventures Tent Camp resort in the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica.

A ten minute boat ride southwest of Drake Bay on the western side and conveniently located near the Corcovado National Park and Biological Reserve, the natural setting of tropical beaches and wilderness has been called “one of the most biologically intense places on Earth.” Commune with the white face congo and spider monkeys on the beaches and enjoy sitings of the Blue Morpho Butterflies along with 350 species of birds.

The full-sized tents are shielded from the elements by a large tarp and furnished with wood-frame beds and feature a front deck with chairs providing a vantage spot for Pacific Ocean views. The meals are Tico and International cuisine and available activities include horseback riding, scuba diving, whale watching, surfing, snorkeling, hiking and kayaking. A six-night package is $765 ($70 saved per person) and covers the taxi and boat ride from Drake Bay or Palmar airport, three full meals per day, a tour of the park with a guide, lunch, a boat ride and a tour of Cano Island with a guide. Rates by the night are around $80 per person, if you prefer that route. This is my kind of camping, since I don’t love sleeping on the ground, even with the best air mattress.

For even more luxurious lodgings in a tent (above), check out the Rafiki safari Lodge, which was started by the Boshoff family in 1999 in hopes of using tourism to build a wildlife refuge to help tapirs and other species. It is nestled in the 822 acres of pristine jungle along the Savegre River, 30km south of Quepos and Manuel Antonio. Enjoy white water rafting and exploring waterfalls. Several multi-day packages are available from $480 to $780 per person during the dry season (now through Dec. 15).

Looking for a great green getaway offering an affordable way to commune with nature? Look no further. This is the first installment in a series by EcoSalon’s Senior Editor, Luanne Bradley.

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When I started writing this post, I suddenly realized I didn’t know what Cri de Coeur actually meant. “Cry from the heart,” says the Merriam Webster dictionary. Made sense once I knew, as my own internal organ throbs at the very site of this line!

Founded in 2007 by Gina Ferraraccio, who’d been interning at Anna Sui and Bergdorf Goodman, as well as for a private label lingerie line, Ferracraccio gained valuable real-world fashion and business experience before launching her Cri de Coeur vegan shoe line in 2008.

In 2009, (now co-designer) Julie Dicterow began working for the label and after only a few months, realized that the two girls were a force to be reckoned with in terms of sustainable shoe design and forward fashion.

Press and buyers around the world recognized their potential too and heralded the debut collection. Like a fairytale right? Well, sometimes these things happen.

Cri de Coeur is now noted by many as a top-quality vegan shoe line with which, according to their site, “Ladies around the globe can create eco-luxe looks in no time flat. Pairing deftly with everything from cocktail dresses to skinny jeans, Cri de Coeur shoes embody effortless chic.”

I love all the color in their spring line and especially am very fond of the fact they recently launched a diffusion line for the “Budget fashionista” called “Hearts of Darkness” with every shoe retailing under $100.

Thanks ladies.

Designers Gina Ferraraccio and Julie Dicterow

A “Cry from the heart?” Ferraraccio and Dicterow say the name symbolizes their heartfelt desire to change the face of the fashion footwear market: “Cri de Coeur provides stylish, contemporary women’s footwear that is ethically produced from start to finish.”

Feel like slipping on a pair Cinderella? Well come to EcoSalon Shops! event and you’ll get your chance (not to mention meeting the fabulous designers).

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