Pura Osa
Why Pura Osa supports these causes
I was born in Cortés de Osa and grew up between Ballena, Tinoco and Uvita, when the Costanera was still a dirt road and the whales came into the bay with almost no one there to watch them. Osa shaped who I am: its rivers, its beaches and a forest full of life. Pura Osa exists to share this place with the world, and that comes with a responsibility.
Tourism can be a blessing or a burden. Done well, it pays local guides, cooks, boat captains and farmers, and it gives communities a reason to protect the forest instead of cutting it. Done badly, it raises prices, crowds beaches and leaves little behind. We believe in regenerative tourism: not just doing less harm, but making sure that every visit actively helps the land and the people who welcome you.
That is why we support the organizations below. They are our neighbors: biologists, rangers, fishermen, teachers and young people from these communities who patrol turtle beaches at night, plant trees, teach children about the forest and turn conservation into honest local jobs. When you visit Osa, you are visiting their work.
How it works
- Your gift goes straight to them. Each Donate button opens the organization’s own page. Pura Osa does not collect or handle any money.
- Any amount helps. Ten dollars can protect a turtle nest for a night or buy a native tree for reforestation.
- Choose the place you visit. A nice way to give back is to support the project closest to where you stayed.
Local organizations you can support
Reserva Playa Tortuga
Founded in 2009 by local residents and Costa Rican scientists. Protects olive ridley and green turtle nests on Playa Tortuga, has released more than 50,000 hatchlings, and monitors caimans, birds and mammals in the Térraba-Sierpe wetland.
Donate (via PayPal)
Osa Conservation
Protects sea turtle nesting beaches, restores rainforest, monitors wildlife and supports regenerative farming with local families. One of the largest conservation programs on the peninsula.
Fundación Corcovado
A Costa Rican foundation that supports the park and its communities: sea turtle protection, environmental education in local schools and projects that create income for families around Corcovado.
COPROT · Tortugas de Osa
A community group that protects sea turtle nests on Carate beach, giving paid work and training to local people. You can also adopt a nest.
Donate (via PayPal)
LAST · Latin American Sea Turtles
A Costa Rican association that studies and protects the sea turtles that feed in the Golfo Dulce, working hand in hand with fishing communities across the inner gulf. Follow their daily updates on Facebook (@lastseaturtles).
Donate (via GlobalGiving)
Website · Osa project · PayPal: [email protected]
Fundación Saimiri
Works to save the Central American squirrel monkey (mono tití), an endangered primate found only on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica and western Panama, through research, reforestation and community work.
Donate (via PayPal)
Donation links lead to each organization’s official page or payment account. Pura Osa receives no commission from donations.
Our commitment
Pura Osa is funded by small commissions when travelers book hotels, tours and transport through our links, always at no extra cost to them. We commit to giving part of that income back to these organizations every year, and to publishing what we gave and what it achieved. When you book through Pura Osa, you are also supporting Osa.
Other ways to give back during your trip
- Stay local. Choose family-run lodges and cabins owned by people from Osa.
- Hire certified local guides. They know the forest best and the income stays in the community.
- Eat at sodas and buy at the market. Your money goes directly to local families and farmers.
- Join a beach cleanup. Ask at your lodge; many communities organize them regularly.
- Respect wildlife. Never feed animals, keep your distance and use red light on turtle beaches.
- Tell your story. Share these projects with friends; visibility brings volunteers and donors.
Read our guide to regenerative travel in Osa →
Frequently asked questions
Does Pura Osa receive my donation?
No. Every Donate button takes you to the organization’s own page (its website, PayPal or GlobalGiving). Your gift goes straight to them, and Pura Osa never handles the money.
How did you choose these organizations?
They work on the ground in the Osa region, involve local people in their projects and show their results publicly. Many of them have protected these beaches and forests for years, long before the word “regenerative” was popular.
Is my donation tax-deductible?
It depends on your country and the channel. Gifts made through U.S. platforms such as GlobalGiving may be tax-deductible in the United States. Ask each organization for a receipt and check with your tax adviser.
Can I volunteer instead of donating?
Yes. Several of these organizations welcome volunteers for turtle patrols, hatchery shifts, reforestation and research. Contact them directly, ideally a few months before your trip.
My organization works in Osa. Can it be listed here?
We would be glad to hear from you. Write to [email protected] with what you do, where, and how visitors can help.