Playa Espadilla, in Manuel Antonio, Quepos, joins the list of public places in Costa Rica that are accessible to people with disabilities.Not in vain the travel guide editor Lonely Planet recognized Costa Rica as the best accessible destination for 2021.Currently, there is a canopy tour adapted for people in wheelchairs, a rain forest suitable for those with a physical disability and adaptive surfing.
“Both Carara National Park and Poás Volcano National Park have universal trails, giving wheelchair users the opportunity to see sloths, toucans and poison dart frogs up close,” Lonely Planet noted in its mention of the country.
Additionally, the magazine described Costa Rica as a paradise for wheelchair users and highlighted the effort to create accessible ramps on some of the country’s beaches.Likewise, it considers as vital the accessibility to various places such as restaurants, museums and municipal markets, among others.
The most recent to the list
Thanks to the alliance established by Monge and the Donatapa project, Espadilla has 16 retractable wooden walkways and an amphibious chair.How was it possible? The 180 Monge stores in the country have a collection point for plastic caps.
As a result of this initiative, the collection of more than 1,500 kilos of plastic caps was achieved. Monge delivered everything to Donatapa but also covered the cost of transforming this material into the retractable walkways.
“Thanks to our flagship program The Green Good Deeds of Monge, we continue contributing to the conservation of the environment.In addition, we provide accessibility to thousands of people with special needs who do not have these facilities anywhere else on the Pacific coast,” said Carlos Fernández, Monge Brand Manager.
Huge impact; greater inclusivity
The retractable walkways will provide Espadilla with an accessible path so that everyone, without distinction, can enter the beach.The amphibious chair will make it easier for people with disabilities to walk the beach or enter the sea.The Costa Rican Accessible Tourism Network also donated one more amphibious chair to promote the area.
The catwalks and amphibious chairs were donated to Fundación Sayú. It is a local organization specialized in developing solidarity projects in conjunction with volunteers and public-private alliances in areas such as environment, culture and social aid.Sayú will take care of the care, administration and protection of the chairs and walkways on the beach.
“Donatapa is our way of sensitizing people on issues of sustainability, human rights, universal accessibility.Through it together we will be able to innovate with a route where sustainability, human being and healthy coexistence under equal conditions is the main axis,” said Stephanie Sheehy, executive director of the Costa Rican Accessible Tourism Network.
