awards / reviews
awards | testimonials

Awards

• Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Award- Best Small Hotel 2007.
• March 13, 2005: 2005 Contest for Socially Responsible Tourism, 5,000 Swiss francs from the Swiss Foundation for Solidarity in Tourism and 2,100 euros from the firm of "Europäische Reiseversi-cherung". The award is given annually to organizations, projects and initiatives which promote the sustainable development of tourism by improving the economic well being of people in the region and by protecting the environment.
• Smithsonian Magazine / Travelers Conservation Foundation $20,000 Sustainable Tourism Award
• Best Ecolodge in Nicaragua 2004, awarded by the Nicaraguan Ministry of Tourism and FodesTur as part of the Central American Green Initiative, a Central America - wide accreditation program.
• Sister Communities of San Ramón, Nicaragua was awarded the 2002 NC Peace Prize on Sunday, Nov. 24th, by the NC Peace Corps Association.

Testimonials

"There was not one activity that everyone didn't rave about....This trip exceeded ALL my expectations. The kids just loved the farm and didn't want to leave. But when they got into town with their families, they loved that, too.....The kids learned a huge amount." -- Sandy Williamson, East Chapel Hill H.S. Spanish teacher

"Nicaragua is a friendly and peaceful country which has received some negative press over the years. But maybe that's not such a bad thing, for, while other countries in the region have been flooded by tourists, Nicaragua has managed to preserve its authenticity and character. What's more, after over a decade of political stability, Nicaragua, with some irony, has become one of the safest places to visit on the continent." -- WorldSurface.com - an ecotravel internet service

"One of the best parts of the trip to San Ramón was the chance to learn of Nicaraguan economic and political history and present conditions. The thorough information packet I received before the trip was enriched by talk with the people in San Ramón who have lived this history and who struggle well with the present poverty. Much, much more than just a vacation - a rare opportunity." -- Ann Rivers

"One of the things I enjoyed most about the trip to Nicaragua was the educational component. I am very interested in sustainable living and was pleased to see the use of solar energy on the farm as well as the value, care and use of resources. An example of that was in the creative implementation of the bicycle in the processing of the coffee beans." -- Mary Grigsby, Eno River UU Fellowship

"I used to live in Raleigh and worked with someone at NC State who is one of your volunteer coffee sellers. I have gotten coffee several times from him since I've moved to Atlanta, because I just haven't found anything here that is as good as Cafe San Ramón!" -- Denise Gardner

"We had an excellent trip in San Ramón... great birds, great food, great town and great hosts. Yelba and her staff were terrific...everyone felt taken care of and enjoyed the trip. Dave and I would like to plan another excursion for next spring, likely in April." -- John Connors, Naturalist, North Carolina Audubon Society

"I found your website while doing research for a project in Community Development. Our task is to find an ecotourism business or organization that engages with the community to support community development. I have to say that your organization is a perfect model of this. I am amazed with your efforts to help provide support for the San Ramón Community. The tours you offer are at the heart of Ecotourism. As a student it is nice to see that everything we are learning is actually being practiced somewhere." -- Jen Laidlaw, Sir Sandford Fleming College, Haliburton, Ontario

"The three months I spent in San Ramón were invaluably rich in new experiences and wonders. One part paradigm-shift, one part magical escape, my days in San Ramón included both learning about how life operates under wholly different economic and cultural structures than those in which I was brought up in, and enjoying the beauty of the surrounding green mountains and tucked-away streams and waterfalls. And yet some of the most dramatic effects of my living in San Ramón are happening now, having returned home, as I find that how I view my place in the world, and my beliefs in how to change it have been radically altered. Thus I have no doubt that my days in San Ramón will be nostalgically remembered and continue to illuminate new truths to me for the rest of my life." -- J.D. Angotti-Sifford, first intern in San Ramón who taught English for three months mostly to the guide club

"I was traveling this month with a client, and while we were having a drink in a Moscow hotel bar, Jimmy asked me if I was planning to send him coffee for Christmas. I send coffee to select clients as gifts, and Jimmy enjoyed the coffee that he received last Christmas. In fact, Jimmy wanted to make sure that I sent him the 'San Ramón' coffee. How he remembered that the coffee was from San Ramon, I do not know; but I was amazed. As a marketing exec and professor, I want you to know that the most important element in building a brand is a superior product. The demand for San Ramon coffee will continue to grow -- I hope they are busy picking beans down south." -- Bob Stevens, Stevens Marketing, LLC

"Mi nombre es Gustavo Bonilla, su huesped la semana anterior, y queria agradecerle el excelente servicio que me ofrecieron. Realmente estoy muy complacido con el trato y el lugar es bellisimo, espero tener la oportunidad de hospedarme en el proximo viaje." -- Testimonial from a Costa Rican coffee consultant

"The San Ramón adventure finds you in an engaging, friendly environment with people who have limited experiences with tourists and tourism. It is still fresh and new (for them and for you), and they appreciate the personal and economic value of your visit. The locals seem genuinely flattered that you have spent the time and money to visit them and learn about their lives.The extraordinary experiences at Esperanza Verde and San Ramón also offered the opportunity to: join a group of tourists who share similar attitudes and values concerning ecotourism and relating to Nicaraguans; tap into the impressive knowledge and attitudes of the trip leaders; and to work hands-on in a farm situation with friendly locals. Traveling with my ten year old daughter, I can report that at no time did either of us feel threatened or uncomfortable." -- Rand Neyland, Durham NC

"Our host family was tremendous, it was hard saying goodbye to them... Thank you very much for providing Ian and me with a very rewarding experience. Our travel in Nicaragua was absolutely fantastic. It's hard to say what the high point of the adventure was, it was all just great.  I really have an affinity for the simple lifestyle, and would probably function better in such a society.  We have written our host family a letter and hopefully will continue to correspond." -- Dick Smith-Overman, Durham, North Carolina who visited San Ramón with his 14 yr. old son

"In a week's visit, we identified over a hundred different species of birds... One of the most interesting aspects of the task was the chance to see familiar spring and summer birds of North Carolina in their winter homes in Nicaragua. The mountains around San Ramón had lots of other wonders for those of  us interested in nature: unusual trees and flowers of the wet forests above San Ramón and  leaf cutter ants carrying pieces of leaves along little paths they had worn in the dirt, hauling their loads like sherpas to vast underground nests.  We trekked through the woods in pursuit of a troop of howler monkeys whose hoarse calls echoed off the hillsides. We also witnessed firsthand the threats that nature faces in the underdeveloped countries of tropical America. We saw the denuded hillsides, the depleted soils, the perpetual fires, and the poverty that drives people to squeeze cash from the land at a rate it cannot sustain. We saw firsthand the value of efforts to produce shade grown coffee and butterfly pupae, sustainable products that provide income to the campesinos and protect native habitats at the same time. Although those habitats may be 1,600 miles from North Carolina, they are in some very important ways as near--and as dear--to us as our own backyards. Just ask an oriole." -- Dave Catlin, naturalist, Springfield, Missouri

"The people are immensely kind, joyful, rich in personality, and showered such love and care on me during my three and half week stay there... San Ramón is a wonderfully charming and quaint town, nestled in some of the most beautifully green and luscious mountains I have ever seen.  But most of all, it is the people of San Ramón that makes it the precious place that it is in my heart." -- Julia Leibson, University of Virginia student from Arlington, Virginia

"Our adventure began with a fascinating truck ride up the Pan American highway from Managua to San Ramón--including a stop for ice cold coconut milk served in its original container!  Instead of reading National Geographic, we were there! La Finca Esperanza Verde (translation = Green Hope Farm) was a wonderful introduction to campesino (peasant farmer) life.  We were eagerly shown the processes of coffee growing by Antonio, coffee roasting by Yelba, and butterfly pupa production by Juan Carlos. The people of San Ramón provided us with a whole new set of adventures--a tour of the honey plant, the medicinal herb garden, the local schools and library.  We saw the new play performed by the local theater group, Tecum Umani, and enjoyed a delicious evening picnic with pizza cooked in a wood fired bee hive oven. The boys played baseball and basketball and made many friends with the youth of San Ramón.  We spent time getting to know our host families and took opportunities to walk around town, visiting small shops, buying cold drinks, and making new friends. The trip was advertised as a chance to make friends and create a real connection to one small area of the world.  I found this to be very true and hope to continue my connection to this town and these people in the coming years." -- John Chase, nurse, Durham, NC,  who visited San Ramón with his 14 year old son

"I had avoided traveling to 'third world' countries  but  being in San Ramón and at Finca Esperanza Verde was a guilt free trip knowing of the great work you have been doing there and that profits from my travel go back to the people... Thank you for a very rich experience. The week was so full that I am still wondering how we could have had so much saturation in so little time.  I have been immersed in a culture very different from my own and yet very  similar in human understandings.  The others who shared the trip were all great spirits, lively, and stimulating.  The food was fantastic! In all, a deep dive into the beautiful and the soulful.  I urge others to participate in the rare opportunity you offer." -- Marion Menapace, retired potter, Catawissa, Pennsylvania

"I think you struck the perfect balance between structured activities and relaxation... Thanks again for putting together such a full and enriching trip to Nicaragua.  My mind continues to be engaged and challenged by so much that I saw there." -- Adrian Menapace, nurse, New Haven, Connecticut

"I was so turned on by living as 'the people live.'  I who have traveled five of the seven continents cannot get the memory of living with my family in San Ramón out of my head. La Finca Esperanza Verde was a tropical, jungle paradise with a view I will never forget.  And then there were the nights -- so many stars with no light pollution.  It reminded me that I had not really 'seen' the Milky Way since I was a child in the 50's at my grandfather's farm. The mountain experience was rich, as was getting to be friends with my other 'amigos' on the trip. In San Ramón we were 'separated' into different houses, but in a village that means you are a couple of blocks from the next "amigo" which just totally enriches the experience. Yes, there was the West (TV and mobile phones) but then there were mosquito nets, no hot water and very basic foods.  Rice, beans, and various fruits and vegetables were the staples.  Meat, whatever form it took, was basically flavoring, which probably is the way it should be. Keep capturing peoples' souls. You have a great experience to share." -- Tom Buckle, attorney, Austin, Texas

"The San Ramón experience grabs you because it is real -- an authentic taste of what life is like for people with a very different history, culture, and standard of living. On other travels, I have tried to get to know the country by talking with the folks most tourists come in contact with: taxi drivers, waiters, and hotel employees; but this doesn't provide a good understanding of how people live.  At the farm in San Ramón, I sampled some of the life of local farmers by working with coffee (picking, sorting, grinding),  going to a campesino baseball game (where most of the players arrived by horseback or on foot) and listening to traditional musicians.  In town, I was a welcomed guest of a family who were willing to share their life experiences and values with me (limited only by my poor Spanish).   I saw first hand the family life, the simple lifestyle, the challenges and inequities faced by those in developing countries.  I also savored the camaraderie with my fellow tourists, the beauty of the countryside, the incredible fresh fruit, and the sound of horses and cows walking on the brick streets (right outside my window) as I was waking up." -- Candace Carraway, EPA Air Quality Specialist, Durham, North Carolina

Sister Communities of San Ramón, Nicaragua
1320 Shepherd Street, Durham, NC 27707
Tel 919-489-1656, Email: info@san-ramon.org