I do have to say that I was unimpressed with the sustainability of this eco-tourism enterprise when it came to the relationships it had with local populations and villages. While the lodge boasts of positive contributions to Porto Miguel and the peoples indigenous to the area, there was a very real measurable lack of any sophisticated understanding of both what they should or could be doing; their REAL impact (or lack thereof) and the potential for positive influence on responsible social development. They were alarmingly uninformed and "winging it" in this area.

Having spent some time at this lodge, the central aspect that detracted from the experience was the lodge director. Without mentioning the individual by name, it could not be missed that there was a certain degree of megalomania at work. Guests were continually subjected to reviewing this individuals personal artwork, much of which was not relevant to the lodge or the rainforest experience... more