Casa del Mundo: Puerto Rico Rain Forest Retreat

The original Jibaro farm house was lovingly renovated for modern use while retaining it's original rustic feel. Located on Finca Caminos & Moradas dedicated to ecological farming, yoga/meditation and habitat regeneration as contributions to the healing of our society and planet. Privacy for each dwelling is very important. The perfect environ for unwinding, quiet reflection and communion with nature. Bathe in the healing waters of Rio Lucia! "..sprinkled with perfume and spread with flowers" Warm days (75-85F), cool nights (65-70F) of the tropical mountain jungle with virtually no mosquitos (no screens necessary!) to hinder your commune with nature. No air conditioning necessary. It really is a perfect climate! One of the 2 cleanest rivers left on the island, a branch of the Guayanes River, flows through the property. The principal reason for the extensive pollution of the rivers here on the island are the use of conventional toilets that not only waste hundreds of gallons of water, an endangered resource on the island, but the run off from septic systems overflows into the aquifers hence polluting the rivers and springs. Papo has been mastering the construction of composting toilets to the point where architects on the island have traveled to this remote spot to study his design which reveals an esthetic, state of the art eco-toilet that is bug less and odorless and that, once fully composted, produces a natural pathogen less, odorless fertilizer for the organic gardens he has created on mountain terraces. Explore the miles of trails that meander through the forest, perhaps into the edges of the Guilarte Forest Reserve or, for those choosing to do an extended stay, journey to the undiscovered beaches of Guanica a short pleasant drive down the mountain (45 min). Then return to your mountain retreat to take a dip in the pure refreshing waters of the finca's river just in time to see the moon rise above the mountains immersed in a symphony of jungle night sounds. The best of both Caribbean worlds! There is no other environ or abode on the island quite like Casa del Mundo. Once the Jibaro family dwelling of a small coffee farm, it has ben renovated for modern use yet still retains it's rustic feel. We offer two rental Casitas: CasaMundo (2 -6 persons) and Casa Kadam (2-4) The 2 casitas with solar hot showers, state-of-the-art eco/composting toilets and fully equipped kitchen. The Peace Pavilion-- a large roofed meditation/yoga pavilion-- is available for guests (when not being used for special events/retreats). When available our our local friend and cook Daly will prepare and serve you in Casa del Mundo, traditional, local food using Papo's organic produce. She does offer one Vegan/vegetarian curried platter. Daly's meals feature Sana's Frituritas de Guineo with curry sauce- Papo's organic green bananas pan friend and served with a tomato based onion curry sauce. Daly drives up the mountain with all of her supplies and prepares for you an In-house meal. Most folks love to put in an order for their arrival meal. All of Daly's meals are $18 per person. Please make meal reservations at least 1 week ahead of time. Copy Sana on all correspondences from your personal email address Sana- (EMAIL HIDDEN) Daly- (EMAIL HIDDEN) Be sure to bring cash or use a standard on-line account to cover your meal costs and other miscellaneous costs such as meditation classes, or purchasing fresh organic produce from Papo or Sean. Daily 930am & 3pm Meditation/yoga classes are available when guests request for a $10/person/class. Subsequent classes $5/person/class that goes towards the establishment of a Meditation Center in Ponce. The hosts are fully qualified Kadampa meditation instructors. Private meditation instruction is offered for both beginner and experienced meditators. Please give 24 hour advance notice if you wish to attend a class. Participants are required to wear masks and maintain distancing. River swimming holes, miles of well- maintained hiking trails to explore the many views and environs of the forest. Sana & Papo, musicians by trade (both bilingual), live and work on Finca Caminos y Moradas and are always available to answer any questions or address any concern. They are well versed in all the local customs, flora and fauna (Papo is a trained forester) and can recommend short excursions from the farm (1 hour or less) to visit local points of interest. They have a close, harmonious relationship with all their neighbors. This Barrio is one of the last truly tranquil, safe and authentically campesino communities on the island. It is a patch work of small farms and native forest in the still intact, pure watershed of the Rio Lucia (Barreal). It borders the Guilarte Forest Reserve---a moderate hike from the finca. The mountain road is paved and in good condition but we recommend at minimum a compact size car particularly during the rainy season (August - November ) In any case, be sure the tires have good tread. The nearest town is 30 minutes away. Guanica beaches 45 minutes Guests must purchase in town all the food (we provide organic coffee, sugar) they will need for their stay prior to arrival, but if your booking an extended stay you can journey down the mountain to Peñuelas (30 minutes) for more supplies or to eat out in Ponce (1 hour) or elsewhere. We highly recommend guests bring flip flops and a warm shirt or sweater for the sometimes cool mountain breezes Please note: this space is appropriate for children ages 6 and up. Our local friend and caterer, Daly, when available, will come to Casa del Mundo in the late afternoon to custom prepare you a meal including Papo's organic, fresh produce from the finca. All her meals begin with Frituritas de guineo, Papo's green bananas pan-fried and served with a tomato based curry sauce. daly prepared traditional Puerto Rican meals as well as vegetarian at $18 per person. There are 3 eco-casitas on this model tropical, mountain farm dedicated to ecologically sustainable cultivation of cacao, coffee, vegetables and diverse tropical fruit. It also provides a space for various retreats including monthly meditation/yoga workshops. Cell device is excellent for ATT plans and most major 4G systems function well.