Down By the Ocean, Down By the Sea

A new youth hostel has opened on the Florida coast, 25 miles south of Cape Canaveral and the John F. Kennedy Space Center.

Located in Melbourne Beach, Fla., the new hostel is small--just 25 beds--but eventually it will expand to accommodate up to 120 travelers in rooms with two to six beds.

The hostel is on the beach and features a common room with a large window overlooking the Atlantic. There’s a self-service kitchen and nearby restaurants. Bicycles are available for rent and surfboards for loan.

Overnight fees range from $11.50 to $14 for members of Hostelling International. Nonmembers are welcome but will have to pay an additional $3.

For those who don’t have their own transportation, local tour operators run trips to the Kennedy Space Center and Spaceport USA. Information is available at the hostel. The hostel staff hopes to be able to provide its own shuttle transportation in the future.

For further information and reservations, contact HI-Melbourne Beach, 1135 N. Highway A1A, Indiatlantic, FL 32903; telephone (407) 951-0004.

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Budget travelers exploring Costa Rica have three new economically priced eco-lodges they can stay at, thanks to a program coordinated by World Wildlife Fund Canada.

Costa Rica is considered the center for eco-tourism in Central America because of its enlightened approach to conservation. About 25% of the land is protected by national parks, wildlife refuges and biological reserves. Because of its diversity, political stability, outdoor opportunities and friendly residents, it’s popular with young and adventurous travelers.

The lodges are located in the Arenal Conservation Area, in the north-central part of the country. It’s an area that encompasses Lake Arenal, Arenal Volcano and the Monteverde Cloud Forest.

La Heliconia lodge is perched on the slope of Tenoria Volcano, near the town of Bijagua. La Catarata lodge is west of the town of La Fortuna on the road to the Arenal Volcano, and the third lodge, Monte Los Olivos, is near the town of Monteverde.

Accommodations are in rustic cabins with private bathrooms. Rates range from $15 to $34 per night, depending on the number of occupants. Breakfasts are $2, and lunches and dinners are $5. Members of the local community are responsible for cooking, maintenance and guiding, over and above their daily farm work.

Opportunities for guests range from bird-watching, trail-riding, rain-forest hiking to water-related activities such as windsurfing.

The WWF Canada, with support from the government of Costa Rica and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), has been working with the local communities to develop sustainable tourism services that will improve their lifestyle without destroying the local forests or landscape.You can reach the lodges by car from San Jose (the capital of Costa Rica) in under four hours. You can also travel by bus to the villages, and either take a taxi or arrange to be picked up by staff from the lodge.For bookings and further information, call Sergio Pastor at 011- 506-283-8975, fax 011-506-283- 9116. Further information is also available from WWWF Canada at (416) 489-8800.

Izon is a Toronto-based freelance writer. She can be reached at https://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/izon.