Costa Rica - Part 3

If you have the time and want to see the most of this beautiful country, don't miss the opportunity to visit more than 750 combined miles of shoreline on its Pacific and Caribbean coasts that Costa Rica has to offer the beachgoers. On the Pacific coast, you have from the north in Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula down to Manuel Antonio with the first popular beach destination. Below Puerto Viego, Punta Uva and Manzanillo are two of the best beaches of the eastern coast that take on the true Caribbean splendor with turquoise waters, coral reefs, and palm-lined stretches of nearly deserted white-sand beaches.

Guanacaste offers some of the country’s best beaches – with shores stretching about 99 miles from the border with Nicaragua to the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. Some are pristine and deserted, some are dotted with new luxury resorts and still others are backed by little villages. Some beaches have been declared protected breeding grounds for the leatherback sea turtle. Four Seasons has a resort on exclusive Peninsula Papagayo, a master-planned resort community encompassing 2,300 acres. This secluded natural sanctuary spills down a coastal hillside to an isthmus of golden sand and provides abundant opportunities to experience eco-adventure on land and in the water. Liberia, Guanacaste’s capital, is one of Costa Rica’s oldest cities, founded in 1769. A traditional local farming centre, it provides a convenient place to shop for essentials. If Guanacaste province is your primary destination in your visit to Costa Rica, you may want to consider as an alternative in arriving at the Liberia International Airport that Delta, Continental and American Airlines have direct service to/from the U.S.

Sport-fishing enthusiasts are impressed by Guanacaste’s rich waters, which offer various kinds of marlin, sailfish, dorado, wahoo, grouper, roosterfish, amberjack, mackerel and exceptionally large tuna.

Floating in a raft on the calm Corobici River offers a peaceful way to view the beautiful scenery of this natural paradise. A certified river guide points out exotic flora, and wildlife such as white egrets, tiger herons, motmots, howler monkeys, ospreys, crocodiles, iguanas and other lizards.

A good destination for families with kids is Playa Hermosa. Surrounded by dry, steep forested hills, this curving gray-sand beach is long and wide and rarely crowded despite the Condovac condo development and the Sol Playa Hermosa Hotel and Villas on the hill at the north end of the beach.

Playa del Coco (Coco Beach) is the most accessible and frequently visited beach in Guancaste with a paved road running right down to the water. The beach has a grayish-brown sand which is quite wide at low tide and almost nonexistent at high tide. As a service town for the surrounding beaches, Coco offers a port captain, post office, bank, groceries and a selection of restaurants and souvenir shops. The crowds that come here like their music loud and constant, so if you're looking for a quiet retreat, stay away from the center of town and the lively nightlife.

Further south down the road is Playa Flamingo. Playa Flamingo is the prettiest white sand beach in this area, although it can sometimes get a bit rough. The beach is located on a long area of land that forms part of Potrero Bay. At the northern end of the bach is a fortresslike high rock where most of Playa Flamingo's hotels and vacation homes are built with great views. Flamingo also has a full-service marina.

Playa Conchal is the last in a string of beaches stretching south along this coast known as the Gold Coast. This beach is dominated by the impressive and expensive resort of Paradisus Playa Conchal. This unique beach is made up primarily of soft crushed shells. With some of the clearest waters on the Gold Coast, snorkeling is a must-indulge activity for anyone who knows how to swim. With a fantastic array of marine life on display, you can swim with the many tropical fish that dwell here, and even catch a glimpse of stingrays that swim in the area. For the more adventurous, deep seas fishing, scuba diving, and other water sports are offered as well. Playa Conchal is also close to a few national parks and nature reserves and a small estuary. Surrounded by a number of cattle ranches, Playa Conchal also has quite a few areas where one can camp out and sleep under the stars. For the avid golfer, the ‘Garra de Leon’ Golf Course is just a few paces away from the beach. This championship course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., is considered to be one of the best golf courses in Central America with its breathtaking scenic beauty of the Pacific coast. Bordered by a forest on one side, you can often catch sight of howler monkeys that live there.

Tamarindo is a boomtown as the most well developed tourist town with a small, vibrant community set on a 2-mile beach. The town offers more than 40 restaurants, a lively outdoor market, an art gallery and a host of craft and pottery stores. With much to enjoy and even more to do, this multi-cultural community is the ideal place to have some fun in the sun! The beaches here are first-rate, and the entire town has a relaxed laidback feel to it, making it a fabulous place for anyone looking to have a good time. With the surfing and windsurfing conditions here near perfect for the experienced as well as novice surfers, Tamarindo is probably the most accessible beach town on the country’s entire northern Pacific Coast. Besides surfing, swimming, snorkeling, sailing, kayaking, jet skiing, boogie boarding, horseback riding and scuba diving, visit the nearby wildlife refuge of Diria, as well as the Marino Las Baulas National Park where leatherback turtles come every summer to nest and breed.

No other destination in Costa Rica has received more international attention than Manuel Antonio. Many first-time visitors to Costa Rica plan their vacation around Manuel Antonio south of the town of Quepos between Damas and Matapalos. Manuel Antonio National Park was established in 1972 and is one of the most beautiful and bio-diverse areas in the world. Although it is the country's smallest national park, Manuel Antonio contains a charming combination of rain forest, beaches and coral reefs. The beaches are the most beautiful in the country, lined with lush forest, and the snorkeling is excellent too. The forest is home for sloths, iguanas, the rare and adorable squirrel monkeys and millions of colorful little crabs. And the trail that winds around Punta Catedral affords some spectacular views. The southern facing beach, Playa Manuel Antonio, is a picturesque half mile long, white sand crescent bisecting deep green foliage to one side and a private, secluded cove to the other. However, increased popularity of Manuel Antonio has its price with increased development and ever-growing beach crowds in once a remote and pristine area. You can miss most of the crowds by staying away during the peak months of December through March and if you do decide to come then, try to avoid weekends when the beach is packed with local families from San Jose. Crowds usually show up at the park at midday so, visit early in the morning and lounge by the pool or patio at the hotel in the afternoon.

Costa Rica - Part 2

San José is the heart of Costa Rica and represents nearly 30% of the country's population live in the city or the nearby suburbs that are home to about 900,000 people. San José became the capital of Costa Rica when it gained independence from Spain in 1823. San José offers many interesting attractions and excellent museums, fine restaurants, good nightlife, and an eternal spring-like climate. When visiting in San José, keep in mind that the city is a hub of transportation in the country and all public transit and road systems radiate from the city. Therefore, San José can be a noisy bustling place with traffic jams and congestion as the norm.


Downtown is San José's busiest area where most of the city's museums are located. Interesting buildings and museums are found in the Plaza de la Cultura. Street vendors are often found wandering the western end of the plaza and it is a good place to watch the comings and goings of Costa Ricans. Beneath the Plaza de la Cultura is the underground Gold Museum (Museo de Oro). This museum houses one of the largest collections of pre-Columbian gold in the Americas. On display are more than 20,000 troy ounces of gold in more than 2,000 objects Stroll up Avenida Central to the National Museum (Museo Nacional). Housed in former army barracks used during the civil war of 1948, you can still see hundreds of bullet holes on the turrets at the corners of the building. Inside are displays on Costa Rican history and culture from pre-Columbian times to the present including metates, or grinding stones, ornately decorated and believed to have been part of funeral rites; and pre-Columbian gold jewelry and figurines.

As you may have noticed, for several blocks west of the Plaza de la Cultura, Avenida Central is a pedestrian-only street mall where store after store of inexpensive clothes for men, women, and children can be found. The largest market is the Mercado Central located between avenidas Central and 1 and calles 6 and 8. Here you'll find a maze of stalls of food vendors, Costa Rican souvenirs, crude leather goods, and musical instruments. There is also a daily street market on the west side of the Plaza de la Democracia with two long rows of open-air stalls selling T-shirts, Guatemalan and Ecuadorian handicrafts and clothing, small ceramic ocarins, and handmade jewelry. In either places and throughout San José , BEWARE of skilled pickpocketers.

Conclude the evening with tickets for a performance at the National Theatre (Teatro Nacional). The National Theater is considered to be the most impressive building in San José. In the 1890's, the ruling coffee barons voted for a tax on coffee exports in order to fund the construction of the theater, and European artisans were imported to design the building. Completed in 1897, the building features a classical Renaissance columned façade topped by statues symbolizing Dance, Music, and Fame. Inside, the pink marble foyer features allegorical figures of Comedy and Tragedy, and painted murals depicting themes in Costa Rican life. The most famous of the paintings is one showing coffee harvesting and export painted by Arturo Fontana in Milan in 1897. The mural highlights the three-story horseshoe-shaped auditorium that seats 1,040 people. There are regular performances in the theater, and a gallery featuring changing art shows by local artists. The theater's marble staircases, gilded ceilings, parquet floors, bronze chandeliers and gold-leaf mahogany furniture were damaged in a 1991 earthquake but have since been restored.


Northwest of San José are many interesting cities and towns that can be combined as a long day trip. Nestled in the countryside of Costa Rica's Alajuela province is Sarchi, Costa Rica's main artisan town. Sarchi is best known for the vibrant and pretty oxcarts that are handcrafted here and sold all over the country. Available for a reasonable price, these oxcarts are a must buy for any tourist. A national symbol of Costa Rica, the oxcart plays a key role in the country’s history, as they were used to transport coffee beans to nearby and faraway markets. Highly ornate, these oxcarts are elegantly craved and are usually painted with bright colors. The largest and oldest oxcart factory is also found in Sarchi. The Joaquin Chaverri Oxcart Factory was built in 1902, and is considered to be the birthplace of oxcart handicrafts in Costa Rica.

Besides the beautiful handicrafts, another reason to visit this charming town is for its unusual church that is painted pink with aquamarine trim and looks strangely like a child's birthday cake. Built between 1950 and 1958, this two-towered church sits on a hill overlooking the town.

Costa Rica - Part 1

Costa Rica is a major international vacation and adventure-travel destination that tourism has become the nation's number one source of income. Despite the boom in vacationers and American retirees, Costa Rica remains a place rich in natural wonders and biodiversity. You will find unsullied beaches that stretch for miles, small lodgings that haven't attracted hordes of tourists, jungle rivers for rafting and kayaking, and spectacular cloud and rainforests with ample opportunities for bird-watching and hiking. Of course, you can also find a handful of large luxury resorts and golf course as well.

You will arrive at the Juan Santamaria International Airport located in the city of Alajuela which is about 20 minutes from downtown San Jose. From the airport, you have so many choices to enjoy your Costa Rican holiday. You can simply stay in San Jose and enjoy the sights and cultures of this great city and/or visit the natural beauty that this country has to offer. Whichever you choose, you won't be disappointed. Here are a few suggested highlights to include in your Costa Rican vacation.

Travel up to the Northern Zone and a naturalist's dream to Monteverde to explore the cloud forest and head to Arenal Volcano for the hot springs and hikes through the neighboring forest. Monteverde translates as "green mountain" and that's exactly what you'll find at the end of the steep and widy rutted dirt road that leads here up the Interamerican Highway towards Niguragua. All roads to Monteverde are rugged . . . very rugged! Many are painful and poorly maintained roads. A four-wheel-drive car for the extra clearance and the rainy season is a must. It will take over 2 hours to get to the Sardinal/Santa Elena/Monteverde turnoff road from San Jose. From there it is another 1-1/2 hour to go the 12 miles where the roads are extremely rough, unpaved dirt and gravel that makes the trip slower going. It surely will be a bumpy ride to Santa Elena and Monteverde after dodging all the potholes on the Interamerican Highway.



The Monteverde Biological Cloud Forest is a private non-profit reserve administered by the Tropical Science Center, and contains 6 distinct ecological zones It is open daily from 7am to 4pm with an entrance fee per person. Before venturing into the forest, look around the information center where several guidebooks are available. Because the entrance fee to Monteverde is valid for a full day, you may want to consider an early-morning walk with a guide and then heading off on your own directly after the hike or after lunch. The guide will certainly point out and explain a lot than what you can get on your own. You can find more than 100 species of mammals including 5 species of cats, over 400 species of birds including 30 kinds of hummingbirds, tens of thousands of insect species (over 5000 species of moths) and 2,500 species of plants (420 kinds of orchids) in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve. The area is acclaimed as one of the most outstanding wildlife refuges in the New World Tropics. The Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve (3 miles north of Santa Elena) is is a state owned non-profit reserve straddling the Continental Divide at an elevation of 1,700 m (5,600 ft.). Cloudier and wetter than the other reserve because of higher elevation, this forest reserve contains 7 miles of trails and a canopy observation tower. The Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve features great views of the Arenal Volcano and the Lake Arenal and similar habitat and wildlife to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, but a lot less visitors.

SkyWalk is a network of forest paths and suspension bridges that provides visitors with a veiw previously reserved for birds, monkeys, and the much more adventurous traveler. The bridges reach 128 ft. above the ground at their highest point. The tour includes about 1.5 mile of trails and 5 suspended bridges across deep canyons at the level of the treetops. The longest bridge is about 800 feet in length. Anybody that can walk for 2 hours can live this experience. There is no strenuous climb or mud and the trails are very well maintained. It takes an average of 2 hours, much more if you pay attention to all the different plants, trees and wildlife along the way. The temperature can be cool in these mountains so wear pants, good walking shoes and bring a light jacket or sweater. Insect repellent is not necessary but suntan protection lotion is. Binoculars and poncho or umbrella are recommended since this is a Cloud Forest. At the entrance, you can find a restaurant & souvenir shop. There is also a hummingbird garden where you can watch dozens of these amazing creatures flit around. Because there is a 12 person maximum capacity per bridge, reservations are highly recommended.

The sister attraction to Sky Walk is Sky Trek canopy tour. Sky Trek is a system of trails, suspension bridges, and zip lines that offers visitors the opportunity to observe, and appreciate tropical vegetation from different vantage points, above the rain forest canopy. This is one of the most extensive canopy tours in the country with 9 cable systems integrated with a gorgeous aerial tram which takes you 2625 feet through primary forest. Sky Trek is of larger scale with more zip lines and platforms, longer trails, and suspension bridges than any other canopy tours. The longest line is some 2525 feet long and 456 feet high above the forest floor. Further, the construction is of the highest quality, utilizing protective and secure materials, including metal platforms with mesh-covered steel rails which prevent falling or sliding. The tour lasts between 2.5 and 3 hours. Anybody in average physical condition can do any of the canopy tours, but they are not for the faint-hearted or acrophobic.

From Monteverde, you can make your way towards Tilaran and Lake Arenal to Tabacón and La Fortuna off Route 142. As you enter Tabacón, almost all the hotels, restaurants, and shops in the area are along the main road outside Tabacón and La Fortuna. You will be able to see the massive Arenal Volcano directly in front of you. Arenal is one of the world's most regularly active volcanos. The first thing you should know is that Arenal Volcano borders a region of cloud forests and rainforests, and the volcano's cone is often socked in by clouds and fog. Many people come to Arenal and never get to see the exposed cone. Moreover, the volcano does go through periods when it is relatively quiet.

The second thing you should know is that you can't climb Arenal Volcano -- it's not safe due to the constant activity. Several foolish people who have ignored this warning have lost their lives, and others have been severely injured. The most recent fatalities occurred in August 2000. Still, waiting for and watching Arenal's regular eruptions is the main activity in La Fortuna and is best done at night when the orange lava glows against the starry sky. Although it's possible simply to look up from the middle of town and see Arenal erupting, the view is best from the north and west sides of the volcano along the road to Tabacón and toward the national park entrance. If you have a car, you can drive along this road, but if you've arrived by bus, you will need to take a taxi or tour.

Arenal National Park constitutes an area of more than 7,114 acres, which includes the viewing and parking areas closest to the volcano. The park is open daily from 8am to 10pm and there is a nominal admission fee per person. The trails through forest and over old lava flows inside the park are gorgeous and fun. (Be careful climbing on those volcanic boulders.) However, at night the view from inside the park is no better than on the roads just outside it.

In geological terms, the Arenal Volcano is relatively young, only some 4000 years old. Prior to the 1968 eruption, the volcano’s last major eruption has been dated at around 1500 AD and lava flows from this period have been tentatively identified keeping a nearly perfect cone-shaped, rainforest blanked volcanic mountain with minor fumarole activity. The Arenal Observatory Lodge actually grew out of several extremely humble buildings originally built for housing scientists and researchers from the Smithsonian Institute and Earthwatch. The Arenal Observatory Lodge is the best place to experience the thrill and beauty of the Arenal volcano because of its location, its long history as a research center and the knowledge and the experience of its staff and guides. The Arenal Lodge has standard rooms that are very sparsely decorated if you choose to stay here overnight as the volcanologists did with meals served in a dining room with a glass wall facing the volcano.

Tabacón Hot Springs Resort & Spa is the most-established, extensive, and popular resort in the Arenal area -- and for good reason. Many rooms have excellent, direct views of the volcano. It is located at the site of the former village that was desrtoyed by the 1968 eruption. They have a series of variously sized pools, fed by natural springs, and are spread out among the lush gardens. At the center is a large, warm, spring-fed swimming pool with a slide, a swim-up bar, and a perfect view of the volcano. One of the stronger streams flows over a sculpted waterfall, with a rock ledge underneath that provides a perfect place to sit and receive a free hydraulic shoulder massage. The resort also has a spa across the street from the resort offering professional massages, mud masks, and other treatments. Make appointments in advance if interested. Entrance fees are roughly $30 for adults and $20 for children under 9. The hot springs are open daily from noon to 10pm.