Costa Rica

Destination Description

Costa Rica is an exhilarating land of luxuriant rainforests and mighty volcanoes, of natural hot springs and shimmering oceans, of colonial charm and captivating nightlife. In short, it’s a country where people can easily find their own true bliss.  Nature thrives in its pristine state, with more than 20 natural parks and eight biological reserves. Exploring these ecological wonders is an exhilarating delight for the senses. Watch as exotic birds take wing in all their multi-colored glory. Smell the scent of orchids growing wild in the lush and magnificent cloud forests. Hear the call of the howler monkey as it lazily swings across the verdant canopy.

For the adventuresome, there’s hiking around majestic Arenal volcano as it explodes in a regular fiery splendor. For the wildlife lover, there’s Tortuguero National Park, where the beguiling sea turtle slowly makes its way to the sea. And for the sporty, there are the shimmering blue waters of the Pacific and the Caribbean, where surfing, fishing and snorkeling will fill endless sun-drenched days.  The ultimate delight of Costa Rica is its people. Warm and gracious, they unveil a captivating culture of music, art, crafts and cuisine that will enchant, entertain and enliven you.

 

Activities and Attractions

Canopy Tour
This tour is a total adrenaline rush!  The system consists of a network of suspended  cables that go from one platform to another and that  will let you zip from tree to tree over the forest. The platforms were carefully built on  ancient, tall trees in the midst of the tropical  dry forest, and allow you to fly between  the trees and to see the wildlife up in the treetops.  This is a perfectly safe activity, performed  while wearing safety harnesses and other safety  equipment that will be provided on-site.
Hanging Bridges In The Rainforest
Visit a site that encloses wonderful  facilities which allow for a stunning hike through  a Central American rainforest. The property  counts with three hanging bridges that are between  34 and 40 meters up (111-131 ft), and that will  provide you with a totally different perspective of  the forest. While driving around the Pan-American  Highway, you will be able to observe how the  vegetation gradually changes and becomes greener  and lusher. One of the first towns that you’ll  encounter on your way to the rainforest is Bijagua.  Agriculture is the most important economic activity  in this town, and some of the plantations in  the area are of sugarcane, coffee, plantains, as  well as bananas, and assorted vegetables. You  will also find some roadside artisan cheese  stores at the homes of the locals. A dirt road will take you through the  countryside, directly to the private reserve, which  is locally managed. This beautiful property is  around 700 meters (2,300 ft) above sea level and  gets 4,000 mm (157 in) of rain during the year.  You will be right in the middle of a unique place,  where you could watch some of the 390 different  species of birds and 7,000 species of insects,  plants and fungi that biologists registered in  this beautiful location. This entire combination creates an  outstanding environment for people who want to  truly live a rainforest experience!
Palo Verde National Park
Palo Verde National Park is located on  45,500 acres of land that are protected by  law, and its wetlands have been declared  internationally important by the Ramsar Convention.  Palo Verde is part of a geographical unit know in  Spanish as “Las Bajuras del Tempisque” (the  lowlands of the Tempisque River). This area is crossed  by rivers and a line of limestone hills. The  flooding of the wetlands as a result of the poor  drainage, the rains, and the high tides coming in  from the Tempisque and Bebedero rivers, give the  National Park its valuable characteristics. By traveling through this river on a  motor boat, you’ll find around 12 different types  of habitats, including four different species of  mangrove trees, 55 aquatic plants and 150  species of trees, like the one from which the Park’s name  is taken: Palo Verde, a shrub with leafy branches  and a pale green trunk. The area boasts the  largest numbers of aquatic birds in the Mesoamerican  region from September to May. These birds gather at  the lagoons and around different areas of  the National Park. A couple of the most important  ones are the Jabirus and the Scarlet macaw, both of  which are endangered species. This is just one of  the reasons why a large group of people are  working hard towards trying to recover their  populations. After lunch, sightsee Liberia, known as  the White City, a name that comes from  whitewashed colonial houses built of bahareque (similar to  adobe houses).Calle Real (Royal Street) will  take you back in colonial times, as you enjoy the opportunity to appreciate the daily  life of the people from this picturesque place, its  history, its handcrafts and the nearby stores.
Rincon De La Vieja National Park
Rincón de la Vieja is one of the most  active volcanoes in Costa Rica. A towering  volcano with nine extraordinary eruption points; at  over 6,200 feet high, it is part of the Guanacaste  Mountain Range. The name Rincón de la Vieja,  means “the old woman’s corner”. According to a local  legend, the indigenous people named the volcano  after an old witch who lived at the top of the  mountain and sent columns of smoke into the air when  she was angry. It is a rigorous but spectacular, and  breathtaking hike around the area of Las Pailas.  Over 300 species of birds have been recorded to  live within the park, like emerald tucanets, and  long-tailed manakins. Amongst the numerous insects,  you could count butterflies of the Morpho genus.  Three different species of monkeys and other extraordinary animals also know this  place as their home. The Park protects the largest  population of wild purple orchids (Guarianthe skinneri),  which is Costa Rica’s National Flower. Twisted  trees with many branches and epiphytes are also  found here; some of them are Matapalos of the Ficus  genus, Guanacaste trees, Jumbo Limbos and many  other different and glorious species  surrounded by magnificent transitional forests. At these forests, the canopy reaches  132 feet in height. Along the hike, some 32 rivers  rise out of this protected area, including the  Colorado River and the Río Blanco, which carve through  a white volcanic ash call ignimbrite. These  rivers provide water to the Tempisque River, one of  the most important in the province of Guanacaste.
White Water Rafting (class III/IV)
This tour is for the adventurous  people, a three- hour river ride through wildlife,  birds, monkeys  and dense vegetation around you. After  a couple  of hours driving through countryside  roads, you  will arrive where the action begins.  This experience will make you admire nature  in its  greatest expression while you paddle  down the  river against many rafts that make your  adrenaline raise high. This tour lasts  8 hours. This tour includes transportation,  bilingual  guide, equipment and lunch. Passengers  should  bring water shoes, swimsuit, towel,  change of  clothes and sun block. This tour  requires minimum  2 people to operate. Children under 14  years old  are not allowed. Waiver is required.

Costa Rica Photos

Costa Rica Resorts

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The Springs

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Dreams Las Mareas

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The Westin Playa Conchal

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RIU Palace Costa Rica

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