One thing about Costa Rica is the country loves a good party! Costa Ricans are known for being gregarious and fun-loving and their enthusiasm is contagious when the country celebrates its numerous fiestas, festivals and horse parades. Plan your travel to Costa Rica during these cultural events and experience first-hand the...

Trending in recent years among brides and grooms is leaving behind the traditional, large, 250-person, fancy church, banquet hall wedding in favor of a fun, exotic destination wedding that adds the adventure of a sunny honeymoon vacation. Couples choose to go out-of-town for many reasons, including basic economics. You would...

I don’t know about you, but I’m doing a happy dance this week along with the rest of nature in Costa Rica. The rains have returned! The land here welcomes the beginning of “Green Season” like a parched traveler finally reaching a watering hole after a long dry desert-crossing. My gardens are thrilled … if I can get a...

Travelers to Costa Rica’s northern province of Guanacaste – home to outstanding tropical beaches, world-class all-inclusive resorts, volcanoes and beautiful tropical forest – can rest easy knowing that Guanacaste is also home to premium medical care services. Costa Rica is an exceptionally healthy place to live, according...

Teen athletes need a strong dietary foundation and lots of energy. Anyone who knows a young athlete knows they can get hungry … and often! It is important that young athletes eat healthy well-balanced meals and remain hydrated in order to achieve optimal health and performance. A young athlete needs to be fueled by eating...

Get married in a church or a hotel ballroom … or on a tropical beach at sunset, or in the rainforest, or by a mighty volcano? Adventure and romance await you at a Costa Rica destination wedding. Why not combine your wedding, your honeymoon, and a vacation all in one trip? More and more, couples are choosing destination...

One of the joys of traveling is picking up that little something special to bring back home. A unique gift from a unique place that will remind you months and years later of the fun trip you enjoyed. In the case of world traveler Susan Money, owner of Costa Rica’s Pranamar Oceanfront Villas and Yoga Retreat, all of her...

Costa Rica’s amazing natural attractions make it an incomparable vacation destination. You’re in paradise here in the tropics with lush rainforest, active volcanoes, spectacular mountain ranges and valleys, and endless beaches on both Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Domestic flights are the perfect option for travelers who...

There’s nothing better than a day at the beach. The sun, the surf … what could be more fun? Especially in Costa Rica, where the sun, sand and sea are warm all the time! Long beaches of gold, rich black, pearly white, beige and even pink sand, fringed with palm trees and other greenery – Costa Rica’s beaches are...

Traveling with kids. For the seasoned traveler, it’s no big deal, they say. A bit more luggage and stuff to carry. For first-timers they tend to fall into two camps – optimistic or terrified. My sister is probably the most efficient family traveler I know. She has her work cut out for her with 2-year-old and 4-year-old...

A friend of mine is a consummate travel fanatic. She’s traveled all over the world and knows the ins and outs of internet travel websites like nobody’s business. Nevertheless, she still uses a local travel agent whenever she plans her family’s holidays. Going to Ecuador? She contacts a travel expert in Ecuador. Going to...

It’s big business, this ecotourism. It drives entire economies of countries like Kenya, Botswana, Belize, South Africa, Laos, and especially here in Costa Rica. Ecotourism is top of the list as to why millions of travelers from around the world come to Costa Rica’s tropical paradise each year to see its wondrous landscapes...

Traveling to a foreign country is not easy, especially when it is for the first time. In Costa Rica’s case, it is important for both domestic and foreign to know the characteristics of the various means of transportation available. That way you will avoid many problems and make your trip a more pleasant experience. Rent a...

I still remember vividly the first time a local gave me directions in Costa Rica: Go north 700 meters. At the “pulperia” turn left, and go west 300 meters. At the corner where the old fig tree used to be, turn right. Go 175 meters and it’s the papaya-colored house on the left with the black gate. Sure. So … how do I...

In Costa Rica, there is an abundance of warm weather, glorious landscape and nature, and plenty to see and do. When planning your visit to Costa Rica, where you go depends on what you want to do. Two good tips: Note how much time you have and prioritize the main places where you’d like to go, or you can easily spend all of...

You’ve got your flight to Costa Rica booked, your hotel reservations or tour itinerary set. Now what about getting around? There are many choices, from in-country flights to renting a car, hopping a local bus or hiring a private shuttle or tour bus complete with bilingual driver. It all depends on how fast you want to get...