One of my absolute favorite scenes in the 2012 movie “Life of Pi” is when a huge glittering whale jumps out of a sparkling night sea behind Pi’s raft, everything around them glowing from amazing bioluminescence. Another favorite is the illuminated neon forest in the movie “Avatar.” Bioluminescence is most common in the tropics. Walking...Read More
The famous international adventure race, The North Face Endurance Challenge, is once again coming to Rincón de la Vieja Volcano in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. The 3rd edition of The North Face Endurance Challenge Costa Rica – four trail-running endurance races – will be held on May 30, 2015 from the headquarters at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin....Read More
The Costa Rica National Circuit of Stand-up Paddleboarding (SUP), Masters and Longboard Surfing will come to Malpaís for the third competition in the 2015 season on May 23 and 24. On Costa Rica’s southern Nicoya Peninsula, the beaches of Malpaís and Santa Teresa attract visitors from all over the world who come to surf, do...Read More
Tucked between the Osa Peninsula and the southern Pacific region of Costa Rica, the “Sweet Gulf” of Golfo Dulce is the perfect destination for nature lovers and adventure-seekers. Circling the warm blue waters of Golfo Dulce is a tropical rainforest with secluded beaches and an amazing biodiversity. Here you can encounter all four species of...Read More
“Find moments in your day to be grateful, to hold peace for a moment, appreciate beauty in the world, and remember to smile.” Even if you don’t come to Costa Rica for a yoga retreat, you can still practice yoga on your vacation. Yoga has become so popular in Costa Rica that you can find...Read More
You don’t have to be a Super Bowl-winning quarterback like Tom Brady to enjoy Costa Rica’s waterfalls. Sure, Brady was trying to impress the girl – his wife, Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen – when he shocked the world with his #AirBrady leap off Montezuma Falls near his vacation home of Santa Teresa, Costa Rica. And...Read More
The vibrant beach area of Nosara, Costa Rica will welcome one of the country’s most important music festivals from April 16 to 18, 2015. You won’t want to miss the 2015 Caricaco Music Festival in Costa Rica. Located on the Nicoya Peninsula in the province of Guanacaste, Costa Rica, the Nosara area includes the town...Read More
The way Omar Arce sees it, the Costa Rica tradition of the oxcart driver and his oxen is an important cultural heritage that must be kept alive. Nowadays in his country town of Atenas, Costa Rica most roads are paved and cars zoom everywhere. But when Arce, 73, was a boy, the only way to...Read More
Yoga lovers will definitely not want to miss the National Yoga Festival in Costa Rica in April. The capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica will host the 7th annual National Festival of Yoga from April 16 to 19, 2015 at the National Culture Center (CENAC). The festival is promoted by the Costa Rican Association...Read More
I’m sitting at my desk, meant to be working. What I’m really doing is daydreaming about snorkeling in Costa Rica. I’m plotting how I can get back to Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge on Golfo Dulce. I’m remembering swimming in that calm sea and the feel of delicious water – not bath-water warm, but not cold...Read More
After a big day of hiking, zip-lining, horseback riding or other adventure tours in Costa Rica, there is nearly nothing better than soaking in steamy thermal springs so hot they make you tingle all over. Your tired muscles are soon relaxed into spaghetti-like existence and the cares of the world melt away. Mineral-rich hot springs...Read More
Orchids have a mystique. A magic, beguiling beauty. Their complex patterns, colors and forms in a flower so delicate and fragile, simply boggle the senses. They are coveted like an elusive, exotic treasure, and bought, sold and traded around the world. Whole societies and organizations are dedicated to preserving these amazing beauties. This weekend in...Read More
The last time I was at Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge, I was down at the beach cooling off from the hot sun in waist-deep tranquil waters of the Golfo Dulce, when suddenly there was a splash very close behind me. I turned quickly to look out toward the Gulf and was greeted by three Bottlenose...Read More
Costa Rica offers some of the world’s best whitewater rafting on beautiful, wild rivers that flow through spectacular tropical wilderness. Considered the “cleanest river in Central America”, the pristine Savegre River on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast flows down a picturesque valley from its origin high in the mountains of Cerro de la Muerte near...Read More
The exciting, adrenaline-charged whitewater rafting and kayaking competition of the Chorro River Race 2015 comes again to Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast on Feb. 21 to 22. The second annual event is organized by the Quepos Whitewater and Adventure Association and sponsored by TEVA. The competition in the Chorro Canyon of the Naranjo River, by...Read More
Article by Shannon Farley You can’t visit Guanacaste, Costa Rica without listening at least once to the distinct resonant sounds of a traditional marimba. Considered a symbol of culture and tradition, especially in the province of Guanacaste, the marimba was declared the national musical instrument of Costa Rica by President José María Figueres in 1996....Read More
Looking for something fun to do this Sunday? How about a day out in sunshine, fresh air and beautiful Costa Rica botanical gardens, and spend it with your best buddy – your faithful family dog. The Else Kientzler Botanical Gardens in Sarchi, Costa Rica is hosting its second annual Canine Event – A Sunday of...Read More
Transportation in Costa Rica, unless you’ve booked a Costa Rica vacation package that includes transfers, can sometimes be complicated and expensive. Now there is a Costa Rica transportation solution that also makes your travel days fun. Desafio Adventure Company offers Adventure Connections that take care of your transportation between vacation destinations in Costa Rica and...Read More
Thousands of visitors come to Costa Rica each year with the hope of witnessing the extraordinary phenomenon of seeing sea turtles nest and lay their eggs. These ancient reptiles have been swimming Earth’s waters for at least 150 million years, mysteriously returning to the same beach where they were born. Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast beaches...Read More
Mountain bikers, take note. Now there are Costa Rica vacations dedicated solely to mountain biking. If you are a mountain biking enthusiast looking for a training trip or a fun and challenging cycling vacation, now Cycling Trails Costa Rica has partnered with Horizontes Nature Tours to offer exceptional Costa Rica Cycling Tours. Known for its...Read More
In southern Costa Rica, the end of the year is celebrated very uniquely at the country’s biggest indigenous cultural event, the “ Fiesta de los Diablitos Costa Rica ” The four-day annual “Festival of Little Devils” takes place over the New Year’s holiday from Dec. 30 to Jan. 2 in the village of the Boruca...Read More
To your holiday decorations this year, add some pretty Christmas plants for a living touch of good cheer. Surprisingly, many holiday plants are tropical in origin, which means that you care for them like a houseplant if you live in a cold climate. The Else Kientzler Botanical Garden in Sarchi, Costa Rica, has several fun...Read More
Looking to shop for unique Christmas gifts this year? Combine Christmas shopping with a holiday in Costa Rica and go to the Holiday Art Fair in Playa Guiones by Nosara on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2014. More than 35 talented international and national artists will be selling handmade art and products at the third annual Holiday...Read More
The fascinating fact about plants and trees in Costa Rica is that each one has a story, or a folk tradition or a specific use. There is much more than meets the eye in this tropical paradise. Ovido Esquivel, director of the Else Kientzler Botanical Garden in Sarchi, Costa Rica, uncovered the mystique of some...Read More
