When I first visited Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge at the end of 2004, what struck me most was how in heaven did this amazing high-end Costa Rica eco-lodge come to exist in the middle of a jungle on the sea, with nothing else around? The question is a valid one given Nicuesa Lodge’s completely isolated...Read More
People in other countries pay big money for audio programs like this, while here at Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living eco-community it’s real. The sounds of the Costa Rica rainforest: crickets chirping, big bullfrogs burping and booming, Common Tink Frogs “tinking”, myriads of other insects whirring, and the Portalón River bubbling over stones and...Read More
The thing that amazed me most standing on Playa Hermosa in Jaco Costa Rica on a recent Saturday morning was not the beautiful deep blue and turquoise barrel waves, or the warm sunlight glinting off the black sand. It was the nearly complete absence of people. There were maybe 30 surfers in the water, but so...Read More
The relaxed Caribbean beach town of Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica not only has some of the prettiest beaches in Costa Rica, along with upscale Costa Rica boutique hotels, Puerto Viejo also is the gastronomic capital of the Costa Rica Southern Caribbean Coast. Puerto Viejo’s dining scene reflects its widely-varied international population – Caribbean, Italian, Argentinean,...Read More
It is always interesting to me to get the story behind a destination boutique hotel. These aren’t large franchise chains owned by a mega-corporation. Small boutique hotels have style and flair, with usually one or a few owners, and often in creative places. Take for instance, Hotel Laguna Azul in the southern Caribbean Bocas del...Read More
Long-favored as a site for Costa Rica national surfing competitions, the white sandy beach of Playa Guiones at Nosara will host the sixth tournament of the Costa Rica National Surfing Circuit kölbi 2015 in June. Presented by Adrenaline Rush, the Beach Club Tournament will be held June 13-14 at Playa Guiones. The important competition is...Read More
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead Walk down the Pacific beaches of Santa Teresa, Costa Rica and you’re likely to see long, empty stretches of white sand, beautiful blue rolling waves, multicolored crushed seashells and interesting rocks...Read More
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 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
If you are a Pack Light traveler, you probably often find yourself with extra room in your luggage when you go on vacation. Have you ever thought about using that available luggage space to provide supplies to communities you visit? The desire to give back or contribute to the place people visit as tourists is...Read More
The trash problem of the world’s oceans has reached epic proportions. However, in the small Central American nation of Costa Rica, 108 beach communities have taken a stand against litter and pollution and are working to make a difference in the world predicament. The record number of Costa Rica beaches received Ecological Blue Flag Awards...Read More
It’s no wonder that Jacó Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Costa Rica. There is so much to do on the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica – beaches, surfing, outdoor adventure sports, the Carara National Park, Manuel Antonio National Park, and the Tarcoles River with its famous huge crocodiles. The thing...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
As I am flipping through the website for Laguna Azul eco-boutique hotel in Bocas del Toro, Panamá, I am more and more captivated by the images of turquoise Caribbean Sea, water that is impossibly clear, coral reef, dolphins, Caribbean beaches … and the beauty goes on and on. I want to go there. Now. Forget...Read More
Surfing hotspot of Santa Teresa, Costa Rica will be in the spotlight again next weekend, April 18 and 19, for the season’s fourth 2015 Costa Rica National Surfing Cup competition. Sponsored by ISAW Action Cameras of Australia, the ISAW Cup will be held on the spectacular beach of Santa Teresa in front of the Banana...Read More
Ever wonder who is Juan Santamaria, for whom the San Jose international airport in Costa Rica is named? This week is a good time to find out. Costa Rica will celebrate its national holiday Juan Santamaria Day on April 11. On this day, Costa Rica celebrates this drummer boy in its national army who heroically...Read More
Let’s face it; we all care about what we eat. So if visiting a remote jungle eco-lodge is in your plans, you might be wondering if mealtime will resemble a Mission Survive episode with creepy-crawlies and vermin. In fact, remote Costa Rica eco lodge Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge gets regular rave reviews from guests...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
The two coastlines of Costa Rica – Caribbean and Pacific – are about as opposite as you can get in landscape and lifestyle – kind of like New York and California. Most tourists to Costa Rica head west to the Pacific Coast beaches. It is the adventurer looking for the unique Costa Rica who chooses...Read More
Time to get away from it all, but you want something different than the usual packed beaches and crowded hotels? What if I told you there was a tropical paradise of rainforest and beach with bright sunny days and warm balmy nights, and you could have it all to yourself? No crowds. You’d probably think:...Read More
Like all travelers, when you plan a vacation to an unfamiliar location, you want to have an idea of what to expect. TripAdvisor is a great resource for getting insider information about a place from guests who have been there. Here are 5 great travel tips for your stay in Nosara Costa Rica. from guests...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
