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
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
I’ve been to a lot of beaches in Costa Rica. Most of them I like, some of them I don’t. Then there are others that are so off the charts in fabulousness that I nearly don’t want to tell anyone about them. All right, I’ll tell you. I’ve discovered a hidden gem. A place I...Read More
When world traveler Susan Money chooses where to stay on vacation, she prefers smaller family-run hotels. Not as small as a B&B, but preferably not a corporate establishment. “I feel taken care of at a well-run corporate hotel or resort, but I like the friendships you create at smaller family-run hotels,” said Money. “This is...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 southern Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica is a big melting pot of traditions and cultures. It is the heart and soul of the country’s Afro-Caribbean community, as well as home to indigenous populations of Bribrí, Carib, Miskito and Cabécar. There are descendants of Spanish conquistadors, North Americans who worked for United Fruit Company during...Read More
Famous for its year-round surf, spectacular sunsets and friendly beach town, Santa Teresa Beach in Costa Rica was once again named a top beach in Central America in the newest TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice Awards. The global travel site announced its 2015 Travelers’ Choice Awards on Feb. 18, awarding Costa Rica the honor of having some...Read More
Renting a vacation home in Costa Rica, especially one at the beach, is a great idea. Stay steps from the sand at beautiful Santa Teresa, Costa Rica in the new beachfront vacation home Martha’s House. The two-story octagon-shaped house is just off the beach and surrounded by lush tropical gardens. The house sleeps up to...Read More
Article by Shannon Farley In the easy-going surf and yoga town of Playa Guiones, Costa Rica, there is a very strange smell in the air this time of year. Besides the fresh scent of the ocean, from January to April, it smells like a giant stack of maple syrup covered pancakes. What is that gingerbread...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
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
Three of the prettiest beaches on the Southern Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica are Playa Cocles, Playa Chiquita and Punta Uva. That is if you like long stretches of gorgeous picture postcard Caribbean coastline with warm turquoise ocean and graceful tall palm trees. When you are on the beach on the Costa Rica Southern Caribbean...Read More