There is a lot of talk in travel about eco-tourism and being sustainable. But what does that really mean? Is that simply turning off a few lights, not wasting water and recycling the trash? According to the United Nations, sustainability is “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to...Read More
Calm seas and abundant marine life in the spectacular Pacific Ocean at Quepos and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica create an ideal environment for fun activities. For instance, now through the end of December is humpback whale-watching season in Costa Rica; and you can nearly always see large pods of dolphins while out sailing, boating or...Read More
In Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, organic healthy living is alive and well – especially at Pranamar Oceanfront Villas & Yoga Retreat. Budda Eyes Restaurant at the beachfront Santa Teresa Costa Rica hotel is dedicated to serving healthy, nourishing and innovative cuisine. “At Pranamar we try to satisfy not only your stomach, but also your soul...Read More
Green season in Guanacaste, Costa Rica is when the waterfalls at Rincon de la Vieja Volcano really show off. Near Rincon de la Vieja hotel Hacienda Guachipelin, four waterfalls flow, and all of them have pools where you can swim. Getting to the waterfalls is an adventure on its own – either by hiking or...Read More
It is amazing how many national parks, conservation areas, wildlife refuges and private reserves there are in the tiny country of Costa Rica. In the mountains of the Pacific Nicoya Peninsula, one little-known private reserve is the Karen Mogensen Nature Reserve. A wildlife refuge and reforestation project, the Karen Mogensen Nature Reserve serves as an...Read More
The Festival of Whales & Dolphins is once again making a splash at Uvita Beach in Southern Costa Rica at the beginning of September. You definitely don’t want to miss the 6th annual festival marking the peak of the annual migration of Pacific Humpback Whales to the Ballena National Marine Park in Costa Rica. This...Read More
There are women-only professional clubs, women-only gyms, women’s athletic events, and girls also rule at Pura Vida Adventures surf retreats in Costa Rica. Founded 10 years ago by surfer Tierza Eichner, Pura Vida Adventures brings women from the U.S. and other countries to the pristine beaches and rocking waves of Santa Teresa, Costa Rica for...Read More
Mother’s Day in Costa Rica is a really big deal. Celebrated every year on August 15, this year, the national holiday falls on a Friday, which makes for a long weekend that lends itself to quick getaway vacations and special events. The vibrant capital city of San José Costa Rica, has a lot going on...Read More
The Costa Rica Caribbean Coast has everything you’re looking for on your holiday, whether rest and relaxation, romance, adventure, family time, fun with friends, or new beginnings like your wedding or honeymoon. The southern Caribbean of Costa Rica has a decidedly relaxed vibe. Afro-Caribbean, Latino and Bribri indigenous cultures uniquely blend with customs of newer...Read More
I am never the same person walking into a yoga studio as when I leave. Usually I am always rushing to get to class, arriving just in the nick of time to get my mat laid out, and frantically trying to breathe my way into calm, poised relaxation. After an hour or so of stretching,...Read More
The peaceful and shy Manatee has been declared a national marine mammal in Costa Rica. Costa Rica lawmakers this week passed the bill making the endangered Caribbean mammal a national symbol; the honor had been proposed by two school children from the region of Limón after they learned about Manatees in school. Also known as...Read More
Manuel Antonio Costa Rica is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the country for its abundant beauty, wildlife and adventure tours. It is also exceedingly popular for hotels. Knowing where to stay is the key in this famous location on the Central Pacific Coast – named one of the 2014 Top 25 Beaches...Read More
Often dismissed by Costa Rica vacationers as a place to avoid, or to endure only for a layover night, the vibrant capital city of San José, Costa Rica in actuality has a lot to offer visitors. It is a city of contrasts blending the old world and modern times; expressing its history and culture in...Read More
There are many attractions on the southern Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica, but few visitors explore the tiny fishing village and mysterious island of Cabuya. Cabuya is known as the gateway to the Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve, Costa Rica’s first privately protected reserve at the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. Seven kilometers after...Read More
There are plenty of beaches covered with shells in Costa Rica. The beaches near Nosara Costa Rica, however, are spread with a different kind of shell – that of nesting sea turtles. This time of year, from July to December, hundreds of thousands of Olive Ridley sea turtles swim to these remote beaches of the...Read More
Two must-see destinations on your Costa Rica vacation are the Arenal Volcano and Northern Plains of Costa Rica. The tall, impressive Arenal Volcano rises 5,437 feet above the verdant rainforest and neighboring Lake Arenal, framing the skyline with its near perfect cone shape. The spectacular live volcano is easily one of the most photographed landscapes...Read More
Starting in August, the tranquil blue waters of the Golfo Dulce, between the Piedras Blancas National Park and the Osa Peninsula in southern Costa Rica, will witness one of the most amazing spectacles in the animal kingdom – the thousands-of-miles-long migration of Pacific Humpback Whales. The annual migration of endangered Pacific Humpback Whales is a...Read More
When you think of yoga, the image that comes to mind is probably a petite 20-something young woman who can do the splits in the air while lying on her back. It’s true, that person does exist; a girl like that came to my yoga class once. Despite what you may think, however, that stereotype...Read More
The rivers in Costa Rica are as diverse as the terrain of mountains, volcanoes, rainforest valleys and lowland jungle through which they flow. A trip down one of Costa Rica’s rivers, either by raft, canoe, kayak or small boat, is an excellent way to see some of the country’s extraordinary wildlife. Trees that line most...Read More
The slow-moving sloths of Costa Rica are streaking into the limelight with their own weeklong online special program. Starting June 20, 2014, Animal Planet and Animalist will stream daily footage from the Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica. Cute and cuddly sloths of the Caribbean Costa Rica have been in the spotlight since last year’s program...Read More
Recommended as one of the best places to go in 2014 by CNN and National Geographic, Nosara Costa Rica is now easier and more affordable to visit than ever. Leading luxury hotel in Nosara, L’acqua Viva Resort & Spa, is currently offering special green season rates to all guests who make direct reservations with the...Read More
What goes on in the rainforest when we’re not there? At Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living community in Costa Rica, they’re finding out with the help of a few hidden camera traps. Camera traps placed in the rainforest at Portasol – located on the Central Pacific Coast between Manuel Antonio and Dominical – have...Read More
“Without water, there can be no life. Without clean water, there can be no healthy life.” This is the driving force behind the worldwide environmental organization Waterkeeper Alliance. Based in the United States, the Waterkeeper Alliance aspires to protect every major watershed around the world, to advocate for every person’s right to clean water and...Read More
May and June – the beginning of Costa Rica’s low season – are one of the best times for travel deals. The crowds have gone home. Refreshing afternoon rains (though not every day) have transformed the landscape into a vivid tapestry of green and brightly-colored tropical flowers. And many hotels and tours are offering great...Read More