Exploring the little-known gems of Costa Rica’s national parks and reserves leads me to the very tip of Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, to Cabo Blanco. Officially named the Cabo Blanco Absolute Natural Reserve, this small park is spectacularly picturesque with tropical forest, pure white-sand beaches, warm aquamarine sea, waterfalls and rivers and hundreds of natural...Read More
Coming to Costa Rica on vacation and always wanted to try surfing? Live in Costa Rica and want to see what’s up with the surfing craze? Or tried it, love it and want to get better? Del Mar Surfing Academy has your solution! Day Surf Camps for kids and teens run from June through September...Read More
A crimson sun slowly dips into the violet-blue sea. Streamers of pink and orange streak across the wide, deepening blue sky. Coconut palms bow lightly in the breeze. You and your beloved are there on the soft sand promising your love and commitment, exchanging rings and kisses. Sound like your dream wedding? It easily can...Read More
Giant puppet horses, giraffes on stilts, reggaeton superstars, Korean musicians and dancers, British rock legends and a host of other artists, musicians, dancers and actors will enliven San Jose . Costa Rica’s capital city transforms this week into a giant stage, playing host to more than 2,000 artists from 28 countries in the 13th annual...Read More
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...Read More
Break out of your vacation routine! Recharge your life and do your mind, body and soul good on an active surfing and yoga vacation in Costa Rica! Active vacations, whether full-on adventure tours or more moderately-paced walking tours or yoga retreats, have become the number one choice around the world for how people spend their...Read More
Costa Rica. You’ve probably heard of it. The tiny Central American country is big in tourism news. You may even know someone who’s been there. When you hear the name, you probably think of beautiful tropical beaches, rainforest, surfing, volcanoes, hot and steamy jungle. But what’s important to know so you can plan a visit?...Read More
Looking for that picture-perfect “tropical paradise” tour in Costa Rica? You can’t miss a one-day tour to Tortuga Island in the Pacific’s Nicoya Gulf. Famous for its sugary white sand beaches lined with tall swaying coconut palms, Tortuga Island has crystal clear turquoise waters with no ocean currents which make this an ideal place for...Read More
Located in Costa Rica’s Central Highlands in the Tilaran Mountain Range, the lofty, cloud-wreathed mountaintop of Monteverde is one of Costa Rica’s main tourism destinations. Cloud forest comprises only 1% of the planet’s global woodlands. Monteverde’s rare ecosystem is internationally famous as one of the most extensive cloud forests in Central America and a “jewel...Read More
Romance is in the air. Being the month of February, with Valentine’s Day and International Day of Friendship, it’s no wonder that romantic holidays are the hot thing on everyone’s minds. But romantic getaways need not come but once a year. You can make any day – or weekend – your special “Valentine’s” celebration! What...Read More
Spring Break is just around the corner! This year, try something different for you and your family and learn to surf like a pro in Costa Rica! Warm tropical water, world-class waves, friendly and fun atmosphere, and international language experience – all of this and more at the Del Mar Surfing Academy. Located within Costa...Read More
One of the best things about living in a tropical country is all of the fresh fruits and vegetables. Even better is if you live near the ocean for fresh fish as well! In Costa Rica we enjoy year-round fresh produce thanks to the myriad of tropical micro-climates in our mountainous country. Organic produce and...Read More
What could be more fun than splashing down a warm-water tropical river, dodging this way and that and bouncing in and out of waves in an inflatable raft? Costa Rica is one of the world’s top destinations for whitewater rafting. Just last year the World Rafting Championship 2011 was held in Turrialba on the Pacuare...Read More
One of my all-time favorite quotes on adventure and travel is this, from the great Mark Twain: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in...Read More
A fun outing in the center of San Jose is to go to the Gold Museum, now called the Central Bank Museum, below the Plaza de la Cultura. It had been years since I had visited the museum, but it remains still one of the highlights of touring Costa Rica’s capitol city. Located conveniently under...Read More
Central American rock will shake the streets of downtown San Jose . For the 6th year running, Costa Rican and other Central American bands will strut their stuff at the annual “Festival Rock el Farolito en el Morazan” at the Morazan Park. Organized by the Spanish Cultural Center and the Spanish Embassy of Costa Rica,...Read More
Costa Rican surfer, Carlos Muñoz, is making his mark and earning Costa Rica a place in world surfing fame at many international competitions such as Volcom Pipe Pro competition in Hawaii . The 18-year-old wave rider from Playa Esterillos scored the first perfect 10 of the world-famous international competition. – Day 2 of the event....Read More
Nosara Beach is a beautiful beach destination sitting on the north pacific coast of Costa Rica, enclosed by sea on one side and tropical forest on the other. Nosara, a beach Village of Guanacaste Province is actually a base camp for experienced surfers, a hidden place for honeymooners and there are many adventure tours for...Read More
Shopping in Costa Rica has improved dramatically over the past ten years as gigantic malls, mini-malls, superstores and sophisticated boutiques have entered the marketplace. You can find everything from designer clothing to latest-fashion shoes and accessories, everyday clothing and footwear to anything you could possibly need for your home. There are construction and “fix-up-your-home” superstores,...Read More
Walking around downtown San Jose, Costa Rica, is an outing full of bright surprises thanks to an outdoor art exhibit centered on the message of peace. Seventy vividly painted larger-than-life doves perch here and there throughout the downtown area’s main boulevards, plazas and parks in the “Peace Parade.” Made of fiberglass and standing 2 meters...Read More
Twisting yourself into a pretzel is what many people think of when they hear the word “yoga.” Yoga is the “in” thing in the western world over recent years as people look to ease stress, find ways to relax and live healthier lifestyles. Yoga, though, is actually more than just the physical; it is a...Read More
News flash! The Trip Advisor Traveler’s Choice Awards for 2012 are just in, and Costa Rica captured 11 out of 25 spots in the Top 25 Hotels in Central America list!!! Pranamar Villas and Yoga Retreat Hotel at Santa Teresa Beach is one of these spotlighted hotels – the only hotel in Playa Santa Teresa...Read More
Lounging on a tropical beach is probably one of the all-time most popular daydreams. Picture it … soft, cushy white sand, rhythmic deep blue waves rolling onto shore, soft breezes wafting playfully over you as you lounge in the shade of palm trees, sipping cold coconut juice and snacking on chilled, juicy, sweet pineapple. Surfers...Read More
A quick and easy day trip from Costa Rica’s capitol city of San Jose is to the Botanical Gardens at CATIE (the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) in Turrialba. Just an hour and a half from the Central Valley, you’ll be in a tropical plantation paradise. Nature lovers, get your cameras ready! Stroll...Read More
