Guanacaste – the northwest province of Costa Rica – is known for its rolling grassy plains, “Gold Coast” beaches, towering mountains and volcanoes, sunny dry climate and unique dry tropical forest. For generations “Guanacastecos,” as the residents here are called, have been dedicated to farming, cattle and horse ranching. The “sabanero” (cowboy) traditions, folklore, music...Read More
Panama is well-known for its famous Panama Canal, the modern Panama City, and its idyllic islands. Now, thanks to a newly created wildlife refuge, Panama is one of the best destinations for bird lovers in the Americas. This month on World Wetlands Day – February 2 – Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela officially created the...Read More
Love is life. All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love. Everything is, everything exists, only because I love.– Leo Tolstoy Every February 14, around the world, people exchange cards, flowers, candy and gifts with their loved ones on this day of romance we call Valentine’s Day. But who is this mysterious...Read More
One of the most magnificent birds in Costa Rica is the Great Green Macaw. This time of year, from October through December, Great Green Macaws (Ara ambiguus) return to the Maquenque National Wildlife Refuge in northern Costa Rica from the Indio Maiz Biological Reserve in Nicaragua. Following their main food source of mountain almond tree...Read More
Going through my mind as I took my first bite of steaming, fresh pupusa – after, “oh my god, this is good!” – was, “why don’t I eat pupusas more often?” There is a pupusa restaurant in my little country town of Atenas, Costa Rica. I’ve eaten there a few times, but now plan to...Read More
Once a place largely to be avoided for war and political upheaval, Central America in recent years is the darling of travel in the Americas. Led strongly by Costa Rica and Belize, the seven nations of Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama are becoming immensely popular for family travel, luxury travel,...Read More
Visitors to Costa Rica’s northwest Guanacaste region probably don’t realize the area was once a thriving community for the indigenous Chorotega tribe. Indigenous history and traditions maintain a low profile in the Central American country, yet if you look closely they are all around you. Spreading across Costa Rica’s entire northern Pacific zone, Guanacaste, for...Read More
Traveling to the Central American isthmus of Nicaragua–Costa Rica-Panama presents travelers with a unique panorama of diversity. This narrow bridge between North and South America may be small in size but is packed with an exotic mix of steamy jungles, rugged volcanoes and mountain ranges, fabulous tropical coastlines, charming colonial towns and growing tourism destinations....Read More
Just across the border, to Costa Rica’s north, lies the enchanting country of Nicaragua. The “Land of Lakes and Volcanoes,” as it is called, is easily reached by day trip or a longer weekend journey from Costa Rica. The civil war ended more than 20 years ago, and today, Nicaragua is one of the safest...Read More
