Costa Rica Travel Blog

A insteresting travel blog to visit

2007-05-10T07:55:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share a popular travel blog with you that has several interesting posts related to Costa Rica. There's one on hotels and weather in Manuel Antonio National Park - so far there are 8 comments and there's some interesting information there so it's a good read.

There's also an interesting Costa Rica travel story and some answers to common Costa Rica questions. Considering that the blog covers destinations all over the world I would say that Costa Rica is pretty well represented. Enjoy!

Costa Rica Travel: Rincon in Costa Rica

2006-11-04T14:56:00.000-08:00

Today I am publish a woman's experience in Rincon with her husbands I hope you find this post useful

Rincon is one of my favorite places. I went twice in one week. Once with a spanish class group and then when my husband joined me down there. I just had to show it to him.
The actual road to Rincon is not paved and is pretty rough. There is a gate where you will have to pay a small fee to drive on it. Haven't done the horseback riding up there. My husband doesn't like to ride so we stick to hiking. There are lots of fumerols, mud pots, and just neat things to see. The weather at the top wasn't safe when we were there so we never did get up there. It was very very windy. There is a little store on the road up that you could buy some water, etc. but plan on bringing anything you would need because there isn't any place to buy anything once you are up there. It is not crowded. There is a place to swim also. I would plan a full day there with a packed lunch. The coatis will definitely come begging if they smell food so don't leave anything lying around.
The horseback riding at Los Innocentes was nice. It was an easy ride but we did see quite a bit. The horses are in good condition. I did get to do that.
The food at LI (los innocentes) was good but the menu choices were the same everyday for both lunch and dinner. The road to LI is very good by Costa Rican standards. Pan Am hwy to close to the Nicaraguan border then a right and it is on that road.
We didn't get to Santa Rosa but that area is interesting. We stayed at a ranch not too far from the park that was large enough to keep us busy. Have heard that it is a nice park.

Travel in Costa Rica on a low budget

2006-11-03T11:29:00.000-08:00

As for Costa Rica, it is not a cheap country. Although transportation is good, comfortable , the restaurants, nightlife and touristic attractions are a bit expensive (no less than US$10 the meals at the restaurants), since Costa Rica is a country whose economy is based principally on tourism. If you want to go in a budget, just buy your meals at supermarkets (Automercado in San José have really cheap prices), go all day in bus, and try to go at least to one or the national parks (I personally enjoyed the Poás and Manuel Antonio National Parks)

Another park I like in Costa Rica is the Corcovado National Park in the South, and that is free, you only need to have or rent a tent in the nearest village Puerto Jimenez, there you can sleep for 2 dollars a night and see beautiful ara's, from there you get a lift to the seaside and you will come on a camping side and from there you can start the hike of 16 km (I think) but it's beautiful, DON'T FORGET FOOD! Nicaragua:Lago de Nicaragua Guatemala: Panachajel but lots of Gringo's, Antigua: lots of students and partiesand volcano, Tikal: mayasites in the jungle
HAVE FUN!!!

Horseback riding in Costa Rica

2006-11-01T13:47:00.000-08:00

There are many places offering riding. I have taken one down in Tambor and it was nice along the beach and mountains. It's hard to say which is best. If you do go to Monteverde, it is a cloud forest and it will rain, even in dry season.

A friend of mine took a horseback ride while in La Fortuna and said it was very fun. The horses were well taken care of. The tour guide spoke English and was very entertaining. The horse ride took him up to the La Fortuna Waterfalls. You can even go in for a dip! The journey lasted round trip about 4 hours. Just the right amount of time to be on the back of a horse.

If you are looking for a day trip, horseback riding is also available in Dominical. You spend your day on trails, stopping at a local house for breakfast before making your way to Nuyaca waterfalls. 150 foot waterfall, with a huge pool for swimming at the bottom. After spending an hour or so, you make your way back for a local lunch, and continue on until you reach the end.

Costa Rica Travel: Cano Negro Wildlife/Rara Avis

2006-10-31T18:37:00.000-08:00

I went to Rara Avis last year. It was another great trip to Costa Rica, and I loved it. The tractor ride is an adventure and hard to describe, the accommodations are clean and the food is great. It is very remote, no electricity, and the stay in the rivers edge cabin is very private (ok this may not be great for everyone), watch for the anteater on the trail to the cabin. I was awakened every morning by the toucans flying over, and I went to the great water fall every day. Great hiking trails. I could go on and on about my adventure there. I'm planning on returning to Costa Rica in Jan. 2006, and want to go some where different, but Rara avis keeps coming to mind and I am having trouble finding a place to go that will top it.

The Caño Negro Wildlife area is a great area. If you want to see all of it go to Los Chiles, there are always some cabins available. Rent a little boat for the next day and enter the area about seven in the morning and you can see a lot of birds, monkeys, sloths, Caymans (from the baby's to the big ones) and return in the afternoon. You can lunch in the little village inside Caño Negro for little money. It is one of my favorite places to go.

Some info about San Jose in Costa Rica

2006-10-30T14:25:00.000-08:00

San Jose can be hot during the day, but since it is a pretty good distance above sea level it can get chilly as well. Jeans and sweatshirts are a good idea to have. Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere.

Depending on what you plan to do is how much money you will need to bring. If you just want to chill, check out the museums and parks, you won't need much. If you go out gambling and to the discos, the figure is about 2/3 of what you would spend in the US. If you go on Volcano tours or the like, you are looking at $50-$100 per tour.

If you are traveling with a group you should be fine but if you wander out alone try and stay away from the Coca Cola terminal. It's an entire area where most bus stations are and is known for crime. If you have to go there, no big deal, just don't let any of your belongings out of site and try to go during daylight.

Costa Rica: 4 Days in Monteverde/Arenal volcano area

2006-10-28T16:46:00.000-07:00

Depends on the length of your trip, but if your time is limited then 2 days in Monteverde will be enough. One day you can spend in the Moneverde preserve and next day you can do canopy tour and sky walk since they are next to each other and the road is horrible - you don't want to go to this direction twice!!! You will still have time to visit Snakes, Butterflies, and frog exhibitions if you are interested. For Arenal, one day is enough to see the volcano. You gotta see its erruption over night though - it is amazing.

Take enough time for travelling. Some friends and I took the route San Jose, Alajuela, Sarchi, Zarcero, Fortuna, Arenal, Tilaran, Monteverde. Roads are bad and they get worse as you approach Monteverde. Last 25 km are bumpy gravel road.

When you are done with Monteverde, you continue your trip south from Santa Elena towards Puntarenas. Same here, first 25km are gravel, it gets better and faster later.

From Puntarenas to Jaco it is a highway and you are there in less than 1 1/2 hours. Make sure you stop at the Tarcoles bridge to see the crocodiles.

Having a Costa Rica Honeymoon in November?

2006-10-27T14:37:00.000-07:00

November is the end of the rainy season in Costa Rica. You should be able to go anywhere in the country and experience good weather. Also, Dec-Mar is tourist (dry) season and when hotel rates go up.

Costa Rica is about adventure, nature, and although there are some wonderful beaches, they are not as calm or as blue as you will find in some Caribbean destinations.

Some of the excellent all inclusive resorts in Costa Rica include :

Four Seasons in Papagayo (northwest Pacific beaches)
http://www.fourseasons.com/costarica/index.html

Paradisus Playa Conchal (northwest Pacific beaches)
http://www.solmelia.com/sol/hoteles/jsp/CHome.jsp?idSolRes=5891

Si Como No (central Pacific beaches ...specifically Manuel Antonio)
http://www.sicomono.com/

There are many others obviously but these are examples of first class resorts in really nice areas.

I would suggest that you consider the activities you want to include in your trip to identify which part of the country you want to visit. There are active volcanoes, beautiful waterfalls with swimming holes, world class white water rafting, canopy tours (zip lines through the tree tops of the rain forests), hiking in cool weather due to elevation, hiking in heat (sea level), and plenty of opportunities to experience monkeys, butterflies, sloths, reptiles, birds of all types and so on.

Here is a page containing national parks on a map showing information about each and where they are located.

http://www.fun-costa-rica-vacations.com/costa-rica-national-parks.html

Have a fun vacation and honeymoon!

Corcovado National Park: camping in Corcovado

2006-10-26T17:11:00.000-07:00

You can visit and camp within the park system 2 ways, from the north and from the south. I recommend the south via carate, this route is less exhausting, and as the ranger stations are closer together. If you want to stay at Sirena the largest ranger station in the centre and use that as a base camp for day treks you must book this in advance, you can do this easily at Puerto Jimenez office and the rangers there will show you the route and advise on transport to carate, (cheap n easy) you can sometimes arrange food at sirena /and accommodation. (Not always check first) otherwise you must carry all your food and tent for your stay!! . I must warn you that if you are traveling by yourself, your backpack will be very heavy and the temperatures rarely go below 30 degrees and a lot of the first part of the trek are on deep sand in the full sun! I always use a jungle hammock with built in fly/mosquito net, it is very light and extremely comfy. I can not convey to you enough of just what a special and wonderful place Corcovado park is, its worth the mud, rain, and mosquitoes! If you are feeling adventurous, here is a tip, wade through the shallow stream at sirena at night with a torch and you will see baby caimen, fish-eating bats, and poison dart frogs, maybe even a jungle cat!

Suggestions for a 10 day stay in Costa Rica

2006-10-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

A typical first timer visit to CR which would include an active volcano, cloud forest, rain forest, beach would be, Fortuna (Arenal Volcano), Monteverde (cloud forest), Manuel Antonio (quepos). These places would be pretty much finished with the rainy season by the end of Nov. It lasts a little longer the further south you go (Osa). The Osa is my favorite place but it is difficult to get to. Flying is the quickest. Pearl of the Osa is a reasonably priced place to stay just outside of Pto Jimenez.
Regarding transportation. Depends on your budget, lots of options. Fantasy Bus and Interbus are around $25 per trip. Local buses are pretty good and very inexpensive. Monteverdeinfo.com has a bus schedule.
Getting to Monteverde from Arenal can be done one of 3 ways. One is by bus/car (5hrs). One is by jeep/boat/jeep where you take a 4x4 jeep and then a boat across lake Arenal and then another 4x4 up through the mountain (3hrs) and the last option would be by horse (3hrs).
Any time you are in the mountains it can rain or be cool and windy. Monteverde can be anywhere from 55 degrees to about 75 degrees. Up there it can be raining in the cloud forest but dry as dust in the town. Taxis most places in CR are pretty plentiful and not terribly expensive.

White Water Rafting and Beach Advice

2006-10-24T18:40:00.000-07:00

I have done a trip on the Pacuare. If you plan to do some rafting you have to do the Pacuare.It is an absolutely beautiful river. The Pacuare is in the central mountain area so you can really go to any beach area from there and its still a drive/ride and a half. Rios Tropicales is a very good outfit I have done a one day and an overnight trip with them. Costa Rica Expeditions is another good company as well as Aventuras Naturales. My friends have also done several trips with Costa Rica Expeditions both one day and overnight. What those places do is pick you up at your hotel in San Jose (most hotels) and then take you for breakfast and then on to the river.

Best Approach to seeing all of Costa Rica

2006-10-23T18:35:00.000-07:00

I've never used the bus, but understand they are a very good alternative. The advantage to the rental car is you have more flexibility. On each of my trips, the rental car has proven to be the most expenive part of the trip, so the bus would be much more cost effective. Also, taxis are really cheap. IF there are more than 4 of you, you may look into hiring a van with driver. If you rent a car, make the reservations before you go. I've had good luck with Budget. Make sure you inspect the car inside and out for damages before you accept it and have the attendant note any scratches, etc. Also check to make sure it has a spare tire and radio antenna. There are also some other "hassle" issues with renting a car---driving can be an "adventure" on some of the roads, and you have to be vigilant to theft and breakins. But, if you use common sense, you'll be OK.

Visiting the Dominical area

2006-10-22T14:44:00.000-07:00

I have stayed at the Hacienda Baru. It is very nice. It is a little rustic. If you are into surfing you will love it. It is also very quiet, but a couple of miles away is Dominical if you want to get a little louder. A lot of wildlife in Hacienda Baru, monkeys and more. Great path leads down to the beach. No body surfs there but you could because the waves are always kicking in this area. I have been to Dominical 3 times. I rented a 4X4 everytime I went and it is the only way to go, that way you can stop and do what you want when you want. There is a great left point break down I think about 1 - 2 miles south of dominical. It's been 2 years since I went there? Matapalo is the place to surf. I have caught some rides there that were so long I had a smile on my face for like 2 months after. Although I have seen Matapalo too small but not often, and if worse comes to worse you can drive down about 20 -30 mins to Carate beach that always has waves. July is a very good time for surf in Southern CR. The drive from Dominical to Osa is a good 6 hours I would say. Just plan on a day and you will be alright. You can certainly catch the evening glass off, even if you surf in Dominical in the morning and then leave. It is a hard and long drive but very nice. If you like the wild life (animals and such) the Osa is the place to go. Matapalo is very lush and a pretty good place to see the animals.

Manuel Antonio in Costa Rica

2006-10-21T14:44:00.000-07:00

Manuel Antonio should be on a list of things to do in Costa Rica. This is a very popular place to visit. This is due mostly to the wildlife and beauty of the area. Manuel Antonio have mountains and ocean, and lots of activities that are either challenging or educational. The festivals are happening all over the country in January and February, the bulls come to Quepos as well. In Manuel Antonio the activities vary from Sportfishing to Nature Walks. The sportfising is world known for the Marlin and Sailfish. The national park is one of the smallest parks in the country, but is considered to be the most visited. Manuel Antonio have three kinds of monkeys, the Titi, the White Face, and the Howler monkeys. Manuel Antonio also have three and two toed Sloth, and an amazing amount of tropical and marine birds. Since Manuel Antonio is more south than Liberia and San Jose, it rains more there. January is summer and so it is the dry season, but it is still very green.

What you should know about hiking up Chirripo in Costa Rica

2006-05-30T07:18:00.000-07:00

Hiking in Costa Rica is a great way to discover Costa Rica’s natural environment while also satisfying your desire of being an explorer. If you are planning to hike in Costa Rica, then Chirripo, the highest peak in Costa Rica, is a must. The mountain is located in the Chirripo National Park, which is in the middle of the country.

On a clear day you will be able to see the Caribbean and the Pacific when you reach the top. I would suggest though that you make sure you are fit before going through the challenge of hiking at Chirripo, because when you are climbing thousands of vertical feet, the trail can be demanding. I would also suggest you to get an early start hiking in the morning when light is coming out. Climbing Chirripo can take from 7-8 hours hiking up and 7-8 hours hiking back down.

Before you make plans for hiking in Chirripo, make sure you make reservations before you leave and arrive in Costa Rica.

Packing

Make sure you are prepared and well equipped before hiking in Chirripo. Bring a backpack that fits you. Try not to bring too many items but only what is necessary, because you are going for a constant hike up the mountain. Make sure you bring something to keep warm such a jacket, sweater, and sleeping bags. The weather up in Chirripo is very cold, even during the summer! Also bring something for rainy weather, but no raincoats.

Bring comfortable sturdy hiking boots and some thick socks. You would be wise to bring anything you may need like band-aids, soap, and a small first aid kit. You also will have to bring your own food, so bring something that will give you energy but yet do not expire quickly, such as pasta, food bars/drinks (just bring the powder ones), dried fruit, and oatmeal. Along with the food bring some packs of cocoa, tea, or coffee. There is a lodge upward and you don’t have to worry about the water because it is clean. Make sure you have everything that is necessary but at a minimum.

How to reach Chirripo

San Gerardo is where the trip starts. You can take a bus, and walk up to where the trail begins in the Chirripo National Park. You can also hire a taxi to drive you the whole way, which is more expensive than taking the bus, but much quicker.

Tourist Spots in Costa Rica

2006-05-30T07:16:00.000-07:00

You have finally decided to go on a vacation to Costa Rica. You now need to choose which destinations you would like to visit. Costa Rica offers many tours and destinations to visit such as cities, rainforests, and even live volcanoes.

San Jose
San Jose is the Capital of Costa Rica and offers some must-see tourist spots. A good tourist spot is the Teatro Nacional, which is located in central section of San Jose. The Teatro Nacional plays several performances each week. If you take a city tour, this will include admission to the Teatro Nacional, and it is also a good way to get a layout of the city. There are also several museums in the nearby areas where you can learn about the history of Costa Rica.

If you would like to see a combination view of beaches, jungles and wildlife, then Cahuita is a great place to visit. Cahuita is a small town located on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. Cahuita has a jungle path in the National Park you can walk through. There are a lot of animals to be seen in the National park such as monkeys, blue crabs, sloths, green snakes, and much more. Cahuita has a “Jamaica feel” with it and also have black and white sand beaches.

Volcanoes are big tourist attractions in Costa Rica. If you want to visit a volcano close to San Jose, then Poas or Irazu should be good picks. If you are willing to go farther, then Volcano Arenal would be a preferable choice. Volcano Arenal is an active volcano in Costa Rica. You must visit this volcano at night, the view is awesome, and is something to remember. You will see and listen to the glowing red bubbling streams and red-hot boulder blast into the air and then tumble down the volcano as it breaks apart.

I would suggest to you to also visit the Tabacon Springs located at the base of the Arenal Volcano during the daytime. You will witness a beautiful view while soaking in warm pools, which the temperature is affected by how high up towards the volcano you decide to travel.

Costa Rica Travel: Tortuguero National Park

2006-05-06T10:11:00.000-07:00

The Tortuguero National Park has several rainforests, swamps, and provides habitat homes for over 500 species of wildlife. The park alone is home to thirteen of the sixteen endangered animals in Costa Rica.

The Tortuguero National Park is also a nesting colony for green sea turtles and also hawksbill turtles.

Each year thousands of tourists visit the Tortuguero National Park to see the rainforest and turtles

Costa Rica Travel: Costa Rica Surfing

2006-04-28T08:04:00.000-07:00

My last post was about the beaches in Costa Rica, so it would make sense to give some info about surfing there as well. Costa Rica has more than fifty surf breaks and there are spots that have waves all year long. If you ever plan to surf in a trip in Costa Rica, you might be interested in the following surf breaks

Manzanillo – Very fast break

Potrero Granda – Fast breaks, but has no road access

Witch’s Rock aka. Playa Naranjo – Strong winds and has is a spot that is one of the best breaks in Costa Rica

Playa Negra – One of the best breaks in Costa Rica with fast waves

Playa Escondida – You must be a member of the beach club if you want to reach it by land

Playa Hermosa – This beach break is very strong

Costa Rica Travel: Costa Rica Beach

2006-04-27T12:49:00.000-07:00

The beaches in Costa Rica are beautiful to view. Beaches in Costa Rica also draw a lot of attention from the yearly tourists that visit Costa Rica. Costa Rican beaches are located at the coastline and provide multiple choice spots to visit. Guanacaste in Costa Rica has several beach destinations you might want to visit.

The Playa Blanca beach has white sand. Playa Blanca can be very sunny during the dry season.

About Southeast of Playa Carillo, the Playa Bejuco beach can be found. You can find strong waves there.

The Playa Barco Quebrdo Beach has grayish sand with cliffs at the end of the beach.

Write For This Blog

2006-04-06T19:31:00.000-07:00

I am trying something new and looking for bloggers and writers to write useful unique news, article, stories, and posts about Costa Rica for this blog

In return those that are chosen as an author will receive the appropriate recognition and be allowed to place 1 link in their posts they create to a related Costa Rica website or page they may own.

Websites that a author link to must not contain hate, sex / sexual content or porn, illegal activities, controversial issues or encourage the actions of such activities.

Guidelines for authors chosen

Authors must not create spam post
Authors must be knowledgeable about Costa Rica
Authors must be able to write English clear and spell checks their work before submitting.
Since I am just starting this idea as something new, authors will have a limit of posting up to 2 posts a week.

If you are insterested then please contact me at the email below at:

blogwriting@costa-ricatravel.com

Submit your Costa Rica Stories

2006-04-06T19:15:00.000-07:00

Do you have a travel or vacation story about Costa Rica that you would like to share? Then type or paste and submit your story in the form below and if your story is accepted it will be posted in this blog!

Costa Rica Travel: Volcan Poas

2006-03-27T10:23:00.000-08:00

Volcan Poas, a volcano located about 35 kilometers north east of Alajuela, erupted again on Sunday. The volcano awoke from its slumber last Friday after being dormant for twelve years. The number of eruptions now totals eleven.

The volcano is one of the mountain peaks, and attracts thousands of visitors each year.

Costa Rican authorities states for the moment that nearby communities are not at risk.

Costa Rica Travel Blog: Costa Rica and Mangoes

2006-03-21T11:47:00.000-08:00

According to information from the Ministry of Agriculture, Mango exports from Costa Rica increase by forty-three percent.

Last year Costa Rica exported about Nine thousand tons of mangoes.

The buyers included Holland, U.S, and United Kingdom, Germany Portugal, El Salvador and many others.

Costa Rica Travel: Observers watch World Cup Rivals

2006-03-01T17:17:00.000-08:00

In Costa Rica, soccer is called "football"

Costa Rica Football Federation made a announcement that it will send observers to the friendly March 1 matches played by rivals of 2006 Germany world cup

The trainer of under-21 team, Geovanny will watch the match between italy-Germany

Assistant to costa rica manager Alexander Guimaraes, Eduardo, will watch the United States-Poland match.

Another assistant, Erick Lonis, will watch the Holland-Ecuador match in Amsterdam, Holland.

Costa Rica’s national team will go to Iran on Sunday to play Iran’s national team.

Costa Rica Travel: Volcanica Coffee

2006-02-20T11:12:00.000-08:00

Volcanica Coffee starts off the 2006 gourmet coffee harvest in Costa Rica. The suppliers of Volcanica (the coffee farms) have started the harvest, which is taking place in the Tarrazu region of Costa Rica.

Coffee plants are picked by hand. A problem for the farmers though is the low amount of workers.

The harvest is to continue early late February.