La mejores playas para surfear en costa rica

Las guías Moon hacen que los viajes independientes y que la exploración de exteriores sea divertida y accesible. Su elaboración es llevada a cabo por turistas expertos quienes reseñan de manera sincera los pormenores de cada lugar, consejos estratégicos de primera; además de datos locales útiles y una buena dosis de buen humor. Por estas razones, dichos libros han ganado un lugar especial entre los amantes de los viajes al extranjero. El objetivo de la casa editorial es que cada usuario tenga una experiencia única. Cada texto incluye ideas, mapas fáciles de usar y un conglomerado de cosas por ver, restaurantes y hospedajes. Existen distintos tipos de manuales Moon. Estos incluyen: de bolsillo, exteriores, metro, vida en el exterior y lugares destacados. En el último apartado, se pueden encontrar diferentes clases de sitios por visitar. En ese sentido, la versión correspondiente a Costa Rica ofrece una pequeña descripción acerca de playas. Más específicamente, cuenta con un listado de centros de surf que todo aficionado debe conocer. Si bien destacan que existen docenas de áreas que proporcionan olas tubulares y brisa cálida; también hacen hincapié en aspectos negativos. Indican que en muchas de ellas hay que tener precaución debido a las corrientes que pueden ser mortales para nadadores y surfistas. Asimismo, subrayan temporadas en las que muchas están llenas de troncos y maderas.

Costa caribeña:

• Playa Cocles: Las hermosas arenas doradas e islas mar adentro la convierten en el sitio ideal para quienes están comenzando en este deporte acuático. Además, cuenta con restaurantes de buena calidad en los alrededores.

• Puerto Viejo: Ofrece la ola conocida como «Salsa Brava», que es la más alta y poderosa de toda Costa Rica. Por ello se recomienda solo para personas expertas.

Zona noroeste (Guanacaste):

• Playa Naranjo (Parque Nacional Santa Rosa): Es una zona solitaria dentro del área protegida, apta para acampar y observar la fauna local. Contiene la famosa «Roca Bruja», todo un ícono para los surfistas de corazón.

• Playa Potrero Grande (Parque Nacional Santa Rosa): Aislado y de difícil acceso, este litoral –más conocido como «Ollie's Point»– bien merece la pena, pues posee características inigualables. Tanto así que su oleaje fue reconocido a nivel internacional por el director Bruce Brown en la producción de 1994: «The Endless Summer II». Además, las cercanías ofrecen un espectáculo maravilloso en cuanto a biodiversidad.

Península de Nicoya:

• Playa Grande: Con kilómetros de longitud, este es el sitio de anidación por excelencia de la tortuga baula en horas de la noche. Sin embargo, durante el día les brinda a sus visitantes el mejor surf de la zona.

• Playa Tamarindo: Es la quintaescencia para los surfistas, por lo que es el complejo turístico más de moda en la actualidad. Es amplísimo cuando baja la marea, el sueño de cualquier pareja de enamorados. Los amantes de la tabla podrán disfrutar de un rompeolas fluvial gracias a la desembocadura del río. Más al sur, se localiza playa Langosta, un reto mayor pero con olas menos consistentes.

• Playa Avellanas: Con un número cada vez mayor de servicios que atienden a los surfistas, Avellanas también abastece a la clase adinerada con el lujoso centro vacacional Hacienda Pinilla. Tiene media docena de rompeolas de coral.

• Playa Negra: Se accede a ella por un camino de tierra. Este litoral de arena gris en una costa accidentada es muy popular entre quienes buscan un enorme rompeolas de coral.

• Playas Santa Teresa y Mal País: Hoy por hoy es el sitio más de moda para practicar esta disciplina deportiva. Ambas playas gemelas corren a lo largo de una costa escarpada llena de campamentos de surf, bares extravagantes e incluso centros turísticos de lujo. Posee varios puntos de surf recomendados.

Pacífico Central:

• Jacó: Es el pueblo surfista original que aún atrae a una multitud leal de este deporte. Jacó se ha transformado más recientemente en el centro neurálgico de la fiesta cerca al mar. Además, es el lugar para deportistas con conocimiento intermedio, ya que ofrece picos divertidos tanto derechos como izquierdos.

• Playa Hermosa: Directamente al sur de Jacó, cuenta con olas consistentes y de gran alcance. Sin embargo, puede suele estar concurrida con surfistas que buscan «túneles» perfectos.

• Dominical: Relajada y de moda, pero volviéndose cada vez más lujosa. Ofrece rompeolas izquierdos y derechos que van desde los más sencillos a los más complicados.

Golfo Dulce y península de Osa:

• Cabo Matapalo: Ubicado en la punta sureste de la península de Osa, tiene varias rompientes rocosas estupendas. Por ello es más adecuado para surfistas expertos.

• Pavones: Conocida como una meca para los surfistas, es reconocida mundialmente por su rompiente izquierda que, en un día bueno, puede dar oleaje de hasta un kilómetro de extensión.

Del Mar Surf Camp ha sabido identificar la importancia de estos puntos y ha ubicado dos de sus tres sedes en playa Hermosa (Jacó) y Santa Teresa. Así, los visitantes se garantizan no solo el conocimiento sobre esta disciplina; sino, además, la certeza de practicar la tabla en sitios de renombre mundial. Diez años de trayectoria y una gran clientela satisfecha le garantizan un servicio único y de calidad.

Por: Andrés Figueroa Vásquez

Scientists study Nicoya Peninsula offshore seismic faults

About 50 million years or so ago, Costa Rica was a series of underwater volcanoes. Over thousands and thousands of years, layers built up until eventually they surfaced and continued to grow, just as the Hawaiian Islands do today. The Cocos Plate shoving its way underneath the Caribbean Plate also helped things along, pushing Central America out of the sea floor. Eventually, a recent 3 million years ago, Costa Rica emerged from the sea creating a continuous bridge between North and South America.

Today, the Cocos Plate is still pushing its way below the Caribbean Plate in what is considered a subduction megathrust fault, and it is happening directly below Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula along the Pacific Coast. The Nicoya Peninsula has the unique distinction of being "one of the few landmasses along the Pacific Rim located directly above the seismogenic zone of a subduction megathrust fault," states Dr. Jeff Marshall of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

So, what does all of this mean?

In geology, subduction is the process that takes place at the point two tectonic plates converge, when one tectonic plate moves under another and sinks into the Earth's mantle, explains Wikipedia. A subduction zone is an area where this is happening. According to Marshall, megathrust earthquakes along subduction zones are among Earth's most powerful natural hazards.

Off the Nicoya Peninsula, the Cocos Plate is subducting along the Middle America Trench under the Caribbean Plate at a rate of about 9 cm per year. The Middle America Trench is a deep oceanic trench stretching along the Pacific Coast from central Mexico to Costa Rica. The trench is 1,700 miles (2,750 km) long and is 21,880 feet (6,669 m) at its deepest point, according to Wikipedia.

Marshall and other scientists are studying the situation along Costa Rica's Nicoya coast, because due to its proximity to the subduction trench, the Nicoya Peninsula is particularly sensitive to vertical movements related to earthquakes. The subduction rate is considered "rapid," reports Marshall, resulting in a high seismic potential, as demonstrated by multiple large magnitude earthquakes during the past few centuries.

A major earthquake centered beneath the Nicoya Peninsula occurred on October 5, 1950 with a magnitude of 7.7, and just last year on September 5 (2012), a major megathrust earthquake (7.6) ruptured the plate boundary under the Peninsula. Located 12 km offshore of the central Nicoya coast, at a depth of 18 km, thankfully there were few casualties (2 deaths, 200 injured) in the September quake due to prior public outreach by geoscientists and Costa Rican government officials. The population was prepared and emergency personnel reacted swiftly.

Therefore, it is critical that geoscientists, government officials, and local residents develop a better understanding of the megathrust earthquake cycle beneath the Nicoya Peninsula, Marshall advises.

Meanwhile, the Middle America Trench and undersea topography off the Nicoya Peninsula also create world-class surfing beaches, intriguing volcanic reef formations, interesting snorkeling, and a unique habitat for deep ocean marine life to come close to shore.

Where to stay on the Nicoya Peninsula?

Once a small fishing village, Santa Teresa near the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula is a tropical paradise. The jungle at Santa Teresa sweeps down low coastal mountains to the Pacific Ocean, hugging the shore and creating one of the most beautiful beaches of Costa Rica.

Hotel Tropico Latino fronts the white sands of Playa Carmen at Santa Teresa on four acres of tranquil, abundant gardens – a heavenly Costa Rica vacation destination. Hotel Tropico Latino features comfortable, luxurious beachfront and garden rooms, bungalows and suites. Hotel facilities include a full-service beachfront Spa, a beachfront yoga platform with daily classes and activities, surfing and surf instruction in front of the hotel, and regular yoga and surf retreats. The open-air beachfront Shambala Restaurant, run by award-winning Chef Randy Siles, is nationally-recognized for its creative international cuisine. It's easy to relax there with a beachside pool and plenty of hammocks strung under a grove of coconut and almond trees; sunsets are breathtaking.

To get to Playa Santa Teresa, drive to the port of Puntarenas on Costa Rica's Central Pacific Coast and take the ferry (1-1/2 hours) to Paquera; drive another 75 minutes, going past Tambor and Cobano to the crossroads for Mal Pais and Santa Teresa; turn right toward Santa Teresa. Arrange a shuttle ride or private van with a transportation company. Many visitors take a domestic flight to Tambor on either Nature Air or Sansa Airlines; Santa Teresa is approximately a 50-minute drive from the Tambor airport. You can also take a taxi boat from the Central Pacific beach town of Jacó that departs daily at 10:45 am and arrives in one hour to Montezuma at the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula; from there it is a 35-minute drive to Santa Teresa.

By Shannon Farley

Ballenas jorobadas, estrellas de la canción marina.

¿Apasionado por la vida marina?

¿Sabe dónde puede avistar delfines de varios tipos (nariz de botella, manchados y giradores) al lado de ballenas jorobadas y calderones que salen a la superficie mientras resguardan a sus crías?

El Pacífico costarricense le facilita esta experiencia. Dependiendo del día encontrará delfines cerca de la costa; mientras que en otras jornadas se podrán ver grupos de más de 1000 especímenes mar adentro. La gran cantidad de cardúmenes de atún permiten esto.
También podrá contemplar ballenas jorobadas, que migran desde 2 hemisferios distintos: Norte y Suramérica. Una vez en Tiquicia, se aparean y tienen a sus crías. En total el recorrido se extiende entre 3.000 y 5.000 kilómetros, dos veces al año.
Es uno de los animales que viajan más distancia a la hora de migrar. Lo más extraordinario de todo es que casi no descansan durante todo el trayecto y tampoco comen durante el viaje. En el hemisferio norte las ballenas jorobadas pasan los veranos del norte de la costa de Alaska y la Columbia Británica, donde se alimentan constantemente de krill y peces pequeños en las ricas aguas del Ártico.
Los especímenes provenientes del hemisferio sur hacen lo propio durante el verano austral en territorio Antártico.
Las ballenas comen hasta una tonelada de alimento por día, con tal de crear una capa gruesa de grasa que les sirva para su enorme periplo. El mapa migratorio muestra que especies de ambos hemisferios del globo convergen en nuestro país.
Conforme avanza el invierno y los mares se convierten en hielo, las ballenas inician su larga migración hacia aguas más cálidas. Las ballenas del norte bajan hasta Méjico, Hawái y América Central. Mientras que las islas hawaianas son propias de especies de mayor tamaño, el territorio americano ofrece condiciones óptimas para diversos tipos de animales marinos. Por su parte, las jorobadas del Antártico vienen cuando las aguas de la Gran Barrera de Coral de Australia alcanzan temperaturas bajas, de junio a noviembre.
Cuando las ballenas de ambos hemisferios se encuentran frente a los litorales costarricenses –sobre todo entre octubre y noviembre – es posible ver un evento marino único en su clase. Las ballenas entonarán sus «canciones» de cortejo con el fin de fundar una nueva familia.
Mire de lejos el espectáculo de estos gigantes y maravíllese con el comportamiento mostrado por ambas especies.
Aprecie cómo la sinfonía de los cetáceos hace retumbar el interior de las aguas del Pacífico. Las jorobadas son las únicas ballenas que pueden comunicarse mediante canciones largas y complejas. Cualquiera puede ser testigo de estas melodías con un hidrófono.
Cada sujeto tiene tonadas particulares según sus habilidades específicas y su lugar de proveniencia. Por ello se cree que estas ballenas producen las canciones más largas y complejas del mundo animal, con secuencias reconocibles de chillidos, gruñidos y otros sonidos.

Un dato curioso es que producen una sinfonía nueva cada año pero que, sin embargo, contiene piezas de la del anterior. Podría decirse que ello responde a la necesidad de mejora en el cortejo. Asimismo, con el pasar del tiempo, la composición original cambia completamente hasta convertirse en una inédita. Los científicos tienen la hipótesis de que la música de estos cetáceos son diferentes a los de otras especies y puede ser oída a una distancia de hasta 1.600 kilómetros.
Otra información interesante es que solo se ha registrado este comportamiento en machos y dentro de las cálidas aguas ticas. Por su parte, las mamás y sus crías pasan los 4 meses siguientes en esta zona, a veces acompañados por un cetáceo masculino (que puede o no puede ser el padre).
Durante este lapso, las madres les enseñan a los recién nacidos cómo saltar fuera del agua con todo el cuerpo y a nadar en todo tipo de clima. La relación entre las hembras y sus retoños se extiende por alrededor de un año, cuando los pequeños alcanzan una longitud de entre los 8 y los 10 metros.
Usted puede presenciar este espectáculo al tiempo que pasa una temporada vacacional inolvidable en el Hotel Vista Las Islas. Disfrutará de las maravillas de la naturaleza al tiempo que complacerá sus exigencias más altas con un hospedaje de gran calidad.
Aproveche esta oportunidad mientras descubre los tesoros más especiales de la Madre Tierra.
Por Andrés Figueroa.

Undersea coral rainforests need protection

The mention of coral reefs usually brings to mind crystal-clear, warm tropical waters, bright colorful fish and coral … maybe even the movie, "Nemo." Coral reefs form such vast, diverse ecosystems that they are commonly called the "rainforests of the oceans."

Like the rainforests on land, coral reefs are extremely threatened by humans' actions and climate change. Since the late 1970s, coral reefs across the world have been dying at an unprecedented rate, and it only seems to be getting worse, according to Phil Dustan, a marine biologist at the College of Charleston, South Carolina, in an Earth Observatory / NASA report.

"It's a real tragedy," states Dustan. "But over the past 20 years, we've seen a rapid decline in the vitality of coral reefs and their ecosystems worldwide." In the report, Dustan explains that corals evolved in warm, clean, still waters with stable levels of sunlight and salinity. In order for the corals to survive, these waters must remain pristine and relatively undisturbed. A delicate balance also has to be maintained between the animals that feed on and live among the reefs. If any of these factors are thrown off balance, the polyps in the reef will be eaten away by predators, devastated by disease, or simply become so stressed that they die, Dustan explains.

Corals are invertebrate animals that stay fixed in one place and live in tropical waters all over the world, usually close to the surface where the sun's rays can reach them. Dustan explains that though corals may appear to be jagged stone plants sprouting from the ocean floor, only a very thin layer of polyps on the coral's surface is actually alive. These polyps, which resemble tiny sea anemones, build interconnected tubes around themselves as protection against predators. Each time new polyps are born, they will construct their shells on top of their predecessors'. Stacks upon stacks of the limestone shells pile up on top of one another through the years to create coral branches and heads, and ultimately giant reefs (Miller and Crosby 1998).

Over millions of years, thousands upon thousands of species of sea creatures have come to depend on corals as a source of food and shelter. So far, researchers have identified nearly 4,000 kinds of fish and tens of thousands of invertebrates that thrive and depend on some 800 types of known coral, Dustan reports.

Coral reefs are dying off due to pollution, overfishing, blast fishing (using dynamite to kill fish), and digging under the water. Coral reefs only develop in areas with specific environmental characteristics: Warm water temperatures, clear waters low in phosphate and nitrogen, a solid structure for attachment, and moderate wave action to disperse wastes and bring oxygen and plankton to the reef. Reef growth is extremely slow; an individual colony grows 1 to 7 inches (1 to 18 cm) in a year, depending on the species.

A recent study by the Interamerican Association for Environmental Defense (AIDA), entitled "Coral Reefs in Costa Rica," states that 97% of the 970 km2 of reefs that live in Costa Rica's waters are threatened by human activities. Paradoxically, corals have a value of $582 million annually for Costa Rica, a product of its profits in fishing, tourism, scientific research, and in prevention of natural disasters (corals prevent coastal erosion caused by hurricanes and storms).

The AIDA report calls for urgent action by Costa Rica's government to protect coral reefs. While Costa Rica is bound by international treaties such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to protect corals, the country does not have specific regulations that enforce these obligations.

Visit Costa Rica's coral reefs

Some of the best places to experience Costa Rica's living coral reefs are Tortuga Island in the Nicoya Gulf (Pacific Ocean), Cano Island off the Osa Peninsula in the Southern Pacific, Uvita Island offshore of Limon and the Cahuita National Park – both on Costa Rica's Caribbean Coast.

The Cahuita National Park is home to one of Costa Rica's largest coral reefs, and the only mature coral formation found along the Caribbean coast. Extending 500 meters out from Cahuita Point, the reef fans out over an area of about 600 acres (a square mile). Snorkeling in the area is fantastic, and you can swim right out from shore or go on a boat. You can see 35 species of coral and an abundant variety of marine life.

Enjoy an exciting 1-day snorkeling and hiking tour in the Cahuita National Park from Puerto Viejo with Costa Rica Special Deals. The Costa Rica travel agency offers top deals on Costa Rica vacation packages.

Learn More

Learn more about what you can do to protect coral reefs at reef monitoring programs like the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network and Reef Check. Both employ a network of volunteers around the globe to monitor reefs.

By Shannon Farley

Costa Rica super woods coming soon?

My front door is starting to stick. The kitchen cupboards under the sink now won't close, and my bedroom door is suddenly dragging across the floor tile. Is my house in need of repair? No, it's just rainy season in Costa Rica.

In the tropics, water and humidity play a major role in daily life. For us in Costa Rica, rain affects everything from drinking water supply to growing food, maintaining our forests and vegetation, and our electricity generated by hydroelectric power. Not quite so obvious, but which definitely affects daily life, is the swelling and shrinking of wood based on moisture levels. During the rainy season in Costa Rica, sometimes doors suddenly won't open without force, cupboards don't close, tables warp – all due to the wood's absorption of moisture in the air and expansion. Researchers at the University of Costa Rica are coming to the rescue with "super woods."

Super Wood, or acetylated wood technology, is a process that has been studied by scientists around the world for more than 75 years. Accsys Technologies in England are experts with their Accoya wood technology. The process literally alters the wood's chemical structure to create a new product which is "pure, natural and more durable," states Accoya information.

Wood contains an abundance of chemical groups called "free hydroxyls" which absorb and release water depending on climatic conditions, explains the Accoya website. This is the main reason why wood swells and shrinks. Digestion of wood by enzymes begins also at the free hydroxyl groups – one of the principal reasons why wood is prone to insect infestations and decay.

Acetylation effectively changes the free hydroxyls within the wood into acetyl groups by treating the wood with acetic anhydride, which comes from acetic acid (the primary acid in vinegar), explains the Accoya information. When the free hydroxyl group is transformed to an acetyl group, the wood becomes extremely durable because it no longer absorbs water as much and is no longer digestible.

The best part is that acetyl groups are simply composed of oxygen, hydrogen and carbon – elements already naturally present in all wood, as well as in humans and other animals. This means that the manufacturing process adds nothing to the wood that does not already naturally occur within it and does not add toxins to the environment, states Accsys Technologies.

In Costa Rica, the "natural" acetylation process is good news as the country works hard to maintain and improve its leading world environmental status. The experimentation being conducted by UCR researchers could change the way wood is processed in Costa Rica. "In the majority of sawmills in the country, what they do now is put the wood in a pile with a chemical made from water, which also contains gold and chromium salts. Both components are toxic to pests and also have some toxicity to humans," said UCR researcher Johnny Alfaro.

Experiments being conducted in the Laboratory of Forest Products at UCR have shown that acetylated wood is highly resistant to moisture and white rot fungus (Trametes versicolor), that affects tropical timber. Researchers chose 4 of the 12 major timber species of Costa Rica for the study: Teak (Tectona grandis), Melina (Gmelina arborea), Guanacaste (Enterolobium cyclocarpum) and Cedar Maria (Calophyllum brasilense). All are top selling woods in Costa Rica, and two are native species (Guanacaste & Cedar Maria).

Producing superior performance, sustainable, low-maintenance wood products helps protect the world's precious hardwood resources. Super woods last longer and fewer trees need to be cut. Accsys Technologies guarantees its Accoya wood for 50 years in exterior use and 25 years when used in the ground.

Sustainability & Scientific Research in Costa Rica

The University of Costa Rica works closely with many organizations and scientific research projects in the country on sustainability. Near Costa Rica's Caribbean Coast, UCR scientists partner with Veragua Rainforest Research & Adventure biologists to preserve the area's population of frogs, snakes, lizards, iguanas, insects, butterflies and birds.

Veragua Rainforest protects 1,300 hectares (3,212 acres) of tropical rainforest in the foothills of the Talamanca Mountain Range in Costa Rica, an hour inland from the port town of Limón on the Caribbean Coast. The biology research center and adventure tours park offers an excellent educational opportunity, both for students and educators and also day-tour guests, with hands-on research of rainforest life. The property contains a biology research station, wildlife habitats, walking trails through the rainforest, a river and waterfall, an aerial tramway, a canopy zip line tour, student group accommodations, and a restaurant, café and souvenir shop.

Veragua Rainforest Research & Adventure Park is a sustainable rainforest experience not to be missed when visiting Costa Rica's Caribbean area. Veragua Rainforest is open to day visitors Tuesday to Sunday, from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. Admission is $66 for adults and $55 for children/students; children under age 4 receive free admission. Veragua is located 40 minutes from Limon and 2 ½ hours from San José, in Brisas de Veragua, 12 km south from the Liverpool entrance on the highway to Limón.

By Shannon Farley

Costa Rica's reforestation is critical to climate change

Tropical forests cover 15% of the globe's surface and capture 25% of the carbon present in the atmosphere. These healthy forests play a critical role in curbing climate change. They "breathe" CO₂ from the atmosphere and store it in trees and soil; in fact, roughly half of the world's terrestrial carbon is stored in forests, according to the international organization Conservation International.

Costa Rica is the first, and so far the only, tropical country in the world that has reversed a decades-long process of deforestation (dropping from 85% forest in 1940 to 35% forest by 1980), Conservation International reports. It was the first country to set a goal to be carbon neutral by 2021, and by many estimates it will be the first to realize this goal. By protecting forests instead of destroying them, Costa Rica is leading the global effort to mitigate climate change, Conservation International states.

According to satellite imagery taken in 2005, Costa Rica had 2,391,000 hectares of total forest area, or about 46.8% of the land. By 2010, however, that figure was reported up to 51.02% forest, according to a World Bank report published in 2012. Approximately 25% of Costa Rica's territory is protected in national parks and private reserves.

Costa Rica is known as a "bridge of biodiversity" because it has flora and fauna from both North and South America. Trees are usually the largest most obvious element of an ecosystem. We need to conserve and plant trees not only for the oxygen they produce and carbon they store, but also for the ecosystems they create and biodiversity they protect. Costa Rica maintains a very high percentage of biodiversity (5%) on the planet relative to its landmass size. It has more than 1,511 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles, 6.9% of which only exist in Costa Rica, and 12,119 vascular plants, 7.8% of which are endemic.

In April 2013, a joint research project between Canada and Costa Rica sought to measure how much carbon is stored in Costa Rica's forests and to map the country's major forest areas. Mission Airborne Carbon 2013 (MAC-13) employed the use of a Canadian Twin Otter plane to fly over forest sites in Guanacaste, the Northern part of Costa Rica, the Caribbean, and the Osa Peninsula in the South Pacific. The aircraft was equipped with two hyperspectral sensors (CASI y SASI), on loan from the Canadian Space Agency, that measure the solar energy reflected by a form when it hits it. This is called "radiance", and by combining these data with the biomass, scientists learn what the potential of carbon capture and storage a forest has, according to the MAC-13 project.

The MAC-13 project, coordinated by researchers at the McGill University in Canada, is part of the United Nations Collaborative Program on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (UN-REDD). Costa Rica is a UN-REDD partner country.

Deforestation and forest degradation, through agricultural expansion, conversion to pastureland, infrastructure development, destructive logging, fires etc., account for nearly 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than the entire global transportation sector and second only to the energy sector, according to the UN-REDD. "REDD is an effort to create a financial value for the carbon stored in forests, offering incentives for developing countries to reduce emissions from forested lands and invest in low-carbon paths to sustainable development," UN-REDD information states.

Nature Tours in Costa Rica

Explore Costa Rica's forests and biodiversity with Costa Rica travel agency Team CRT. The agency knows the best of the country, what to do and see, and they personalize it for you, designing your Costa Rica vacation to fit exactly what you want. Team CRT offers three exciting Nature vacation packages: 7 Days – 6 nights Costa Rica National Parks Delight, 8 Days – 7 Nights Costa Rica's Tropical Nature, and 12 Days – 11 Nights Tropical Marvels.

From nature tours to beach destinations, adventure tours, family vacations, relaxation vacations, honeymoons and golf vacations, Team CRT delivers you unforgettable Costa Rica vacation packages.

"People depend on nature for many things. A stable climate. Clean air. Fresh water. Abundant food. Cultural resources. And the incalculable additional benefits the world's biodiversity provides." -- Conservation International

By Shannon Farley

La construcción verde llegó para quedarse

Costa Rica es un país reconocido en el ámbito internacional por la sostenibilidad. Con el objetivo de ser una economía carbono neutral en el 2021, esta nación toma las riendas del liderazgo latinoamericano en desarrollo verde. No obstante, las buenas intenciones no serán efectivas en tanto no se desplieguen medidas progresistas en varios sectores, como la vivienda y la construcción.

Tiquicia no es ajena a la arquitectura sostenible. Existen en la actualidad proyectos de esta naturaleza a lo largo y ancho del territorio. Sin embargo, esto no se traduce en una demanda generalizada por este tipo de desarrollo inmobiliario. Para ello no existen recetas, todo depende de la creatividad, de la ubicación del terreno y de las personas involucradas. Inclusive los más conocedores del tema coinciden en que las edificaciones en armonía con el ambiente son muy sencillos. Basta con aplicar sentido común o reenfocar las técnicas tradicionales para que se vuelvan más ecológicos. Hay que recordar que cada edificio se encuentra en un entorno diferente, al tiempo que responde a diferentes necesidades. Por ende no puede haber unos idénticos a otros. Lo cierto es que, de realizarse adecuadamente, la inversión resulta inferior tanto en el corto como en el largo plazo.

Por ejemplo, los expertos recomiendan que los edificios verdes reduzcan al mínimo el uso de energía en su construcción y operación. Además, es imprescindible que hagan un uso racional de recursos como el agua. Asimismo, deben evitar emplear materiales tóxicos o que causen algún daño al ambiente. Otro procedimiento posible es remodelar las estructuras existentes para que sean más amigables con la naturaleza.
Los especialistas consensuan en que más allá de materias primas, son fundamentales ciertos elementos de diseño que no requieren inversión o artilugios adicionales. En un clima tropical es necesario disminuir el impacto de los aires acondicionados, ya que con frecuencia aumentan los costos energéticos hasta en un 60%. En contraposición, uno de los objetivos más significativos y fáciles de obtener es la ventilación cruzada y evitar la exposición a la luz del sol. Para lograr interiores más frescos, se puede recurrir a techos altos con ventilación cercana a la parte superior de las paredes. Adicionalmente, aparecen los aleros amplios, marquesinas, toldos y la plantación de árboles para disminuir el impacto del astro rey.

En condiciones muy cálidas y húmedas, las edificaciones pueden fundarse sobre pilotes. Así se incrementa la circulación del aire y se reduce la exposición a la humedad. Cuando el clima sea más bien cálido y seco, lo mejor es construir cerca de la tierra. De igual forma, deben hacerse paredes gruesas que utilicen y conserven el frescor natural del suelo. Entonces, si se repara con atención, estas son características que se han empleado tradicionalmente en nuestro país y en distintas partes del globo. Por ende, se concluye que las técnicas del «diseño verde» son más bien antiguas pero que se habían dejado de lado por cierto tiempo.
Pues bien, el proyecto inmobiliario Portasol es una comunidad que ha hecho de la sostenibilidad un modo de vida. Cuenta con diversas iniciativas de corte ambiental y social que la convierten en líder en responsabilidad social empresarial en el Pacífico central costarricense. Le ofrece lotes con dimensiones que oscilan entre los 5.000 y los 43.000 m². Cada propiedad se entrega a línea de propiedad con acometidas eléctricas, agua, red telefónica e internet, camino lastrado y al menos un plantel o terraza para construir. Tiene ofertas muy interesantes que de seguro le despertarán la curiosidad. Y si aún duda, puede venir a darse unas vacaciones en alguno de los búngalos o casas que están disponibles para alquilar.

¡Conozca las maravillas de vivir en armonía con la Tierra!

Por: Andrés Figueroa Vásquez

How to Get to Nosara from Juan Santamaria International Airport

We like to consider Playa  Nosara, Guanacaste as our surf paradise and one of Costa Rica’s best kept secrets – a hidden paradise with no paved roads to lead you directly to this destination. As one of the 6 Blue Zones in the world, the community at Playa  Nosara is characterized by a population that believes in maintaining active lifestyles, fostering low stress environments, natural diets and spending lots of quality time with friends and family.
Playa  Nosara has a tranquil atmosphere for tourists who want to really get away from it all and focus on surfing and relaxing in this romantically remote paradise. It is considered one of the “greenest zones” in Costa Rica with a large focus on organic production and sustainability with it as a home to many surfers, artists and yogis. Often referred to as a laid back town with good vibes, the protected area is home to consistently large tides, white sand beaches and very little disruption from lack of beachfront property. We start off our beginner surfers at Playa Guiones, where the quality and consistency of the waves makes this beach an ideal place to surf, sometimes up to twice a day.

Getting to Santa Teresa Beach by Car

From San Jose, drive west to the Pacific Coast port town of Puntarenas and take the car ferry to Paquera. Be sure not to take the ferry to Playa Naranjo. Once off the ferry in Paquera, follow the signs for Cobano and Mal Pais, passing through the town of Tambor; watch for road signs as the route is clearly marked. Once in Cobano, drive straight through town and turn left after 1 kilometer, proceeding toward Mal Pais. You will now be driving on a dirt road. After 8 km (30 min), you will arrive at Mal Pais crossroads; turn right and Hotel Tropico Latino is 800 yards on your left, just after a tiny bridge. Total driving time is approximately 3 hours, plus 1 hour on the ferry.

How to get to Veragua Rainforest

Veragua Rainforest Research & Adventure is located less than 1 hour away from the Port of Limón and 2 ½ hours from San José!

Veragua Rainforest is located in Brisas de Veragua, 12 km south from the Liverpool entrance on the highway to Limón.

Amazing trip San Jose to Santa Teresa Beach using Paquera Ferry .

Amazing trip San Jose to Santa Teresa Beach using Paquera Ferry .
Santa Teresa Beach is custom-built for fun. You have the perfect combination of relaxing beaches, exciting tropical rainforest and luxurious accommodations and spas. White sand beaches, lush vegetation and spectacular sunsets set an amazing stage for your romantic holiday.

Pranamar Oceanfront Villas & Yoga Retreat, is a winner of the 2012 Trip Advisor Traveler’s Choice Award. Pranamar Villas is a gorgeous, intimate boutique hotel right on the water with luxury two-story villas built around a free-form saltwater pool and tropical gardens, and elaborate beachfront villas. Picture Balinese architecture with bamboo, hardwoods, stone, water and plenty of windows and doors to let in fresh sea breezes.

Courtesy by :http://pranamarvillas.com/en/santa-teresa-beach.html

Curu Wildlife Refuge is main Nicoya Peninsula nature attraction

When I used to guide nature tours in Costa Rica, people would always ask me, “Are we going to see monkeys (or a sloth, toucan, etc.)?” I would always respond, “Well, it’s possible, but not guaranteed; it’s not like we put the animals out in their positions in the morning!”

When we talk about the Curú Wildlife Refuge, however, it actually almost is guaranteed to see a wide variety of wildlife. The Curú Wildlife Refuge protects tropical dry forests, beach, and mangrove estuaries and rivers on Costa Rica’s southern Nicoya Peninsula, near Paquera and Tambor. Curú is privately owned and part of a large farm that combines sustainable agriculture and forest management with the protection of wildlife and nature. For eco-tourists, the Curú Wildlife Refuge is a highlight attraction of the Nicoya Peninsula.

The Curú Wildlife Refuge is one of the smallest sanctuaries in Costa Rica, with only 84 hectares (207 acres). Despite its small size, Curú is home to a rich and diverse wildlife population spread over five ecological habitats, ranging from tropical dry and moist forest to mangrove swamps and marine habitats. Part of the reason for its high biodiversity is that the protected forest of Curú connects to the Biological Wildlife Corridor of the Nicoya Peninsula. As you drive from Paquera to Tambor, you will pass through a heavily forested part with giant trees; this broad strip of forest allows animals to migrate between Curú and the peninsula’s mountainous interiors. (Drive slowly and watch out for animals on the road!)

The Curú Wildlife Refuge is considered one of the best places in Costa Rica to observe wildlife. In this area live more than 232 bird species, 78 kinds of mammals, 87 types of reptiles, 25 amphibian species, and 500 different plants. The most common bird species are Motmots, White-fronted Amazons, Laughing Hawks, woodpeckers and herons; Scarlet macaws have successfully been reintroduced in the area and can often be seen in the mornings or the late afternoons. Mammals you might see include White-faced monkeys, Howler monkeys, Spider monkeys, White-tailed deer, Collared Peccaries, Coatis, Raccoons, Coyotes, Anteaters, Otters, Pumas and Ocelots. Iguanas are everywhere. On the beach, Olive Ridley, Hawksbill and Green sea turtles lay their eggs.

The habitat of the mangroves swamps is one of the more fascinating ecosystems. An immense number of small organisms live in the nutrient-rich mud of these swamps, which attract many species of fish and flocks of water birds to feed. All five of Costa Rica's mangrove species are represented in Curú.

Over the past 80 years, the Schutt-Valle family has managed the Curú land. The area has become an important ecotourism location and research center for students and scientists. Federico Schutt de la Croix purchased the land in 1933 from the Pacific Lumber Company that logged the area for valuable tropical trees. The area was then used as a sustainable development project with selective timber harvesting, agriculture and cattle grazing. The three children of Federico and his wife, Doña Julieta Schutt de Valle, all work in animal conservation and sustainable activities like small mango and teak plantations. The family’s land covers 1,496 hectares (3,697 acres); 1,100 hectares (2,718 acres) are protected forest (75%), 312 hectares (771 acres) are for grazing and agriculture (20%), and 84 hectares (207 acres) contain the Curú National Wildlife Refuge (5%). The Curú National Wildlife Refuge was officially created in 1983.

The entrance to Curú is 6 km after Paquera and 16 km before Tambor. There are several trails within the Refuge, including short, easy trails and long, difficult trails that can take several hours to complete. Curú is open daily from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. Entrance is $10 per person per day.

Visit the Curú Wildlife Refuge when you stay at Vista Las Islas Hotel & Spa in Paquera. This exotic tropical getaway features 18 rooms with private balcony terraces and ocean views of the Nicoya Gulf and famed Tortuga Island. The boutique luxury hotel can arrange tours to Curú, boat tours to Tortuga Island for snorkeling or scuba diving, kayaking and sport fishing. The hotel is conveniently located just a short drive away from the Paquera ferry terminal.

By Shannon Farley

La construcción verde llegó para quedarse

http://enchanting-costarica.com/espanol/la-construccion-verde-llego-para-quedarse/

Summer surf vacations in Costa Rica

What are you doing for your summer holiday?

What about a beach holiday in the tropics? Sun, sand, surf … Costa Rica is at the top of all popular travel sites this year. Warm water, abundant sunshine, palm trees, balmy temperatures, friendly people, and lots of great places to stay and things to do. This year, try an active surfing vacation in tropical Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is the third most popular destination for surfing after Hawaii and Indonesia. With 762 miles of coastlines spread along the Pacific and the Caribbean oceans, you get thousands of opportunities for excellent year-round waves. Water temperatures are usually 83-85°F. No wetsuit needed!

Top Costa Rica surf school, Del Mar Surf Camp, offers surf vacation packages for travelers who want to try something new or get better at surfing. Their programs – for both beginner and advanced surfers – are designed so that you surf everyday with locals who have surfed the waves their whole lives.

Del Mar Surf Camp offers Costa Rica surf vacations in three locations: Jaco/Hermosa Beach on the Central Pacific Coast, Santa Teresa Beach on the Pacific's Nicoya Peninsula, and Nosara Beach on the Guanacaste Pacific Coast.

Del Mar Surf Camp's headquarters is at Hermosa Beach on Costa Rica's Central Pacific Coast, just south of the fun beach town of Jacó. The popular beach, with its consistent surf, variety of breaks and great exposure to swells, is famous with top surfers from all over the globe. Its shore break is one of the strongest in the world and is Del Mar's advanced surfing beach; but just 5-minutes away is the south end of Playa Jacó where beginners learn to surf in gentle and easy waves. These beaches have a fun and casual atmosphere with easy access to local attractions, restaurants and shopping. One of the area's biggest advantages is that it is only an hour's drive from San Jose on paved roads.

Near the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, Santa Teresa Beach is renowned for being one of the top 10 beaches in the world. Its beauty is stunning; the jungle hugs the coastline, pouring down from low mountains to light sand beaches and the clear aquamarine sea. Epic surf and picture-perfect sunsets are its distinction.

Nosara in Guanacaste is a community off-the-beaten-track known for its active and healthy lifestyles and its dedication to a slower pace of life with friends and family. Nosara's tranquil white sand beaches are perfect for surfing and relaxing.

Surf vacations are available now at all three of Del Mar Surf Camp's prime locations. The Pacifico 5 & 7 nights Costa Rica surfing vacation package includes daily surf lessons with bilingual instructors, daily breakfast, and private or shared accommodations.

The Swell 5 & 7 nights Costa Rica surfing vacation package includes daily surf lessons with bilingual instructors, daily Yoga classes, daily breakfast, private or shared accommodations, professional surfing photography, and 1 adventure tour.

The Estrella de Mar (Sea Star) 5 & 7 nights Costa Rica surfing vacation package includes daily surf lessons with bilingual instructors, daily Yoga classes, daily breakfast, private or shared accommodations, professional surfing photography, a complimentary 1-hour massage, and 1 adventure tour.

Every Del Mar surf lesson has a 2:1 instructor to student ratio for two to three hours, meaning you will always get the undivided attention you deserve with maximum safety. In all surf packages, Del Mar uses only high quality epoxy long boards, and also has soft tops available. Bilingual instructors are certified in CPR, Water Rescue, ISA and First Aid. Optional package adventure activities include: canopy zipline tours, stand up paddling, horseback riding, ATV tour, kayaking, Spanish lessons, Yoga, Pilates, and massage.

Del Mar Surf Camp specializes in Costa Rica surf vacations, family and group vacations, women only trips, yoga-surf retreats, stand-up paddle programs, and day surf lessons. Get away from your daily routine of life, have fun on an adventure, experience new places, make new friends, and create memories that will last a lifetime on a Costa Rica surf vacation.

Getting to Costa Rica is easy with daily flights from the North American cities of Houston, Dallas, New York/Newark, Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles, Denver, and Toronto on United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Spirit Airlines, JetBlue, Frontier Airlines, US Airways, TACA, Lacsa, and Copa Air. From Europe, Iberia, KLM, Air France and British Airways fly to Costa Rica.

By Shannon Farley

Costa Rica leads the Americas in environmental performance

The world's environmental grades have been posted by Yale University. So, which countries are really "walking the talk" with their national environmental policies and actions?

European nations are at the top of the world class, with a lone contender from the Americas – Costa Rica, placing 5^th best in the world for its environmental performance, according to the recent Environmental Performance Index (EPI) released by the Yale University Center for Environmental Law and Policy and the Columbia University Center for International Earth Science Information Network. Costa Rica is the only country in the Americas that made it to the top 10, where Europeans dominate the list.

The 2012 study was created in collaboration with the World Economic Forum in Switzerland and the Joint Research Center of the European Commission in Italy, along with more than 50 expert contributors from other world universities, institutes, commissions and committees. The EPI evaluates aspects such as climate adaptation, recycling, quality of the Earth, and nuclear safety, as well as exposure to toxic chemicals, among others.

Worldwide, Switzerland heads the list, thanks to its environmental policies that have created one of the cleanest cities in the world, Zurich. Switzerland's top ranking on the 2012 EPI is in large part due to its high performance in air pollution control and natural resource management, the study reports. On the other hand, Iraq is the country with the lowest score of the evaluation, followed by Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and South Africa. These countries are water scarce and face significant sustainability challenges; the first three also are known for weak governance, the EPI states.

In the Americas, the next ranking country after Costa Rica is Colombia at #27. Brazil is ranked #30, Canada is #37, and the USA is ranked #49.

2012 Global EPI rankings:

1. Switzerland
2. Latvia
3. Norway
4. Luxembourg
5. Costa Rica
6. France
7. Austria
8. Italy
9. United Kingdom
10. Sweden

The 2012 Environmental Performance Index tracks performance and progress on two broad policy objectives: Environmental Health and Ecosystem Vitality. Results are tallied on a quantitative basis using the best data available from international, academic, and research institutions with subject-area expertise, the report states.

The 2012 EPI ranks 132 countries on 22 performance indicators in the following 10 policy categories:

• Environmental Health
• Water (effects on human health)
• Air Pollution (effects on human health)
• Air Pollution (ecosystem effects)
• Water Resources (ecosystem effects)
• Biodiversity and Habitat
• Forests
• Fisheries
• Agriculture
• Climate Change

Though it is a country with a middle-income, Costa Rica earned its high EPI marks for its commendable policies on the environment. Costa Rica was distinguished in March this year for its environmental sustainability by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

Portasol Rainforest and Ocean View Community

Portasol is a sustainable community in the Central Pacific coastal area of Costa Rica, near Manuel Antonio and Dominical, which is firmly committed to its environmental practices. The residential community and tourism vacation rental business offers impressive properties in the rainforest with ocean views, unique vacation rental options, property management and other services.

Set on 1,300 acres of pure rainforest and river along the Portalón River Valley, Portasol Rainforest and Ocean View Community maintains its own 200-acre private nature reserve. Three spectacular private homes, 2 modern bungalows by the river, and 1 duplex overlooking the forest provide comfortable vacation lodging to guests. Residential lots are large – starting at 5,000 m2 (1.5 acres) to 10,000 m2 (3 acres). Portasol's environmental policies mandate that only 15% of each lot may be used for construction; the remaining 85% must be preserved in "green space."

Portasol's development enjoys sweeping views up and down the Pacific Coast from Manuel Antonio to Dominical. The Quepos Airport is a 20-minute drive away, and it is only 30 minutes to Quepos/Manuel Antonio and also Dominical to the south. The long, uncrowded beach of Matapalo is only a 5-minute drive away.

Portasol is an excellent example of Costa Rica's exemplary environmental performance in the world's quest to preserve the planet.

By Shannon Farley

Ahora es más sencillo viajar a Centroamérica

Desde hace algunos años, los representantes de los ministerios de Turismo en Centroamérica han planeado una estrategia conjunta de promoción regional. Desde esa perspectiva, se pretende que los excursionistas visiten varios países «en un mismo viaje». En tal sentido, se impulsa un plan de sostenibilidad y calidad. Este incluye, entre otros, el fortalecimiento de la seguridad del área. También se ha estimulado a las empresas del sector para que ofrezcan precios similares en los destinos disponibles en este territorio.

Y esta no es una decisión balidí. Según datos Consejo Centroamericano de Turismo (CCT), dicho fragmento de la economía representó ingresos por 7.341,1 millones de dólares en 2010 y 3.658,4 millones en el primer semestre de 2011 a Centroamérica. Asimismo, de forma anual se recibe un aproximado de 7,9 millones de turistas, de los que 3,5 millones provienen de la propia región. Por ende, el organismo se propuso desarrollar 22 proyectos con un valor de 1,9 millones de dólares. Los fondos provienen de los presupuestos de cooperación internacional de naciones como España, Suiza y Taiwán. Cabe destacar que el impulso de las autoridades estatales se ha visto aupado por la iniciativa privada. En ese sentido, la aerolínea Iberia ha servido como punta de lanza para la innovación. Descuella la incorporación de aviones Airbus A330 y Airbus 340-600 a su flotilla. Además, habrá 250.000 nuevas plazas entre San José y Madrid. Aparte se hará una renovación de la categoría ejecutiva que contará con butacas cama completamente planas y con mayor privacidad. Por su parte, la clase turista tendrá mayores opciones de entretenimiento individual a la carta; sin olvidar conexión por wifi dentro de la aeronave.

El mercado turístico costarricense no se ha aminorado con la crisis mundial, al punto que la compañía española ofrece un vuelo diario entre ambas capitales. Los pasajeros provenientes de San José tienen la opción de conectar con 31 ciudades españolas, 27 europeas y 13 más en África y Oriente Medio tras hacer una escala en Barajas. En 2012, esta ruta de Iberia fue seguida por 194.000 excursionistas, con un porcentaje de ocupación del 84%. Los destinos más buscados en la Madre Patria son: Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, Valencia y Málaga. En Europa, los orígenes o destinos más comunes son: París, Zúrich, Roma, Londres, Ámsterdam y Bruselas. Aparte de estos trayectos, la firma hispana vuela cinco veces por semana a Panamá; así como cuatro veces desde Guatemala y San Salvador. Se puede decir, sin lugar a dudas, que Iberia es la única aerolínea que ha volado ininterrumpidamente entre Europa y Centroamérica en los últimos 40 años. En palabras del director de ventas internacionales, Ángel Valdemoros, el crecimiento obedece a la importancia que tiene la región en momentos de dificultades financieras al otro lado del Atlántico. Agregó: «Confiamos en que los nuevos productos que estamos poniendo a disposición de nuestros clientes nos permitan consolidar nuestra posición de liderazgo y nuestro papel como aerolínea favorita».

Por otro lado, el ministro de Turismo de Costa Rica, Allan Flores, apuntó la relevancia de estas inversiones, puesto que «nos permite enlazarnos con nuestros principales emisores de turistas y mayores generadores de divisas por concepto de turismo desde Europa como lo son España, Francia y Alemania». Por eso, si usted nos lee desde el Viejo Continente, lo invitamos a darse unas vacaciones por Costa Rica. Puede descubrir las maravillas de esta nación, sobre todo en un lugar paradisíaco como el hotel Trópico Latino. Localizado en el pueblo costero de Santa Teresa, es uno de los sitios preferidos por los amantes del surf. En él siempre encontrará actividades y aventuras por descubrir, al tiempo que disfrutará de las bellezas naturales de la región. El personal le dará un servicio cálido para que viva unas vacaciones inolvidables. Por otro lado, el ministro de Turismo de Costa Rica, Allan Flores, apuntó la relevancia de estas inversiones, puesto que «nos permite enlazarnos con nuestros principales emisores de turistas y mayores generadores de divisas por concepto de turismo desde Europa como lo son España, Francia y Alemania».

Por eso, si usted nos lee desde el Viejo Continente, lo invitamos a darse unas vacaciones por Costa Rica. Puede descubrir las maravillas de esta nación, sobre todo en un lugar paradisíaco como el hotel Trópico Latino. Localizado en el pueblo costero de Santa Teresa, es uno de los sitios preferidos por los amantes del surf. En él siempre encontrará actividades y aventuras por descubrir, al tiempo que disfrutará de las bellezas naturales de la región. El personal le dará un servicio cálido para que viva unas vacaciones inolvidables.

Por: Andrés Figueroa Vásquez.