viernes, 31 de octubre de 2014

Celebrate Costa Rica Cultures Day & Carnival on Caribbean Coast

Christopher Columbus in Costa Rica, image by WikipediaWhile Christopher Columbus is remembered in the USA in the upcoming October holiday, many other countries take a much broader perspective for their celebrations.
The USA observes Oct. 12 (or the Monday closest to it) as Columbus Day for the date that explorer Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas in 1492. Spain commemorates Oct. 12 is Hispanic Day. But the holiday in the Bahamas is known as Discovery Day, in Belize as the Day of the Americas, and the Day of Respect for Cultural Diversity in Argentina. Chile and Mexico celebrate it as Day of the Races, and Venezuela lauds the Day of Indigenous Resistance. In Costa Rica, Oct. 12 honors the Day of Cultures (Día de las Culturas), in recognition of all of the cultures that have formed the Central American country.
Costa Rica seal, photo by Wikimedia CommonsChristopher Columbus did land in Costa Rica, in what is now the Caribbean port city of Limón on Sept. 18, 1502 – his fourth voyage to the New World. However, his “discovery” was purely from the European side, since indigenous peoples had already been living in the area for at least 10,000 years.
The Spanish had the greatest cultural influence over the majority of Costa Rica, but on the Costa Rica Caribbean Coast it was former African slaves from Jamaica who developed that region’s rich cultural style. They along with workers from China and other Caribbean islands were brought to Costa Rica in the late 19th century to build the railroad connecting the Port of Limón with San José.
Carnival Limon, photo by La NacionLimón and the southern Caribbean Costa Rica towns of Cahuita, Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo have a thriving Afro-Caribbean community. Costa Rica’s Caribbean culture is so unique that it’s almost like going to another country to visit the area.
October holidays in Costa Rica include Carnival on the southern Costa Rica Caribbean Coast. The Limon Carnival will be held Oct. 19 to 21. People everywhere come to enjoy Caribbean culture with parades, concerts, lots of drums and even more dancers in a huge street party.
Le Cameleon Hotel on Playa Cocles, South Caribbean, Costa RicaWhile the rest of Costa Rica is rainy this time of year, October is Costa Rica Caribbean Summer. Get great Caribbean Summer special deals at Le Caméléon Hotel on the gorgeous beach of Playa Cocles by Puerto Viejo Costa Rica. Through Oct. 31, you can receive 30% discounts on direct bookings from Sunday to Thursday; and 20% off on Fridays and Saturdays. If you stay 3 or more nights, Le Caméléon will give you a $50 credit to use in the restaurant or the Spa. Make last-minute reservations on their website and you can possibly find discounts of up to 50% off.
Article by Shannon Farley

Fun Nosara River Safari Tour is best for wildlife in Nosara Costa Rica

Nosara River tour, photo by Nosara River Safari

The transition from rainy season to summer season in Costa Rica is a time of abundant wildlife. Rivers, streams, lakes and ponds are full of water, vegetation is lush, and settings are ideal for capturing Costa Rica’s exotic wildlife on camera.
Nosara River SafariThis is especially true on a river trip. In the Nosara Costa Rica area on the Nicoya Peninsula, the Nosara River Safari gives visitors a really close look at animal and plant life while cruising on the Nosara and Montana rivers onboard a quiet electric-motor boat.
More than 270 species of birds can be observed along the Nosara River and the Montana River, which flow through the Nosara Biological Reserve. You can see herons, egrets, kingfishers, parrots, roseate spoonbills, trogons, motmots, anhingas, and many coastal birds since the river estuary is right near the coast. This time of year also coincides with autumn bird migration season from North America, so you may see northern visitors as they pass through Costa Rica for the winter.
Nosara River, AnhingaIn addition to birds, you may see howler or white-faced monkeys, crocodiles, iguanas, basilisks, and beautiful trees from the dry tropical forest indigenous to the region.
The Nosara River Safari uses a stable, flat-bottomed catamaran boat specially-outfitted with a nonpolluting, soundless and powerful electric motor. There is seating for 10 persons on cushioned benches. Led by a naturalist guide, the tour begins by the river mouth and cruises up the wide, open Nosara River, and then into the tangled mangrove estuary of the Montana River.
There are two tours daily (weather permitting), in the early morning and afternoon; each tour lasts two hours.
Playa Guiones - Nosara, Nicoya Peninsula, Guanacaste, Costa RicaL'acqua Viva Resort & Spa at Playa Guiones in Nosara can arrange tours with Nosara River Safari and all of the top adventure and nature tours in Nosara. Close by is the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge, famous for the hundreds of thousands of Olive Ridley sea turtles that come to the beaches to lay their eggs from July to December.
Playa Guiones at Nosara is one of the most beautiful beaches on the Guanacaste Coast. Renowned for some of the best surfing in Costa Rica and on the national surfing circuit, the uncrowded white sand beach was recommended as one of the best places to go in 2014 by CNN and National Geographic. Playa Guiones is also home to the famous Nosara Yoga Institute.
Article by Shannon Farley

jueves, 16 de octubre de 2014

New flights make Costa Rica travel easy for holiday season

United Airlines, image by UnitedFour U.S.-based international airlines have confirmed new routes and increased flights to Costa Rica, making travel to Central America now easier than ever.

The flight increases coincide with the approaching 2014-15 high tourist season (December to April) and holiday season in Costa Rica.

Nonstop flights on United Airlines to Costa Rica will increase from the airline’s U.S. hubs at George Bush International Airport in Houston and Newark Liberty in New York, arriving to the Juan Santamaría International Airport by San José. In response to the high demand for travel to Costa Rica from U.S., European and Asian tourists during the Christmas holidays, United will add flights from Dec. 19 to Jan. 4four more flights from Houston to San José on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, and two additional flights from Newark to San José on Saturdays and Sundays.

Delta Airlines, image by Delta AirlinesDelta Air Lines also will increase its flights between the U.S. and Costa Rica, starting Nov. 7. To be added are three flights between Los Angeles, California, and the Liberia International Airport in Guanacaste; and one more seasonal flight between Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, and the Juan Santamaría International Airport by San José. Presently, Delta is the only airline to operate a completely nonstop flight between Los Angeles and San José, Costa Rica.

Jetblue, image by JetblueJetBlue Airways is adding a new route from Boston, Massachusetts, to Liberia in Guanacaste, Costa Rica starting Nov. 1. Earlier in 2014, JetBlue opened new nonstop flights from New York’s JFK International Airport to Liberia International Airport; from Orlando to San José International Airport; and from Ft. Lauderdale to San José, Costa Rica.

U.S. carrier Southwest Airlines is jumping into the Costa Rica market for the first time with plans to open a new route from Baltimore, Maryland, Southwest Airlines, image by Southwestto San José beginning on Mar. 7, 2015. The airline entered the international market earlier in 2014 with flights to the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Aruba, Bahamas and Jamaica.

Visit Costa Rica and Central America with IC Travel Group, a Costa Rica-based travel agency specializing in family trips, honeymoons, luxury adventures, kosher clients, golfers, and tailor-made packages. Book your vacation package by calling toll free in the USA to 1-877-683 3724, or emailing traveldirector@icglobalgroup.com.
Article by Shannon Farley

miércoles, 15 de octubre de 2014

Giving thanks on a Thanksgiving yoga retreat in Costa Rica

This year, why not spend the Thanksgiving holidays giving thanks for all that is good in life on a revitalizing yoga retreat in Costa Rica.
Beach at Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge, Golfo DulceImagine taking a break from the busyness of everyday life to relax and restore your energy in the rainforest, with 80-degree warm gulf waters at your doorstep and monkeys, Scarlet Macaws and coatis as your neighbors. This is Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge in southern Costa Rica.
Accessible only by boat, the remote oceanfront Costa Rica rainforest lodge is located on the breathtaking Golfo Dulce across from the famous Osa Peninsula by the Piedras Blancas National Park. The extraordinary Costa Rica eco-lodge was designed for sustainable travel and holds the highest rating in the Certification for Sustainable Tourism Program (CST) in Costa Rica.

Yoga retreat by Shonna & JohnStarting Nov. 23, 2014, international yoga instructor Shonna Annapurna Brown and international recording artist John William Bauld will lead a Yoga Meditation and Sound retreat. The retreat lasts five, six or seven nights, depending on how long you choose to stay.

The yoga retreat includes two daily yoga classes, meditation, and evening kirtan concerts with the instructors. Yoga classes will be held on the beautiful yoga deck on the beach (shaded) or at the tree canopy-level main lodge building. There will be classical hatha yoga; Mantrasana Yoga with live music, a meditative hatha yoga class set to live mantra music; and restorative yoga. Kirtan is soothing participatory music using ancient Sanskrit mantras.
Mango House guest room at Playa Nicuesa LodgeThe retreat package includes accommodation at Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge, all meals, boat transfers, guided adventure activities, unlimited self-guided hikes in the preserve, and use of kayaks, snorkeling and fishing equipment. To get to Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge, drive or fly (NatureAir or Sansa Airlines) to either Puerto Jimenez or Golfito. Nicuesa Lodge will pick you up by boat and transfer you to the lodge (about 30 minutes one-way).
Article by Shannon Farley

martes, 14 de octubre de 2014

Phoenix rising: How Costa Rica’s tropical dry forest was saved

Green Phoenix book by William AllenThe northwestern province of Guanacaste in Costa Rica has one of the largest dry tropical forest areas in the Americas. Dry tropical forests are unique with many deciduous broad-leaf trees and vegetation that survive with much less water than a tropical rainforest. It endures a dry season lasting approximately eight months, yet is still home to a splendid diversity of plants, trees and wildlife.

The book Green Phoenix: Restoring the Tropical Forests of Guanacaste, Costa Rica, by William Allen (2003), tells the compelling story about how this forest was nearly destroyed and against all odds has been restored to magnificence.

By the 1980s, the Guanacaste forests were nearly erased in order to create pastureland for cattle. Besides cutting the forest, a highly-invasive African grass called Jaragua (Hyparrhenia rufa) was planted to feed the cattle. The highly-flammable grass then invaded local vegetation and became explosive tinder for fires in the dry season.

 By the time Allen’s gripping environmental story begins, in many places, only a few strands of forest were strung across a charred landscape.
Jaragua grass in Guanacaste Costa RicaDespite the widely held belief that tropical forests, once lost, are lost forever, prominent U.S. entomologist and tropical biologist Dr. Daniel Janzen from the University of Pennsylvania, along with his biologist wife Dr. Winnie Hallwachs and Costa Rican volunteers, set out to save the tropical forests of Guanacaste in the 1980s.
Janzen and the “fathers” of the Costa Rica National Parks System, Mario Boza and Alvaro Ugalde, along with former Costa Rican President Oscar Arias and U.S. contributorslike The Nature Conservancy and the World Wildlife Fund, bought huge ranches at reduced prices to create the Guanacaste Conservation Area and massively expand the Santa Rosa National Park. Beginning with only 39 square miles, by the year 2000, they had pieced together 463 square miles of land and another 290 square miles of marine area.
Today, the Guanacaste Conservation Area is a fabulously rich landscape of dry forest, cloud forest, and rainforest that gives life to approximately 235,000 species of plants and animals. The Guanacaste Dry Forest Conservation Fund (GDFCF) aids with the development, protection and sustainability of the Guanacaste Conservation Area (ACG).
Allen’s inspiring book recounts with vivid power the story of one of the greatest environmental successes of modern times of how extensive devastation can be halted and reversed.
Santa Teresa Costa Rica

D
iscover the uniqueness of the Costa Rica tropical dry forest
Pranamar Oceanfront Villas, Costa RicaIn Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, you can see beautiful tropical dry forest and also transitional rainforest. Located on the southern Costa Rica Nicoya Peninsula below the Guanacaste Province, Santa Teresa is known for its beautiful beaches, world-class surf and spectacular sunsets.
The Costa Rica beach resort Pranamar Oceanfront Villas & Yoga Retreat looks out to the blue Pacific Ocean, palm trees and white sand of Santa Teresa Beach. Stay in elaborate Bali-style oceanfront villas and bungalows amid tropical gardens by a gorgeous river-theme swimming pool. The beachfront Santa Teresa hotel offers daily yoga classes, international yoga retreats, and Costa Rica surf holidays.
Article by Shannon Farley

viernes, 3 de octubre de 2014

Adventures on Lake Arenal Costa Rica

Moonshine_Cruise_on_Lake_Arenal

Stretching like a long finger pointing at the Arenal Volcano, Lake Arenal in Costa Rica is one of the country’s most scenic points of interest. Green rolling hills of forest and pastureland surround the deep blue lake, with the near-perfect conical symmetry of Arenal Volcano framing the skyline to the east.

It is the country’s largest lake at 33 square miles (85 km2), with depths of up to 200 feet (60m). Lake Arenal plays a very important role producing nearly 12% of Costa Rica’s electric energy with its hydroelectric dam.

Out of all of the things to do in Arenal, Costa Rica, Lake Arenal offers fun and unique Costa Rica adventure tours, like kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, fishing and boating. These Arenal Costa Rica tours are available with Desafio Adventure Company.

Kayaking_on_Lake_ArenalKayaking Lake Arenal Costa Rica 

Paddle stable sit-on-top kayaks (double or single) for two hours around Lake Arenal enjoying the tranquility, views and wildlife. Exploring Lake Arenal by kayak gives you a completely different perspective of the massive Arenal Volcano and countryside.

The Lake Arenal Kayaking Tour includes transportation, kayaking equipment, life vests, bilingual guide, snacks and beverages. There are two tours daily, in the morning at 8:00 a.m. and an afternoon/sunset tour at 1:00 p.m.; each tour lasts four hours.

Sport_Fishing_on_Lake_ArenalLake Arenal Sportfishing

Lake Arenal is known for its colorful Rainbow Bass, also known as Guapote, a hard-fighting fish that can weigh over 12 pounds and is quite tasty. This is a nice, relaxing half-day tour.

The Lake Arenal Sportfishing Tour includes bilingual guide, fishing boat and equipment, fresh fruit and beverages. The tour departs at 5:30 a.m. for best fishing conditions, and lasts six hours.

 Stand_Up_Paddle_on_Lake_Arenal
The hottest new sport of Stand-Up Paddle Boarding is lots of fun on Lake Arenal and relatively easy to learn. Called “SUP” for short, it involves standing up on a large, wide, buoyant board (similar to a surfboard) and using a long paddle for movement. On the tour, you will travel by boat to a calm spot on the lake where you will start paddle boarding.

Lake Arenal Stand-Up Paddle Boarding Tour includes transport via van and boat, bilingual guide, paddle boarding equipment, and snacks. There are two tours daily, in the morning at 8:00 a.m. and an afternoon/sunset tour at 1:00 p.m.; each tour lasts four hours.


This original tour by Desafio Adventure Company takes you out on Lake Arenal for a relaxing afternoon-sunset boat cruise. It’s ideal for bird-watching and great photo opportunities of Arenal Volcano. The “moonshine” part is homemade wine made from local nance fruit, to be enjoyed with cheese and plantain chips.

The Lake Arenal Moonshine Tour includes transportation, bilingual guide, snacks and beverages. The tour departs at 3:30 p.m. and lasts three hours.

Article by Shannon Farley

Where to go golfing near Atenas Costa Rica

valledelsol4 by dylanburkey, on FlickrWhether you are thinking to live in Atenas, Costa Rica, are visiting Atenas in one of the many vacation homes, or have already moved to Costa Rica, you can find many things to do. Within an hour’s drive of Atenas, you can enjoy a round of nine or 18 holes of golf in Costa Rica on five excellent courses.
The Central Valley Golf Association (CVGA) has more than 150 members, and is open to all residents and visitors. They hold regular tournaments and a big Year-End Texas Scramble and Fiesta in December.
Golf - Valle del Sol in Costa RicaGolf courses near Atenas, Costa Rica
Valle del Sol Golf Course, designed by famous golf architect Tracy May, is located in Santa Ana only a 30-minute drive from Atenas via Highway 27. Set in the exclusive residential community of Parque Valle del Sol, the 18-hole championship golf course is certified as a wildlife sanctuary by Audubon International. The par 72 course features spacious, undulating fairways surrounded by lakes and trees; the greens are smooth and fast. Valle del Sol possesses the largest Golf Academy in the country.

Cariari Country Club Golf Course is located on the way to San Jose, five kilometers from the Golf - Cariari Country Club Costa RicaJuan Santamaria International Airport off the Pan-American Highway (about 40 minutes from Atenas). Once a coffee plantation, the Cariari Golf Course was designed by golf architect George Fazio and built by his nephew, Tom Fazio. This beautiful par 71 course measures 6,577 yards from the championship tees, is heavily wooded, with narrow fairways and a few fairway bunkers; the Bermuda greens tend to be large with sand traps.
Golf - Los Reyes course in Costa RicaLos Reyes Country Club Golf Course is located in the pretty gated community of Hacienda Los Reyes by La Guacima, only a 20-minute drive on Highway 27 from Atenas. There are nine holes for a length of 2,917 yards on the par 70 course, designed by Robertson Ward & Associates. There also is a separate driving range and putting green.
Costa Rica Country Club in Escazú is also a nine-hole course. It was the first golf course built in Costa Rica; drive time from Atenas is about 40 minutes.
La Iguana Golf Course at Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort, in Playa Herradura on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast, is a spectacular 18-hole championship course designed by Ted Robinson Sr. Dramatically tucked between rainforest and beach, the 6,700-yard par 72 course makes you think and play shots carefully. The front nine holes follow the rainforest along a narrow river valley before bringing you out by the beach and resort luxury condos. Look for monkeys, iguanas and brilliant Scarlet Macaws while you play. Drive time from Atenas is 50 minutes.
Golf - La Iguana at Los Suenos Marriott

Retire in Atenas, Costa Rica
The small country town of Atenas has been named a top place to retire and is renowned for its great climate. No matter why you want to move to Atenas, Costa Rica, you’ll need a reliable realtor who specializes in Atenas homes for sale and residential development. Dennis Easters and Gerardo Gonzalez-Porras of Pure Life Development of Atenas are certified with the Costa Rica Chamber of Real Estate and have successfully helped new residents find homes in Atenas for 10 years.
Article by Shannon Farley