Incredible Osa Peninsula Costa Rica Nature Tour: Casa Orquideas Botanical Garden

If you plan to visit the Golfo Dulce/ Osa Peninsula region on your Costa Rica vacation, one of the most wonderful day tours you can take is to Casa Orquideas Botanical Garden. Casa Orquideas is one of the oldest and most interesting botanical gardens in the southern Costa Rica region. Especially phenomenal is their collection of orchids.

The beautifully landscaped private tropical garden shows off hundreds of species of ornamental and edible tropical plants that have been collected and cared for by U.S. citizens Ron and Trudy McAllister, who have lived in this remote region since the 1970s. Here you will see some of the most beautiful and interesting plants and flowers of Costa Rica, which are a magnet for dozens of different kinds of birds, butterflies, insects and other wildlife. Be sure to bring a camera, and even a pair of binoculars for this fantastic educational tour.
The approximately two to three-hour walking tour meanders through the meticulously maintained colorful gardens to see countless species of tropical plants, including varieties of palms, heliconias, orchids, exotic fruit trees, spices, flowers and medicinal plants that the McAllister’s have collected and cultivated over these many years. You will be able to smell and taste exotic fruits you perhaps never heard of before, and learn about natural medicinal rainforest plants.

I highly recommend the guided tour at Casa Orquideas, which starts at 8:30 a.m. on Thursdays and Sundays. All other days, except Fridays when the gardens are closed, you can walk the gardens on a self-guided tour.

How to get to Casa Orquideas in Costa Rica From Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge, it is a short boat ride or kayak paddle around a small rocky point from Playa Nicuesa to get to Playa San Josecito. At the west end of the long, crescent-shaped dark sand beach is Casa Orquideas Botanical Garden.

About Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge in Costa Rica Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge illustrates perfectly why Costa Rica is world-renowned for adventure and ecotourism travel. Nicuesa Lodge is one of the first sustainable tourism eco-hotels in Costa Rica and holds the highest level of the national Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) program. Playa Nicuesa also flies the Ecological Blue Flag Award for being one of Costa Rica’s cleanest beaches.

Nicuesa Lodge’s 165-acre private Costa Rica rainforest preserve is located in the amazingly unique Golfo Dulce/Osa Peninsula region, which has been called one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth. This area embraces Central America’s largest remaining Pacific Coast rainforest, and the warm water gulf of Golfo Dulce is an important life zone for Pacific Humpback Whales, dolphins, sharks and sea turtles.

The destination is perfect for nature lovers and adventure-seekers. Here you can find all four species of monkeys in Costa Rica, while toucans fly free with Scarlet Macaws and pelicans.

During your stay at Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge be sure to enjoy their adventure and nature tours, and the beautiful yoga deck by the beach.

Article by Shannon Farley

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Amazing Costa Rica Biodiversity Discovered At Veragua Rainforest

It’s one thing to boast about having some of the greatest biodiversity in Costa Rica – a country renowned for its legendary fantastic amount of plants and animals. It’s quite another to have plenty of scientific research to back up the claim. Not only is the rainforest in the Costa Rica Talamanca Mountains around Veragua Rainforest Eco-Adventure spectacularly abundant with biodiversity, to date 11 new animal species have been discovered by the Veragua scientific research team and 15 endangered species have been recorded living in the area. “The rainforest around Veragua is spectacular!” said José Salazar Zúñiga, Research Coordinator of the Veragua Foundation for Rainforest Research. “We are one of the hotspots of biodiversity in Latin America.”

Salazar attributes the richness in plant and animal life to Veragua’s location in the Central Caribbean region in the Fila Matama and Fila Asunción mountains that lead into the Talamanca Mountain Range and the La Amistad International Park. The Talamanca Mountain Range and La Amistad International Park are UNESCO World Heritage sites; La Amistad also is the first binational biosphere reserve, located in both Costa Rica and Panama.

The Veragua Foundation for Rainforest Research actively pursues scientific investigation to understand and protect the biodiversity of Costa Rica's rainforests. Their studies take place in the 3,212-acre (1,300-hectare) private reserve of the Veragua Rainforest Eco-Adventure park and surrounding area.

Funded by donations and a portion of ticket sales from the Veragua Rainforest Eco-Adventure park, the Foundation operates two rainforest research laboratories staffed by full-time biologists and assistants who work in partnership with renowned academic institutions such as the University of Costa Rica, allowing them to publish their research findings with the world. “The Veragua Foundation carries out research in a wonderful rainforest that is valuable to the planet and world citizens,” said Salazar.

Veragua biologists are working in partnership on research projects with scientists from Sao Paulo, Brazil. One project involves freshwater crabs, and another a type of “harvestmen” or opilion that was discovered by Veragua biologist Andres Rojas. Another area of significant research, said Salazar, is with rainforest frogs. Veragua is the most frog-diverse place in all of Costa Rica, with 54 distinct frog species. Salazar said he recently discovered a new frog species which will be revealed soon in a scientific paper to be published. Two current scientific investigations involve endangered Tiger Frogs and Talamanca Glass Frogs. Salazar began the ongoing project with the rare Tiger Frogs four years ago, creating areas for the frogs to reproduce in the rainforest in trees. “It was incredibly successful with the population reproducing and growing,” he explained. “It turned into a laboratory in the forest.”

Contact the Veragua Foundation for Rainforest Research to find out more about their activities, help fund their scientific research, bring a student group to do hands-on projects, or to volunteer with their environmental efforts. When you visit Veragua Rainforest Eco-Adventure, every tour stops at the laboratory for a short talk on the exciting research projects happening at Veragua and about the incredible diversity of flora and fauna found in the Costa Rica rainforest.

Veragua Rainforest Eco-Adventure The nature and adventure park in Costa Rica’s Caribbean mountains is No. 1 of 18 things to do in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica. Veragua Rainforest Eco-Adventure is a top shore excursion in Limon, Costa Rica for cruise ship passengers. Open Tuesday to Sunday (and cruise ship Mondays), from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Entrance is free for children under 4 years old. Tours start every hour on the hour; the last tour begins at 3:00 p.m.

Article by Shannon Farley

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Lifeguards & Ocean Safety In Santa Teresa Costa Rica

Summertime in the popular beach town of Santa Teresa, Costa Rica means it’s time to hang out on the beach soaking in the sun and playing in the beautiful blue Pacific Ocean. It’s a great time to have fun with family and friends on a Costa Rica beach vacation.

On the southern Nicoya Peninsula, Santa Teresa is one of the best beaches to surf in Costa Rica. National surf competitions are held here annually.

Knowing what you are doing when you go in the ocean, taking precautions and water safety are the most important factors to having a safe and enjoyable time at the beach anywhere. In Santa Teresa, a nonprofit lifeguard program has been started by a group of passionate surfers motivated to keep people from accidents and drowning. The Santa Teresa Lifeguards organized to save lives and to prevent dangerous situations by educating the community about water safety.

Created in 2015, the Santa Teresa Lifeguards (Guardavidas in Spanish) is staffed by trained local lifeguards, international volunteers and local surfer volunteers. Local surfers have been the main source of near-drowning rescues in Santa Teresa up until now and on days when lifeguards are not working.

Lifeguard towers are currently located in the Santa Teresa area at Playa Carmen, La Lora, Casa Cecilia, and Playa Hermosa. Official Santa Teresa lifeguards wear red shirts and are on duty Saturdays and Sundays and peak holidays from 9 a.m. to noon and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. – the busiest beach times. Be sure to follow all of their instructions and warnings; your life depends on it. The Santa Teresa Lifeguards is nonprofit and relies on donations and corporate sponsors to pay its staff and have the equipment it needs. Rescue equipment has been donated by Solana Beach Lifeguards in San Diego County, California. For more information on how you can help sponsor the Santa Teresa Lifeguards, contribute equipment or supplies, or volunteer as a lifeguard, contact the organization.

Visit Santa Teresa, Costa Rica Santa Teresa was named one of Central America’s top 10 beaches for 2015. Where to stay in Santa Teresa Costa Rica: Hotel Tropico Latino. The Santa Teresa beachfront hotel at Playa Carmen offers Costa Rica surf vacations. If you don’t know how to surf, you can take surf lessons with the hotel’s expert surf instructors.

Costa Rica Beach Safety Tips:
Stay safe in the water: The ocean is powerful,and is not the same asswimming in apool or a lake. Do not enter the ocean unless you know how to swim; be very cautious of dangerous surf andcurrents.
Never swim alone: Always swim with a buddy, and tell others where you are going.
Never turn your back on the ocean: Even the smallest wave can knock you over, especially if you are caught by surprise. Always face forward and never turn your back on the waves.
Shuffle your feet: Many beaches in Costa Rica have sting rays that like to settle in the warm sand in shallow water. Shuffle your feet when walking out into the ocean to scare any sting rays away and avoid stepping on them. If you do get “stung,” don’t panic and seek medical attention.
Surf safely: Surf or Boogie Board in waves that match your level. Do not go out into surf that is above or beyond your capability. If you want to learn how to surf in Costa Rica, there are many surf schools to teach you proper, safe surf skills.
Learn CPR: Emergencies can happen anywhere. Learning first aid and CPR skills could save someone’s life.

What to do if you get caught in a rip current:

• Stay calm. Don’t panic. Don’t fight the ocean, you will lose. Conserve your energy.
• Do not try to swim to shore in a straight line. Rip currents work in a circular motion so the current will eventually pull you back out.
• You can swim parallel to the beach to get out of the current. Or, float and let it take you out. The force of the current lessens as it goes out to sea. When the current diminishes, swim parallel to the beach or at a 45-degree angle, until you feel free of the current and can swim back to shore – even if it is a different place than where you originally were. Better to walk back on sand than to fight currents.
• If you cannot get back to shore, just float and tread water, and wave your arms to attract someone’s attention on shore for help. Do not panic or waste your energy.
• If you are going to help anyone in the ocean, bring something that floats. Do not go alone. A surf board is a great rescue tool, and rip currents are your friends on a board since the force takes you past the breaking waves faster than trying to paddle out yourself.

Article by Shannon Farley

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8 Planning Tips For Building A Home In Costa Rica

You’ve bought a beautiful property and now you’re building a home in Costa Rica. Maybe you’re planning to retire in Costa Rica or simply have a Costa Rica vacation home. The beginning stage of construction is the time for planning ahead for all of the features you would like in your new home – music system, alarm system, air-conditioning, appliances, aesthetic details, etc.

Home construction in Costa Rica is mostly solid concrete walls and floors. So, all of your electrical and plumbing planning has to be done in the beginning stages of construction when the conduits are being prepared. Even if you’re not sure you are going to want a certain feature, plan for it in the beginning so you’re prepared when you decide later that you do. Breaking concrete walls to install wiring or piping is not only labor intensive, it can be terribly expensive. In addition, if you’re moving from the United States, there are many features that you may be used to having in a home that are either not done in Costa Rica or not easy to find. You need to know this ahead of time so you can understand your home construction, and also in case you need to bring that hard-to-find element with you from the States.

1.For instance,if you’re from the USA,you are probablyused to having agarbage disposal in your kitchen. However,until just recently, you couldn’t buy a garbage disposal in Costa Rica; they are now sold at EPA hardware stores. To be safe, if you want one in your new home, bring what you need from the U.S. But remember to let your builder know at the initial stage of your house construction so that the proper electrical wiring and plumbing are planned for and installed.

2. If you want a high-tech or surround sound music system in your house, or a security alarm system, make sure your builder knows at the outset to plan for the wiring in the wall conduits. Or, you will end up with wiring on the outside of your walls.

3. Ground fault circuit interrupters(GFCI), or Residual Current Devices (RCD) – a common element in U.S. homes – are not found in Costa Rica. You will need to bring these with you from the U.S. if you want them in your home. A GFCI device is an electrical outlet that shuts off the electric power circuit when it detects that current is flowing along an unintended path, such as through water or a person, or there is a short circuit with an appliance.

4. Water softeners are not common practice either in Costa Rica. You will need to plan ahead for this because the systems are hard to get in Costa Rica.

5. It is not common to have central heating or central air-conditioning systems in homes in Costa Rica. Central heating – it’s the tropics; and if you live in a cold mountain area, plan for a wood-burning fireplace. Central air-conditioning is a specialty item that would have to be ordered by a specialty company. Wall unit air conditioners are the norm.

6. If you live in Costa Rica’s Central Valley, you don’t want air-tight seals on your doors and windows because it will interrupt the flow of breezes during the day and hot air going out at night when it cools down. You definitely don’t want to trap heat or cold in your house, or trap humidity. This is specific to Costa Rica’s Central Valley and mountain regions where people don’t often use air-conditioning since temperatures are cooler; as compared to the beach areas which need air-tight homes for efficient air-conditioning use.

7. Like the idea of a decorative gas fireplace in your Costa Rica mountain home? Think ahead and either specialty order it in Costa Rica or bring it from the States. They are hard to find here. 8. When choosing lighting for your home, choose lamps and lights that use common size light bulbs. Otherwise you’ll be searching for forever for that specialty light bulb to fit that funky imported lamp you bought.

 

HOMES IN ATENAS, COSTA RICA

Atenas, Costa Rica is not only known as a best place for international retirement, but also a fun vacation destination for its ideal location halfway between the capital city of San José and Pacific Coast beaches. Contact Atenas Costa Rica realtors Dennis Easters and Gerardo Porras Gonzalez at Pure Life Development of Atenas for your Atenas Costa Rica real estate needs. For more information about Atenas, check out the Guide to Living in Atenas, Costa Rica and the recent list of restaurants in Atenas. Article by Shannon Farley

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How To Find Affordable Vacations In Costa Rica

A colleague of mine and I both traveled out of Costa Rica for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. He to Western Europe and I to the western United States. What we both found when people learned we lived in Costa Rica was surprising. Everyone said they either loved visiting Costa Rica or wanted to go there; but many also commented on how expensive it was to travel to Costa Rica.

Costa Rica Festivals Season 2016 Begins!

It’s the New Year, and that means it’s party time in Costa Rica! Kicking off with the Christmas holidays, the Costa Rica festivals season sashays into full swing in January and keeps you two-stepping to April. Costa Ricans are known for their gregarious, fun-loving style; get bit by the bug when the country celebrates its many fiestas, festivals and horse parades in the first months of the year. Besides the main festivals, every town and community has its own “turno” (a country fair) to enjoy during the Costa Rican summer months.

It’s time to plan your travel to Costa Rica. Where to stay in the coolest travel destination for 2016? On an unforgettable Guanacaste beach at Costa Rica beach rentals Villas Estival or Pacifico Condos vacation rentals in Playa del Coco. Contact All Costa Rica Rentals to reserve your Costa Rica vacation rental today.

Costa Rica Festival Schedule 2016 January Fiestas Santa Cruz (Jan. 5-17) — In Santa Cruz, Guanacaste: cowboy traditions with bull riding, rodeo, a horse parade, concerts, food & fireworks.
Fiestas Palmares (Jan. 14-25) — In Palmares near San Ramon: biggest fiesta in the country, huge horse parade, bull riding, rodeo, concerts, dancing, rides & games, arts & crafts, food & fireworks. February Puntarenas Carnival (Feb. 11-13) — In the Pacific port town of Puntarenas: street fair, parades, horse parade, concerts, dancing, food & sporting events.

Liberia Fiestas (Feb. 26 – Mar. 6) – In Liberia, Guanacaste: biggest Guanacaste fiestas, horse parade, bull riding, rodeo, concerts, dancing, food, rides & games, fireworks.

Envision Festival (Feb. 25-28) – In Uvita on the southern Pacific Coast: eco-themed festival of art, spirituality, yoga, music, dance & sustainability.

Monteverde Music Festival (February-March) – In Monteverde: top Costa Rican musicians and artists perform various concerts from the end of February to the end of March. March Oxcart Parade, San Antonio de Escazu (2^nd Sunday of March) — In Escazu, San Jose: traditional parade of beautifully handmade, painted oxcarts with oxen teams & “drivers” in traditional costumes; food and dancing; blessing of the animals.

St. Joseph’s Day (March 19) — St. Joseph is the patron saint of the capital city, San José. Namesake towns celebrate with fiestas.

National Orchid Show (Mid-March) – In San Jose: celebration of the country’s national flower and 1,200 orchid species.

Fruit Festival (Mid-March) – In Orotina, Puntarenas: huge open-air fruit market and festival (on the way to the Pacific Coast from San Jose). April International Arts Festival (first 2 weeks of April or end of March depending on Easter) – Top international artists and national performers give performances in San Jose and other locations throughout the country (concerts, dance, theatre).

Juan Santamaría Day (April 11) — Commemorates Costa Rica’s national hero, Juan Santamaria, who died in the battle of Rivas in 1856. It is a national holiday; the majority of activities are held in Alajuela (parade, street fair, concerts).
Article by Shannon Farley