Snorkeling in Costa Rica is Magical off the Nicoya Peninsula

One of the most amazing things I’ve learned how to do is scuba dive. It’s the closest thing to flying I’ve ever felt, and given my fear of heights (or, rather, falling from them), it feels a whole lot safer. When you get your buoyancy worked out right, being weightless under water, drifting here and there looking at cool sea life and them looking at you is pretty cool in my book.
If you don’t know how to scuba dive, or don’t have the equipment, snorkeling is just as fun. Besides, most of the colorful sea life is within the first 20 feet of water anyway. Snorkeling or scuba diving in tropical waters is the best. Usually, it’s like swimming in a glass of drinking water, visibility is so clear.

In Costa Rica’s Central Pacific area, just off the coast of the Nicoya Peninsula in the Nicoya Gulf, the quintessential tropical paradise of Tortuga Island is a diver’s dream. The crystal clear turquoise waters surround volcanic rock reef and sandy ocean floor. With very little ocean current around the island, it makes for an ideal place to swim, snorkel and scuba dive.
Average water visibility ranges from 30 to 50 feet or more, especially in dry season (mid-December to April). Warm tropical waters are teeming with giant schools of yellowtails, spotted eagle rays, stingrays, angel fish, parrot fish, sea horses, octopus, needlefish, starfish, frog fish and many species of eels. Snorkeling and diving guides report regularly seeing white tip sharks, sea turtles, dolphins, and the mammoth gentle whale sharks measuring up to 35-feet-long!
Famous for its sugary white sand beaches lined with tall swaying coconut palms, Tortuga Island is a little piece of heaven you’ll daydream about forever! Tours to the gulf island journey there from points on the Nicoya Peninsula by scenic boat ride, where you get to watch playful dolphins or jumping manta rays. Tours are a full day and include lunch, cold drinks, snorkeling or scuba diving, and time on the island to explore the beach, hike trails, rent a kayak or play volleyball.
Jump in Costa Rica’s ocean waters nearly anywhere and you can see some fish, but along the southern Nicoya Peninsula, there are special spots where the sea life really seems to gather and you have interesting rock and coral formations. And where there are fish, there are larger predators that hunt them.


One of the best secrets of the area is the giant tide pool between Hermosa and Santa Teresa beaches. Often over-looked by the surf-oriented travelers, the tide pool is only exposed at low tide, when it makes a larger-than-Olympic-sized shallow sea water swimming pool. The sun-warmed clear water is a little over waist deep and is filled with all kinds of interesting fish and sea creatures that get trapped when the tide goes out. Since the water is shallow and it’s right off the beach, this snorkeling site is perfect for families with kids.
Another beautiful snorkeling site in the area is Playa Los Suecos, also called “Punta Murcielago” (Bat Point) or “The Malpais Secret Beach.” The little beach is tucked right next to the Cabo Blanco Absolute Natural Reserve’s protected marine area, and so is a great site for seeing fish and larger animals like stingrays and sea turtles. It’s called Bat Point because there is a sea cave on the rocky point, accessible only at very low tide that is filled with bats.
Keep in mind when you are snorkeling in Costa Rica, that the country is located very near the equator and the tropical sun reflecting off the water will fry your skin faster than a snapper in a frying pan. Wear a T-shirt or nylon shirt, a hat, and slather on a thick layer of SPF 30 or 50 waterproof sports sunscreen!
 
Hotel Tropico Latino on the Nicoya Peninsula’s gorgeous Santa Teresa Beach can arrange all of your snorkeling and scuba diving adventures. The intimate beachfront boutique hotel rests right on four acres of unspoiled white sand at Santa Teresa, nearby to all the best swimming and surfing areas and natural tide pools.
Visit now and you can take advantage of tempting special offers, with discounts from 25% to 15% on rooms during November and December 2012. Treat yourself to a well-deserved break and benefit from these great deals!
Imagine your own secluded luxury suite right on the beach, relaxing in your private pool and Jacuzzi while watching dazzling sunsets over the Pacific Ocean, then dining al fresco on your private terrace. That’s the Beachfront Suite. Second-story Superior Beachfront Rooms overlook the water just a few feet away from the sand. They have modern, comfortable furnishings, artistically-designed private bathrooms with a bathtub, and a private balcony. You can step right out into the sand from Hotel Tropico Latino’s Beach Front Rooms. Comfortable furnishings, open-air private bathrooms and a large wooden deck are main features of the tropical-themed building. Garden View Bungalows are surrounded by abundant tropical gardens under the forest canopy. Each comfortable stand-alone bungalow has a private porch with hammocks and lounge chairs.

Costa Rica Coffee is Especially Loved Around the WorldEspecially

When the coffee mill is roasting in my little town in Costa Rica, you can smell the aroma throughout our hills and valleys. The sweet, pungent fragrance entices you to a steaming cup or two in the morning, and following tradition, another at 3:00 p.m. When I first moved to this small Central American land, I was puzzled by how it seemed the entire country stops at 3:00 pm for its “cafecito”. After nearly 11 years of living here, I find the local custom lovely, and follow it quite strictly rain or shine.


When the rains regularly begin in late May, after the dry season, my town’s hillsides that are dotted with coffee plantations burst into bloom with the white coffee flowers that are so thick sometimes it looks like snow. Now, in mid-October, I just saw this week the first coffee pickers preparing their large straw baskets getting ready for harvest, which will begin in a week or two and last through February.
Coffee has been a fundamental pillar of Costa Rican life and the motor that drove its economy for nearly 2 centuries. Costa Rica currently ranks 13th among world coffee producers; Vietnam and Brazil are the world’s largest exporters, with Brazil occupying 40% of the world market.


Coffee is believed to have originated in the central high plateaus of the Ethiopian rainforest. Historians trace coffee back for about 1,500 years with the Arabs being the first to start cultivating it more than 500 years ago, hence the name for Arabica beans. Coffee was introduced to Europe in the 7^th century through Venetian trade with Turkey. The magic bean, called “grano de oro” (grain of gold) here, came to Costa Rica in the early 1800s, introduced by Tomas Acosta. Commercial cultivation began in 1860.
Costa Rica's gourmet coffee has long been favored by coffee lovers for its high acidity, excellent body, and good aroma. Only Arabica varieties are planted here by nearly 80,000 coffee producers, mostly small-scale farmers. Though coffee is grown in many places around Costa Rica, the highland areas surrounding San Jose and the Tilaran Mountain Range that extends to Monteverde are the ideal climate with the perfect combination of rich volcanic soil, high altitudes and balmy temperatures. The most famous coffee regions in Costa Rica are Tarrazú, Tres Ríos, Alajuela (Poas), Heredia, Orosi, and Turrialba. The country exports 90% of its coffee harvests, whose sales represent 15% of the country’s total exports.
U.S. coffee giant Starbucks recently upped their presence in Costa Rica, opening their first storefront in the ritzy Plaza Avenida Escazu shopping street, in the western San Jose suburb of Escazu, in June 2012. A second store is planned for eastern San Jose by the end of the year. The company, known for paying top-dollar for high-quality coffee around the world, has been buying Costa Rican coffee for years.
In fact, Starbucks purchases 10% of the national coffee production, according to Ronald Peters, Executive Director of the Costa Rica Coffee Institute (ICAFE). “We are some of the principal suppliers of Starbucks, and they are the No. 1 individual buyer that Costa Rica has for its coffee,” Peters said in a local Tico Times newspaper article earlier this year.
Green Mountain, an ardent rival of Starbucks in the household coffee market, is another prominent buyer of high-quality beans from Costa Rica. Other world buyers include the German coffee brand Hochland Kaffee, Nespresso and Peet’s Coffee and Tea from the United States.
Coming up now, from November 11-16, 2012, the world’s largest “Coffee Research Conference” will happen in San Jose, Costa Rica, at the Ramada Plaza Herradura Golf Resort & Conference Center. The “24^th Association for Science and Information on Coffee (ASIC) International Conference on Coffee Science” will bring together specialists from all over the world to present and compare their investigations in coffee science and technology. Coffee scientists will discuss important issues such as rapid climate change, pests, and the relationship between coffee consumption and human health. This is the very first time this unique event will take place in Central America.
You can get your own insider’s look and special deal on Costa Rican gourmet coffee by visiting Costa Rica yourself with Costa Rica Special Deals. The Costa Rica-based travel service company provides professional service guiding you through the process of choosing hotels, tours, transportation, local flights, car rentals and many other services you may need during a vacation to Costa Rica. Costa Rica Special Deals offers the most competitive rates online.
Book your special deal today with Costa Rica Special Deals, and make sure to go on a coffee tour to learn more about this magical brew!

Arenal River Safari is a Fun Floating Adventure

The Peñas Blancas River in north central Costa Rica is a good example. The clear tropical river runs through the Tilaran Mountain Range, fed by pristine waters of the Monteverde cloud forest, and converges with the San Carlos River east of Arenal Volcano. While most tourists flock to the area for the famous cone-shaped Arenal Volcano, its hot springs, and the main town of La Fortuna, few experience the magical charm of drifting leisurely through lush rainforest hidden from the world on a long, winding river.

 
The Peñas Blancas River is a real scenic adventure. Most travelers enjoy a calm “safari float” trip to see the abundant wildlife and splendid forest and landscape, however there are rafting trips in Class II-IV whitewater on other sections of the river. Just 20 minutes from La Fortuna, this mellow, slow-flowing section of the Peñas Blancas River is mesmerizingly peaceful. You are somewhat active, having to paddle every now and again to help your guide direct your inflatable raft more easily, so it’s not all sloth. However, keep your eyes on the passing rainforest and chances are high you will actually see a sloth, along with howler and white-faced monkeys, iguanas and other lizards, river turtles and a plentitude of colorful tropical birds. The crocodiles, though relatively small, always make me a little bit nervous as they duck in the water when you cruise past. I always wonder, “Just where did they go?” But they never fail to simply disappear and keep a respectful distance. The Arenal Safari Floating trip on the Peñas Blancas River is a great family half-day tour in the Arenal area. Your professional guide will teach you all about the wildlife, plants and history of the river. Make sure to bring your camera and binoculars! There’s even a stop mid-river cruise to visit a local Costa Rican family living along the river bank, to learn about traditional ways of life in the area. This is where I first learned you can rub the material of those big, brown termite mounds on your skin as a natural insect repellent. It smells citrusy like citronella oil, and it works! Valle Dorado Tours offers its Arenal Safari Floating trip on the Peñas Blancas River twice a day – in the morning and again in the afternoon. The 4-hour trip is an excellent one-day tour in the Arenal area, and perfect if you have limited time or just want an easy half-day activity.

 

Matter of fact, Valle Dorado Tours knows all of the leading one-day tours around Costa Rica. More than 20 years of experience on-the-ground in the Costa Rica travel business, and personal inspections by their professional team of all tours, hotels, destinations, etc., ensures that Valle Dorado Tours offers you the top experiences in the country. Check out their extensive menu of one-day tours, traditional destination tour packages, thematic tour packages and customized tour packages all over Costa Rica.

Costa Rica Surfing Champion Shares Her Passion, Gives Advice to Teens

It’s been a good year so far for Nataly Bernold. The 19-year-old from Jaco Beach, Costa Rica, was just crowned Costa Rica’s National Surfing Champion in the Women’s division in August (2012), making it her third national surfing title.
 
In May, she won the Quicksilver Cup on the Olympus National Surfing Circuit in Dominical, placing more than 8 points higher than her second-place competitor in the Women’s Open division. And Nataly is already ranking Central American Women’s Surf Champion. Not bad considering the teen only began surfing 9 years ago at age 10. She started competing, then winning, and hasn’t looked back. Over a few short years, Nataly has been steadily racking up gold medals – 3 Costa Rica national championships, 3 Central American championships, and winning several other national surfing competitions. She’s been chosen to be on the Costa Rica National Surfing Team on 10 occasions. On the world scene, Nataly placed 6^th at the ISA World Championships, Women’s Open division, in Portugal in 2008. Her international sponsor Roxy said of Nataly at the time, “She is an amazing athlete and we feel proud to have her under our wing.” Nataly remembers the Portugal competition fondly. She said the waves weren’t that different from what she surfs every day in Costa Rica, being a beach break, but “the cold water was a little difficult.”
 
The promising surfer said she’s always played in the ocean. “We lived in front of the beach in Puerto Viejo (on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast). There was our house, then the street, and the beach,” Nataly reminisced. She said her father, who is originally from Switzerland and moved to Costa Rica 20 years ago, has been her greatest influence and inspiration for surfing. He traded windsurfing for wave surfing and taught Nataly from an early age. “He always took me in the ocean from when I was very little,” said Nataly. “I was always in the ocean on boogie boards and then surfing.” The family moved from Puerto Viejo to Jaco Beach on the Central Pacific Coast five years ago, enabling Nataly to train in one of Costa Rica’s surf paradises between Jaco and Hermosa beaches. She is currently a Costa Rican National Surf Team member and is sponsored by Roxy, Mango Surf, FCS fins, and Wooster surf boards. With her long black tresses, wide smile and surf-carved physique, Nataly could easily also be sponsored as a fashion model.

It helps to love what you do and Nataly certainly has a great outlook. “It’s beautiful and tranquil to be in the ocean and the waves,” says Nataly, who trains 2-3 hours daily. “I like the tranquility that you feel in the ocean. I’m only thinking about surfing. When I compete, I’m always relaxed because when I stress I don’t do well. It’s better to just have fun.” Besides being a mermaid, Nataly just finished high school and is planning to attend university to study business administration starting next school year in Costa Rica (in February). Her goals are to compete in a world surfing competition in 2013 and become a professional surfer. Nataly’s advice for other teens and kids who are just starting out surfing or who want to learn to surf? “Be passionate. Relax. Don’t worry about competing. Just have fun, that’s the main goal,” says the Costa Rica champion.
 
Get your start surfing with Del Mar Surfing Academy, a surf camp exclusively for teens and kids on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast, at Hermosa Beach where Nataly trains. Del Mar Surfing Academy offers 7-night and 14-night surf camp vacations, plus grad trips, day surf camps and private surf lessons. Teens have their own groups, separate from the kids’ groups; surf instruction is tailored for both beginner and advanced surfers. On one of the prettiest tropical beaches in Costa Rica, you’ll learn and improve your surf skills, learn Spanish, and get to return home with new friends from all over the world. Check for 2012 and 2013 surf programs here. Del Mar Surfing Academy is the sister company of long-running Del Mar Surf Camp for adults in Costa Rica. “I think it’s a great program. It’s a lot of fun,” Nataly said of Del Mar Surfing Academy. Take a tip from champion teen surfer Nataly Bernold: Go for your passion, jump in and have fun!

Travel smart: Use a travel agent for tailor-made vacations

A friend of mine is a consummate travel fanatic. She’s traveled all over the world and knows the ins and outs of internet travel websites like nobody’s business. Nevertheless, she still uses a local travel agent whenever she plans her family’s holidays. Going to Ecuador? She contacts a travel expert in Ecuador. Going to the Baltics? She used an agency specializing in the region. Going to Chile? Same thing. Why? Hotelmarketing.com and other travel market experts say there has been a major shift in recent years in consumers returning to booking trips with a travel agency and trusted agent. In the age of zillions of internet business options at our fingertips, people turn to travel agents because it’s “simpler, faster and more efficient than most online booking processes.” A travel agent does the hours of research for you and provides much more value and information than if you simply booked your trip online on your own. Choose an agency with expertise in the area where you’re going and you have a wealth of insider information. Plus, if something should go wrong … your flights are delayed, a problem with your hotel, etc. … a reputable travel agent will take care of it. I’ve spent days poring over hotel websites and TripAdvisor reviews trying to choose a place to stay, and in the end went with a recommendation by a travel agent. I finally just wanted to talk to a real person, tell them what I was looking for and have them tell me where to go. The relief was instantaneous having a travel agent’s help.

In Costa Rica, Team CRT gives you expert guidance and personalized service while they help craft your tailor-made trip to the Central American paradise. Tell them what you want and Team CRT designs your dream vacation for you. With more than 20 years of experience on the ground in Costa Rica travel, Team CRT knows the best hotels, off-the-beaten-track activities, most popular things to do and see, and they personalize it for you. Instead of a “lifeless” website, you’ll be in the hands of well-experienced and professionally-trained agents. Whether you just want a travel agent to help you choose where to stay, where to go, and things to do, or if you want a full tour operator to take care of complete details, Team CRT can do both. Team CRT specializes in “unforgettable memories” tailoring vacation packages, beach destinations, nature tours, adventure tours, relaxation vacations, family vacations, honeymoons, Fly & Drive packages, sport fishing trips, golf vacations, and gay & lesbian travel. The agency maintains an up-to-date extensive database of the top hotels, tours and transportation for your Costa Rica holiday. You save time and money having a travel agent handle your vacation bookings. And since the agents, in effect, work for you and not the suppliers, they do their best to make sure you are happy and satisfied. Costa Rica’s amazing natural attractions, of course, make it an incomparable vacation destination. You’re in paradise here in the tropics with lush rainforest, active volcanoes, spectacular mountain ranges and valleys, and endless beaches on both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Team CRT also can arrange for an extension trip of several days to nearby Panama City and colonial Nicaragua.

Limon Carnival Celebrates Costa Rica’s Afro-Caribbean Culture

Starting this weekend the port city of Limón kicks off its annual Carnival festivities, a 12-day Caribbean street party celebrating the kaleidoscope of cultures on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast.


The famous party commemorates Christopher Columbus’ historic arrival to Costa Rica’s coconut-fringed Caribbean coast in 1502. Visitors will come from all over for the 2012 “Carnaval del Caribe” (Caribbean Carnival) that starts off this year on Oct. 11 and lasts through Oct. 22. Colorful parades, Caribbean cuisine, open-air concerts, calypso music and dancing in the streets and parks are the main draws. This year’s coronation and election of the 2012 Carnival Queen in Limón will be Oct. 11 and leads off the fiesta. The children’s parade will be Oct. 12, while the event’s highlight the Grand Parade brings the celebration to a fever pitch on Oct. 20. All parades begin at 1:00 pm, traveling from Barrio Jamaica Town to Parque Vargas at the end of Avenida 2. Intense exploding fireworks, called “bombetas,” at noon every day let you know the party is starting, and fireworks at 8:00 pm nightly will signal the end of the planned activities.

 
Limón and the southern Caribbean towns of Cahuita, Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo are home to 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. You can hear both Spanish and Creole English, called patois, spoken everywhere. Part of the community traces its roots to former African-slave Jamaican laborers who were brought over in the late nineteenth century to build the railroad connecting San José to the Port of Limón. Workers from China and other Caribbean islands also were contracted for the railroad, which was destroyed in the 1991 Limon earthquake. Indigenous peoples of the Caribbean coast include Bri Bri and Cabecar. The colorful mix is like a spicy gumbo in Costa Rica’s otherwise more traditional Spanish heritage. Speaking of food, when you’re in Limón and the southern Caribbean, you have to try some of the local delicacies like Rice-and-Beans with red beans and coconut rice, jerk chicken, rondon (fish and vegetables cooked in coconut and curry), coconut shrimp, pati (meat pastry), and pan bon (a local cake made with brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and candied fruit). A big lemon tree that once grew where city hall is now located gave the city and province of Limón their name; “limón” is the Spanish word for lemon. The Port of Limón is one of the most important harbors in Costa Rica. It is the Atlantic point of exit for containers loaded with Costa Rica’s main exports of coffee, pineapples and bananas, and the point of entry for imported goods from all over the world. Limón is also a principle cruise ship port. When visiting Limón, be sure to take time to visit Veragua Rainforest Park. The one-stop total rainforest adventure is not-to-be-missed on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. Only an hour inland from Limón, you’ll be in an astonishing other-world of tropical rainforest. The adventure park and biology research center give you a great taste of this magnificent ecosystem with walking trails through the rainforest, a river and waterfall, an aerial tram, a canopy zip line tour, a research station and many wildlife exhibits, including the world’s largest nocturnal frog habitat. They take care of you well at their restaurant, café and souvenir shop. Veragua Rainforest Park is open Tuesday to Saturday, from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. Admission is $55 for adults and $45 for children/students; children under age 4 get in free. The admission price includes all park activities and attractions, with the exception of the canopy tour – which is an additional $34 for adults and $20 for students/children. Lunch in their restaurant is $10 per person. The Park is located in Brisas de Veragua, 12 km south from the Liverpool entrance on the highway to Limón.

It's Wild and Steamy in Costa Rica's Tortuguero National Park

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Hot surf wear and gear for your Costa Rica surf vacation

While the rest of the northern surfing world is gearing up for snowboarding for the winter, Costa Rica is heating up for the 2012-2013 summer season. Sunny days, blue skies and dry trade winds are soon headed our way … ideal for surf vacations! Look your best and get the most stoke with the latest in surf fashion and gear. Check it out! First, Costa Rica is positioned at approximately 9 degrees north latitude. That means our water is warm – averaging 26-30 C (79-85 F) all the time! No neoprene wetsuits, dry suits, hoods, boots or gloves needed here! You just need a cool pair of board shorts or a bikini. Trending in world fashion all spring and summer this year was surf apparel. Quiksilver surf wear is still hot in all the fashion magazines for Fall 2012. When talking about surf wear, which is all about comfort and “laid-back” styles, you’ve got to know the Big Five: Quiksilver and Roxy, Billabong, Hurley, O’Neill and Rip Curl. Surfing News Daily tells us to go for a burst of bright color in flip flops to accessorize any summer outfit for your “just off the beach” surfer look. Sun protection is a must, especially since Costa Rica is so near the equator. Make sure to use plenty of sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher and waterproof) and a lycra rashguard when out in the water; add a sun hat for the beach. Try a new board. Surfer Magazine recommends trying a new board to give you a new challenge and mix up your regular surf routine. Firewire recently introduced their new “Sustainable Surfboards” that meet the “Ecoboard Project” benchmark from the environmental nonprofit organization Sustainable Surf. The “Enviroflex” boards are glassed with Entropy Super Sap epoxy resin made with 25% biologically-derived carbon, and are being released in 2012 in limited quantities; the main launch will be in 2013. Sustainable Surf is a nonprofit organization that promotes surfing as a global leader in sustainable lifestyles and business. The “Ecoboard Project” gives surfers the opportunity to buy high-performance surfboards made from the latest in “green technology” and recycled materials.

When not in the water, or to get ready for your big Costa Rica surf vacation, keep your surfing skills in shape on the Bamboo Series Skateboards by Arbor. Why is this cool? Bamboo is the world’s most sustainable “green” building materials. Bamboo produces more oxygen than most trees; the giant woody grass grows incredibly fast, maturing in only 3-5 years; it’s durable and strong and you don’t have to use pesticides to protect it; and bamboo decomposes into 100% reusable compost. Arbor Skateboards has 3 Bamboo models: Timeless, Fish and Axis. Help plant trees in the rainforest in Costa Rica and Brazil when you buy Jameson 2 Eco shoes. The etnies brand top-selling shoe is big in the surf-skate-snowboard-BMX crowd. The low-top canvas shoe is part of etnies’ “Buy a Shoe, Plant a Tree reforestation program,” and is made using recycled rubber from old bike tires in the outsole and recycled plastic bottles in the PET shoe laces. The program is simple – for every pair of Jameson 2 Eco shoes sold, one tree gets planted. In Costa Rica, they’ve already planted 35,000 trees working with the nonprofit charitable organization La Reserve Forest Foundation and the Maleku indigenous tribe. What do you do with leftover surfboard resin so it doesn’t end up in a landfill? If you’re Donna von Hoesslin, owner/designer of Betty Belts ocean-inspired jewelry and accessories, you turn it into wearable, durable and eye-catching jewelry. Each color stripe on the jewelry is excess resin from a surfboard made in Donna’s home of California, which means that every original handmade piece is connected to boards out there riding ocean waves. How cool is that? Back to surf vacations! Go for the ultimate surf vacation experience in Costa Rica with Del Mar Surf Camp. Choose from three spectacularly beautiful locations – Nosara Beach on the Guanacaste Pacific Coast, Santa Teresa Beach on the Pacific’s Nicoya Peninsula, and Hermosa Beach on the Central Pacific Coast. Del Mar Surf Camp specializes in surf vacation packages, yoga-surf retreats and day surf camps for adults, women only and families. Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or advanced surfer, enjoy an epic surf vacation in this rainforest paradise with Del Mar Surf Camp. Domestic flights and transfers to all of Del Mar’s locations are included in all surf vacation packages!

Trending now: Surf Wear and Gear for Costa Rica's Summer Season

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Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula is a Blue Zone for long life

I want to be part of a Blue Zone. What is a “Blue Zone,” you ask? It is a place where people live happily and healthily for a very long time. The term was popularized by author-educator-explorer Dan Buettner in his 2008 book, “The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from People Who’ve Lived the Longest.” Published by the National Geographic Society, Buettner identified places in the world there is a high concentration of persons over age 100, and there is a substantial disability-free and disease-free life expectancy. Why are they called “Blue Zones”? The name comes from a 2004 demographic study called “Identification of a Geographic Area Characterized by Extreme Longevity in the Sardinia Island: the AKEA study” (Experimental Gerontology by Gianni Pes and Michel Poulain, among other authors). The study identified Sardinia’s Barbagia region as an area with a very high concentration of men over age 100. As the authors discovered more clusters of long longevity in the world, they began drawing blue circles around them on maps, referring to the areas as “Blue Zones.” To my delight, Costa Rica has its own Blue Zone – the Nicoya Peninsula! According to Buettner’s studies, the Nicoya Peninsula has the world’s lowest rates of middle-age mortality and the second highest convergence of male centenarians. Costa Rica indeed does celebrate its elderly citizens; every person who has a 100^th birthday is featured on the national news. As of June 2012, our tiny country reported 417 citizens over the age of 100; the country’s official population is more or less 4.5 million. Costa Rican Photographer Mónica Quesada is creating a book and video documenting Ticos who have lived a century. More information at www.indiegogo.com/CRCentenarians. Buettner’s research with National Geographic also turned up longevity hotspots in Okinawa, Japan; the Aegean island of Ikaria, Greece; a Seventh Day Adventist community in Loma Linda, California; and we already know about the mountainous Barbagia region of inner Sardinia, off the western coast of Italy. So what’s the secret? Buettner’s team of researchers and specialists found interesting similarities among the Nicoyan centenarians that are common characteristics in all of the other Blue Zones:

• Have a “plan de vida,” or reason to live; it also can be called “why I get up in the morning”. Centenarians say they feel needed, with a sense of purpose that often centers on their family.

• Focus on your family and friends. Having a good relationship with their family and maintaining a strong social network contributes greatly to centenarians’ sense of purpose and well-being. People of all ages are socially active and integrated into their communities.

• Have Faith. The Nicoyans’ strong belief in God and their “faith routines” help relieve stress and anxiety. Almost all of the centenarians interviewed around the world for Buettner’s book belonged to a faith-based community of some form.

• Work hard. Nicoyan centenarians maintain a strong work ethic, which keeps them active and healthy while contributing to their sense of purpose. Moderate physical activity is a normal part of daily life – walking, bicycling, gardening, cooking, keeping up the house, taking care of animals, etc.

• Drink hard water. High amounts of calcium and magnesium, essential for bone and muscle strength, abound in Nicoya’s water. By drinking and cooking with this water, people here get their daily intake of calcium throughout their entire lives.

• Healthy diet. Most of the various Blue Zone residents in the world eat a primarily plant-based diet, especially legumes (all kinds of beans, peas and lentils). They also eat rich, colorful fruits – in Nicoya, they eat marañon, the red-orange cashew tree fruit that has more vitamin C than oranges, and noni, a pear-like fruit rich in antioxidants. Nicoyans eat their biggest meal during the day and their smallest meal at night. Japanese centenarians have a rule to eat only until their stomachs are 80% full to avoid being “overstuffed.”

• Get some sun. Nicoyans enjoy healthy doses of daily sun, enriching their bodies with Vitamin D. Getting at least 15 minutes every day can decrease the risk for osteoporosis and heart disease, experts say.

• Get Sleep. Nicoyans sleep an average of 8 hours per day. They more or less go to sleep soon after nightfall and wake with the sun.

• No smoking. Smoking is not common in Blue Zone communities.

On the Nicoya Peninsula, a place dedicated to healthy life is Pranamar Oceanfront Villas & Yoga Retreat. The intimate, boutique hotel at Santa Teresa Beach centers on daily yoga classes and regular yoga retreats, surfing, beautiful nature and no-stress relaxing. Pranamar’s Buddha Eyes Restaurant specializes in organic and fresh cuisine, using local fruits, vegetables, fish and seafood. The hotel’s motto offers you to “step into the rhythm of nature, breath in the energy of the sea, and discover.” Pranamar Villas is a TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice and Certificate of Excellence winner for 2012. Plan your vacation today to Pranamar Villas, in the Blue Zone of Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, and get in the healthy rhythm of Blue Zone living!

Healthy, long life thriving on Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula

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Healthy, long life thriving on Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula

http://enchanting-costarica.com/destinations/healthy-long-life-thriving-on-costa-ricas-nicoya-peninsula/

Ecotourism in Costa Rica Defines Veragua Rainforest Park

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