Costa Rica is popular endurance race capital in Latin America

Costa Rica over the past decade has become a magnet for high-endurance extreme sports, adventure racing and triathlons. Elite international athletes travel to the small Central American nation several times a year for sport competitions.

One of the most popular zones for extreme endurance events is the north Pacific Guanacaste region. In early March 2014, the International Triathlon Union (ITU) will hold the 2014 Pan American Cup at Playa Hermosa in Guanacaste. Also in March, the XTERRA off-road triathlon race comes to Costa Rica, staging their major international competition March 29 and 30 at Playa Conchal in Guanacaste. Costa Rica’s top triathlete Leonardo Chacon took first place at the XTERRA USA competition last year in Hawaii.

Last year was a big year for endurance adventure races in Costa Rica – among them the 2013 Adventure Racing World Championships, the North Face Endurance Challenge at Rincón de la Vieja Volcano in Guanacaste, and the Rincón de la Vieja Challenge mountain biking endurance race.

The second annual Rincón de la Vieja Challenge will happen on Aug. 23. Held last year for the first time, the 100-mile (160 km) adventure race was the first of its kind in Costa Rica and Latin America to circumnavigate an active volcano.

The North Face Endurance Challenge and the Rincón de la Vieja Challenge were both staged out of leading Rincón de la Vieja eco-lodge, Hacienda Guachipelin. Owner Jose TomasBatalla says it is the region’s diverse terrain and microclimates that attract such high-profile sports competitions.

“There is savannah, tropical forest, desert, and cloud forest, and the weather changes as you go up in elevation,” commented Batalla.

Have your own adventure at Rincón de la Vieja at Hacienda Guachipelin eco-lodge. 

The first-class lodge, right next to the Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park, offers guests and visitors a complete adventure center with canopy ziplines, canyoning, waterfall rappelling, river tubing, horseback riding, mountain biking, nature trails, and natural volcanic hot springs. Hotel Hacienda Guachipelín is located 15.5 miles (25 km) northeast of Guanacaste’s principal city of Liberia.

Article by Shannon Farley

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Bird watching in Costa Rica

If bird-watching is your passion, then you definitely want to add Costa Rica to your “Top 10 list of places to go birding.” The small Central American country is home to more than 870 bird species – more than in all of the United States, Canada and Mexico combined – and is a bird-watching hotspot. A single day of bird-watching in this enchanted corner of the globe can earn sightings of up to 85 to 150 different species.

Costa Rica’s strategic location in the tropics bridging North and South America, and rugged topography with numerous mountains, valleys and microclimates, offer optimum conditions for high biodiversity. The country protects more than 25% of its territory in national parks and private reserves, allowing access to intensely diverse habitats for widely varied bird-watching.

Scarlet and Green Macaws, Toucans, Oropéndolas, Resplendent Quetzals, Crimson-Collared Tanagers, Harpy Eagles, and Violet Sabrewing Hummingbirds are just some of the species you may see in this birding paradise.

The best way to go birding in Costa Rica is on a bird-watching tour. For instance, the eight-day Bird Watching in Costa Rica by Valle Dorado Tours takes you to Sarapiqui, the Arenal Volcano, and the cloud forest of the Central Highlands by the Juan Castro Blanco National Park.

Valle Dorado’s 11-day Costa Rica Nature Adventure that explores the Tortuguero National Park, the Arenal Volcano, Monteverde cloud forest, and beaches of the Manuel Antonio National Park, also would be a good choice for birding

.

Valle Dorado Tours offers customized Costa Rica vacations using their 20+ years of local experience in Costa Rica travel to ensure you receive only the best in accommodations, transportation, tours and activities. They design their travel packages as a suggestion, and their travel experts are happy to make any changes to custom fit the perfect Costa Rica Bird-watching Tour package for you.

Travel Tip: Download the Costa Rica Birds Field Guide, a full-featured birding field guide for Costa Rica, available on iTunes.

Article by Shannon Farley

Costa Rica is important bat conservation refuge

Bats are mammals with a bad reputation – their good name stained with images of blood and vampires by Hollywood. The truth is that bats are an important part of the environment, helping with pest control, spreading seeds and pollinating plants.

Of the approximate 1,100 bat species on Earth, 112 of them are found in Costa Rica. Four of Costa Rica’s national parks have been declared as important areas for the conservation of bats: La Amistad International Park, Braulio Carrillo National Park, Santa Rosa National Park and Tortuguero National Park.

Last August, more than 650 specialists from 55 countries attended the 16th International Bat Research Conference (IBRC) and the 43rd North American Symposium on Bat Research (NASBR) in San Jose, Costa Rica. The experts shared their findings on bat research, techniques and latest methods of study of these animals.

Members of the Conference concluded that the loss and fragmentation of forests, which is the main habitat of bats, along with direct persecution by humans, and the inappropriate use of pesticides are the main dangers posed to the existence of bats.

“The quality of human life depends on biodiversity and bats are an important part of this. We must not exterminate them. If we understand bats, learn about them and assess our coexistence, it will help prevent us from losing these species,” said Bernal Rodríguez, professor at the school of biology of the University of Costa Rica, and researcher and coordinator for the Latin American Network for the Conservation of Bats (Relcom).

Bats are the only mammals naturally capable of flight, and they have important ecosystem functions. They control pests on crops and may be more effective than birds in mitigating insect infestation, say the experts. For instance, they help eat pesky mosquitoes, which can carry diseases to humans. Nectar-feeding bats help pollinate flowers; and bats that eat fruit help disperse seeds through their feces.

The Jamaican Fruit Bat is commonly found in Costa Rica. Native to Central and South America, it loves to dine on bananas, guavas, papayas, pollen and nectar, and it is essential for seed distribution. The rare Honduran White Bat, found along Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast, is one of only 15 such bat species in Latin America.

You can learn about the bats, birds, frogs, reptiles, insects and butterflies of Costa Rica at Veragua Rainforest Eco-Adventure, located in the Talamanca Mountain Range about an hour inland from Costa Rica’s Caribbean port of Limón. The 1,300-hectare (3,212-acre) biology research and adventure center borders the La Amistad International Park, noted for being an area for bat conservation. Veragua Rainforest is an excellent one-day tour to learn about the Costa Rica rainforest and its wildlife.

Article by Shannon Farley

10 yoga stretches to improve your surfing

As a surfer, wouldn’t you like to be able to surf for longer without getting tired, have more strength and flexibility and better balance, get a quicker pop-up, relax your breathing and sharpen your mental focus?

Yoga can help you do this. Pro surfers know that yoga keeps their performance constantly improving and aids in preventing injuries.

Here are 10 yoga poses for surfers that will improve your strength and flexibility, give you better balance, and help you avoid the all-too-common lower back pain. Remember to warm-up before heading out to the water, and stretch for 5-10 minutes after surfing. Your body will thank you.

1. Downward-facing dog: Benefits: Strengthens and tones the arms and legs, stretches shoulders and calf muscles, lengthens and straightens the spine helping to relieve all over back pain.

2. Locust Pose: Benefits: Stretches the chest, shoulders and abdominals, and strengthens the upper and lower back, arms and legs. This is a non-aggressive backbend that helps build the spinal support for all of the back-arching you do when paddling for waves.

3. Eagle Pose (arms only): Benefits: Stretches upper back and shoulders for long paddling sessions.

4. Squat / Garland Pose: Benefits: Opens up the hip flexors and strengthens the back; ideal to prevent hip cramping when sitting on your board for a while.

5. Plank Pose & Chaturanga Dandasana: Benefits: Core, triceps, back. This pose will help you pop up faster and stronger.

6. Warrior Pose: Benefits: Stretches your hips, groin and shoulders, strengthens and stretches your legs, ankles and feet, and builds stamina, balance and concentration.

7. Upward Facing Dog: Benefits: Elongates and increases flexibility in your spine, opens your chest, throat, shoulders, and the front of your thighs.

8. Boat Pose: Benefits: Strengthens your core, and helps with deep breathing, focus and balance.

9. High Lunge: Benefits: Stretches and strengthens your legs, especially thighs, knees, ankles and psoas muscle; opens the groins and hips, and lengthens the spine.

10. Happy Baby Pose: Benefits: Releases tight hips, hamstrings and back muscles.

Surfing and yoga in Costa Rica

Get the best of both surfing in Costa Rica and yoga at Hotel Tropico Latino on beautiful Santa Teresa Beach in Costa Rica. The charming, intimate beachfront hotel specializes in Costa Rica surfing and yoga vacations and retreats. The hotel offers daily Hatha and other yoga classes on their shaded wooden yoga deck right on the beach. Santa Teresa is famous for year-round warm-water surf, pristine beaches and picture-perfect sunsets.

Article by Shannon Farley

Best Business Hotels in San Jose, Costa Rica

As Costa Rica’s multinational business community grows, so too does the number of business travelers visiting the country. Costa Rica also has become a highly popular destination for international meetings, incentive trips, conferences and events (MICE tourism).

Most business and conferences still take place in the capital city of San Jose. As a business traveler to Costa Rica, you will want to stay in one of the best business hotels that San Jose has to offer.

10 Best Business Hotels in San Jose, Costa Rica

10. Barceló San José Palacio

9. Holiday Inn San José-Aurola

8. Crowne Plaza Hotel Corobici

7. Park Inn by Radisson San José

6. Hampton Inn and Suites by Hilton San José-Airport

5. DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Cariari, San José

4. Hotel Indigo San José

3. Costa Rica Marriott in San José

2. Wyndham San José – Herradura Hotel & Convention Center

1. Real InterContinental Hotel & Club Tower

Reserve your San Jose business hotel with Costa Rica Special Deals, a professional online travel service. Costa Rica Special Deals will help you with where to go, reservations, transportation, and tips on what to do.

Article by Shannon Farley

Costa Rica yoga retreats 2014 in Santa Teresa

Costa Rica summer is yoga season at Pranamar Oceanfront Villas & Yoga Retreat on Santa Teresa Beach. Pranamar is offering 14 exceptional yoga retreats between February and June 2014.

Whether you are looking to deepen your yoga practice, or try yoga for the first time, a yoga retreat is an excellent opportunity for both. Retreats also add in fun activities like surfing or stand-up paddling.

Santa Teresa has been named one of the top 10 beaches in Central America and is an idyllic yoga setting at the southern tip of Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula. Host Pranamar Villas welcomes retreat-goers with elaborate oceanfront villas and bungalows in lush tropical gardens, a gorgeous river-theme swimming pool, and gourmet organic cuisine in the Buddha Eyes Restaurant.

See the selection of yoga retreats listed below, and visit Pranamar’s website for more information.

Costa Rica Yoga Retreats at Pranamar

Women’s Quest Adventures: Feb. 2-8 and May 4-10, 2014: Surf and yoga adventure retreat; yoga classes taught by Pranamar Villas yoga instructor, Nancy Goodfellow.

Vajra Sol Yoga Adventures: Feb. 16-22, Mar. 16-22, Mar. 30 – Apr. 5, Apr. 6-12, Jun. 22-28, 2014: Yoga retreat with surfing or stand-up paddling (SUP).

Yoga and Visioning Retreat: Feb. 22 to Mar. 1, 2014: Yoga, meditation and visioning retreat led by Chantal Russell.

TrueFlow Yoga Vacation in Costa Rica: Mar. 3-8, 2014: Yoga retreat led by Brynn Rybacek.

Soul Arch Yoga Retreat: Mar. 9-15, 2014: Yoga retreat and community philanthropic project.

Yoga Toes Retreat: Mar. 23-30, 2014: Yoga retreat led by MC Yogi and Amanda Giacomini with meditation, dharma talks, restorative yoga, storytelling and music.

Costa Rica Yoga Retreat with Colleen O’Brien-McFall & Kate Mak: Apr. 12-19, 2014: Yoga retreat in nature’s beauty at Pranamar Villas.

Yoga Retreat in Costa Rica with Cathy Daley: Apr. 29 to May 4, 2014: Retreat with daily yoga and meditation sessions.

Article by Shannon Farley

Nosara, Costa Rica is a world’s best travel destination 2014

The pristine beaches of Nosara, Costa Rica have caught people’s attention a lot lately.

In December, National Geographic Magazine chose Nosara as one of the best winter trips for 2014. Then, Cable News Network (CNN) selected Nosara as one of its 11 Places to Go Worldwide for 2014. Nosara also was listed as one of the top 45 places in the world to visit in 2012 by the New York Times.

On the North Pacific Coast of the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica, Nosara has caught the spotlight as a top travel destination for its “eco-friendliness” and wholesome beauty.

Nosara is renowned for some of the best surfing in Costa Rica and uncrowded beautiful beaches. The region also features the famous Nosara Yoga Institute and the acclaimed Ostional National Wildlife Refuge – the second largest nesting site in the world for Olive Ridley turtles, and the only Costa Rica beach where you can observe sea turtles nesting year-round. Surf schools, boutique hotels, artist communities, and a progressive recycling center add to Nosara’s attraction. The beaches of Guiones, Pelada, Garza and Nosara have been awarded the Ecological Blue Flag for environmental cleanliness.

Check out the hot 2014 destination of Nosara, Costa Rica for your next holiday.

Where to Stay: L'acqua Viva Resort & Spa is one of the best eco-friendly luxury hotels in Nosara and is an Enchanting Costa Rica Hotel. Located one kilometer from the fine white sand beach and top surf spot of Playa Guiones, L’acqua Viva Resort & Spa is founded on water and art. The hotel’s exotic Bali-style architecture surrounds abundant water and swimming pools and art masterpieces from around the world. Accommodations range from Deluxe Rooms to Suites to Villas.

Upcoming Events: Traditional Costa Rican summer “fiestas” will come to Nosara from Jan. 22 to 27, featuring parades, concerts, dances, bull riding, horses, and football matches. The Triple Crown of Surf, hosted by the Nosara Surf School, will continue with its second competition on Feb. 1 at Garza Beach; the grand finale will be at Guiones Beach on March 1 and 2.

Getting to Nosara: Nosara is a 4.5-hour drive from San Jose’s international airport, and a 2.5-hour drive from the Liberia International Airport. Short-hop domestic flights arrive in Nosara from both the San Jose and Liberia airports; from there it is a 10-minute drive to Playa Guiones and Playa Pelada.

Article by Shannon Farley

Costa Rica valued as top retirement destination 2014

One of the biggest dreams for retirees is moving to a warm, sunny place where you can relax and enjoy the “golden years” of life with no stress. Lower costs to stretch your savings and having good quality health care available are also top considerations.

In the Americas, Costa Rica continues to be one of the most popular retirement destinations.

HelpAge International, an index that measures the well-being of older people, named Costa Rica fourth best overall for 60-or-older residents in Latin America, and at the top in Central America. International Living Magazine also selected Costa Rica as a top retirement haven for 2014, designating it as “among the best for health care.”

Costa Rica’s year-round warm weather and longtime political stability have made it a prime retirement destination for more than 30 years. Infrastructure and services are well-established and high quality and very affordable medical care is readily available. You can become a legal resident as a retiree (pensionado) with a monthly income of $1,000 from Social Security, disability benefits, a pension, or other source. Only one person in a couple has to show that income; their spouse is included as a dependent.

On Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast, away from the hubbub of busy tourist towns like Manuel Antonio, Dominical and Jacó – yet close enough to visit easily – is Portasol Rainforest and Ocean View Living residential community. The unique eco-community of pristine rainforest, clear streams, mountain ridges and sea views is perfect for retirees.

Less than three hours from the capital city of San José, Portasol is 35 minutes from Manuel Antonio National Park, 20 minutes from the Quepos Marina, and 15 minutes from the Quepos Airport and the Quepos Hospital. Dominical and the Ballena Marine National Park to the south are 15 minutes and 40 minutes respectively. The closest beach, Playa Matapalo, is 10 minutes away.

Award-winning for its environmental and social commitments, Portasol offers large, scenic homesites for sale, along with vacation rentals, property management and building services. They have a “Fly and Buy” offer that lets you come and check out their properties while you stay on site.

Article by Shannon Farley

Scarlet Macaws still fly free in Costa Rica

A flash of brilliant red, blue and yellow, and a loud raucous squawk, and you know you are in the jungle. There is nothing quite like the sight of wild Scarlet Macaws flying overhead or contentedly gathered in bunches in a treetop to give you the full feeling of being in the tropics.

Their distinctive noisy cry carries for miles, so you usually hear them before you see them. When you do sight a Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao), they are a breathtaking rainbow of colors – fire engine red bodies with sunshine yellow and royal blue wing feathers tinged with a bit of green, and a distinct stark white patch around both eyes. Unfortunately, the birds’ striking colors makes them a favorite on the world illegal pet market, fetching prices of up to several thousands of dollars. Between poaching and loss of habitat from deforestation, Scarlet Macaws are now an endangered species.

Scarlet Macaws can live to be over 60 years old and mate for life; they are native to tropical forests from Mexico to South America. In Costa Rica, an estimated 1,500 Scarlet Macaws live in dry, moist, and wet tropical lowland forests along the Pacific Coast. You can see them along the Central Pacific Coast from the Carara National Park to Manuel Antonio, and throughout the Osa Peninsula and Golfo Dulce region in the South Pacific.

The non-profit ARA Project in Costa Rica operates a breeding and wilderness release program for the Great Green Macaw (Ara ambiguus) and the Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao). Over the past 13 years, the ARA Project has freed 70 Scarlet Macaws in their Tiskita release site on Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula.

At Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge on the Golfo Dulce, Scarlet Macaws like to hang out in the almond trees by the beach, munching on the tasty almond fruit. Nicuesa Lodge is actively involved in wildlife conservation and preserves 165 acres of rainforest in a private reserve bordering the Piedras Blancas National Park. The area is a biological corridor connecting to the Osa Peninsula and Corcovado National Park to the west and Panama to the south.

The award-winning eco-lodge is a great place for travelers interested in ecotourism, nature and adventure. They offer guided birding walks and hiking in the rainforest, among other adventure tours.

Article by Shannon Farley

Costa Rica ready for FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in March

2014 is the year of World Cup fever. Costa Rica will host its own World Cup in March 2014 – the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup.

Sixteen international teams will gather in this spectacular Central American country to compete for title of world champions. The prestigious tournament will be played in Costa Rica from March 15 to April 4 in four stadiums in San Jose, Alajuela, Tibas and Liberia.

Costa Ricans are passionate about football. The Costa Rica National Men’s Team is readying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The Costa Rica Women’s U-17 National Team, led by coach Juan Diego Quesada, has joined new young talent to build a strong and competitive team. France won the FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup in 2012 in Azerbaijan; Costa Rica did not play.

Costa Rica will kick off the event on March 15 playing Venezuela in the opening game at the National Stadium in San Jose at 8:00 p.m.

The Draw for the FIFA tournament is:

Group A: Costa Rica, Venezuela, Italy, Zambia
Group B: Ghana, Korea DPR, Germany, Canada
Group C: New Zealand, Paraguay, Spain, Japan
Group D: Mexico, Colombia, China PR, Nigeria

The colorful winged official mascot of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2014 is “Juna” the Blue Morpho butterfly. “Juna” means “to fly” in the indigenous Cabecar language. The official slogan for Costa Rica 2014 is: “Costa Rica abre sus alas al mundo,” which means “Costa Rica opens its wings to the world” – representing the country’s hospitality to those participating in the competition.

To have such a top-level event in Costa Rica is significant for inspiring more female football players and leaders in the country, remarked Costa Rica President Laura Chinchilla, at the draw of the 2014 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in December: “Women, in football as well as in different aspects of modern life … we are no longer mere spectators. We are protagonists, or else we are fighting for the right to be. For this reason I celebrate these competitions in a country where we, as women, have torn down many walls.”

Travel info for Costa Rica

Book your travel for this unmissable Women’s U-17 World Cup event with the online travel directory Costa Rica Guides. Operated by Expediciones Tropicales, a Costa Rica travel agency with more than 18 years of experience, Costa Rica Guides helps you with hotel reservations, private transportation, rental cars, shuttle services, local flights, Costa Rica tours, and Costa Rica vacation packages.

Article by Shannon Farley

Caribbean to host Costa Rica national surfing competition

Puerto Viejo and the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica will host the second big surf competition in the 2014 Olympus National Surfing Circuit later this month. The Lime Coral Caribbean Classic II will be held January 25 and 26 at Playa Cocles just south of Puerto Viejo.

Top surfers from all over Costa Rica will compete in seven categories in the race for the national champion title: Open Division (ages 18 and up) for men and women, Juniors (under 18) for men and women, Boys (ages 15 and under), “Minigrometts” or young surfers (boys and girls ages 12 and under), and Longboard.

Maikol Torres of Playa Esterillos Oeste is currently leading the Men’s Division for the 2014 Costa Rica National Surfing Circuit. Torres won the first competition of the season, the Dunkelvolk Cup at Playa Bejuco on December 14-15, and is challenging Men’s National Champion 2013, Jair Pérez of Jacó. For the women, 10-time national champion Lisbeth Vindas is blazing the trail. Going strong after winning the 2013 National Champion title in July, Vindas again won top honors in the Dunkelvolk Cup in December.

Puerto Viejo and the southern Caribbean Coast are not as often thought of as a big Costa Rica surfing destination. Surfers in the know come to Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, Cocles and Manzanillo for the great waves and the relaxed Afro-Caribbean vibe. Puerto Viejo also is home to what is considered the most powerful wave in Costa Rica -- “Salsa Brava.”

Where to stay in Playa Cocles: Hotel Le Caméléon (“The Chameleon”).

One of the finest upscale hotels on Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast and an Enchanting Hotel of Costa Rica, Le Caméléon is located across the street from the beautiful golden sand Playa Cocles, where the hotel has a private beach club. You will be minutes from watching all of the action of the Lime Coral Caribbean Classic II national surf competition.

Article by Shannon Farley

Best wedding and honeymoon destination

Newlywed couples from Europe to North America are flocking to the tropical paradise of Costa Rica for the ultimate romantic wedding and honeymoon destination.

The Wall Street Journal recently named Costa Rica as the “Best Destination to Say ‘I Do’ in Latin America”. Costa Rica has become a leader in destination weddings and honeymoons, receiving high placement on many ranking indices. In The Knot Market Intelligence: 2012 Destination Weddings Study, Costa Rica captured the number one place for weddings in Latin America.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Costa Rica is “exciting, adventurous, tropical and sexy. North American and European couples see this tropical paradise as a romantic, adventurous wedding destination, where getting married at the foot of a volcano, beneath the palms of a white sand beach, or in the heart of the rainforest, are perfect backdrops for starting a new life together.”

Helping make Costa Rica one of the best wedding and honeymoon destinations in Latin America is its closeness and easy access to North America. With numerous direct daily flights, you can be sipping a cocktail by the pool at your hotel within three to six hours.

2Costa Rica Travel agency provides expert service and high quality, professional support in all aspects of planning and scheduling, ensuring the success of your wedding and honeymoon. The Ultimate Honeymoon Vacation Package in Costa Rica by 2Costa Rica Travel gives you seven nights of bliss in three of Costa Rica’s most romantic destinations:

• Two nights at the Peace Lodge, just outside of San Jose in the cloud forest by the Poas Volcano.
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• Two nights at the romantic and secluded Hotel Villa Caletas, on the Central Pacific Coast overlooking a private beach and the sparkling blue Nicoya Gulf.
•  A catamaran sailing and snorkeling tour to Tortuga Island is included.
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• Two nights at the luxury Hotel Si Como No at Manuel Antonio; a canopy zipline tour and visit to Manuel Antonio National Park are included.

Article by Shannon Farley