San Jose Costa Rica offers a lot as a tourist destination

If you’re coming to Costa Rica on vacation, chances are you are going to visit at least one or two of the country’s beautiful tropical beaches, possibly a volcano, and probably one or more of the proud nation’s national parks. The destination you may or may not have in your travel itinerary is the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica.

Most travelers – either on the recommendation of others, or simply due to short vacation time and so much to see – rarely spend more than their first and last nights in San Jose. If that. Tour groups may do a half-day San Jose city tour by bus, but that’s usually the end of it.



This is unfortunate. San Jose Costa Rica has changed in recent years – received a facelift in many ways – and is now an interesting city to visit, full of history, museums, beautiful architecture, restaurants, colorful gardens and sights. New walking streets make the city more pedestrian-friendly. The Costa Rica Tourist Police has an increased presence patrolling the downtown area to make it safer. The Costa Rican government and Costa Rica Tourism Board are working to develop cultural and gastronomic tourism in downtown San Jose.



In addition to cultural attractions like the National Theatre, National Museum and Gold Museum, visitors can enjoy historic buildings in the downtown and neighborhoods like Amón (also a good place for art galleries), and parks such as La Sabana, Morazan and España. The Costa Rica Tourism Board details three San Jose Walking Tours on their website, and TripAdvisor even has a page on the Top Things to Do in San Jose.

Some notable mentions of things to do in San Jose, Costa Rica include flexible bus tours by Costa Rica City Square Tour. Tourists in San Jose, Costa Rica can ride the new private hop-on, hop-off tour bus service that takes them to the city’s main tourist attractions, such as the National Museum, National Theatre, National Children’s Museum and the Costa Rican Art Museum. Bus service, with certified tour guides, runs from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. along eight different routes; buses come around to each stop every 45 minutes on a loop system and you can hop on and hop off wherever you like for as long as you like. Cost is $25 for one day or $40 for two days.


ChepeCletas is a fun, young company offering cycling and walking tours of San Jose, including such variations as a Cantina Tour, Coffee History Tour, Gastronomic Tour of the Central Market. Tour guides speak English and Spanish. Regularly held Art City Tours give free access to cultural and artistic venues on that evening’s program.


Museums and Attractions of San Jose, Costa Rica

• Pre-Columbian Gold Museum: Open Mon - Sun
• National Theatre: Open Mon - Sat
• National Museum: Open Tue - Sun
• Jade Museum: Open Mon - Sun
• Insect Museum: Open Mon – Fri, 1:00-4:45 p.m.
• Calderón Guardia Museum: Open Mon - Sat
• National Culture Center: Open Mon - Fri
• CENAC Museum of Contemporary Art & Design: Open Mon - Sat
• National Library: Open Mon - Fri
• Costa Rican Art Museum: Open Tue - Sun
• Children's Museum: Open Tue - Sun
• Numismatic Museum: Open Mon - Sun

There are an abundance of daily flights to Costa Rica from the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Central and South America into the Juan Santamaria International Airport by San Jose. This time of year is rainy season, and experienced travelers know that means good deals, lower rates in hotels, and fewer crowds.

On your next visit to Costa Rica, be sure to schedule some time in San Jose. Horizontes Nature Tours can help with tours and hotels in San Jose, Costa Rica, along with nature travel, family trips and beach vacations.
Article by Shannon Farley

A tale of dreams and adventure: Beginning Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge

Guests staying at Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge always ask: how did the Costa Rica eco-lodge get started?

The question is a reasonable one given Nicuesa Lodge’s isolated location in southern Costa Rica. It is a wild place of dense steamy rainforest and tranquil ocean, intensely populated by thousands of species of tropical wildlife. Playa Nicuesa is a little crescent-shaped beach and small bay on the pristine Golfo Dulce – “Sweet Gulf” – a critical habitat for migrating Pacific Humpback Whales, dolphins and hammerhead sharks. The region is a giant conservation area including the world-famous Corcovado National Park on the Osa Peninsula, the Piedras Blancas National Park and three other private reserves.



What keeps Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge so unique and private is that the lodge is accessible only by boat. Almost directly across the gulf from the town of Puerto Jimenez, Nicuesa Lodge’s 165-acre private preserve is backed by rugged mountains and wild jungle of the Piedras Blancas National Park. There are no roads, and there is no development.


So, how did a high-end eco-lodge come to be in this pure, remote place?

Top surfing beach Playa Hermosa in Jaco Costa Rica is both beautiful and uncrowded

The thing that amazed me most standing on Playa Hermosa in Jaco Costa Rica on a recent Saturday morning was not the beautiful deep blue and turquoise barrel waves, or the warm sunlight glinting off the black sand. It was the nearly complete absence of people.

There were maybe 30 surfers in the water, but so spread out that everyone got a wave to surf regularly. There was a young photographer alternating between shooting images of surfers and his model-looking girlfriend in her bikini. A lone jogger headed down the beach, and a family played in the sand. A dozen or so cars – most likely of the surfers – were scattered along the roadside paralleling the beach; parking not being a problem.

If this were Malibu, California, or even Jacó, the next beach over from Hermosa, it would be a very different scene with crowds of people on the beach and plenty more surfers out in the waves.

Playa Hermosa, just past Jacó on the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica may be famous for its surf and the site of the Costa Rica National Surfing Tournament Finals held annually in July, but it isn’t crowded. The northern end of the 6 km long, black sand beach has a gathering of small hotels, restaurants, shops and homes.

Then the beach stretches to the south virtually empty, save for a couple of small clusters of vacation rental bungalows and homes. Even though Playa Hermosa is only a little over an hour’s drive from San Jose, you could definitely say the beautiful beach is peaceful and quiet.


The beach is great for long walks, relaxing, sunbathing, surfing and sunsets. The waves are big and there are strong currents, so for general swimming it is not ideal. The southern end of the beach is part of the Playa Hermosa Wildlife Refuge that protects Olive Ridley sea turtles that nest here each year.

Located on this even quieter end of Playa Hermosa is the modern, new Hotel Tramonto. Since its opening in December 2014, the 76-room hotel has become popular with families, couples and international surfers. The location is ideal to enjoy Playa Hermosa and all of the attractions in the Jacó area as well as Manuel Antonio.

Tramonto means sunset in Italian, and indeed the sunsets here are breathtaking from the impressive second-story sun terrace lounge area. Modern, comfortable rooms in two three-story buildings surround an inner courtyard with a large swimming pool.

Each of the 64 Standard and Superior Rooms come with air-conditioning, cable TV and full-size beds; private baths have hot water showers and hairdryers. There are 12 Suites with king-size beds and Jacuzzi tubs. There are four rooms for disabled guests, and an elevator. The ocean-view restaurant specializes in Italian cuisine. Free Wi-Fi in public areas and free private parking are offered.

To get to Hotel Tramonto from San Jose (approximately 75 minutes): take Highway 27 toward Puntarenas. After the toll booth past Orotina, take the turn-off for Jacó Beach on the Southern Coastal Highway. Playa Hermosa is the town just past Jacó Beach. At the far edge of town by the Backyard Café, turn right and follow the signs and access road along the beach to Hotel Tramonto.

Check Hotel Tramonto’s Facebook page for frequent special offers and promotions.

Article by Shannon Farley

Your next Costa Rica vacation destination : Portasol Living

People in other countries pay big money for audio programs like this, while here at Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living eco-community it’s real. The sounds of the Costa Rica rainforest: crickets chirping, big bullfrogs burping and booming, Common Tink Frogs “tinking”, myriads of other insects whirring, and the Portalón River bubbling over stones and boulders.

I returned to Portasol Living eco-community on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast a couple of months ago for a much-needed weekend getaway. Set on 1,300 acres of beautiful rainforest along the narrow Portalón River Valley, Portasol is a residential eco-community that also has Costa Rica vacation rentals.



I love enjoying a few days of jungle living at Portasol – hiking rainforest trails, swimming under waterfalls, being visited by a band of raccoons at night, and maybe a coati or two in the morning. Sleeping in one of the Rainforest Bungalows to the sounds of the rainforest is the best. And while I am thankful the rainforest is right there, I also am grateful that I can relax in a nice, clean, critter-free room with soft beds, a hot water shower, and a coffeemaker.


Why choose Portasol for your Costa Rica vacation destination?

Portasol is exactly where you want to be in Costa Rica’s Central Pacific region – right between the busy Manuel Antonio beaches and national park, and the popular surf town of Dominical and the Ballena Marine National Park. You are close enough to easily visit, but out of the crowds. Less than 15 minutes away are the beautiful uncrowded beaches of Playa Linda and Playa Matapalo. Stay the weekend for a little R&R, or use Portasol as your vacation home-base to explore the area’s many attractions.

“The location is really good if you want to have an active vacation – go to the national parks, to the beach, go whale watching, go on tours – and it is really good if you want a relaxing vacation to stay in nature. Portasol really appeals to any kind of traveler,” remarked Katie Widdowson of Costa Rica. For her, it is a chance to get away from the city of San Jose to relax, breathe fresh air, and enjoy long weekends with friends.

“I picked Portasol because it is mountains and beach, and it is also close to Quepos and Manuel Antonio,” commented Jan Yatsko of Pennsylvania, who lives in Costa Rica. “You can visit the national park, but you’re not in the hubbub; you’re in peace and quiet. I really like the waterfall, and we enjoyed that.”

“This is the perfect hideaway, tranquil and beautiful,” wrote a traveler from New Zealand on TripAdvisor, who stayed at Portasol earlier this year. “Portasol was much more than I expected. The views are breathtaking,” wrote another guest who stayed in 2014.

“We stayed there three nights, this January, my family loved the quietness of the place, right in the middle of the forest and yet great access to the beach and nearby restaurants, very comfortable rooms, beautiful style and spacious. I couldn't have made a better choice,” wrote a traveler from Texas who stayed at Portasol in January 2015.



South African couple Gary Kritzinger and Shayne Mrazek rented Portasol vacation home Casa Monos Locos for a year, in preparation for building on their home site purchased at Portasol. “Portasol has a unique environment. There are not too many people around, but at the same time it is close to all of the necessities. It’s a wild and natural getaway.”

Costa Rica is one of the hottest destinations for 2015 and there are dozens of daily flights to Costa Rica. Contact Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living eco-community for an unforgettable vacation in one of their Costa Rica vacation rentals.

Article by Shannon Farley

 

Visiting a private tropical Caribbean island at Hotel Laguna Azul, Bocas del Toro Panama

It is always interesting to me to get the story behind a destination boutique hotel. These aren’t large franchise chains owned by a mega-corporation. Small boutique hotels have style and flair, with usually one or a few owners, and often in creative places.

Take for instance, Hotel Laguna Azul in the southern Caribbean Bocas del Toro archipelago of Panama. How on earth did a man from Buenos Aires, Argentina find this little piece of paradise in the Caribbean Sea between two lagoons and a mangrove forest on remote, scarcely populated Popa Island?

That’s the story of Jorge Benatuel. In 1998, Benatuel and his wife traveled from their homeland of Argentina to Bocas del Toro, Panama on vacation. They spent 15 days traveling around Bocas del Toro’s nine major islands and 200-plus islets by boat, looking for a property to build their own house.

“They were looking for peace and relaxation and being away from noise and hubbub,” explained Hotel Laguna Azul general director Fernando Quevedo.

The couple found their paradise on Popa Island, one of the more distant and least populated islands of the Bocas del Toro archipelago. The only population of Popa Island now is Hotel Laguna Azul and two small indigenous communities on the other side of the island. The site faces the open sea, surrounded and protected on three sides by untouched mangrove forest.



The couple returned to Argentina, but before they could build their dream home, Benatuel’s wife sadly passed away. In 2010, Benatuel elected to build an eco-boutique hotel on the property, with associates Hugo Badareotte and Jorge Santillan of Argentina, and Ruben Navarro from Panama. The eight-room luxury hotel opened in 2011.

Hotel Laguna Azul is like being on your own private tropical island. Away from all of the other hotels in Bocas del Toro, this is a place where you can relax and enjoy without sacrificing comfort. Service is attentive with a personal concierge. All-inclusive meals provided by their professional chef are delicious and fresh – as in, just out-of-the-water fresh. The hotel also has a Spa, TV lounge, pool table, table tennis, a fully-equipped gym, and complimentary Wi-Fi in the lobby.



The Caribbean island hotel is built right over the translucent blue Caribbean Sea on 70 concrete pillars. There is nothing between you and the sea. When sitting on the infinity deck you look out over an active coral reef with water so clear you can see the bottom. The area around Popa Island offers some of the best snorkeling in Bocas del Toro.

Located very close to the border with Costa Rica, Bocas del Toro is outside the Caribbean’s “Hurricane Zone”. “This is the true southern Caribbean,” said Quevedo. “At any moment it could rain, but the rains are short and intense. What we don’t have are dangerous storms.”

Your next vacation needs to be to the Bocas del Toro Archipelago in Panamá. Easy to get to from North America and Europe via Panama City, or combine with a trip to Costa Rica, Bocas del Toro has everything you want in a Caribbean vacation – without the crowds.



How to get there: From Panama City, Air Panama flies to the Isla Colon International Airport on Colon Island. From there it is a 35-minute ride by private boat to Popa Island to Laguna Azul Hotel.

From San José, Costa Rica, you can fly Nature Air to Colon Island in Bocas del Toro.
Article by Shannon Farley  

Pro surfers come to top Costa Rica surfing beach Playa Guiones

Long-favored as a site for Costa Rica national surfing competitions, the white sandy beach of Playa Guiones at Nosara will host the sixth tournament of the Costa Rica National Surfing Circuit kölbi 2015 in June.

Presented by Adrenaline Rush, the Beach Club Tournament will be held June 13-14 at Playa Guiones. The important competition is the last of the 2015 Costa Rica pro surfing season before the Costa Rica National Surfing Championship finals on July 17-19, 2015 at Playa Hermosa by Jacó.



On the north Pacific Coast of the Nicoya Peninsula in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, Playa Guiones is known as one of the best surfing beaches in Costa Rica. Home to the annual Triple Crown Surf Tournament held every February, March and April by the Nosara Surf Association, Playa Guiones is reputed to have the most consistent surf on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast.

“Quality and consistency makes this beach the spot for surfing in Costa Rica,” reports the informational website Nosara.com. “Great beach break conditions, with multiple peaks both left and right. The place has become popular among traveling ‘Longboarders’. Great surf can occur at any time during the year; however November through May will offer you the best chance of finding excellent conditions. As in California, the best time for surfing is early morning.”



The beautiful crescent-shape white sand beach stretches approximately 4 miles (7 km), lined with low vegetation and a few palm frond huts built here and there to provide shade. Because Playa Guiones is so close to the continental shelf, the sandy-bottom beach picks up both North and South facing swells for great waves more than 300 days a year.

“Offshore winds blow most every morning during dry season, from mid-November until the end of April, making for great surf conditions. In the rainy season, the waves are often bigger, but expect less consistent wind and slightly choppier and disorganized conditions,” according to VisitNosara.com.

The Guanacaste beaches of Playa Guiones, Playa Nosara, Playa Pelada, Playa Garza and Playa Ostional all recently received the Costa Rica Ecological Blue Flag Award by the Costa Rican Tourism Board for continuing to be some of Costa Rica’s cleanest beaches. The Nosara, Costa Rica area was named one of the 11 Places to Go Worldwide in 2014 by CNN.



Where to stay in Playa Guiones, Nosara, Costa Rica:

Whether you are coming for the Costa Rica Surfing competition in June, to surf Playa Guiones, or simply enjoy the beauty of Nosara, Costa Rica, your place to stay is L'acqua Viva Resort & Spa.

The Bali-style Costa Rica luxury hotel is located between the beautiful beach of Guiones and forested foothills, full of an amazing variety of wildlife – especially howler monkeys. All hotels and businesses at Playa Guiones are set back from the beach to preserve the coastline. L'acqua Viva Resort & Spa is an Enchanting Costa Rica Hotel; accommodations include spacious Deluxe Rooms, luxury Suites and magnificent Villas.



How to get to Nosara, Costa Rica:

• 55-minute flight to Nosara from San Jose; 10-minute drive to Playa Guiones.
• 2.5-hour drive from the Liberia International Airport.
• 5-hour drive from San Jose’s Juan Santamaria International Airport

Article by Shannon Farley

10 Restaurants in Puerto Viejo Costa Rica not to miss while on vacation

The relaxed Caribbean beach town of Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica not only has some of the prettiest beaches in Costa Rica, along with upscale Costa Rica boutique hotels, Puerto Viejo also is the gastronomic capital of the Costa Rica Southern Caribbean Coast.

Puerto Viejo’s dining scene reflects its widely-varied international population – Caribbean, Italian, Argentinean, Mexican, Asian, Spanish, Middle Eastern, North American, and of course, Costa Rican.

“Considering the size of Puerto Viejo – a small beach town – you wouldn’t expect to find such good specialty restaurants, like Italian and Spanish,” said Daniel Chavarria, director of Enchanting Hotels of Costa Rica. “And you have excellent Caribbean cuisine restaurants, and many trendy places. There is a lot to offer in such a small place. You have many possibilities to go out to eat.”

From fresh seafood to paella, pasta, sushi and steak, be sure to try these 10 top restaurants in Puerto Viejo Costa Rica during your visit.



Le Numu Restaurant & Bar

Located in Hotel Le Caméléon in Playa Cocles, Le Numu serves a mix of Costa Rican Caribbean cuisine, creative international dishes and tropical cocktails in a contemporary, chic ambience. The restaurant’s name “Numu” means Chameleon in the indigenous Bribri language. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hotel Le Caméléon’s beach club, La Sula Sea Lounge, serves cocktails and lunch from Le Numu out on the beach at Playa Cocles. Le Caméléon Hotel also can arrange for candlelight dinners on the beach. The beach club also is ideal for weddings, exclusive beach parties and other events. (+506-2750-0501)

Koki Beach

Eco-friendly eclectic-style restaurant, bar and lounge overlooking the sea on the edge of the road in the center of Puerto Viejo. Serves Latin fusion cuisine and organic products with an ocean view. Open 5:00-11:00 p.m. for dinner, with a full bar. (+506-2275-0902)



Amimodo

Serving traditional Italian dishes, the family-style restaurant has been in Puerto Viejo for 20+ years. It is located on the main road in front of the famous Salsa Brava surf spot. There is a little bar for pizza and cocktails. Open for lunch and dinner. (+506-2750-0257)

Bread and Chocolate

Offering freshly made hearty breakfasts, lunches and specialty baked goods, this little café is located just off the main road in the center of Puerto Viejo. There are only a few tables that fill up fast. Open from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday; 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sundays; closed Mondays. (+506-2750-0723)



Café Viejo

This upscale Italian restaurant serves authentic Italian dishes in a sophisticated ambience; centrally located on the main road near the middle of Puerto Viejo. Open for dinner, with a full bar. (+506-2750-0817)

Soda Lidia

Traditional Costa Rican Caribbean cuisine served in a casual, family-style atmosphere behind the main road of Puerto Viejo. This is definitely a local’s hang-out. Open for lunch and dinner. (+506-2750-0598)



La Pecora Nera

Authentic Italian cuisine prepared by an Italian chef is served in a romantic, yet family-friendly, open-air restaurant; located on the main road in Playa Cocles. (+506-2750-0490)



Jungle Love Cafe

This very popular restaurant on the main road in Playa Chiquita serves international-California fusion cuisine served up by the owner-chef from San Francisco. Open 5:30-9:30 p.m. (+506-2750-0162)



Pita Bonita

This Middle Eastern restaurant serves fresh pita, hummus, falafel, salads and other traditional fare. Located where Playa Chiquita meets Punta Uva. Open 1:00-9:00 p.m. for lunch and dinner. (+506-2756-8173)

Maxi’s

This traditional Caribbean restaurant has been around for many years on the beach in Manzanillo. It is famous for fresh fish and seafood. (+506-2759-0673)



Where to stay in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica Hotel Le Caméléon is one of the few upscale Costa Rica boutique hotels in the Costa Rica Southern Caribbean region. Located on Playa Cocles, to the south of Puerto Viejo, Hotel Le Caméléon is an Enchanting Hotel of Costa Rica featuring modern rooms, beautiful tropical architecture and lush jungle gardens.



How to get to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica Daily 30-minute flights on Nature Air or Sansa Airlines between San Jose and Limon; then drive less than an hour to Puerto Viejo and Playa Cocles. Driving from San Jose to Puerto Viejo takes approximately 4.5 hours.

Article by Shannon Farley  

 

North Face Endurance Challenge comes to Costa Rica in May

The famous international adventure race, The North Face Endurance Challenge, is once again coming to Rincón de la Vieja Volcano in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

The 3rd edition of The North Face Endurance Challenge Costa Rica – four trail-running endurance races – will be held on May 30, 2015 from the headquarters at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin. Organized by The North Face outdoor gear and clothing company in the USA, hundreds of runners from all over the world will be in Costa Rica’s northern Guanacaste region to compete in trail-running races of 10km, 21km, 50km and 80km. There are categories for beginning trail runners along with intermediate and expert ultra runners. The race courses vary in difficulty and terrain, spanning altitudes between 850 feet and 3,280 feet.



Rincón de la Vieja is the largest volcano in Costa Rica’s northwestern Guanacaste province. It is a ridge-shaped massif, with several craters and peaks, lying along a northwest-southeast axis within the Rincón de la Vieja National Park. The highest point is 6,286 feet (1,916m). Rincón de la Vieja is one of six active volcanoes in Costa Rica, and has a large number of fumaroles and hot springs on its slopes. The Rincón de la Vieja Volcano and National Park were declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999.



Launched in 2007, The North Face Endurance Challenge Series promotes the sport of ultra-trail running. In North America, the series features annual two-day, trail-running festivals in six locations, culminating with the championship in San Francisco in December. The competition has become one of the most popular International trail-running events in Latin America, with races held in Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia and Peru, in addition to Costa Rica.

Also coming again to Rincón de la Vieja is the third annual Rincón de la Vieja Challenge mountain biking endurance race on Aug. 22, 2015. The 100-mile (160 km) extreme adventure race is unique in Costa Rica and Latin America to circumnavigate an active volcano.



Explore Rincón de la Vieja on your own adventure at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin. The first-class eco-lodge next to the Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park is a prime destination for adventure and nature lovers, offering the best Costa Rica adventure tours – canopy ziplines, canyoning, waterfall rappelling, river tubing, horseback riding, mountain biking, nature trails, and natural volcanic hot springs – all on a working horse and cattle ranch. The award-winning hotel in Guanacaste, Costa Rica is located 15.5 miles (25 km) northeast of Guanacaste’s principal city of Liberia.

Article by Shannon Farley  

Best sources of information about Atenas Costa Rica

Heard about Atenas, Costa Rica – a favorite place for international retirement – and want to know more information?

The charming country town, strategically located between the capital city of San Jose and beautiful Pacific Coast beaches, has several sources of information to let you know what’s happening in Atenas, Costa Rica. All are available online from wherever you may be. Then, the best thing to do is to visit Atenas in person.

ATENAS TODAY E-MAGAZINE

One of the best sources of information about Atenas, Costa Rica is the monthly online community publication, the Atenas Today e-magazine. Published on the 23^rd of every month, Atenas Today presents a community calendar, information about events in and around Atenas, regular columnists, a gallery of works by local artists, and some local advertising. All columnists and artists are Atenas residents. Now in its eighth year, Atenas Today has more than 600 readers in Atenas and out of the area.

Atenas Today is a labor of love by Atenas resident Marietta Arce. Originally started in March 2007 by former Atenas homeowner, Fred MacDonald, Arce took it over in April 2011 when MacDonald returned to the USA. It is a non-paid hobby that has become a huge community commitment. Costa Rican 100% and raised in New York, Arce moved back to her homeland of Costa Rica 16 years ago with her husband and family; they have lived in Atenas for 13 years.


“Atenas Today is a wonderful source of positive information about the Atenas community,” commented Costa Rica realtor Dennis Easters with Pure Life Development of Atenas. “It is an important resource for our community because it provides quality information about what is happening in our town, as well as resources such as local blogs about living in Atenas and Costa Rica.”

You can subscribe to receive the monthly Atenas Today e-magazine by emailing editor Marietta Arce at atenastoday@gmail.com. Subscribers also receive the Atenas Yellow Pages each month. Back issues are available on Arce’s personal website. There also is an Atenas Today Facebook page that publishes news between issues, happenings in town, events, and nationwide information of interest to people in Atenas.

RADIO ATENAS

Tune into the pulse of Atenas, Costa Rica with music and news on online radio station, Radio Atenas. The 24-hour station is online only – on the air since September 2014 – and they hope to get a community FM station in the future. You can download free apps for your mobile phone on the Radio Atenas website to listen to Radio Atenas wherever you go.
The station’s programming is mostly in Spanish, except for Atenas resident Marietta Arce’s show on Fridays at 1:00 pm in English. She presents theme shows with music and community news and events. Arce has a Spanish-language talk show on Thursdays at 11:00 a.m. about current events in Costa Rica, culture, traditions, how-to’s, and interviews with community figures. The station also accepts advertising.
OTHER INFORMATION SOURCES ABOUT ATENAS, COSTA RICA
A very good source of information about Costa Rica is We Love Costa Rica.

Another is Pure Life Development's website and blog.
There are three Facebook groups about Atenas: Atenas Online, Atenas Costa Rica Info, and Atenas International.



HOW TO VISIT OR LIVE IN ATENAS, COSTA RICA

This video from Pure Life Development of Atenas will give you a good idea of what it would be like to live in Atenas, Costa Rica or to visit on vacation.

Atenas, Costa Rica realtors Dennis Easters and Gerardo Gonzalez-Porras of Pure Life Development of Atenas, specialize in Atenas homes for sale and Costa Rica vacation rentals. Originally from Florida, Easters knows first-hand what it is like to relocate to live in Costa Rica. Gonzalez-Porras is Costa Rican born and raised and has worked in real estate for 10 years.
Article by Shannon Farley

 

Santa Teresa Costa Rica beach communities win Ecological Blue Flag

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead

Walk down the Pacific beaches of Santa Teresa, Costa Rica and you’re likely to see long, empty stretches of white sand, beautiful blue rolling waves, multicolored crushed seashells and interesting rocks and pebbles. What you won’t see so much is trash.

The southern Nicoya Peninsula beaches of Playa Hermosa, Playa Santa Teresa, Playa Carmen and Mal Pais all were honored once again with the Costa Rica Ecological Blue Flag Award by the Costa Rican Tourism Board for being some of the cleanest beaches in the country. A record 108 Costa Rica beaches received Ecological Blue Flag Awards for 2014, presented at a ceremony in March 2015. Award-winning Santa Teresa Beach in Costa Rica also was chosen one of the Top 15 Places to Go in 2015 by Condé Nast Traveler.



Costa Rica’s Blue Flag award is an honor for a community to earn. It means that community’s beach has near-perfect ocean water quality, potable water quality, coastal sanitation areas, treated waste and run-off water, garbage containers and very little litter.

At Playa Hermosa, it all started four years ago when hotel owner Tara Shaw encouraged her business neighbors to join her in cleaning the beach. “I used to go running on the beach and used to cry about all of the plastic trash. My family and I used to go out there and clean up,” said Shaw, who owns the small hotel of Villas Hermosas at Playa Hermosa with her husband, Brad. “Now, Hermosa has grown enough that a lot of people are really supportive.

” Playa Hermosa – aptly named “Beautiful Beach” – keeps its beauty thanks to the hard work and dedication of Costa Rican Maxfred Moraga and the committed business owners who sponsor him in the community beach cleaning program. Nine businesses at Playa Hermosa cooperate to pay Moraga’s salary and the cleanup expenses. Moraga works six days a week all year – with vacation time – to pick up trash brought in on the Pacific tides, that is left behind by beach-goers or washed out from nearby rivers. The rubbish is collected in extra-large garden-size trash bags, separated between garbage and recycling, and brought to a municipal trash collection spot.


“Such a proud moment today! Our beach, Playa Hermosa, has been given the honor by the respected Blue Flag program of the cleanest beach in the entire (large) province of Puntarenas,” wrote Shaw on the Villas Hermosas Facebook page. “Several Northern Santa Teresa / Hermosa businesses (Batik, Pranamar Villas and Yoga Retreat, Zopilote Surf Camp, The White House, Florblanca Resort, Latitude 10º Resort, Purasonica, Rancho Cielo, and us at Villas Hermosas) have been contributing for a full-time worker to pick up garbage 6 days per week for the last 4 years in our part of town, and it has obviously paid off! Thanks so much to Maxfred, our cleaner the last three years, and all contributors who help us with this program. Best. Neighbours. Ever.”

“I am happy, not only that we got the award for being one of the cleanest beaches in the country and being able to enjoy it every day, but by the fact that my kids are growing in a community where people do care,” commented Mario Matarrita, manager at Pranamar Oceanfront Villas & Yoga Retreat, which contributes to the community program. “After all, this is for our future generation, and these kinds of actions will hopefully set them on the right path.”



Being right on the beach at Playa Hermosa in Santa Teresa, Pranamar Oceanfront Villas also uses its own staff to keep its area of the beach well-groomed and free of trash and debris. The Santa Teresa Costa Rica hotel specializes in Costa Rica yoga retreats and Costa Rica surfing vacations, with daily yoga classes for hotel guests and the public. Pranamar Oceanfront Villas was named a Top 5 Yoga Retreat in Costa Rica by Travel & Leisure Magazine.

Article by Shannon Farley