You can’t visit Costa Rica without seeing the Monteverde cloud forest

Described as being like “Jurassic Park” or a fairytale land of elves, the cloud forest of Monteverde, Costa Rica is a special place on the planet.

The rare ecosystem of Monteverde in Costa Rica is part of only 1% of the planet’s global woodlands known as cloud forest. Cloud forest is rainforest up in the clouds at high elevations. In Costa Rica, tropical warm air condenses at high altitude (above 5,000 feet) into persistent fog and mist, and moisture is more consistent drizzle than rain showers.

 

Located in Costa Rica’s Central Highlands, Monteverde is about three hours from major destinations like San Jose, Arenal Volcano and Pacific Coast beaches of Guanacaste.

Monteverde is very different from the rest of Costa Rica. Its elevation – between 4,662 feet (1,440m) and 5,900 feet (1,800m) – creates an “eternal spring” climate that is fresh, misty and chilly, with pockets of warm sunshine and rainbows, and eternal green. Dew-soaked moss and vines hang all over giant trees, splashed with colorful delicate orchids and ferns in all shapes and sizes. Clouds and mist weave in and out of hilltops and forest in the early mornings and late afternoons.

Monteverde is considered one of the most extensive cloud forests in Central America. More than 2,500 different types of plants and animals, including 426 types of orchids and 400 species of birds, live in this cloud forest. Monteverde is a favorite destination for bird watching in Costa Rica, especially to see the elusive, jewel green and red Resplendent Quetzal.

Many people combine a visit to Monteverde with the Arenal Volcano, since it is very close geographically, or with Guanacaste beaches that are in easy proximity. The community of Monteverde consists of protected nature reserves like the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve and the Children’s Eternal Rainforest. The little town of Santa Elena offers hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions amid dairy farms and coffee fields.

The relatively rural area, whose biggest income now is tourism, was originally founded in the 1930s by Costa Rican farming families. In 1950, a group of 44 Quakers (a pacifist religious group) from 11 families from Alabama, USA, fled persecution for not supporting the Korean War and sought refuge in Monteverde’s peaceful hills and valleys. They found the climate perfect to continue their lifestyle of dairy farms and cheese making, and were thrilled to enjoy religious freedom in a country that had just abolished its army in 1949. The Quakers in Monteverde were the driving force behind preserving the unique cloud forest, and established conservation foundations and private reserves to protect the area. They continue their dairy farming to this day, producing some of the best cheeses, yogurt and ice cream in Costa Rica.

There is a lot to do in Monteverde:

• Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
• Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
• Monteverde Orchid Garden
• Canopy zip line tours
• Night walking tours
• Horseback riding
• Wildlife and nature exhibits
• Coffee tours
• Monteverde Cheese Factory

 

Where to stay in Monteverde Costa Rica

 

Make your trip to the world-famous Monteverde cloud forest unforgettable with a stay at El Establo Mountain Hotel, one of the most luxurious hotels in the region.

The hotel cascades in stair-steps down a verdant hillside, interspersed with native trees and lush flower gardens. Comfortable and well-appointed rooms feature either a private balcony or patio with magnificent views across the Monteverde forest, down the valley and out to the Nicoya Gulf with its islands and distant coastal mountains. Right on the property, there are hiking and mountain biking trails, the Tree Top canopy zip line tour and the Night Walk tour. There are two excellent restaurants, café-bars, a spa, two heated indoor pools, a tennis court, basketball court and mini soccer court. El Establo Hotel is part of the Enchanting Hotels collection in Costa Rica.

Article by Shannon Farley

Caribbean Coast Costa Rica big in the news in 2015

Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica has been in the news a lot in 2015. The beautiful southern Caribbean Costa Rica region has received its share of media love this year as Costa Rica surges in the international news with new flights to the country, better travel opportunities, and newsworthy events happening.

IKEA films Caribbean Coast Costa Rica jungle wildlife

 

Costa Rican howler, white-faced capuchin and spider monkeys became famous starring in a new IKEA commercial filmed at the Jaguar Rescue Center in Puerto Viejo. The ad campaign launched on July 11, 2015, and promptly caused an international media furor. In the video, the tranquil Costa Rica jungle turns to mayhem when the monkeys (and other animals) come across a fully stocked IKEA kitchen in the middle of the forest. An upbeat song plays as the monkeys pull open drawers, test the sink and the coffee machine, throw cups and utensils, and discover the refrigerator full of bananas. The only strange anomaly was the out-of-place appearance of an elephant, which you cannot find in the Americas.

The Jaguar Rescue Center in Puerto Viejo is a non-profit organization that works to rescue and rehabilitate wild animals with the aim of releasing them back into protected areas. Guided tours, where you can meet wild animals from Costa Rica while supporting a good cause, are offered Monday to Saturday at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

Real-life Kermit the Frog discovered in Costa Rica

Another major uproar in social media networks and international news media happened with the news in April 2015 that a real-life Kermit the Frog had been discovered in Costa Rica’s southern Caribbean Talamanca mountains. The new species of glass frog, Hyalinobatrachium dianaeI, was found by Costa Rican Amphibian Research Center founder Brian Kubicki. People everywhere were quick to notice the unerring likeness of the new frog to the Muppet Kermit the Frog, and the news went viral.

Cahuita National Park honored in Costa Rica stamp

 

The Costa Rica Post Office focused on the protection of the coral reefs at Cahuita National Park by featuring a photo of the reefs in new stamps issued in early 2015. The coral reefs at Cahuita National Park are the largest in Costa Rica, and can be seen on snorkelingand scuba diving tours.

Visit the Costa Rica Caribbean Coast

Costa Rica Caribbean Summer, now in September and October, is a perfect time to visit the beautiful Southern Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica. This time of year when seas are calm it is ideal to go snorkeling or scuba diving in the clear waters of the Cahuita National Park, or sea kayaking in the Gandoca-Manzanillo Reserve.

The southern Caribbean Coast has everything you're looking for in a Costa Rica beach vacation – and at Hotel Le Caméléon by Puerto Viejo, you can enjoy the utmost in luxury.  Now is the time to visit the Costa Rica boutique hotel for special vacation offers in Caribbean summer.

During October, Hotel Le Caméléon is offering Caribbean vacation packages, with 20% discounts off rates for Superior and Deluxe rooms. A Romance Package includes one night in a Superior Room for two persons, breakfast, and one Caribbean lunch or dinner per person. And the Family Package includes one night in a Deluxe Room, breakfast, and one Caribbean lunch or dinner per person.

Hotel Le Caméléon is located on Playa Cocles just past Puerto Viejo on one of the prettiest Costa Rica Caribbean beaches. The upscale Puerto Viejo hotel features the Caribbean beach club La Sula Sea Lounge. An Enchanting Hotel of Costa Rica, Le Caméléon received the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for 2015.

Article by Shannon Farley

Saving hammerhead sharks in Golfo Dulce in Costa Rica

 

The “Sweet Gulf” of Golfo Dulce in southern Costa Rica gets a lot of attention for being a refuge for migrating endangered Pacific humpback whales. The 31-mile-long (50 km) Pacific gulf is essentially a big watery “cradle”, not only the birthplace for whales but also for dolphins and endangered hammerhead sharks.

The Costa Rican environmental organization Misión Tiburón (Shark Mission) is lobbying the Costa Rican government to protect Golfo Dulce as the first sanctuary for hammerhead sharks in the world. The nonprofit association works for the conservation of sharks and other marine species in marine education, research and advocacy.

 

Sharing Mision Tiburon’s goal is the Center for Cetacean Research of Costa Rica (CEIC), which also wants to create a marine protected area within Golfo Dulce. “Golfo Dulce is a critical habitat for marine life on Earth and must be protected,” said Costa Rican biologist Andres Lopez, co-founder of Misión Tiburón.

On the inside of Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula, Golfo Dulce is one of only four tropical fjords in the world. Its steeply sloped deep inner basin, that bottoms out around 705 feet (300 m), and low human impact due to its remoteness, are what attract large marine life to the sheltered gulf, said Lopez.

You can find three species of hammerhead sharks in Golfo Dulce in Costa Rica – mostly Scalloped Head Hammerhead Sharks, and also Grand Hammerhead Sharks and Mallethead Sharks. Additionally, tiger sharks, bull sharks, black tip sharks, and friendly whale sharks also swim in these waters.

The area is particularly important for hammerhead sharks, said Lopez. Hammerheads, which live as adults in the protected waters of the Coco Island National Park, 340 nautical miles southwest of Costa Rica, come to Golfo Dulce to breed and give birth – usually beginning in May. Juvenile sharks then spend their first three to four years growing up in the gulf.

“The sharks live more in Golfo Dulce than at Coco Island,” said Lopez. “The national park protects these large species, but females go to the coastal areas to have their offspring, which then spend nearly four years in unprotected zones.”

Threats to the sharks are pollution, over-fishing and destruction of habitat, explained Lopez. Young sharks that leave Golfo Dulce and other refuges along Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast are being killed before they reach adulthood, or in their migration to Coco Island.

“In coastal waters, the juveniles and pregnant females are vulnerable to trawling shrimp boats, gill nets and bottom lines of fishermen. In the open ocean, adults are mostly caught by pelagic longlines,” Lopez said.

Golfo Dulce is formally decreed an area of “Responsible Fishing” in Costa Rica. However, there are still illegal fishing practices like net fishing and shrimp trawling, which is prohibited, and which Mision Tiburon is trying to eliminate, said Lopez.

On a positive note, he said that as ecotourism grows in the area of the Osa Peninsula and Golfo Dulce, the risk to marine species from over-fishing has diminished because fishermen have alternative income from tourism.

 

Costa Rica eco-hotel at Golfo Dulce

See the amazing marine life of the Golfo Dulce when you stay at Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge in Costa Rica. Accessible only by boat, Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge sits on the unspoiled beaches and tranquil blue-green waters of Golfo Dulce, with a 165-acre private rainforest preserve surrounded by the wild Piedras Blancas National Park.

The Costa Rica rainforest lodge offers a unique opportunity for both a beach and a rainforest holiday in one location. The gulf, the tenth deepest in the world, is a great place for ocean adventures like kayaking, snorkeling, fishing, boating and wildlife viewing.

One of 18 sonar receivers installed by Mision Tiburon in Golfo Dulce to monitor marine life is located near Playa Nicuesa. You can help contribute to Mision Tiburon’s conservation efforts with their “Save the Scalloped Hammerhead Shark” program.

Article by Shannon Farley

Guide to Living in Atenas Costa Rica

Learn all there is to know about Atenas, Costa Rica in this super handy guide from Pure Life Development of Atenas. The Atenas Costa Rica realtors Dennis Easters and Gerardo Gonzalez Porras have been successfully helping customers buy and sell real estate in Costa Rica, do land development and home construction in Costa Rica for 10 years.

Your Guide to Living in Atenas, Costa Rica

With an ideal location, Atenas, Costa Rica offers everything for living your dreams. Atenas is located on the western edge of Costa Rica’s Central Valley, where the mountains drop away to the Pacific Coast. Less than an hour away are the capital city of San Jose to the east, and some of the best Pacific Coast beaches to the west. The Arenal Volcano is only 2.5 hours north.

The population is about 27,000 residents, including all of the outlying neighborhoods. Atenas has been named a top place for international retirement by International Living, HelpAge International and AARP. There are an estimated 1,500 foreign residents from North America and Europe who live in Atenas full time. That number almost doubles during Costa Rica’s high tourism season, from December to early April during the colder months to the north, when part-time residents and tourists come to vacation homes in Atenas.

Atenas offers residents a blend of rural and small town qualities, including safe neighborhoods and low crime levels, good public services, excellent public and private schools, easy access to health care, and a thriving active foreign community.

The heart of Atenas is its central park, with the Catholic Church bordering one side and ringed by shops, restaurants and cafes, the National Bank, the Atenas Municipality and the Atenas courthouse. The park is a perfect spot to enjoy an ice cream or coffee or simply take in local life. In the late afternoon, flocks of green parrots and the occasional toucan settle in the palm trees above the park.

Climate for Atenas, Costa Rica

Atenas, Costa Rica claims it has the “Best Climate in the World.” Composed of mountains and valleys, Atenas ranges in elevation from 2,200 to 4,000 feet. Residents enjoy wonderful weather, stunning landscapes, and panoramic views of valleys, volcanoes and the coast. According to data from the Costa Rica National Meteorological Institute, Atenas receives 2,500 hours of sun per year. Average daily temperatures in Atenas range from 72 to 85 F during the day, and 60 to 68 F at night.

“Atenas town enjoys a moderate climate. So, we can conclude that the climate is very warm during the day but temperatures drop significantly at night,” writes Atenas historian Eladio Valerio on his website Atenasonline.com.

 

More information on Atenas, Costa Rica

Get more information on Atenas, Costa Rica, including the most popular neighborhoods, about the schools, medical care, and history of the town in the full article, “All you ever wanted to know about Atenas Costa Rica”, on the Pure Life Development blog. 

What’s the Atenas, Costa Rica Real Estate Market Like?

The Atenas real estate market attracts mostly people looking to retire in Costa Rica – age 55 and up. Many buyers purchase homes in Atenas three to five years before retirement, and use their homes as vacation rentals. Additionally, about 30 to 40 percent of buyers in the Atenas market are Costa Ricans from San Jose looking to move out of the capital city. Highway 27 makes it easy to commute to work in the city.

Well priced homes in Atenas typically sell in zero to six months. You can find homes ranging from less than $100,000 to over $500,000. The most popular price range is from $350,000 to $500,000, with 2 to 3 bedrooms, 2 to 3 baths, a guest house, pool, and a view. Atenas (and Costa Rica in general) is a cash market, with little to no local financing available.

 

Atenas, Costa Rica Realtor – Why Choose Pure Life Development?

In beautiful Atenas, Costa Rica, real estate agency Pure Life Development of Atenas specializes in Atenas homes for sale, Costa Rica properties for sale and Costa Rica vacation homes.

If you are thinking about buying a home, investment property, or other Atenas Costa Rica real estate, let Atenas Costa Rica realtors Dennis Easters and Gerardo Porras Gonzalez help make the process a smooth and pleasant experience. Both Dennis and Gerardo are certified with the Costa Rica Chamber of Real Estate, and Dennis is a licensed realtor from Florida. Call or email them today to discuss your Atenas Costa Rica real estate needs. 

Article by Shannon Farley

See exotic wildlife on Hacienda Guachipelin’s Costa Rica nature tours

The dry tropical forest covering the western side of Rincon de la Vieja Volcano in Guanacaste, Costa Rica creates an interesting ecosystem for many different animals and plants than you would see elsewhere in Costa Rica.
The award-winning eco-hotel Hacienda Guachipelin, located at the base of the massive volcano, offers fun and fascinating Costa Rica nature tours. You can visit waterfalls and natural volcanic hot springs, go hiking in the Rincon de la Vieja National Park, learn about ancient cultures on an archaeology tour, and see exotic wildlife in Hacienda Guachipelin’s Butterfly Garden, Serpentarium & Frog Exhibit.

The Butterfly Garden shows three of the major families of butterflies in Costa Rica: Pieridae, Papilionidae and Nimphalidae. The Serpentarium and Frog Exhibit presents 23 kinds of snakes, including 11 that are poisonous; six species of frogs and two types of basilisk lizards – in glass and wood habitat cases. The tour guide will explain details about each animal. The tour also visits the ranch’s Look-out Point, where you can see the Rincón de la Vieja and Santa Maria volcanoes as well as the Pacific Coast of Guanacaste.

• Nature Tour times: 8:00 AM / 10:00 AM / 1:30 PM / 2:30 PM
• Tour duration: 1.5 hours
• Tour Prices: USD $20 adults (11+ years) / USD $15 children (4-10 years)

Choose the One Day Nature Pass and you will have included buffet lunch in Hacienda Guachipelin’s Restaurant, and a visit to the natural volcanic hot springs at Rio Negro (transport by vehicle). Tour Prices: USD $55 adults (11+ years) and USD $45 children (4-10 years).
Another interesting nature and cultural tour at Hacienda Guachipelin is the Archaeology tour. Created by an archaeologist with the University of Costa Rica, eight stations give an introduction to the history of Guanacaste and Rincon de la Vieja, and show daily life of the indigenous peoples who lived near the massive Rincon de la Vieja Volcano in Guanacaste.

Hacienda Guachipelin´s Adventure Center is open seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You should note that the Rincon de la Vieja National Park is closed on Mondays. For the best day of Costa Rica adventure tours, get the One Day Adventure Pass at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin. It includes canopy zip lines, horseback riding, river tubing, and natural volcanic hot springs. You don´t have to be a hotel guest to enjoy Hacienda Guachipelin´s Adventure Park; many day visitors staying in other Guanacaste locations come to the popular eco-adventure hotel for tours.
Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin
At the base of the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano in the northwestern province of Guanacaste, Costa Rica, Hacienda Guachipelin is an award-winning eco-tourism hotel and 3,400-acre horse and cattle ranch. The hotel is 15.5 miles (25 km) northeast of Guanacaste´s main city of Liberia.
Article by Shannon Farley

Go for a yoga retreat in Santa Teresa Costa Rica in 2016

Yoga retreats at Pranamar Oceanfront Villas & Yoga Retreat, on award-winning Santa Teresa Beach in Costa Rica, draw people from all over the world. So do Pranamar Villas´ daily yoga classes with popular instructor and Pranamar yoga director, Nancy Goodfellow.
Now Nancy will be holding two inspirational Costa Rica yoga retreats, called “Embracing Totality”, at Pranamar Villas in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, next year in 2016. The seven-night all-inclusive retreats will be held May 21 to 28, 2016 and Aug. 13 to 18, 2016´in Pranamar´s beautiful, spacious beachfront Yoga Shala
“So many people come to Pranamar for yoga classes with Nancy. She is very popular in the yoga world,” said Agustina Zocchi at Pranamar Villas.

Nancy has been practicing yoga for 20 years and teaching for 15 years. She is extremely well-known among local and international yoga students for her inspiring and creative daily yoga classes, workshops, and retreats at Pranamar Villas.
Nancy began her yogic studies in the Ashtanga Vinyasa tradition. Following her dream of adventure and living a more simple life in nature, she moved to Costa Rica and continued her yogic practice, while continuing to study with top international yoga instructors. Nancy has completed more than 500 hours of Yoga Alliance teacher training and began teaching classes in 1998. Nancy dedicated many years of study also to the Anusara method of yoga, with its principles of alignment, Tantric philosophy and Bhakti filled practice. She has completed more than 500 hours of certified Anusara teachings and traditional non-dualistic Tantra studies.

The all-inclusive “Embracing Totality” yoga retreats at Pranamar Villas will include:

• Twice daily Tantric-based Hatha Yoga practices – morning Shakti Flow Vinyasa and afternoon moon practices
• Daily meditations and mantra practices
• Seven nights’ accommodation at Pranamar Oceanfront Villas
• Three daily delicious, healthy meals at Pranamar Villas’ Buddha Eyes Restaurant
• An evening dinner out at a local beachfront restaurant
• A one-hour therapeutic massage treatment at Pranamar Villas’ Spa
• A Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) adventure tour on the Rio Bongo by Santa Teresa
• A Sacred Fire ceremony (letting go of anything to release) and Water Blessing (to honor the ocean and the wishes desired in life)

Optional activities during the Pranamar yoga retreat include:

• Surfing and/or private surf lessons
• Private yoga sessions with Nancy
• Mayan Calendar Astrological readings

Rates for the Embracing Totality yoga retreats at Pranamar Villas range from $1,500 to $2,900, depending on the choice of accommodation, and whether single or double occupancy. Accommodations at Pranamar Villas include luxurious Poolside Villas, Oceanfront Bungalows, and the large two-story shared Kula House.
Santa Teresa Costa Rica yoga retreats at Pranamar Villas fill up fast so make reservations today! Pack your bags, grab your mat, and travel to the beach in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica for a yoga retreat with Nancy Goodfellow at the amazing beachfront Pranamar Oceanfront Villas & Yoga Retreat.
Pranamar Oceanfront Villas & Yoga Retreat
The beachfront hotel in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, on the southern Nicoya Peninsula, specializes in Costa Rica yoga vacations and Costa Rica surfing vacations. Pranamar Villas was named a Top 5 Yoga Retreat in Costa Rica by Travel & Leisure Magazine, and was awarded TripAdvisor´s 2015 Certificate of Excellence. Santa Teresa Beach was chosen one of the Top 15 Places to Go in 2015 by Condé Nast Traveler, and holds the status of being one of the cleanest beaches in Costa Rica.
Public yoga classes at Pranamar Villas are held from Monday to Saturday in the hotel’s beautiful oceanfront Yoga Shala. All classes are taught for students of all levels, with variations and modifications offered and encouraged. Mats and props are available at no extra charge. Private yoga sessions can be arranged with Nancy. Pranamar's yoga class schedule changes weekly and is posted on their Facebook page.
If you are a yoga instructor interested in having a yoga retreat at Pranamar Villas, contact the hotel.
Article by Shannon Farley

Cute baby sloths in Costa Rica feature in PBS and BBC program

Baby animals are cute, there’s no denying it. And what could be cuter than baby sloths?
The cute and cuddly sloths of Costa Rica will once again feature in international television and online programming. The award-winning production Nature will air a two-part program called Nature’s Miracle Orphans on PBS on September 23 and 30, 2015 at 8:00 p.m. (ET). After each broadcast, the episode will be available for online streaming at pbs.org/nature. Nature is a production of THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET. Nature’s Miracle Orphans is a BBC Production. The series has been consistently among the most-watched primetime series on public television in the USA.

The show tells the story of orphaned baby sloths at The Sloth Institute Costa Rica (SICR) in Manuel Antonio, run by Sam Trull, who is “dedicated to helping one of the most charismatic animals in Costa Rica, the sloth.” The Sloth Institute collaborates with the nonprofit organization Kids Saving the Rainforest in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, for sloth rescue, rehabilitation and release. In the episodes, storylines follow “Newbie”, a baby three-toed female sloth that has been battling pneumonia since her rescue, a condition Trull thinks may have been triggered by the stress of losing her mother. “In the wild, Newbie would have spent nine months clinging to her mother for comfort and security, feeding on her milk and learning what to eat. The tasks of feeding Newbie and showing her what foods to eat now fall to Trull as surrogate mother,” show information explains. Another sloth in the limelight is “Pelota”, a two-toed female sloth that Trull is preparing to release back into the wild, and so must teach her to climb, swim, and spend nights outside alone.

The PBS documentary Nature’s Miracle Orphans also follows the stories of koalas, wallabies, kangaroos and fruit bats in Australia as they cope with survival without parents, and learning the life skills needed to survive back in the wild from their rescuers.
Sloths in Costa Rica have become famous, and are one of the most sought-after animals to see by travelers visiting Costa Rica. Animal Planet featured rescued sloths at the Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica, on the southern Caribbean Coast, in several shows in 2014 – “Meet the Sloths” and “Sloth Week”. The Costa Rica Tourism Board also promotes sloths in its tourism campaigns to Costa Rica.
See sloths in the wild in Costa Rica

The private rainforest reserve and 1,335 acres of protected land at Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living eco-development, just south of Manuel Antonio, is a great place to see sloths in the Costa Rica jungle.
Portasol has Costa Rica vacation rentals and Costa Rica property for sale in a sustainable community. You can stay on the rainforest property for a vacation and enjoy Portasol’s trails and waterfalls, or take a wildlife day tour with Bushmaster Adventures.

Portasol’s location is ideal – between Manuel Antonio National Park and the Ballena National Marine Park on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast. The beautiful uncrowded beaches of Playa Linda and Playa Matapalo are a few miles away. Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living appears in the new 2015 Hollywood movie After Words, with Marcia Gay Harden and Oscar Jaenada that was filmed in Costa Rica.
Whale watching in Costa Rica NOW in September and October
See the annual migration of southern Pacific Humpback Whales to the Ballena National Marine Park in southern Costa Rica now in September and October. Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living is offering a special promotion during Costa Rica whale watching season 2015. Stay two nights at the Costa Rica sustainable community, with full breakfast included, and receive a whale-watching tour for two persons with transportation from Portasol to the Ballena National Marine Park.
Article by Shannon Farley

10 Best things to do in Playa del Coco Costa Rica

“Coco Beach”, or Playa del Coco in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, is a fun Costa Rica beach vacation destination. Dubbed the “Costa Rica Riviera” and “Gold Coast”, the north Pacific region boasts spectacularly beautiful beaches and coastline, nearly always sunny weather, and the highest concentration of luxury accommodations in Costa Rica.

There is a lot to do and see in Playa del Coco, besides hanging out on the beach and in the restaurants, bars, casinos, discos and shops of this beautiful horseshoe-shaped bay.

10 Best things to do in Playa del Coco Costa Rica 

Canopy Zip Lines: The Congo Trail Canopy Zip Line Tour close to Playa del Coco features 11 easy and fun zip lines, hanging bridges, and a small area where you can hold and play with howler monkeys.

Scuba Diving: Playa del Coco is one of Northern Guanacaste’s most celebrated dive and snorkeling spots. In town, you can find many local dive shops and tours, along with PADI certification courses. Serious divers will be pleased with plentiful marine life like big schools of fish, stingrays, manta rays, whale sharks, dolphins, sea turtles and several kinds of sharks.

Playa del Coco Catamaran Tour: Sailing tours depart from Playa del Coco. This is a fun activity to enjoy the ocean and coastline scenery, and to watch for dolphins, flying fish, sea turtles and even whales (depending on the season). The tour includes a meal and you can snorkel among coral reefs.

Surfing: Close to Playa del Coco is one of the best surf spots in Costa Rica, Playa Naranjo and “Witch's Rock”, the name given by locals for a large rocky formation just off the beach. The iconic landmark was made famous in the epic surfing movie Endless Summer 2.

 

Horseback riding: In Playa del Coco, there are many horseback riding tours available.

Whitewater rafting: Enjoy 15 scenic miles of exhilarating whitewater rafting on the class 3-4 Tenorio River, including plunging down small waterfalls. Lunch is included.

Float trip on the Corobici River: This river journey by raft is a leisurely float trip ideal for spotting monkeys, iguanas and birds. The tour includes a picnic lunch.

Las Baulas National Marine Park: You can see Leatherback, Pacific Green, and Hawksbill sea turtles come ashore to nest on guided tours with the park service. “Las Baulas” means Leatherback sea turtles in Spanish. Leatherback turtles are the world's largest turtle and also the largest reptile, weighing up to 2,000 pounds (900kg). The national park is located 46 km from Playa del Coco.

Rincon de la Vieja Volcano National Park: Rincon de la Vieja is the largest volcano in Costa Rica’s Guanacaste province. The national park’s trails show off the active volcano’s power with bubbling mud pits, fumaroles, thermal springs, rivers and waterfalls, all surrounded by dry tropical forest on the Pacific slope. Rincon de la Vieja is 60km from Playa del Coco.

Santa Rosa National Park: Only an hour drive away (76 km) from Playa del Coco, the 122,350 acre Santa Rosa National Park in Costa Rica contains 10 unique habitats, ranging from mangrove swamp to dry tropical forest, that provide sanctuary for plentiful animal species. The park encompasses most of the Santa Elena Peninsula, including its immaculate white-sand beaches.

   

Where to stay in Playa del Coco, Costa Rica

Costa Rica condo rentals and Costa Rica vacation homes in Playa del Coco are the way to go, with more space, freedom, amenities and comfort than traditional hotel rooms, and often at lower prices.

   

All Costa Rica Rentals is your best source for Costa Rica beach rentals in Playa del Coco. Contact All Costa Rica Rentals today to see what Costa Rica vacation rentals in Playa del Coco are available for your vacation. Great discounts can be found this time of year in Costa Rica low season. Article by Shannon Farley