In honor of Earth Day, 4 Costa Rica National Parks you should visit

In celebration of Earth Day 2015 – celebrating its 45^th anniversary on April 22, 2015 – Horizontes Nature Tours in Costa Rica asked one of their long-time naturalist guides what was his favorite element of Costa Rica nature. Costa Rica’s national parks were his answer.

From a country that was nearly devastated by deforestation by the early 1980s, today over 52 percent of Costa Rica’s territory is protected between national parks, private reserves and wildlife refuges. Costa Rica’s progressive reforestation and environmental protection have earned not only world respect for the nation’s green policies, but also attracted more than 2 million visitors last year to experience Costa Rica’s nature.

“We created our national parks from our past leaders’ convictions to protect the richness of our amazing ecosystems,” noted Gustavo Abarca, who has been a naturalist guide for 22 years – 20 with Horizontes Nature Tours.



Gustavo says he has visited nearly all 25 Costa Rica national parks. He enjoys them all; and he has his favorites. Here are Gustavo’s top picks for Costa Rica national parks you should visit:
Tortuguero National Park

“I have had people who have traveled to the Amazon and they are amazed with the amount of wildlife that can be seen in a couple of hour’s boat trip in Tortuguero,” said Gustavo. “You can see three species of monkeys in less than two hours on a tour.”



Corcovado National Park

“Corcovado is such a sensation. In Manuel Antonio you can see all of the cute animals – the sloths, the monkeys – but in Corcovado you see pristine nature. You can get lucky and see a tapir, an ocelot, or a puma. You can be walking along and run into a big troop of spider monkeys,” Gustavo explained. “Corcovado is for people with a passion for nature, interested in seeing the best well-kept rainforests on the Pacific Coast of Central America. It is for people who want to be the most off the beaten path, isolated and in contact with nature.”



Piedras Blancas National Park “The Piedras Blancas National Park and the buffer zones of the Golfito Reserve and the other private reserves are very unique and are always a favorite with my clients,” Gustavo commented.



Rincon de la Vieja National Park

“I really enjoy Rincon de la Vieja. The contrasts between the fumaroles, boiling mud pits and waterfalls on one side, and then the light blue rivers and forest on the other side of the Continental Divide are completely different. This is one of the parks that are visually really unique,” Gustavo noted.


Isn’t it time you visited Costa Rica? Design your Costa Rica vacation with Horizontes Nature Tours. The Costa Rica travel experts offer four fantastic Costa Rica national park vacations, Costa Rica nature holidays, Costa Rica family trips and Costa Rica beach vacations. Let’s take care of our planet on Earth Day and every day.

Article by Shannon Farley

Travel to Costa Rica easily with dozens of daily flights

With more than 2 million visitors last year to Costa Rica, more and more airlines are adding flights to the Central American tropical paradise.

Delta Airlines, United Airlines and JetBlue Airlines all increased flights to Costa Rica during peak tourist season this year, and Southwest Airlines opened new routes to Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is a hot product and so far this year, the praise keeps pouring in: Costa Rica was named “most amazing destination this year” by CNN; a destination you must visit in 2015, according to British newspaper The Guardian; and a top 10 best destination for adventure in 2015 by National Geographic. U.S. News & World Report says Costa Rica is the “ultimate destination to enjoy a family holiday.”

Part of the reason Costa Rica receives so many travelers is the ease of air travel. There is an abundance of daily flights to Costa Rica from the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Central and South America into two international airports – Liberia and San Jose.

In the center of the country, the capital city of San Jose is home to the Juan Santamaria International Airport (airport code SJO). Technically, the airport is located in the city of Alajuela, but it is considered the greater metropolitan area of San Jose, and is the hub for most of Costa Rica.

Airlines that fly to San Jose, Costa Rica:

• Aeromexico (Mexico)
• Air Canada (Canada)
• Air Panama (Panama)
• American Airlines (USA)
• Avianca (Colombia)
• Condor (Germany)
• Copa Airlines (Panama)
• Delta Airlines (USA)
• Iberia (Spain)
• Interjet (Mexico)
• JetBlue (USA)
• LACSA (Central America)
• Southwest Airlines (USA)
• Spirit Air (USA)
• United Airlines (USA)
• U.S. Airways (USA)
• Veca Airlines (El Salvador)

Liberia International Airport (airport code LIR) – Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport – is located in Liberia, the principal city in Costa Rica’s northwest province of Guanacaste. Liberia is the gateway to all north Pacific Guanacaste Gold Coast beaches and the area around Rincon de la Vieja Volcano.

Airlines that fly to Liberia, Costa Rica:

• Air Canada (Canada)
• Air France (France)
• American Airlines (USA)
• Avianca (Colombia)
• CanJet (Canada)
• Copa Airlines (Panama)
• Delta Airlines (USA)
• Frontier Airlines (USA)
• Jazz Air (Canada)
• JetBlue (USA)
• KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (Netherlands)
• LACSA (Central America)
• Sun Country Airlines (USA)
• Sunwing Airlines (Canada)
• Thomson (UK)
• United Airlines (USA)
• U.S. Airways (USA)
• WestJet (Canada)

What to see in Costa Rica? You can visit the No. 2 top hotel in the world – Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens by the famous Arenal Volcano – selected in the 2015 TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Awards. Or bring your family to Manuel Antonio Beach, named one of the top 25 beaches in the world and stay at the No. 2 top hotel for families in the world – Tulemar Bungalows & Villas in Manuel Antonio.

Horizontes Nature Tours will custom design your Costa Rica trip to bring you the best of this tropical hotspot. One suggestion is a great deal on a week-long Costa Rica adventure vacation to visit two active volcanoes, national parks and hot springs and, with adventure tours. The Costa Rica travel experts offer Costa Rica beach vacations, Travel to Costa Rica , Costa Rica family trips and Costa Rica nature holidays.

Article by Shannon Farley

Sunny spring break getaways in uncrowded Costa Rica

Spring means a return to sunshine; and if the sun is not shining yet in your part of the world, it’s time for a sunny Spring Break getaway.

There is a reason Spring Break is called what it is – a break from winter’s chill to tide you over until summer. But if you are looking to avoid the crowds of heavily partying spring break students and instead have a true getaway, then choose a destination not frequented by that set.

Costa Rica is being talked about everywhere for vacations, but is not a tourist hotspot with traditional spring-breakers. With dozens of flights to Costa Rica available from the U.S., Canada and Europe, flying into two international airports – Liberia and San Jose – getting to Costa Rica now is easier than ever.

Called the “happiest country on Earth” by the Happy Planet Index, Costa Rica gives you vibrant rainforests, waterfalls, amazing plants and trees, exotic wildlife, and tropical beaches on dual coastlines of the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Costa Rica’s beaches and hotels were chosen the best in the world according to the TripAdvisor 2015 Travelers' Choice Awards released in February.

So, shed that winter coat and grab your swimsuit and flip-flops and escape winter to sunny Costa Rica for your Spring Break.
Custom design your Costa Rica trip just the way you want with Horizontes travel agency. The Costa Rica travel experts offer a great deal on a week-long Costa Rica adventure vacation to visit two active volcanoes, natural hot springs and national parks, with adventure tours.

Horizontes Nature Tours also has Costa Rica beach vacations, Costa Rica family trips and Costa Rica nature holidays. With 30 years of experience, Horizontes is a leader in tourism in Costa Rica ensuring you the best places to stay, the best tours and transport and best prices.
Article by Shannon Farley

Let Vesatours plan your Costa Rica family vacation.

Families who travel to Costa Rica know that Costa Rica is a fun, easy and safe family vacation destination. In fact, Costa Rica is this year’s most recommended travel hotspot in the world!

Positioned between Nicaragua and Panama, Costa Rica is easily accessible from North America and Europe with numerous daily flights. It is one of the safest countries in Central America, is affordable, easy to travel, and English is widely spoken besides the native Spanish language.

Here you have sunny beaches, thrilling rainforest, beautiful lakes and rivers, and breathtaking volcanoes and mountains. Add in exciting Costa Rica adventure tours and nature, and happy, friendly people, and it is easy to understand why Costa Rica is so popular.

The best way to plan a Costa Rica family vacation – especially for the first time – is to go with a Costa Rica vacation package from an experienced Costa Rica travel agency.

Vesatours specializes in Costa Rica vacations and custom travel itineraries, for nearly 30 years. Their multilingual travel consultants take care of your hotels, transportation and tours, designing a vacation plan just right for your family. A good recommendation is to use their trained naturalist guides. 

Costa Rica is filled with wildlife, but families may miss a lot of it without a naturalist guide who knows where to look and what to listen for in the jungle to give you the best experience possible. A guide ensures that all of your family members’ needs are met, and is a wealth of information about the country.

Favorite places to visit in Costa Rica for families:

• Arenal Volcano
• Manuel Antonio National Park
• Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean Coast
• Tortuguero National Park & sea turtle nesting beaches
• Rincon de la Vieja Volcano in Guanacaste
• Pacific Coast Guanacaste beaches
• Coffee plantations and volcanoes of the Central Valley
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Article by Shannon Farley

Top 10 Costa Rica vacation destinations

Costa Rica is a top world travel destination because it has something for everyone: tropical rainforest, green mountains, spectacular beaches, active volcanoes, wild rivers and lakes, and charming towns. The dry tropical forest and wide savannas of the north Pacific are as varied as the dense, steamy jungle of the south Pacific, the misty cool cloud forest high in the central mountains, and the distinctive character and culture of the Caribbean Coast as compared to the Pacific.

Here is our list of the top 10 travel destinations in Costa Rica. We’re sure you’ll find something just right for your next vacation!

Top 10 Travel Destinations in Costa Rica

San José City & Surroundings

Costa Rica’s capital city of San José is where most visitors begin their Costa Rica vacation. Located near the Juan Santamaria International Airport, San José is full of interesting museums, theatres, parks and historical buildings. In the surrounding Central Valley, you have the Poás and Irazú volcanoes and national parks, coffee plantation tours, the artisan town of Sarchi, and butterfly and botanical gardens.

Arenal Volcano

The Arenal Volcano is one of the most visited areas in Costa Rica. People come to see one of the world’s most active volcanoes, and to experience its natural volcanic hot springs, and the lush rainforest and lava flows of the Arenal Volcano National Park. Most hotels and activities are near the small town of La Fortuna, around the base of the Arenal Volcano and by Lake Arenal – a world destination for windsurfing. Adventure activities abound here: canopy zipline tours, aerial trams hanging bridges, whitewater rafting, hiking, waterfall canyoning, kayaking and fishing on the lake, and horseback riding.

Monteverde

Monteverde means “green mountain” in Spanish, and is an apt name for the emerald green, misty cloud forest in the central mountains. Considered a premiere ecotourism destination, Newsweek named it 14^th of the “100 places to remember before they disappear.” National Geographic calls Monteverde the “the jewel in the crown of cloud forest reserves.” The region’s variable climate and high altitude has produced an extremely high level of biodiversity, and it is considered one of Costa Rica’s Seven Wonders.

Manuel Antonio National Park and Beach

On the Central Pacific Coast, Manuel Antonio is a must see on anyone’s Costa Rica vacation. Lush rainforest spills down high coastal bluffs to turquoise seas, isolated coves and sparkling white sand beaches. The Manuel Antonio National Park gets top marks for its excellent wildlife viewing. Lodging ranges from posh luxury to simple beach cabanas. Adventure tours are abundant: scuba diving, snorkeling, sea kayaking, sailing, whale and dolphin-watching tours, hiking, canopy ziplines, waterfall rappelling, whitewater rafting, mountain biking, and horseback riding.

Jacó Beach

Just north of Manuel Antonio, Jacó Beach is the closest big beach town to the capital city. The area is popular for surfing, with many national and international surfing competitions held here. The wide sandy beach is great for walking, and there are many adventure and nature tours, hotels, restaurants, shops and nightlife.

Tamarindo Beach

On the north Pacific Guanacaste “Gold Coast”, Tamarindo Beach is a tourist hotspot. It has all the amenities of a fun Costa Rica beach town – great surf, sand, sun and a bustling nightlife. The town is well-developed with hotels, restaurants, spas, shops and galleries, medical facilities and world-class golf courses. Across an estuary to the north lies Playa Grande, where Leatherback Turtles come to lay their eggs.

Puerto Viejo & Cahuita

Puerto Viejo and Cahuita are laidback southern Caribbean beach towns with a unique blend of Latin, Afro-Caribbean, and cosmopolitan cultures. The region is popular with surfers, eco-tourists and beach lovers. Don’t miss the Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge and Cahuita National Park.

Drake Bay – Corcovado National Park – Osa Peninsula

The tranquil seaside village of Drake Bay on the Osa Peninsula offers easy access to the Corcovado National Park – renowned for its natural beauty, diverse wildlife and unique ecology. The Cano Island biological reserve and the Sierpe River mangrove estuary also are easily visited from here.

Tortuguero

Known as “Costa Rica’s little Amazon” for its extensive network of natural and man-made waterways and lowland tropical jungle, Tortuguero on the Caribbean Coast is the habitat for half of all the bird and reptile species found in Costa Rica, and also the endangered West Indian Manatee. Tortuguero also is one of the most important nesting sites in the world for sea turtles.

Montezuma

At the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, the beach town of Montezuma – once a remote fishing village – is now a bohemian enclave for international artists and hippies. Eco-tourism is strong for Montezuma’s stunning beaches, rivers and scenic waterfalls that surround the village. The nearby Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve also attracts a great number of visitors.

Travel info for Costa Rica

Book your travel with Costa Rica travel agency, Costa Rica Guides. They specialize in Costa Rica vacation packages and Costa Rica information.

Article by Shannon Farley

Enjoy a Latin American Christmas holiday in Costa Rica.

Have you heard the one about the visiting tourist enjoying Costa Rican tamales? He says, “They’re really delicious, but the lettuce is little tough!” (Costa Rican tamales are wrapped in green banana tree leaves.) Ho, ho, ho!

Tamales are one of the most time-honored Christmas traditions in Costa Rica. Like the rest of Latin America, tamales are a principal part of Christmas dinner.

 In Costa Rica, tamales are made from corn flour and are filled with many different ingredients, such as potato puree, rice, vegetables, garlic and onions, and shredded pork or chicken or beef, all wrapped in banana leaves and tied with string into squares, and boiled.

Costa Rica’s Christmas celebration begins on Christmas Eve, or “Noche Bueno,” when people visit family and friends for elaborate dinners of roast pork leg, tamales, pastries and other desserts. Eggnog (“rompope”), heavy with rum, is drunk while family members exchange presents before midnight. Catholics then head to Christmas Eve Midnight Mass (a two-hour marathon). As you can imagine, Christmas Day is a day for relaxing and enjoying family and presents.

Costa Rica’s houses and public buildings are decked out in elaborate Christmas decorations and lights – the more flashing patterns the better! It’s fun to drive around at night to see all of the displays. Christmas trees – either fresh-scented real cypress trees or artificial trees – are put up with bright lights and ornaments, often swathed in colorful gauze and ribbons, with a gold star on top.

Costa Rica Christmas traditionally centers on the Christ child and Holy Family, and the “Portal” or Nativity scene is an essential element in families’ celebrations. A family’s “portal” often occupies a large space in the living room or a patio. On Christmas Eve, Baby Jesus is placed in the manger just before the family goes to Christmas Midnight Mass. The Three Kings join the Nativity Scene on January 6.

Students are out of school in December, starting their long “summer vacation” until February. Rainy season has ended, replaced with dry cool winds, sunny days, clear and starry nights, and cooler temperatures in the Central Valley. It’s time to celebrate!

Traveling in Costa Rica during December is a culture-rich experience full of holiday traditions and grand fiestas and festivals. Get the best travel information on where to go, hotels, tours and transportation in Costa Rica from 2Costa Rica Travel. They offer customized Costa Rica vacation packages, and can help with all of your travel plans.

Article by Shannon Farley

Costa Rica Commits to Safe Tourism with Tourist Police

Tourism is big business in Costa Rica. Over the past 25 years, tourism has been the fastest growing economic sector in the country. Keeping tourists safe and informed while visiting Costa Rica is a vital commitment by the country’s government and national tourism organizations.


Costa Rican authorities have recently agreed to invest 350 million Colones (approximately $700,000 USD) to strengthen the country’s Tourist Police Force. The Ministry of Public Security and the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT) renewed their cooperation agreement for five years, which aims to further equip the Tourist Police with more resources and training.
Costa Rica established its Tourist Police Force in January 2007. Currently, there are 350 officers guarding the safety of both national and international visitors to the country’s top destinations, according to official information from Costa Rica’s Police Force.


The Tourist Police Force focuses on preventing and fighting crimes in Costa Rica’s main tourism destinations, and also on providing tourists with information about safety measures, general information, and offering them assistance during their visit. Wearing uniforms of black pants, and white shirts with the words “Policia Turistica” (Tourist Police) on the back, Tourist Police officers work in Costa Rica’s main international airports – Juan Santamaria in the San Jose metropolitan area and Daniel Oduber in Liberia – along with main tourism destination points around the country.
In 2010, tourism contributed 5.5% of Costa Rica’s GDP and 21.2% of foreign exchange generated by all exports, according to official statistics from the Costa Rican Tourism Board. The tiny Central American nation hit a historical record of 2.2 million foreign visitors in 2011, and logged 1.7 million tourists in 2012.


According to Mario Zamora, Costa Rica’s Minister of Public Security, the existence of the Tourist Police helped contribute to a decrease of more than 40% of all reported crimes, mostly robberies and thefts, against tourists between 2006 and 2010. Zamora said that the new contribution to the Tourist Police Force reaffirms the country’s commitment to the safety of its tourists, whether they are nationals or foreigners. “A safe country is an attractive country that generates investment and development, and from the Chinchilla-Miranda administration we are seriously committed to the safety of Costa Ricans and foreigners,” said Zamora.

"This strategic alliance has been of vital importance for the country, since as part of these agreements, the Ministry of Public Security has increased the amount of Tourist Police to ensure that they are distributed in the most important tourist areas of the national territory, ensuring a safe environment for domestic and foreign tourists,” stated Costa Rica’s Minister of Tourism, Allan Flores.



Flores said the primary areas of concentration for the Tourist Police are Monteverde, La Fortuna/Volcano Arenal, and the Caribbean.  The Tourist Police Force will receive 2 new 4x4 vehicles, 4 off-road motorcycles, an ATV, 30 radios, 790 uniforms and 10 training programs.
The Costa Rican Tourism Board and the Ministry of Public Security plan to continue tourism security training for the Tourist Police through courses, seminars and visits by international experts. Since 2007, the British Embassy in Costa Rica has been supporting the Tourist Police with an English language training program.
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By Shannon Farley