Winter vacation destinations Costa Rica.

Costa Rica’s summer season is beginning, just in time to beat the winter blues with affordable winter vacation destinations.

Find your winter sun in Costa Rica, an easy and fun tropical getaway. Miles of beaches on both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts make for great beach vacations. Rainforests, cloud forests and active volcanoes provide exciting jungle adventures. Two international airports allow for numerous daily flights to Costa Rica.

Get your Costa Rica Guide and pack your suitcase. Costa Rica is calling your name.

5 Off-the-beaten-path Winter Getaways in Costa Rica

Montezuma Beach

On the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula on the Costa Rica Pacific Coast, Montezuma offers pristine, untrammeled beaches, spectacular waterfalls in the rainforest, and wildlife encounters at the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve, the Curú Wildlife Refuge and nearby Tortuga Island. See where to stay in Montezuma. Get there by either ferry from Puntarenas or by taxi boat out of Herradura Beach by Jacó.

Rincon de la Vieja Volcano

Costa Rica is part of the infamous Pacific Ring of Fire and is blessed with a wealth of volcanoes. The active Rincón de la Vieja Volcano, in the northern Pacific province of Guanacaste, sports bubbling mud pits, volcanic hot springs, rivers and waterfalls. See where to stay at Rincon de la Vieja Volcano. The Liberia International Airport is less than an hour away; or it is a four-hour-plus drive from San Jose

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Sarapiqui

Sarapiqui in the northern Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica is paradise for adventure travelers, eco-tourists and bird watchers. Exciting day tours include whitewater rafting on the Sarapiqui River, hiking on trails and hanging bridges in the rainforest, and a night walk into the forest to see exotic nocturnal wildlife. See where to stay in Sarapiqui. The area is a short two-hour drive from the capital city of San Jose.

Puerto Viejo

Known for its laid-back attitude and Afro-Caribbean lifestyle, Puerto Viejo on the Southern Caribbean Coast is less crowded than the Pacific beaches. Nearby Cahuita National Park and Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge let you observe the area’s incredible wildlife on land and in the sea. See where to stay in Puerto Viejo. It’s an easy four-hour drive from San Jose to the Caribbean Coast.

Osa Peninsula

The Osa Peninsula is renowned for its amazing biodiversity. The area on the southern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica stays off the beaten path because it is so remote. This also means the Osa is one of the most pristine wilderness areas left in Costa Rica – explore marine life in the Golfo Dulce and dense jungle in the wild Corcovado National Park. See where to stay on the Osa Peninsula. The best way to get to the Osa is by domestic flight from San Jose to Puerto Jimenez.

Costa Rica Guides helps you plan your Costa Rica vacation. Operated by Expediciones Tropicales, a Costa Rica travel agency with more than 18 years of experience, Costa Rica Guides assists with hotel reservations, Costa Rica tours, Costa Rica vacation packages, private transportation, rental cars, shuttle services and local flights in Costa Rica.

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

Hotel Punta Islita wins four top travel awards in 2013

Hotel Punta Islita on the Nicoya Peninsula, one of Costa Rica's most awarded hotels, recently gained yet another feather in its cap by being inducted into the travel world's prestigious "Autograph Collection" by Marriott International. The Costa Rica boutique hotel is the 50^th luxury hotel in the world, and the first in Central America, to be added to the exclusive portfolio that prizes travel properties for their uniqueness, elegance, top-of-the-line service, and corporate social responsibility.

Hidden away on a remote stretch of Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula, overlooking a white sand beach and an azure cove on the Pacific Ocean, Hotel Punta Islita is like no other Costa Rica hotel. Its off-the-beaten-path destination caters to sophisticated travelers and allows you to slow down, deeply relax, and really enjoy your Costa Rica vacation or honeymoon.

The list of Hotel Punta Islita's awards is long and impressive. In just 2013, Hotel Punta Islita was named one of the Best 100 Hotels in the World by Travel & Leisure Magazine, chosen for the Gold List by Condé Nast Traveler Magazine, and given a Traveler's Choice Award by TripAdvisor.

Holding the maximum level in the Costa Rican Tourism Board's (ICT) Certification for Sustainable Tourism Program, the five-star eco-hotel showcases the unique design of prominent Costa Rican architect, Ronald Zurcher. The hotel cascades down a hilltop in tiers to the Islita Beach, where their private beach club is located. On Hotel Punta Islita's 300 acres, there is an executive nine-hole golf course, tennis courts, spa, conference room and two restaurants. The hilltop infinity-pool is one of the most spectacular features. 

To stay at Hotel Punta Islita, you have the choice between luxury rooms and suites or private villas.

Just because Hotel Punta Islita is secluded, that doesn't mean that it's isolated from the surrounding Costa Rican community. Nearby, you can enjoy Costa Rica eco-adventures like river kayaking, canopy ziplines, wildlife-spotting safaris, night-time sea turtle watching excursions, or bird-watching hikes led by local naturalist guides. The hotel has a private landing strip for small commuter aircraft, with commercial flights operating from San Jose on a regular schedule throughout the year.

Costa Rica Guides can help you with your Costa Rica vacation plans and to make reservations at Hotel Punta Islita. Operated by Expediciones Tropicales, a Costa Rica travel agency with more than 18 years of experience, Costa Rica Guides, assists with hotel reservations, Costa Rica tours, Costa Rica vacation packages, private transportation, rental cars, shuttle services, local flights, and information on what to do, where to go and what to see while you're in Costa Rica.

Article by Shannon Farley

Learning about a country's culture before traveling is key.

Knowing a little something about a country's cultural and social nuances before you travel there could mean the difference between having a fun or a frustrating vacation.

You'd want the same for a visitor in your own country, so why not make cultural awareness just as important as what you pack when planning an international trip. The more information you gather before traveling to a foreign country, the more open you can be to new experiences and the better memories you will take home with you.

Costa Rica is a typical Latin American country with, of course, its own idiosyncrasies. Follow these 10 cultural tips to get the most out of your trip to Costa Rica.

1. Clothing: San José is like any big city, although relatively casual. Shorts are generally not worn in the city areas; stick to long pants (dresses and skirts also work for women). You'll want dressy casual for the theatre, a concert or a nice restaurant. The high mountain areas (Monteverde, Savegre, Poás Volcano, etc.) can get chilly – pack a light sweater or jacket. Beachwear is, well, what you wear at the beach! Note: Nude or topless (women) sunbathing is not culturally acceptable. For the rainforest and jungle, quick-dry clothing, rain coat or poncho, a sun hat and sturdy comfortable walking/hiking shoes will be your best friends. Leave the fancy jewelry at home.

2. Greetings: When greeting someone for the first time in Costa Rica, a hand shake is acceptable, or more commonly a light "air kiss" to the person's right cheek (not kissing the cheek!). Costa Ricans generally don't hug anyone who is not family or a very close friend.

3. Polite pleasantries: When greeting someone for the first time in a commercial/business situation – store, restaurant, hotel front desk, tour company, street vendor, etc. – it is customary in Costa Rica to politely greet the person with "Buenos dias" (Good day) or "Buenos tardes" (Good afternoon) and "Como esta?" (How are you?) before asking for anything.

4. Patience: Costa Ricans tend to be in less of a hurry than most Europeans or North Americans. Be patient if things take longer to be done than in your home country. However, the complete opposite is true of Costa Rican drivers, who are chronically impatient.

5. Roads: The road infrastructure (street conditions, bridges and road signage) in Costa Rica is not very developed, so be patient when traveling within the country. People will always try to help if you stop to ask directions.

6. Try to speak the language: Costa Ricans will wholeheartedly appreciate your efforts if you try to speak a little Spanish. Go for the basics: "Buenos dias, Buenos tardes, Hola, Como esta, Por Favor, Gracias, Adios."

7. Be curious: Costa Ricans love to talk. Take interest in the people around you and ask questions.

8. Don't jump to conclusions: You may not always understand certain situations or people's behaviors for the cultural nuances.

9. Relax. Costa Ricans are very fun-loving, friendly people. They love to joke, tease and have a good time. Be friendly back. Remember, smiles are free and you're on vacation!

10. Remember, you're in another country: Do not expect things or people to be like they are at home; the magic of traveling is discovering the world's differences. Be positive and patient with the unexpected; remember that language and cultural barriers do exist.

Now that you're culturally aware, book your Costa Rica travel itinerary with Camino Travel. The Costa Rica travel agency has more than 22 years as an incoming tour operator in Costa Rica.

Article by Shannon Farley