Archive for June, 2009

Costa Rica is a prime vacation destination due to its vibrant, lush and so full of life environment. Another factor which made Costa Rica perfect for tourists is the adventure tours that it offers. These eco-adventure tours are available anywhere, you can go to tourist-driven areas in the country and take your pick among the various tours offered. You can even go online as most of these adventure tours are available virtually as well.

If you are into the ultimate jungle experience, trekking at the Corvocado National Park may suit you best. You must be prepared to walk since this place in only accessible by plane or boat. There are no vehicles on the place. Do keep your eyes open for loud, colorful and numerous reptiles and amphibians residing the area. If you want a different kind of high, reaching the summit of Cerro Chirripo is best for you. It is the highest mountain of the country. The Chirripo National Park is famed for the ecological wealth that it possesses.
Caño Island is one of the latest hotspots in terms of adventure diving in Costa Rica. Rock formation in the place is simply breathtaking. One can also spot dolphins, sharks, sea turtles and stingrays in the area. The National Ostional Wildlife is also another place perfect for adventures. Keep in mind that the best time to visit Ostional is on or before an ARRIBADA. This is the time when sea turtles go back to the shore to lay their eggs. The best ARRIBABA occur between July and December. By checking out Witches Rock, one gets a chance not only to check the waves here as this is the best place for surfing in the northern province of Guanacasta. There are two ways to get to this famed spot. One is by taking a 4×4 and going thru Santa Rosa National Park or a boat ride from Coco beach.

The country is filled with scenic spots, rare animals and thousands of tours guaranteed not only to make tourist experience thrill and fun but also pure life

Eco-adventure in Costa Rica can range from simple rappelling to trekking and rafting. The country itself has more than 30 national parks. Most of these parks are designed in the same way as American parks are made. One can choose the type of adventure that they pick according to their interest and preferences. However, there are things that one should not miss out once they are in a country as beautiful and adventure-filled as Costa Rica.

By checking out the beautiful Pacuare River, one gets a chance to do river boarding, whit-water rafting or white water kayaking. The jungle surounding the river is also filled with exotic species like jaguars, monkeys and home to thousand of birds. Arenal Volcano National Park is another place where one can get adventure that they want. The park has the Arenal Volcano which directly overlooks the Lake Arenal. One can try rappelling deep into the forest and see for themselves series of waterfalls.

If you are into Costa Rica sport fishing, the best place to check out once you are in Costa Rica is Dominical. One can also try to learn surfing here as the place has a lot of businesses dedicated in helping people learn the basics of surfing. If you want a more laid back adventure, cruising in Tortuguero’s canal is so relaxing plus the lush scenery that you see as you are on the boat.
Manuel Antonio maybe the smallest national park of Costa Rica but it certainly isn’t lacking in anything that other big national arks can offer. It is ideal for snorkeling, they can also check out a natural land bridge formed due to sand accumulation. Entrance to the park itself is an adventure, as it is an hour long hike. Another way is to pass through a river using ATV’s. With every adventure imaginable offered by this place, one is sure to have the time of their lives as well as learn new stuff that each of these adventure tours may teach them.

Costa Rica offers a lot of amazing tours for an eco-savvy traveler. Corcovado National Park is a 4178 hectares tropical rainforests and is considered as one of the most beautiful in the world. It has a vast diversity of species ranging from different kinds butterflies, to large lianas, to giant trees, and to several other varieties of plants. It is also considered as Costa Rica’s “Jungle Wonderland” for it is well known for its canopy tours, jungle trekking, and camping. One of the best ways to enter Corcovado National Park is by a foot trail through Carate at the Le Leona camping site.

Within Costa Rica’s Talamanca Mountain Range lies Chirripó National Park. One of its best attractions is Cerro Chirripó Grande, the highest peak in Costa Rica and 2nd highest peak in South America. With high endemism and extremely high biodiversity the park is also widely known to have one of the most ecological zones you can find in the country. Chirripó National Park encompasses an area of about 195 square miles and is also a part of La Amistad International Park. If you want to climb the Cerro Chirripó Grande, just be sure to bring plenty of water, a sleeping bag and other necessities.

Caño Island is one of the best diving sites in Costa Rica with breath taking rock formations of volcanic origin, 15-16 feet reef walls, and a variety of marine animals; it is one of the best in the world. The island is also well known for a huge collection of white tip sharks that made the nearby underwater caves as their home.

If you want a fascinating diving adventure that includes diving with sharks, stingrays, whales and other different kinds of marine life then Caño Island is just for you.
If you are a sports fishing enthusiast then the Dominical (around Costa Ballena area) in South Pacific is best known for its good concentration of Sail Fish, Blue and Black Marlins, Yellow Fin Tunas, and Mahi Mahi’s. Costa Rica Sports’ Fishing can truly be memorable experience that can meet everyone’s expectations.

Costa Rica Travel Deals: Costa Rica East Coast

To give you better background before we discuss the best travel deals to Costa Rica, why not be familiar be the country first? See what the East Coast of Costa Rica has to offer.

The east coast of Costa Rica is a rather cultural destination for a vacation where you can explore the wonders of a true Costa Rican adventure. Tourists to Costa Rica have a specific idea in mind as to how they want to spend their vacation. The first question to ask yourself is not where to go, but what you want to achieve. Let us discuss why Costa Rica’s east coast may be less popular but more of an exquisite and adventurous choice.

The Costa Rican east coast is very quaint and minimal. While luxury does lurk in corners here and there, this side of the country is built itself on eco-tourism. The cities here are more like villages where everybody knows everybody. Furthermore, the Costa Rican way of life is still intact.

Culture and minimalism without comforts of home can be found on the east coast. Dirt roads are lined by open air typical restaurants, hostels, and homes. The east coast is where people surf, relax, run from bugs, and hang their clothes on a line.

Who should visit the east coast? Those who are seeking to truly immerse themselves in the culture of the Costa Rican people should never miss this destination. A person who wants to stay on beautiful, quiet beaches and ride a bike everywhere or backpackers and environmentally conscious individuals are perfect for this type of travel. Those who truly want to get away from the hustle and bustle of their daily lives will feel at ease on the east coast.

Just remember though, as a tourist in Costa Rica safety, caution should always be on observed because of the high tourism rates of the place.

The next post will discuss more on the rock-bottom travel deals from hotels and accommodations, surfing guides, jungle tours, and festivals with East Costa Rican Coast adventure.

Costa Rica Airfare Deals

Here are valuable vacation tips on obtaining not only a great trip to Costa Rica but big value to your money when getting that Costa Rica airfare.

High Season

December through April is the high season and the most popular times to visit Costa Rica. Many travelers are seeking somewhere warm and dry to spend their winter vacations. Costa Rica airfare this time of year can easy be $600 or more. As with any destination, it is possible to find cheaper Costa Rica airfares with booking your trip in advance. Furthermore, getting bargains is always easier during mid-week like Tuesdays and Wednesdays. If you can manage to find a ticket in the $300 to $400 range, it’s a great deal already.

Off-Season

The off-season for Costa Rica is May until November. This slow season is due to the country’s rainy season. If you don’t mind with rainy season, you could save a few hundred dollars on your Costa Rica airfare and accommodations. With these dates it can be easy to find Costa Rica airfare for under $400.

Low-Cost Flying Tip

Some of the smaller Latin American airlines offer lower airfare to Costa Rica, but at a cost. Airlines such as Taca and Mexicana tend to have several stops and sometimes even make unscheduled stops. If you are specific time table I would recommend against these airlines. However, if you are on a budget, or just don’t care how long it takes to get to Costa Rica, then this is a good way to find cheap Costa Rica airfare.

Major Airlines

The airlines currently offering Costa Rica airfares from the US are: American Airlines, American West, Continental, Delta, Mexicana, US Airways, Grupo, and Taca. If you are flying from other places outside of US, you can take a flight to a major hub city like Miami or New York, and then take a direct flight to Costa Rica.

Airports

There are two main airports in Costa Rica located in San Jose and Liberia. Most flights from the US fly into San Jose International Airport. Just recently, Delta, American Airlines, US Airways, American West, and Continental have scheduled nonstop flights to Liberia International Airport. These flights come from their hubs in Atlanta, Miami, Charlotte, Phoenix, and Houston.

As a tip, it is generally cheaper to fly to San Jose. But if you plan to spend most of your time on the West coast, Liberia is the nearer airport of choice. This will save you a commuter flight or a 5-hour drive.

Costa Rica sport fishing is a dream-come-true for most foreign tourists when they arrive here in country. In the Pacific ports and beach resorts of the Costa Rican coasts, deep sea fishing is the best spot while the Northern Atlantic coast’s rivers offer a different type of fishing with snook and tarpon.

Billfishes are the biggest attractions here with sport fishing of Costa Rica. With sailfish and marlin with deep sea fishing off the Pacific coast, it has been a favorite of veteran fishermen all over North America. The cobalt blue waters hold schools of dorado and many species of tuna with plenty of other fighters like roosterfish and wahoo. Moreover, anglers spending the time fishing off the rocks of Manuel Antonio’s and Quepos’s coasts will experience finding that amazing 60-pound rooster along with other fighters and the infamous dogtooth snapper just waiting for the other reef dwellers in the area.

Deep sea Costa Rica fishing is where the nation had cultivated its name for tourism. Nevertheless, fresh water fishing with Lake Arenal Northern Atlantic Zone rivers are also growing popularity is the field of fishing and tourism. With this kind of fishing, anglers should fight the small yet ornery guapote, a hump-backed fish known as the rainbow bass. Also with this type of fishing, one can encounter giant marlins, high jumping tarpons, sailfishes, and more hard hitting fresh water species abundant in the area.

Costa Rica fishing is one of the best activities when visiting the country because of the great experience and the wide variety of fishes you’ll witness. With the good old fishing, the country is blessed with a warm culture and a diverse biodiversity. Even with a limited time, one can indulge to several attractions because of the small size of the country. One can explore a day of water rafting or enjoy a rainforest hike after a day of sport fishing.