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- Renting
Costa
Rica
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Costa Rica Vacation |
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What draws so many people to this small peaceful Central American democracy besides it's abundant natural beauty and outwardly friendly people?
Peaceful tropical destination with constant spring time weather
where prices are still relatively lower than Europe or the United
States. It is the allure of two incredible coastlines Pacific and
Caribbean both with pristine uncrowded beaches. Visitors are also
drawn to the magical vistas of the virgin rainforests and high mountain
lakes and cloud forest reserves.
Costa Rica's stunning scenic heritage unfolds in an ever-changing
panorama of steaming volcanoes, forested mountains, dramatic skies
and bucolic countryside. Dark lowland jungles give way to rolling
savannas; Pacific surf crashes against rocky headlands, in sharp
contrast to the tranquillity of palm-fringed Caribbean beaches.
Costa Rica offers a wide variety of vacation choices. There is something for every visitor. Many visitors come to Costa Rica for adventure activities to explore flora and fauna nature at it's finest and others just for the peace and tranquility of relaxing on uncrowded unspoiled beaches or cloud forest reserves. Whatever you choose Costa Rica offers it in beautiful tropical splendor.
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Types of Costa Rica Vacations:
| Top Areas: Where to go in Costa Rica |
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Central Valley
San Jose:
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Most likely your Costa Rica vacation
will begin with the capital city of San Jose located in Costa Rica's
large central valley. Despite the recent opening of the international
airport in Liberia Guanacaste most visitors still arrive at Juan
Santamaria International airport about twenty minutes
outside the capital San Jose.
Like most large cities San Jose
and it's surrounding areas offers the visitor full services including
a full spectrum of accommodations, great shopping, casinos, museums
and night life. San Jose and can be a great experience to visit.
| Central Pacific Coast |  |
Jaco: |photo|
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Jaco is one of most visited
beach areas in Costa Rica. This is mostly because of it's proximity
to San Jose just 45 miles. A ninety minute drive from San Jose you
will find this laid-back small seaside town has a lot to offer.
There are accommodations for every budget, great night life, surfing,
unique shops and galleries and restaurants . Tours running out of
the town include horseback riding, fishing and kayaking. Surfers
enjoy the town for its surfer friendly atmosphere as well as the
accessibility of several surf spots just minutes away.
Driving time: 90
minutes.
Manuel Antonio/Quepos:
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An hour south of Jaco,
continuing on the central coast, lies the town of Quepos/ Manuel
Antonio another very popular beach location. Nature at it's best!
Flora and fauna with magnificent views and outstanding wildlife
abound in this Costa Rican coastal town. The Manuel Antonio national
park is truly one of Costa Rica finest and one that should not be
missed. The town of Quepos and Manuel Antonio offers the visitor
full accommodations from high end resorts, hotels and incredible
assortment of vacation
rentals to small cabins. Everyone who travels through
the mid Pacific zone, must visit Manuel Antonio.
Driving time:
3 hours , Air from San Jose 40 minutes.
Dominical: |
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On the central Pacific
coast of Costa Rica is one of the country's most beautiful uncut
gems, Dominical. From its turquoise green water to its fiery red
and gold sunsets, the natural beauty of the area is second to none.
The town sits on the Pacific ocean bordered to the north by the
Rio Baru, on the east by three thousand foot high mountains and
to the south by dark, coffee brown, beaches and coves. One of the
most striking features of Dominical can be found while swimming
in the water, the town simply disappears. All you see are the tall
beach palms and mangroves surrounded by verdant green hills reaching
up into the mountains. Driving
time: 3 - 4 hours.
Northern Pacific Coast Guanacaste Province
Tamarindo: |
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Tamarindo Bay is located on the pacific in an area known as "the
gold coast" of Costa Rica's Guanacaste Province. The city of
Tamarindo is one of the most famous beach destinations in Costa
Rica. White sand beaches cover the whole Tamarindo Bay. In addition
to the natural attractions of Tamarindo, the town itself offers
a variety of hotels and villas and condos to suit very budget.
Tamarindo and Flamingo are the headquarters
of some of the finest Costa Rican sportfishing boats. Tamarindo
fishing offers some of the best sail fishing in the world. Tamarindo
is crowded with restaurants, featuring cuisine to suit every taste,
and also has unique shops and galleries that sell local clothing,
pottery and artifacts. The cosmopolitan population of Tamarindo,
one originating from all over the globe, is another characteristic
of this popular tourist destination.
Driving
time: 4- 5 hours,
Air from San Jose: 50 minutes.
Area Activities:
Surfing, diving, sport fishing, golf, beachcombing, scuba diving,
snorkeling trips, beach cruises, water skiing, jet skiing, catamarans,
ocean and river kayaking, wind surfing, sailing cruises or horseback
riding. Bicycles, beach gear, surfboards, boogie boards and equipment
of all types are available for rental from specialty stores
Flamingo:
Flamingo, named after the pink flamingos that once inhabited the
coast, is a renowned area for its structured growth and has been
ranked as one of the best destinations among the entire Gold Coast
of Costa Rica. Flamingo is a modern community with an ever increasing
number of activities, services, and accommodations. This area is
also noted for its marina. The area beaches including Playa Flamingo,
Playa Potero, and Sugar beach are all superb! Outstanding vacation
villas, condos and full assortment of vacation rentals.
Driving
time: 4- 5 hours,
Air from San Jose: 50 minutes.
| Central Northern Area: |  |
Lake Arenal/Volcano Arenal: |
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The Arenal Volcano is
one of the most spectacular sites in Costa Rica and it is an absolute
must see. One of the most consistently active volcanos in the world,
this awesomely powerful, colorful mountain erupts with tremendous
force several times per day.
The Arenal region consists of the area directly beneath the volcano
near the town of Fortuna and the Lake Arenal area. Both are well
worth spending time at. The road between Fortuna and Arenal is notoriously
bad but passable. The road between the town of Arenal and Tilaran
is quite good. You can avoid all of the bad roads and still enjoy
the lake and hot springs by traveling to Tilaran and visiting the
volcano and hot springs by boat. The best place to see the volcano
is near Fortuna and the best place to enter and enjoy the lake from
is at Puerto San Luis near the town of Tilaran or at Hotel Tilawa.
The Arenal Volcano area is one of Costa Rica's top attractions. Only 3 hours away from San Jose, in the town of La Fortuna, stands a majestic 1,633m tall conical volcano, known to be one of the most active in the world. Despite its constant activity, the volcano is very safe to visit as long as you stay within the safety perimeter. Surrounding the volcano is a lush forest reserve, the Arenal Conservation Area, in which visitors can enjoy an observation hike. This reserve is home to 3,459 species of animals! Adjacent to the volcano you can find the man-made Arenal Lake, which serves as the reservoir for a hydroelectric plant which supplies a large part of the country with its power
Monteverde: |photo|
Monteverde is a very special
destination in Costa Rica. It is one of the few remaining cloud
forests in the world. Beautiful scenery, biodiversity, and a calm
town make this location perfect for people looking for a true nature
experience. Straddling the Continental Divide at 1440 meters (4662
ft), the Santa Elena and Monteverde Cloud Forest area offers one
of the most interesting place to visit in Costa Rica.
In Monteverde Costa Rica rain forest are found more than 100 species of mammals including 5 species of cats, over 400 species of birds including 30 kinds of hummingbirds, tens of thousands of insect species (over 5000 species of moths) and 2,500 species of plants (420 kinds of orchids). The area is acclaimed as one of the most outstanding wildlife refuges in the New World Tropics.
The Monteverde Cloud forest is located in the Cordillera of Tilarán,
185 km from the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. It is surrounded
by the Arenal conservation area and the Children's Eternal Rain
Forest. Monteverde elevation is approximately 1200 m. (4500 ft)
above sea level. Monteverde is known as an international ecotourist
destination and one of the top places to visit in Costa Rica.
Best know for the world famous Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve,
there are a number of other reserves and activities in this area.
For nature-lovers and birders Monteverde is a natural destination.
Driving
time: 4- 5 hours.
| Southern Guanacaste Area:
Nicoya Penensula |
Montezuma: |
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Beautifully positioned on a sandy bay, Montezuma is hemmed in by
a precipitous wooded shoreline. There are two routes into town,
both bumpy and unpaved; the more direct route has had problems with
the road subsiding at the top of the hill into town, so watch for
possible detour signs via the alternate Las Delicias route. At the
bottom of the hill, the funky town center is a pastel cluster of
new-age health-food cafés, trendy beachwear shops, and jaunty
tour kiosks mixed with older Tico sodas (casual eateries) and noisy
open-air bars. Montezuma has been on the international vagabond
circuit for years, attracting surfers and alternative-lifestyle
types. But the community, like its pioneers, is growing up, with
Internet cafés and more sophisticated hotels and restaurants.
Today you are as likely to meet older, outdoorsy European tourists
as dreadlocked surfers. The main attraction for everybody is the
beach that stretches across one national park and two nature preserves
to the north, leading to a spectacular beachfront waterfall, a popular
destination for hikers and horseback tours. Driving
time: 5 to 6 hours including ferry. Air to Tambor close to Montezuma
40 minutes.
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South Eastern Caribbean
Coast |
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Cahuita and Puerto Viejo: |photo|
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About 40 minutes south
of the provincial capital city of Limon on Costa Rica's eastern
coast the visitor will find the small towns of Cahuita and Puerto
Viejo. This beautiful Caribbean coastal area from Cahuita south
to the end of the road at Manzanillo via the town of Puerto Viejo
has some of the greatest beach areas on this coastline. This area
is where the tropical rainforest meets the Caribbean beaches. Cahuita's
national park is a must visit. Great snorkeling in this area. Continuing
south another thirty minutes is the beach town of Puerto Viejo.
Puerto Viejo offers full accommodations, restaurants and nightlife.
Relax here on uncrowded beaches to the sounds of Caribbean rhythms
of reggae and calypso. Great beaches in this area included Playa
Negra, Cocles, Punta Uva, Manzanillo. Punta Uva being a beach lovers
paradise. Driving
time: 3.5 to 4 hours
Area activities:
Diving, snorkeling, surfing, beachcombing, fishing and for the young
at heart dancing all night to the Caribbean rhythms.
Southern Pacific Costa
Osa Penensula and Corcovado National Park: |photo|
Named the "Most biologically intense place on earth" by National Geographic, the Corcovado National Park is a true natural treasure. Located in the southern end of Costa Rica, this area is the one of the few primary rainforests on the Pacific coast from Mexico to South America. Tapirs, Macaws, tree-frogs, squirrel monkeys, eagles, and the elusive Jaguar make this paradise their home.
The park has an area of 41,788 hectares, and is home to almost all the species in the south of Costa Rica, many of them being endemic. In the park you can find 13 major ecosystems, including beach and cloud forest. Driving time: 5 to 6 hours, Air to Puerto Jimenez one hour.
| When to visit: |  |
Any time of the year is a great time to visit Costa Rica. Most travelers
to Costa Rica prefer the high season
with less rain and beautiful sunny beach days. This season runs
from December to April. Although this is a great time to visit generally
prices are higher and most areas are more crowded.
The other half of the year is known as the green
season. This is when Costa Rica receives most of it's
annual rainfall. This is our preferred time of the year here when
all of Costa Rica turns a vibrant green. It does rain but generally
only in the afternoons with spectacular sunny mornings and cooler
evenings. Also there are less visitors and lower rates. Often you
will find yourself alone on beautiful secluded beaches.
The Christmas/New Year and Easter holidays are the two busiest times of the year here in Costa Rica. Many visitors from the US and Europe trying to escape the cold combine with the locals who flock to the beach areas at this time of year. Despite the fact that during these holiday times most areas are crowded and the rates the highest of the whole year it is still a great time to visit. If you plan on being here during these holiday periods book early.
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