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,...Read More
I’ve been reading about ocean pollution, and the facts are really quite shocking. Apparently, it was once a common practice to “get rid of trash” by dumping it into the ocean, and there was even a positive catchphrase: “The solution to pollution is dilution.” People assumed that the oceans were so vast and deep that...Read More
Spending your Christmas holidays in Costa Rica and wondering what to do? The capital city of San José has a lot going on. So get your Santa hat and festive cheer ready, and let the rhythm of Christmas in Latin America dash you away! Christmas in San José, Costa Rica, is a lively, fun time....Read More
I drove through the city of San Jose last weekend. Everywhere the streets were clogged with traffic and shoppers, rushing around to cash in on Christmas deals and sales. Besides making a mental note to avoid the traffic until after Christmas, the scene made me adamantly think how much I do not want that chaos...Read More
The southern Pacific Ocean off the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica is an amazing natural wonder of marine biodiversity, home to more than 25 species of dolphins and whales, four of the world’s eight different sea turtles, along with manta rays, sailfish, marlin, tuna and sharks. The southern Pacific, and especially Golfo Dulce (Sweet Gulf)...Read More
When you finally arrive to your destination on vacation, there is no better way to slip into full relax mode than with a massage. It really is amazing what a professional therapist can do in 60 or 90 minutes to make your muscles and body loosen up and bring you bliss and well-being. Massage therapy...Read More
It is said in Costa Rica that the best “all-terrain vehicle” for navigating the country is a horse. Costa Ricans love horses and their riding traditions – their equestrian roots coming from the Spanish who brought horses with them to Central America in the 16th century. The northwestern province of Guanacaste is the heart and...Read More
Costa Rica’s south Caribbean Coast is a magical place. South of Limon, the southern Caribbean beach towns of Cahuita, Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo are ideal destinations for a Costa Rica vacation. Puerto Viejo Costa Rica is the most developed area with a thriving multicultural community, international restaurants, and a diverse array of hotels. Not as...Read More
We all love things that make us feel young (or remember our youth), feel free and be happy. Traveling is almost always in the top 10 – even if only to an old neighborhood where we once lived. Why? 1. Traveling opens up our world. In today’s world, where emails and smart phones often replace...Read More
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 50th luxury hotel in the world, and the first in Central America, to...Read More
Thatched-roof pavilions in jungle gardens, hidden courtyards reflecting pools and temple carvings, covered open-air walkways, wide verandas and smooth wooden decks, living spaces that invite the landscape inside … these are all elements of the world-wide architectural phenomenon known as “Bali Style.” The mere mention of Bali evokes thoughts of tropical paradise. Bali is more...Read More
Meet sloths, kinkajous, tayras, ocelots, peccaries and anteaters. Stand next to Scarlet Macaws feeding on almond trees. Watch white-faced monkeys swing and play next to you, and have your heart melt when a spider monkey comes to hold your hand. This isn’t some exotic zoo, but rather the Osa Wildlife Sanctuary on Golfo Dulce in...Read More
The Tortuguero coast in Costa Rica is a 22-mile-long, desolate, volcanic black sand beach littered with driftwood and tree logs tossed up on shore from the untamed ocean. It is a wild place – like the imaginary jungle coast in Maurice Sendak’s “Where the Wild Things Are.” There is nothing but beach and low, swampy...Read More
From the concrete jungle of Johannesburg, South Africa, to the wilds of the Costa Rican rainforest is quite a change. Two months ago, South African couple Gary Kritzinger and Shayne Mrazek left behind electric fences and heavy security, hour-long 6 km commutes, and a metropolitan beehive of 12 million people, for a different kind of...Read More
Most visitors to Costa Rica start out in the capital city of San José. However, many might not know that San José is an ideal gateway to some of the best one-day tours that Costa Rica has to offer. Starting right from the Central Valley, you have dozens of exciting adventure, nature and cultural tours...Read More
Yoga and meditation are all about breathing deeply, relaxing, and reconnecting with your inner nature. What better setting for this practice than the pure oxygen-rich rainforest of Costa Rica. Be in harmony with nature around you at a yoga and meditation retreat at Portasol Rainforest & Oceanview Living. The sustainable community on Costa Rica’s Central...Read More
Although it is one of Costa Rica’s most spectacular destinations – for its gold and white sand beaches, world-class surfing, warm blue Pacific Ocean, and lush rainforest – the southern Nicoya Peninsula stays off the beaten tourist path. The reason is the region’s remote location. Going by ferry is the traditional way to get to...Read More
Imagine this Costa Rica vacation: Traverse the entire country from coast to coast and north to south, but only using mountain bikes, kayaks, rafts, zipline cables, and your feet. Sleep under the stars wherever you may be – mud, sand, grass field, rocky stream bed – but only for a few hours at a time....Read More
I met a woman and her husband in the airport recently, while we were waiting to board our flight out of Costa Rica. They were tanned and relaxed, and had been enjoying the country’s beaches and rainforest … all for free! They had won a work contest to sell the most furniture for their company...Read More
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...Read More
As healthcare costs skyrocket in top nations around the globe, many people are going on sick leave and vacation at the same time. The world medical tourism industry has become a $10.5 billion business based on the availability of high-quality medical services at reasonable rates in many developing countries. Patients are traveling abroad not only...Read More
What if keeping a doctor’s visit at bay is solved simply by what we eat? Even more, what if herbs grown right in our backyard and foods we can pick up at any corner store can heal what ails us, including the pesky common cold? Humans have relied on foods and herbs for medicine for...Read More
New Zealand is about as far from Costa Rica as you can get. That’s where 21 Costa Rican men and women are headed at the beginning of November to compete in the World Rafting Championships. Set for November 13-24 in Rotorua, New Zealand, the biennial World Rafting Championships (WRC) will draw 69 teams from 27...Read More
Costa Rica – home of ecotourism and thrilling adventure tours – is not usually the first vacation destination people think of for travelers with disabilities. However, the country’s tourism industry is working to change that image and make Costa Rica’s famous attractions more accessible. So far, reports are positive from tourists who have enjoyed accessible...Read More
