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...Read More
John Boggs first fell in love with Costa Rica many years ago when he was in the Air Force stationed in Panama. He visited Costa Rica frequently for R&R and on business, but it wasn’t until 2013 when he and his wife, Gay, finally moved to the renowned tropical country to retire. Selling their house...Read More
Costa Rica offers some of the world’s best whitewater rafting on beautiful, wild rivers that flow through spectacular tropical wilderness. Considered the “cleanest river in Central America”, the pristine Savegre River on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast flows down a picturesque valley from its origin high in the mountains of Cerro de la Muerte near...Read More
Love is life. All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love. Everything is, everything exists, only because I love.– Leo Tolstoy Every February 14, around the world, people exchange cards, flowers, candy and gifts with their loved ones on this day of romance we call Valentine’s Day. But who is this mysterious...Read More
Just in time for Christmas, travelers to Rincon de la Vieja Volcano in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, can enjoy charming new guest rooms at award-winning eco-hotel Hacienda Guachipelin. At the base of the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano, Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin is one of the best places to stay in Guanacaste. The eco-tourism hotel is a...Read More
Mountain bikers, take note. Now there are Costa Rica vacations dedicated solely to mountain biking. If you are a mountain biking enthusiast looking for a training trip or a fun and challenging cycling vacation, now Cycling Trails Costa Rica has partnered with Horizontes Nature Tours to offer exceptional Costa Rica Cycling Tours. Known for its...Read More
Sunsets in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica are some of the most spectacular I’ve seen, especially if it is low tide. When the Pacific Ocean recedes from the long coastline of this stretch of the Nicoya Peninsula – Playa Carmen, Playa Santa Teresa and Playa Hermosa – the setting sun reflects its fiery colors in millions...Read More
To your holiday decorations this year, add some pretty Christmas plants for a living touch of good cheer. Surprisingly, many holiday plants are tropical in origin, which means that you care for them like a houseplant if you live in a cold climate. The Else Kientzler Botanical Garden in Sarchi, Costa Rica, has several fun...Read More
Some of the most elaborate traditional Christmas celebrations take place in the seven countries of Central America. Read on for more about each country’s unique festivity. Christmas Celebrations in Central America Panama The Panama City Christmas Parade is the big festivity here. Decorated floats, marching bands and dancers in traditional costumes parade through Panama City...Read More
The fascinating fact about plants and trees in Costa Rica is that each one has a story, or a folk tradition or a specific use. There is much more than meets the eye in this tropical paradise. Ovido Esquivel, director of the Else Kientzler Botanical Garden in Sarchi, Costa Rica, uncovered the mystique of some...Read More
Why visit Costa Rica? People ask me that all of the time. Everywhere I go, from Europe to the United States to other parts of Latin America, it seems nearly everyone has heard of Costa Rica and is intrigued about the little Central American country. Besides being a peace-loving nation full of friendly people, Costa...Read More
Emphasizing the power of Mother Nature with images of fiery lava and explosive ash plumes, volcanoes have lit up the world news lately. Mt. Pavlof volcano in Alaska has been intensely erupting since Nov. 12, spewing ash clouds up to 30,000 feet above sea level. The lava flow from Kilauea Volcano advances slowly across the Big...Read More
Going through my mind as I took my first bite of steaming, fresh pupusa – after, “oh my god, this is good!” – was, “why don’t I eat pupusas more often?” There is a pupusa restaurant in my little country town of Atenas, Costa Rica. I’ve eaten there a few times, but now plan to...Read More
Once a place largely to be avoided for war and political upheaval, Central America in recent years is the darling of travel in the Americas. Led strongly by Costa Rica and Belize, the seven nations of Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama are becoming immensely popular for family travel, luxury travel,...Read More
There is so much to do and see in Costa Rica that families with kids can go nearly anywhere and be happy. What child, teen or adult wouldn’t appreciate rainforest exploring, canopy zip-lines, surfing, snorkeling, nesting sea turtles, endless beaches, and plenty of wild animals and cool bugs, plants and trees? One of the best...Read More
Parades, lantern ceremonies, traditional music and dancing will take place all over Costa Rica this weekend to mark the day that Costa Rica and four other Central American nations gained their independence from Spain. Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras are all celebrating 193 years of independence from Spain on Sept. 15. On this...Read More
“Without water, there can be no life. Without clean water, there can be no healthy life.” This is the driving force behind the worldwide environmental organization Waterkeeper Alliance. Based in the United States, the Waterkeeper Alliance aspires to protect every major watershed around the world, to advocate for every person’s right to clean water and...Read More
Down in the very south of Costa Rica there is a rainforest you dream to see. Thankfully off the tourism “superhighway” and explored only by adventurous intrepid travelers, it is a place of rugged mountains, plunging waterfalls, free-flowing rivers, striking beaches and magnificent towering trees in dense rainforest. Jaguars roam freely, scarlet macaws soar overhead,...Read More
There are many activities and adventures you can do on vacation in Costa Rica, but more and more visitors are traveling to the renowned Central American country for international sports competitions like running, swimming, cycling, mountain biking and triathlons. Open water swimming in Costa Rica is popular, with frequent swimming competitions held in the warm...Read More
Long swaths of gold and light beige sand, warm, clear aquamarine water, world-class surf conditions and spectacular sunsets – the Pacific beaches of Santa Teresa and Malpaís in Costa Rica consistently win recognition for being the best beaches in Central America. Both top Costa Rica beach destinations are found on the western coast of the...Read More
One of the biggest dreams for retirees is moving to a warm, sunny place where you can relax and enjoy the “golden years” of life with no stress. Lower costs to stretch your savings and having good quality health care available are also top considerations. In the Americas, Costa Rica continues to be one of...Read More
2014 is the year of World Cup fever. Costa Rica will host its own World Cup in March 2014 – the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup. Sixteen international teams will gather in this spectacular Central American country to compete for title of world champions. The prestigious tournament will be played in Costa Rica from March 15...Read More
For more than 100 years, every year at Christmastime, rather than searching for the perfect present, tens of thousands of active passionate folks explore the great outdoors looking for the most splendid birds. Outfitted with binoculars, bird guides and checklists, birding devotees throughout the Americas brave snow, wind, rain, or maybe even tropical sun, to...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
