Have you ever had that feeling when you go on vacation, that you’re not really relaxed almost until it’s coming to an end? There is no better quick entry into that unstressed relaxation mode on vacation than getting a massage or spa treatment. It really is amazing how 60 or 90 minutes of making your...Read More
Costa Rica’s real estate market is on the rise again and foreign investors are heading to the popular Central American country for retirement or a simpler place to live, or to invest in a Costa Rica vacation home or other property investment. The good news is that foreigners can legally own property in Costa Rica....Read More
The history of a place can tell you a lot about its people, culture and environment, and what makes everything tick. In the case of Nosara, Costa Rica, its unusual and unlikely history strongly influenced how the area developed and how its communities live and thrive today. Nosara, and its beaches of Playa Guiones, Playa...Read More
Travelers can be environmentally conscious when going on vacation, and it doesn’t take much effort or time. Little things add up, and if everyone followed these sustainable travel tips, communities and the planet would benefit in amazing ways. 10 Easy & Simple Sustainable Travel Tips Re-use your hotel towels and sheets; don’t ask for new...Read More
Costa Rica is a small country with a big success story in reforestation. The Central American nation was nearly devastated by deforestation by the early 1980s. Now more than 30 years later, over 52 percent of Costa Rica’s land is covered with forest between national parks, private reserves and wildlife refuges. Costa Rica’s progressive reforestation...Read More
Guanacaste – the northwest province of Costa Rica – is known for its rolling grassy plains, “Gold Coast” beaches, towering mountains and volcanoes, sunny dry climate and unique dry tropical forest. For generations “Guanacastecos,” as the residents here are called, have been dedicated to farming, cattle and horse ranching. The “sabanero” (cowboy) traditions, folklore, music...Read More
It’s a big news year for Costa Rica surfing. The Costa Rica national surfing team was recently crowned 2015 World Surfing Champions. Costa Rica surfers are winning medals in international surfing competitions and are climbing high in world surfing rankings. Now in July, surfers will vie for titles in the Costa Rica Surfing Championship Finals...Read More
Costa Rica is celebrating International Surfing Day on June 20 big this year. Costa Rica’s surfing “dream team” made national history on June 7 when they were crowned 2015 World Surfing Champions. Costa Rica’s team won the overall gold medal in the International Surfing Association (ISA) 2015 World Surfing Games held at Playa Popoyo, Nicaragua, competing...Read More
Costa Rica’s Southern Caribbean Coast has everything could want for a destination wedding and honeymoon. Imagine your dream wedding exchanging vows with your beloved in a stunning beachside ceremony overlooking the turquoise Caribbean Sea, or under the canopy of a tropical garden with the ocean close by. Picture a romantic honeymoon walking on pristine beaches...Read More
When I travel I prefer staying in smaller hotels rather than large franchise chains. Small hotels in Costa Rica offer unforgettable travel experiences. They enrich your journey with something different – history, culture, remarkable architecture, outstanding surroundings, new friends or unusual charm. If you’ve ever stayed at a small boutique or family-run hotel, you understand...Read More
Eco-friendly travel and sustainable tourism are some of the top buzzwords today in the travel and tourism industry worldwide. “Go Green” is the slogan you hear most often nowadays. Planet-conscientious travelers are more frequently seeking out eco-friendly lodging wherever they travel. In ecotourism hotspot Costa Rica, L’acqua Viva Resort & Spa is a leading eco-friendly...Read More
I slipped from the rocks into the cool placid water, refreshing even at 7:00 a.m. compared to the heat and humidity beginning to rise from the beach and rainforest. I couldn’t believe how clear and still the water was, especially when big, frothing waves pounded only a dozen or so yards away. I was swimming...Read More
If you love the idea of roaming through a rainforest looking for monkeys, snakes, exotic birds and wild cats, then this Costa Rica nature adventure tour is for you. On your next Costa Rica vacation, you definitely need to take the Bushmaster Adventures rainforest wildlife tour. This is one of your best bets in the...Read More
Out on the calm, clear, jade green-blue water of the Golfo Dulce (“Sweet Gulf”) in southern Costa Rica, it is easy to think this must be one of the most pristine, beautiful places on Earth. And it is. This inner sea is a critical habitat for endangered migrating southern Pacific humpback whales, dolphins and sharks,...Read More
Rainy season in Costa Rica is here, and with it, changes in weather and the environment that can potentially wreak havoc on your home in Costa Rica if you’re not prepared. These 15 simple tips from Atenas, Costa Rica realtors Pure Life Development will help you stay safe, dry and protected this time of year....Read More
Living, working and traveling sustainably have become big topics of conversation it seems everywhere. This week on June 5, the United Nations Environment Program celebrates World Environment Day 2015 (WED) and focuses this year on how we live and how it impacts the planet. This year’s theme is “Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with...Read More
If you’re coming to Costa Rica on vacation, chances are you are going to visit at least one or two of the country’s beautiful tropical beaches, possibly a volcano, and probably one or more of the proud nation’s national parks. The destination you may or may not have in your travel itinerary is the capital...Read More
When I first visited Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge at the end of 2004, what struck me most was how in heaven did this amazing high-end Costa Rica eco-lodge come to exist in the middle of a jungle on the sea, with nothing else around? The question is a valid one given Nicuesa Lodge’s completely isolated...Read More
People in other countries pay big money for audio programs like this, while here at Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living eco-community it’s real. The sounds of the Costa Rica rainforest: crickets chirping, big bullfrogs burping and booming, Common Tink Frogs “tinking”, myriads of other insects whirring, and the Portalón River bubbling over stones and...Read More
The relaxed Caribbean beach town of Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica not only has some of the prettiest beaches in Costa Rica, along with upscale Costa Rica boutique hotels, Puerto Viejo also is the gastronomic capital of the Costa Rica Southern Caribbean Coast. Puerto Viejo’s dining scene reflects its widely-varied international population – Caribbean, Italian, Argentinean,...Read More
It is always interesting to me to get the story behind a destination boutique hotel. These aren’t large franchise chains owned by a mega-corporation. Small boutique hotels have style and flair, with usually one or a few owners, and often in creative places. Take for instance, Hotel Laguna Azul in the southern Caribbean Bocas del...Read More
Long-favored as a site for Costa Rica national surfing competitions, the white sandy beach of Playa Guiones at Nosara will host the sixth tournament of the Costa Rica National Surfing Circuit kölbi 2015 in June. Presented by Adrenaline Rush, the Beach Club Tournament will be held June 13-14 at Playa Guiones. The important competition is...Read More
Heard about Atenas, Costa Rica – a favorite place for international retirement – and want to know more information? The charming country town, strategically located between the capital city of San Jose and beautiful Pacific Coast beaches, has several sources of information to let you know what’s happening in Atenas, Costa Rica. All are available...Read More
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead Walk down the Pacific beaches of Santa Teresa, Costa Rica and you’re likely to see long, empty stretches of white sand, beautiful blue rolling waves, multicolored crushed seashells and interesting rocks...Read More
