| ALL
OF COSTA RICA |
Solutions
travel agency |
New small,
but comprehensive Italian-owned travel agent in the centre of bustling
Jaco. The staff will give you very personal attention in planning
any or all aspects of your trip not only in Costa Rica, but also the
rest of Central America and overseas destinations. They will organize
everything from plane tickets, hotel reservations, rental cars, and
land transfers to local, group and personalized tours. Solutions staff
speak English, Spanish, Italian and French and can assist you by email
and phone from overseas. Central Jaco Beach. |
|
| THE
CENTRAL PACIFIC - QUEPOS / MANUEL ANTONIO |
Iguana
Tours
tour company
|
Manuel
Antonio's longest running and most respected tour company lives up
to their reputation taking visitors on a dozen different kinds of
tours around the nature paradise of Manuel Antonio and Quepos surrounds.
Tours include white water rafting, guided nature walks, canopy tours,
ocean and mangrove kayaking, and boat cruises. We did the half day
kayak mangrove tour and found the bilingual guides to be incredibly
knowledgeable about Costa Rica's ecology and helpful in spotting wildlife.
If lunch is included in the tour you choose, you'll be in for a real
treat. Across from the soccer field in Quepos town. 506-777-1262 |
|
Manuel
Antonio
national park
|
Let's
face it, most people come to Costa Rica to appreciate tropical forests,
lovely beaches, and fantastic wildlife, and Manuel Antonio NP has
all of these things in abundance. Walk through the forest trails,
swim in the warm beach waters, and keep an eye out for animals hiding
in the trees everywhere. In only a few hours we saw an anteater, a
sloth, a deer, several iguanas and heaps of white-faced monkeys and
crabs. To protect the pristine natural reserve, there is a 600 person
maximum number of visitors allowed in the park at any one time, so
arrive early in high season. Entry fee applies and if you'd like,
you can hire certified guides at the entrance. |
|
| THE
CENTRAL PACIFIC |
| |
Canopy
Tour
Canopy Tours are by far the most popular attraction today
in Costa Rica. There are numerous parks offering canopy tours, as
well as additional specialty attractions at certain parks. Also
known as 'zip lines', or 'flying fox', canopy involves zipping through
the forest attached to cables which are connected between treetop
platforms. All ages and sizes of people can do it and it's a great
way to have a thrill while experiencing Costa Rica's natural beauty.
We checked out two fantastic canopy parks that we can happily recommend...
|
Selvatura
canopy/nature park
|
Selvatura
boats the longest overall canopy tour with 19 cables, 20 platforms,
and a heart-stopping Tarzan Swing. It is also the only canopy park
located inside the brilliantly green cloud forest. Other highlights
of this park are the hummingbird garden, Jewels of the Rainforest
Exhibition, and the 3 km of treetop walkways for those who want to
view the cloudforest from the longest and strongest suspension bridge
system in the country. Guided nature walks and butterfly garden also
available. Free transportation provided from Monteverde town and Santa
Elena. MONTEVERDE 506-645-5929 |
|
Turu
Bari
canopy/nature park
|
Turu
Bari's specialty is the 'Sensational Cable' where you can fly belly
down, Superman style at 55 mph for a total of 1.2 km over the 500
acre tropical park. This is the only place in the Americas to
do this 'Sensational Cable' and it's not to be missed. Other features
of the huge park include an aerial tram, fascinating butterfly farm,
orchids gallery, bromeliads garden, natural maze, and countryside
farm where you can learn about agricultural methods and traditions
of Costa Rica. Educated guides take you through the gardens and trails,
then leave you to feast on typical foods at the huge included lunch
buffet. 15KM FROM OROTINA, between Jaco & San Jose. 506-250-0705 |
|
| THE
CENTRAL PACIFIC - MONTEVERDE |
Complejo
Atmosphera
natural spa/gallery
|
This
unique spa aims to 'provide healing work to those visiting this magical
environment [of Monteverde] so their experience of the natural beauty
of the Cloud Forest can take place with greater inner harmony and
physical comfort.' We must say that we both felt like we were floating
on the cloud forest when we left, after an amazing session with Rancy
Tomasson who showed us how a therapeutic massage and facial rejuvenation
can benefit not only the body and skin, but also the soul. Choose
from a wide variety of massages, environmental treatments, hair and
wax treatments, as well as a hydrotherapy jacuzzi and sauna. Browse
the ambient adjoining gallery on your way in. 506-645-6555 |
|
| THE
ZONA NORTE - LA FORTUNA / ARENAL |
Arenal
Volcano & Baldi Hot Springs
tour |
Start
with a late afternoon guided nature walk through the protected forest
at the base of Arenal Volcano, then drive to the northwest side just
as dark falls to catch a glimpse of bright orange lava sparks flowing
down the volcano. Then relax at Baldi, a 10,000 square foot thermal
bath complex with 10 different tiled pools of varying temperatures,
warm waterfalls, and swim-up bars set under tropical foliage and tiki
roofs. Spend an hour or two soaking and having drinks at the bars,
which have somewhat become La Fortuna's answer to nightlife. |
|
Desafio
adventure tours |
Longest
running tour company in La Fortuna, Desafio, meaning challenge, is
all about adventure. Owner Suresh sure knows about adventure as he
came to La Fortuna before anyone knew about it and was the first person
to kayak down the area's rivers. He and his wife, Christine now run
the only white water rafting trips in the area, plus a handful of
other local tours and personalized adventure packages. Desafio is
also well-known for their horseback trips and transfers to or from
their other base in Monteverde. (506) 479-9464 Behind the church. |
|
|
Horseback
/ Bus / Boat from Monteverde to La Fortuna
We can't think of a better way to travel between these two towns than
on a five-hour combination bus/horse riding/boat trip, especially
when the local bus rides take over eight hours. Working in conjunction
with a Costa Rican rancher, Desafio is known for their healthy and
well cared-for horses who take you along the edge of Arenal Lake for
a relaxing three-hour ride and views of Arenal Volcano. Your bags
meet you at the boat crossing and all you have to do is enjoy the
trip. Door-to-door service to and from your hotels. |
|
White
Water Kayaking on the Rio Arenal
Wind your way down the lush, nature-filled Arenal River by yourself
or with a partner in one of Desafio's inflatable kayaks. You'll feel
a great sense of accomplishment weaving around rocks and challenging
the rapids by yourself on the grade 2-3 river. In between rapids,
have a swim in the river's warm waters while your bi-lingual guides
point out birds, monkeys and lizards. At the end of the trip, you
will be rewarded with a superb lunch at owner Suresh's riverside abode. |
| THE
ZONA SUR - DOMINICAL |
Salsa
Brava
surfboard rental
|
Though
Dominical is such a popular surfer town, the selection of surf rental
equipment (especially for bodyboarders) was not all that great until
Salsa Brava came on the scene. Being a new company in 2005, they have
started with all new epoxy mini-mals, a good BZ board with flippers
and are still expanding. Unlike other companies, they don't require
a deposit for the equipment and their board damage policies are very
fair. They also offer one-on-one lessons, surfing safari tours and
scheduled transport to the nearby point break that works when the
surf is big. Owner, Heiner, is set up on the beach near Tortilla Flats
Hotel every day. |
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FIND WHAT YOU WANT? TRY OUR FRIENDS AT GOOGLE |
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