Tag Archives: costa rica

Costa Rica Vacation Deals Offered

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Manuel Antonio Estates, located on the Central Pacific coast of Costa Rica, offers travelers of all group sizes and budgets the opportunity to enjoy a fun filled vacation in paradise for as low as $30/night! With accommodations ranging from 2 bedroom Eco Condos ($400/week), 3 bedroom Casa Quetzal ($1750/week), 4 bedroom Villa Mot Mot ($2000/week), 5 bedroom Villa Jacana ($2500), and 8 bedroom Villa Manakin ($3000/week), no group large or small will be left out of this incredible offer. Rates have been reduced by as much as 25%, allowing a group of 10 to spend just $35/night per person on comfortable yet exotic accommodations. Manuel Antonio Estates is the perfect option for families, church groups, wedding parties, corporate events, bachelor parties, or any other group looking for affordable accommodations in Costa Rica’s most coveted destination.

In addition to bargain prices on luxury accommodations, Manuel Antonio Estates is extending to its guests an enticing Costa Rica vacation deals package which includes round trip transportation from the international airport, 4 canopy tours, 4 mangrove tours, 4 entrances to the Manuel Antonio National Park, plus 2 soothing massages at the Rain Drop Spa! This type of offer is unlike any other in the area and vacationers are encouraged to take advantage of this incredible deal. A swing through the jungle, a walk through Costa Rica’s most famed national park, or a relaxing massage at the areas best Spa will leave each guest longing for more Costa Rica vacation deals. The only problem will be planning the next vacation!

Guests at Manuel Antonio Estates are offered all of the conveniences of a hotel stay including 24 hour security in a private gated community, concierge services for tour planning, daily maid service, an onsite Spa, as well as hiking trails. Ideally situated between the downtown area of Quepos and the gorgeous rainforest of Manuel Antonio, visitors will appreciate the location of Manuel Antonio Estates as access to all of the areas amenities are just minutes away. Green areas cover the grounds at Manuel Antonio Estates and daily visits by monkeys, toucans, sloths, and iguanas can be expected.

Travelers are encouraged to visit http://www.manuelantonioestates.com or call 1 800 381 3770 for more information on availability and rates. Quepos and Manuel Antonio, the best place to be for this summer’s vacation!

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Costa Rica Motorcycle Riding in Costa Rica: Riding in Paradise!

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A Costa Rica rainy season is long. And while everyone is looking forward to the dry season, there is one type of person that really can’t wait until the rainy days are over. They are the motorcycle riders among us. While there are many days in the rainy season that start with picture-perfect sunshine, you know you will get soaking wet when returning home from a motorcycle trip in the afternoon. Riding with your rain gear on, takes most of the fun away (and at some point, water will find its way through even the best rain gear) and above all, wet roads make riding more dangerous.

While some people think I am crazy, riding my bike through the busy city traffic of San Jose every day (and through the country on weekends), I would always prefer a motorcycle over a car. In fact, having covered most of Europe, half of the United States, and a good part of Latin America on motorcycles, to me, Costa Rica still is the world’s greatest paradise for motorcycle riders.

It starts with the temperatures. To most European and North-American riders, thermo gloves, heated boots and angora underwear are common accessories. But in Costa Rica even at the highest point you can ride, the Cerro de la Muerte, a sweater, a windbreaker, and a light pair of gloves will usually do.

Then, there is the incomparable variety in nature: from the steaming-hot Caribbean lowlands to the Pacific cloud-forests, from active volcanoes down to the flat and dry Northeastern region of Guanacaste, and the dream beaches along the Pacific. This country offers it all close at hand to practice the Costa Rica motorcycle.

But the very best of it is what most people in a car would hate: The bad road conditions and the numerous unpaved highways and gravel trails. When people ask me: “how the ride is along the coast from Tamarindo to Samara and onto Mal Pais?” I usually reply “It’s a torture in a car but it’s paradise on a motorcycle.” The same is true for many other routes, such as the stony road to Monteverde, the climb to the volcano Rincon de la Vieja and even the stretch between Quepos and Dominical which can be great fun on a dual-sport bike (and will reduce traveling time from some 2.5 hours to somewhere close to an hour). The large suspension travel of these bikes absorb most of the uneven surface, and the fact of having only two wheels in-line (as opposed to four wheels on two axles), makes it easy to get around the numerous potholes.

And finally, there are an endless number of trails, which you could not do even in the best 4×4. Simply because they are too narrow for a car or there are too many big rocks in the way, like on the ride along the South-shore of the Arenal lake, or the direct route from Arenal to Monteverde (which otherwise only can be done by walking or on horseback).
There are a couple of things one must be aware of when riding a motorcycle in Costa Rica.

Riding in San Jose IS dangerous. So try to avoid it and get out of the city as fast as you can, especially if you do not have that much experience of riding in city traffic. Even outside the city, always expect the unexpected: Besides potholes, potential dangers to motorcyclists come in form of sand, oil and hydraulic fluid on paved roads, while on gravel trails you should be very careful using your brakes, as the front wheel might lock, resulting in a loss of control of the bike. Always ride with headlight on and keep in mind that you can easily be overseen by other drivers, or that your speed is underestimated (i.e. by people crossing the road or cars pulling out of a driveway).

Animals on the road are common in Costa Rica and pose a much larger risk to someone riding a bike than to someone in car. River crossings are especially challenging to motorcyclists. Not seeing the surface on which you ride (as it is covered by water), the current of the river can make it difficult to control your bike. Especially if you kill the engine in the middle of a river, there is the potential danger that you will not be able to hold your bike upright due to a heavy current. In the worst case, you might have to witness your motorcycle swimming away down-stream.

And finally, it is advisable to always ride in groups. In case one of the motorcycles gets stuck, there will be someone to help you getting it out, or to get help in case of an accident or technical breakdown.

While scooters of up to 50cc can be driven with a valid car license, the Costa Rican traffic regulations require a valid motorcycle license for any two-wheeler larger than that. This must not necessarily be a Costa Rican license. Any foreign license will do, as long as it specifically states that you are allowed to operate a motorcycle. Keep in mind, that any foreign driver license is only valid for three months after having entered the country. Anyone staying longer should get a Costa Rican driver license. This can be easily obtained by presenting the license from your home country and a valid passport at the Ministerio de Obras Publicas y Transportes (MOPT) office in San José. You will also be required to pass a medical exam, which are done at offices close to the MOPT office.

For every one not owning a motorcycle, there is the possibility of renting motorcycles in Costa Rica. In tourist centers along the coasts, there are numerous scooter rental businesses, some of them also offering smaller-sized dirt bikes (125cc). Prices will vary from between $50-$80 per day. Some operators also offer hourly rates or half day rentals. Larger motorcycles can be rented out of the San José area.

Author: Thorsten Klier
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Renting a Car in Costa Rica

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If you travel a lot, sooner or later you have to visit Costa Rica. To get around the country, you are going to need to rent a vehicle. Here are a few tips on doing so.

Renting a Car in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is an amazingly beautiful country with plenty to see and experience in just about any part of the country. If you want to take in an active volcano, Arenal is located in the middle of the country and you can wind surf on the lake below it. Up for some eco-tourism? The rainforest in the south of the country is epic. Prefer a bit of surfing? Head to the beaches on the west coast for a blast. Regardless of your choice, the one constant is you will need some way to get around.

Renting a car in Costa Rica is a unique process. First off, you should consider renting a pickup truck instead of a car. While the main roads are in great shape, any explorations off of them put you on dirt roads that will shake, rattle and roll you till your teeth are about to fall out. A truck is far better equipped to take the beating than a car. If you have a big party, shoot for vans.

The actual act of renting a vehicle can be handled in two ways. The first is to do it the traditional way through a travel agent or online site. The second is to find what you need at the airport when you land in San Jose. After various trips to Costa Rica, I almost always just do it when I land. Yes, you can be tired, but the reserved rental car scenario never really seems to work out. You either end up with some other vehicle or your reservation seems to get lost. There are plenty of vehicles available at the airport, so save yourself the headache and just wing it.

When renting a vehicle, the prices are highly negotiable. You can get them for a couple hundred bucks a week during the rainy season. During the high season when the rain slacks off, expect to pay between $400 and $800 a week. These prices are for your average rental, not a luxury SUV.

If you are heading to Costa Rica, renting a beast of burden to get you around is the best way to do it. Bring dollars and rent something when you land. It cuts down on the hassle and you will get the best deal.

John Grimes is with AllTerrainco.com – makers of natural products for the outdoors. Visit our natural outdoors directory to learn more.

Author: John Grimes
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Overview of Costa Rica for Travelers

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The Republic of Costa Rica is located in Central America and is an amazingly beautiful country. Following is an overview of the past and present of Costa Rica for travelers.

Overview of Costa Rica for Travelers

Christopher Columbus discovered Costa Rica and the indigenous people living there in 1502. The Spanish subsequently colonized it. The name of the country, Rich Coast, comes from their mistaken belief that gold was prevalent. It wasn’t, but the name stuck. In 1821, Costa Rica joined other Central American countries in declaring independence from Spain. True independence didn’t occur till 1838 when Costa Rica broke away from a federation of Central American countries.

In a major departure from many Central America countries, Costa Rica has largely been a free and peaceful democracy since 1899. It has a system of checks and balances similar to the United States, but more power is invested with the President and executive branch. The President and congressional members are elected to 4-year terms.

Costa Rica covers an area of 19,730 square miles. The capital is San Jose, which has a population of 2.1 million people. The terrain is rugged and tropical with dormant volcanoes, a rain forest in the south and immaculate beaches. Rainfall is heavy during summer months, but temperatures are consistently in the 70 to 90 degree range.

The people of Costa Rica are known both as “Ticos” and “Costa Ricans.” The total population is 4 million, but growing at 1.5 percent. Roman Catholic is the dominant religion, although 15 percent of the population claims Protestant as their faith. Literacy is at 96 percent. Average life expectancy for a woman is 79 years while men average 74 years. Spanish is the dominant language.

Costa Rica is both a hot tourist and relocation destination. The country is simply beautiful and the people are friendly. There has been a lot of construction and expansion over the last 15 years. Places like Tamarindo are no longer sleepy little coast towns. If you want to see the sleepy Costa Rica of old, now is the time to go before it is to late.

Richard Monk is with FactsMonk.com – a site with facts about everything. Visit us to read more about country facts and Costa Rica facts.

Author: Richard Monk
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Costa Rica Maps, Map out an exciting vacation in Costa Rica

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The beautiful and exotic country of Costa Rica sits in between Panama and Nicaragua in the heart of Central America. Just over 19,700 sq miles in area, this tiny nation has the distinction of being called ‘one of the most biodiverse places on earth’ by the National Geographic magazine. Encompassing just 0.1% of the planet’s surface, which is roughly smaller than the state of West Virginia, Costa Rica is home to over 5% of the world’s biodiversity. Another unknown fact about this tiny country is that in terms of species per 10,000 sq km, Costa Rica sits atop the list with 615 wildlife species.

One of the most peaceful and politically stable countries in the Americas with no standing army, Costa Rica is a nature wonderland for those who are looking for fun and excitement. The ideal place if one just wants to relax on the beach and chill or explore the crater of a dormant volcano; Costa Rica is the place to be! Now among the premier destinations in the world for nature lovers and adventure enthusiasts alike, there is never a dull moment here with so much to do and even more to discover.

Hike your way through some of the densest and remote rainforests known to man; get some up close views of an active volcano; surf some of the most amazing waves in the world; encounter the most exotic flora and fauna; scuba dive with dolphins, turtles and whales; zip high across jungles for fascinating canopy tours; and trek across some of the most beautiful landscapes into a whole new world, amid the stunning cloud forests that sit high atop the mountains.

With such amazing beauty it is no wonder then that Costa Rica has a rich ecological diversity, because nowhere else in the world has so many habitats been squeezed into one small place. Home to over 10% of the world’s butterfly species, Costa Rica is also the habitat of more than 850 species of birds, endemic and migratory. The marine ecosystem here is unlike any in the world, with an array of marine mammals from various kinds of whales to Olive Ridley sea turtles to the rare and endangered West Indian manatee found here.

For those who are looking for some excitement and adventure, head on to the surf points of Witches Rock along the Guanacaste shoreline or the superb Salsa Brava near Puerto Viejo de Talamanca on the Caribbean Coast. If you prefer staying on land, then a hike to the summit of the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano offers some fabulous views of the surrounding region. Traverse through the Parque Nacional Corcovado, one of the most lush and secluded national parks in the country or river raft down the famous Rio Savegre, considered among the cleanest rivers in Central America. If you enjoy heights then a canopy tour offers a unique way to view the gorgeous rainforests below, while rappeling down waterfalls is the latest adventure craze to hit Costa Rica.

Map out a luxury holiday or backpack exciting adventure vacation here, but don’t fool yourself into thinking that you can explore this tiny Latin American country within a week. The landscape here can often be quite treacherous especially during the rainy season, therefore a map is a great way to chart out your way across the country, if you are not using a tour or travel guide. To have a great holiday, make sure your maps are up to date and carefully plan your trip with the help of a reputed guidebook or travel website.

Author: Jenelle Gonsalves
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Five Things You Really Sould Know Before Visiting Costa Rica

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Possibly the best tourist destination in the Western Hemisphere – Costa Rica doesn’t get the respect that it deserves. Probably because this destination doesn’t have the big money casinos and resorts. It appeals more to lovers of natural beauty. If you love to spend time outdoors, or are the adventurous type, and not a member of the resort hotel, golfing/ shopping crowd, then Costa Rica will be the discovery of a lifetime for you.

Costa Rica is Rich in Natural Beauty
Where else can you find isolated beaches, forests teeming with howler monkeys, birds, and beautiful butterflies, some as large as your hand. It also has some of the most beautiful, warm, whitewater river adventures in the world. All this sitting under spectacular volcanic mountains, some of which are still active. It is an incredible choice for a vacation trip.

Costa Rica is Really Rugged
Costa Rica is a rugged land. Much of it is mountains, forest, and hills. It takes about twice as long to get anywhere as you expect looking at the distances involved. The roads have been carved out of rugged hillsides, many are not paved, and the rainy season can beat them up.

Avoid the Rainy Season if you Like the Mountains
On the Caribbean slope the rainy season begins in April and continues through December. An average rainy season day will begins clear then it clouds up and rains. In contrast, the driest months of February and March, days are almost entirely without rainfall.
On the Pacific slope the rainy season begins in May and runs until November. Again, days begin sunny and pleasant, with rains coming later in the day. In the northern half of the country, the Pacific slope experiences an more intense dry season, in which no rain may fall for several months.

If you want to plan a visit during the rainy season, no problem. The rain is usually a welcome break in an easy going day. Just be careful when planning trips in the mountains and river rafting. Heavy rains can change close roads and make rivers rise.

Tours and Guides are a Great Way to See Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a relaxed tropical paradise with a relaxed and efficient way of life. The “Tico’s” prefer living in small villages and towns. Their country is really quite small, about the size of west Virginia. So they really don’t need road sign and mileage markers. Great for them, bad for first time visitors from the US who are used to Freeway exist signs. If you get a guide for most excursions around the country, you wont have to develop the sixth sense the Tico’s use to pick the correct road.

Costa Rican’s are a Great Hosts
Tico’s are well educated, religious, family oriented, and strongly influenced by Europe and the United States. The US expate invasion from the US started in earnest in the early 90′s, so Costa Rican’s are now pretty tolerant of our strengths and our weaknesses. However, be fairly warned; just because a Tico doesn’t get upset by an unfolding situation, doesn’t mean that you personally may not have a problem. On a couple of occasions I was in deep s#^% but the locals responded with smiles and patient advice. I think visitors need to take our problems seriously and act on them sooner than most Tico’s would.

Costa Rica will constantly amaze you with the beauty and diversity of its wildlife, plants, and rugged terrain. I dare you to take a Costa Rica Vacation then try not to go back again, and again.
John Thomas is a business consultant and a syndicated author. He focuses on entrepreneurs and growth companies. In addition to business process improvement and rapid system development, he also writes about his discoveries while doing business around the world.

Author: John Thomas
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Costa Rica Tourism: Finding Eden

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As close to Eden as you can get, Costa Rica with its pristine natural beauty is an idyllic getaway from a more urban lifestyle. For such a small country, the biodiversity found here is incredibly extraordinary and add to this the amazing plethora of exotic wildlife, and you have one of the most fantastic vacation destinations ever.

Home to rich dense rainforests, gorgeous beaches, towering volcanoes, and roaring rivers, this tiny Central American nation has it all. The perfect place for an adventure or for a wonderful retreat, Costa Rica has a myriad of activities that one can enjoy. At the moment Costa Rica tourism is enjoying a big boom with more than 1 million visitors coming here last year. Offering some of the most dramatic landscapes and panoramas in the world, this country is now one of the major tourist hotspots on the planet.

Verdant and green, today more than 28% of Costa Rica’s total land area has been set aside for conservation. With 26 national parks and a number of private nature reserves and refuges found protecting a huge array of plant and animal life, one can find some of the most unique habitats in Costa Rica. Coastal rainforests that open up on to secluded beaches, fertile volcanic hillsides, cloud forests shrouded in mist, bubbling hot springs, intricate cave systems, vibrant coral reefs and fiery volcanoes are just some of the many spectacular panoramas visible in different parts of the country.

What goes on to make Costa Rica so special and sets it apart from the rest of the world is that here nature and tourism combine to provide some of the most amazing locations to explore. The Corcovado National Park, the beautiful coastline of Guanacaste, the Parque Nacional Volcan Arenal, the coffee plantations of Heredia Alta, the Tabacon Hot Springs, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and the Tortuguero National Park are just a few of the many wonderful places to discover while you travel around Costa Rica. And with each destination being more beautiful then the next, it is of little wonder why so many people are now traveling here.

Over 850 species of birds, 35,000 species of insects and more than 1,200 different types of orchids make Costa Rica’s wildlife truly diverse. Home to an astonishing 10% of the world’s butterfly species, you can also find five different types of jungle cats, four of the world’s eight marine turtle species and five species of sloths here as well. The endangered West Indian Manatee, the rare Morpho Butterfly and the indigenous Poas Squirrel are also some of the more remarkable animals that can only be seen in Costa Rica.

With the distinction of being one of the most wildlife rich countries in the world today, Costa Rica tourism is growing at a very rapid rate. The fact that this little nation has so much to offer in terms of staggering beauty and superb wildlife makes it a truly coveted destination. A real life ‘Garden of Eden’ with more than 6% of the plant and animal species on earth found here, coming here is a must for anyone who wants to see paradise on earth.

Author: Jenelle Gonsalves
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Experiencing Beautiful Costa Rica!

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We have just returned from a trip to the coffee farms of colorful Costa Rica! As our airplane landed at the international airport outside of San Jose, it was dark already. Our flight was late out of Miami, but we were still excited to finally get to Costa Rica. Then reality hit us! We needed to get to the Siempreverde (meaning ‘always green’) Bed and Breakfast on our own, ruling out our initial plans of renting a car. As we negotiated for a cab, many of them were not sure where to go. Finally, one cab driver came forward and said, “I know where to go.” As we were walking toward his cab, we spied a hand-made sign with our names on it! Two wonderful people from the DOKA Plantation stayed up late and came to pick us up, to take us to our B. and B. The Siempreverde Bed & Breakfast is affiliated with the DOKA Plantation. They had been waiting for several hours for our plane. We thought “how considerate of them,” and as we soon discovered, there would have been no way for us to find our own way there in the dark. As we started to drive up the mountain, we couldn’t believe how dark it was, and the road seemed to go on forever. As we arrived at Siempreverde, we met Jesus the groundskeeper, who had a big smile on his face at 2:00 a.m. In Spanish, he gave us a warm welcome, which we somehow understood, even with our very limited grasp of the language. We then settled into a short night’s sleep, as we knew breakfast would be at 7:30 the next morning.

The next morning we were up early and we went downstairs to look around. What a site for our eyes to see! It was a beautiful bright green landscape with the mountains in the background. As a coffee trainer, Don always thought that coffee trees all had canopy trees above and over them, in order to protect them from the heat, but that is not the case in this part of Costa Rica. Most of the year, there is a cloud cover and the temperature is about 68F to 88F year-round. By the cloud cover, these trees have natural shade from the sun. Each morning we had a typical Costa Rican breakfast of scrambled eggs, “gallo pinto,” which is a rice and black bean dish, fresh papaya, pineapple, toast, and of course, some of that wonderful Costa Rican coffee! That first morning, the DOKA Plantation sent a car to take us to our meeting, which was our reason for coming to Costa Rica. As we drove even further up the mountain, the scenery was incredible! When we arrived, they led us into an open-air pavilion, gave us a cup of their famous coffee, and we waited to meet Alexandra. She was fluent in both Spanish and English, which was a big help. The topic of our meeting was “How we can partner together to educate people about quality coffees?” The pavilion would be an ideal open-air classroom that could seat up to 150 people. As you look out, you can experiencing beautiful costa rica and see thousands of acres of coffee trees, with banana trees planted in between them, to help break the wind.

In the afternoon, the plantation driver took us back to the B. and B., because we did not have our own car as yet. It was looking like there would be no dinner for us that night! However, our luck changed when we met a delightful couple from Belgium, also staying at the inn. Their names were Dirk and Els, and they were in Costa Rica, looking to migrate from Belgium. After sitting, talking, and getting to know them for awhile, they invited us to go out to dinner with them. They had found a nice restaurant that overlooked the city of San Jose. How could we resist? What a stunning view it was, with all the bright city lights! The dinner was also very good similar to Mexican food, yet different. We had some wine with dinner, and our conversation flowed for hours. What was shaping up to be a sad, hungry night by ourselves, turned out to be full of fun, food, and fellowship!

The next morning we rented a car and explored a little bit on our own. We wanted to see where the people live and what they do each day. Beverly loves the ocean, so that morning we were on our way to the closest beach, which was Playa Tarcoles on the Pacific Ocean side of Costa Rica. It was a long 3-hour drive, but it was worth it. The winding drive reminded us a little of the road to Hana, Maui in Hawaii. As we neared the coast, we saw many people looking down from a high bridge. Curiosity made us stop, and what a surprise we found real live crocodiles were living beneath the bridge in the Tarcoles River! When we arrived at the beach, we stopped to have dinner, and enjoyed a spectacular sunset. As we headed back, we stopped at roadside vendors that sell everything from fresh fruit to handcrafted items. What we found on our first day’s venture is that Costa Rica is still wild and untamed in many respects, from its natural beauty to its wildlife.

We were in Costa Rica for only a week, and now we realize that one week was not enough time, to truly see all that this lovely country has to offer. Besides two oceans (the Pacific Ocean on the west coast and the Caribbean Sea on the east coast), there are the rainforest reserves with canopy tours, the coffee plantations, the waterfalls and lagoons, the tropical flora and fauna, and best of all, the friendly people and their hospitable way of life. What a magnificent place to come to have a training program about Costa Rican quality coffees! If you have never been to Costa Rica, you should take the short two-hour plane trip down from Miami. Many pleasant surprises awaits you!

Author: Don Dennison
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experiencing beautiful costa rica

San Jose – Costa Rica’s Urban Jungle

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When people think about Costa Rica their minds automatically conjure up images of beautiful beaches, lush forestation and incredible wildlife. However, this is not all that Costa Rica has to offer. A fascinating country, this tiny Central American nation has much to see and explore, case in point being Costa Rica’s cosmopolitan capital, San Jose City. A vibrant and bustling metropolis of more than a million people San Jose is not only Costa Rica’s largest city, but it is also the transportation and financial hub of the country. Filled with world-class restaurants, topnotch shopping malls, museums, theaters, nightclubs, bars and cinemas, this city makes for a wonderful place to discover.

Founded in 1737, today, very little of San Jose’s colonial past remains. Overcrowded, chaotic and disorganized, this urban jungle nevertheless still manages to retain a charm that is all its own. If you look past the traffic, smog and congestion, you will find that San Jose is actually a city with a lot of character and soul. The people here are wonderful, warm and friendly and despite its many drawbacks, there is much to enjoy. The ideal place to use as a base camp while exploring the rest of the country, San Jose has plenty of accommodations to suit every budget ranging from the more luxurious hotels to reasonably priced apartotels.

A city on the go, San Jose sits right in the heart of Costa Rica’s gorgeous Central Valley and is surrounded by verdant green volcanic mountain ranges. The climate here is near perfect with a spring-like temperature throughout the year. Offering stunning panoramas of the encompassing countryside, San Jose is the perfect place to savor the very best of Costa Rica.

The Jade Museum, the Contemporary Art & Design Museum, the Crime Museum, the National Museum and the Art Museum are all great places to get a feel for what this city is all about. While in San Jose, also worth visiting has to be the National Theater and the Catedral Metropolitana located close by to one another. San Jose’s various markets or mercados, especially the Mercado Central in the downtown area are also worth a look at.

Extremely popular with tourists, one very good reason for staying in this urban jungle is that is a great place to learn to speak Spanish. Here you can find plenty of Spanish language schools and teaching centers where one not only studies the language, but also learns how to use it practically.

With Costa Rica’s public bus network situated in downtown San Jose, many people also use this city as a starting point to their vacations. From here you can catch a bus to anywhere in the country, with the coast being no more than a 3-hour drive away.

If the downtown area gets too busy for you then San Jose’s beautiful suburbs offer the perfect quiet respite one needs to get away from the humdrum of the city. Santa Ana, Escazu, Los Yoses, San Pedro, La Sabana, Rohrmoser and San Antonio de Belen are just a few of the neighborhoods where one can go and relax.

One of the best times of the year to visit this city is in March, when San Jose plays host to the biannual Festival de Arte. Showcasing the country’s finest performers, artists, musicians, dancers and film makers, this event lets you see San Jose in a whole new light.

Author: Jenelle Gonsalves
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Costa Rican Culture

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Culture is synonymous with variety as is the land of Costa Rica. And in this country touching on the topics of race, food, festivals, and customs just scratches the surface of how colorful the culture if this land is.

Costa Rica has a strong and efficient national education system, with its citizens maintaining a 95% literacy rate. Combine that with the strongest and most stable, democratic tradition in all of Central America and it molds the human character that has made the Costa Ricans a self-assured and hospitable bunch. That again is the outcome of the education system that makes it obligatory up to the sixth grade; for pursuing higher education, the National University and the University of Costa Rica has been made available to the public. However, the Costa Rican Government doesn’t believe in making a bookworm out of the people; therefore, a total of three symphonic orchestras and five autonomous state publishing houses are also considered a part of the education system.

Among the premier holidays, Easter and Semana Santa (the Holy Week) are the most prominent. It is the time when the Costa Ricans express their faith through street processions held every day for one week before Easter commences. Christmas celebration and New Year’s Eve also manifest a similar phenomenon. Among the most significant non-religious holidays, the Independence Day of Costa Rica rules supreme. The magic of the ceremony lies in the diverse formal official celebrations that vary greatly from town to town.
Musically speaking, the land of Costa Rica represents mostly the folklores that had originated at the northern part of the country and bears heavy Mayan influence in the form of tambito (a rhythm) while the genre of the music is known as Punto. Further classification reveals the Punto Guanacasteco (from Guanacaste Province) and the Punto Sancarleño (from San Carlos in Alajuela Province) as the sub-genres. The modern era has witnessed rock music taking center stage.

The cuisine of Costa Rica borrows flavors from different parts of the world, although some would say it lacks in terms of anything distinct or original. Costa Rican cuisine stands as a grand assortment of Spanish, Mexican, American, Caribbean and Southern American COMPANIES like other Central American countries. However, it still retains the age-old flavors. Gallo Pinto (a combination of black beans and white rice) is considered the national dish, though Arroz con pollo or rice with chicken always gives it a run in terms of popularity. However, a broader view on the eating habits of the Costa Ricans reveals some important regional differences. While the Caribbean side has an affinity toward coconut oil, the north-western part of the country tends more toward corn products making large, cheese filled tortillas and other corn snacks the primary food for the region.

Author: David Lovendahl
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Source: http://www.articlealley.com