Costa Rica Vacation Deals Offered

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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Renting a Car in Costa Rica

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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Costa Rica Maps, Map out an exciting vacation in Costa Rica

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

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

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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Source: http://www.articlealley.com

San Jose – Costa Rica’s Urban Jungle

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

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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Costa Rica Vacations, Your Place in the Sun

In Central America, just south of Nicaragua and north of Panama is Costa Rica. Costa Rica has the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean on the west side. Therefore, the majority of Costa Rica’s borders, sixty-five percent, are coastline.

Although a relatively small area, about the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined, it has everything one could want in a vacation. Beautiful white sand beaches, great surf, active volcanoes, natural hot springs, and towering rain forests are just some of the sites in Costa Rica. Site seeing in the area is relatively simple via rental car or public bus.

A number of the principal mountain ranges are volcanic, and visitors can easily visit many of these areas. In the province of Cartago, for example, which is not far from the capital of San José, you will find Irazú volcano, which erupted in the early sixties. Poás volcano, located in the province of Alajuela, has one of the largest active craters in the world. In addition, Arenal volcano, in the northwestern region, delights thousands of visitors each year to a constant stream of red, hot lava rocks tumbling down its slopes.

Picturesque forests grow in the crater of the dormant Barva in Heredia. Arenal, a young volcano in the northern part of the country is constantly active (and is the site of a spa with natural hot springs). The country’s highest peak, Mount Chirripó, is not volcanic; it measures 12.412 feet. On a clear day one can see both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans from atop Mt. Chirripo.

The capital of Costa Rica is San José and is a good starting place for exploring the country. It is conveniently located in the center of the country and all the bus lines stop here. The port of Limon on the Caribbean Coast has quite a different atmosphere from the capital. Life is easy going on the Caribbean coast compared to the city life in San Jose.

San José is located in the Central Valley region of the country. Evenings in San José can be cool do to the high altitude, but you will not forget that you are in a tropical place even in this bustling city. The city itself is busy and filed with traffic. There are many things to do, but travelers often miss these sites choosing instead to head straight from the airport to beaches or rainforests. Although San José is not the most beautiful city in the world, it is generally safe and has a lot to offer tourists.

Author: David Chandler
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Costa Rica Party, Tales of the Guaro

Every country has a unique beverage it claims as its own. In Costa Rica, the beverage of choice is Guaro.

Costa Rica party with Beverages

There is a certain national pride associated with claiming an alcoholic beverage. Think of Mexico and tequila immediately comes to mind. Vodka, of course, goes with Russia. Visit Greece and an ouzo headache can’t be far behind. Aquavit in Sweden will definitely turn your head?and stomach. Costa Rica, of course, couldn’t miss out on the fun.

Costa Rica Party with Guaro

Depending on which bartender you speak to, Guaro is either a mind erasing alcohol beverage or an energy drink with a little kick. Guaro is the national beverage of Costa Rica. Despite visiting Costa Rica on multiple occasions, I have never tried. And for good reason.

The Guinea Pig

Ten of us were hanging out in the beach town of Carrillo just taking in the evening after another day in the sun. Carrillo is a great town for fishing and a few epic surf spots are close by. It is similar to Tamarindo, but without the overwhelming ex-pat influence. Unfortunately, Carrillo is extremely tame at night. Put another way, there is really nothing to do.

A bit bored, the ten of us had congregated in a caf? overlooking the ocean. Tables and chairs had been pushed together and we had reached the point in the evening where we were telling lies about how great we used to be. The bartender/owner approached our table and suggested we hadn’t experience Costa Rica until we had sampled Guaro. One of our merry band was selected.

Known humorously as Mexico Mike, our guinea pig was experienced in the ways of Mexican Tequila. Mexico was remotely close to Costa Rica, so the drinks were probably similar. Indeed, Mexico Mike was the man for the job.

The shot glass came. Jokes were made. Mike through it back. A small grimace, a lime, slaps on the back and general laughter. Just as we started egging each other on to be the next person to experience Costa Rica, a funny thing happened.

Mexico Mike was becoming Pink Mike. Laughter stopped and concern spread across the table like the rash developing on his arms. We were probably three hours from a hospital and the term “pink eye” was taking on a much larger meaning. His skin was turning pink! You could actually see it moving down his arms and across his chest. His girlfriend, Stuart, was not happy!

It has to be an odd feeling to sit there and watch your skin change colors. Mike was cracking jokes as is his nature, but there was a definite tension to his laugh. Fortunately, the reaction soon slowed and retreated. Within 20 minutes, he was good as new and we had a new story to tell.

We universally passed on further offers of Guaro. A traveler has to know his or her limits!

Rick Chapo is with Nomad Travel Journals – makers of writing journals. Travel journals are great travel accessories and travel gifts for student travel, family vacations and adventure travel. Visit NomadJournalTrips.com for more travel articles.

Author: Richard Chapo
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Costa Rica Resort Vacations

What makes vacationing in Costa Rica so special is that this tiny little Central American country has something for everyone. Whether you just want to sit back and relax on the beach, surf a wave, climb a volcano or go flying through the rainforest, Costa Rica has much to offer. With a plethora of activities to enjoy, a trip here is ideal if you want to see nature at its very best.

A top notch tourist destination, it is expected that by the end of this year Costa Rica is estimated to attract over 1.2 million visitors from all over the globe. With so much to see and do here, it is little wonder then why Costa Rica is on the fast track to becoming one of the most popular travel destinations in the whole world. Surfing, swimming, snorkeling, trekking, canopy touring, diving, kayaking and bungee jumping are just some of the many activities that one can enjoy.

An excellent way to tour Costa Rica and get the best from your vacation is to stay at a resort hotel. Offering excellent accommodations and superb facilities, a Costa Rican resort lets you experience all that is wonderful and amazing about this small nation. All inclusive resorts, beach resorts, golf resorts, honeymoon resorts, luxury resorts, family resorts, fishing resorts, diving resorts, wedding resorts, spa resorts and yoga resorts are some of the many different kinds of resorts and hotels you can find when you are here.

Each offering an incredible wealth of amenities alongside plenty of touring and sightseeing opportunities, Costa Rica resorts are a fabulous way to vacation in. Letting you enjoy a stress free getaway where you don’t have to lift a finger, staying at a resort means the ultimate in comfort and luxury. While most resorts tend to be quite expensive, Costa Rica also has a number of affordable and economical resorts that one can stay at with the entire family. These resorts not only provide daycare facilities, but also playgroups and activities for kids to enjoy, while their parents are out tour the surrounding areas. Child-friendly sightseeing trips and locations are also part of the resort’s itinerary.

For those with cash to spend, Costa Rica has a number of deluxe luxurious resorts that offer the finest accommodations money can buy. These resorts are located along secluded beach stretches and are surrounded by some of the most lush and dense forestation, providing an intimate and private setting to relax your cares away.

If you want to enjoy a Costa Rica resort vacation then head on out to either coast where some of the best hotels can be found. You can find plenty of resorts located along the Northwestern and Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica in Guanacaste and Puntarenas, while if you head down south, you will find a number of attractive all inclusive lodges and inns to stay at. The Caribbean Coast offers a different side of Costa Rica to vacation in and provides a more secluded environment to have some fun in the sun.

Author: Jenelle Gonsalves
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Source: http://www.articlealley.com