Tag Archives: national

Costa Rica Vacation Deals Offered

Posted on by

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!

Your Name (required)

Your Email (required)

Subject

Your Message

Costa Rica Tourism: Finding Eden

Posted on by

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
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com

Costa Rican Culture

Posted on by

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
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com

Costa Rica Party, Tales of the Guaro

Posted on by

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
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com

Costa Rica Photos, Capture Nature At Its Very Best!

Posted on by
Reply

Home to some of the most diverse wildlife on the planet, Costa Rica is a photographer’s delight. Offering an incredible wealth of picture perfect locations, this tiny Central American nation is considered by many to be a “living Eden.” A great place to capture nature in action all around you, Costa Rica has on display not just a wealth of dramatic landscapes, but some of the most rare and endangered plants and mammals in the world to photograph.

With photo ops a plenty, it is a good idea to get a first-rate camera while on vacation here, as you will be treated to some truly special moments worth preserving. The fantastic fireworks display of the majestic Arenal Volcano, the incredible cloud canopy of the Monteverde Cloud Forest, the pristine rugged natural beauty of the Osa Peninsula and Corcovado National Park, and the mesmerizing oceanic views of the Golfo de Papagayo, all make for some truly stunning photos.

If you are an avid birdwatcher, you can also get some wonderful Costa Rica photos of the stunning Scarlet Macaw, the resplendent Quetzal, the magnificent Frigatebird and the Violet Sabrewing as they fly by in huge numbers. Home to more than 850 species of birds, Costa Rica also plays host to rare birds like the Roseate Spoonbill, the King Vulture, the Northern Jacana, the Purple-throated Mountain Gem, the Collared Aracari and the Three-wattled Bellbird.

With over 10% of the world’s butterfly species found here as well, more than 35,000 different insect varieties have also been seen in Costa Rica. The dazzling Morpho butterfly, the Rhinoceros Beetle and the Lantern Fly are just some of the many insects that can be seen throughout the country. The deadly Poison-dart Frogs, the lethal Fer-de-lance Snakes, and the bright-green Basilisk Lizards are a few of the many amphibians and reptiles that can be spotted in Costa Rica as well.

If you are looking for some pictures of turtle or whale, you will find plenty of locations on either coast of the country. The Tortuguero National Park in Limon and the Parque Nacional Marino Ballena in Guanacaste are great places to see these wonderful creatures breeding or just swimming around. In the rainforests not only will you find plenty of monkeys to look at, but you will also come across sloths, anteaters, peccaries, tapirs, jaguars and ocelots as well.

With so much to see, it is no wonder then that Costa Rica is such an amazing place to travel to. The lush rainforests, the stunning beaches, the active volcanoes, the roaring rivers and water falls, the superb surfing and the breathtaking national parks and nature reserves, all make this tiny country definitely worth visiting. Whether you stay in the cosmopolitan city of San Jose or tour the surrounding countryside, know that whatever you do you are in for an extraordinary vacation.

Author: Jenelle Gonsalves
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com