Even more things to see and do in Costa Rica

Canopy Tour

• Go on a canopy tour. One of the best ways to explore Costa Rica’s rainforests is by a canopy tour. Canopy tours were originally developed by US scientists who were trying to study trees without touching the plant, animal, or insect life on the limbs and trunks. Canopy tours are considered better than hiking tours because the view is unmatched. The rainforests often have dense plant live and the ground can get very dark, making it difficult to see everything clearly. There are many walkways throughout Costa Rica’s forests that have bridges strung across a valley from where you can walk above the rainforest canopy and get an aerial view of the forest below. The most popular form of canopy tour is the kind where platforms are built into the strongest trees and a zip line is strung in between them. This allows tourists to zipline across the forest from tree to tree on these lines with the help of a safety harness.
• Check out the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. The Monteverde Cloud Forest is a very popular ecotourism desination in Costa Rica. With it’s unique cloud canopy, Monteverde is one of the most breathtaking nature reserves in the world. Cloud forests usually receive much less rain in comparison to rainforests. However, since cloud forests are located at a higher altitude, they have more humidity and are therefore cloudier than rainforests. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve covers an area of 26,000 acres and is home to more than 2,000 species of plants and trees, 100 species of mammals, over 400 species of birds, and roughly 1,200 species of amphibians and reptiles. When exlploring the forest, it is likely that you will see a variety of birds and animals including, bellbirds, guans, toucanets, jaguars, pumas, monkeys, and the golden toad, a species of toad that only exists in the Monteverde Cloud Forest.
• Go scuba diving. One of the best ways to get a view of Costa Rica’s underwater marine life is by scuba diving. Scuba diving is extremely popular in Costa Rica at the moment, with many tour groups and travel agencies offering scuba trips and excursions. The water in Costa Rica is ideal throughout the year and perfect to see massive schools of fish and marine life. The most popular scuba diving locations are Playas del Coco, Play Hermosa and Playa Ocotal. If you visit these places, you can see giant manta rays and swim alongside brightly colored tropical fish. Another extrememly popular scuba diving spot is the Isla del Cano, which is said to be the best place to scuba dive in Costa Rica. The Isla del Cano is home to 18 species of coral, 3 species of dolphin and 57 different species of crustaceans.

Monteverde Cloud ForestScuba diver in Manuel Antonio

 

Scuba Diver in Manuel Antonio

These are just SOME of the many things to see and do in Costa Rica. I just decided to talk about the things that I thought looked the most interesting and fun. My next blog will be about a certain cruise that I really underestimated before taking.

Destination of the Week: Costa Rica

The destination of the week is Costa Rica. Partly because I am going there in June and partly because it is just awesome. Costa Rica is located in Central America, and although it covers just 0.1% of the planet’s land mass, it is home to around  of the world’s biodiversity. Basically, if you love nature, Costa Rica is the place to go. The country consists of twenty six national parks spread across the country. Costa Rica is home to many rain forests and tropical dry forests that contain an assortment of birds, monkeys, lizards, snakes, sloths, butterflies, and frogs. Tourists travel here to see some of the rarest wildlife on the planet including Scarlet Macaws, Morpho butterflies, Leatherback turtles, and the tiny Central American squirrel monkey. Many people take canopy tours where they zipline across the forest for incredible views of the jungle beneath them.

Manuel Antonio National Park

Things to see and do in Costa Rica

• Witness active volcanoes such as the Volcan Arenal and Irazu erupt daily. The Northern Lowlands and the Volcan Arenal are considered to be one of the most spectacular regions in the country and one of Costa Rica’s hottest tourist destinations. The Arenal Volcano is one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world and spews molten rocks and ash from its summit on a daily basis. The Irazu Volcano National Park is one of the most frequented parks in Costa Rica. It is home to the Irazu volcano, which is the largest and highest active volcano in Costa Rica and stands at around 11,260 feet. A major attraction of the Irazu Volcano National Park is the Diego de la Haya crater that has a 300 meter green-colored lake in the center of it.
• Go surfing. Costa Rica is known as a top surfing destination. The beaches are clean and rarely crowded. Over the years, Costa Rica has become a favorite surfer hangout, especially for those who want to take on some of the most challenging waves in the world. Costa Rica has warm water year round and over 50 famous surf breaks along its shoreline.
• See Manuel Antonio National Park. Manuel Antonio Park is the most popular national park in Costa Rica as well as the most visited park in the country. The park is home to a large variety of birds and wildlife and has some of the best beaches in the entire country. These beaches offer many water sport activities and are lined with lush green forestation. Swimming conditions on some of the beaches in the park are fantastic, which makes them perfect for snorkeling. Manuel Antonio National Park consists of four beaches; The Espadilla Sur, the Playita, the Manuel Antonio, and the Escondido. Manuel Antonio is the prettiest of all the beaches with white sand and an amazing offshore coral reef. In the park you can see sloths, iguanas, peccaries, armadillos, coatimundis, and scarlet macaws. However, the most popular animals here are the monkeys. The park is also the home of about 350 species of birds as well as a number of lizards and other insects.

The Irazu Volcano

Surfer in Tamarindo