Costa Rica

So two years ago, I wrote about Costa Rica without having been there myself. Since then, I have gone to Costa Rica and I have a lot to share. My parents and I decided to go to the Manuel Antonio area which is on the Pacific facing side of Costa Rica and is home to Manuel Antonio National Park.  However, the real reason why my family chose this location was the Hotel La Mariposa. Hotel La Mariposa is featured in the book 1000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler’s Life List. I will discuss this hotel in detail a little later.

We started our journey by flying into the San Jose (capital of Costa Rica) airport. From the airport it is either a 20 minute flight or a 3 hour van ride to the town of Quepos, which is located about 20 minutes from the hotel. We opted for the flight which was on a 10-seater plane. I got to sit right behind the pilot who was probably my age.

The 10 seater plane

View from my seat

View from the plane

Next Stop- the hotel. The Hotel La Mariposa is located on a hill so the views are amazing. There are 2 infinity pools. There is one at the bar and another one which stretches across the property and has gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean. A good deal of the hotel is older, mostly the rooms that don’t have the views. When we were there, many rooms were being completely renovated, especially the suites. Our room was completely new and had a great view. One interesting thing about these rooms is that while they do have internet access, there is no TV. This is a good thing for people who want to enjoy the scenery without distractions, but I always like a TV to make me feel more connected to the world. You get free breakfast when you stay here which is always a plus. You have a choice between an American breakfast and a typical Costa Rican breakfast. An American breakfast has all that you would expect: fresh omelettes, fruit, breads, bacon, sausage, hash brown, yogurt, etc. The Costa Rican breakfast consists of eggs anyway you like, plantains, bread, and the Costa Rican staple, rice and beans. While the breakfast is decent, I wouldn’t recommend the restaurant for other meals because the food is pretty subpar for the prices they charge. Basically, you’re paying for the view. Speaking of the view, wherever you are on the hotel’s premises, you’re likely to see some kind of Costa Rican wildlife. You will see plenty of lizards, iguanas, and monkeys, specifically the white-headed capuchin. The beach is located 15-20 minutes away from the hotel, and there are 4 shuttles a day from the hotel to the beach. Beware though, the road to the beach is steep and narrow, so you’re in for a climb on the way back. You also have to keep an eye out for cars. Stay tuned for more on restaurants, activities, and ways to save!

View from the balcony

View of the pool from the restaurant

View from hotel room

Morning in Costa Rica

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