THE RAINY SEASON LOOMS AHEAD

This year the “Rainy Season” also known as “Green Season” is expected to start in mid May and if you travel during that period that gets extended until the end of October you will enjoy a particular condition of the country that those who travel during the Dry Season did not enjoy:

This time of the year, everywhere you look; you’ll see green, green, and green. Don’t know what it is, but there’s something truly primeval and invigorating about being surrounded by lush tropical vegetation during rainy season. It makes you feel truly alive in every sense of the word, but don’t take our word for it – come see for yourself.

Generally, rains occur in the early afternoons in the highlands, mid-afternoons in the pacific lowlands, and late afternoons and night in the Atlantic lowlands.

The days often start out warm and sunny, although “temporales” are not uncommon. In the highlands, rainy season usually means an hour or two of rain in the mid-afternoon. Still be prepared, because after 23 hours of a given day maybe dry and pleasant, on the 24 hour the rain may be hard as a waterfall.

A very convenient fact is that during the rainy season most hotels and tour companies provide discounted rates and special packages to their clients.

Contact us today and take advantage of those “Green Season Specials” we can offer to you and your clients and don’t miss the chance of exploring Costa Rica as not many travelers have done it.

The land of the eternal spring is waiting for you!!!!!!!

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SPECIAL DEAL PRESENTS: MANUEL ANTONIO

Quepos Town & Manuel Antonio Beach are two separate but completely interdependent central Pacific coast towns. Quepos is a fairly good sized town with about 9,000 permanent residents, a large hospital, banks, markets, stores, hotels, bars, restaurants, (new marina coming soon) and main bus terminal.

Manuel Antonio to the south is much smaller and extends along both sides of the road that stretches 4 1/2 miles up the hill and them down to the Manuel Antonio National Park, must of the Hotels are located in the Hills.

Even though there are hotels and restaurants of many nationalities on this hill between Quepos and the park. It is still common to walk along the lush green, tree lined road and see two toed sloths, bright green parrots and large iguanas. In the hills overlooking the ocean are some of the most pictures and stunning views in the country along with accommodations from luxurious to basic.

Manuel Antonio National Park is home to one of the last sizable populations of the endangered Squirrel Monkey in the region, White Faced and Howler monkeys are also common in the park. Cathedral Point with its forest topped cliffs is connected to the mainland by a thin land bridge that separates the parks two most popular beaches, Playa Espadilla Sur and Playa Manuel Antonio.

Playa Manuel Antonio is one of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica and has been rated one of the top ten in the world. The beach is a half mile long, perfect white sand crescent bordered by deep green mangroves and palm trees.

Scenic Manuel Antonio National Park is a perfect combination of warm Pacific waters and the rainforest that grows right down to the three white sand beaches. Nature trails take you along the beach strand and over a forested, rocky promontory. This park, in the humid tropical zone, protects several habitats, including primary relative isolation and secondary forest, mangroves, beach vegetation and marine resources.

Because of its relative isolation and small size it is probably one of the easiest places in Costa Rica to see wildlife, particularly sloths, coatimundis, agoutis, White-faced Monkeys and the tiny Squirrel Monkey. There is no development inside the National Park but line the 7 kilometers (4 miles) of cliff top road leading to Manuel Antonio dozens of small hotels surrounded by trees and lush tropical gardens.

Manuel Antonio offers a beautiful coast line and diverse rainforest, an ideal area to enjoy the outdoors. Manuel Antonio tour operators offer day & multi-day tours with a wide variety to choose from; including canopy, white water rafting, kayaking, horseback riding, mountain biking, Catamaran Charters, Surfing, Snorkeling, Diving, Deep -Sea Fishing and more.

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Costa Rica Stone Spheres, an addition to the World Heritage?

Costa Rica has presented a bid for its pre-Columbian stone spheres to be inducted into the exclusive World Heritage list by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Cultural or natural sites or monuments can make the list if UNESCO deems them to have “outstanding universal value,” according to the international Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage

Experts in archaeology, art and other fields visited several sites in the Southern Zone last week, where many of the spheres, of varying sizes, have been discovered.

Regarded as indigenous treasures, hundreds of the almost perfectly round monoliths have been spotted in different parts of the country since the 1940s. Today they can be seen in gardens of government buildings and private homes. Many are no larger than a bowling ball. Some are larger than life, such as 15-ton boulders.

They’re usually made of granodiorite, a hard, igneous stone similar to granite. Archaeologists believe native inhabitants chiseled, pecked and ground granodiorite boulders using rocks of the same material to create the spheres.

Archaeologist Francisco Corrales said the carved stones reveal much about the Costa Ricans’ pre-Columbian ancestors.

“The finding leads us to believe that these spheres were symbols of social prestige and hierarchical positions” during the Chiriquí period from 800 to 1500 AD. The Chiriquí were ancestors of the Brunca, one of Costa Rica’s eight indigenous groups.

“This is important because it reinforces the fact that they (the spheres) were created by indigenous people who had a complex society, capable of constructing such things. (The Chiriquí) were experts with stone,” he said.

Freddy Montero, cultural program officer for UNESCO’s San José office, said the recent visit is the start of a long and important process.

“It’s not as though UNESCO arrives, declares world heritage and leaves,” said Montero. He explained that the greatest value of this first step is it should encourage a process on a national and local level to work to improve research and preserve the spheres.

UNESCO representatives seem interested in the uniqueness of spheres. Nuria Sanz, who visited from UNESCO’s World Heritage Center in Paris, France, told the newswire EFE that she’s aware of cultures that also work with this form but “not in the same context or crafted in the same way” as the Costa Rican spheres.

No timeline has been set yet, but Montero acknowledged that in the past UNESCO has committed up to 10 years to working with national governments and local authorities to meet standards of preservation and research. The time it takes depends on how well a country has prepared before presenting its bid to the World Heritage Center. In Montero’s eyes, Costa Rica has invested much in researching its spheres but “there’s still a lot of work to be done.”

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Can a Tree Save The World?

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2010, EARTH ( www.earth.ac.cr ) is a private, international nonprofit university located in Costa Rica that offers an undergraduate degree in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Management in order to prepare leaders with ethical values to contribute to the sustainable development of the humid tropics and to construct a prosperous and just society.

On Saturday, June 5, 2010, World Environment Day, as part of its 20th Anniversary commemoration, EARTH University will simultaneously plant at least 200,000 trees in more than 26 countries across the globe where its alumni reside.

The event, named EARTH Plants the Future, is both a symbolic and practical action to address climate change, as it represents both the hope for the future and concrete action to mitigate current emissions of greenhouse gases.  As a result of the project, approximately 6,800 tons of carbon dioxide will be fixed annually.

EARTH launched the “EARTH Plants the Future” website (www.earthplantsthefuture.org). The site includes a virtual forest application that will allow visitors to plant, personalize and take care of their virtual tree(s) online.

Visitors can select up to 15 different species native to the tropics. For every 20 virtual trees planted on the site, a sponsor will donate $5 to EARTH for the planting of one real tree on the day of the event.

This application and the website are part of an aggressive social media campaign, which includes presence on social networks and blogs to attract the attention of young people who are interested in contributing to the event.

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Explore Fishing in Costa Rica

Costa Rica has two coastal shores, the Pacific and the Caribbean, a fact that draws tourists to want to explore Costa Rica fishing. Aside from surfing and scuba, fishing in Costa Rica is one of most popular water sports you can enjoy when you visit.
On the Pacific Coast, from

The Gulf of Papagayo to the Osa Peninsula you will find some of the best spots for deep sea fishing this side of the western hemisphere.. The waters are teeming with naturally growing bait, this area sets catch records year after year.

A number of companies have deep sea fishing tours, so you need these to help you go further offshore to catch a fish like the thirty-foot Stamas. You can also catch Yellowfin tuna, Wahoos, Giant Dorados, Pacific Sailfish and three kinds of Marlin. Near the shore, the 1000 ft. deep waters of the gulf are full of a variety of fish as well. Rain-forested hills provide a scenic background as you fish for Sierra Mackerel, Snook, Pompano, Amber Jack, 4 types of snapper and other exotic species.

Aside from being prime time for Costa Rica fishing, the winter also happens to be the migratory season for whales, and this is the dry season in Costa Rica, when you will find warm perfect weather and blue skies. Whale sharks, Blue and humpback whales can all be seen on a tour. 3 different types of porpoises live here year round, so you are sure to see them as well. Sea snakes and sea turtles are other creatures you can see on land and in the water as well.
The Atlantic has great Costa Rica fishing opportunities as well. The months of November and December see the highest volume of fish in the waters, as small snooks begin their journeys into the rivers. They are only on average 5 pounds, but are fun to catch, and sometimes there are 30-pounders mixed in with the little ones. Late fall is the best time to catch the action at the river mouth. During this time you might catch a Bonita Dorado or a Big Jack Crevalle on a Costa Rica fishing trip.

 

Wrestling with the fishes is half the fun, and the guapote is a lively one, even though they’re only 3 to 12 pounds. Machaca will fight furiously with their water aerobics as they try to avoid capture, and range from 4-9 pounds. Catfish can be easily caught just standing on the dock, so you can continue the fun even once you’ve returned from your Costa Rica Fishing trip. Whether you want to reign in the monsters of the deep, or love the excitement of chasing schools of smaller airborne fish, fishing in Costa Rica is a blast for any fisherman.

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Tortuguero a Treasure to Discover

Tortuguero National Park is located in the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica in the province of Limon, approximately 50 miles away from the capital city of the province.

The park was created back in 1975 and counts with an extension of 18946 hectares in mainland as well as 52265 hectares of marine area.
The most important section of the park is located in the mid west Caribbean coast as it serves as nest for a large number of sea turtles which laid their eggs in this area.

The most important section of the park is located in the mid west Caribbean coast as it serves as nest for a large number of sea turtles which laid their eggs in this area.

Tortuguero is one of Costa Rica’s most popular National Parks. It is a wilderness area with great biological variety. The wildlife is rich and diverse, with eleven different defined habitats. These include high rainforest, littoral woodland, slope forest, swamp forest, holillo forest, herbaceous swamp and herbaceous lagoon. Mammals, birds and fish are numerous.

Park Facilities and Hours
There are three park stations within Tortuguero National Park, open for visitor attention from 8am to 4pm.

The habitats for which Tortuguero National Park is most famous are the coastal and marine areas. Strong Caribbean currents have provided a long, straight 22 mile expanse of beach which is a favored nesting ground for sea turtles. Hawksbill, loggerheads, and Pacific Green turtles nest from July through October. The Leatherback, the largest sea turtle species in the world, nests from February to July.

 

Cuatro Esquinas Headquarters has camping available. It is at the north end of the park, in the town of Tortuguero. You must pass through here to get access to the beach area. Three trails are in this area: The El Gavilan Trail leads southward through the forest about a mile and ends on the beach. A short walk north along the beach brings you back to the station. La Ceiba and La Bomba trail take you up Tortuguero hill, to a tower which provides a scenic vista of the region.

The Sector Jalova Station is on the south end of the park, near Jalova Lagoon, north of the town of Parismina. The El Tucan Nature Trail begins at the station and parallels the Cano Negro waterway. Two other trails provide short nature hikes, Tragon and La Ranita Roja.

The Aguas Frias Station is on the western border of the park. You can reach it by turning north off the highway at Guapiles, and driving through the town of Cariari, Pococi. The Los Raudales Nature Trail leads to the scenic lookout point (1,000′) at Lomas del Sierpe.

Water is an abundant natural resource with up to 240 inches of rainfall per year. An infinite number of interconnected channels, waterways, lagoons and lakes are fed by rivers that carry their inland sediment load to the coast.

Occasionally, the sediment filled plain is interrupted by forested rolling hills, composed of ancient volcanic cinder cones, such as Tortuguero Hill and the Lomas de Sierpe, which looms over 1,000 feet.

To the north of Tortuguero National Park is the Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge, whose habitats and climate are similar to Tortuguero.

The south end of Tortuguero National Park is bordered by the mouth of the Parismina River, and the Cariari National Wetlands.

 Nestled between these two large parks, at the mouth of the Tortuguero River, you will find the town of Tortuguero, as well as the Dr. Archie Carr Wildlife Refuge, which operates a biological station and turtle tagging program run by the Caribbean Conservation Corporation.

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Sarchi, a Town of Artisans

Despite being right at hand, the small gift shops of the majority of hotels have a limited and many times, expensive selection of handcraft to offer. So, if the travel itinerary allows the time, it is well advised to recommend your clients visiting the famous town of Sarchí.
Nestled in the hills bordering the Central Valley and surrounded by coffee and sugar cane plantations, Sarchí, is both an encounter with handcrafts as well as with the traditional agriculture of Costa Rica.

Many years ago, with the expansion of coffee production towards the highlands surrounding the Central Valley and the consequent accumulation of mud along the roads during the months of harvest; farmers of the region were forced to replace the traditional spoke wheels of Spanish colonial origin, with more massive wheels built with six to ten triangular hardwood wedges, to brave the roads. At the turn of the 18th century in the town of Sarchí, a tradition of painting the wheels and ox-carts began.

Initially with rustic arabesque designs and later with colorful floral and geometric shapes, the typical Costa Rican Ox-Cart came to dot the countryside and to become a tradition that has been declared by UNESCO as Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Since then, the custom of adorning ox-carts with colorful designs has been handed down from generation to generation. Unique designs and products produced by many families seem to display an infinite range of styles, colors, sizes and uses. Today, local family owned shops of Sarchí will even package the ox-cart and send it any where in the world.

 

Local artisans branched out into the production of furniture achieving such high standards of production that upon learning that a specific chair was made in Sarchí, any Costa Rica will recognize it to be a piece of extremely good quality and production. And this is why many visitors seek them out.

As Sarchí grew into a town of artisans, it soon began to add to its vast catalog of souvenirs.  Woodworking began to include woodturning with articles that range from glasses, cups, centerpieces and hostess tables to fine game boards and pieces for chess and checkers, jewelry boxes of all sizes and shapes as well as fantastic wall mounts that highlight the flora and fauna of Costa Rica.

Sarchí has also become a showcase to exhibit handcrafts from many other regions of Costa Rica. From San Vicente and Guatíl, Chorotegan potters send their most exquisite indigenous ceramics while the leather artisans of Puriscal send fine leatherworks for equestrian use, of special note are their beautiful saddles. From Boruca in the South Pacific region of the country, Indians send precious balsa wood masks, carved and painted for the yearly Los Diablitos Festival while ‘palos de lluvia’, evocative of the torrential storms of the Caribbean, adorn the display with the unique colors of that coastal region.
You can offer the visit to Sarchí as half a day tour or you can combine it with a visit to the Poas Volcano National Park, making a full day trip to your clients.

We can also add Sarchí on your program as a stop when having a private transfer from San Jose to Arenal for instance.

Contact us and we will help you planning how to add this wonderful attraction, to your clients itinerary.

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