Direct decendants of Costa Rica

Limon is also a good base to to some interesting trips to some of Costa Rica's natural parks. Visit the Cahuita National Park & Puerto Viejo, the Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge. If you are into sports go biking or snorkeling in Punta Uva Hitoy-Cerere Biological Reserve.

All in all, many travelers bypass Limón completely the beaches to the south, but the city deserves a look.

Among the things to do around San José are the one day tours such as the Rain Forest Aerial Tram, volcanoes, river rafting and the town of Sarchí, where visitors will find handicrafts and souvenirs.  

Arenal Volcano is located near La Fortuna, Costa Rica. This is the volcano with most activity in Costa Rica.  In the area around are many attractions and tours available for tourists like birdwatching, hiking, rafting, canopy tours, hanging bridges, waterfalls, rain forest, caves and more. A few hours from Monteverde Cloud Forest and beaches you can enjoy.

In Playa Flamingo you can rent diving gear or book a tour such as river rafting on the Coricibi River, boating on the Tempisque, visiting the Tamarindo Mangroves.

If the visitor wants a change of pace, Rincon de la Vieja is the place to visit. The most visited National Park in the whole Guanacaste, famous for its volcanic activity.

Quesada is indeed famous for its cheese, although the name does not come from the word queso, but derives from the poet Napoleon Quesada. There are several hot springs in the Area and you can make some interesting hikes and even do canoe tours on the lakes.

The beaches are really nice and you can rent equipment to surf or dive in the village.

The park is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. everyday except Mondays. Admission is about $8 U.S. dollars

The area is easily accessible thanks to taxi / boat / taxi shortcuts from the Arenal Volcano and several daily shuttles, private transfer, public buses and lodging possibilities from backpacker's dream to plush Honeymoon Suites overlooking the surrounding forest covered mountains & the Gulf of Nicoya on the Pacific slope.

Trips you can make in the area include a visit to Puerto Plata City, on the Osa peninsula, or to the town of San vito close to the border with Panama a quaint mixture of Indiginous and Italian influences with lots of primary rainforest nearby.

There's great scuba diving on the coast as well.

The white and black sand beaches, sloths, monkeys and ease of access make Cahuita National Park an ideal day trip from anywhere in the region. Entering on the Cahuita side you are asked for a donation, be as generous as you can since it is this money, after all, which helps in the conservation of the park. This is also a nesting site for the huge leatherback turtle.

One of the greatest things in Arenal is the Tabacon hot springs. Nestled in the rain forest is a little oasis complete with hot baths, massages, and great food. It's a must.

Many people choose to stay at the Tabacon resort when visiting Arenal. While this is convenient to the spa, there are many other places nearby that offer similar quality rooms for much less. 

                           Tabacon Thermal Hot Springs Resort If your into spas and hot springs, it doesn't come any better than this. In fact, nothing I have ever encountered even comes close.  It's so mind blowing the first time you encounter the hot springs you struggle to believe it's real.  Simply breathtaking, doesn't even come close to describing it.  It's a well manicured parklike setting surrounded by the bifurcation of a volcanic river with small tributaries running through center sections creating hot tub like seating areas.  Waterfalls, cascading pools, large ponds, and the abundance of thermal whitewater all around you, are simply spellbinding.  The large waterfall at the entry has a pathway and seating area in which you can walk behind the waterfall, or sit and enjoy the warm, humid overspray.  The whole river area at the hot springs has been coated on the bottom to give more of a swimming pool type effect, but still maintaining that natural look. 

60 km north of San Jose - a great place to see the Turrialba Volcano.

The insider's starting point for rafting. We hooked up with the rafting crews in the pizza shops on the square. They included us on the list the next day. 

In Mrach there is the annual Chirripó marathon, where runners try to go to the top as fast as they can.

The towns of San Isidro de Perez Zeledon and San Gerardo de Rivas are good starting points for a visit. The former is bigger and has more facilities the latter closer to the entrance of the park, but it is very small.

San Gerardo is located in the south. It is just a small town but it is the most convenient starting point for a visit to Chirripo National Park, one of the highlights of the country, with its excellent hiking opportunities.

There is lots more to do in San Gerardo. A photographer's paradise you can visit orchid gardens, see spectacular waterfalls, and count the brilliant birds and butterflies. After your hike bathe in the sublime thermal waters at the Aguas Termales or enjoy a cold beer at the Roca Dura Cafe. February sees the annual Chirripo Race and Fiesta when athletes come from around the world to run the grueling 34 km up and down Chirripo. For more information see: www.sangerardocostarica.com

The gardens are just 6 km form San Vito.

With an assisted land acquisition of 86,485 acres in 1975, The Nature Conservancy helped the Costa Rican government create the more than 100,000 acre Corcovado National Park on the western part of the peninsula. In 2000, The Nature Conservancy renewed efforts in the Osa Peninsula after identifying the region as a priority site.

In the Atlantic region of Costa Rica there is a protected zone of stunning beauty that begins near the town of Siquirres and covers approximately 25,000 acres as it descends down the Talamanca Mountain Range. This is the area known as Pacuare, which makes up one of the most important protected areas in the region. Its proximity to the lowlands and its high annual rainfall combine to nurture the complex life systems whose abundance makes for extraordinary scenic beauty.

The Pacuare River, located within this zone, offers some of the finest white water in Latin America. Officially designated a “Wild and Scenic River,” the water flows deep inside remarkable primordial rainforest, coursing through a wilderness of dense vegetation that covers the sides of steep gorges rising above the riverbanks. The rainforest’s thick undergrowth provides shelter to jaguars, ocelots, monkeys, sloths, and numerous other species of mammals and birds.

Tambor is set in the valley of a large and calm horseshoe bay: the Bahia Ballena which means whale bay in English. During dry season these giants of the seas used to come into the bay. Nowadays with the increased coastal activity whales prefer to stay further offshore.

The valley of Tambor is cradled by lush forested hills which belong to the Biological corridor in Costa Rica. The northern side of the bay is close to the Curu Wildlife Reserve which protects various ecological habitats with a wealth of wildlife. It is fronted by the Islas Tortugas, a tropical island paradise which can be visited by boat from Tambor.

The volcanic history of the sand makes for a grey-colored beach which slopes gently into the bay. The shallow waters are exceedingly calm and offer excellent swimming for even the most timid of bathers.

Tambor is a perfect holiday destination for families with kids. The beach is comfortably accessed with a car and shaded by old almendro trees and palms. Low tide produces a broad expanse of fine sand which easily accommodates teams of volleyball and soccer along with children building sand castles and couples on their honeymoon.

From the pier you can get on a sport fishing tour or go for a hike around the western tip of the Tambor bay to discover a series of pristine beaches.

Jaco Beach is the most popular and #1 destination in Costa Rica and for all the right reasons. You'll find more to see and do in the Jaco Beach area than any other part of Costa Rica.

Great Beaches, Nightlife, Restaurants, Shopping, Big Game fishing, Casinos and an amazing party scene. The countries best tours and activities are found in Jaco as well.

All the roads on the way from San Jose to Samara are paved.

The town of Playa Herradura is located 6 kilometers north of the surf town Jacó on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

Recent Development

In recent years, the town has seen incredible development due to the demand of tourism and american property development in Costa Rica. For example, the most prestigious supermarket chain, Automercado, just started construction on the corner of the highway of Herradura on January 18, 2006. This boom was started by the initial cornerstone development in 2000 of the Los Suenos Marriott on the beach in Playa Herradura. The Los Suenos Marriott includes an 18 hole golf course, marina and surrounding condos. Los Suenos Resort and Marina offers luxury vacation rentals.

Initially, the town of Herradura was a sleepy village on the dusty road to Jaco, when investors from the United States recognized its value in the early 1980s and started an agricultural company called Tierra Nueva SA. The goal of Tierra Nueva was to reap dividends from the planting of papayas, mangos, oranges and other fruits in the fertile valley of Herradura. Tierra Nueva owned title to 24 parcels of roughly 5 hectares each in Herradura, which were sold to different US investors mainly from Santa Barbara, California. These parcels owned by Tierra Nueva were located on the north side of the road to the beach in Herradura.

AN AMAZING AREA

WHERE THE JUNGLE AND SURF MEETS

BEAUTIFULL AREA

WONDERFULL FOOD

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Experience blue water, white sand, green mountains, superb cuisine and attentive personal service. Calypso's super catamaran, Manta Raya, will pass thru more than seven islands in the Gulf of Nicoya. Her Port of Call is the enchantingly beautiful, palm studded Tortuga Island where you can walk the impeccable white sand beach, swim in the turquoise waters and investigate the marine life while the crew prepares a sumptuous feast (featured in Gourmet Magazine). Enjoy dining in the shade of white umbrellas with tables covered in white linen.