Costa Rica was our destination and we knew Melissa, James Travel POINTS Costa Rica specialist, would plan the perfect family vacation. With our ‘must do’ wish list in hand, she created a diverse and busy itinerary that included a rain forest canopy tour, wildlife viewing (including sloths and toucans), and a Pacific coast surfing adventure.
The small Central American country of Costa Rica is approximately the size of West Virginia. It is a land of breathtaking beauty, natural wonder, and environmental consciousness. Much of Costa Rica is in its natural state with 27% of the country protected by land conservation or the national park system. Costa Ricans’ enjoy over 800 miles of coastline on Caribbean and Pacific coasts. These coasts compliment the lush jungles, cool mountains, and abundant wildlife in the interior regions. With no army, a 98% literacy rate, abundant natural resources, and one of the highest standards of living in Central America, Costa Rica has become a top destination for adventure travelers.
Upon our arrival, we swiftly left the airport and headed into the hills outside of San Jose, the capital and largest city. While only 20 minutes from the airport it felt like million miles away, our patio overlooked the city lights below. Waking up to this peaceful resort on it’s own private coffee plantation surrounded by lush gardens gave us instant gratification and great start to a memorable vacation. We enjoyed a short hike that led to a series of waterfalls and pools. We were pleased to begin our Costa Rican adventure in such splendid fashion.
Our package included private transportation throughout; we left for Tamarindo, a sleepy surfing town on the Northern Pacific coast. Our friendly and knowledgeable driver was also an exceptional tour guide. He pointed out many sites along the way and even took us to a local community restaurant where the local women cook in clay pots over an open fire—simply delicious. Tamarindo’s long beaches offer a wide variety of surf that caters to beginners and expert surfers as well. Our first time surfing wasn’t very successful but we sure had a great time trying. We left with fond memories of casual dinning at some wonderful little cafés, great waves, evening fireflies and relaxing walks along the beach.
Our next destination brought us to higher elevation in the Northwestern region and to Arenal. Thought to be just another dormant volcano, Arenal cam alive on July 29, 1968 forever altering the landscape with dramatic explosions and lava flows. Now a national park, we took a guided hike around the still belching Arenal through areas where previous lava flows cut through the terrain. What a spectacular sight! We stayed up most of the night rocking in our chairs on the porch of our cozy cottage watching small glowing lava flows and listening as Arenal hissed and chugged to relieve pressure. Our visit to this region also took us to the beautiful Tabacon Hot Springs. Filled with hot water streams, waterfalls, and pools, this is a very special playground.
Our most scenic drive took us from Arenal through farmland and coffee plantations into the Cloud Forest region of Monteverde. Here we were able to hike into the cloud forest with our naturalist guide learning about the plant and animal life within this delicate ecosystem despite a nasty rainstorm. He pointed out tiny orchids the size of a fingernail growing on the side of a tree; we can’t imagine what we would have missed without his diverse knowledge and enthusiasm. With his spotting scope we were able to view two troops of howler monkeys, a rare sighting. The males were competing for dominance with their unique and ferocious sounding shrieks. By the afternoon the rain had cleared and we were off to our canopy tour. Sailing over the cloud forest is thrilling and incredibly beautiful not nearly scary as I thought it would be. We went from one tree stand to another zipping along a cable on a special pulley/harness device. A seriously good time enjoyed by all. Once we finished we walked along trails featuring several suspension bridges this is a great way to enjoy the canopy for those who wish to pass on the zip line.
Our final destination was Manuel Antonio. On our way there we spotted 7 Toucans and 2 sloths in one tree, the final check-off on our must do list! La Mariposa Hotel located on the very top of the hill, was a fitting last stop. What an awe-inspiring 360º view of the beach and national park from our balcony, just sit back and unwind. Our hike within the park was fantastic and once again our naturalist came through. He pointed out numerous things we would have missed without his keen eye. Raccoon, several sloths, white faced and squirrel monkeys, birds, lizards, bats, and spiders became victims of our spotting scope and camera.
We left Costa Rica with vivid memories and the understanding of what makes this an extraordinary destination. Call the Costa Rica experts, Melissa, Rachel or Katie, to plan a vacation that will best meet your needs and let you mark a few of those “must dos” off your list 303-938-9165, www.travelpoints.com
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Toni Barnett, ManagerJames TravelPOINTS