Costa RIca Travel Planner - (Page 13)

Opposite page: La Paz Waterfall Gardens (top) and San Jose's Central Market (bottom). Left: Costa Rica is home to innumerable bird species. Below: Sarchi oxcart. ì E x t end t h e t h r ee- t ow ns t ou r a b ov e t o t h e 1 1 , 2 60- f t .- t a l l Irazu Volcano, t h e h i g h est i n C ost a R i c a . I t ' s st i l l c onsi d er ed a c t i v e, a l t h ou g h i t s l a st m a j or er u pt i on w a s on M a r c h 1 9 , 1 9 63 - t h e d a y P r esi d ent J oh n F . K enned y a r r i v ed i n t h e c ou nt r y . T od a y , a f ew pu f f s of st ea m a nd sm oke a r e t h e m ost a c t i v i t y y ou r c l i ent s a r e l i kel y t o see. A g ood pa v ed r oa d l ea d s r i g h t t o t h e r i m t o l ook d ow n i nt o t h e l a r g est crater filled with pea-green sulfur-laden water, while a short trail l ea d s t o a nd l oops a r ou nd t w o c r a t er s. T h e f eel i ng i s one of b ei ng i n a b a r r en, er od ed m oonsc a pe. C l ou d s g a t h er a r ou nd noon; c om e ea r l y . ì Y ou r c l i ent s c a n t a ke of f f r om S a n J ose t o A l a j u el a pr ov i nc e, h om e t o t h e Poas Volcano, t h r ou g h a l ong , pa nor a m i c r oa d t h a t t w i st s i t s w a y u p t o t h e m ou nt a i nsi d e t o Poas Volcano National Park. The volcano crater, a half-mile wide and partially filled with t u r q u oi se w a t er , i s sa i d t o b e t h e sec ond - l a r g est a c t i v e v ol c a no c r a t er i n t h e w or l d . N ea r b y a r e t h e La Paz Waterfall Gardens, a private nature reserve whose five spectacular waterfalls are on view a l ong a n ea sy w a l ki ng t r a i l . T h i s l a r g e t ou r i st pa r k a l so em b r a c es a n enor m ou s Butterfly Garden with as many as 4,000 butterflies flitting about, and the Hummingbird Garden, h om e t o m or e t h a n t w o d oz en of t h i s t i ny b i r d spec i es. I n ot h er c or ner s of t h e ex t ensi v e gardens, visitors can find a serpentarium housing 30 of the most b ea u t i f u l a nd d ea d l y sna kes i n C ost a R i c a ; a n or c h i d g a r d en; a nd a spec i a l ex h i b i t on f r og s. C l i ent s h a v e ev er y r ea son t o spend a ni g h t a t t h e d el u x e Peace Lodge ( pea c el od g e.c om ) , w h i c h i s pa r t of t h e ex t ensi v e g a r d ens c om pl ex . Gourmet Costa Rica T y pi c a l C ost a R i c a c u i si ne ( know n a s com i d a t i p i ca - c h ec k ou t Restaurante Nuestra Tierra in San Jose) is easy to find throughou t t h e c ou nt r y a nd of t en q u i t e d el i c i ou s. T h e m ost r epr esent a t i v e d i sh i s ca ssa d o, consisting of a choice of meat or fish with a large nu m b er of v eg et a b l es a s si d e i t em s, i nc l u d i ng pl a nt a i ns, r i c e a nd b ea ns, c a b b a g e, a v oc a d os, c or n a nd f r u i t . T r opi c a l f r u i t l ov er s w i l l b e h a ppy a s h u m m i ng b i r d s i n C ost a R i c a , w h er e r oa d si d e st a nd s pr esent c or nu c opi a s of pa pa y a s, pi nea ppl es, m a ng oes, m el ons a nd ot h er ex ot i c d el i g h t s. O nsi t e t h ey a r e b l end ed i nt o d r i nks c a l l ed r ef r escos na t u r a les. T r es lech es, a custard flan, is the national desser t . A nd i n a c ou nt r y w i t h c of f ee pl a nt a t i ons st a r t i ng j u st ou t si d e t h e c a pi t a l , a n espr esso i s j u st t h e b r ew t o end a ny m ea l . Y ou r c l i ent s c a n l ea r n m or e a b ou t t h e c ou nt r y ' s c of f ee pr od u c t i on on t ou r s a nd t a st i ng s t o one of t h e pl a nt a t i ons nea r t h e c a pi t a l : C a f e B r i t t F a r m , D oka E st a t e a nd F i nc a R osa B l a nc a C of f ee P l a nt a t i on. C u li na r y A d v ent u r es pr og r a m ( $ 2 , 09 5 pp) , c l i ent s l ea r n d i r ec t l y f r om t h e ex per t s a b ou t t h e ex t r a or d i na r y h i st or y , c u l t i v a t i on a nd pr od u c t i on of ea c h of i t s m ost c ov et ed f ood pr od u c t s: c of f ee, c h oc ol a t e a nd c h eese. T h ey ' l l st a y a t Finca Rosa Blanca Resort (fincarosablanca.com), w i t h i t s ow n c of f ee pl a nt a t i on, a nd Monte Azul Luxury Boutique Art Resort/Hotel ( m ont ea z u l c r .c om ) , w h i l e pa r t i c i pa t i ng i n c ooki ng w or ksh ops, t ou r i ng m a r ket s, g a r d ens a nd f a r m s. MEETING IN SAN JOSE P r epa r i ng t o ex pa nd i t s i nt er na t i ona l v i si t or h or i z ons, Costa Rica is hard at work building the country s first National Convention Center, l oc a t ed sev en m i l es from the center of San Jose and five miles from Juan S a nt a m a r i a I nt er na t i ona l A i r por t . B oa st i ng 1 9 , 000 sq . f t . of ex h i b i t i on spa c e a nd sm a l l er b r ea kou t r oom s, i t ' s d esi g ned t o b ec om e a sm a r t ev ent spa c e f or sm a l l or l a r g e f u nc t i ons a nd g a t h er i ng s. I nt eg r a l t o t h e c ent er ' s d esi g n pl a nni ng i s env i r onm ental sustainability in such features as energy-efficient h ea t i ng a nd c ool i ng sy st em s, a s w el l a s L E D l i g h t i ng a nd r eu se of r a i nw a t er . O t h er a sset s C ost a R i c a enj oy s i n t a r g et i ng t h e m eet i ng s m a r ket i nc l u d e a sol i d c or e of ex per t D M C s, h ot el s a nd a t t r a c t i ons, a l l poi sed t o provide first-class services to meetings attendees and t o of f er m eet i ng pl a nner s f a nt a st i c ser v i c es f or l a r g e or sm a l l m eet i ng s, a s w el l a s c r ea t i v e oppor t u ni t i es f or t ea m - b u i l d i ng a c t i v i t i es. T h e N a t i ona l C onv ent i on C ent er i s sl a t ed f or c om pl et i on i n 2 01 5. Tour Talk O ne of t h e b est w a y s t o u nd er st a nd a c ou nt r y a nd i t s c u l t u r e i s t h r ou g h i t s f ood , a nd C ost a R i c a i s no ex c ept i on. O n Latin American Escapes' ( l a t i na m er i c a nesc a pes.c om ) new 7 - d a y C ost a R i ca 13 12-13 SanJose.indd 13 1/21/14 1:34 PM http://www.fincarosablanca.com http://www.monteazulcr.com http://www.peacelodge.com http://www.latinamericanescapes.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Costa RIca Travel Planner

Going Green
Rainforest Rambles
Beach Bound
Best of Both Worlds
Family Holidays
Romantico
A Natural Playground
48 Hours in San Jose
Ahhhh, the Spa
Costa Rica in Brief
Getting There & Around

Costa RIca Travel Planner