Costa RIca Travel Planner - (Page 5)

WHERE (SOME OF) THE BIRDS ARE: C O S T A R IC A T O U R IS M B O A R D Tortuguero National Park H er e, t r a v el er s c a n enj oy som e of t h e m ost b ea u t i f u l l a nd sc a pes of C ost a R i c a a s t h ey d r i v e f r om S a n J ose t o t h e C a r i b b ea n c oa st , c u t t i ng a c r oss m ou nt a i ns a nd t h r ou g h t h e sc eni c B r a u l i o C a r r i l l o N a t i ona l P a r k t o Tortuguero National Park, t h e l a r g est nest i ng a r ea f or g r een sea t u r t l es. H a l f t h e f u n of st a y i ng i n T or t u g u er o N a t i ona l P a r k i s t h e c r u i se t h a t b eg i ns ou t si d e L i m on a nd m ot or s sl ow l y t h r ou g h t h e j u ng l ey m a z e of c a na l s- h om e t o m a na t ees a nd c r oc od i l es- t h a t l ea d t o sev er a l spi f f y r i v er si d e l od g es. O t h er pl ea su r es h er e i nc l u d e l i st eni ng f or h ow l er m onkey s, c ou nt i ng m a c a w s a nd t ou c a ns, a nd ka y a ki ng t h e w a t er w a y s on one' s ow n. P r i m et i m e i n T or t u g u er o i s t u r t l e nest i ng sea son- g r een sea t u r t l es b et w een J u ne a nd m i d O c t ob er , g i a nt l ea t h er b a c ks c om e F eb r u a r y t o l a t e- J u ne. Locator-Caribbean Coast: W i t h ou t a d ou b t , t ou r i ng T or t u g u er o- t h e c a na l s a r e end l essl y f a sc i na t i ng - i s b est a r r a ng ed t h r ou g h t h e l oc a l l od g es, a nd t h ey d o a g ood j ob . B e su r e c l i ent s i nc l u d e a v i si t t o t ow n a s t h e V i si t or s C ent er a nd M u seu m i s i nt er est i ng a nd i nf or m a t i v e on sea t u r t l es. N ot e: F r om S a n J ose, t h er e i s one d a i l y flight to the Tortuguero airstrip, often increased in the high season; lodges often operate charter flights to include in their packages. Corcovado National Park T el l c l i ent s t o h ea d sou t h t o Corcovado National Park, l oc a t ed on t h e O sa P eni nsu l a , a nd c a l l ed t h e j ew el of C ost a R i c a ' s na t i ona l pa r ks sy st em . N a t i ona l G eog r a p h i c c a l l s i t " one of t h e m ost b i ol og i c a l l y i nt ense pl a c es on ea r t h ." I t s pr i st i ne, a nd not ea si l y a c c essi b l e, pr ec i nc t s sh el t er t h e l i kes of j a g u a r , pu m a , oc el ot a nd t a pi r , a s w el l a s a l l f ou r m onkey spec i es a nd sc a r l et m a c a w s g a l or e, w i t h sea t u r t l es nest i ng on pa r k b ea c h es. T h er e a r e ex c el l ent c h oi c es i n l od g i ng s ( r u st i c t o h i g h - end ) on t h e peni nsu l a , a d d i ng su c h attractions as sportfishing, scuba diving and whale watching. Locator-Southern Pacific Coast: T h e a i r por t g a t ew a y t o C or c ov a d o i s P u er t o J i m enez . L oc a l l od g es a r r a ng e 1 - d a y ex ped i t i ons i nt o t h e pa r k, l ea v i ng f r om one of f ou r r a ng er st a t i ons, t h en h i ki ng f or t h e day; there are no roads in the park, but there are good hiking trails, i nc l u d i ng t w o a l ong t h e b ea c h . ì R i g h t i n S a n J ose, b i r d er s a r e t r ea t ed t o a g ood l ook a t b l u ec r ow ned m ot m ot s a nd or opend ol a s i n Parque del Este. ì Carara National Park, along the Pacific coast and about two h ou r s f r om S a n J ose, i s h om e t o C ost a R i c a ' s l a r g est popu l a t i on of sc a r l et m a c a w s. ì T h e r ec or d ed b i r d l i st nu m b er s 3 00 a t t h e La Selva Biological Station, a c om b i na t i on r esea r c h f a c i l i t y a nd na t u r e l od g e c l ose t o P u er t o V i ej o. ì Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge, a n ea sy d a y t r i p f r om A r ena l N a t i ona l P a r k, i s a m a j or d est i na t i on f or a q u a t i c b i r d s, i nc l u d i ng t h e j a b i r u st or k. ì T h e b est pl a c e t o spot t h e r espl end ent q u et z a l i s Cerro de la Muerte, a h i g h m ou nt a i n pa ss on t h e r oa d t o S a n I si d r o d e E l General, about two hours from San Jose; sightings almost g u a r a nt eed f or g u est s st a y i ng a t Trogan Lodge ( g r u pom a w a m b a .c om ) . ì H u m m i ng b i r d s a nd t a na g er s a r e t h e nu m er i c a l su per st a r s a t Wilson Botanical Gardens, l oc a t ed a b ou t a n h ou r f r om Golfito. Here, 360 bird species have been recorded and they circulate among the garden s 7,000 species of tropical flora. BIRD'S-EYE VIEWING T h e Costa Rican Bird Route ( c ost a r i c a nb i r d r ou t e. c om ) i s a r a t h er new ef f or t t o pr om ot e ec ot ou r i sm , u si ng b i r d i ng a s a st i m u l u s t o c onser v a t i on a nd l oc a l c om m u ni t y i nv ol v em ent . F oc u s i s on t h e nor t h ea st r eg i on, enc om pa ssi ng 1 3 na t u r e r eser v es, w h i c h c ol l ec t i v el y a r e h om e t o m or e t h a n 500 b i r d spec i es. T h e m a j or f oc u s of t h e pr oj ec t i s on t h e end a ng er ed g r ea t g r een m a c a w , w h ose h a b i t a t s a r e c ent er ed i n t h e S a r a pi q u i - S a n C a r l os r eg i on. S pec i a l i t i ner a r i es h a v e b een d ev el oped w i t h b i r d i ng a s t h e c ent er pi ec e- one t ou r i s a c t u a l l y c a l l ed O n t h e T r a i l of t h e G r ea t G r een M a ca w - a nd i t a l so i nc l u d es a c t i v i t i es su c h a s r a f t i ng on t h e R i o S a r a pi q u i or v i si t s t o l oc a l c om m u ni t i es. Tour Talk Q u i t e a pt l y , Greenspot Travel ( g r eenspot .t r a v el ) of f er s m a ny t ou r opt i ons t o t h e c ou nt r y t h ey c a l l " T h e G r een S pot ." F oc u si ng on C ost a R i c a ' s d i v er se na t u r a l h a b i t a t , f or ex a m pl e, i s t h e L u x u r y A d v ent u r e i n G r een, a n 8 - d a y m i x of a m a z i ng w i l d l i f e v i ew i ng , c l ou d f or est , r a i nf or est a nd sea si d e ex per i enc es, a nd l u x u r y l od g i ng a nd ser v i c es. A r r a ng em ent s st a r t w i t h a ni g h t a t t h e d el i g h t f u l Finca Rosa Blanca (fincarosablanca.com) complemented by coffee plantation touring and tasting; two nights at El Silencio Lodge & Spa (elsilenciolodge.com) with hiking in the cloud forest; three nights at Lapa Rios Ecolodge ( l a pa r i os.c om ) r i g h t nex t t o C or c ov a d o N a tional Park; and two nights on the Pacific coast at Arenas del Mar (areanasdelmar.com) for surfing, kayaking among the mangroves, a nd v i si t i ng M a nu el A nt oni o N a t i ona l P a r k. P r i c ed f r om $ 2 , 8 9 0, t h e t ou r i nc l u d es d el u x e a c c om m od a t i ons, pr i v a t e t r a nspor t , si g h t seei ng a nd m a ny m ea l s. Great green macaws. 5 4-5 WildThings.indd 5 1/21/14 1:29 PM http://www.fincarosablanca.com http://www.elsilenciolodge.com http://www.areanasdelmar.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