Recommend February 2014 - (Page 32)

COSTA RICA TOURISM BOARD (2) A Natural Playground The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) defines adventure travel as exciting, participatory travel that takes place in unusual outdoor settings. Welcome to Costa Rica, where twas adventure travelers who first put Costa Rica on the tourism map, and the nation s popularity, with the get-out-and-do set, continues with both first-time visitors and repeat travelers. Here are some of the reasons why we call Costa Rica a natural playground of land-loving action and by-the-sea activities. Land-Loving Action HIKING & TREKKING Beyond the short guided walks in nature reserves, there are many very good hiking opportunities such as up Cerro Chirripo, the country s highest peak, or trekking through the tropical forest of Corcovado National Park both hard work, but rewarding. Less common walks head from the cloud forests of Monteverde overland to Arenal, while farther north, good trails lead through the national parks of Rincon de la Vieja and Tenorio Volcano National Park. The ultimate and arduous trek has to be crossing the continental divide, following ancient indigenous trails from Puerto Viejo de Talamanca west to the Pacific. MOUNTAIN BIKING Pedal power has taken over in parts of Costa Rica, where mountain biking reigns supreme in many parts of the country. Perhaps nowadays biking aficionados would point to Lake Arenal and t h e Arenal Volcano National Park area as their favorite, with lots of good equipment available and challenging rides. On the other hand, tour operator Coast to Coast Adventures (coastto coastadventures.com) offers the sport on monthly departures of a 12-day adventure that indeed goes from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean. TEEING OFF With a total of 12 golf courses, including courses designed by renowned golf architects Ted Robinson Jr. and Robert Trent Jones, Jr., Costa Rica has become not only the best golfing destination in Central America, but has won the coveted 2 0 1 4 G olf D est i na t i on of t h e Y ea r A w a r d for Latin America and the Caribbean, as bestowed by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO). And indeed, Costa Rica offers a solid core of championship courses set in tropical foliage with spectacular mountain or ocean vistas. Close to Puntarenas at Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort (marriott. com), designer Ted Robinson Jr. laid out the beautiful 6,698-yard, par 72 L a I g u a na C ou r se. In Guanacaste, a parade of famous architects designed several excellent oceanfront courses in the 1990s. The Westin Golf Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal (starwoodhotels.com) hosts the 7,030-yard, par 72 course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr.; Hacienda Pinilla Golf & Country Club (haciendapinilla.com), with a 7,274-yard, par 72 course, is a Mike Young design; and Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo (four seasons.com costarica) has a signature Arnold Palmer course (6,788-yard, par 72) with Pacific views and a chance for golfers to catch a glimpse of Costa Rica s wildlife and mesmerizing landscape. CANOPY TOURING Most of the rainforest s life dwells in the canopy high above ground, hence there are a large number of canopy tours offered. The canopy craze began in the Monteverde Reserve with the Original Canopy Tour (canopytour.com), which is still there and has expanded to other locations, including near Limon on the Caribbean coast, Drake Bay on the Pacific, and Mahogany Park near Orotina. Also at Monteverde, Costa Rica Sky Adventures (skyadventures.travel) operates a sky tram that can be taken in conjunction with a sky trek zipline tour, with the longest and highest cables in the country. The company offers a similar sky trek zipline canopy operation in Arenal National Park. Other places to enjoy Costa Rica at treetop heights are on the 80-minute ride aboard the open-air gondolas at Rainforest Adventures Costa Rica Atlantic (rainforestadventures.com), located 50 minutes from San Jose in a 1,200-acre private reserve 10 visitcostarica.com 10-11 ActionLand.indd 10 1/21/14 1:33 PM http://www.marriott.com http://www.starwoodhotels.com http://www.haciendapinilla.com http://www.fourseasons.com/costarica http://www.canopytour.com http://www.skyadventures.travel http://www.coasttocoastadventures.com http://www.rainforestadventures.com http://www.visitcostarica.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend February 2014

Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: Corinthia Hotels
Tour Talk: Convertible Caravans of Europe
Boutique Hotels Beckon
VIP Havens
Crystal Cruises
Costa Rica Travel Planner
Anguilla, Foodie Paradise
Carlisle Bay, Antigua
Culturally Infused Mexico City
New Zealand's Luxury Retreats
Kenya: Where Wildlife and Luxury Coexist
Chic Outlet Shopping

Recommend February 2014