Costa RIca Travel Planner - (Page 7)

Best of Both Worlds COSTA RICA TOURISM BOARD (2) "GREEN SEASON" BRIEFING In July, a little-known weather pa t t er n oc c u r s of f er i ng ex t r a or d i na r y oppor t u ni t i es f or wildlife lovers. Early rains through May and June cause an eruption of flowering trees and fruits, w h i c h a t t r a c t l a r g e nu m b er s of animals. By July, the rains taper of f i n a m ont h - l ong ph enom enon c a l l ed v er a ni t o ( l i t t l e su m m er ) , l ea v i ng c ool er t em per a t u r es t h a t c a u se w i l d l i f e t o b e m or e a c t i v e a nd v i si b l e. A t t h i s t i m e, y ou t end t o see m or e v ol u m e of w i l d l i f e a s w el l a s m or e r a r e a nd end a ng er ed spec i es t h a n a ny ot h er t i m e of y ea r . Most tours and travel packages offer a combination of the best of natural Costa Rica followed by final d a y s a nd ni g h t s f u l l of r el a x a t i on, or h i g h - oc t a ne a c t i on on a b ea c h or b y t h e sea . C onsi d er j u st a f ew of t h e opt i ons a v a i l a b l e t h r ou g h U .S . t ou r oper a t or s: Tara Tours Tara Tours ( t a r a t ou r s.c om ) h a s a new 8 - d a y S p eci a l M ou nt a i ns & B ea ch es v a c a t i on t h a t f ea t u r es t h r ee ni g h t s i n a d el u x e su i t e a t t h e Lost Iguana i n A r ena l N a t i ona l P a r k, a nd f ou r ni g h t s a t t h e d el u x e JW Marriott Guanacaste on the Pacific coast. Private services include all land transfers San Jose to Arenal Arenal to the Guanacaste area final transfer on departure to Liberia International Airport an Englishspea ki ng t ou r g u i d e a nd a ssi st a nc e of l oc a l r epr esent a t i v es. Backroads Backroads ( b a c kr oa d s.c om ) h a s a new t ou r , C ost a R i ca M u lt i sp or t , t h a t ' s a n a c t i on- pa c ked t r i p t r a v el i ng from volcano-land to lush rainforests to palm-studded beaches. Clients will bike along Lake Arenal; soak in hot springs; walk hanging bridges; raft the R i o S a v eg r e; take a naturalist-led walk in Manuel Antonio National Park; bike along Playa Esterillos Este; horseback ride; kayak; and relax at a spa. Accommodat i ons a r e i n pr em i er i nns, a nd d epa r t u r es a r e sc h ed u l ed f or M a r c h 9 , A pr i l 6 a nd D ec . 1 8 . Wild Planet Adventures Wild Planet Adventures ( w i l d pl a net a d v ent u r es) of f er s a 9 - d a y U lt i m a t e W i ld li f e E coT ou r st a r t i ng a t t h e b ea c h es of C a h u i t a on t h e C a r i b b ea n si d e w i t h a noc t u r na l h i ke a nd a v i si t t o t h e S l ot h R esc u e C enter; river rafting on the Rio Sarapiqui; hitting the hot springs and participating in the Proyecto Asis Wildlife Interaction at Arenal; and hiking, canopy touring and visiting an ecological farm in Monteverde Biological Cloud Forest Reserve. Departures are at least one each month through July, skipping to three departures i n D ec em b er . TURTLE VIEWING S ea t u r t l es l ov e C ost a R i c a . Indeed, five different species of these huge marine reptiles Olive Ridley, Pacific green, Atlantic g r een h a w ksb i l l , l og g er h ea d a nd g i a nt l ea t h er b a c k ( t h e l a r g est i n t h e world) come ashore. The main places along the Pacific Ocean t o see nest i ng sea t u r t l es i nc l u d e Santa Rosa National Park north of Liberia and Las Baulas National Park near Tamarindo. The Ostional National Wildlife Refuge nea r Playa Nosara i s a not h er h ot spot a nd t h e pl a c e t o b e f or t h e m a ssi v e eg g l a y i ng s of the Olive Ridley. On the Caribbean si d e, one of t h e m ost t u r t l e- c onsc i ou s t er r i t or i es i s Tortuguero National Park, w h i c h pr ot ec t s nest i ng g r ou nd s f or t h e end a ng er ed leatherback turtles, arriving June through October with the greatest frequency during April and May a nd t h e A t l a nt i c g r een sea t u r t l es that come ashore from June to October, with the biggest numbers i n S ept em b er . TOP 10 Tortuguero National Park. NATIONAL PARKS ( m ost p op u la r w i t h i nt er na t i ona l v i si t or s) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. M anuel A ntoni o: B est f or sh or t h i kes, w i l d l i f e v i ew i ng a nd b ea c h es P oas V olc ano: B est f or sc ener y a nd v ol c a no v i ew i ng I r az u V olc ano: B est f or sc ener y a nd v ol c a no v i ew i ng A r enal: B est f or sh or t - t o m ed i u m - l eng t h h i kes a nd v ol c a no v i ew i ng I sla d el C ano: B est f or i sl a nd w a l ks a nd sc u b a d i v i ng 6. T or tug uer o: B est f or w i l d l i f e v i ew i ng ( t u r t l es i n pa r t i c u l a r ) , c a noei ng a nd ka y a ki ng 7. S anta R osa: B est f or sh or t t o l ong h i kes, w i l d l i f e v i ew i ng a nd b ea c h es 8. C ar ar a: B est f or sh or t - t o m ed i u m - l eng t h h i kes a nd w i l d l i f e ( b i r d i ng ) v i ew i ng 9. C ah ui ta: B est f or b ea c h w a l ks 10. C h i r r i po: B est f or l ong h i kes t o C ost a R i c a ' s h i g h est poi nt 7 6-7BeachBestOf.indd 7 1/21/14 1:30 PM

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