Prefer to keep your feet firmly on the ground? Why not visit one of the many rainforests or national parks of Costa Rica? Perhaps one of the most attractive things about Costa Rica is its incredibly beautiful rainforests and the exotic wildlife that live there. In each area you will find a different variety of creatures and flora as diverse as the land around them.

Monteverde Cloud Forest, just under four hours by car rental Costa Rica from the capital city of San Jose, simply must be seen in person to be appreciated. Hidden in this misty wonderland are gorgeous birds like the scarlet macaw, the toucan, and the quetzal, a rather solitary bird who lays only two blue colored eggs once each year.

Central America is home to some of the most experienced horseback riders in the world. Take advantage of their expertise and visit a riding farm where you can take an exciting trip across the country or stick to a beginner’s route while you learn.

Or, maybe you’d like to try your hand at mountain biking, which is allowed in many of the national parks of Costa Rica, or hiking and backpacking through the forests and mountainous regions of the country.

After you’ve had your fill of excitement of inland adventures, relax in a hot spring heated by one of Costa Rica’s volcanoes. Some of the most popular in the country are those near the Arenal Volcano and the thermal bath of Borinquen at Rincon de la Vieja.

The beaches of Costa Rica offer year round swimming in the warm waters, especially on the Pacific Ocean side where there are many family friendly beaches as well as those for surfing. The swimming beaches located on the southern Pacific coast and the Osa Peninsula include those near Puerto Jiménez, Bahia Drake, and San Josecito, which you will only be able to reach by boat.

On the central Pacific coast lies Jaco beach and Manuel Antonio National Park’s beach, both of which are ideal for swimming but can be rather crowded at times. On the other side of the country on the Caribbean coast are few beaches suitable for swimming, but still offer plenty of things to see, like Playa Negra, a black volcanic beach, or Playa Cocles featuring bright white sand.

If you’re interested in snorkeling, Playa Manzanillo located south of Play Uvita, one of the Caribbean’s most romantic beaches, offers the prime spot as do Costa Rica’s two coral reefs also located off the Caribbean coast at Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge and Cahuita National Park. Experienced snorkelers come from all around to dive beneath the waters at Isla del Caño where the sea life is so abundant the number of species of fish you will see are mind boggling.

Whatever you decide to do in Costa Rica you can be sure you will want to come back for more time and time to see what other treasures are hidden in this beautiful country.

The first phase project will start operating in April, with a payroll of 22 people, mostly from Quepos, Aguirre. The initial investment is $ 40 million.

The entrepreneur said that in three years when the project is finished, it will take at least 300 people to the attention of the 300 boats that will dock there.

For now, the marina will have capacity for 100 ships, which will pay according to their size, between $ 28 and $ 65 per foot (30 centimeters) per month. Staff specialist in engineering and air conditioning attend craft.

Lovelady is optimistic about the possibility that the National Training Institute (INA) de Costa Rica graduates the necessary manpower. He also assured that qualified personnel EE. UU. support training of new staff.

In the first stage, the Navy will provide electricity services, water, fuel load (capacity 12,000 liters of gasoline and 36,000 liters of diesel), convenience store and an office for immigration formalities.

Lovelady said his has represented environmental impact studies required for plant operation and wastewater treatment.

Sailfish is the fourth largest navy in the country with endorsement of the Interinstitutional Commission on Marine and Docks. The others are Los Suenos Marina in Herradura, Marina Papagayo, in Culebra Bay and Banana Bay Marina in Golfito.

Negative points are waste management, sewage, mega-hotels, and large monocultures.

In the minds of American eco-tourists, Costa Rica is the only brand positioned as green, thanks to its national parks and the carbon offset program in air travel (voluntary payment of fees for pollution).

This emerges from the first study of the “Traveler” Green Green CMI; U.S. consultancy specialized in environmental issues and sustainability.

Costa Rica’s green image returns to the first international and certainly benefits to an item that needs to recover after a very tough year.

Tour operators are an important part in selling the image of the country, inviting the visitor to experience the rich natural urge him to care for and protect. In addition, work on the impact it can cause and take actions to conserve and manage natural hazard.

Despite positioning, Costa Rica has serious flaws in environmental matters in areas such as garbage or sewage, among others.

However, not surprisingly, the national tourism sector has reacted with glee at this news, which places Costa Rica as a destination leader in sustainable tourism.

“For one who works as a hotelier in ecological tourism, is a compliment,” said Geinier Alvarado, manager of The Cusinga Eco Lodge, Uvita (South Pacific), who asserted that we must avoid the big developments in the sector, otherwise sustainable tourism is done, there may be a “negative impact” to the conflict with the image projected beyond our borders.

The news confirms the image of Costa Rica in the world according to Pablo Vargas, general manager of Café Britt, a company that has striven to give a profile of sustainability abroad, not just the brand itself, but the country in general.

But the mismanagement of solid waste, untreated sewage, and entangled with environmental legislation are negative weight factors, which have to work.

The tourist “gets a good impression, a false view” of the country’s environmental problems, criticized Germain Marin, president of the environmentalist Coecoceiba Friends of the Earth.

The reality in this matter is much more complex, with issues such as environmental and social impacts of large monocultures, massive construction hotel in Guanacaste, irrational use of water by these, and “social exclusion of indigenous groups”.

“Six years ago we lost the north of sustainability, but fortunately recovered two or three years ago,” said Will Aiello, CEO of Horizon Tours, a travel agency that has the five leaves of the Certificate of Sustainable Tourism, the highest rating granted in this country for good environmental and social practices.
However, the country’s position within the ecotourism and sustainability allowed entering with great force in a growing market niche.

Aiello believes that the survey will make much of those who require these services turn their eyes to our country, on which “puts a big neon sign.

Most tourists travel to the country’s Pacific coast and never tour the unspoiled Caribbean beaches where the country got its name more than 500 years ago from an explorer we know as Christopher Columbus. Only a relative handful of travelers know about Columbus and even fewer walk the very same beach where he came ashore in 1503.

Columbus may have gotten here earlier but was not the last explorer. There are still new places for modern day explorers to discover for themselves. Costa Rica has nearly 400 miles of Caribbean shoreline. Its eastern coast is still largely undeveloped compared to the Pacific side of the country and has a unique Caribbean ambiance.

For an increasing number of ecotourists, a Costa Rica vacation includes a trip to Tortuguero National Park. This is a remote reserve along the northern Caribbean Coast, initially formed to protect the ancient green sea turtle nesting grounds. Today it has become the largest green marine turtle nesting beach on the planet. Tortuguero provides critical nesting areas over a 20 mile stretch of beaches for four of the seven sea turtle species and thousands of people go there annually to witness a real spectacle of nature.

Limon is typically the starting point to head north by boat or small aircraft to Tortuguero or along the Costa Rica Caribbean highway to great beaches south, including the beach where Columbus first landed. Limon is a recommended vacation destination by car rental Costa Rica and is best thought of as the place to go north or south. Heading south will take you to Puerto Viejo. This little town is legendary for surfers and a favorite trip to Costa Rica. From November through April, it is often filled with surfers. The best-of-the-best head for the world-famous three-mile long La Salsa Brava wave. A short distance away beginners and intermediates can have lots of fun surfing at Playa Cocles.

About 25 miles south of Limon and a short distance north of Puerto Viejo is Cahuita, a very small, laid-back community with kilometer after kilometer of pristine beaches, some almost black and others pure white. September and October are the driest months of the year and visitors who come around October 12 take in Carnaval at Limon, a week-long fiesta celebrating Columbus Day. Cahuita is popular for its wonderful reef snorkeling around its two shipwrecks. Not a lot of nightlife here so head a few miles south to Puerto Viejo.

Finally, there is the Gandoco-Manzanillo Wildlife Reserve nearly at the Panama border. When Christopher Columbus discovered Costa Rica, this is where his boat landed. In this tropical paradise you will find crystal clear waters perfect for swimming and scuba diving. Or, if you like, snorkeling at Costa Rica’s largest coral reefs. Not to mention, kayaking, hiking, and terrific wildlife viewing. The rare Tuxuci freshwater porpoise was discovered here just a few years ago and the rivers and lagoons are often teeming with fighting tarpon and snook.

So, leave the crowds behind, discover adventure on a great Caribbean Costa Rica vacation.

If you have ever considered river rafting or just do it as a sport, the Pacuare River situated near Turrialba offers grade III and IV River passes through various forest landscapes and a beautiful gorge that will take your breath away.

Costa Rica also offers many surfing spots, but one of the most favored has to be surfing in the Guanacaste Province. This northwestern province offer many fantastic beaches and an abundance of reef breaks from up close the Nicaraguan border to Playa Nosara that is more than 60 miles away. However, if you are the action adventure type, then why not just rent a 4×4 car rental Costa Rica, pack your boards on the roof rack and explore the coastline? Be sure to stop by Playa Grande and Playas Avellanas and Negra. On the other hand, if you are a novice surfer, most of the well known beaches offer surf schools that can quickly teach you the ropes.

Costa Rica also has an abundance of Billfish off the pacific coast which offers fantastic deep water fishing experiences for young and old. Most coastal beaches and port towns will operate boats that can take you fishing. For the best fishing scene, head out to Quepos just outside of Mauel Antonio or you can also head down to Drake Bay or Golfo Dulce if you prefer a bit more privacy.

But the fun does not stop here. On the contrary. You do not have to be into surfing or fishing, to have a blast in Costa Rica. For land-lovers, there is even more to do. Simply head a bit inland and take a canopy tour through the treetops of one of Costa Rica’s popular rain forests. A canopy tour will allow you to be strapped into a harness onto a zip line from where you will dangle on a cable amongst the trees. You will be able to find a spot where canopy tours are offered all over Costa Rica as it has become a very well favored pass time amongst visitors.

But if you really just want to take things a little bit easier, you can always just rent a mountain bike and head on out on the back roads of Costa Rica. Costa Rica’s landscape has made it very popular amongst mountain bikers as there are endless back roads and paths to explore. You can even find a mountain biking tour and the areas around Lake Arenal and Arenal volcano is very popular for just that.

He added that protection of this National Park has not only allowed keeping the marine fauna of the island, but also improving it.

Scientists and experts from National Geographic Costa Rica began in September 2009 an expedition to Cocos Island National Park and neighboring sites. After four months of study, the team presented on Tuesday the details of the investigation.

Enric Sala, in charge of the expedition, explained that one reason for which was chosen Cocos Island is the fact is that a Marine Protected Area has a value not only nationally but also globally. “The characteristics of the island make it one of the few benchmarks that we have scientists to study human impact on the planet.”

Wealth seafloor

Another fact that research showed is that the biomass (total material beings living in a particular place) d and fish on the island is of the highest in the world and the largest in the Americas.

The total fish biomass was on average 7 tons per hectare.

In particular, the biomass of fish species included mostly residents and excludes the large concentrations of predators such as hammerhead sharks, which migrate to the Cocos Island each season.

The biomass of predators (sharks, jacks, groupers, etc.), represent 40% total biomass. According to research from National Geographic, the most abundant predators in descending order of biomass found were the white tip shark, mackerel, silver tip sharks and hammerhead sharks.

Problems with “The Twins”

During this study, also conducted research in the Seamount “Las Gemelas”, located 35 nautical miles south of Cocos Island.

The findings here, unlike those of the island, were not as encouraging: There were large amounts of fishing line on the seabed and a very small population of predators (sharks), indicating a over-exploitation of resources by the fishermen in the absence of protection.

“If the government expanded the area of protection beyond current National Park boundary, that would protect seamounts, as” The Twins “, and give him a safe journey to migratory species such as sharks,” said Sala.

Details of the investigation

* The scientists conducted 384 dives during the expedition and recorded over 400 hours underwater.
* During the study, they investigated a total of 29 underwater sites of the island and studied a total of 115 species of fish belonging to 39 families.

* In Costa Rica, although it has approximately 25% of protected land area, less than 1% of the seas are protected, allowing over-fishing and habitat destruction ends with the base of fishing and ecotourism.

According to statistics from the Federación Costarricense de Pesca Tourism (Fecopt) last year fishing attracted 85,636 tourists the country. These figures show a recovery of 12% compared to 2008.

Mario Gutierrez, Bacardi brand manager for event sponsors and partners reported that was scheduled to everything is done in full respect to marine resources, the environment and the care of participants.

The Presidential Challenge is considered one of the most important tournaments worldwide in its category. The event meets annually to athletes and foreign experts in sport fishing in Costa Rica.

The Flowering Trees of Costa Rica

Depending on the time of year you visit, Costa Rica is decorated vibrantly in different radiant shades of color thanks to the numerous species of trees growing throughout the country. One species of the tall poró extranjero trees (erythrina poeppigiana) feature brilliant, orange colored flowers that made their debut beginning in January and can often still be seen blooming until mid March. These trees were once used for their shade as natives planted coffee plants beneath their boughs.

Tabebuia rosea trees take over after the porós are finished and produce blooms ranging from lavender to pastel pink to nearly white. A close relative, tabebuia chrysantha, puts on a spectacular show of yellow flowers that appear briefly during the country’s dry season.

Many types of trees in Costa Rica are leafless when in full bloom, making it easier for us to admire the flowers and simpler for the bees and butterflies to visit and for the hummingbirds to gather their nectar.

Visit one of the spectacular rainforests or one of the other numerous protected areas where Mother Nature is still allowed to impress us with all of her untouched beauty.

The Monkeys of Costa Rica

Four species of fascinating monkeys, all of which evolved from species in Asia and Africa, live in Costa Rica. The smallest of the primate group is the capuchin or cebus monkey, which dines on bugs, eggs, and lizards and can be found in the wet lowland areas and also in the dry forests.

You have a good chance of spotting a capuchin monkey in one of the many national parks like Manuel Antonio or Santa Rosa, easy to reach if you choose car rental Costa Rica.

Spider monkeys with their copper colored fur can sometimes be seen swinging high above in the trees using its long tail for grabbing onto branches. But unfortunately, due to more and more people in the area along with deforestation and real estate development, the spider monkeys are decreasing in numbers.

You might also catch a glimpse of a squirrel monkey or titi, which are rather sociable creatures living in the southern lowlands near the Pacific.

Lest we forget the howler monkey, the largest, not to mention loudest, primate in Costa Rica the locals call “Mono Congo.” You will probably hear a howler monkey before you see one nestled high up in a tree munching on leaves or a banana.

As if all of this weren’t enough, Costa Rica is also home to crocodiles, turtles, snakes, lizards, toads, and other reptiles and amphibians like the poison dart frog as well as armadillos, bats, coati, deer, jaguar, ocelots, raccoons, and tapirs, just to name a very few from the extensive list.

The respondents, mostly U.S. based their responses on the experience “green” that lived to visit the country and to check on their own environmental practices as described in the publicity that goes around the entire globe.

The report ” CMI 2010 Green Traveler “Costa Rica defined as the single destination market awareness; addition, the country has been highlighted by the maintenance of national heritage in the last 50 years with an investment by the Government of $ 1.92 million to the tourism industry.

“The statement they make to our country is very important because it shows that we are acting in accordance with environmental policies,” said Allan Flores, Minister of Tourism, in an official statement.

Policies that include more respondents is that Costa Rica offers travelers the option of a carbon offset program in their travels.

Water Activities

Costa Rica straddles Central America and has coastlines on both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans with both black and white sand beaches that sunbathers enjoy. More active water activities you can pursue on your vacation to Costa Rica include snorkeling, deep sea diving, surfing, parasailing, kayaking, windsurfing and more.

About 300 miles off the shore of Puntarenas is Coco Island where snorkelers and deep sea divers can see colorful coral reefs, whale shark and white finned shark, as well as an abundance of other marine life. The Pacific coast locales of Esterillos, Hermosa and Marino Ballena National Park are especially popular with surfers, while swimmers prefer La Punta. The Puntarenas Estuary is excellent for water skiing, bird watching and even touring the mangrove swamps by boat.

Air Activities

No trip to Costa Rica would be complete without a canopy tour. Take an aerial tram 100 feet above the forest floor and see tree frogs, vine snakes, hundreds of bird species and even three-toed sloth. If you would rather experience the canopy face-to-face, travel tree-to-tree via zip lines. Monteverde is known for its especially beautiful canopy tours. One tourist company even has a tree-top hotel room in the canopy for those wanting to experience the jungle at night.

The super adventurous can try the 200 foot free-fall bungee jump at the old Colorado River Bridge. This jump is said to have exceptional scenic views. Hot air balloon tours are available at San Carlos, which is about 20 miles east of Arenal by car rental Costa Rica.

Land Activities

Corcovado National Park is home to tapir, big cats and all four of Costa Rica’s monkey species: the White-headed Capuchin, Mantled Howler, Geoffroy’s Spider Monkey and the Central American Squirrel Monkey. This area is known for the abundance of wildlife. You are sure to see many of these animals as you hike the miles and miles of mountain trails. In the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve you will see more than 800 different species of bird, over 100 species of mammals and 2000 plant species, including orchids, as you climb the mountains and hike the trails. In addition, you can go spelunking in the caves at Venado or horseback riding or bird watching at many other protected areas in Costa Rica.

Boredom is not an option when taking a trip to Costa Rica. With so much to see and do, you will find yourself wishing you could stay longer and start making plans to return to this tropical paradise even before you board the plane to go home.