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Showing posts with label Guide. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guide. Show all posts
Monday, September 27, 2010
Costa Rica Travel Guide - Best Places For Costa Rica Adventure Travel
With its famous range of stunning natural environments and dramatic landscapes, adrenaline seekers enjoying their Costa Rica vacations will find themselves in the perfect place for white knuckle thrills and adventures.
Costa Rica has something for everyone: from hiking through a mountain-side cloud forest to sport fishing on the Pacific Ocean; from ziplining between the trees in a tropical jungle to rafting on wild white water. The only dilemma is deciding on what to do, and where to do it.
White Water Rafting
Rafting is an immensely popular activity and good quality water can be found in, or near, many of the most visited Costa Rica vacation destinations.
One of the most convenient bases for a rafting trip is the Quepos/Manuel Antonio area, where the beautiful beaches of the Manuel Antonio National Park make an ideal place to relax after a full day on the water.
There are two main rivers suitable for rafting near to Manuel Antonio, the Savegre and the Naranjo. Both rivers offer rapids between class II to class IV, and so may not be suitable for absolute beginners depending on the season and river conditions.
Tours to both rivers include a road transfer to and from the put-in and take-out points, plus a bi-lingual guide, all safety equipment and personnel, and lunch or snacks after the trip. Rafting trips are generally half-day excursions and include at least two hours on the water itself.
Less intense rafting trips are available close to Costa Rica's capital city of San Jose, on the Pacuare, Sarapiqui, Pejibaye and Reventazon rivers. Here the standards generally range from class I to class III and are suitable for beginners.
As at Manuel Antonio, tours usually last for half a day, but full day or even multi-day excursions can also be arranged.
Rafting tours can be arranged through a Costa Rica vacations package provider, or can be booked at the destination itself. When booking a trip, be sure to choose a reliable outfitter with certified safety and medical qualifications. Confirm in advance the amount of time that will actually be spent on the water and only participate in a rafting trip that is supported by an emergency kayak.
Diving & Snorkeling
Costa Rica's coastal waters offer a varying range of visibility, meaning that divers and snorkelers will need to choose their Costa Rica travel destinations carefully in order to avoid disappointment.
Snorkelers often have a better time on the Caribbean coast due to the warmer waters, the better visibility and the higher abundance of coral reefs. Good places for snorkeling include Cahuita National Park whose reef can only be visited with an official guide, as well as on Puerto Viejo tours to the nearby Manzanillo marine reserve.
For scuba diving, Costa Rica is home to a world-leading, if slightly inaccessible destination, Isla del Coco, several hundred kilometers off the mainland and involving a long boat journey. A trip to Isla del Coco is only recommended for experienced divers who take their sport seriously. For a more relaxed introduction, the beaches along the Nicoya Peninsula - especially at the Gulf of Papagayo -are a good place to start.
It is important to book your diving trip with a reputable and certified operator and non-accredited divers need to take an introductory accompanied dive before undertaking anything more ambitious.
Hiking
Costa Rica is a hiker's paradise with trails and routes through a vast variety of landscapes, from the jungle to the mountains to the coast. With such a choice it's possible to enjoy anything from a one-day solo hike to a multi-day organized trek.
All of Costa Rica's 35 national parks offer well maintained tracks and trails while the larger parks and reserves, including Monteverde and Corcovado also offer opportunities for camping for longer treks. Services inside the parks are generally non-existent so make sure you bring all the food, water and camping equipment that you'll need.
Good destinations for shorter day hikes include the smaller Cahuita National Park on the southern Caribbean coast and the beautiful Manuel Antonio National Park which, although small, offers a huge range of landscapes and environments.
At many popular trekking locations it is possible to hire a local guide, or alternatively consider booking a pre-arranged trekking trip with a Costa Rica tours agency.
Sport Fishing
As with diving and snorkeling, fishing fans need to choose their destination carefully as Costa Rica's various fishing locations are highly varied, depending on which part the coast you are visiting. On the Pacific side, the resort towns of Quepos, Tamarindo and Jaco have the widest range of options with the main draw being marlin, sailfish, yellow fin tuna and barracuda.
Be aware that fish stocks are increasingly depleted, so you may prefer to choose an outfitter that releases some of the catch, although it is common for fishers to take some of their catch back with them and have it freshly prepared in their hotel kitchen.
Most Costa Rica sport fishing tours include transfer to and from the dock, plus snacks and drinks whilst onboard. The larger boats are covered, but you'll be out in the sun for most of the day so remember your sun block and a good sun hat.
Canopy Tours & Ziplining
Finally, one of the most popular (and hair-raising) Costa Rica adventure activities are the famous canopy and zipline tours that are available in many of the country's thick jungles.
Canopy tours are perfect for getting up to the best height for wildlife-spotting, where much of the forest life is hiding. Walkways and suspension bridges are constructed from platform to platform and tours are usually accompanied by professional guides who help you to spot the many creatures that live in this high-altitude world.
The whole experience becomes really thrilling when the ziplines get involved. Many canopy tours involve sailing from tree to tree strapped to a thick steel cable with nothing but thin air between you and the ground, which is often dozens of meters below.
Canopy and zipline tours are available all across Costa Rica, but the longest established and best outfitters can be found in the cloud forests of Monteverde or the volcanic mountains around Arenal Volcano.
These tours are generally very safe and follow stringent safety practices but to be sure, consider booking ahead with a reputable Costa Rica travel agency and only use operators that offer full safety equipment, including helmets, proper harnesses, knee guards and thick gloves.
Tips For Enjoying Your Costa Rica Adventure:
As with any risky activity or extreme sport, it's vital to ensure you have adequate travel insurance before taking part. Medical costs for even minor injuries can become very expensive and insurance is absolutely vital.
Only choose an operator that is recommended and certified and that is clear on what standards of safety are implemented.
To get the best safety standards and quality of service, consider booking ahead before your vacation. Otherwise, talk to other travelers, ask for recommendations in your hotel, and shop around to find the best price and the most reliable outfitter.
This Costa Rica vacations guide to was written by a travel-loving expert at Costa Rica For Less, a member of the Latin America For Less family.
For more impartial travel advice from Latin America For Less' team of on-the-ground experts, visit the Latin America For Less Travel Blog or follow @LatAmForLess on Twitter.
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Sunday, September 26, 2010
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Saturday, September 25, 2010
Spectacular Costa Rica Fishing - Your Guide to Where and When to Go
If you cannot wait to get away from Old Man Winter, a Costa Rica fishing trip may be just what will recharge your batteries! There are several Costa Rica vacation packages available on-line for sportfishing. With dozens of fishing world fishing records to its credit, Costa Rica is said to have the best ocean fishing in the world.
Sure, you can dip a line in a a little frozen lake or stream by your house. Those little crappies and sunnies were fun when you were growing up. Long-johns, parkas, and electric socks and sitting for hours on end over cold ice, your butt numb from cold and sitting in a little ice shack all day.
You are a big kid now. Is it not time to have big kid fishing? Trade in shoveling snow 'til your back aches, a runny nose and depressing weather for shorts and a funny looking tropical shirt. Put away your Chapstick, get out your suntan lotion, head to tropical beaches where you can be fishing in crystal waters with not a care in the world.
Do not know where or when to take that Costa Rica fishing trip? No worries. Here is the straight skinny.
Start with the basics. Just a couple of hours south of Miami lies Costa Rica. With about 780 miles of coastline on two great oceans, it is a salt water fishing mecca. So many places to fish, where to begin?
Here is an idea. Follow Columbus. More than 500 years ago, that famous explorer landed on the Caribbean coast in a place so incredible he named it----Costa Rica---the Rich Coast. It was filled with fish, thick with sea turtles. Since it was good enough for Columbus, it is good enough for you, intrepid fisherman.
On the Atlantic coast, you will find the world-famous Tortuguero National Park and Barra del Colorado fishing waters up to the Nicaragua border. The seas here can be very choppy but when the waters are flat, this is fishing paradise! From May to November, the silver fighting tarpon is bountiful here, and they can attain weights of to 150 pounds. If you are very lucky, you might land a rare Atlantic sail. This is also a great place for large snook. Jack Crevalle, guapote, giant grouper, and tripletail can also be caught here. And, be sure to visit the world famous green sea turtle nesting beaches at Tortuguero.
To get to either Barra del Colorado or Tortuguero National Park, you will have to go by boat because there are no roads. This is wilderness country. Typically, people travel to Limon, a small Carribean community, charter airplane, car, or express bus, then head north on watercraft.
But---and this is a secret---some of the absolutely best tarpon fishing anywhere in the world now has a road right to it! Literally just a few kilometers from where Columbus made landfall is a place that some fishermen call the "mother lode" of tarpon and snook fishing. Check out Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Reserve along the southern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, nearly at the Panama border.
Deserted beaches for miles, crystal clear waters, and when the tarpon are in, fabulous fishing. Fishing is good year-round here but the best months for tarpon typically are March, April, May and September through October. And, If you come between March and July, you wil also be able to see the sea turtles nesting.
Another great place for a Costa Rica fishing vacation is its North Pacific coast. This area is known as the "Gold Coast" because of its amenities and is conveniently reached. Simply fly into nearby Liberia International Airport where you will be just a short drive away from your waiting boat. You will find the fishing centers of Tamarindo and Flamingo with miles of great beaches and lots of Costa Rica attractions. If you are in search of sailfish, visit this coast between May and August for the best fishing, though these fish are here year-round, too. From August to October, you might find large schools of different tuna species with some weighing up to 400 pounds and many exceeding 60 pounds. Catch the shoreline-dwelling roosterfish here November to March not far from the Papagayo Resort. You also have a good chance of battling large marlin, wahoo, and brightly colored dorado fish.
Many visitors fishing in Costa Rica are looking for billfish and these beauties are very common along the Central Pacific coast. Drive to world famous Los Suenos Marina or the little town of Quepos and charter into the offshore waters to catch marlin and sailfish. December through April is the best time to catch these fighters. The vibrant dorado fish is often found here May to October while trolling. Closer to shore, folks commonly catch snapper, snook, roosterfish, and wahoo. Tuna are offshore.
Finally, for many, Costa Rica fishing paradise is found on the southern Pacific coast down to Panama, off Puerto Jiminez, Golfo Dulce, and Drake Bay. When the water is warm, sails and marlin are abundant. Inshore, you will likely run into roosters, large snapper, wahoo, and amberjack. The Golfo Dulce is reported by charter operators to offer the finest inshore fishing in Costa Rica. This is because it contains many small coves and is very rocky, giving fish a great place to hide. There are lots of kinds of fish here, including large groupers, delectable sea bass, and the toothy barracuda. Sometimes, you will have hundreds of porpoises around your boat as they follow the bait fish.
Of course, you can only catch the Big One if you are fishing for the Big One. So, turn off your computer, bid your comrades a fond adieu, and take that long needed Costa Rica vacation.
About the writer: Vic Krumm lives in sunny Costa Rica. Visit his acclaimed website about Costa Rica Vacations and see why Costa Rica Fishing is world-famous.
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