Tired of the Humdrum? Need to Get Away and Relax? I Have Just the Remedy - A Costa Rica Vacation

Here are 10 terrific reasons to take a Costa Rica vacation now.

1. You'll find great airfares and travel bargains to this lovely country right now. Many hotels and resorts are offering discount, off-season rates.

2. There are nearly 800 miles of pristine coastline with hundreds of great Costa Rica beaches. These are uncrowded beaches on both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. In fact, you might be the only one on most of the beaches right now.

3. Are you an ecotourist? Costa Rica has more species of butterflies than the entire African continent including the only butterfly in the world that makes a sound. Not to mention almost as many different species of birds as on the entire continent of Europe or in all of the continental United States. But, don't leave your camera or backpack unattended at fabulous Manuel Antonio Park because the monkeys steal everything they can get their hands on.

4. Costa Rica boasts a park on its Osa Peninsula which National Geograpic calls the most biologically intense place on the planet. On its northern end you can fish off Drake Bay, named after Sir Francis Drake, the famous English sea captain who landed there just a few years before he saved England and defeated the mighty Spanish Armada.

The park's actually quite tiny but filled with an extraordinary array of animals and plants.

In fact, tiny Costa Rica has nearly one-fifth of all the species of plants and animals in the world. Imagine that in a country that takes up only 1/10,000 of the planet's surface!

5. Visit mighty Irazu. This volcano saluted John F. Kennedy by erupting on the day he visited Costa Rica in 1963. You can drive to its summit where, on a clear day, you can see the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean at the same place.

Or go to Arenal Volcano, one of Costa Rica's Seven Wonders, and luxuriate in magnificent hot springs, drink in hand, while the volcano's crater spits out glowing lava far into the night sky.

6. Thousands of Americans travel to Costa Rica for cosmetic surgery, dental, or other medical care because the quality of care is world-class but often only about a one-third of the price in the States. Take a tropical vacation, get some great and inexpensive medical or dental care, and return home with some of your hard-earned money.

7. Some folks come to take Spanish lessons in schools that also teach them how to surf! Or yoga. Or sexy latin dancing. Or all of the above. You'll find that learning a language was never this much fun.

8. The temperatures are fantastic year-round. You can swim every day and cool off in the nearby mountains. Think about taking a hot-air balloon in the face of magnificent volcanoes.

9. I like to fish. Do you? Want to actually catch a fish? Some of the best ocean fishing in the world is available every day of the year. Imagine catching lots of huge tarpon or trying your hand on the mighty marlin (I hooked a 450 pound, 13 marlin recently). Remember: catch and release is the rule here. Folks here take their Costa Rica fishing seriously.

10. You will be just a short trip away from a place where there is a stable democracy. Costa Rica abolished its army more than 70 years ago and you will find lots of friendly, smiling courteous people who really like Americans and Europeans.

About the writer: Vic Krumm lives in sunny Costa Rica. Visit his acclaimed website about Costa Rica Vacations and see why Costa Rica Tourism is world-famous.

Tamarindo, Costa Rica - Ultimate Beach Vacation Destination

You're going on vacation to Costa Rica. You want to go to a place with a fun, laid-back vibe with plenty of amenities and plenty more things to do. Where do you go?

Whenever I'm asked this question I always answer the same way: Tamarindo.

Tamarindo Orientation

Tamarindo, Costa Rica is located at the start of the Nicoya Peninsula in the province of Guanacaste. It faces the Pacific and offers a long expanse of beach for sun worshipers and a consistent swell for surfers. The sand is golden and sprinkled with gorgeous little spiraling shells.

Directly to the north of Tamarindo beach is the Palo Seco river mouth and then Playa Grande, a long scimitar of beach that is also a protected park. This park, Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas, is a breeding ground of the enormous and endangered leatherback turtle, which on average weighs 1000lbs (455kg) and measures over six feet in length (2m). Leatherbacks' nesting season is from October to March and most eggs are laid at night. This miracle of nature can be seen nightly, but you'll need to hire a guide in order to legally access the park past dusk. During the day the river-mouth between Playa Grande and Playa Tamarindo can be crossed at low tide, or you can hop on a small boat and be ferried across for a nominal fee.

Many Options for Lodging and Food

Being one of the most developed beach resort towns in Costa Rica, Tamarindo offers an array of accommodations from luxury resorts to simple cabins. There are also numerous dining options and international cuisine, including some familiar fast food chains in case you're in need of comfort food. Despite the town's growth it is still small and accessible, without of any of the overdeveloped feel of the Mayan Riviera and other parts of coastal Mexico. But don't worry, there's still plenty of partying and a vibrant, unpretentious nightlife.

Adventures Galore

Adventure activities abound here, with surfing and fishing being two of the main draws. Tamarindo's consistent but reasonably sized surf has made it the mecca for surfers and would-be surfers alike. There are numerous surf shops offering lessons in the range of $25-30 for an hour to an hour and a half. Surfboard rentals range from $10 to $25 per day with longboards costing more.

Costa Rica fishing aficionados will be delighted by all the possibilities in Tamarindo. Species are varied and abundant, and the there are numerous sportfishing charter boats for hire. Planning your trip between the months of April and November is your best bet to avoid the seasonal high winds off the coast of Guanacaste. Despite this, the waters are teeming with billfish, dorado (mahi mahi/dolphinfish), and tuna year round. For marlin, the best months are June and July -- same for tuna. Dorado is best from June to October.

Other activity options include jungle canopy tours on zip lines, atv tours, horseback riding, and mangrove tours in the Tamarindo Wildlife Refuge. A variety of companies in town can arrange tours, including your hotel in most cases.

Getting to Tamarindo, Costa Rica

Tamarindo's proximity to an international airport makes it very appealing, especially since you don't have to pass through Costa Rica's congested capital, San Jose. Daniel Oduber Airport in Liberia (code: LIR), serviced by American Airlines, Delta, and US Airways et al, is about an hour to an hour-and-a-half drive from Tamarindo beach by rental car or taxi.

A Great Destination

In sum, Tamarindo is a great, fun destination for your Costa Rica vacation - the nightlife is great too. Perhaps it's not as 'authentic' as some other towns, but the range of amenities and activities certainly create an appealing locale to relax, sip a cold cocktail, and watch a beautiful sunset while planning out your next adventure.

Click this link for more detailed information on Tamarindo Costa Rica.

Check out my site for more general Costa Rica travel information including attractions, activities, and more based on my experience living in this beautiful country.

Costa Rica Fishing - An Angler's Fishing Vacation Paradise

What makes Costa Rica fishing so special? How about the fact that no spot on earth has produced more "super grand slams" than the Pacific coastal waters of Costa Rica. What is a super grand slam? You can claim this feat by catching a blue, black, and striped marlin and a sailfish all in the same day. If that sounds unreal, that's only because you haven't been fishing in Costa Rica.

Frommer's Costa Rica 2010 (Frommer's Colour Complete Guides)

With two major coastlines, one on the Pacific and another on the Caribbean, along with a robust network of rivers and lakes, Costa Rica seems to be primed for angling action. Ideally located just about nine degrees north of the equator, this little country is in the perfect location for the hardy tropical game fish that fisherman love.
The Pacific coast is a bastion for enormous billfish, and arguably the best place in the world for sailfish. This is not to mention the numerous dorado (mahi mahi) and tuna, or the more elusive but rewarding wahoo and roosterfish. The main centers for fishing on the Pacific are Tamarindo and Playa Flamingo in the north, Los Suenos resort (in Herradura) and Quepos in the central region and Golfito in the South. Chartered fishing vessels run between $250-400 for a half day and $350-650 for a full day. This is for four people with lunch and drinks included. Cheaper prices can be had for coastal fishing vs. going for big billfish, and the dorado, wahoo, jacks, roosterfish and tuna caught on these excursions closer to shore offer plenty of excitement.
June and July are the best months for marlin in the north with June to October being best for dorado and tuna. Strong winds from December to March cause many fishing charters to move from the north to Quepos and Los Suenos on the central coast where there is great fishing year round. Costa Rica fishing during winter is generally better farther south in the waters of Golfo Dulce.
If you've got tarpon fever, then you must check out Costa Rica fishing on the Caribbean coast. The rich rivers and lagoons opening into the Caribbean are a favorite hideout of monster tarpon and will give lightweight tackle enthusiasts a real rush. With some spots producing tarpon weighing an average of 80lbs/35kg you're sure to go home with some unforgettable moments. Maybe you'll even land a trophy as some of these tarpon on the northeast coast get up to 155lbs/70kg. Snook fishing is also incredibly hot here if you're looking for some variety. The season runs from August to January with fall being the best time for trophy-sized fish. Try beating 14kg for an IGFA record. Tarpon, however, can be caught year round.
Something many people don't know is that Costa Rica fishing is not just limited to saltwater. In fact, the freshwater lakes and over a dozen rivers here produce a variety species that are fun to catch. You can find rainbow trout, drum, machaca (similar to shad), guapote (rainbow bass), mojarra (a toothed type of bluegill), and bobo (a mullet that feeds on moss). Rio Savegre is a favorite spot for catching many of these species. The Cano Negro lagoon and the Rio San Juan along the border of Nicaragua both offer excellent tarpon and snook fishing. For lake fishermen, check out Lake Arenal where you can fight with the spunky guapote or rainbow bass which grows up to 8lbs/3.5kg and larger, all while under the looming cone of the still active Arenal Volcano. As a final note, all freshwater fishing is closed from September to December and a license is required, as with saltwater fishing.
While Costa Rica fishing vacations will satisfy any angler's dreams, it's also nice to know that this is a fantastic destination for families as well. You can spend the day out on a fishing boat while knowing that there are plenty of things to keep your family occupied. Atv tours, snorkeling, scuba diving, horseback riding, canopy tours and surfing lessons are all easily arranged from most any of the Pacific coast towns. Tamarindo is a particularly fun spot and Quepos is right next to gorgeous Manuel Antonio National Park.
Costa Rica is a great alternative to Mexico because it's still relatively close and doesn't have the overdeveloped feel of so many Mexican beach resort areas. It's also more developed than it's other neighbor countries and there are a great number of tour companies that will cater to your family's needs. But in the end, it's Costa Rica's fishing that will leave you smiling.







Check out this page for more information on Costa Rica fishing seasons and locations. Click this link for other Costa Rica travel ideas including destinations, activities, and general country info based on my experience living in Costa Rica for a year as a divemaster in Playas del Coco.