Costa Rica Traveler » Trips http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog Travel and Life in Costa Rica Fri, 02 Sep 2011 14:00:25 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 Costa Rica´s southern Caribbean featured in the NY Times http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/costa-rica%c2%b4s-southern-caribbean-featured-in-the-ny-times/ http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/costa-rica%c2%b4s-southern-caribbean-featured-in-the-ny-times/#comments Sun, 04 Apr 2010 14:18:48 +0000 admin http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/?p=439 Here´s a recent article on Costa Rica´s southern Caribbean coast. It captures the unique vibe of the area, expat, hotel accommodations, restaurants, etc. Make we want to head out there again! – Andres

]]> http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/costa-rica%c2%b4s-southern-caribbean-featured-in-the-ny-times/feed/ 0 Want to live in paradise? Read this. http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/want-to-live-in-paradise-read-this/ http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/want-to-live-in-paradise-read-this/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:34:18 +0000 admin http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/?p=380 Almost a decade ago, Erin Van Rheenen left her life in San Francisco and moved to Costa Rica. Exploring every back road of her new home, she spent over a year traveling and researching the first edition of Living Abroad in Costa Rica.

Many publications and individuals have praised the book’s in-depth information on real estate, immigration, employment, health care, schools, and expat life, written in an entertaining and easily accessible style. But of all the kudos the book has received, Erin has been most charmed by a reader review on Amazon.com that proclaimed the book “not bad for a liberal.”

Now on the (dusty and potholed) road to research the third edition of the guide, Erin is blogging about her trip at www.livingabroadincostarica.com. The third edition of Living Abroad in Costa Rica will be available in Fall 2010, but check Erin’s web site for updates on what’s happening in Costa Rica right now.

Van Rheenen also writes a travel column at Examiner.com, and is the creator of the web site MissMoveAbroad.com.

]]> http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/want-to-live-in-paradise-read-this/feed/ 0 Living Abroad in Costa Rica http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/living-abroad-in-costa-rica/ http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/living-abroad-in-costa-rica/#comments Sat, 02 Jan 2010 17:38:45 +0000 admin http://www.crtraveler.com/blog/?p=241 Almost a decade ago, Erin Van Rheenen left her life in San Francisco and moved to Costa Rica. Exploring every back road of her new home, she spent over a year traveling and researching the first edition of Living Abroad in Costa Rica. Many publications and individuals have praised the book’s in-depth information on real estate, immigration, employment, health care, schools, and expat life, written in an entertaining and easily accessible style. But of all the kudos the book has received, Erin has been most charmed by a reader review on Amazon.com that proclaimed the book “not bad for a liberal.” Now on the (dusty and potholed) road to research the third edition of the guide, Erin is blogging about her trip at www.livingabroadincostarica.com. The third edition of Living Abroad in Costa Rica will be available in Fall 2010, but check Erin’s web site for updates on what’s happening in Costa Rica right now. Van Rheenen also writes a travel column at Examiner.com, and is the creator of the web site MissMoveAbroad.com.

]]> http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/living-abroad-in-costa-rica/feed/ 0 Rafting the Mighty Pacuare River http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/rafting-the-mighty-pacuare-river/ http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/rafting-the-mighty-pacuare-river/#comments Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:15:29 +0000 admin http://www.crtraveler.com/blog/?p=216 The other day I got the chance to go whitewater rafting with Costa Sol Rafting, which offers rafting tours on two different rivers in Costa Rica. I had heard that Pacuare River, which we would raft that day, is one of the best rivers for rafting in Costa Rica, so I sure was excited for the trip.

The Pacuare's famous Dos Montañas Canyon.

After a hearty breakfast of gallo pinto and eggs, we made our way to Tres Equis, Turrialba, where we met our river guide, Luis, and got all the equipment for the tour. We were also told that we were lucky, because it had been raining the nights before which meant that the river was the perfect height for an exciting but still safe ride. After the usual safety instructions and a small try out on land, we jumped in the boat and went off to face 18 miles and around 50 rapids, which we would raft that day.

Pacuare River offers Class III

]]> http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/rafting-the-mighty-pacuare-river/feed/ 0 The Adventure Tour http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/the-adventure-tour/ http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/the-adventure-tour/#comments Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:49:18 +0000 admin http://www.crtraveler.com/blog/?p=160 Editor’s note: Anka Matthies, CR Traveler‘s jack-of-all-trades intern, offers this report:

This past Monday, I went on an all-day adventure trip. After meeting the tour operator Authentic Adventure Eco Tours in San Josí and waiting for quite some time, we eventually boarded the tricked-out Land Rovers and headed out of town. The first part of the trip, which was spend in the Land Rover, consisted of driving through Alajuela to Grecia and Sarchi, stopping first for the towns all-steel church and second for Sarchi

]]> http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/the-adventure-tour/feed/ 0 Big Excursion Tomorrow http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/big-excursion-tomorrow/ http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/big-excursion-tomorrow/#comments Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:57:39 +0000 admin http://www.crtraveler.com/blog/?p=158 I’m heading out tomorrow for an all-day adventure, starting with tricked-out Land Rover that will take us to the Laguna Hule. Even though I’ve been traveling the country for almost eight years now, I’ve never been there. There is something relaxing about exploring Costa Rica’s countryside, where the urban chaos and stress seem more foreign around every bend in the gravel road.

After checking out some of the countryside, we’ll head to Sarapiqui at Pozo Azul for a chance to raft the class-III Sarapiqui River. Whitewater rafting is one of my favorite activities in Costa Rica: you travel through dense tropical rainforests along pristine, rushing waterways amid perfect temperatures and just enough action to get any adrenaline junky’s mojo working.

I haven’t personally been to the Sarapiqui River this year, so I’m eager to check out how the flow has changed since the Cinchona earthquake this past January.

Check back for a full report.

]]> http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/big-excursion-tomorrow/feed/ 11 Homage to the Street Mutts http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/homage-to-the-street-mutts/ http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/homage-to-the-street-mutts/#comments Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:04:49 +0000 admin http://www.crtraveler.com/blog/?p=148 Costa Rican sculptor Francisco Mungéa is working on a series of six sculptures that pay tribute to the many stray dogs that wander the streets of San Josí. The sculptures will be up beginning Octuber 17th on the south side of the Mercado Central in downtown San Josí.

I’m looking forward to seeing this new exhibition of public art. Street dogs, called zaguates here in Costa Rica, are possibly the most marginalized animal in the country. They also may be the most ubiquitous. You’ll find packs of mutts trotting throughout Costa Rica’s cities, towns and countryside. Refuse and rejection become their daily bread. The fact that Munguéa has decided to commit the canine’s plight to iron should give passersby pause. Additionally, this work will form part of an interesting pattern of statues and sculptures downtown. Wheresa many cities place generals, presidents and conquerors on pedestals, pedestrians in the capital here will find monuments to musicians, street sweepers, families and now, mutts. It’s an artistic extension of an underlying egalitarian ideal that remains alive in the Costa Rican psyche.

]]> http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/homage-to-the-street-mutts/feed/ 11 Tortuguero Living Up To Its Name http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/tortuguero-living-up-to-its-name/ http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/tortuguero-living-up-to-its-name/#comments Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:11:11 +0000 admin http://www.crtraveler.com/blog/?p=125 The popular Caribbean destination of Tortuguero (whose names comes from tortuga, or turtle), is in the middle of a successful nesting season fo the green turtle. This large sea creature is in danger of extinction. However, the number of nesting sites is up this year, giving researchers hope that the turtle is on the rebound.

The turtles are the area’s claim to fame, but there are other reasons to visit Tortuguero, too. Here’s an article by Nick Majerle.

Maybe there is something to the old maxim, or maybe it doesn

]]> http://www.costaricatraveler.com/blog/tortuguero-living-up-to-its-name/feed/ 10