Costa Rica, Central America 

​In March 2011, we went on one of the best holidays I have ever had to the beautiful country of Costa Rica.  Costa Rica is a small country located in Central America situated between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south.  On the west coast is the Pacific Ocean and on the east coast the Caribbean.  This is a place that Steve always wanted to visit as he is an avid bird watcher. We chose to take an 8 day tour of this magnificent country called the "Natural Wonders of Costa Rica".  When we started our trip, I had no expectations as to what to expect, and our trip turned out to be an excellent adventure, and one of the best trips of my life. The following are some of the things that we did and saw:
PictureTilapia
Day 1:  We arrived at the airport around 4 am as we were advised that we had to check in at least three hours prior to our flight leaving Toronto Pearson International Airport.  This was way too early, but as I did not use a travel agent, but instead booked everything on line, we simply followed what the paperwork told us to do as there was no one to ask any questions of.  In fact, it was so early that nothing was really even open at the airport except for a coffee place.  Our flight left around 7 am, and we arrived in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica around noon.  At the airport, we were met by our Luis, our Tour Guide and the other Members of our group.  Our group consisted of 11 fantastic individuals made up of a husband, wife, her mother, and their two children from Barrie, two real estate agents from Haliburton, Luis, and our bus driver. We then proceeded to our hotel the 5 Star - Barcelo San Jose (https://www.barcelo.com/en-ca/barcelo-san-jose/) where we checked in prior to having a delicious lunch of fresh grilled Tilapia with tomatoes, vegetables and rice followed by an afternoon tour of the city.  In the evening, we went to the hotel bar to listen to a band and have a bite to eat.  I swear I had the best chicken sandwich ever.
PicturePoas Volcano
​Day 2:  In the morning, we departed San Jose for Poas Volcano National Park, which has one of the world's largest craters.  This park located in Alajuela Province covers an area of approximately 65 square kms. and the summit is 2,574 meters.  One of the attractive features about Poás is that you can get all the way to the edge of the crater. The main crater is 300 meters deep and is quite active with frequent small geyser and lava eruptions.  However, the last major eruptions were during the years 1952 to 1954.  The Botos Lagoon is an extinct volcanic crater filled by rainwater.  The lagoon has a diameter of 400 meters, a depth of 14 meters, and the water temperature is between 13 and 14 degrees celsius at an altitude of 2,620 m.a.s.l.  This lagoon still contains traces of acidity due to its origins so only a few micro organisms and algae can live in it.  Its name derives from an indigenous tribe that used to live near the lagoon called "the botos".  In order to view the Botos, you must take a well marked but difficult trail due to the high altitude (30 minute difficult walk). The park is frequently closed to visitors because of sulphuric gas emissions.
PictureDoka Estate Coffee Plantation
​We then traveled to the Doka Estate Coffee Plantation http://www.dokaestate.com, where we saw the production and processing of what I believe to be the best coffee that I have ever tasted.  Their Peaberry coffee was wonderful, and we brought home several bags for both us and our relatives.  After our tour, we visited a butterfly conservatory before having lunch in the middle of the coffee plantation surrounded by beautiful landscapes.  In the afternoon, we continued on towards Arena Volcano, which is one of the world's most active volcanoes.  For the next two evenings, we stayed at a wonderful hotel called Los Lagos Hotel  http://www.hotelloslagos.com.  The weather was perfect, sunny and warm with no humidity.
PictureCano Negro Wildlife Refuge & the Rio Frio
Day 3:  We started the day with a visit to the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge and the Rio Frio, featuring some of the richest biodiversity in Costa Rica.  We saw a variety of resident and migratory birds, iguanas, sloths, turtles, caimans and two different species of monkeys (Mantled Howler and White-headed Capuchin).  In the afternoon, we were able to enjoy the soothing hot springs where we were able to relax and later enjoy the cool night air.  One of the fun things that we did at the end of each day over dinner was have each Member of our group tell the rest of the group what the best thing that they did during the day and why.  What a great way to tell wonderful stories!  We also insisted that Luis and our bus driver have their meals with us as we were such a small group, and we all believed the more the merrier.
PictureViento Fresco Waterfalls
Day 4:  In the morning, we departed for Monteverde, which is considered a major ecotourism destination in Costa Rica due to its unique ecosystem known as the Cloud Forest.  On our way to this destination, we visited the spectacular Viento Fresco Waterfalls where a one hour hike from the top to the bottom showed us four amazing waterfalls (each one getting larger) in the middle of the forest with views on the Gulf of Nicoya and the Cerro San Jose.  The trail and stairs were definitely not to code by North American standards, but it was a lot of fun.  Once we reached the bottom, we rode horses back to the top to enjoy a delicious lunch of black beans and rice, chicken and a couple of beers.  Black Beans and Rice is a staple and traditional Costa Rican dish that is often served three times a day.  Gallo Pinto, a breakfast dish of rice and beans mixed together with onions & bell peppers, is often considered the Costa Rican national dish.

After lunch, we continued onto Monteverde, which was founded by the Quakers in 1951 and located at the beginning of the Cloud Forest.  We spent the next two nights at the 3 - Star El Establo Mountain Hotel (https://elestablo.com), which is the largest and perhaps most luxurious hotel in all of Monteverde as it is set on a private 60 hectare farm that is adjacent to the Monteverde and Santa Elena reserves.  This hotel is owned by a Quaker/Costa Rican family, and it has everything that one could ever need.

At dusk, we commenced a night walk that covered 3 km. of very rough terrain in order that we could enjoy the forest and nature at night.  I was able to see a couple of Tarantulas up close along with an Agouti, which is a rodent that looks a bit like a really large guinea pig, plus many different birds.
PictureSuspension Bridge System
Day 5:  We visited the Monteverde Reserve and admired the various species of insects, plants and birds.  We hiked through a bridge system, which consisted of 7 suspension bridges over the marvels of the Cloud Forest.  Some of our group tried zip-lining and had lots of fun.
PicturePlaya Tambor
Day 6 & 7:  Early in the morning, we departed for the Central Pacific area of Costa Rica. In Puntarenas, we took the ferry across the Gulf of Nicoya in order that we could spend the next two nights at the 5 - Star Barcelo Tambor Beach Resort (https://www.barcelo.com/en-ca/barcelo-tambor/).  Its volcanic sands and the gentle surf that constantly reflects the beautiful and magnificent blue of the sky make it the perfect place to spend the day relaxing on the beach sunbathing, taking a swim, a barefoot stroll along its 6 kilometers of beach, or to spend a relaxing day at the resort. At this location only, the weather was very hot and humid.  Perfect beach weather!
PictureAerial view from Playa Tambor to San Jose
​Day 8:  We flew from the local air strip at Playa Tambor back to San Jose in order that we could catch our return flight to Canada.  At the end of our trip, we exchanged E-Mail address with each other in order that we can keep in touch with our new friends.

This coach tour is available through Transat, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in our natural world.
Prepared & written by Carol Kelly, RPA   Date:  June 4, 2020