Archive for the ‘Costa Rica’ Category

Costa Rican Cruises

Sunday, June 6th, 2010

Have you ever wondered if what you know about Costa Rica is accurate? Consider the following paragraphs and compare what you know to the latest info on Costa Rica.

Some people want to take the slow boat to China deal by doing a cruise to Costa Rica leaving out of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida with stops in Costa Maya, Limon, and Colon, Costa Rica and you can spend 8 days on a Carnival Cruise down to Costa Rica and experiencing port of calls along the way. This is a lot more exciting than being cramped on a flight when you can spend all the time relaxing and having a good time before you get to the ports of call, which is on days 3,5 and 6. Each stop is approximately one day long and there’s only one stop in Costa Rica that is on day 5 of the trip.

You can just sit back and look out on to the ocean and take in the next breath of air so clean you forgot you’re not in the city. Par t of the fun about a cruise is the nighttime sky when you can walk out on to the deck and look at the clearest sky around. Most tourists enjoy that where they can go walking around the deck at night and the cost doesn’t come cheap you’re looking at about $3-5 grand for a week and a half or longer that’s why tourists need to plan their trip well to make sure you can get the most of out of it financially.

If you find yourself confused by what you’ve read to this point, don’t despair. Everything should be crystal clear by the time you finish.

Carnival cruises is one of the lines that does have stops in Costa Rica as their port of call and usually there’s a trip through the Panama Canal, but it’s just straight down south winding your way through the Caribbean islands and stopping in some places, but you spend more time out on the water than you do stopping on land. Sailing instead of flying just buys you more time to relax comfortably instead of being squashed up inside a plane for a few hours when you can spend a few days chilling out on the deck and enjoying a drink while taking in some rays. There are a lot of cruise ship websites out there that can tell you when you should book your trip since like the airlines prices change quickly in a matter of a day.

So it’s ideal to get email notices about the fares so you can book them quickly. Doing your homework can ensure you get the best fare possible for your money since it’s not exactly cheap to go on a ship. The average person spends a couple years saving up for a cruise and booking when the price is not so high since like flying cruises are costly at certain times of the year.

Booking a year early is your best bet in getting the dates you want so you’re not paying full fare when the reduced rate is offered to you in advance to give you a chance to book your cabin. Cabins are booked by level and are priced differently. The most expensive would be towards the front.

There’s a lot to understand about Costa Rica. We were able to provide you with some of the facts above, but there is still plenty more to write about in subsequent articles.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, who just launched this great product..
- Are you looking to get traffic to your website? Introducing… Free Google Traffic System!!

Fishing Vacations In Costa Rica

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

Current info about Costa Rica is not always the easiest thing to locate. Fortunately, this report includes the latest Costa Rica info available.

Those of you out there who love to fish will enjoy the vacation packages that are set up for people to get a 5-day vacation and 2-day rental of a boat with all meals and equipment included. The hard-core fisherman will be in paradise when they’re out there fishing in some of the cleanest waters in the world. And some of the best fish like tuna, which is the most popular of fish to be caught.

Costa Rican laws are restrictive to the types of fish caught and ones they stipulate are asked to be released back into the waters since they have to maintain some conservation of specific non-edible fish to keep the population stable and to lower the pollution that excessive gaming and fishing brings to the waters of Costa Rica. The fish are of better quality than you would find in the United States since the waters aren’t as clean and well kept as the waters down in Costa Rica are.

You can sit out on the boat with all your meals and drinks included in the price you paid to rent the boat with a crew, but you get your money’s worth when you get out on the boat starting at 8:30am and return at 4:30pm and for the price you get to spend the whole day out on the boat and for about a grand and a half. You can get plenty of time on a boat to relax with breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks for the whole day.

Most of this information comes straight from the Costa Rica pros. Careful reading to the end virtually guarantees that you’ll know what they know.

For the price many pay for an entire day out on the ocean fishing, in absolute tranquility is probably the best grand well spent. You get your choice of heavy and light fishing gear and tackle so it’s easy for the amateur and experienced fisherman to partake in their favorite pastime.

It’s pretty expensive in the states to even rent a boat for fishing, but to know that in Costa Rica it’s one price and you get all your meals except dinner. This is what many avid fishers enjoy about their experience fishing and having a positive experience out on the ocean. Some of the other package options also include ground transportation so you get all your rides to and from the boat and from the hotel to the airport.

Which means you won’t have to fork out money for a taxi when you need to get to the airport, when you are leaving to go home after spending a week relaxing on the ocean with friends and family if you bring them to have fun fishing on the ocean and chilling out in a peaceful place where relaxation is the key for a trip to Costa Rica. Costa Ricans take relaxation and their love of fishing seriously, because fishing is also a part of their livelihood and culture. The ocean symbolizes tranquility and peace since much of the environment is very tropic and exotic which fits like a glove on many of the people who visit the country looking to kick back for a few days and enjoy a full vacation of fishing and forgetting about the stress in their lives.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, who just launched this great product..
- Are you looking to get traffic to your website? Introducing… Free Google Traffic System!!

Costa Rica: Music, Dance and Nightlife

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

Have you ever wondered if what you know about Costa Rica is accurate? Consider the following paragraphs and compare what you know to the latest info on Costa Rica.

Music in Costa Rica is music to dance to. From Salsa to Chamber music there is something for everyone. Live bands play at different clubs all over the country. Salsa, Jazz, Rock, Tango, Tex-Mex, and Calypso are all on the venue at different nightspots in Costa Rica.

If you are staying in and around San Jose the best nightlife is found at El Pueblo in Escazu. Here you can find restaurants, nightclubs and shops. Club Twister is one club that is very popular playing contemporary and Latin music. Another is El Tobagan and while they are open only on the weekend they are always packed.

Somewhere in El Pueblo the Tango Bar is located. It has a couple of older gals that serve drinks and perform sentimental ballads. If you are lucky an Argentine visitor will be able to translate the lyrics. Occasionally you will have the treat of seeing a good tango performed.

Costa Ricans love to dance and they are so good that it is scary. Not too much cha cha, but there is plenty of cumbia, merengue, lambada, and salsa. If you get a chance before you go to Costa Rica try to get in some salsa lessons. It is the most fun you can have and it sure makes you know that you are alive. There is dancing at night in any number of clubs all over Costa Rica but most of the better hotels have music at night.

It’s really a good idea to probe a little deeper into the subject of Costa Rica. What you learn may give you the confidence you need to venture into new areas.

If you speak a small amount of Spanish and you are looking for local happenings then you can try to read the local papers the Tico Time and La NacĂ­on. These should help you find local movie times and info on concerts and festivals.

Every year in February and March there is the Monteverde Art Festival, which has local musicians and visiting guest musicians. The venues for the music change from year to year depending on what festival planners have in mind so check the local newspaper or simply ask around. The local Ticos will be more than happy to give you any info they have on where the next performance is.

Costa Rica is predominantly Catholic so most of their holidays follow the usual Catholic holidays such as Christmas and Easter but one holiday that stands out is the celebration of the Black Christ Esquipulas. This festival originates in Guatemala but is celebrated all over Costa Rica. There is large population of Guatemalan immigrants so this may have something to do with the celebration.

The Teatro National was built over a hundred years ago an in that time Costa Ricans have developed there own national theater company. Additionally Costa Rica has their own Symphony and Ticos love classical music almost as much as Salsa.

For those of you that like a different kind of nightlife there are also a few nature and wildlife tours. In the Mountverde Cloud Forest there are night tours that show you the beauty of wildlife that only shows itself at night.

Knowing enough about Costa Rica to make solid, informed choices cuts down on the fear factor. If you apply what you’ve just learned about Costa Rica, you should have nothing to worry about.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, who just launched this great product..
- Are you looking to get traffic to your website? Introducing… Free Google Traffic System!!

Costa Rican Destination Weddings

Monday, May 31st, 2010

If you’re seriously interested in knowing about Costa Rica, you need to think beyond the basics. This informative article takes a closer look at things you need to know about Costa Rica.

If anything’s more fun it’s a destination wedding and many couples that want to experience a real tropical paradise can arrange for their wedding to take place in Costa Rica. Some of the more experienced tour companies have special rates for wedding/vacation packages for couples that want to have a destination wedding and vacation for their wedding party and incorporating a honeymoon at the same time. Some packages are cheaper when booked at the group rate so it’s cheaper for members of your wedding party, friends, family, and other guests to be able to travel at a cheap rate.

Costa Rica has some really scenic tropical beaches and hotels and resorts that are priced right for someone’s budget whether it’s big or small. The idea of having a destination wedding is kind of for those who like to get away from the ordinary church/hotel weddings and being able to enjoy a different kind of scenery where the sunsets and sunrises are breathtaking and enjoying a peaceful kind of setting that really makes getting married worthwhile.

There are many tour companies that offer wedding/honeymoon/vacation packages Costa Rican Tours Inc. that is based in Costa Rica offers wedding packages for at least $500-1000 since in most cases all you have to do is handle the legalities and paperwork to get married in Costa Rica. The U.S. Embassy or Costa Rican consulate will have the required paperwork needed to marry in a foreign land.

Think about what you’ve read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about Costa Rica? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?

Usually, the only thing that you have to provide is that you are single or divorced (You must provide a copy of your divorce or annulment decree) will prove your marriage was legally dissolved in a court of law in the United States. The cost you pay can go to cover the flowers, food, and entertainment since many hotels provide this for one price to make it less expensive since it’s not cheap to fly to Costa Rica at certain times of the year since airfares can be super high during the high peak travel season and not everyone can travel for a destination wedding especially if your guests have to take off from school and work to attend.

Most who are getting married in destination weddings usually don’t have a lot of people attending because not everyone can afford to jet off to some exotic location for 5 days and usually many who do this are usually eloping because of the fact that not everyone can come to the wedding.

Usually many couples who do destination weddings don’t regret it because it was a positive experience with less of a hassle dealing with ungrateful relatives and friends and just being with the person they love and not having to worry about the expense many couples face after a wedding for at least 2-5 years depending on how long it takes for them to pay down their debt from the wedding. Usually destination weddings are inexpensive, but it’s the airfare and hotels people who go to them worry about since they’re not cheap to book.

The day will come when you can use something you read about here to have a beneficial impact. Then you’ll be glad you took the time to learn more about Costa Rica.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, who just launched this great product..
- Are you looking to get traffic to your website? Introducing… Free Google Traffic System!!

Costa Rican Culture And The Diversity

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

Costa Ricans are actually a close knit people who are homebound until they get married or leave home for college. Many events like baptisms and weddings are prominent among native Costa Ricans because this is where they have the largest turnout of family and friends. Traditions are also gender based and many tourists learn about that when they visit the country. What makes Costa Rica different from other countries is their practice of a lukewarm approach to Catholicism that combines a strange ritual of parties and religious celebrations during the time mostly Catholic and Indian traditions.

Tourists would be lucky to catch natives engaged in rituals common to them. Most of the things that natives do that tourists are lucky to catch are mostly religious based since Costa Ricans are Catholic and it’s all church or family based when they celebrate special occasions. Even the most non-traditional tourist will get the feeling they’re right at home when they visit Costa Rica since much of the lifestyle there is all based on generous hospitality.

This is kind of like the American south where hospitality is the way of life and tourists who visit get the feeling like they’re at home with nice people. That’s the feeling tourists get when they’re at home with Costa Ricans who make you feel like you’re one of them. The traditions of family, and religion go hand in hand with many different kinds of people and the diversity of the cultures that partake in the spirit of family and religion. Music is also a huge thing in Costa Rican culture and most of it is based on ancient Mayan influence and a mix of Afro/Cuban/Caribbean bringing the east and west together to make what they call tambito and punto. Costa Ricans also pioneered their answer to the funk music movement of the 1970s identical to what the American genre that was popular among teens and young adults.

The more authentic information about Costa Rica you know, the more likely people are to consider you a Costa Rica expert. Read on for even more Costa Rica facts that you can share.

The food is a mix of Mexican, Spanish, Caribbean, and Southern American influences so many Americans who come to visit Costa Rica feel as if they’re right at home since the culture is so diverse in ethnicity even though the national language is Spanish so anyone who visits who’s pretty fluent in Spanish will be able to communicate and fit in with the people even as a visitor.

The food many tourists are encouraged to try is ‘Gallo Pinto’-Spanish for ‘Spotted Rooster’, but there’s no chicken in this dish. That consists of black beans and rice seasoned with cilantro, onions, garlic, salt, and a locally made condiment ‘Salsa Lizano’, and this dish is typically a traditional meal eaten for breakfast with eggs, meat and sour cream.

Another traditional Costa Rican cuisine is ‘Arroz con pollo’ (rice and chicken), the dish has bite sized chicken chunks mixed with rice and diced vegetables of carrots, peas, corn and garbanzo beans (known in America as chick peas). Which is typically made as a weekend meal is called ‘Olla de Carne’ which is a soup made up by boiling water, meat usually chicken, and whole to large pieces of vegetables and seasoned with spices.

Making this dish is time consuming since the bulk of the meal consists of preparing the vegetables. Experiencing a multitude of flavors in Costa Rican cooking will make a tourist leave there with the flavor of home on their mind.

Costa Rican Tourism

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

The tourism in Costa Rica is identical to what you see if you toured the Bahamas or the Cayman Islands. The activities tourists took part in ranged from rafting to scuba diving and snorkeling. The things people did were things done out of relaxation and exposure to a new culture and a new way of life that many aren’t used to seeing. Costa Rica isn’t as ritzy as Mexico and the West Indies, yet in terms of those who enjoyed a secluded romantic getaway would find it in Costa Rica because of the endless resorts this small nation offered on both the Pacific and Caribbean sides.

Since surfing is one of the most popular sports and many who like to catch a wave in the pristine waters of Costa Rica will find their paradise on the endless stretch of beaches. Some who want to experience a tropical romantic environment will find it in some of the private resorts that offer people the chance to swim in their natural hot springs. Many tropical places are known for their beautiful sunrises and sunsets on the beach or balcony of your hotel or resort.

Some other activities for those who are the outdoorsy types would value hiking in the lush rainforests around the area and even doing some of the hiking by canopy, which is riding across a single area by wire cable. There are tours fit for all kinds of tastes some people like to go and visit small villages and learn about pottery and cooking where some would like to take in the shopping and nightlife of the city. Costa Rica is full of life and fun when you want to experience a whole new life in this Central American country.

Now that we’ve covered those aspects of Costa Rica, let’s turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered.

Most people come because of the beauty of the countryside that’s what people are drawn to because color and atmosphere brings out the tranquility of a single country. Some people will even spend months in Costa Rica since you’re allowed to spend up to 90 days in the country on a visitor’s visa so those who love the tranquility and beauty so much can go down and rent a home and spend the next 90 days in opulent luxury and returning to the states in a blissful state of relaxation and looking someone fresh from a spa treatment.

If you can afford to rent the house and all the amenities you can have what many celebrities spend good money on which is a complete and total rejuvenation of the mind, body, and spirit. Change of scenery is what makes people function and live better when they’re taken out of the hustle, bustle, and everyday stress in life and allowed to recharge and rejuvenate their battery. So they’re able to think and function clearly when they return to their everyday life. This is why a vacation to a tropical paradise is recommended for those in high stress jobs.

And Costa Rica is among the most chosen of places for those to surround themselves with fresh clean air and colorful plants, flowers and breathtaking wildlife to stimulate the senses and refresh the soul.

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what’s important about Costa Rica.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, author of this Free Adsense eBook — make sure to claim your free adsense ebook download!

Airfares to Costa Rica

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

When you’re traveling to Costa Rica you want to get the cheapest airfare and the issue with flying is that the prices change every few minutes to an hour and it’s ideal to research sites like Orbitz.com, Travelocity.com and Cheaptickets.com because they offer rates for flights at different times whether it’s high or low travel season.

Most of the major carriers have fares that are early bird specials for when the peak season of travel happens usually during the summer and holidays. Nailing the perfect airfare when you want to travel to Costa Rica will be a work in progress because you could be sitting in front of your computer for hours surfing travel sites for the perfect airfare because the rates change quickly and they can be up one moment and down the next. Your goal is to book the cheapest rate possible and it’s ideal to do it through travel sites like Orbitz, Travelocity, Cheaptickets, Priceline, Hotwire, Expedia and Hotels.com because independently owned websites may not be reliable and you will get a better deal through these reputable sites.

Book your flight at least 90 days before you travel so you can have time to get your tickets if mailed to you and any documentation with travel visas and passports.

The information about Costa Rica presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about Costa Rica or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.

Usually the summer is the best time to book flights for the fall season because late summer is when you can get the best deal on airfares. Airfares aren’t cheap to Central America since you’re looking at least a couple grand and that even depends on who you’re flying with since the major carriers out here will change rates quickly usually on the hour because of the competition that’s out here they have to be able to keep up with the current rate for airfares. So it’s ideal that if you have an account with the travel sites on the Internet always check on a frequent basis usually early morning, mid-day and evening to see how the airfares to one place change within 12 hours.

When you see the airfare that you want book it right away because within the hour it will likely go up since travel sites usually change their information when the carriers change up. The only downside is that if you book online you have to have a major credit card and not everyone has a credit card to book their flights with.

Now it’s easy to use your debit card since many banks issue them with the VISA or MasterCard logos on them so that people can use it to book an airline ticket right away when they spot the fares they want and can catch it before the fares change in the next few minutes to an hour. If you can access the Internet wherever you can it’s easy to nail the fares you want if you catch them early and often. Some sites offer email notices that can inform you of when a discount or reduced fare comes up during the hour since emails are sent on a daily basis so you can keep tabs on when the airfare you want is posted and sent out by email.

If you’ve picked some pointers about Costa Rica that you can put into action, then by all means, do so. You won’t really be able to gain any benefits from your new knowledge if you don’t use it.


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