Costa Rica: Central Pacific
Costa Rica
Central Pacific
The Central Pacific coast draws visitors all year round with its fabulous views, beautiful sunsets, spectacular surfing, endless white and gray sand beaches, abundant wildlife and diverse nature reserves. This is one of Central America’s biggest sportfishing hubs but also provides the opportunity to pursue many different activities. Following the splendid Pan-American Highway southwards along this spectacular coastline, enjoy the challenging and wild surf off Jaco beach, and heading further south, savour the spectacular tranquility, endless beautiful and empty beaches like Playa Esterillos, sleepy fishing villages, superb sunsets and great surfing all the way.
Then at Quepos, gateway to the famous Manuel Antonio National Park, there are numerous sportfishing tours, quality inns and restaurants and pristine white-sand beaches. From here there is an adventurous 46 kilometer stretch of unmade road winding through huge plantations of oil palms, farms with beautiful fields, full of grazing horses and cows and small, sleepy traditional villages.
There are horses everywhere and riding is one of the most popular pastimes in the area – everyone rides, adults and children, for fun and for work.Wooden and metal bridges of all ages, shapes and sizes span numerous rivers and their tributaries, allowing fantastic views upriver into the mountains and downriver into the open ocean.
Costa Rica: Guanacaste
Guanacaste and Pacific Beaches
A long-standing favourite holiday region for Costa Ricans and foreigners alike, Guanacaste offers everything from white-sand beaches and dry-tropical forests to volcanoes and grassy flatlands where cattle graze amid the umbrella-like Guanacaste trees.
This region, originally part of Nicaragua and then annexed to Costa Rica in 1858 is home to people who are as proud and diverse as the nature that surrounds them.
From the cowboy culture in the north to the surf culture in the south, this region attracts visitors with its many glorious and uncrowded white sand beaches and endless ocean providing some of the best surfing and salt fishing in the world. Dirt roads lead to beautiful forest fringed beaches such as Tamarindo, Playa Grande and Playa Langosta.
There are many beachside restaurants and bars and a number of excellent small hotels, private homes of all shapes and sizes, delightful beach houses and some fabulous luxury villas. The temperature of the ocean water is normally between 23 – 30C, and there are two seasons, the dry season between December and May and the green season between June and November. During the dry season, the Papagayo winds blow across Costa Rica from the east. The winds have a cooling effect and the temperatures are a bit lower than the normal 30C. There are fewer mosquitos and insects during the dry season.
When the rain comes in late May or June, the entire countryside undergoes a complete transformation from the dry, brown to the lush, green, jungle type environment. The humidity is a little higher and it is a bit hotter. Normally, from the beginning of the rainy season onwards, it rains in the late afternoon and evening hours, and the days are typically sunny and beautiful. Beautiful landscapes, glorious ocean views and spectacular sunsets.
Costa Rica: Northerm Mountains
Costa Rica
Northern Mountains and Lake Arenal
Rising out of the tropical rainforest is the Arenal volcano, which reaches up into the sky above the man-made Arenal lake.
This volcano is active and every so often provides the most spectacular fireworks display, throwing out clouds of steam and burning liquid lava. There are rugged trails in the Volcan Arenal National Park and rangers are on hand to advise how far up the mountain is safe to explore. Visiting the Tabacon and bathing in its steaming thermal pools set in a tropical gardens is a fabulous experience.
The best views are at night from west and north sides and when clouds shroud the view of the erupting volcano, there are still vast expanses of rainforest, river and lake to explore. There are pastoral landscapes around the north shore of the lake reminiscent of Switzerland. There are villages and small towns dotted around the surrounding areas, with restaurants, shops and all sorts of activities are available, such as wonderful rainforest and mountain hiking, cycling, bird-watching, white water rafting, Costa Rica’s best fresh water lake fishing, boating, and world class windsurfing.
Costa Rica
A fabulous new destination for Elysian Holidays …
Costa Rica is a country that seems to encapsulate the majority of the qualities that Elysian Holidays looks for in the destinations it offers. By Central and South American standards, Costa Rica is small and the intrepid traveller can cross from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean in only a few hours. To do so, however, would deprive that traveller of a stunning scenic heritage.
Tree-lined tropical beaches, spectacular birds and flowers, live volcanoes, forested mountains and gentle, pastoral countryside make up part of the fascinating tapestry of the country’s landscape. Dark lowland jungles give way to rolling savannah; Pacific surf crashes against rocky headlands in contrast to the tranquility of palm-fringed Caribbean shores.
“After a decade of low-risk family holidays, cloud-forest reserves and erupting volcanoes sounded intoxicating to my husband and me. But for our children, thoughts of Jurassic Park lurking darkly, travelling to Central America was like sticking their heads into the mouth of a crocodile.
Once there, they changed their tune rapidly. Arriving from an English winter was like the moment when a black and white film bursts into glorious Technicolor.
“This could be the Garden of Eden”, said Henry, aged nine”
“As a visitor to Costa Rica, you can drive to the very edge of a volcanic crater, through the heart of a mountain jungle, take an aerial tram ride in the rainforest canopy and soak up sun on a deserted beach.”
Elysian Holidays are introducing a new collection of properties throughout Costa Rica. Located in some of the most varied landscapes, these will allow the independent traveller to explore and witness a stunning, safe and immensely welcoming and warm country.
Costa Rica: Region Summary
Costa Rica
Regions
Costa Rica is a country that seems to encapsulate the majority of the qualities that Elysian Holidays looks for in the destinations it offers.
By Central and South American standards, Costa Rica is small and the intrepid traveller can cross from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean in only a few hours. To do so, however, would deprive that traveller of a stunning scenic heritage.
Tree-lined tropical beaches, spectacular birds and flowers, live volcanoes, forested mountains and gentle, pastoral countryside make up part of the fascinating tapestry of the country’s landscape. Dark lowland jungles give way to rolling savannah; Pacific surf crashes against rocky headlands in contrast to the tranquility of palm-fringed Caribbean shores.
Guanacaste & Pacific Beaches To read more about this region of Costa Rica, Click here Northern Mountains and Lake Arenal To read more about this region of Costa Rica, Click here Southern Zone and South Pacific Coast To read more about this region of Costa Rica, Click here Central Pacific To read more about this region of Costa Rica, Click here
Costa Rica: Southern Zone
Southern Zone and South Pacific Coast
With its virgin rainforests, palm-lined beaches, thunderous waterfalls and lush mountain peaks, the Southern Zone remains Costa Rica’s final frontier.
The diversity is astounding and the inhabitants spared from large-scale tourism offer a unique brand of hospitality. They and the region’s teeming wildlife are the keepers of many natural secrets. There is a new coastal road that makes the ‘wild south’ more accessible, but four wheel drive vehicles are still advisable at all times of the year. There are some of most spectacular beaches in the country and Pavones is famous among surfers for having one of the longest left-hand wave breaks in the world.
It is not only surfers who enjoy this area as the scenery is intensely beautiful and this region in particular is a haven for birdwatchers and lovers of wildlife. Rainforests have the highest concentration of life of any habitat on the planet and in the forests in the far south there are species such as manatees, ocelots, sloths, deer, otter, squirrels, raccoons, opossum, anteaters, armadillos, wild boar, lizards, colourful and poisonous frogs, toads, iguana and many more. There are parrots, parakeets, a wide variety of hummingbirds, toucans, wrens, hawks, owls, woodpeckers, trogons, vultures, pelicans, swallows and many, many others.
The amazing and unique Osa Peninsula has recently been named the most intense ecological place on the planet and is a haven for lovers of wildlife and marine life.
For most of the year this area is only accessible by small plane or boat. The ocean is temperate and teeming with life and large numbers of dolphins, whales, turtles, and many species of fish inhabit these waters. The area has a number of excellent eco lodges and activities such as whale and dolphin watching, snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking and fishing are available, as well as rainforest expeditions.
Costa Rica: Travelog
Travelog
COSTA RICA, where life is just one big hammock !
Well where do I start ? I have returned from the most amazing trip of my life – to one of the most beautiful countries I have ever visited …. unbelievable !
Fabulous spa hotel in the mountains above the city of San Jose; hip, funky surfer’s paradise called Tamarindo; fun flights in great little 6 seater planes landing on grass airfields in the middle of nowhere; staying on the edge of a fabulous lake in the middle of live volcanoes and sitting in fantastic hot springs that come straight from the volcano; negotiating a big 4WD vehicle around ‘Journey Stopper’ potholes in the road and single track wooden bridges; staying at a luxurious surreal hotel perched on the very top of a mountain in the rainforest and watching the sun setting over the ocean from an amphitheatre on the edge of the world…..
We spent a day at Xandari, a gorgeous spa hotel in the hills above San Jose, but only about 45 minutes from the airport. The spa had recently opened with its individual private tepee treatment rooms and a choice of treatments to die for.
A small plane from the domestic airport took us to Tamarindo on the northwest Pacific coast. Collected our 4-wheel drive and drove on to Casa Cook – the most delightful small set-up right on a glorious beach – miles of sand, beautiful water and gentle surf. A small village with a great atmosphere – relaxed, friendly and funky. Restaurants, coffee shop, street market, a hip evening hang-out playing great music and horses tethered to a palm tree waiting to be ridden down the beach in the evening sun.
Then a lovely drive to Casa Manana on the beautiful Lake Arenal, overlooked by towering mountains and a live volcano. Wonderful comfortable and homely house oozing character and individuality with the bonus of a delightful couple who act as cook/housekeeper and caretaker – Rosa and Jose, and of course a couple of the sweetest Costa Rican street dogs and cats – all of whom made us feel so welcome and at home. We drove around the lake, exclaiming at the glorious views, to the Tabacon, a spa in the foothills of the volcano with hot springs that come directly from the volcano. The pools are all different temperatures and we wallowed around, trying out each one.
The ocean was calling again and so the following morning we set out for the Pacific coast and the stunning Villa Caletas – one of the most highly rated hotels in Costa Rica, famous for its location, perched on top of a rainforest covered mountain with the best views of sunset that one could imagine. A night of pure luxury – a swim in an infinity edged pool on the edge of a mountain overlooking the ocean, a staggering sunset from a Doric columned amphitheatre, a delicious dinner and fantastic service. What a treat !
Then came a fantastic drive to another delightful hotel – the LookOut – which I loved! Unmade road through miles of oil palm plantations and ranches with horses everywhere – obviously in many places, the best way to travel.
And then off to Casa Punto Banco – a beach house practically on the border with Panama and the last private estate before an Indian Reservation and then the border! Another wonderful drive, much of it on unmade roads through arable land – wide open fields with floppy eared white cattle happily grazing alongside their egret friends, sleepy villages with pretty, colourful village cottages and larger tepee style houses.
Every so often another spectacular view would appear and we would stop and gaze at it, spellbound by the wildness and seemingly unending Pacific coastline. At one point we came to a wide, murky jungle river and the only way to cross was on an ancient steel ferry pulled across the crocodile infested river by an old system of wires and an elderly engine, which reluctantly fired into life. Eventually and with the help of excellent instructions, we arrived at Punto Banco and found the owner of the house and his caretaker with a horse and trailer waiting for us on the beach !
You can only get to this house at low tide as you have to leave the car and walk along the beach – no road, just a beach entrance ! The ultimate beach house, set in primary rainforest on the edge of the Pacific ocean.
Left the vehicle at Sierpe where there was a boat waiting for us to take us miles down the river to the river mouth and open sea (where it can be very tricky). We were lucky – the river mouth was fine and we had a great boat captain who just raced through the mangroves at high speed, avoiding floating roots and goodness knows what else with great skill and surfed into the open ocean with hardly a look back !
This was definitely one of the most exciting boat trips I have ever had (and I have had a few !). Sped on and came to the most beautiful bay, sandy beach, swaying palms and rainforest coming right down to the sea. Not a soul in sight and then suddenly people appeared from the rainforest to offload us and we were shown to our wooden hut in the jungle.
The next couple of days were spent on the ocean and it was utterly amazing ….we were extremely lucky as both days were fantastic but the second and last day was the best of all…we swam with dolphins and pilot whales (some 30′ long – huge !) We saw Pseudo Orcas, Spotted Dolphins, Bottlenose Dolphins and Sea Turtles.
When we were swimming with about 80 Pilot Whales and Bottlenose Dolphins we were about 30 miles out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with no land in sight – so exciting ! At one point, they were just a few feet away when we were in the water with them….another and wonderful world…..
