Costa Rica Travel Blog

The United Fruit Company discovered a number of unusual stone spheres while excavating fields in the Osa Peninsula during the 1930s. Now almost 500 spheres have been documented, ranging from the size of a baseball to some ranging over sixteen tons.  Nearly all of the spheres are made of the igneous rock- granodiorite  The quarry for the granodiorite was over fifty miles from where the spheres were actually discovered. The balls were most likely made by the ancestors of the indigenous people of the area between

the period of 200 BC and AD 800.  Made entirely by hand, the spheres are remarkably accurate in their dimensions. There were never any unfinished spheres found.  Now the mystical spheres grace the grounds of many Costa Rican official buildings, as well as acting as lawn ornaments all over the country. There is a considerable effort to preserve these national treasures.

Nearly all have been moved from their original locations and many were destroyed when the rumor of secret treasure was circulated during the 1940s.  There are many unanswered questions regarding the spherical stones- why and how they were made, what they symbolize, and how they were transported so far from the quarry area- no one may ever know the answer to any of these questions, but they add to the rich anthropological history of Costa Rica.

“Hola.  What’s the difference between the hot springs at the Arenal Volcano?  That’s a large price difference (Tabacon almost double Baldí)”

- Elaine

Hola Elaine,

Picking the right hot springs while up at the Arenal Volcano can be confusing with the several options available.  Tabacón, Baldí and Ecotermales are the three most visited and each of these options have their own pros and cons.  Some hotels, such as the Arenal Paraiso, Arenal Kioro and Royal Corin feature their own hot springs on site.  It seems like everyday new options are opening up, such as The Springs Resort.  For now, let me compare the three that I’ve visited personally:

Tabacón has the fame of being the best in the area and I must say the grounds are spectacular!  The Tabacon Hot Springs consists of many mineral baths and hot springs all fed by the Arenal Volcano.  The mineral baths stay at a median temperature of 102 degrees and are surrounded by beautiful gardens full of waterfalls and other natural beauty.  Acres of tropical gardens surround the soaking ponds making this one of the most beautiful places on earth.  The Tabacon River begins deep inside the Arenal volcano where it is heated to well over a hundred degrees before it exits at the base of the volcano.   This place if very popular and the price has grown exponentially over the years.  Despite the elevated price, availability has become limited for this busy times of year.

Baldi has very nice hot springs and I think it has more of a young, party atmosphere.  The Baldi Hot Springs offer a friendly and affordable alternative to Tabacon in a safe location.  This is an excellent choice for families or couples,  complete with 16 hot pools, 3 swim up bars, restaurant, spa and changing facilities – surrounded by beautiful tropical gardens.  The pools, fed by individual springs. range in temperatures and some are handicap friendly.  On a clear night you can view the massive Arenal Volcano with it’s impressive lava flows.

Ecotermales is the smallest of the three and does not allow walk ins.   They limit the amount of visitors to keep down the  crowds.  I think they have a nice, relaxing atmosphere – but there’s not too many different pools to choose from.  Availability may also be limited since only a small amount of people are allowed to visit the springs at a time.

Pura Vida,

–
Jason Bateman

If you have a question you want to ask us, contact us at: questions@tocostarica.net

The Hampton Inn is perfect and reliable. The people are nice and the place is clean. A+ all the way around for that place.  The next day we were picked up by Frank Chicas. That guy is good!! He also drove us from Puerto Viejo to San Jose and from the Hampton Inn to the airport the last day.  He gets you wherever you’re going in the least amount of time without ever scaring the hell out of you. I’m sure it’s hard to do both! He pays attention to his driving but he is also attentive and friendly to the passengers. That guy could drive us anywhere!! I’m not sure how or how much he gets paid but we tipped him well. He really seemed to appreciate it.

The Nature Air flight was perfect. I would fly them again. It was a no hassle check in, the Twin Otter is an awesome bird and the flight was quite enjoyable. We could have done without the long and obligatory stop in Sierpe on the way to Drake Bay. It might just have been because the Drake boat was broken down and they had to get someone else.

The Drake Bay resort is nice. We were about the only ones there. Herbert is a cool old dude and his wife and the rest of the staff is very nice too. The rooms were clean, the food was good and the tours offered were very reasonable, if not included. It’s a bit treacherous getting up their “dock”, but I guess there is nothing they can do about that. Victor, the boat driver, is a top notch boatman and very good fisherman as well. If you have anyone who wants to fish there, send them to Victor. (he is on staff at the resort) We fished in some seas that I never dreamt possible. Since we were wet all the time, the FREE laundry and boot drying service was very nice. We look forward to staying there again.

The rafting trip was fun and the crew from Exploradores is fantastic. They wear so many hats and do it quite well. They have fun joking with each other and the customers and really make it an enjoyable experience. The beach lunch they made for us atop one of the rafts was excellent. I would do that again with that group for sure. They were also very safety conscious and we never felt in danger. Their transportation/drivers were very good too.

Also while in Puerto Viejo, we went fishing on the Geronimo with a French guy who owns the boat. He isn’t much of a fisherman but we did see some Dolphins and his boat is nice. I’m not sure that I’d go back to PV other than to visit “my” sloth but Mike and Rich seemed to have a good time on rented bicycles, stopping at the chocolate places, then swimming off the calories (yeah, right). They said the National Park in Cahuita was somewhat underwhelming and that the trails were closed.

Sue Kempf(Oct 6-18,2008)

A lady at Azania was familiar with Aviarios del Caribe. That is the sloth rescue place. (Their address says it’s in Cahuita but it’s really in Penshurt.) We took a taxi there after we dropped our friends off at the National Park. The tour is $25 and includes a canoe ride around the grounds where we saw some wild sloths plus lots of other birds and reptiles. Once inside you see a video then go on a tour of adults and babies with a guide.

at the Sloth Rescue The guides are very informative, and while I thought I knew a lot about sloths, I found out a lot of what I know isn’t so. Even the guides at Corcovado gave us misinformation about them. One told us that over 200 species of insects live in their hair.  Not true, only the Sloth Moth lives in their hair. They eat the moss that grows in their hair. None of the sloths at the rescue center had moss or bugs in their hair. I’m not sure what I expected but I was pleasantly surprised by the facility. It is BIG and very clean. You’d expect a stinky place, at least, but there was absolutely no odors anywhere. All the cages and enclosures are spotless and the sloths seem very content to be there. We were able to meet the owners, Luis and Judy Arroyo. They are incredibly pleasant and dedicated folks. They were very appreciative when we adopted a sloth. You’d think we gave them a million dollars.

Three of their grandsons work there and it’s really neat to see a family work together like that. There are quite a few volunteers but they employee 14 people full time. If you ever have a chance, you should visit the place. I know you would enjoy it and learn a lot too. It’s SO cute when they take the babies out to poop.From what I understand, they have rooms available on the premises too.

A great experience!

Sue Kempf

Yesterday afternoon I drove north from Playa Hermosa to the Hilton Papagayo and from the first moment I was greeted with excellent service and have been amazed by this spectacular hotel.  I had visited this hotel several years ago, when it was known as the Fiesta Primier, but the recent remodelations have made this place world class.  I came here for the Guanacaste Marketplace, an event that takes place once a year to promote one of Costa Rica’s most popular tourist destination - the northern Pacific beaches of Guanacaste.  I checked into room 204, a bungalow with fantastic ocean views.  Everything has changed since my last visit, the amenities, the furniture and the Hilton’s emphasis on service is clearly evident.

The hotel is undergoing more changes, as of December 1st it converts from an all-inclusive resort to a “pay as you go” meal plan.  So believe me, I’m taking advantage of the food and drinks - as I will be one of the last to visit the Hilton Papagayo as an all-inclusive resort.   There’s live music here every night and yesterday the group of travel agents who are here taking part in the Guanacaste Marketplace all spent a few hours listen to the show, talking and sharing experiences under the stars.

I just took a tour of the resort with the Director of Marketing for the Hotel and I loved seeing the entire property.  Most of the resorts 100+ rooms are bungalow style, which I think provides guests with a high level of comfort and privacy.  The bungalows are surrounded by beautiful gardens, many have ocean views and as you drive through the property on a golf cart you get the feeling that you are in a small village - with all your cares and troubles miles away!  We then visit the hotel’s “Ocean View” room, which are located at the highest point on the hotel property.  Although personally I like the feel of the bungalows better, there is no denying that the view from the Ocean View rooms is one of the best of the Papagayo Gulf that I have seen.  Finally we visited the Hotel’s Junior Suites, and as soon as we walked into the room my jaw quickly dropped - incredible!  These rooms are larger, have a separate seating area, offer some of the best views on the property and have a private plunge pool on the terrace.  Truly luxurious and perfect for a honeymoon or romantic getaway.

The Spa Vida is incredible, located on a separate section of the hotel in front of another pool which is adults only - so it’s much quieter and private area.  The open air, ocean view massage rooms are fantastic and the prices are quiet reasonable.  One of their most popular treatments is called the “Ancestral Massage”, where warm volcanic stones are placed on your body - I’ve heard it’s very relaxing and am contemplating setting up one for myself this afternoon.  The modern gym, restaurants, pools, beach areas make this place a truly relaxing getaway.  So no more blogging for me, I’m off to enjoy!

Costa Rica is the best place if your are an adventure lover or if you are addicted to adrenaline,there is a sport call Bungee Jumping, Basically is about going to a big bridge and jumping off, but is a lot more then that!

The best bungee jumping in Costa Rica is at the bridge in the Naranjo  called Old Colorado River Bridge, about 1 1/2 hours from San Jose( Costa Rica’s capital).After you park the car in a real good typical Costa Rican food restaurant you’re ready for adventure.

You will start walking on this huge bridge that it is  265 feet high, which makes it one of the ten biggest bungee jumping bridges in America.Then there is an bilingual instructor telling you the basic steps to do it. A few minutes later you will be sitting on the ledge  just saying “What am I doing” and the guy will tell you “please turn around and walk in this side”. Once you’re on the edge you just need to put your toes in the limit and count 5.You will hear everybody saying “5, 4, 3, 2, 1, GO!!!!” you just feel how your body moves alone and a few more seconds you just feel this unique, great and amazing feeling of flying and freedom,  the weird part is that when you remember  how afraid you where before jumping you think that you will never do it again, but its the opposite, in the instant you leave  the bridge you just want to jump again.

I am an adventure guy who will try almost anything and the bungee jump that I did is one of the highlights of  my year.

Yesterday was so beautiful out that we decided to drive up to the Volcano at Irazu.  Located only 45 km from San Jose, it was just the right distance to travel.  The ride up to the volcano was amazing!  The views were spectacular and it was such a treat to see the real Costa Rica- the small villages, the dense, tropical landscape and the friendly people with their roadside stands.

It was such an amazing drive up to Irazu!  So very beautiful- the clouds floated above the forest and the temperature dropped about 15 degrees from the city.  There was almost no traffic and it was an easy drive- the roads were good all of the way up.  Every turn provided a new vista with an even more breathtaking view of the lush forest and fields or the beautiful city of Cartago.  The side of the road had dense foliage of large “elephant ear” type plants and tall pine trees.

Local farmers had set up on the roadside selling potatoes, onions, calla lilies, goat cheese and a variety of locally produced products.  We finally arrived at the entrance to Irazu and paid the entry fee- $10 for non residents and drove up to the parking lot and were instantly greeted by a group of friendly Pizote, also called the Coati which is a raccoon like animal.  They amused all of the visitors with their antics and were very friendly.  The Coati looks just like a raccoon except has a

longer snout and is longer and thinner than the animals that I am familiar with. They were enjoying the crowds and rummaging through the trash cans. The volcano was awesome!  It was hard to imagine the force that was required to create such an enormous hole.  Though chilly at the summit, it was invigorating to walk up to the edge of the volcano and peer down to the small lake at the bottom- yellow/green with sulfur.  This active volcano is the tallest in Costa Rica at nearly 3500 meters and provides amazing views.
The name Irazu comes from the local Indian village Istaru, which meant hill of trembling and thunder, which we were grateful wasn’t the case while we were there!  The whole area had an only moonscape feel to it- large “beaches” of a fine, black dusty sand and scarred rock walls where the blast ripped out the center of the mountain.

This was definitely a great day trip if you have part of the day to kill while you are in San Jose.  Close to the city and a beautiful drive- well worth the time!

Here you will be able to see the Irazu PHOTO GALLERY

“What type of money should we bring? Traveler’s Checks, cash, Debit cards, credit cards? We’ve heard conflicting advice.”

Mary Beth

Hola Mary Beth!

Thanks for your email! For money exchange, you should carry dollars (Bills of $20’s and $50’s) with you when you arrive in Costa Rica.  These bills need to be in nearly pristine condition, as most places will not accept them if they have even the smallest defect.  As the local currency is on a fixed devaluation schedule with the US dollar, you will most always get the best rate of exchange if you bring dollars.

About 80% of the vendors here in Costa Rica will accept US Dollars and Credit Cards (Visa and Mastercard). As far as travelers checks, you will find it difficult to use them with the local vendors as it takes about 30 days for the checks to clear here. If they do accept them be prepared to pay an exchange fee.

Also remember that most vendors will give discounts for using cash over credit cards as credit card merchant accounting companies charge high fees for processing credit card purchases here.

I think that your best bet is to bring US dollars for your initial arrival and then depend on ATM’s, check cards, and credit cards.
Pura Vida,

Jason Bateman

If you have a question you want to ask us, contact us at: questions@tocostarica.net

“Is the hotel stay in San Jose at both ends of the trip standard, or did I tell you that we would arrive late the first day and leave early the last day? “

-Warren

Hola Warren!

Costa Rica is a small country, but it’s rugged terrain and the poor condition of the roads makes getting from one place to another time consuming and sometimes difficult. If you were to book a flight into San Jose arriving in the late afternoon, you are most likely going to want to stay in the city the first night.  It takes about 3 1/2 hours to get to the Arenal Volcano from the airport, and after a long international flight that may be tiring. Manuel is even farther - a land transfer to this popular beach can take up to 5 hours!  I think that perhaps it is best to relax that first night and then we can set up a transfer to the volcano or the beach first thing in the morning.  The first night, if time permits, you may want to set up a private city tour with one of our bilingual drivers.  This way you can see the sights of San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital, perhaps go out to a nice restaurant for dinner and get a good night’s sleep before starting your adventure the following morning.

Picking the right transportation option can help you get the most out of you time in Costa Rica.  Many people head to the Arenal Volcano for their first few days as they prefer to end their trip at the beach. There are a couple of interested Transfer/Tours you can do on the way.   You could make a stop at the La Paz Waterfall Gardens for lunch and see 5 of the largest waterfalls in the country, here you’ll also find one of the largest butterfly gardens in the world.  You could also go white water rafting and they would drop you off at the volcano after the tour.  Other popular options are to stop at the Poas Volcano, which is one of the largest craters in the world or a coffee plantation.  These transfer/tours give you a chance to stretch your legs mid trip and visit an interesting attraction on the way to the Arenal Volcano.

On your final day, you may choose to take a domestic flight back to San José to connect with your international flight home.  This way you can avoid spending the final night in the capital and you get an extra day at the beach.  Domestic flights with Nature Air are relatively inexpensive and they save you a lot of time compared to the land transfers.  For example, a flight back to San Jose from Manuel Antonio takes you just 25 minutes!  The panoramic windows that Nature Air offers allow for incredible vistas and give you a perspective of Costa Rica like never before!  We suggest that you get to the international airport 3 hours before your flight home, so when booking flights try to pick one that leaves as late as possible on your final day.

Pura Vida,

Jason Bateman

If you have a question you want to ask us, contact us at: questions@tocostarica.net

Just outside of San Jose lies the Lankester Botanic Gardens(Official Site) - a place where you can spend a day outside and learn about the incredible variety of plants and orchids found in Costa Rica.  Make a stop at the country’s most famous church, the  “Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles” as you drive through Cartago on your way to this truly exceptional place.

The Lankester Botanic Gardens or Jardin Botanico Lankester was founded in 1973 and is part of the University of Costa Rica(Site in Spanish).  The mission of the gardens is to promote the conservation and sustainable usage of the epiphytic flora of the region.  They use scientific research, environmental education and various horticulture methods to achieve their goals of conservation.  Though officially started in 1973, the Gardens date back to the 1940’s when famed British horticulturist and orchid specialist, Charles
H. Lankester became interested in the native plants of Costa Rica.  He collaborated with the prominent orchidologists of the time and established a private research garden on his farm just outside of San Jose.  After his death, the magnitude of his project became apparent and the American Orchid Society and the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust combined efforts in an attempt to save the important work that he had done- the result is the Lankester Botanic Gardens.  The Gardens have the reputation of being among
the most important botanical institutions in Central America.

The Gardens occupy an area of over 27 acres and host over 3000 types of plants. Internationally recognized for the study of tropical epiphytic plants, with a special interest in orchids, the Lankester carefully and
thoroughly inventories and compiles database information that will be valuable for generations to come.

Lankester Botanic Gardens is open nearly every day of the year, closing only for Christmas, Good Friday and New Year’s Day.  The Gardens offer good accessibility for wheelchairs and is reasonably priced for all visitors. With most of the facilities out of doors, it is important to remember to wear comfortable shoes and rainwear during the green season.