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Canopy Tours, Butterfly gardens, Monteverde tour (Rain Cloud Forest), Rain Forest Hikes, Arenal Volcano, Tobacón Hot Springs, Manuel Antonio National Park, etc. There are lots of side tours available. Ask around, check the WEB and guide book resources for ideas.
Tobacón Hot Springs near Arenal Volcano
Monteverde – Santa Elena Area- Personally
I think the road in is a government ploy to make the other terrible roads in
Costa Rica seem well maintained. All
they say is true, a 35 Kilometers trip and I got out of 1st gear
maybe four times, a real 4x4 driving challenge.
Monteverde Cloud Forest
Preserve-
So you endured the drive and the slightly overpriced services so don’t
holdback now, go for the guided tour.
Admission is $13 and the guide is $15 per person. And don’t be put off by the guide tour
included 20-minute slide show, as unlike some, it’s a good introduction to the
preserve. The guide and his spotting
telescope will enable you to see wildlife that you would otherwise miss. Arrive early in the morning to maximize the
chances to see wildlife and then have the option to set out on your own later
as we did. The trails for the guided
tour are well maintained but the preserve includes adventures for all. After the guided tour our tour guide
suggested a further safe (?) route. I
had mapped out another route I was interested in. His response was “you could also do that” which I can now
translate was Tico for “Crazy Gringos sometimes do that”. We got the full slipping on mud holding on
to thorned tree roots to avoid the 300-foot fall down to the river canyon
bottom experience. After a shower and
few drinks it even seems like fun as I survived to write this. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger;
next time I’ll trust the guide that can find a humming bird nest at 100 paces
with his bear eyes.
Monteverde Skywalk- Don’t miss this one pictured above, a bargain at $15
p/p! It’s sort of an adult zip line
tour that you can savor. Situated on a
private cloud forest reserve of 550 acres this series of stairs, paths and
suspension bridges allow you to explore the cloud forest flora and fauna at eye
level with the canopy. The slightly
scary trek starts with a wind blown 70 ft vertical ascension up an open spiral
staircase. The total length of the walk
is 2.5 km, which crosses 6 suspension bridges, the most impressive being 900 ft
long and 150 feet high. Come early,
walk slowly and quietly to maximize the chance of seeing wildlife. http://www.skywalk.co.cr/eng/index.html
An up close look at a coffee field as part of a Poás Volcano tour package
http://www.costaricainfo.com/tours/poaseng/poaseng.html
Zoo Ave- is 10 min from the International Airport La Garita, Alajuela. This worthwhile zoo features a large display of birds and animals and also functions as a wildlife rescue and breeding center. www.zooave.org
Panama: Bocas Del Toro Explore a second Central American country on your trip, it’s just a short Air Panama flight away from San Jose. Nearly 100% of your local transportation will be by boat or water taxi as you explore this laid back cluster of Caribbean islands. http://www.moon.com/planner/panama/regions/bocasdeltoro.html
Las
Brisas del Mar beachfront vacation condo for rent in Playa Junquillal,
Guanacaste, Costa Rica !
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rights reserved 2003-2008 Tiempo de Playa S.A. (Translation: Beach Time Inc.)
