Vacationing in Costa Rica

When you’re seeking an exotic spot to vacation or honeymoon Costa Rica is a beautiful country located in Central America nestled between Nicaragua and Panama and is just a few square miles smaller than West Virginia. According to reports done on this country you can find the beauty and tranquility in one small little place with a huge appreciation for life and the pursuit of relaxation.

Covering just less than 0.1% of the Earth’s land mass and is home to 5% of the world’s biodiversity. There are 26 national parks and protected areas spread out across the country. Costa Rica offers a lot of great ocean views since it’s got the Pacific Ocean to the West and the Caribbean Sea to the East so those who want to catch a wave can stay in hotels along the Pacific Ocean side and those who want that tranquil island breeze can stay on the Caribbean Sea side.

There’s so much you can do while on a Costa Rican vacation and the activities are endless where you can do like looking at the rare wildlife like macaws, leatherback turtles, morpho butterflies, and the central American squirrel monkey. They offer tours of the rainforests there and even jungle safaris. You can also get an opportunity to see migrating whales, various dolphin species, sea turtles, and manatees when they migrate through the area at specific times of the year.

There are 3 volcanoes in the country and you can view one of them that’s currently active and that’s the Arenal, which is located in the northern part of the country, the other two are just to the midpoint and southern end of the country. Many people also love to go soak in the hot springs near the volcano.

Much of the most lush and beautiful plant life is near the volcanoes because of the ashes it gives off actually works as a fertilizer since the lava had burned away old plants giving new growth nutrient rich soil to grow from. Many people come from far and wide to spend a few days basking in the sun and taking in some of the culture and language since Costa Rica’s national language is Spanish. The best time to visit Costa Rica is between December and April which is the period of the dry season and May through November when they go through the rainy season.

Usually it’s best to visit when the weather isn’t very hot and humid since Central America is only mere miles from the equator, which borders the northern end of South America.

Tourists should be aware of all natural disasters and who they tour the country with because if you don’t know the area or language you’re stuck and many Americans have gone missing in foreign lands because they go off with people they don’t know very well so to make your trip a memorable experience to do your homework thoroughly before you plan a trip to Costa Rica so you know all the important details of how long you’re staying and where you’ll be staying at in terms of hotels or resorts.

Costa Rican Vacation Packages

Most of the tour companies and even the major airlines have packages tourists can look through brochures and pick out a tour package that fits their budget since many run someone back around $1500-2000 for the average 5 to 7 day tours and a little more if you’re doing the full 10-14 day tours.

You can Google up Costa Rican vacations and you’ll pull up countless tour companies that offer everything from student to specialized tours for people with disabilities. There’s a package for everyone and the budgets they wish to spend since some people want to keep it simple and some want it to be elaborate. Most of the tours usually feature tours of ancient ruins of Costa Rican indigenous people.

Always go for tour companies that are experienced and know everything from A to Z about Costa Rica. Inexperienced tour companies are not up to par with issues that many tourists ask questions about such as the full cost of an actual tour and any other information pertinent to you booking or otherwise.

You want to get the most out of your money when booking a vacation package and make sure that what is stated in the literature matches what you see because those who book with companies that don’t have a good reputation should be aware and it’s ideal to check them out through consumer protection websites to see if they’re accused of pricing unfairly or misrepresenting something in their literature about the tour(s) they’re advertising. Many companies even allow tourists to design their own packages by giving them a choice of different things to mix and match and come up with a price that’s satisfactory to the customer’s budget needs.

A good solid package if someone’s on a limited budget between $490-900 for 3-5 days, or if someone’s wanting an elaborate type of tour package of 10-15 days could spring up $3500-5000 depending on what the tourist puts in their package which determines the cost of the trip in total.

Most packages include your airfare, meals, and hotel costs, and all gratuities (tips), but some of them don’t include airfare or meals or hotel costs so it’s important to research this before you put a down payment on the trip. It’s cheaper to do packages because if you had to cover the cost of airfare, meals, and hotel stay separately you would be looking a lot of money.

This is why packages are important to tourists, so they can get more out of their money and not have to spend more than they are wanting to do just to have a vacation that’s relaxing and fun. Investigate all travel companies and agents through word of mouth if you know anyone who’s used them for a vacation tour package and the major airlines have a travel bureau.

That you can look at since many travelers who use the same airline can rely on their carriers information, but the only downside is that they don’t provide extra details such as issues with personal and public security, and knowing how to convert currency. Travelers are advised to consult with the Costa Rican consulate for any information surrounding security and conversion of currency so you’re getting the right and correct information.

Costa Rica, Spas and Retreats

If your goal is to escape cigarettes, whisky and wild, wild women, then you might consider the benefits of a Costa Rican Vacation that is a Spa or Retreat.  There are those of us that cannot just vacation, we have to have more meaning in our adventure.  In this case, instead of getting away from it all, you are getting to it all.  It seems the result is the same you get to relax and unwind.

I found many, many yoga and meditation retreats so I will just try to tell you about the ones that stand out.  I encourage you to do your own search

Pancha Mama
Pancha Mama means Mother Earth in Spanish and if you are a time-warped hippie that had a go around with communes this is gonna ring your bell.  Pancho Mama is referred to as a Spiritual Eco Village.  The fees are extremely reasonable, if I read their fee chart correctly.  A number is listed with no digits behind it so I am relatively sure these are the rates.  For a tent it is $12.00 for a single and $20.00 for a double.  For a House it is $28 for a single and $50 for a double. 

Offered are lessons in yoga, meditation, tai chi, surfing and horseback riding.  This is also a total vegetarian cuisine and the meals approximately $4.00 a piece with children’s meals costing a mere 1-2 dollars.

Luna Lodge
Lana Wedmore has worked in the tourist service industry for years and her final destination for her own Lodge is the Osa Peninsula in the southern region of Costa Rica.  Her rates are not cheap but they are competitive with the larger hotels and she has included a Wellness Center where you can learn or practice Yoga, Tai Chi, Reiki, or massage.  The buildings are beautiful and in harmony the ocean and jungle that surround it.  Her rates run from $125 – $200.

Tree Houses Hotel
I didn’t see any ads for yoga or massage but I did see info on the Hot Springs.  That’s gotta be healthy.  So, here is another unusual way to spend your holiday…. in a tree house.  Mind you, these tree houses have full bathrooms with tubs and they have Air Conditioning.  You have got to at least visit the website, the rooms are very cool.  The rates run $75 -$85 per night.

Costa Rica Quilting Retreat
I can’t imagine making quilts in the jungle, but if there are any enthusiasts out there, this is your lucky day.  Bungalows are offered in a private gated community.  The Main building has a swimming pool and they have BBQ’s out by the pool.  The fee for this is $925 for the B&B arrangement in the main house, or you can pay $950 for a cottage. With only the $25 extra for the cottage, I would take the cottage

In Conclusion. I have found that most of the spas or retreats are very spendy, and atmosphere is the largest offering.   They do many weddings in Costa Rica and the luxury Hotel/Spa experience is the fancy pampering newlyweds enjoy.  I have listed retreats that are a bit less expensive and more individualized than the normal offering. 

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