Costa Rica's Top Five Tourists Destinations

Having lived in Costa Rica and traveled extensively I can tell you about these most beautiful and exotic places in Costa Rica, starting with the top five.

Beginning on the eastern Caribbean side of Costa Rica there is the Tortuguero National Park and the Tortuguero Canals.  Then  further south on the Caribbean side is Cahuita and Puerto Viejo for the more laid back beach lovers.

2.In the central valley of San Jose and Alajuela is the Poas Volcano National Park and Four Generations Coffee Tour.

3.Continue traveling into north central Costa Rica and you will find the Arenal Volcano National Park and surrounding hot springs resorts

4. Then the beaches of NW Pacific Guanacaste..so many of them and so beautiful!

5. The south Pacific offers Corcovado National Park, bordering the deep blue Pacific Ocean with it's sandy beaches, this is a pristine primary rain forest filled with exotic birds and animals.

If you have questions about any one of these great destinations and learn why I picked these five, please email me.  Go to the home page, then to top of the page and click on Contact Us.  There you will find my email address.

The above photo is Poas Volcano National Park in the central valley of Costa rica.

Did You Know, Costa Rica's Beaches Belong to It's People

[caption id="attachment_3801" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Quiet  beach but at Easter time it is filled with Costa Ricans with tents and hammocks"][/caption]

Yes, all the beaches in Costa Rica belong to the people of Costa Rica.  No hotel can claim that you cannot access a certain beach because it is their property.

Building is not allowed on the beaches  50 meters from high tide.

Especially at holidays such as Christmas, New Years, and Easter you will find the beaches very crowded with Costa Ricans in tents.  They will bring a cooler, barbecue grill, guitar, and of course all the family including even the babies. They swing hammocks up between the palm trees and have  a great time visiting with each other and enjoying the sun and surf.

The night brings strumming and singing, bonfires, and Costa Rica's great beer, Imperial.

It's wonderful to see these people having so much fun, living the simple life.  Not spending a lot of money but having as much or more fun than those staying in a five star hotel.

Costa Rica, A Country filled With Natural Phenomenons including Four Active Volcanoes!

Costa Rica is a very small country about the size of the state of West Virginia in the USA.  It has a mountain range that runs right now thru the middle of the country from the north to the southern tip.  Located within this range are four active volcanoes.  Starting from the north is the mighty Arenal Volcano which huffs and puffs all day long shooting fire and hot rocks from its summit.  It is a big draw for tourism to the area.

Near the central valley of Costa Rica is the Irazu Volcano . The capital city of San Jose sits in it's shadow.  It had a major eruption in 1963 when it covered the central valley, esp San Jose in a blanket of ash.  At this moment it is quiet.  It is also a big tourist attraction and an easy day trip  from San Jose .

East of San Jose is the Turrialba Volcano which lately has been spraying ash for miles around its base.  It is off the beaten path and not many tourist go there because it is not easy to get to.

The there is the Poas Volcano, the volcano which draws the most tourist as well as Costa Rica visitors.  It is only one hour from San Jose by car and the drive up to is is just gorgeous.  Coffee plantations dot the sides of the mountains and dairy cows are seen grazing the deep green grass in the higher altitudes.  Lately it has been quite active spraying hot water and gasses high into the sky, almost one kilometer.

Costa Rica is a country filled with natural phenomenons.  Volcano eruptions, earthquakes, floods, but luckily Costa Rica does not get hurricanes.  If you would like to see the big eruption of 1958 of the Poas Volcano on video you can do just that.  Go to the top of our home page and click on "buy our video"  Also you will see on the video the mighty Arenal Volcano is action, as well as the Poas Volcano.

[caption id="attachment_3791" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Ken and Ann at the Poas Volcano"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3794" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Areanl Volcano in the late afternoon with it's perfect cone"][/caption]