Chubascos Restaurant on Road to Poas Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Hummingbird at Chubasco's restaurant Costa Rica

Chubascos Restaurant on Road to Poas Volcano, Costa Rica

Looking for a good place to eat on your day outing to the Poas Volcano National Park in Costa Rica?   I can recommend Chubascos  , a lovely open air rustic small restaurant located approximately 5 miles south coming down the mountain from  the park.  It is family run and has been in business in the same location for more than fifteen years.  The menu is typical Costa Rican food with lots of fresh strawberry treats, including a fresas in leche (strawberry in milk)   The strawberries are grown in the region close to Chubascos.  I ordered a "casada" which is the plate of the day which  came with fried plantains, peccadillo de potatoes, shredded beef, small salad made of cabbage,  and home made tortillas.  Everything was very tasty.    I had cheesecake with fresh strawberry topping for desert.  My bill was $18 which included the 13% tax and 10% tip for the waiter.

The setting of the restaurant is open air surrounded by alpine forest  and since the elevation is around 6,000 feet above sea level, the air is fresh and very cool.  The gardens are lush and green with hummingbird garden.

The menu is extensive and although the prices are higher than other restaurants in the area, the food is excellent and the atmosphere is memorable.

Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel located on banks of Rio Celeste (Blue River) Hotel Review

A TRUE HIDEAWAY!

Hotel Review by Ann, "The Costa Rica Expert"  The Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel -Luxury in the Jungle located on the banks of the Rio Celeste (Blue River) in NorthCentral  Costa Rica.

If you are looking for rest and tranquility in a beautiful tropical setting, this exactly what you will find at the Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel.  Once you get settled in you won’t want to leave.

We spent three days there in the month of July and we felt we could have stayed longer.
tThe   such as free internet access in the dining room and  lounge  (not inside the rooms)  Cable TV and DVD player in each room.  Plus numerous good movies you can check out at the front desk.   Phones in each room for local calls within Costa Rica.  And even a phone in the lobby where you can call the USA free.

The accommodations are luxury bungalow style and very spacious.  Each bungalow has a jacuzzi  tub in the bathroom  as well a fun outdoor shower set in a tropical garden.   Flowering  plants,  ruby red ginger and  lavender bougainvillea are everywhere-”a feast for sore eyes”

Each room has a fully stocked mini bar.

The  large swimming pool has two hot tubs plus a swim up bar.

The lunch and dinner is served in an open air dining room surround with lush green tropical vegetation.  The menu is gourmet  and not overly priced.  Lunch is around $12 and dinner is around $15-$20  per person  without alcoholic beverages.  The service was excellent.

A lovely breakfast comes with the price of the rooms:  Fresh fruit, homemade breads, fresh jams and jelly made from tropical fruits grown in the region, Costa Rican Coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice.   And all this is served in the  open air dining room where you can hear all the sounds of nature.  We sat leisurely each morning listening to the symphony of bird sounds and around 8:30 am  we took a walk down the path carved out by the hotel gardeners to the banks of the Rio Celeste.  (Blue River)  And Yes, it really is blue.  Seems that it picks up sulfur as it meanders out of the base of the Tenorio Volcano, and the sunlight shining  thru the clear sulfuric water  gives it the  sky blue color.
You can also enter the Tenorio Volcano (inactive)  National Park  which is near by and hike to the  Rio Celeste waterfall and swim in the blue waters.  However this is not an easy hike and takes about two hours.  So just remember you need to be in good shape and have good tennis or hiking boots.  (and a change of clothes if you wish to swim in the waterfall.

It rains a lot in this region, main reason why everything is so lush and green.  So which  months are the best to visit the Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel?  Least amount of rain is January thru March however during the other months the sound of the rain is soothing to many people.  Best thing is to get up very early and do the hikes when the sun is brightly shining and then settle in for an afternoon of swimming in the pool or just resting-watch a movie or read a book.

Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel offers several day  tours in the region- which are listed on their web site and of course you have to pay extra for these,  And you can pay with a major credit card.

So what would I recommend after having spent 3 nights  here?  I would say the minimum stay would be 3 nights    It is a destination itself.  Place to relax, unwind, be pampered,  Massage  is available by appointment.
And if you like -- take some of the adventure day tours.  After being here one day you forget about the real world outside and settle into the natural surroundings.  The name Hideaway suits it well--you feel like you have "hidden-away."

Getting to the lodge is an adventure itself.  The last 15 miles is a very bumpy rocky road.

Which airport should I fly into?  If you are staying in the Northwest -North Central part of Costa Rica  (where  the Rio Celeste Hideaway Lodge is located)  then the Liberia International Airport, located in the northern Guanacaste zone of Costa Rica.    It’s about 3 hours by minibus or 4x4 to the Rio Celeste Hideaway Lodge.
I wouldn’t try to drive there  in a regular automobile.  The last part of the road to the Hotel is dirt-rocky and bumpy.

If you have other activities in the Central Valley of San Jose and Alajuela area you should  fly into the San Joe International Airport.  But the journey to the Lodge from these areas is a long one.  (around 5-6 hours)  And quite pricey if you hire transportation.    If you are renting a car,  first drive to La Fortuna going thru San Ramon.  From there follow the directions to Rio Celeste Hideaway Lodge on the hotel’s web site.

Read more  about the unique Rio Celeste Hideaway Lodge   www.riocelestehideaway.com   There you will see prices and room accommodations

Read more about Tenorio Volcano National Park  www.costarica-nationalparks.com/tenorionationalpark.html

Beautiful photos of Rio Celeste  www.ruralcostarica.com/photos4.html

Cost of Living in Costa Rica in 2011

Costa Rica used to be an inexpensive place to live but not anymore.  This in June 2011 and the cost of one gallon of super gasoline is  $5.66.   This year the dollar has weakened.  The exchange rate went from 580 colones to the dollar to 498 colones to the dollar.  A loss of 82 colones per dollar.  A devaluation of 14%.

I asked my accountant why.  His explanation is in 2011 there has been a huge influx of dollars into the Costa Rican economy..

Then why would anyone from the North America want to retire in Costa Rica?   Well, that is a good question.  The over all cost of living here is not lower than most locations in the US.  But the wonderful climate with the sunshine may be one factor  to keep the North Americans who are already retired here...and the green green that one sees everywhere in Costa Rica is definitely a mood elevator.

However there are other  considerations: many of the major road systems in Costa Rica are in poor repair.  And the cost of the upkeep of an automobile is very high..cost tires, cost of wear and tear caused by the many potholes.  And the rainy season gets long and dreary.

The cost of food is expensive now.  One gallon of milk $3.80   One gallon regular gas $5.66  One loaf of bread $2.25  one pound of butter $4.00  I dozen eggs $2.40

One pound of sugar 60 cents

The two main things that most Costa Ricas eat are rice and beans which still remain affordable.

Chicken with its bones is $3 pound.   Good ground beef is $3 pound

Fresh fruits and vegetables can be purchased at very reasonable prices at the  week end farmers market located in most towns.

Costa Rica's New 2,000 colon bill Feathers A Shark Photo

Costa Rica's newly printed 2,000 colon bill feathers a beautiful shark.  Wonder which government official  is responsible for a shark being chosen?  Must have been someone who loves wildlife and wants to protect sharks  instead of  allowing for them to be killed and their fins being sold to Asia to be used in shark fin soup.

Hopefully this  shark photo will raise awareness of  the importance of protection of these beautiful creatures.

Costa Rica's Sharks

Are there  sharks in Costa Rica's waters.   The answer is yes.  Are they in danger?  The answer is yes!  Shark fining is going on  off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.  And why is this allowed?  The government of Costa Rica turns a blind eye to this horrific practice.    Shark fins bring big money in Asia where they are used in Shark Fin Soup.

Costa Rica passed a law that the shark was not to be dumped back into the ocean after it's fins had been removed......very far from a law banning shark fining.

Costa Rica is home to over 50 species of sharks.  Tiger  sharks, bull sharks, and reef sharks are the most common.  But attacks on humans are very infrequent.  Scientist believe that if a shark attacks a human it is because the shark thinks the human is a fish    (food)

The great white shark does not make its home in  the warm ocean waters of Costa Rican.  They prefer the cooler Pacific Ocean currents further north.

The masterpiece of Aquatic engineering  is the hammerhead shark found in the waters surrounding Coco Island, Costa Rica.   The hammerhead shark has very large eyes positioned upon its flat "hammerhead".  The shark can see both above and below at all times.  They travel during the day in schools of 100 sharks or more but at night they are lone hunters.

The Costa Rican Government recently printed new money.  The new 2,000 colone bill  (about $4 )  has a photo of a beautiful shark.  But what does Costa Rica do to SAVE  the sharks?