Greencoast.com A great web site for information on the Southern Caribbean Regions of Costa Rica

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I'd like to tell you about a great web site greencoast.com   This is known as the greencoast.com network and is dedicated to Eco tourism in the canton of Talamanca on the southern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.  This area is very much off the beaten path and tourist do not know a lot about it.  The coastline communities of the Talamanca are Puerto Viejo, Cocles, Punta Uva, Playa Chiquita, and Manzanillo.  It is a wonderful areas filled with diverse cultures and natural beauty. There are  rain forest , wildlife refuges, and beautiful beaches  Then there is the  mixture of  peoples,  the indigenous tribes,  the Afro-Caribbean people,  and all the others..North Americans, Europeans, and  Latins. This diverse culture is reflected in the food and in the music.

This greencoast network is unique in that it it makes every effort to include only responsible , green, and community based businesses. and included are some of the true pioneers of  eco tourism tourism in this area.  And the greencoast network hopes  that your visit will  be more complete by giving you the opportunity to involve yourself more directly with the community on a personal basis.

Here you can find tour operators, accomodations,  and natural attractions of the southern Caribbean regions of Costa Rica    www.greencoast.com

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Refuge National de Vida Silvestre Gandoca Manzanillo , on Costa Rica's Southern Caribbean Coast

The  Refuge National de Vida Silvestre Gandoca Manzanillo is a remote and exotic destination in Costa Rica, very much off the beaten path.  If you want a unique experience in a very diverse ecosystem, then this is the place for you!  Located on Costa Rica’s southern most Caribbean coastline, it covers 12,000 acres  consisting of  low land rain forest,  endangered swamps,  unique ecosystems and  farmland,  protecting 70% of the southern Caribbean coast.   Also protecting  10,950 marine acres,  home to one of Costa Rica’s two live coral reefs.

Created in 1985 the refuge  has a unique feather in that it allows local communities to continue to live within the park.

South of Puerto Viejo we come to the Cocles River.  Here is where Refuge National de Vida Silvestre Gandoca Manzanillo  begins and continues south to the Sixola River, at the Panamanian border.

What is the main attraction?  Well, there are many but the most famous is the park’s coastline lined with fine, beige-white sand beaches and aquamarine waters, where you will see swimmers as well as surfers.  However, beware of the riptides  (undertows)   Ask the locals before entering the water or ask where the calm waters for swimming are located.

What if I want to go snorkeling or scuba diving?  Yes, there is spectacular beauty under the water, located only about 200 meters off shore!   Especially February through April when there is less river silt run off.  There are so many different species of coral and sponges, algae, and mollusk.  Plus sea cucumbers and  Venus sea fans.  Most popular area for snorkeling is Punta Mona but you need to hire a boat ,  the distance is too far to walk.  If you decide to snorkel on you own be very careful of the riptides! To get a diving excursion check with the Coral Reef information center  (Aquamor Talamanca Adventures)   2 759 0612  www.greencoast.com/aquamor.htm

The Gandoca Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge  was formed to protect many living things. 1. lowland  rain forest, home to the many species of birds and animals  found here.  In the months of November and December you can see millions of migratory birds flying over head.  2. quiet swamps and  988 acres of marshlands  are home to  Costa Rica’s  sajo tree and the holio palm. (no other place in Costa Rica do you find these trees).  3.  the red mangroves,  found only in this spot in Costa Rica. They provide protection to a natural oyster bed, and is the only intact mangrove swamp on the Atlantic.  4. on the south side of the refuge, the Gandoca River Estuary is home to spawning Atlantic  tarpon and West Indian manatees, as well as crocodiles.

The green sea turtle and the leatherback sea turtle nest here during the months of March to July with a peak in April and May.

Inland , rolling farmland blends into dense lowland rain forest. We can see white face monkeys. howler monkeys, two and three toed sloths,  and iguanas.

Highly recommended to see the most variety of plants and animals as well as marine life in Costa Rica!  Hire a naturalist guide to get the best experience.

How to Get There? Go east from San Jose to the city of Limon.  Before entering the city you will turn south to Cahuita, then Puerto Vieja, then Manzanillo.  The park is located 7 miles (12 km) south of Puerto Viejo.  And it is not very accessible.  Many of the roads that lead to the park are dirt and gravel.  The sign are not very good so just stop and ask if you feel lost.

The  refuge encompasses three small villages Punt Uva,  Punta Mona, Home Creek, and Manzanillo.

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Weather in southern Caribbean coast Hot and humid.  Rains a lot here.  Driest months are September, October, and March.  But it is hard to predict the rain.

If you rent a car to get to Gandoca Manzanillo National Wildlife Reserve,  it should be a 4x4.

You can take a public bus direct, from the San Jose public bus station Caribe or  Caribbean.   Taxi drivers in San Jose will know how to drive you there. Takes around 4 hours.

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Choosing a Rental Car Agency in Costa Rica

Costa Rica car rental agencies are numerous,  So you ask,  how do I choose the right one for me?

First, go on the Internet and find the names of  some of the agencies.  After thoroughly reading their Internet sight, call the 800 toll free number and talk to a sales representative.  Look for courtesy and knowledge of their products. Check out at least three different agencies.

Reserve your vehicle before departing from your home country.

1. First, ask do you have any specials?

2. Is the vehicle straight shift or automatic, does it have radio, and air conditioning.

3. How old is the vehicle.  Should ask for the newest one they have..should not rent  a vehicle that is more than  2-3 years.

4. If you plan to pick up in one area and drop off in another, ask for the cost of the drop off fee.

5. Ask if they will deliver the car to your hotel and pick it up at your  hotel.  Most of the agencies offer this service.

6. Ask where they are located.  Most agencies are located across the street from the San Jose International Airport.   Many of the agencies also have offices at the Liberia International Airport.   Additionally, some agencies have offices in the major tourism destinations around Costa Rica.   Including the Osa Penninsula.

7. If you want to rent a mini van.  I found that Toyota Rental Car Agency rents Toyota mini vans in two different sizes,  one is a ten passenger and the other one is larger.  They will even provide a driver at extra cost.  However,  the sales person told me that the insurance purchased through a major credit card in your home country does not cover mini vans.  I suggest that you double check this with  your credit card company.

8. Do I need to rent a 4x4?  If you are going outside the valley of San Jose ,  Alajuela,  Grecia,  and Atenas.  Then yes you need a 4x4 because of the condition of the roads.

9. Most of the car rental agencies offer to rent  1. cell phones   2. baby seats  (required by law in Costa Rica)  GPS .  You can obtain a good road map from the agency so you may not  need a GPS.

10.  Insurance-is the most confusing part of renting the car.  Please refer to my previous article on renting a car in Costa Rica.  Look at my categories and you will see " Renting a Car In Costa Rica Saving Time and Money"   Here you will find valuable information on how to save money on insurance when you rent the car

Observe all traffic laws.  Breaking any traffic law carries a very large monetary fine.  Yes, it's  hundreds of dollars and driving while under influence of alcohol  can carry a jail sentence.

Speed  limits are in kilometers.  Major highways  is 60 km to 80 km     Within  City limits are  40 km    school districts 15-20 km and the children are usually all out in the street when school is opening and closing so observe this and go slow!

Costa Ricans generally are aggressive drivers and some drive recklessly.

Here at costaricalearn.com we would love to hear if you have had a good experience with a car rental agency in Costa Rica so we can share it with our readers.  At the end of this article simply click on comment or reply.

For the Tourist: What to see and do in and around Cartago, Costa Rica

If you are a tourist and want to get "off the beaten path in Costa Rica, visit the very interesting city of Cartago,  the last remaining original Spanish settlement.   You can drive a rental car from San Jose,  it's only 15 miles (around 25 km) east of San Jose and the road is good. Easy to find on a Costa Rica map provided by the rental car company.

Not to be missed is the most holy shrine in Costa Rica, the Basilica de Nuestra Senora de los Angeles. Take a look at my previous article titled  Cartago, the Oldest Existing Spanish Settlement in Costa Rica.   I talk a lot about the Basilica and have included  a photo of this magnificent structure.  It is a Catholic Basilica.

[caption id="attachment_2076" align="alignleft" width="137" caption=""Ruins" Iglesia del Convento, downtown Cartago"][/caption]

Walking  to downtown Cartago, a short distance from the Basilica,  you will see the "ruins" or remaining walls of the Iglesia del Convento.  This was built by the Spaniards in 1575 as a shrine to St James the Apostle, and was partially destroyed in the 1910 earthquake.

There are two local  small museums worth visiting which give an insight into Costa Rica's pre Colombian cultures.  First is the Elias Leiva Museum of Ethnography which houses very interesting historical artifacts.  Located at Calle 3 between Avenues 3 and 5  and is open 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. Monday thorough Friday. May be closed on holidays, So please check   Phone  2 551 0895.

The second museum is the Kirieti Indian History Museum located 6 km southwest of Cartago in Tobosi. 2 573 7113.  Open 10 am until 4 pm Monday through Friday.  Call first to make sure they are open since it is a small museum.

There are several small hotels  in Cartago.  Such as the Hotel Dinastia  at Calle 3  US $13- $16.  phone 2 551 7057.   This is an older hotel and the rooms show age but it does have hot water in the private baths.  Another is Los Angeles Lodge Calle 4 between Calle  14 and 16. and includes breakfast. The price around $35.  phone 2 551 0957.   It's balconies overlook the Plaza de la Basilica and the room are comfortable with private bath and hot water.

Eating: La Puerta Del Sol is a soda located opposite the Basilica . This is a typical  small eating place which serves Costa Rica dishes at very reasonable prices.

Cartago is not a large town so if you need directions just ask one of the locals.

Weather: Cartago is around 4,000 feet above sea level, so the temperatures are cool and often cloudy and rainy.

The surroundings of Cartago offer magnificent views and very nice day tours.  So if you have a rental car this is spectacularly scenic.  Or you could purchase a day tour or hire a driver.  1. Irazu Volcano   2. White water Rafting   3. Orosi Valley and coffee plantations   4. Lancaster Botanical Gardens.

Best time of year to visit:  Rains less in the dry season of mid December thorough mid April.  However the months of May through November also bring  a lot of visitors,  just bring along a rain jacket and umbrella, and comfortable walking shoes.

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Cartago, the Oldest Existing Spanish Settlement in Costa Rica

Cartago sits in the shadows of the mighty Irazu Volcano whose eruption destroyed the city in 1723,   and has become the wrath of several major earthquakes  in 1822, 1841, and again in 1910.  And , in 1963  during the visit of the late President John F. Kennedy, the Irazu again erupted covering San Jose with ash and badly damaging the agricultural areas around Cartago.

The  city government of Cartago is trying to attract tourism to it's city which is rich in history and abundant in natural beauty with the surrounding mountains and the Orosi Valley with it's coffee plantations.   Agriculture related to  growing  vegetables such as potatoes, onions, and broccoli thrives here due to the rich black volcanic soil.   Flowers such as  orchids and roses grown in the cool moist climate on the slopes of the Irazu are exported all around the world.

Cartago's rich history began  in 1563 when the Spanish conquistador Juan Vasquez de Coronado handpicked the valley. He said, "I have never seen a more beautiful place."  So the Spanish settled here and today it remains the oldest existing Spanish settlement in Costa Rica.  It served as the first capital of Costa Rica until 1823 when the capital was moved to San Jose.

Tourist say, well Cartago doesn't look like a Spanish Colonial City like for example Granada, Nicaragua with it's spectacular Spanish colonial architecture.  Well, Cartago was practically destroyed 1723 eruption of the Irazu Volcano. And when it was rebuilt, it never retained the same Spanish influence in it's  architectural designs.

Today, Cartago is home to the famous Costa Rica Institute of Technology, one of the country's most prestigious institutions of higher learning and one of central America's most important engineering schools, especially computer technology.

However, the most important and most beautiful  structure in the city is the Basilica  de Nuestra Senora de los Angeles, which was destroyed in the 1910 earthquake and then rebuilt to it's present splendor.  The Basilica is packed each year on August 2nd when pilgrims come on foot from the most remote areas of Costa Rica to ask the holy "Black Virgin" known as La Negrita to pray for cures to their illnesses and to purify their souls.

Cartago is located east of the capital city of San Jose-  25 km  (approximately 15 miles).

What to wear when visiting Cartago?  Elevation is 4,000 feet so the weather is cool. And often rainy so you will need a warm jacket  and one that is water proof is best, and good walking shoes.  Also umbrella.

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[caption id="attachment_2066" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Basilica de Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles in Cartago"][/caption]

Third Most Important Catholic Religious Holiday in Costa Rica, The Feast Day of the La Virgin de los Angeles

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August 2nd each year Costa Rica celebrates it's third  most important religious holiday, The Feast Day of the Virgin de los Angeles (Christmas and Easter being the two other most important religious holidays)

The banks  and other government buildings are closed, as well as many businesses.

This holiday is celebrated August 2nd with a pilgrimage to Cartago to  the country's principal cathedral, the enormous Basilica de Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles, on the Feast Day of the Virgin of the Angeles.  (the black virgin or La Negrita).   Hundreds of thousands of people-old, young,  well and sick,  walk  to this holy place from even the most remote areas  of Costa Rica.   Many walk for more than a week. When they get to the Basilica they crawl on their knees into the church where they pray for miracles.  To heal their bodies and cleanse their souls.

According to legend, a statue of the black virgin, the Black Madonna, known as La Negrita, was found by an indigenous girl around the year 1635.  She took it home but it mysteriously reappeared on the same rock where she found it.

The rock is revered as a sacred relic and object of inspiration.  This rock was placed  in the Basilica de Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles in Cartago.  It is common for pilgrims to touch the rock in reverence. And the famed holy Black Virgin Statue sits on a golden alter beset with precious stones.

This year on August 2nd the Health Ministry of Costa Rica prohibited the pilgrimage because the Swine flu epidemic.

So the  pilgrims, instead of walking to Cartago, walked from the countryside to the Catholic churches in their home towns.  Here they erected  flower adorned alters with a statue of the virgin.  And  pilgrims crawled on their knees to the alter to pray for miracles.

It is common for Costa Rican mothers to name their children after the Virgin de Los Angeles.  For example a friend of mine named her little girl Xinia de los Angeles.

Your thoughts and comments are welcome.  To share with our readers. And thanks for choosing costaricalearn.com

Tenorio Volcano National Park and the Rio Celeste "Blue River" Costa Rica

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Tenorio Volcano National Park is located in the northern region of Costa Rica.   On our recent vacation to Costa Rica, we set out to visit this beautiful national park.  We rented  a  4x4  Suzuki Jimmy.  Following the road map that the car rental agency had given us, we headed north on the Interamerican highway (highway one).  We traveled from  the  San Jose International airport  north to Canas, which took us about 2 hours.  When you see the Canas exit drive six more miles and then  take a right turn to Bijaqua--About 20 miles past Bijagua is the entrance to the park.  You may need to stop along the way and ask for directions since  there are no signs to actually get you to the park.

We traveled  to Tenorio Volcano National Park to see  the famous Rio Celeste or "blue river."  One of Costa Rica's true natural wonders. The light blue waters are caused by the emanation of sulfur gases  from the bottom of the river and the precipitation  of carbonated calcium delivered by a stream that dumps into the main river at this point.  It is truly an amazing sight!

Thermal springs and small geysers dot the area as do rivers, waterfalls, lagoons, and spectacular panoramic views.  Wild life is reclusive here.  We were hoping to see a puma but he retreats deep into the rain forest  when humans appear.

This place is amazing but the hike is challenging.  Took us several hours and some of the terrain was rugged.  Luckily it was the dry season of January when  there is much less rainfall.   We heard a  group of howler monkeys near by and could see them swinging in the trees.  The temperature was around 75 degrees F. but felt warmer and I'm glad I wore a cotton T shirt and cotton shorts, and of course my very comfortable tennis shoes.

The actual trail that leads to the waterfall is steep.  We could hear the  sounds  of the powerful water.   Finally  we reached  the bottom  and  before our eyes was the sky-blue pool of water.  Words cannot describe the beauty!  The park ranger pointed out where we could swim if we had brought our bathing  suits, which I didn't.  Apparently swimming is not allowed just anywhere.  The ranger said that the side effects of these minerals on the body are not known.

If you happen to visit Rio Celeste in the rainy season which is May through November, plan on getting your feet and shoes muddy.  Bring a rain jacket or poncho, and dress cool.

You can visit the Rio Celeste by purchasing a day tour from La Fortuna-Arenal area.  Contact www.sunsettourscr.com

Best time to visit:  Dry season of mid December through March.  But many people visit during the rainy season.  If you start out very early in the morning,  it is likely that there will be several hours of sunshine.

What to wear:  Very good tennis shoes or  comfortable hiking boots.  Cool clothing such as cotton T shirt and cotton slacks or short.  Sun screen,  rain jacket or poncho, bottle water..camera and small backpack.   I didn't encounter mosquitoes however I always take along mosquito repellent.  I like Avon skin so soft- repellent cream.

If you have visited the Rio Celeste I would love to share your experience with our readers.  Just click on comments at the end of this article.