"Paradise Waits" a Great Beach house for Rent on the Coast of the Southern Nicoya Peninsula

"Paradise Waits" is a beautiful three bedroom-three bath fully furnished home for rent on the beach at a place called Santa Teresa/Mal Pais on the southern Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica.

Within walking distance of this unique  house is a beautiful beach  with great big waves for surfing,  a beach lovers paradise.  The house sleeps up to 10 people.

Here you can walk on the beach, see the gorgeous tropical sunsets,  hike into the jungle to see and hear the monkeys.   See Toucans and other colorful tropical birds.  Swim in the blue waters of the Pacific and  go surfing.

Learn more about this  and other beautiful  beach homes and condos for rent in Costa Rica at      www.costaricabeachvacationrentals.com

Please go to the following web site to learn all about Paradise Waits Beach house and how to rent it.   www.vrbo.com/221142

Here at costaricalearn.com we want to share with you these unique places in Costa Rica.

[caption id="attachment_2283" align="alignleft" width="300" caption=""Paradise Waits" porch -perfect for  viewing a tropical paradise"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2284" align="alignleft" width="300" caption=" View from "Paradise Waits"  to the Pacific beach at Mal Pais Costa Rica"][/caption]

Is There a Hurricane Season in Costa Rica?

Hurricanes do not normally come as far south as Costa Rica.   However,  hurricanes  do get as far south as  the Atlantic coastlines of Nicaragua and Honduras.  Costa Rica's weather is categorized into a dry season and a rainy season, and the amount of rainfall depends on what area of the country you are in.   Generally speaking:  Dry season- From around December 10 through mid April

Rainy season -from around mid April through around December 10th.   Exceptions are on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica the rainfall in much heavier and there is really not a dry season and a rainy season.   Seems to rain there less in October and November  (but that too varies)

NW Pacific Guanacaste beaches  is where there is the least rainfall in Costa Rica- even in the rainy season- this part of Costa Rica gets sunny mornings and late afternoon showers.

South Pacific of Costa Rica-this includes the Osa Peninsula.  Very rainy here.  Even in the dry season, rains a lot here. But in dry season usually sunny mornings and afternoon showers.

When traveling to Costa Rica you will admire how beautiful and green everything is.  That's because of the rain,  the rich volcanic soil, and the warm tropical sunshine.

If you are planning a vacation to Costa Rica you would love to have our recently filmed travel DVD "Costa Rica a Travel Adventure Spectacular" travel video.  This full length DVD will show in their most spectacular beauty the 10 most popular tourist destinations in Costa Rica.  Just go to our home page of costaricalearn and at the top click on "buy our video."  There you can view a 3 minute preview and all the instructions on how to order the video.

I invite you to read here on costaricalearn.com more about the weather patterns in Costa Rica.  Go to category weather patterns in the most popular touris destinations.

Important Safety Tips for Tourist to Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a wonderful country to visit and enjoy the natural wonders of this small tropical country.  But one needs to be aware of his surroundings and know that in Costa Rica as well as many places around the world petty theft is common.    But is Costa Rica safe for travel?  Violent crimes are not common here in Costa Rica but as in the rest of the world, they do sometimes occur.  One simply needs to be "street smart" and be aware.

Safety tips for tourist to Costa Rica:

If you are staying in a hotel room make use of the safety deposit box for your passport and extra larger amounts of money.  Carry a copy of your passport around with you.  However, if you want to change money at a bank or at hotel front desk you will need your original passport.

Leave your valuable jewelry at home.  Dress casual as not to draw attention.

As for cameras, video cameras,  binoculars,  ipods,  laptop computers,  cell phones, etc.  You must be extremely careful with these.  These are the most commonly stolen items.   Do not lay them down, turn your back, or get distracted- these are hot items for petty thieves.  ALSO  do not leave them unattended in your hotel room.  Do not let anyone "watch" these items  for you while you do anything else.

Don't let anyone distract you in a public park..this is a common tactic of thieves..while you are being distracted someone else steals your stuff.  This happened to my husband in the public park in La Fortuna but he was very much "on to what they were up to"  and shewed them off.  He had a video camera with him.

When using ATM machines, do so only in very well lighted areas where there are other people around and not at night!  Don't count money near by the ATM machine.

Carry your purse in front of you, if someone bumps you then "hang onto the purse and get quickly out of their way."   Common tactic of thieves,  one will spill a liquid on your shirt and then offer to help wipe it off....their accomplice will meanwhile steal your purse or pick your pocket.

Don't walk alone in alleys or unlighted areas-even during the day time.

In a restaurant do not hang your purse or backpack on the back of your chair or put your camera, etc on the floor beside you.  Keep it near you and where you can protect it at all times.

It's better to carry your money and credit cards, passport, etc in a money pouch  (money belt)  beneath your clothes.

A fanny pack is better than a purse.   It stay on you at all times.

Use only taxis that are easily identified as the government approved taxis..in Costa Rica they are red taxis.

If you rent a car:

1. Try not to drive at night.

2. Keep doors locked when you are inside the car.  And the windows up.

3. Don't leave valuables visible inside the car when you are not in it.  Also keep you purse in a nonvisible place while driving.

4. If you stop at a restaurant, park the car where you can see it and keep an eye on it, make sure all the doors are locked.

5. Park only in guarded parking lots, not on side of road, etc.  Make sure at night they are well lighted.

6. If you have to stop and change a tire have someone watch the valuables in the car and the ladies should take their purse out of the car and have it with them.  Beware of friendly people offering to help change the tire, they could be "up to taking your valuables"  This happened to  a friend of mine coming home from the San Jose International Airport.  Her purse was stolen.

7. Do not pick up hitchhikers.

8.  When stopped at a traffic light do not open your window for anyone wanting to talk to you.

9. In crowded areas,  such as central markets always have you guard up against pickpockets.

10. Don't leave your car running and get out of it to do an errand...not for even a few minutes.

11. In case you get lost stop at a place where there is a lot of people, like a gas station.

Dealing in colones : (the monetary unit in Costa Rica)  It's best to  get colones in small denominations.  That way it is easier to figure the exchange rate (quickly)   Think about the exchange rate a head of time so you don't make mistakes when you pay or when you receive change.

The number to call for emergency is 911     But you may or may not get an English speaking person.

One of my girlfriends who did a tour of Costa Rica took a whistle with her and had it on a chain around her neck...sounds like a very good idea.

Here at costaricalearn.com we like to hear from you..any experience you have-good or bad-while visiting Costa Rica.  WE love to share it with our readers.  Simply click comment or reply at the end of this post.

Costa Rica Spotlight: Best View of Arenal Volcano, Which Hotel?

The best view of Arenal Volcano is from the Arenal Observatory Lodge. And here you also can see the beautiful Arenal Lake. A large number of the rooms at the Arenal Observatory Lodge have a large picture window looking directly at the volcano, which is located 1.7 miles from the lodge.  The lodge is perched high on a ridge making the views in all directions spectacular.

This is indeed a unique place in Costa Rica!   Setting is  jungle,  one can wake up to the sound of monkeys and song birds.  Trails all around the lodge lead in and out of the  jungle setting. The swimming pool is spring fed with a hot tub at one end.   Nice small restaurant with a great view to the volcano.

Scientist from all over the world come here, including from the Smithsonian institute to do research and study the volcano with it's unique ecosystem.

Arenal Volcano had it's last Great Eruption in 1968 when it destroyed a near by village on the north face of the volcano  killing 86 people.  Today it rumbles and spits fire and rock from it's summit  but these eruptions are small.

Natural hot springs come out of the base of the Arenal, but you have to go back down  the road to La Fortuna to get to these hot springs.  Most famous is the Tabacon Hot Springs with its lush tropical gardens and very upscale Spa.

The side of the volcano where Arenal Observatory Lodge is located seems to have been lucky and has not experienced  any negative impact from the  small eruptions going on these days from the volcano

[caption id="attachment_2252" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Arenal Volcano in a quiet moment"][/caption]

Learn more about the Arenal Observatory Lodge at www.arenalobservatorylodge.com

Here at costaricalearn.com we would like to hear from you.  If you have visited Arena Observatory Lodge please share the  highlights of your trip.  At the end of this post simply click on comments or reply.

How are the NW Guanacaste Pacific Beaches of Costa Rica Different from the Southern Caribbean Beaches?

[caption id="attachment_2233" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Cahuita Beach, Southern Caribbean Costa Rica"][/caption]

The Pacific and Caribbean beaches of Costa  Rica are Very different, one from the other.   The Caribbean Beaches are very  rainy and lush.  The jungle ecosystem  is wild and sparsely populated.  We see  sloths, monkeys, and colorful toucan seemingly everywhere. .  Beaches are lined with palm trees swaying in the tropical breeze.  The beaches are beige white and one has to ask the locals the best places to swim and surf.  The coral reefs just off shore offer spectacular snorkeling and scuba diving.  I will start  first by talking more about the Pacific beaches of NW Guanacaste.  There is less rainfall here so the ecosystem is more arid.  The trees are smaller  due to the destruction of the original  lowland dry forest to create large Cattle ranches.   We see large areas with no trees and fenced pastures with hundreds of head of cattle.

The NW Pacific Guanacaste beaches are probably the most visited tourist beaches in Costa Rica.  The Liberia international airport is located about one hour by automobile or bus to the beaches so that makes it easier to simply fly into Liberia, rent a car or take a shuttle bus to your beach hotel.  The big draw at the Guanacaste beaches  is the weather with sunshine almost year round.  Rains much less here .  It's usually sun all day during the dry season of May through November and then in the rainy season its sunny mornings with  late afternoon thunder showers. It's picture perfect for sun worshipers.

This long strip of  Guanacaste beach reaches  from as far south as Samara Beach  and  Carrillo Beach  all the way north to the border of Nicarauga.  These beaches are gorgeous.  Some places you find smooth stretches of beige sand that filters through your fingers with  deep blue Pacific waters  where you can swim and surf.  Other places the beach is rocky and you cannot enter the water.   Development took hold here starting in the late nineties.  The idea was to draw tourist who would ordinarily visit a place like Cancun, Mexico   but  instead come to Costa Rica's beaches.  Hotels large and small have been built here.  In recent years large hotels chains (with the money coming from abroad) have built 200-300 room Resort hotels marketing these properities as all inclusive- pay one price and you get the room and all the food, plus the transfer to and from the Liberia airport .  Yes, come and enjoy the sun and blue waters of the Pacific and leave stress and worries at home.

What are the Southern Caribbean beaches like? Here the ecosystem is much more lush and tropical because it rains all year round.  So you see thick tropical vegetation,  flowers,  coconut palms, and banana trees.  There is simply more big trees here because development has not hit here as hard as on the Pacific beaches.  Since there is more sunshine year round on the Pacific beaches, these beaches became more sought after for big developers.  The infrastructure, the roads, are not as good on the Caribbean beaches.  Many are dirt and gravel.  The main highway south of Limon (highway 36) all the way to Puerto Viejo is pretty good.  From Puerto Viejo to Manzanillo the road is dirt and gravel.

The beaches of the Caribbean are beige white sand and lined with coconut  palms, very beautiful and tropical.  However one needs to inquire with the locals a safe place to swim or surf  in the waters because apparently the undertows are strong.   Snorkeling and scuba diving are great here, not far off the shoreline.   Coral reefs and colorful fish are easy to see.  Again, you need to hire a local tour operator to take you in a boat to the best places.

Hotels on the Caribbean beaches are smaller.  You don't see the hugh 200-300 room hotels like you see on the Pacific Beaches.  Also this area of Costa Rica does not have a large international airport like Liberia international airport or the San Jose International  airport.   You have to obtain transportation from San Jose by road or you can fly  one of the domestic carriers into a near by small airport  such as Limon.

The Southern Caribbean has a an Afro-Caribbean flavor of it's own.  You see this in the food and in the music.   Houses are painted bright colors of blue and yellow.

You see more wildlife here on the Caribbean.  Sloths, monkeys, iguanas, hundreds of colorful birds such as four different species of toucans.  And in certain seasons of the year the green sea turtle nests and lays it's eggs here.  I was there in July and was able to see this  spectacular sight!

The northern Caribbean beaches like the ones around Tortuguero and north of there are not usually safe to swim.   So you don't see many people on these beaches, other than just walking along the beach.   The currents are very strong and the undertow  makes it unsafe.

I can't say which of these beaches, the Pacific or the Caribbean is the most beautiful.  They are very very different.  Each with it's own distinct ecosystem.  The waters of the  two oceans are very different.  The Pacific seems more blue while the Caribbean is blue, but a different hue of blue.  The jungle setting of the Caribbean is what makes it REALLY different from the Pacific.

[caption id="attachment_2229" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Beach at Hacienda Pinilla, NW Pacific Guanacaste, Costa Rica"][/caption]

Although, I must add:  the south Pacific beaches of Costa Rica are  still jungle like because the big destructive developers have not made it that far south-Yet!  Infrastructure is hard to get into there.  There are very few roads directly into the beach areas.   For Example Drake Bay and the Corcovado National park  (Osa Peninsula) have to be accessed by domestic air and boat.

The beautiful Cahuita Beach scene  was  shot by Stephanie Maussett.  An excellent photographer!

If you have specific questions about these beaches, please ask me by clicking on comment or click on reply at the end of the post.

Here at costaricalearn.com we would love to hear from you and share these questions and comments with our readers.

The People of Costa Rica

Travel to Costa Rica, you cannot help but take notice that The Costa Rica people are different from their neighbors in the other Central and South American countries.  Here we do not see the obvious poverty as we do in Mexico and many of the Central American countries.  Costa Rica is a small country of flourishing villages half hidden with coffee and sugarcane plantations, where there is a sense of ease and simplicity and the family unit is the most important.

Tradition holds that almost all Costa Rica's  heritage descended from rural Spanish yeoman farmers of hard working stock.   Yet from the Iberian Peninsula there were  Spanish Jews as well as Arabs.  There were Catalans and Basque  as well as Germans and English. The construction of the Railway to the Atlantic brought workers from Ireland and the USA, and also the West Indian Blacks.  

[caption id="attachment_2219" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Young 15 year old at Saturday morning maket"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2220" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Young mother selling jewelry"][/caption]

Chinese laborers from southern China joined the blacks in building the railroad.

Costa Ricans are essentially democratic and extremely patriotic.  They love peace and do not have a standing army.  It is often said that "Costa Rica  is a land of teachers, not soldiers."  The country spends a large portion of it's budget on education and the law requires that a child stay in school until the age of sixteen.  So most of  these youth can read and write, speak some English, and attend at least a technical school after graduation from high school.

Costa Rica is largely an agrarian society but  in recent years tourism has caught on here, especially ecotourism, due it it's immense natural beauty of active volcanoes, verdant rain forest  and unspoiled beaches.   Today tourism is number one in earning power surpassing coffee exports.

Costaricalearn.com strives to bring you interesting articles about Costa Rica's traditions and heritage.

A Vacation to Costa Rica? Come on Down the Costa Rican Coffee is Great!

ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT Vacationing in  COSTA RICA IS A GOOD CUP OF COSTA RICAN COFFEE!

[caption id="attachment_2203" align="alignleft" width="640" caption="costa rica coffee, green beans turn to red in November"][/caption]

Are you planning to travel  to Costa Rica, a vacation in Costa Rica? Don't miss the coffee!

The Ticos call the coffee white snow when in the month of May the white coffee blossoms blanket the fields of the Central Valley and it'd  sweet  jasmine fragrance  fills the air. Coffee grows best at around 4,000 feet above sea level at the cooler temperatures so the central valley slopes of the Poas and Irazu Volcanoes provide a perfect environment.

The Spanish immigrants brought coffee beans to Costa Rica from Ethiopia and Arabia.  When these seeds were first planted the plants were for ornamental use, grown to decorate patios and courtyards with their glossy green leaves, white flowers, and bright red berries.

Then the Costa Rican government seeing how well the coffee plants grew,  awarded free coffee plants and land grants to anyone willing to grow coffee.  Since the climate was perfect and the soil conditions excellent, coffee flourished and by 1840 coffee had become big business, creating an oligarchy of coffee barons who rose to positions of power and wealth.

Now coffee is Costa Rica's number one export.  And in just about every cup of Starbuck's coffee , you will find it contains a percentage of Costa Rica coffee beans.  If you are vacationing in Costa Rica and taste the coffee, you will taste the freshness of it.  The bean is harvested from the coffee plant, processed, and sold right here in Costa Rica..so it does not have a long shelf life.

I was lucky to be able to stay in Costa Rica for the month of July and of course drank the coffee daily.  When I returned to the US I was so disappointed at the taste of the coffee,  even the more expensive brands.  Guess it has to do with the shelf life and how old the coffee bean is when we actually buy it in US.  Best bet is to purchase the coffee beans and grind them just before putting them in the coffee maker.  And keep the bean in your freezer tightly sealed in a bag.

I have been asked, well what brand of coffee should I buy in to take home with me?   Quite honestly the bags of coffee you see on the shelves of Costa Rica grocery stores are all good.  Because they are fresh.

Recommendation:  Ask for a  plain cup of coffee with frothed milk or cream....just delicious!   Of course the capuchino is special in Costa Rica.

If time permits on your vacation to Costa Rica take one of the coffee tours located in the central valley near Alajuela and Heredia.

Learn about the Doka Estate Coffee tour located 6 miles north of Alajuela on the road to the Poas Volcano   www.dokaestate.com

Learn more about the Britt coffee tour located near the town of Heredia in the central valley     www.cafebritt.com

Here at costaricalearn.com we would love to hear you comments or questions so please at the end of this article click on comments or reply and let us hear from you about that  great cup of Costa Rican coffee!