Nosara, Costa Rica is renowned for some of the best surfing in Costa Rica, and for being a yoga paradise. But there are plenty of other exciting adventure and nature tours to do as well on this string of beautiful beaches along the Nicoya Peninsula. Here are five fun tours to try during your visit to Nosara and Playa Guiones: 1. Miss Sky Canopy Tour Tours: 8:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. daily. Wh...

I had zip lined three times before I hiked up the gorgeous trail to the first platform of the fourteen offered by Jaco Canopy. Once in Montezuma, Arenal, and Monteverde. The views from the Jaco Canopy platforms are hard to top. It’s difficult to choose what to focus on. The emerald green offered by the surrounding jungle, the sapphire blue ocean, glowing below, or the metallic blue morpho butte...

When Massi Devoto used to guide small groups around Costa Rica, he noticed that out of all of the experiences the tourists shared, the ones they enjoyed and talked about the most were the simplest. Buying tropical fruits at a roadside stand. Watching a monkey in a tree. Meeting friendly folk in a rural town. Walking through the rainforest. The realization led him to start his own tour company i...

When Fernando Madrigal was a young boy growing up in Costa Rica, the place that gave him the most happiness was his grandparents’ farm – called Finca La Troya in the Orosi Valley of Cartago. “I spent practically all of my childhood and youth on this farm until my grandparents sold it,” reflected Madrigal. “I remember that La Troya was a magical place. There was a place at the top of the farm wh...

The abundance of outdoor activities hosted by Jaco never ceases to amaze. Did you know, from Jaco you have access to a gorgeous island filled with jet skis, kayaks, banana boats, volleyball, tropical fish to snorkel with, and loungers? Let me share with you my recent experience at Isla Tortuga. My day started with a gorgeous one and a half hour boat ride from Playa Herradura where I observed ju...

There is a place, north of the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano in Guanacaste, where the dry brown rolling plains give way to tall, lush green forest. Suddenly you are in an enchanted paradise of gushing waterfalls, sky blue streams, warm thermal springs and bright orchids. This is a place where jaguars, pumas and tapirs roam free. Listen for the call of howler monkeys and the symphony of tropical birds...

Photo of the Marlin del Rey catamaran in Playas del Coco Guanacaste Costa RicaThe high tourist season is just starting to warm up in Costa Rica, and Marlin del Rey Catamaran Sailing tours on the Gold Coast is already feeling the heat. As one of the leading day-cruise providers in Guanacaste, Marlin del Rey operates three majestic sailing ships: The eponymous Marlin del Rey in Tamarindo, the New M...

Talk about Nosara, Costa Rica, and you actually mean a stretch of several beaches on the Nicoya Peninsula – from Playa Ostional to Playa Nosara, Playa Pelada and Playa Guiones. This remote area of Guanacaste, just north of Samara in the country’s north Pacific, is known for long wide beaches, fantastic surfing, peace and quiet, and of course, it’s impressive wildlife. Three top nature activitie...

One of the most popular day tours from San Jose, Costa Rica, is the charming artisan town of Sarchi. Called the “cradle of Costa Rican handicrafts,” both international tourists and locals alike visit Sarchi for its more than 200 stores and small family-operated woodworking and leather workshops. It is a perfect Central Valley day tour to combine with the Poás Volcano, a coffee tour, or the Juan...

Photo of Tom Watling of Cayman Kayaks, thanks to Courtney Platt, visit CaymanKayaks.comGoing out into the ocean in a kayak at night can at first be a little unnerving. The slightest splash tends to make you jump, maybe even bringing to mind that old 1975 movie, “Jaws”. Never mind that it was probably your own kayak paddle splashing; the fact that you can’t see well puts you on edge. We humans...

Let's Xplore Costa Rica Tours & Transfers is located in the heart of Tamarindo on the Pacific North West. Denise Hazell & Paul Bobadilla, as your hosts have been long time locals of the area and very well travelled throughout Costa Rica and beyond. Denise is a Canadian transplant from Southern Ontario, Canada who started traveling to Costa Rica in 1989 (and just kept coming back) and has lived he...

The registration deadline approaches to join industry colleagues and the National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) board of directors at the first-ever coffee origin tour in Costa Rica, Feb. 6 to 10, 2013. "We really look forward to the fascinating, value-added education NAMA operators will experience from this unique, behind-the-scenes look at our industry. The inaugural coffee origi...

A tourist guide had a lucky escape from a crocodile recently after he tried to get up close and personal with the monster. Luckily, the croc was already full. A tour guide in Costa Rica can count himself (and his fingers) lucky after having this near miss with a monster of a crocodile. While trying to impress a group of tourists by dangling some chicken in front of the croc, the guide w...

The Whale Festival will be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, September 7/8/9 & subsequently on the 14/15/16. The whale & dolphin boat tours will take place every hour out of the main entrance; sector Punta Uvita of the Ballena Marine National Park. The tour lasts about an hour and a half and costs 16,000 colones (approx. $32 USD) per adult and 10,000 colones (approx.. $20 USD) for ...

R.A.W. tours is excited to announce an updated line-up of 5 project options for volunteers to come participate in for the Fall / Winter sessions of 2012 and the beginning of 2013. R.A.W. Tours’ Operations Director, Kattya Lomel, states “We have received great feedback from both participating students and the communities in San Marcos de Tarrazu whom have been a part of our Fair Trade Coffee Pr...

MONTEVERDE — I have always had a peculiar way of relaxing: This time, I would hurl myself into the arms of God, entrusting life and limb to a 150-foot rope as I swung like Tarzan in the forests of Central America. I had come to Costa Rica hoping for a respite from the breakneck pace of covering national politics, including the presidential campaign, for The Globe’s Washington bureau. And here I...

The third annual installment of the Art City Tour, sponsored by Banco Nacional, will kick off at 5:00 pm this evening in San Jose. The Art City Tour this year will be celebrated in tandem with the International Museum Day, which has been observed since 1977. This is a great introduction to a portion of the culture and arts scene in Costa Rica, and it is free for all who wish to participate. ...

I am still excited when I can see the top of the Irazú Volcano from the Central Valley. You get used to looking east and seeing a wall of mountain with clouds on top, but then every so often in the dry season it clears up and you get to see the top--view killing antennae and all. When I see it like that I want to head that way, just not all the way up, I have a more interesting trip in mind. Yep, ...

For most people, describing a cup of coffee involves just a few adjectives. Aromatic, bold, good, smooth, strong, tasty, and maybe a few more. For coffee enthusiasts familiar with the practice of coffee cupping, those adjectives are far from sufficient. In coffee cupping terms, a cup of the acclaimed La Minita coffee from the Tarrazu region would probably be described as bright and mild with aroma...

A dear reader named Brad recently left the following question in our Facebook profile: " about good, affordable day trips in and around the SJ. I get a lot of visitors and they are always interested in them." Hello Brad, thanks for your question. Most tourists come to Costa Rica looking for eco-adventures, surfing, fishing, or relaxing at any of our pristine beaches. Our capital city often g...