faiza asked:


Having Visited Costa Rica, I have compiled a list of the best locations to

visit. This list is by no means comprehensive or complete, it is just a checklist

of all the places I would visit when I go to Costa Rica.

Monteverde Cloud Forest

Most famous for being associated with the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve,

the tiny community of Monteverde is a small village located near the

entrance of the cloud forest. Monteverde was founded by the Quaker community

that migrated from North America to Costa Rica in the 1950’s. In town, which

is actually Santa Elena, you’ll find banks, drug store, a local hospital,

book store, gas station, ATM machine, police station, post office,

supermarkets, internet cafes, restaurants

As the weather here is quite chilly and misty, due to the village being high

up in the Tilaran Mountain Range, you should bring some thick clothes and a

light jacket to stay warm. When here, do remember to try out the delicious

local cheeses, which are a treat to eat. If you are a bird watcher, this

village offers some lovely bird watching opportunities, even though you are

not in the cloud forest itself. However, if you prefer to do the more

touristy thing, visit the local craft centers, the women’s co-op center, the

butterfly garden and the Hummingbird Gallery in town.

Dominical Beach

Located on Costa Rica’s amazingly beautiful Central Pacific coastline, the

small village of Dominical is a surfer’s paradise where waves can reach over

10 feet high, a place rich in island biodiversity and amazing underwater

flora and fauna. It is the perfect combination between the extensive golden

coasts full of scenic beaches & luscious mountains.

Dominical is a 4 km long beach strip, with a few hotels, lodges, resorts and

restaurants in the area. While swimming here is near impossible with the

strong swells and rip tides, one can kayak off the coast or enjoy some

diving or snorkeling opportunities in the area. Horseback tours can also be

arranged to the nearby Nauyaca Waterfalls, or one can visit the Marino

Ballena National Park, which is home to a number of marine mammals like

turtles and whales that come here seasonally to mate and nest. If you like,

you can take a short day trip to the lovely Caño Island just off the coast.

This island is considered one of the best adventure diving spots in the

world and is home to an impressive array of underwater marine life.

Tortuguero

Tortuguero National Park is one of Costa Rica’s most biologically diverse

wildlife areas. Featuring one of the most verdant landscapes in the country,

the 26,156 hectare park was created with the main purpose of protecting the

green sea turtle nesting area. Tortuguero owes its very wet tropical forest

to the 5000 to 6000 millimeters of rain it receives per year. These climatic

conditions are favorable to more than 400 tree species, around 2200 species

of other plants and more than 400 birds, 60 amphibian and 30 fresh water

fish species, as well as several endangered animals including tapirs,

monkeys, ocelots, jaguars, manatees and sloths. Tortuguero is characterized

by beautifully scenic canals, lagoons and rivers that may be toured by boat,

canoe or kayak. In addition to the green turtle, three other sea turtle

species nest on the park’s beaches.

Arenal Volcano

The Arenal Volcano area is one of Costa Rica’s top attractions. Only 3 hours

away from San José, in the town of La Fortuna, stands a majestic 1,633m

volcano, known to be one of the most active in the world. Despite its

constant activity, the volcano is very safe to visit as long as you stay

within the safety perimeter. In this area take advantage of the pristine

natural surroundings! Go fishing, horseback riding; take a canopy tour,

rafting or experience a tremendous canyon expedition. Whatever you decide,

be sure to visit the relaxing hot springs in the area, the most famous being

Tabacon and Baldi.

La Fortuna and Surroundings

Often simply referred to as La Fortuna, the town of La Fortuna de San Carlos

is the gateway to the magnificent Arenal Volcano. A charming and quiet town,

La Fortuna is easily accessible from the capital city San Jose, and offers

some panoramic views of the spectacular Arenal, Costa’s Rica’s most active

volcano. Sitting around 10 kilometers away from town and regularly spewing

smoke and ash for some time now, the Volcan Arenal is the country’s top

rated tourist attraction and is indeed a sight to behold.

Over the last few years in particular, La Fortuna has become quite a

bustling town. However, there are plenty of accommodations, hotels and

resorts here to suit every budget. A must try when in La Fortuna are the

amazing resort spas surrounding the volcano. On a clear day you can watch

the volcano erupt and if you wait for nightfall, the Arenal puts on a

brilliant show with bright red rocks tumbling down its sides.

Beside the volcano, this town has other great tourist attractions like the

La Catarata de la Fortuna, Tabacon Hot Springs, white water rafting, hiking

excursions, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, horseback riding, canopy tours and

Caño Negro Boat Tours are just some of the many activities that one can

enjoy while you are here.

Malpais

Malpais is situated on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica on the southern tip

of the Nicoya Peninsula.

Also known as the Hawaii of Latin America, there are several beaches to

swim, dive or snorkel though it’s main attraction is it’s unique conditions

for surfing and it’s pristine subtropical nature. Horseback riding,

sportfishing, canopy tours, scuba, and nature tours make up some of the

other popular activities nearby. Malpais is a community unlike any other in

Costa Rica with a strong surf culture and a the laid-back atmosphere that

maintains the type of earthy tourism that made Costa Rica famous.

MalPais boasts a great selection of places to stay and eat from camping on

the beach to luxurious resorts and a wide range of activities. Without a

doubt it’s a very attractive place to relax and enjoy the golden rays of the

Pacific sunset.

Turrialba Valley

With some stunning views of Costa Rica’s rural countryside, Turrialba is a

charming little town in the lush and beautiful Central Valley in Cartago

province. Famous for being a white water rafting hotspot and base camp, this

town lies 53 km east of the capital city San José and is an excellent place

to tour the pre-Columbian ruins at Guayabo National Monument, or the rarely

visited but lovely Parque Nacional Volcan Turrialba. A quiet town, Turrialba

with its charming street corners and gorgeous surrounding sceneries is among

the few places in Costa Rica with direct access to a volcano’s crater. From

the summit of the volcano, you can on a clear day, see the Irazu, Poás and

Barva volcanoes in the distance Botanists and gardeners will want to pay a

visit to the Center for Agronomy Research and Development (CATIE), which is

located 5km (3 miles) southeast of Turrialba on the road to Siquirres. This

center is one of the world’s foremost facilities for research into tropical

agriculture.



JAMAR

Nancy W. Mccarther asked:


Don’t waste any more money on taxis or waiting around for the bus because Aruba car deals are cheap and driving around the island is easy. Just take your pick from the three most popular choices: taxis, buses, and rental cars in Aruba.

Of course, there are a few other ways to get around in Aruba. It’s totally possible to walk the entire island since it’s only six miles wide and twenty miles long. If you’re a marathon runner, you’ll enjoy the trails and scenic views. You also have horseback and motorcycle. However, Aruba car deals are the most viable option for most of us.

The bus might be a good choice if you only plan on going from your hotel to Oranjestad. Just remember you’ll have to carry those souvenir bags around all day. Personally, I take my Aruba car rental and park it in the Renaissance Mall.

Getting around this city is a lot easier than any in other city in America. Just remember that the speed limit is 40km/h and the international signs operate strictly by picture. Grab a map and look at the sign references.

If you truly want flexibility to discover the island, look around for some Aruba car deals. If you don’t want a rental the entire time that you’re there, see if the rental company will deliver to your hotel.

All you have to do now is hop in your car and drive it up the northwest coast to the California Lighthouse. Then, drive around to the southernmost tip and see what’s up in San Nicolas.

Taxis are great in other resort lands such as Mexico, but they’re too expensive for me in Aruba. Moreover, you’re not going to find many that go off the beaten path of the Oranjestad-resort-airport triangle.

Don’t waste your hard-earned vacation time waiting for a bus. Aruba car deals give you the flexibility and independence that you need to truly enjoy this cultural crossroads.



EVAN

Peter Siljerud asked:


“Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe.” - Anatole France

General

If you decide to do an activity such as going on an organized trek you will usually find that there are several different companies offering the activities. When you make your decision do not only decide based on price, there may be big differences in the quality of the equipment and the food and how much the local porters get paid. Ask for references from other travelers. Sometimes you find that even though you book with one company they pool their customers with customers from other companies in order to make more money. If this is a problem for you then ask before you book.

Make sure that you are physically prepared for the activities you plan to do, bring the right equipment or rent it locally. Make sure you have enough water and food and beware of the sun.

Rock climbing

Rock climbing is a good way to get some adrenalin going. In most countries there are local climbing clubs that usually can assist you with advice on where to go. Or they might come along as climbing partners if you ask them. If you do not have proper training and do not know how to handle the equipment securely there are usually commercial companies offering guided tours on beginner routes.

If you end up climbing in areas rarely visited you might want to check when the area was last rebolted. Bolts are affected by the wear and tear of water, especially if they are close to the ocean.

Note that different crags have different rules of what protection to use. In some places chalk is forbidden too. Make sure to stick with the local climbing rules.

A good place to find route maps (topos) on the Internet is Wikitopo.

Personal Experience - The Mont Blanc Misery

I was in Chamonix and decided to climb Mont Blanc. As this was not part of our schedule we were in a rush to bring something to eat with us. We brought some cans of food but as we were pretty tired on our way down there was not enough time to stop to cook it. Sandwiches or energy bars would have been more convenient. Preparing alpine climbing is a must as the risk increases when you get tired and hungry.

Trekking

Trekking in the mountain gives you fresh air and builds your character at the same time. When you trek to higher altitudes the air pressure gets lower. At sea level the oxygen percentage is about 21% with an air pressure around 760 mmHg. As you climb higher the oxygen percentage remains the same but the air pressure gets lower. This means that your body gets less oxygen with each breath. You will lose your breath and get more tired than you perhaps anticipate.

At 6 000 ft (1 828 m) the air pressure is 609 mmHg. At 12 000 ft (3 658 m) the air pressure is 483 mmHg. At 18 000 ft (5 486 m) the air pressure is only 380 mmHg.

People are affected differently at high altitude. Already at 3 000 meters you can get a severe headache. It is important to listen to you body as you can get brain oedema and lung oedema if you keep on pushing on to higher altitudes.

The usual recommendation is modest altitude gains of not more than 300 meters per day above 3 000 meter and to spend 2 nights in the same place every 1 000 meters.

Another thing when you are at high altitude is that water boils at a lower temperature than at sea level. You may therefore have to cook food for a longer period of time.

The temperature can change drastically during the day. It may be freezing cold in the morning, extremely hot during they day and cold at night again. If you change altitude it gets colder the higher you get, around 10 degrees Centigrade (=5,5 degrees Fahrenheit) per 1 000 meters. As an example, if you start out at 10 degrees Centigrade at sea level, this can mean a temperature of -20 degrees Centigrade at 3 000 meters. The chill factor from the wind can make it even colder.

Plan your trip accordingly and allow plenty of slack in your schedule to be able to get down before dark.

If there is snow it is important to wear alpine sun glasses to avoid getting snow blind (or a severe headache).

Scuba diving and snorkeling

Going under water gives you new perspectives of the world. If you intend to get your diving license abroad it makes sense to do some research beforehand. Try to go for the two big certificates: PADI or CMAS.

Renting equipment has it pros and cons. On the upside you do not have to carry your own heavy equipment all over the world. On the downside the rental equipment in many parts of the world is rather poor. Bring your own mask, snorkel and dive watch as a minimum if you intend do some serious diving.

The quality of dive companies and liveaboards also differ greatly. In Australia it is usually very well organized and the instructors show respect to the sea and its inhabitants. In other places dive masters start chasing fish or bend up corals just to show you something “extra”. Do not encourage this behavior. Other people want to see the stuff too!

In some places, such as the Red Sea, the snorkeling is almost as good as the scuba diving. Even though scuba diving increases the chances of seeing “big”animals.

Personal Experience - The Zanzibar Snorkeling Zest

I was staying on the east coast of Zanzibar, Tanzania. I was going for a dive with a bunch of people, but before we got to the dive site we spotted some dolphins nearby. The boatman took us there and I was so eager to get into the water that I forgot my fins. Meanwhile the other people had entered the water and were swimming towards the dolphins. Back on the boat the driver said: “Do not worry. The dolphins have moved. I will take you there.” When I jumped into the water the second time I was all alone with 8 dolphins for a few minutes before the rest of the crowd came and scared them away for good. Magical.

Riding

Horseback riding is fun. And camel riding too. Being a novice is usually not a problem. If you are a skilled rider you might find rental horses non-responsive and pretty dull. This is what happens when hundreds of kids pull them in the ears all day.

If you are going on a longer tour, make sure that you get a proper inspection of the horses, camels or whatever you are going to ride.

Personal Experience - The Jaisalmer Jeopardy

In Jaisalmer, India we signed up for a 3-day camel tour out in the desert. We paid a bit extra to get “premium camel” and “premium food”. Well, it turn out my camel (nicknamed Ernst) were the slowest one in the Rajastan desert. And the special food - served every lunch and dinner - was Alu Gobi, which is a mix of potato and cauliflower. Probably the cheapest they could offer. So, it makes good sense to try to check what you are really getting if possible. Or talk to other backpackers or just browse the web.



ADAN