Biking Step by Step Costa Rica

Street Art in Costa Rica

2012-02-10T16:12:00.001-08:00

After fighting with the street artists to stop painting the public walls, the Costa Rican government changed its approach. Now, in Costa Rica, many young artists have now a space to express themselves in anyway they want. One of these places is Parque La Libertad, where young people with many different talents can make art, work, talk with other people of their same interest and create significant working relationships.

In Parque La Libertad then, many different types of art can be found: painting, drawing, graffittis, manga, etc. Also, many street sports, such as skating, biking, and parkour.

Costa Rica Countryside

2012-01-22T09:29:00.000-08:00

One thing about Costa Rica that is truly amazing, is the micro climates that can be found along the country. If you are in San Jose downtown, you may be experiencing hot weather, but just 25 kilometers from there, you get to Cartago and have chilly weather with a little of rain. You go 2 hours in a road to a wonderful beach and in just 15 minutes you are in a mountain again with foggy weather.

This pictures shows a little bit of this, rain a sun coexisting in just the same landscape.

Tope at Coronado

2012-01-19T07:27:00.000-08:00

The town of Coronado is used to have wonderful activities such as the Tope, where hundreds of beautiful horses walk around the main square showing off their skills.

Countryside to the Poas Volcano

2012-01-19T07:16:00.000-08:00

Driving towards Poas Volcano, you will find incredibly beautiful landscapes. Its foggy mountains, chilly weather and very Tico environment, really transport you to the core of Costa Rica. On the road you will find farmers that, beacuase they are so used to visitors, will decorate their oxes and charge $1 for a posed picture.

It is truly an amazing trip to the skirts of the volcano, and getting to the National Park is the end oof this road. Poas Volcano has one of the biggest craters in the world and once you get to the look out point you will find yourself in something that will remain you of the moon.

Costa Rica Adventure Activities - Part III

2011-10-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

Costa Rica has Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, both with beautiful beaches framed by lush green forests. Depending on your expectations, and the activities that you want to enjoy, you may chose which beach is better for you. The Caribbean beaches such as Puerto Viejo, Punta Cocles and Manzanillo are specially good for relaxing vacations, while the ones in Guanacaste are very good for surfing and scuba diving. Manuel Antonio beach is one of the most visited beaches in the country and the ones in the South side of Costa Rica are virginal, wild and untouched.

With more than 212 volcanoes, Costa Rica is such an exotic wildly beautiful country. Most of these volcanoes are dormant or dead, and only 7 are active. These active volcanos are: Arenal, Irazu, Poas, Turrialba, Miravalles, Rincon de la Vieja and Tenorio. All of these volcanos are located in national parks, and they offer numerous trails and facilities to enjoy the wonders of the natural phenomena. Experience the hot muddy spots, fumarolas, thermal waters, and lava.

If you are a waterfall lover you have come to the right place. Just by driving through Costa Rica you can find hundreds of beautiful waterfalls of all sizes. Some of them are touristicly exploited, such as La Fortuna Waterfall, Celeste River Waterfall and Angel Waterfall, among others.

Canyoning in Costa Rica is all an adventure. There are three places where we offer this tour; the first one is in La Fortuna with 4 waterfalls and one drop, the second one is in Monteverde in the middle of the Cloud Forest, and finally in Rincon De la Vieja close to an active volcano located on the norht of Costa Rica.

Link: Costa Rica Adventure Tours

A little about Grecia in Alajuela

2011-10-20T09:25:00.000-07:00

Located in the Central Valley’s rolling hills and surrounded sugar cane plantations, around 27 miles from San Jose. Grecia is a small town with a mild climate (67 to 82°F), a reputation of the cleanest town in Latinoamerica and home of several beautiful attractions.

One of best touristic attractions of Grecia is the vibrant Cathedral de la Mercedes. The gothic-style church is constructed of brick-red metal panes, built in Belgium and shipped to Costa Rica in 1987. The panes were shipped as individual slabs to the port city of Limon where they were carried by oxcart, piece by piece, to Grecia. The iconic church is an unusual deep red hue and is adorned with gingerbread trim.

You can also find the World of Snakes reptile museum and Los Chorros Park, a pair of pristine waterfalls set in a private reserve just minutes from town. There is also a family-run butterfly garden and, for the history buff, the Casa de Cultura museum has plenty of local folklore and colonial artifacts.

Link: Grecia

Experience the beautiful site of Santa Juana close to Quepos

2011-10-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a magic experience different to any other you have had in Costa Rica, then Santa Juana Tour is the option. Located on the mountains close to Manuel Antonio and Quespos is a beautiful road that comunicates San Marcos de Tarrazu with Parrita. When visitinf the area experience the magic of nature and enjoy a unique part of Costa Rican rural heritage.

The Santa Juana Mountain Adventure! is a guided nature tour, which combines conservation and cultural wonders, taking you along the lush, jungle-shrouded slopes of the Fila Chonta Mountains where the Rodeo, Coto and Paquita rivers are born.

The tour begins with a typical breakfast on a traditional Tico house on the mountains, then you are set for a horseback riding tour towards the sugar mill. There you will get to knoe the process of getting the sugar out of the sugar cane using oxen. The a walk in the forest before getting to a refreshing swim beneath a mesmerizing waterfalls. Try your luck at organic Tilapia fishing, and also see fascinating regional wildlife, including a myriad of birds, insects and reptiles.

Visit the rustic small town of Santa Juana, where you’ll learn about coffee and citrus production, participate in the Carbon Offset Tree Planting Adoption Program, and enjoy a typical Campesino style lunch while taking in the panoramic vista of the coastline of Manuel Antonio National Park.

Only 8 people are allowed on the tour so you can experience the peaceful site of the countryside of Costa Rica. We just visited the place and can tell you that it was a wonderful experience.

Link: Santa Juana Mountain Adventure

Costa Rica unique typical Restaurant at Limon Province

2011-10-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

On the road from Guapiles to Limon City (Limon Province), you will find many typical restaurants ussually used by the travellers. Many of them ave the typical Costarrican foods that we have discussed in earlier posts, but there is a place that is very different to the others.

It is called Chalo.com! Its name is very funny because it reflects the virtual-internet like thinking of nowadays people. Its owner created this little place with the best humor, to give visitors a completely different view of everyday foods...including Ticos and Ticas. So in the Chalos.com Menu, also called Chalomenu.com, you can find:

M.P.3 - Which is a crunchy tortilla with mushed beans and cheese.
Canelonsini - A fresh tortilla with a very simple ommelet on top.
Cuartodemilla - A fresh tortilla with "Salchichon".
Among many others.

The place is also known by its Choco Chalo, which is a chocolate milk beverage with some extra ingredient, which secret wont be shared with the visitor. So if you want to try it, you must trust the owner and enjoy the flavors.

So, as an oxymoron, Chalos.com is an unique typical restaurant in the area. With its little "ranchito" it invites friends to come over and have a "gallito". A place to enjoy a different experience eating the same foods that always share in our houses, and share them with foreingers.

¿How to get from Costa Rica to Panama by bus?

2011-10-01T07:42:00.000-07:00

Costa Rica haCosta Rica is well located, so when you are planning your vacations you can consider visiting more than one place at a time, and make the most of your money. For example, you may plan coming to Costa Rica, stay 8 days or so, and then visiting Nicaragua, Panama, San Andres (Colombia), or even a little farther as Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia (Cartagena) or Dominican Republic, etc.

A few days ago we talked about how to get from Costa Rica to Nicaragua by bus, we also talked about the possibility of going to South America by road (which is not possible yet because of the Tapon de Darien). Now we want to discuss how to get to Panama by bus from Costa Rica. In Panama, there are many places that are beautiful, some are very close to Costa Rica frontier. One of this place is Bocas del Toro, located on the Caribbean side, just 50 minutes from the frontier with Costa Rica.

From San Jose, you can take a Sixaola bus that gets you to the Frontier, and then complete the rest of the path with local taxis and boat taxis. Bocas del Toro is a archipielago, with many islands of all sizes. It is such a beautiful place, where nature is exhuberant and amazing. It is also a good place for surfers.

You can also try and visit Boquete and David, on the Pacific side, also located around one hour from the second frontier of Costa Rica "Paso Canoas". David is a medium side town where you can find cheap merchandise. Boquete on the other hand is full of beautiful gardens and a bunch of nice adventure activities. To go to David, you can take the bus to Paso Canoas, or just de Tica Bus that goes to Panama City but that makes a quick stop in David.

Check the itineraries of Tica Bus at their official site. Of course, if you want to flight more confortable, you can choose to pay for an airfare, which are not very expensive and are way faster. Going by bus to Panama City takes around 16 hours, getting to Paso Canoas from San Jose takes 7 hours, and going to Bocas del Toro from San Jose by bus takes 6 hours.

Coronado Mountain Biking Routes in Costa Rica

2011-09-30T10:04:00.000-07:00

Coronado (Vazquez de Coronado) is a still rural place close to San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica. It is a great place to practice mountain biking. There are many different routes depending on physical level required. The main biking route to Coronado is the main street that leads to the beautiful gothic Catholic church of Coronado donwtown. The most adventurous ones, continue the road towards Las Nubes de Coronado, where the landscape its a dream, with "potreros" and farming houses. Farther tan Las Nubes is Cascajal, where the paved road ends and the graved road begins.

There are many others, but one tat I personaly like a lot is the path that begins in Dulce Nombre, towards La Gallera, and detours on a graved road that leads to El Rodeo. on the way, which is hard, you will see amazing landscapes, beautiful houses, cows walking around, a Paintball location and a hidden bar in the mountains. Once on the top you can end the route down hill towards the Coronado Church or you can continue to Chocó further into the countryside.

Along te road, on weekends you will see a few people walking the same route and small groups of bikers proving themselves with this medium hard route.

For more information about the Canton you may visit the Coronado Municipality. Sometimes they have information about the races and competitions done in site. Or you can also buy the local news paper called El Coronadeño, which have important news about the events in the area.

If you want to try any of these routes or any other in the country you may visit the numerous options available. For more information about Costa Rica biking routes, please visit Banana Adventure Tours.

Local Cinnamon Bread from Reposteria La Canela

2011-09-29T13:42:00.000-07:00

Looking around in San Jose for places that are interesting and that have something to say different to the usually touristic stuff, I found this little bakery located close to the UCR (Universidad de Costa Rica) in San Pedro. If you ask around, everyone will tell you is the best bakery ever.

Around 3 kilometers from San José Downtown, this bakery called Reposteria La Canela, has been selling its unique bread for quite a long time; it is a bread based on Cinnamon and honney, but with many other ingredients combined to make it delicious and very different to the bread that is sold everywhere in San Jose.

If you have a chance to walk around this area, made specifically to serve the necessities of the UCR students, visit this bakery and try its unique Cinnamon bread, enjoy the graffiti’s that decorate the surroundings and buy cheaper souvenirs on the street sells of the local artisans. These products are made for Ticos and Ticas and not for tourists, so you can find pretty amazing stuff, proper from the Costarrican culture of the young people.

They still don´t have a web site, but soon they will build one so you can check in advance what you want to try when you go.

Costa Rica Adventure Activities - Part II

2011-09-26T06:17:00.000-07:00

There are three types of horseback riding tours that can be experienced in different places in the country. There is extreme horseback riding through muddy trails and steep landscape in Monteverde; horseback riding in the beach, and horseback riding close to volcanos and waterfalls. You do not need to have previous experience riding horses, and you will enjoy a cool tour through the most beautiful landscapes in Costa Rica.

Some people ask where are the best locations to enjoy either, snorkeling tours or scuba diving tours. There are few locations that offer what you are looking for, although they may be in hidden places in Costa Rica. For snorkeling tour, the best locations are Cahuita National Park, and Caño Island (South Pacific). The best scuba diving tours (other than Cocos Island), are Caño Island, Cocos beach in Guanacaste, and Uvita Island. You need to have a license to be able to prticipate in these tours; however, you may also buy the training in Costa Rica.

Enjoy a incredible boat ride on Tortuguero Canals, the Amazon of Costa Rica, while watching a great variety of wildlife and beautiful mangrove forests, and experiencing the peaceful environment of this protected area. Change your regular car transportation with a boat ride on the Arenal Lake, transfering from Arenal to Monteverde; or experience the Pacific sunset while having a drink on a small cruise through the beaches of Manuel Antonio or Tamarindo.

One special characteristic of Costa Rica is that being such a small country, it has all kinds of micro habitats that change very drastically. From the central valley to the rain forest in Braulio National Park, the beautiful Caribbean beaches and ancient range of mountains of Talamanca, the dry forest of Guanacaste, and the cloud forest of Monteverde. The mega biodiversity of Costa Rica is known in the world as one of the most impresive and interesting.

Link: Costa Rica Activities

Get a quick look to the Irazu Volcano in Cartago

2011-09-24T05:30:00.000-07:00

Irazu Volcano National Park is located on Cartago province, around 60 kilometers of San Jose. It is a great place for a one day excursion, and enjoy the wonders of an active volcano. it is also one of the tallest mountains in Costa Rica; on a clear day a visitor can see both shores.

One of the most remarkable thing about this nature park is that on a clear day, a visitor can see both shores (the Pacific Oceand and the Caribbean Sea), from the highest point in the volcano.

http://www.bananaadventuretours.com
BANANA ADVENTURE TOURS
info@bananaadventuretours.com
Costa Rica Adventure Tours

Bungee Jumping in Costa Rica: Extreme Adventure

2011-09-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

Bungee Jumping at La Fortuna (ARENAL). Now, it is located in Jaco close to the beach so that your experience will be different and amazing. There is also a bungee jumping at Monteverde, which is new and very extreme.

The jump is operated by Pacific Bungee in now in Jaco. besides this type of jump, you can also experience: Water touchdowns, Big swing, Rocket launcher, Night jumps, and Gravity tours for a very nice price. With Banana Adventure Tours you can book your adventure package and enjoy this activity among many other.

Link: Adventure Packages

Costa Rica Christmas Special 2011

2011-09-21T18:03:00.001-07:00

Many people think that coming to Costa Rica is very expensive, but we have the answer for you. We can help you have the ultimate adventure in Costa Rica with a limited budget. Just let us know your price expectations and we can create a great deal for you. For example, this CHRISTMAS SPECIAL!!!

Costa Rica Multi Activity Tour Christmas Special - 9 days. Spending Christmas time in Costa Rica is an unique experience that will give you ever lasting memories.

Ticos festive mood, sunshine and warm temperatures are the perfect scenery to enjoy your vacations, just before New Years at the beach. Our Costa Rica Christmas Special is the perfect combination of relaxing moments and adventure activities, experiencing the best of this beautiful country.

If you are looking for Costa Rica Family Vacation Deals, this is the place to come. Banana Adventure Tours have the best deals for big families, so that you as a group can enjoy of a Family Adventure with good prices and a wonderful experience.

Come and enjoy your christmas vacation with us in Costa Rica. It will be a great time to bond with your family and have a wonderful experience in another country. Costa Rica is a peaceful country, which main attractive is nature and the kindness of its people.

Link: Christmas Special

Costa Rica Multi-Sport Tour

2011-09-20T18:03:00.000-07:00

8 Days Hike, rappeling, Raft, and Canopy tour Adventure. Costa Rica is every adventurer’s paradise! Explore our wildlife-rich cloud forests in Monteverde and in Rincon de la Vieja National Park. View smoldering volcanoes and soak in natural hot springs close to the Arenal Volcano. Raft exciting whitewater in Pacuare river and mountain bike through remote river valleys.

Few spots in the world offer the extraordinary natural and scenic diversity of Costa Rica. And few trips capture the essence o this small country in a combination of places and activities as well as our variety-packed 8-day multi-sport tour. Exotic, beautiful, and exhilarating, we invite you to explore Costa Rica’s tropical rain forests, beautiful beaches, and volcanic scenery. View active volcanoes and bath in natural hot springs close to Arenal Volcano. Raft exciting whitewaters and enjoy mountain bike through remote valleys.

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Link: Costa Rica Adventure

Costa Rica National Anthem

2011-09-19T08:13:00.000-07:00

The Costa Rica National Anthem named "Noble patria, tu hermosa bandera" (Noble homeland, your beautiful flag) was created by Manuel Maria Gutiérrez in 1853.

Costaricans are very proud of their country, their Tico culture and of their independece. They celebrate each September 15 the independence from the Spaniards.

Noble patria tu hermosa bandera
      Noble homeland, your beautiful flag
Expresión de tu vida nos da:
      Expression of your life it gives us:
Bajo el límpido azul de tu cielo
      Under the limpid blue of your skies,
Blanca y pura descansa la paz.
      Peace reigns, white and pure.
En la lucha tenaz de fecunda labor
      In the tenacious battle of fruitful toil,
Que enrojece del hombre la faz,
      That brings a glow to men's faces,
Conquistaron tus hijos, labriegos sencillos,
      Your sons, simple farm hands,
Eterno prestigio, estima y honor,
      Gained eternal renown, esteem and honour,
eterno prestigio, estima y honor.
      Gained eternal renown, esteem and honour.
¡Salve oh tierra gentil!
      Hail, gentle country!
¡Salve oh madre de amor!
      Hail, loving mother!
Cuando alguno pretenda tu gloria manchar,
      If anyone should attempt to besmirch your glory,
Verás a tu pueblo, valiente y viril
      You will see your people, valiant and virile,
La tosca herramienta en arma trocar.
      Exchange their rustic tools for weapons.
¡Salve patria! tu pródigo suelo
      Hail, O homeland! Your prodigal soil
Dulce abrigo y sustento nos da;
      Gives us sweet sustenance and shelter.
Bajo el límpido azul de tu cielo
      Under the limpid blue of your sky,
¡Vivan siempre el trabajo y la paz!
      May peaceful labour ever continue!

San Ramon: A magic place in Costa Rica

2011-09-18T18:11:00.000-07:00

This weekend we visited te city of San Ramon and a hotel located on the Cordillera de Tilaran (19 km from San Ramon) with a beautiful view to the Arenal Volcano. We drove for around an hour to San Ramon, and once we arrived to the city, we got to see the city park, one of the touristic attractions of the place. In front of the park, the beautiful Catholic church with stained glass desings all over was busy with a religious festivity.

We also visited the Museo de San Ramon, a place where local artists can present their art work, and it also shows some historical facts from the city and the province itself. Close by was the Casa de la Cultura Jose Figueres Ferrer (president of Costa Rica three times) and an interesting place for those who like history. At the entrance you can find a quote from the former president that says: "Para que tractores sin violines" (Why have tractors if we dont have violins), a phrase that states the pure essence of Costarricans and their good nature.

After visiting the donwtown of San Ramon, we headed to Hotel Villa Blanca (19 kilometers from the city). It used to be the country house of former Costa Rican president Rodrigo Carazo and his wife Estrella. A beautiful green oriented boutique hotel of 20+ rooms in the middle of the cloud forest. Each room is a typical Costarican house on the outside and a tastly decorated inside. There is also a nice little "capilla" called La Mariana, on the property where some weddings and anniversaries take place.

There are more than 5 kilometers of trails in the property all created for the enjoyment of guests and for the numerous investigations that takes place in the area by te InBio. The area is rich in biodiversity, specially birds and many species of interesting butterflies. On the clear mornings you can see from the hotels the whole Cordillera de Tilaran and at the end Cerro Chato and Arenal Volcano; one of the most beautiful views in the country.

Facts about San Ramón

San Ramon, Alajuela Province, is a city located 58 kilometers from the Capital city of Costa Rica: San Jose. The city has around 80.000 people living in the downtown and surrounding areas, and a wide cultural background and legacy. It was the city where three of Costarrican presidents were born and it is also called the city of the poets. The city of San Ramon lies at an elevation of 1,057 meters above sea level in the Cordillera de Tilarán, and it is located on the route to La Fortuna (Arenal Volcano).

Drunk Pineapples: Delicious desert from the Costa Rican cuisine

2011-09-17T04:00:00.000-07:00

Costa Rican cuisine is much more than Gallo Pinto (rice and beans), and the typical Casado (some kind of meat with rice, beans, plantain, salad and "picadillo"). Recently a good number of chefs got together in a competition to create and recreate with more creativity some of the typical dishes of Costa Rica.

There is much that can be talked about this topic, but today we want to share a recipe from Cocina Costarricense; It is called Piñas borrachas, or by its name in English drunk pineapples. On a day of Carne Asada (barbeque), you can surprise your guest by making a unique but very simple desert.

Cut the pineapple in thin slices, and put them on the grill so that they cook a little bit on both sides. Then get it on the plate and combine it with a scup of ice cream. The pineapple juice from the fruit can be cook with some maicena and create a sauce that will put the dish all together in a delicious party for the mouth.

For the complete recipe please visit Cocina Costarricense.

Costa Rica Independence - September 15th

2011-09-15T08:06:00.000-07:00

The history of Costa Rica is unique in that the people in the country did not have to fights arduously as the people in other countries to gain its freedom. Costa Rica won its independence from Spain on September 15th, 1821. It came as a message from the Virreinato of Guatemala, so unlike independence in other countries, it wasn't a very significant event at the time. The country had functioned apart from the Capitanía General of Guatemala for a long time and Costa Rica was a far away "town".

In other words, even though the official date of independence is 1821, Costa Rica, since its origins, possessed an autonomous sense of being that became definite in that particular year. The country had functioned independently because of Spain's lack of economical, political and even religious interest in the poor region.

After the Declaration of Independence, the four main cities of the country: Cartago, Heredia, San José and Alajuela, also felt autonomous from each other, and disagreed on several issues. The Cartago and Heredia conservative leaders were in favor of joining Mexico, while the two latter cities and their Republican leaders disagreed. After a small battle in the Ochomogo Hills in Cartago, the Republicans were victorious, thus rejecting the accession with Mexico. Afterwards, Guanacaste, which belonged to Nicaragua, decided to join Costa Rica.

From that time on, Costa Rica has been a small country which desicions has kept it away from big wars and conflicts. Later, Costa Rica eliminated the army, which also helped to its culture as a peaceful country like no other in the world.

Link: Costa Rica independence

A little more about Vazquez de Coronado

2011-09-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

Coronado is located on an authentic rural town close to San Jose (around 25 kilometers). It is a blessed place located between the National Park Braulio Carrillo and the Irazu Volcano. From Coronado you can connect to Heredia, Cartago and Limon Provinces, so you can arrange your trip to go through this beautiful town and enjoy the wonders that offer.

It is recognized by its beautiful Gothic church, great countryside, wonderful waterfalls, and nice people. It is a special place to visit on a weekend to eat a typical dish "Olla de Carne" or meat soup, and enjoy the surroundings and the fresh breeze.

Coronado´s Gothic Church was built on 1930 with the help of the people that lived in the area. It is a beloved architectonical treasure for the people of Coronado. On the festivities it is possible to get to the top floors of the church and see the whole extension of the town. Also, from close to the church numerous traditional activities take places, making the town a rich place to visit and attracting a lot of national tourists.

Link: Visit Coronado

The Oxcart culture in Costa Rica

2011-09-13T09:42:00.000-07:00

In Costa Rican, the so called bueyes (oxen) are animals that have been trained to help peasants on their normal shores. They normally pull a cart (oxcart) painted with great designs and very colorful forms. Peasants have exercised this rustic method for generations in the countryside of Costa Rica, learned from childhood, with his family. Although it is an activity mainly taken by men, recently women have also take a leadership position in the activity.

The oxen are chosen since they are little depending on their temperament and trained during their whole life to work together on a "yunta de bueyes".

La Niguenta and other cultural figures of Costa Rica

2011-09-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

In Costa Rica, our elders used to have dolls like the Niguenta (naked girl taking something out of her foot). They place it close to the entrance of a house for good luck. In the picture you can see a representation of the doll La Niguenta (you can find the doll of a white girl and a black girl), and a representation of La Virgen de los Angeles also called La Negrita.

Many Costarricans use to have religious figures in their homes and bussiness. Some of these religious representations are the Virgen, La Niguenta, San miguel Arcangel, a Rosario and a representation of the Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, among others.

Costa Rica´s Central Market

2011-09-10T09:15:00.000-07:00

When visiting Costa Rica, don´t forget to visit any of the numerous city markets present in each big city of Costa Rica. The most important is the Central Market, located in San Jose Downtown and where tourist may experience the real daily life of costarricans. It is one of the most representative places in old San Jose and an icon of Costa Rican Culture.

On colonial times, the small town of San José was called "La Boca del Monte", because it served as the main entrance to the central part of te country. With time farmers settle down with their families on te area founding want later would be San Jose.

Costa Rica´s Central Market is visited for over 20 thousand people every day, giving the place a life of its own. It was founded in 1882 and it has been remodeled several times, but it keeps its labyrinth like structure and many exit doors. It is also a place where you can enjoy typical Costa Rican food, like the "Casados" (rice, beans, salad, cheese, plantains, tortillas and meat), "gallo pinto" (rice with beans) and the deliciously sweet drink "agua dulce" (water with national sugar candy).

The fruits, vegetables, meats, and merchandise is sell on good prices, and while you walk through the hallways, you will enjoy the smell of fresh made tortillas.

Like San Jose Central Market, also other cities like Cartago, Heredia, Alajuela, Limon, and Liberia have also a city market. Smallest cities like Grecia have a small market with lots to offer, very clean and with art murals to decorate the place. When you come to Costa Rica, don’t forget to visit one of the markets and experience the Costa Rican culture and history.

Costa Rica Adventure Activities - Part I

2011-09-02T09:30:00.000-07:00

Costa Rica is a small country divided by a range of mountains and volcanos. Its special location offers both Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea and a wide range of scenes, wildlife and nature. It is a great country for mountain bike, no matter where the location: beach, flatlands or mountains. The best routes for mountain biking are Irazu-Turrialba, Cartago-Orosi, Rincon de la Vieja, La Fortuna-Tilaran, and Monteverde, among others.

Canopy, also called ziplining, is available almost every place in Costa Rica. The main difference are the type of forests through which the canopy tour was built, the heights and logitud, and the different scenery that can be seen. The first canopy built in Costa Ricas was the Original Canopy in Monteverde, but there are so many that only the best are offered by Banana Adventure Tours in each location. Some of this tours include wires as long as 1 kilometer, and Tarzan swing.

Costa Rica is the dream country for hikers of all kinds. Its landscapes, mountains, forests and wide selection of National Parks, biological reserves and botanical gardens makes it very interesting and exciting. Anywhere you go in the country you can find trails and places to walk and enjoy its great biodiversity.

Wether you are an experienced rafter or you have never done it, there is a river for you in Costa Rica. The main rivers in the country for white water rafting are: Sarapiqui River (Class II-III), Reventazon River (Class III-IV), Savegre River - Manuel Antonio (Class III), Naranjo River - Manuel Antonio (Class III), Pejivaye River - Turrialba (Class III), Corobici River - Guanacaste (Class I), and the most famous Pacuare River (Class III-IV), described as one of the top ten most scenic rivers in the world for white water rafting.

Link: Costa Rica Adventure

Solo Travel in Costa Rica

2011-08-28T17:28:00.000-07:00

More and more people are choosing Solo Travel as a great option to know different countries and enjoy an adventure that will never be forgotten. Costa Rica is an excellent country for solo travelers. It is a safe, small and fun country where solo travelers can enjoy different activities joining other groups of people, getting to know the culture and interacting one on one with the costa rican people. It does not matter if you are introvert or extrovert, since there is a place for everyone. Being on your own could lead to new and rewarding experiences.

It can also help you to be more spontaneous or to enjoy being the owner of your time and your present at all times, without having to make compromises.

Solo Travel can be the ultimate freedom!

One thing to take into consideration when solo traveling is that you are never really alone. It is an opportunity to blend in with the locals, broaden your mind and experience the new and refreshing change of settings. You are only alone if you wish to be, but in fact in Costa Rica people are very warm and friendly, and you will always find someone to talk to.

Link: Solo Travel

Romeria in Costa Rica

2011-07-31T14:17:00.000-07:00

Costa Rica is a country full of cultural expressions, althought they are not as colorful as other countries in CentralAmerica. one of the most beautiful traditions in the country is the Romeria, which takes place every Agoust 2 of every year. It is estimated that at least 2.000.000 of ticos move from everywhere in the country by walking to visit the Basilica de la Virgen de Los Angeles. Some of them walk from very far in the country to pay a promess or ask for something to the Virgen de Los Angeles, also called La Negrita. The Basilica is located in cartago city (Cartago province) and it is $24 kilometers from San Jose.

It is a event full of faith and cultural meaning that has been done from the begining of Costa Rica as a country. If you are in Costa Rica during those days you may consider accopany us to say thank you to our Negrita.

During that procession you will see all kinds of people, from the richest man to the poorest, and sometimes you will get to see pure expressions of what a Tico is on the countryside.

Dictionary of Costa Rican Words

2010-12-14T15:51:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the words most used by Ticos and Ticas, and that you may want to know when visiting the country during your vacations:

Tuanis - Some people say that it comes from the expression "too nice", it means that something is good or ok.

Maje or Mae - Used a lot by people of all ages; it means "dude", and can be used in femenine or masculine.

100 metros - "Cien metros" means "one block" and "cincuenta metros", means "half a block" – all regardless of the actual length of the block.

Aguevado or Bostezo - bored or boring.

Brete - work or job.

Chunche - Thing.

Di/diay - With no exact translation, diay is best thought of as an interjection at the beginning of a sentence, similar to "um" or "well."

Dolor de jupa - a headache.

Chante - home, place.

Estar de chicha - to be angry.

Estar de goma - to have a hangover.

Guila - A guila in Costa Rica is merely a "girl."

Jama - food.

Jumas - drunk.

Choza - home.

No joda!/no jodás! - don't bother me! / leave me alone!

Pura paja - crap; bullshit.

Pulperia - A small corner store.

Que tigra! - ugh, what a drag!

Salado - unlucky.

Soda - A small, family-run typical restaurant.

Soque! - hurry up!

Una teja - Is 100 of anything, usually money (100 colones).

La vara - the thing.

Upe! - hello? anyone home?

Monthly Calendar 2011

2010-12-04T14:09:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a small version of a monthly calendar 2011, you came to the right place. From here you can download a printable version of the Calendar 2011 completely free. It has a resolution of 600 x 800.

Link: Calendar 2011

Feliz Navidad! Costa Rica Merry Christmas!

2010-12-04T14:07:00.000-08:00

Banana Adventure Tours

Information about Coronado

2010-12-03T09:05:00.000-08:00

The offices of Banana Adventure Tours are located in Coronado, in the canton Vazquez de Coronado, in the suburbia of San Jose.

The regional symbols of Coronado are:

The Flag: Designed by Roger Arias Zuñiga Cristian Sanchez Cabrera and Cristian Rodriguez Brenes. They were the winners of a contest created by the Dulce Nombre Municipality. It has three colors: light blue, which represents the pure and clean sky of Coronado; white representing the work of its people in the dairy farm; green, representing the fields of Coronado and the 5 gold stars symbolizing every district.

2. The Shield: it was desinged byt the professor Amaparo Cruz Zuñiga, and talken by the municipality
on September 8, 1975.

Merry Christmas from Banana Adventure Tours

2010-11-22T16:29:00.000-08:00

Feliz Navidad y Prospero Año Nuevo

COSTA RICA MULTI ACTIVITY CHRISTMAS TOUR

Sunset at Coronado

2010-11-22T11:38:00.000-08:00

Poas Volcano National Park

2010-11-14T15:34:00.000-08:00

Poas Volcano is an active stratovolcano with frequent small geyser and lava eruptions, and with some of the most beautiful scenery in Costa Rica. It is located in the Alajuela Province, at about 2,708 meters above sea level and lies within two vast calderas. The last major eruptions at Poas Volcano were around 1954. The southernmost of two summit crater lakes, Botos, is about 2 km in diameter and over 1000 meters deep, it is cold and clear, and its last eruption was about 7,500 years ago. The other is warm and acidic crater that has a beautiful blue-green crater lake, and has been the site of frequent eruptions since the first was reported in 1828.

Poas Volcano National Park, founded on 1971, is the most develop of all national parks in Costa Rica and it has the most visitors of every other National Park in Costa Rica. It is a popular attraction located only 37 km from San Jose. This park may become crowded and cloudy so it is always better to visit the park early in the morning. Also the best time to view the crater is early in the morning before the clouds cover the crater and the lake.

This National Park is a great place for a one day tour because of its location, just an hour and a half from Downtonw San Jose. After arriving to the park, visitor can check out the Visitors Center, where is a coffee and volcanoes exhibition. There are very well developed trails that go to the main crater lookout point. The main crater is around 1.5 km wide and 300 meters deep, and is one of the biggest of the world. Another trail, around a 20 minute hike, goes to a second crater now a lake called Laguna Botos. The park is also an important power plant of the hydroelectric and geothermal generation.

There are many options to get to the park; the road is in good condition. There are many tours that visit the park, as well as other touristic sites in the surrounding area, such as the coffee plantations, coffee tours, and beautiful landscapes, among others. There are also public buses that go close to the Poas Volcano. The Poas Volcano bus station, Tuasa Co., is located in the Street 12-13, Ave. 2. The public bus leaves daily at 8:00 a.m. in the morning and returns around 2:00 p.m. The distance from San Jose to the National park is 55 km and the trip takes 1 hour and 30 minutes. To communicate with Tuasa Co., the phone numbers are (506) 2222-5325 and (506) 2442-6900.

Turrialba Volcano National Park

2010-11-10T15:33:00.000-08:00

Turrialba Volcano National Park was created in 1955, and it is located in the Cartago Province, around 40 miles East of San Jose, in the Central Volcanic Conservation Area. Turrialba Volcano, of 3.328 meters high above sea level, is a stratovolcano that was dormant for over 100 years until it became active again recently. In January of 2009, some acid rain killed a lot of vegetation around the volcano.

The volcano is located in the Cartago province in Costa Rica and was named by early Spanish settlers as Torre Alba or White Tower; its name was changed to Turrialba. The reason of its name is the observed plumes of smoke pouring from its top.

Turrialba Volcano was declared a national park in 1955, and protects a 4 km diameter around the volcano. The volcano has three main craters; however, only the largest one shows any signs of volcanic activity in form of steam and sulphur vents. Although it has relatively easy access, the summit can only be reached by foot. It is surrounded by cloud forest, full of ferns, bromeliads and orquids.

There are many options to get to the park; the road is not in good condition. There are many tours that visit the park (although they required 4 x 4), as well as other touristic sites in the surrounding area, such as the Guayabo, Rivers, and beautiful landscapes, among others. There are also public buses that go to the closes city, Turrialba.

The bus station for Turrialba is Transtusa Transportation, which is located in the Street 13, and Ave. 6. The public bus leaves daily, every hour from 5:15 a.m. in the morning until 10:00 p.m., and returns (Turrialba - San Jose) hourly from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. The trip takes 2 hours. To communicate with Transtusa Transportes, the phone numbers are (506) 2222-4464 and (506) 2556-4233.

Irazu Volcano

2010-11-04T15:32:00.000-07:00

The Irazu Volcano is one of the seven active volcanos in Costa Rica. The Irazu Volcano National Park is located in the Cordillera Central close to the city of Cartago, specifically in the Central Volcanic Conservation Area and encompasses the Prusia Forest Reserve. Although it has erupted frequently, at least 23 times since 1723, its most famous eruption began in 1963 and continued until 1965.

The US President John F. Kennedy was visiting Costa Rica when the volcano erupted showering with an immense cloud of ash the capital San Jose and much of the central highlands of Costa Rica. However, since then the volcano has remained dormant, with the exception of a small phreatic eruption that happened on 1994, and that killed vegetation and some small animals with acid rain.

Irazu Volcano has several craters. The main crater is usually greenish and yellow, caused by the rainfall and dissolve minerals. Sometimes it turns to a rust-red color because of the presence of certain minerals. The inactive crater has a green Crater Lake called Diego de la Haya, and it is sometimes filled with volcanic ash. It is the highest active volcano in Costa Rica.

In very clear days, it is possible to see both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans; however, this is a very rare phenomenon due to the normal weather conditions of the country. The last Crater called Playa Hermosa, was a great asset crater at the beginning, right now the border of the crater is having its natural regeneration of flora.

La Cangreja National Park

2010-10-30T15:32:00.000-07:00

La Cangreja National Park is located in the Cangreja Puriscal Canton, in the Province of San Jose. The area is known as Mastatal located inside the mountain and whose only form of access is through the use of wheel-drive vehicle; the road is, for the most part, weights and muddy due to the large amount of rain that falls in that area.

To reach this National Park people must take the road towards Puriscal; then take the road passing through villages like Parrita Puriscal, Saltpetre, and Mastatal among other smaller blowgun Santa Marta, San Martin and Santa Rosa. Among the interesting elements of this pathway is the Church of Puriscal, closed because of its location on a large seismic fault. Gradually, this church is sinking and it is at risk of falling because of a strong earthquake. La Cangreja National Park is the last patch of forest declared by the Government of Costa Rica as a National Park on June 5, 2002, Decree 30479-MINAE.

Travel from Costa Rica to Colombia by road: Is it possible?

2010-10-25T21:47:00.000-07:00

Many people have come to ask me as a travel agent, how they can go from Costa Rica to Colombia by car or bus. All Central America is connected by a road call Panamerican Highway. It pass through all countries in Central America: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. It stops in Panama when it gets closer to the frontier with Colombia. The so called "Tapon de Darien" is a very dense jungle with an immense value in biodiversity. Although some Colombian President such as Alvaro Uribe, have mentioned the necessity of creating a road that communicates Panama with Colombia, but many sectors of the population are opposed to that ideas because of many reasons. Some of those reasons are the environmental damage that the construction of a road in that area may have, and the increased risk of having non wanted immigration to Panama, among others.

The first and more comfortable option is to flight from Panama or Costa Rica to Colombia (the available airlines are Avianca and Copa). The flights range between $300 and $450 per person depending on the season.

The second option is to get a Boat Tour: there are some boats transporting goods from Colon (Panama) to Cartagena, or from Panama to Buenaventura, but there´s no regular service. There is also sailboat transportation to Colombia, which offers top quality service at a high price that will make the distance an intense and beautiful trip to the Colombian coasts.

If you really want to go by car, there must be a ship that moves your car from Panama (Colon) to Cartagena (Colombia). The price tag could be very high, and I think it won’t be worthy.

In any case, you should plane your vacation carefully or at least have a lot of time to spare since the ship or car option will require of special arrangements and information hunting.

I hope this information is useful for you travelers.

Ballena National Marine Park

2010-10-25T15:31:00.000-07:00

Ballena National Marine Park is located in the Puntarenas Province, on the Pacific Coast, about 190 kilometers southwest of San Jose. It is a favorite Park for locals and tourist alike. The park includes the area from Playa Hermosa to Playa Piñuela, including Playa Ballena and Playa Uvita, covering around 15 kilometers of seaward. Ballena National Marine Park was created as a way to protect the many marine biological communities of the Pacific Coast, maintaining its productivity and preserve critical marine reproductive habitats such as coral reefs (the largest of the Pacific Coast of Central America), marine turtles such as Olive Ridley and Hawksbill turtles, and humpback whales. The landscape of the park includes beautiful forests, beaches, mangroves, rocky shoals and Las Tres Hermanas, which are small islands located in front of the shores of the park; Ballena Island is the name of the middle one. Its name comes from the many Humpback whales that visit the park each year when they migrate to the cold waters of the North part of the world, from December to April to mate. Among the activities that can be enjoyed in the park are hiking to Punta Uvita Tombolo, snorkeling (especially at low tide), beach combing, scuba diving, and turtle nesting (between May and November). Because this are was designated as a Marine Park 25 years ago, there is an abundance of marine life. The northernmost beach in the park is known as Playa Hermosa, and it is a favorite location for both surfers.

Ballena National Marine Park does not have a wide effective protection by park rangers; however, people are advice to enter the park and be conscious about the importance of maintaining this area trash free and to respect the presence of the nesting marine turtles.

Palo Verde National Park

2010-10-20T15:30:00.000-07:00

Palo Verde National Park is one of the most amazing places for bird watching in Costa Rica. It is located in the northern province of Guanacaste. It is home of over one half million birds which migrate during the months of December through March, escaping the extreme cold weather of North America. They feed on the shallow swamps rich in small fish and flora. Some of the species that could be found in the area are egrets, storks, spoonbills, herons, ibis, and ducks among many other. Within the park lies the Tempisque River, with a small island called Isla de Pajaros. The Park protects tropical dry forest, brackish, freshwater marshlands, and mangrove swamps.

¿How to get from Costa Rica to Nicaragua by bus?

2010-10-18T17:52:00.000-07:00

Costa Rica is very well known as a top touristic destination for people who like nature and adventure. It is ideal for family vacations, and adventure lovers. If you are planning to come to Costa Rica and are wondering if it is worthy to visit our neighbor country Nicaragua during your visit, you will find your answer here.

Costa Rica is a small country, and the distance from Capital San Jose to the Nicaragua´s frontier is of 7 to 8 hours by car. National public bus may take a little longer, and other public transportation such as TicaBus or Nica bus will probide with all the basic commodities to make your trip a little less tiring. Normal costarican public bus will take you to Peñas Blancas and the you will continue your trip on your own. TicaBus will leave you either in Managua or Granada. If you are going to Nicaragua by bus, buy your ticket in the main bus stop at San Jose, or in the main office of TicaBus:

200 mts North y 100 mts West from Torre Mercedes, Paseo Colón, in front of Funeraria del Magisterio Nacional.

Once you are in the frontier: Peñas Blancas, you will be asked to do costums and migration. Make sure you have your passport, all your legal documents and a returned ticket to enter to Costa Rica on your way back (it is one of the requisit to reenter Costa Rica). If you are lucky you will go throught in no time, but normally the authorities make you make a line to check all your packages and bags both ways. Depending on your nationality you may have to pay a entry visa to get to Nicaragua, and later a $2 Nicaraguan tax.

From Peñas Blancas to Granada, the colonial city of Nicaragua, the distance is very short, taking approximately 45 minutes. To Managua, the main city, it is around 1 hour 30 minutes.

If you are coming to Costa Rica and rent a car, you will not be allowed to cross the frontier with the car. All vehicles that cross the frontiers of Costa Rica have to have a special permit from the government.

Hope this info is useful!

Costa Rica Information

2010-10-14T15:28:00.000-07:00

COSTA RICA GENERAL INFORMATION

Capital of Costa Rica: San José
Official Language: Spanish
Government: Democratic
Population: 4,233,432 (2007)
Currency: Costa Rican Colón

Costa Rica is located, according to the Ecuador, in the Northern Hemisphere, and according to the Greenwich meridian, in the Occidental Hemisphere. Its geographic coordinates are 10 north, 84 west. Costa Rica is part of what is called Central or Middle America, main land. Because of its geographic location, Costa Rica has a strategic value in communication and commercial relationships, climate, and in productive and politic activities. The country is 2.5 times larger than wider with a total area of 51,100sq km, out of which 50,660sq km are land. From these, 6% is arable land, 5% permanent crops, 46% permanent pastures, 31% forest and woodland, and 12% of others, including Coco Island, and 440sq km of water, (1,200sq km are irrigated land).

The area of the country can be compared with the area of West Virginia. Costa Rica’s borderline is about 639 km and it borders Nicaragua in the north (309 km) and Panama in the south (330 km). Its coastline is approximately 1,290 km, and it has the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Its climate is mostly tropical with two marked seasons: dry season from December to April and rainy season from May to November. Christopher Columbus arrived to Costa Rica on his 4th journey in 1502. When he arrived he saw a wonderful rich land full of lush vegetation and diverse wildlife, that he called “Rich Coast” or Costa Rica.

Costa Rica small country of 51.0000 square Km., is a complex and perhaps more diverse than any place of its size on earth, divided into several distinct regions, each of them looks like an entirely separate place, where you will find a large number of rivers, plains, mountains, valleys, flora, fauna, volcanoes, beaches, protected areas, and biological reserves. Its many and varied attractions that make this country a great destinations for any visitor.

It was the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army, by former president José Figueres Ferrer in 1948, consolidating the country as one of the oldest democracies in the Americas. Among Latin American Human Development Index. It has around 4 million people with a wide variety of religions and cultures, and a 95% of literacy among its population. The country is ranked 5th in the world, and 1st among the Americas, in terms of the 2008 Environmental Performance Index. countries, Costa Rica ranks 4th in terms of the 2007.

Costa Rica is located in the tropical zone, and its geographical coordinates provide it with a unique diversity of flora and fauna. Its privileged location in the isthmus enable Costa Rica to become a biological bridge for the gathering of fauna and forest species, and also a cultural link for the cultures form the south and north areas of the continent. Costa Rica is the world's most popular destination for rainforest tourism thanks to its spectacular biodiversity, relative ease-of-access and safety, and many natural attractions. In 2007 nearly 2 million tourists visited the country, generating almost 2 billion in revenue - more than the combined income from bananas and coffee.

Costa Rica has a population of 4.000.000 people, and the native language iof the country si Spanish. However is not difficult for our foreigners to communicate using other language that are usually spoken here, such as, French, English, Italian or German.

Catholicism is the official religion, freedom of religion to all is guaranteed.It is a democratic republic, and the system is based in the balance of the three powers: Executive-, Legislative-, and Judiciary, established by the Political Constitution of Costa Rica. San Jose is the Capital city of the country ansd it is located in the central valley, and represents the centre of the metropolitan area.

The population of the metropolitan area goes around one million inhabitants, including the floating population. There are some historical sites and museums, where to explore the architectural, archaeological, artistic and scientific patrimony. Costa Rica nickname TICOS are proud to be famous for being hospitable, educated and working people, they love to smile and shake your hand, they try to explain something that may look rather weird to the visitor. The idea is the visitor feel comfortable and in home.

CLIMATE
Costa Rica is a tropical country and does not have well defined seasons and the climates is stable in every region year around. We have light climatic changes according to the time of the year, for example summer time called -dry season- from December to April or winter – rainy season- from May to November.

Costa Rica has one of the biggest diversities in the world, and is privileged country for being home of many diverse organisms, considered to be one of twenty countries on the world with the highest diversity in species, estimated in 12-14 million species of all kind of organisms in the world, of which only 1.75 million has been described.With such diversity, Costa Rica is also home of 850 species of birds, from which 600 are resident and the remaining are migratory during the winter, the former flying out to South America. Costa Rica is a country that has given a great deal of attention to the conservation and preservation of its national parks, forests and jungles.

COSTA RICA FLORA AND FAUNA

Costa Rica is one of the countries where an unusual amount and variety of fauna and flora are found. Its rich and abundant fauna included more than 200 species of mammals, more than 850 species of birds, 200 species of amphibians and 220 species of reptiles. The wonders of Costa Rica nature has allow the country to develop a crescent touristic activity based on ecotourism and rural tourism, all in harmony with nature. Hummingbirds, doves, sloths, butterflies, snakes, giant lizards, sea turtles, among many others, can be found in many places in Costa Rica.

In such a small country, there are many different habitats, such as dry forest, rain forest, cloud forest, and mangroves, among many others. There are more than 9.000 species of higher plants, more than 800 species of ferns, including the unique blue fern, 2000 species of bromeliads, and 30 species of heliconians, among many others.

THE TICOS AND TICAS

Living in a country with a salubrious climate with sweet and soft winds, beautiful countryside, active and smoking volcanoes, occasional rainbows and fluffy white cumulus, Costa Ricans are very friendly, dignified and indenpendent. Tico and Ticas are peaceful, friendly and proud to have a beautiful country to share with visitors from all over the world. Passing through Costa Rican countryside, it is impressive to look people living in houses on plots of land that they themselves own and farm.

Chirripo National Park

2010-10-07T15:29:00.000-07:00

Chirripo National Park is located around 151 km away from San Jose, close to the city of Perez Zeledon (San Isidro del General). It has an extension of 50.150 hectares and it is better to visit the park during the dry season, which is December through March.

It is truly an unique National Park in the country, due to its mist and cold weather, and the flora of the Paramo life zone. Besides the Paramo, it also contains extensive areas of lower montane and montane rain forest. Chirripo National Park was declared a "Biosphere Reserve" by the UNESCO in 1982, and a year later (1983) was declared a "World Heritage Site".

Among its main attractions are mountain hiking, wildlife observation and technical rock climbing. The park has its name because of the Chirripó Peak, which is the tallest mountain in the country (3.819 meters high). Visitors should be prepared for great temperature variations (from 24º C to below 0º temperatures).

Visitors should call the National Park and arrange their stay in the shelter up in the Park. Due to its great altitude it is advice for visitors to stay in the park at least 2 days. From the entrance to the park to the top of the mountain where the shelter is, there are 15 kilometers, which is around a 10 hours hike.

Link: 10 Wonders of Costa Rica

Come and enjoy Costa Rica

2010-10-05T08:22:00.000-07:00

http://www.bananaadventuretours.com

How to get to Costa Rica

2010-10-04T15:27:00.000-07:00

Costa Rica is located north of Panama in Central America, and for its location, the country has many different ways of getting here. Numerous international flights arrive to Costa Rica everyday from all over the world, and from many different airlines (America Airline, Taca, Copa, US Airways, Continental Airlines, Cubana, Delta, Iberia and Mexicana, among others). It is 2.5 hours by air from Miami, 7 hours from Los Angeles, and 11 hours from London (depending on the flight stops). Costa Rica is a welcoming country, Americans and Canadians have a free visa (with valid passport) for up to 90 days, while other countries have up to 30 days. Only Western Europeans and Nicaraguans need visa to enter the country.

International Airports

The country has two international airports fully functional. The first and most important one is the Juan Santamaria International Airport, located in the province of Alajuela, around 25 minutes from San Jose downtown. There are very hotels close by the international airport; however, the airport is not too far away from the capital. The second international airport is called Daniel Odubert International Airport, located in the city of Liberia, in the province of Guanacaste. It is a great airport to arrive to if you plans to stay in the beaches of Guanacaste. The price range varies according to the season, however, an average goes from $400 to $800 for Americans, and from $800 to $1000 for Europeans.

There is also a main national airport in the Capital city named Tobias Bolaños Airport, which connects domestic flights to most places in Costa Rica and their local airports. Among the domestic flights companies are Sansa, Nature Air, Paradise Air, and Aero Bell.

The Exit Taxes, right now is $26 per person, and it could be bought directly in the International Airport just before checking in on your airline counter.

International Cruises and Ports

Costa Rica is also a cruise port for both, Caribbean Cruises (Limon) and Pacific Ocean Cruises (Puntarenas). Many tourist visit the country through the many cruises that dock in Costa Rica, and have even time to visit the most touristic places located close by.

Roads and Highways

The size of the country allows tourist to visit other destinies by land, such as Nicaragua and Panama. The island of San Andrés (Colombia) could be visited through a short flight from the Juan Santamaria International Airport. Even though the roads are not in perfect condition, Costa Rica could be access from everywhere. Visitors could include in their vacations a quick trip to Bocas del Toro (Panama), to David and Boquete (Panama), and to Granada-Managua (Nicaragua).

There are many rent-a-car companies in the country, including Adobe Rent a Car, Dollar Rent a Car, and Avis Rent a Car, among others.

Currency Exchange Tips

2010-09-30T15:25:00.000-07:00

A Stress Free Vacation Starts With a Currency Exchange

Plan Planning a vacation can be frustrating

We all want to get away from the rat race of nine-to-five job, which usually turns into a nine-to-whenever lifestyle. Some of us travel to warm and tropical countries such as beautiful Costa Rica to experience local attractions and unique cultures. Whatever the choice, it’s important to plan the trip at least two months ahead of your departure in order to book accommodations, and the extras features that make a vacation special. Airline seats, hotel rooms and restaurant reservations, as well as booking other local attractions are essential, but researching the currency exchange market while you’re planning and developing a travel budget will make the trip less stressful and much more fun. If you check the value of your currency pair using a reliable currency exchange broker in the planning stage, you can develop an exchange strategy that saves you money.

As exciting as Costa Rica is, planning the trip can be frustrating if you wait until the last minute to develop a currency exchange strategy that has an impact on your budget. Let’s say you were traveling to a country that is experiencing radical fluctuations in the value of their currency. Argentina for example could turn into a nightmare if you wait until you reach Buenos Aires and exchange currency for the Argentine Peso and the Peso’s value has surged overnight.

Where should I exchange currency?

The first place that comes to mind when you want to trade currencies is a bank, or you may want to use one of your credit cards. Banks charge a transaction fee for every exchange and may even add a foreign exchange fee of 2 or 3% on each transaction. Banks may only post one or two rates a day, so you may not get a real time rate, which means the bank makes a little more profit. Credit cards use their own exchange rate, plus they add a hefty transaction fee to your exchange and then add a surcharge to every trip purchase, so you don’t know how much the trip actually cost until you get your statement and that’s usually budget breaking news.

Using an airport exchange merchant or hotels and retail shops to exchange money is always expensive. Exchanging money is a for-profit business so airport, hotel and retail exchange merchants add a substantial profit to every currency exchange. The best and most effective way to exchange currency is through a professional currency broker. A reliable broker will give you a real time exchange rate without hidden fees, surcharges and outlandish profits.

A broker will help you develop an averaging or future contract strategy while you’re planning the trip, so your budget is more accurate. When you exchange currency using a broker, your money will be sent to you the next day by a secure delivery service. A currency broker does make a profit when you exchange money, but you know how much it is, and can put it in your budget.

Other travel tips

Some countries limit the amount of cash you can carry through customs. Check with your broker while you’re planning your trip, so you stay within the limit. Always carry cash in a leg pouch, money belt or hidden pocket that’s secure and out of sight. Use hotel safes when you reach your destination and follow local security measures when you’re away from the hotel. Common sense is your best security tool when you remember to use it.

Los Quetzales National Park

2010-09-25T15:30:00.000-07:00

Costa Rica is about the 0,01% of the World but has the 3% of the biodiversity of the world in its territory. The government has made a great effort to protect the country's nature; and in April, 2006, a new National Park was created: Los Quetzales National Park. It was created with the support of the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID). This national park seeks to protect the Savegre River area and it covers 4.117.09 hectares that includes three types of rainforest and 14 different ecosystems; its highest altitude is 3.190 meter above sea level, and the lowest is 1.240 m. The rainy season for this area is May to November, with a average precipitation of 4.667 mm; the temperature ranges from 0º C to 20º C.
Los Quetzales National Park is located close to the Talamanca Ranger, in the San Jose Province. It is around 75 km south of San Jose city along the Interamerican Highway. Visitors could see green and red quetzals. It is a land of great wonders, full of Quetzales, a beautiful bird from which the name of the park is derived. The wildlife that the parks seek to protect also includes hummingbirds, the puma, sloths, coyotes, quetzal, jilguero, mozotillo de montaña, chancho de monte (saino), and other species of mammals. Among the flora species protected by the park are aguacatillos, palmitos, cloud forest, paramos and many rivers and streams.
To contact Los Quetzales National Park call (506) 2200-5354 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (506) 2200-5354 end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (506) 2200-5354 end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (506) 2200-5354 end_of_the_skype_highlighting in Ojo de Agua de Dota. The park has a visitor center, camping area and 8 trails (Ojo de Agua, La Laguna, Ciprecillo Milenario, Rio Brujo, Ojo de Agua-Providencia, Ojo de Agua-San Gerardo, Providencia-San Gerardo, and Cerro Frio)

Costa Rica Travel Facts

2010-09-20T15:24:00.000-07:00

The official language of Costa Rica is Spanish, although many Ticos and Ticas know Basic English. On touristic areas, hotel receptionist and tour operator guides speak English as well.

Costa Rica has the same time zone of the U.S. Central Standard Time, but without daylight savings time.

Most restaurants in Costa Rica include a 10% tip in the final price. It is not necessary to leave tip on restaurants or for taxi drivers. However, you can leave tips for tourist guides and tourist drivers if you would like to.

Costa Rica has also a sale tax of 13%, and an additional 3% tourist tax for hotels. This additional 3% goes to the Costa Rica Tourist Board.

The water in Costa Rica is safe to drink everywhere in the country, although some organism are sensitive to other places water, so we advice to buy bottle water for the first days of your stay in the country.

As for the commercial offices, stores and other business, the business hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Government offices are opened from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The airport tax is $26 per person. It has to be paid in dollars or colones, but not with credit card.

Costa Rica country code is 506; there are not regional codes. Bilingual operator assistance for international calls is 116, local phone information 113, long distance information 124.

US or Canadian cell phones almost certainly will not work in Costa Rica, but if they do work, there will be a call fee of $5 per minute. There are some cell phone rent companies in the country but they can be really expensive.

Family Vacations

2010-09-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

Family vacations are great! When planed well, it helps the family`s bond to get stronger. Everyday life can be very stressful and sometimes parents do not have the enough time to have quality moments with their children, so when a family goes into a vacation, it gives the opportunity to be there full time and get to know a little more the kids. Planning a family vacation at least once a year is healthy for all members of the family.

Imagine amazing long days in a white sand beach on the Pacific, enjoying the sun, visiting interesting museums and why not? Experiencing a variety of adventure activities surrounded by nature. When choosing a destination for your family vacations, you have to consider what you would like to do during your vacations so you will have many fun memories to share over time, how much time you would like to spend in the destination, and how much you have available to spend. The moments gather during a family vacation will stay with you a lifetime.

Costa Rica is a great destination for so many reasons. Some good points are: the airline tickets are no very expensive coming from the United States and there is a wide variety of options for all kinds of budget. From all inclusive hotels, unique little countryside lodges, or luxurious hotels, and more. Costa Rica is a country to experience nature from a new different point of view. Get to know the forest from the top down in a Canopy Tour, or walk in hanging bridges through the forest, enjoy the river surrounded by waterfalls and amazing fauna on a white water rafting trip, or hike through many natural parks or natural reserves in the country.

There are at least three family vacation packages you may choose from:

Family Adventures Package – It involves a number of adventure activities such as canopy tour, white water rafting, horseback riding, and hiking among others, combined with a visit to the hot springs in one of the most touristic places in the country and some time in a Pacific Beach in Costa Rica. Costa Rica Family Tour and Adventure.

All inclusive Family Vacations Package – You may choose one of the few inclusive resorts of the country and spend most of the vacation in a beautiful beach, enjoying relaxing tours and great food. There is also the option of a three meal a day lodge in the middle of the mountain, such as Tortuguero or Rincon de la Vieja. Custom Desing Adventure.

Beach Family Vacation Package – If you want to enjoy the beach but having some freedom to know other places around, you may choose on of the amazing beaches of the Guanacaste Province, and rent car for your family, with or without a driver. Custom Desing Adventure.

Costa Rica Culture

2010-09-10T15:22:00.000-07:00

Costa Rica is a country located in Central America, with a population of around 4 million people and a high number of imigrants. It is one of the most homogeneous countries in the region, especially when it comes to social classes; a high quantity of Ticos are middle class. Costa Rica`s main religion is Catolicism, and most Ticos and Ticas are very conservative and religious poeple.

Travel Checklist

2010-08-31T19:18:00.000-07:00

Banana Adventure Tours would like to help you plan your trip abroad and stay safe during your vacations. Some of the advice we can give you are before you go:

Get the information about the nearest embassy, in Costa Rica or in the countries you will be visiting. For more information about your embassy in Costa Rica, you may visit the web page of the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores.

It is better to travel with an international insurance that will cover you for any activity you may do during your vacations.

Get the vaccinations you may need before you travel. For example, for some countries, such as Colombia, you may need to get the Yellow Fever Vaccination. It may vary according with the time of your trip, but make sure you ask.

Make sure you have the information about visas that you may need to travel to Costa Rica, or any country during your trip. Also check that your passport is valid, if you do not have one yet, you may want to apply for it as soon as possible.

Check the entry requirements for the country you are visiting. For Costa Rica, you need a valid passport for six months. Also you need a print flight itinerary with the return flight back to your country.

Get photocopies of your passport and any other important documents and have it store in a place separate to the originals.

Inform a relative or friend about your trip and make sure you specify when you are living and how much time you will be away.

Take enough money in cash for your travel, in case you encounter any trouble. You can have a combination of travellers check, cash, and international credit cards.

If you want to know some travel advice about Costa Rica, you may enter the Summary of the consular assistant department.You can also read a little more the country in Costa Rica Travel Tips.

Investigate if your mobile service works outside the country, and specifically in Costa Rica.

Tell your credit card company that you will be out of the country, so they will not close your account as a security measure.

During your trip, don’t openly display your valuables. That way you will stay safe.

Make sure you know about the regulations for food and water. There are some countries where tap water is not safe. In Costa Rica, tap water is safe; however, you may want to buy bottle water to avoid any traveler disease.

Link: Banana Adventure Tours

Costa Rica´s vegetables

2010-06-10T11:56:00.000-07:00

In Costa Rica you can find almost anything! Everything is sold so fresh and at very good prices. Eating good is the most important thing to be able to stay healthy and productive. Don´t miss going to the Farmer Market every saturday or sunday depending on the place you are in.

Visit Costa Rica

"La Carreta" of Costa Rica

2010-06-09T14:14:00.000-07:00

La Carreta is one of Costa Rica´s national simbol. It can be still found in its most original form in Costa Rica´s country side.

Link: 101 thing to know about Costa Rica

Costa Rica: Biodiversity World Lider

2010-05-13T10:36:00.000-07:00

Costa Tiene has 4.5% of the world biodiversity.

A 26,6% of Costa Rica is under some kind of protected area.

Costa Rica gives to the world around 2 new species per day to the world.

Link: Biodiversity

Gran Final del Campeonato Nacional

2010-05-11T15:50:00.001-07:00

Gran Final del Campeonato Nacional SAPRISA vs LA LIGA
15 de Mayo, 2010 - 7:00 p.m.

2010-03-18T07:30:00.000-07:00

Oscuridad mundial: En mayo 1 desde las 21:50 a las 22:00 horas.

ESTE APAGÓN SERÁ DE 21:50 A 22:00, A LA MISMA HORA LOCAL DE CADA PAÍS EN TODO EL MUNDO.

Earth Hour

Se propone apagar todas las luces y si es posible todos los aparatos eléctricos, para que nuestro planeta pueda 'respirar'. Si la respuesta es masiva, la energía que se ahorra puede ser brutal.
Solo 10 minutos y vea que pasa. Si estamos 10 minutos en la oscuridad, prendamos una vela y simplemente la miramos y nosotros estaremos respirando con nuestro planeta. Recuerde que la unión hace la fuerza y el Internet puede tener mucho poder y puede ser aun algo más grande.

Enlace: Earth Hour

Earth Hour

2010-03-18T07:26:00.000-07:00

Earth Hour 2010 will be held across the World on Saturday 27 Match 8.30 PM - 9.30 P.M.

Lights across major sights around the globe will be switched off for the benefit of the world. From the Sydney Opera house to the Eiffel tower in Paris, the Colosseum in Rome and more. Envoy is small but our heart is big and we care! The lights in the common areas will be switched off for the Earth Hour. And in true Envoy style, we will provide entertainment "How Armenians Say Toast" for all who would like to join us. DO your bit for the environment and please switch off the light in your room, come to the common room during Earth Hour and together, let's say a toast to the world!

Enlace: Earth Hour

Know San Jose by little train

2010-02-22T17:12:00.000-08:00

Mountain Biking in Coronado, Costa Rica

2010-02-21T09:00:00.000-08:00

San Jose has many different places where cyclist can be seen practicing in the main roads of a smaller seccion of the city. Coronado is one of those places where there are many mountain bikers that enjoy the landscape of the countryside and go around the town in their mountain bikes.

Visit Costa Rica

101 Most Important things to know about Costa Rica

2010-02-18T18:24:00.000-08:00

1. Costa Rica is a small country located in Central America.

2. Costa Rica’s capital is San Jose, located in the center of the country. San Jose is the political

and economical center of the country.

3. Costa Rica is located 10º North of the equator and 84º West of the Prime Meridian; 9°55′N

and 84°4′W.

4. Costa Rica has a land extension of 51.100 km2 and 589.000 km2 of territorial waters.

5. Costa Rica official language is Spanish; there are other languages spoken in the country, such

as Mekatelio or Limon Creole (55.000 people) and some other indigenous languages.

6. Costa Rica official religion is Catholicism.

7. Costa Rica has 7 provinces: San Jose, Alajuela, Cartago, Heredia, Limón, Puntarenas y

Guanacaste.

8. Costa Ricans call themselves Ticos and Ticas, or Costar Ricans.

9. Costa Rica is said to be one of the happiest countries on Earth according to a British

organization called New Economic Foundation, which used the Happy Planet Index in an

independent study of 143 nations around the world.

10. There are 4,509,290 Costa Ricans (2009), with a population density of 85/km2.

11. San Jose province has a population of 1.547.760 people.

12. Costa Rica is a democratic country with elections every 4 years.

13. Costa Rica is a neutral country that does not take sides in any world`s war or conflict.

14. Costa Rica is a friendly and peaceful country.

15. Costa Rica`s Time Zone is UTC-6.

16. Costa Rica country code is +506, and the Internet TLD is .cr.

17. Costa Rica`s popular saying is PURA VIDA.

Pulperias in Costa Rica

2010-02-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

The “pulperias”, usually located close by a small town, where they sell all kinds of snacks, and sometimes even work as small supermarkets with the basics.>

Yet another example of a Pulperia in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica´s Original Countryside

Bike shops in San Jose, Costa Rica

2010-02-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

You can find this Ciclo shops all around San Jose, particularly where mountain bike is a big sport practiced by many people, not only for sport but as a way to move around. Prices are very confortable and the service is great!

Visit Coronado, San Jose - Costa Rica

Humor in Costa Rica Elections 2010

2010-02-09T09:05:00.000-08:00

Destruction of Weapons Monument - Costa Rica

2010-02-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

Destruction of Weapons Monument, located in La Paz Park, on the south side of Costa Rica. This monument honors the destruction of weapons after the abolition of the army in Costa Rica.

As Miguel Hernandez said:

"Poco valen las armas que la sangre no nutre
ante un pueblo de pómulos noblemente dispuestos,
poco valen las armas: les falta voz y frente,
les sobra estruendo y humo (...)
un hombre desarmado siempre es un firme bloque:
Sabe que no es estéril su firmeza, y resiste."

Visit Costa Rica

Costa Rica Elections 2010

2010-02-07T10:44:00.000-08:00

New mountain biking route Coronado

2010-02-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

Costa Rica is such a beautiful country. Many tourist come to the country each year to know what is there to offer. However, for those tourists that would like to know planes that are not very touristic and that will give a sense of truly experiencing the country, there are special places to visit.

Among these places is Coronado and the mountain biking routes not known by many people and not offered for tourists. Get to know the route Dulce Nombre - Gallera - El Rodeo - San Pedro (Coronado), through country side trails and the so called "potreros". I had the opportunity to visit the area through http://www.bananaadventuretours.com, and the biking packages offered.

Mountain Bike Costa Rica

La Paz Park - San Jose, Costa Rica

2010-02-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

Green areas in every city are very important to maintaining the quality of life of people. San Jose has many big green areas in San Jose, the capital city. One of these green areas is Parque La Paz, as well as La Sabana Metropolitan Park. La Paz Park is located in Desamparados, San Jose. It is located on the south part of the city of San Jose. I was created during the first precidency of Oscar Arias, and Guido Saenz (Minister of Culture). There is an extensive area for people to enjoy their weekends. A lot of kids come to the park to flight kites of all sizes and enjoy the sun in a family activity.

Visit Costa Rica

Art in the streets of San Jose

2010-01-30T09:00:00.000-08:00

A new art work in San Jose. You can enjoy this piece on the wall of a building located in one corner of San jose Downtown.

Homenaje al perro de la calle en Costa Rica

Costa Rica´s original countryside

Adventure Lover Special

2010-01-27T09:00:00.000-08:00

Costa Rica Adventure Package Special

$955 per person (4 people minimun) tax included!

Available until July 2010! Visit Banana Adventure Tours and book your trip now!

This adventure package was created for Adventure Lovers who would like to come to Costa Rica and enjoy the adventure challenges offered.

Day 1: Arrive San José. Airport pick up. Transfer to Arenal. Overnight at Arenal.

Day 2: White Water Rafting Pacuare River. Overnight at Arenal (BL).

Day 3: Arenal Volcano Hike and Baldi Hot Springs. Overnight at Arenal (BD).

Day 4: Jeep, Boat, Jeep tour to Monteverde. Canopy Tour. Overnight at Monteverde (B).

Day 5: Trabsfer to Manuel Antonio. Overnight at Manuel Antonio (B).

Day 6: Kayak Tour. Overnight at Manuel Antonio (B).

Day 7: Transfer to San José. San Jose City Tour. Overnight at San Jose (B).

Day 8: Transfer Out to the airport (B).

Package includes:

3 Nights at Arenal
1 Night at Monteverde
2 Nights at Manuel Antonio
1 Night at San Jose
Transfer San José - Arenal
White Water Rafting Tour (one day)
Arenal Volcano Hike Tour
Baldi Hot Springs
Jeep-Boat-Jeep Tour
Canopy Tour Monteverde
Transfer Monteverde - Manuel Antonio
Kayak Tour
Transfer Manuel Antonio – San Jose
San Jose City Tour
Transfer Out International Airport

Send an e-mail to info@bananaadventuretours.com or go to www.bananaadventuretours.com.

2010 International Year of Biodiversity

2010-01-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

UNESCO has declared International Year of Biodiversity 2010, in an attempt to decrease the rapid erosion of land, deforestation and damaged ecosystem in the world due to no sustainable economic practices. According to the UNESCO web site: "The UN-declared International Year of Biodiversity marks the 2010 Biodiversity Target aiming to significantly reduce the rate of biodiversity loss by this date."

Biodiversity is Life - Biodiversity is our Life

Biodiversity is more than beautiful animals and plants, it is the core of life as we know it and very important to the well being of the Planet Earth and the human being. The United Nations is trying to redefine the current approach to biodiversity conservation, making it clear to all people in the world that biodiversity is truly the center of life in the world as we know it.

La Carreta - Costa Rica Culture

2010-01-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

La Carreta is one of the national symbols of Costa Rica. The origin of the Carreta came from Spain on the 16th century, and underwent a series of modifications according to the culture of the country, to become what is now.

The first type of Carreta was the so called Cureña; it was very simple, built out of rough woods, with a triangular base, and with no painting. It was in the Central Valley where the Carreta was painted and stylized, around the 20th century. It was commonly use to carry coffee to the port. The design of the wheels is usually base on nature and the use of color is very important. The Boyeros are the people who accompanied the Carreta along the bulls. La Carreta has become a national symbol of Costa Rica and can be seen in many traditional places, or in the parades the Boyeros do during the year in many places of the country.

Visit Costa Rica

Other interesting links:

Costa Rica Culture
Las Mascaradas - Costa Rica Culture
Costa Rica Architecture

Costa Rica: Interesting things to see in San Jose

2010-01-14T11:58:00.000-08:00

Walking around the city, you may be able to see these sceneries: Local street vendors, walking around, offering their products. I am always amazed by the colorful scenery they offer. Some may say that they block traffic or make the city disorganized; I believe they are just part of the culture and should be appreciated as well.

Link: Visit Costa Rica

III Clásica Recreativa Miravalles 2010

2010-01-12T10:57:00.000-08:00

The ride will take place at Bagaces de Guanacaste, January 24, 2001 at 9:00 a.m. The registration fee is 5.000 colones per person. For more information visit Bikecr.

Costa Rica: Public transportation in San Jose

2010-01-10T12:10:00.000-08:00

Costa Rica has a pretty good public transportation service, connecting many different places from San Jose Downtown. Most places and all touristic places in the country can be reached by public pus with a low fee, although it may take few hours depending of the location. Inside the Metropolitan area, including San Jose, Heredia, Alajuela, and Cartago, there are pretty good public transportation services, with very good schedules:

San Jose - Alajuela and Airport: every 10 minutes from 4:20 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

San Jose - Cartago: every 10 minutes from 5:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

San Jose - Heredia: every 10 minutes from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

There are also regular buses to the surrounding areas of San Jose, such as Guadalupe, Coronado, Moravia, Desamparados, Alajuelita, Paseo Colon, Escazu, Santa Ana, and many more.

As for taxis, there are many around the city and the whole Metropolitan Area. The taxis use a taximeter they called Maria, which indicates the price to pay at the end of the ride; the Marias have a minimum for the first kilometer, after that, the prices goes up. Touristic locations also have taxis available, although some do not use taximeters, but they use a set price for each ride. People can stop a taxi in the street or they can call the Taxi company to ask for one to come to a specific location.

Link: Visit Costa Rica

Recreativa Campo 3

2010-01-08T11:00:00.000-08:00

This Mountain Bike Ride will take place on Sunday February 28, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. The registration fee is 3.500 colones per person, and it will begin at Campo Tres Este School. There will be two routes: the short one with 30 kilometers, and the long ride with 50 kilometers. Water, refresments and fruits, special escoba car and medical assistence will be available.

For more information please visit Bikecr.

Visit Costa Rica and enjoy the ride.

Turrialba Volcano: Yellow Alert

2010-01-06T12:58:00.000-08:00

Today, Costa Rica is in Yellow Alert for the imminent danger of Turrialba Volcano. The Volcano used to be dormant for more than 150 years until in the year 2007 it began some volcanic activity again. Now, in the first days of the year 2010, Turrialba Volcano has become the most active and dangerous volcano of the country, place that used to have Arenal Volcano in earlier days. Yesterday, Turrialba Volcano began some eruptions of ashes that combined with the rain were very impressive. Many people move to some safe places while the government and specialists check the status of the volcano. Although there has been great activity and earthquakes, specialist say that it does not seem to be in the verge of a magma eruption. However, only time will say.

For more information please check the Costa Rican news.

Las Mascaradas - Costa Rica Culture

2010-01-06T09:11:00.000-08:00

The dance of Las Mascaradas is a tradition very practiced by all Costa Ricans. Las Mascaradas are huge clowns, with big heads that dance in the streets. The most common clowns are La Giganta, el Diablo, la Muerte, el Policía, and la Calavera. They are present in almost every cultural activity of the country, especially in the regional fairs and the small town’s fiestas. They come accompanied by La Cimarrona, which are a group of people that play special Costa Rican music, with trumpets and drums.

I Clásica Recreativa XXVII - Santa Cruz 2010

2010-01-05T12:40:00.000-08:00

"I Clásica Recreativa XXVII Semana Cultural Santa Cruz 2010" will take place next January 10, 2010, at 9:00 a.m. The ride will begin at Bernabela Ramos Park at Santa Cruz, and there will be prices for the winners. Also, there will be a raffle, which winner will get a bicicle TREK and accesories for Mountain Bike.

Prices: 50.000 First place Masculine and 50.000 First place femenine.

For more information please contact (506) 2680-4107 / (506) 8341-2859, or visit the web site: Bikecr.

Come to Costa Rica and enjoy the ride.

Costa Rica Architecture

2010-01-04T09:53:00.000-08:00

Costa Rica is a relatively young country, and its architecture is too. After the colonization, the Spaniards built what we later called colonial houses; however, little by little these buildings disappeared to open spaces to other kind of architecture. It is safe to say that from all Latin-American, Costa Rica, is one of the very fewest countries, which does not have a wide Colonial legacy such as the city of Granada in Nicaragua, Colón in Panama, Antigua in Guatemala, and Coro in Venezuela, among many others. Nevertheless, there are some great buildings that get noticed by tourists that come to the country. Among these buildings are:

National Theater, which opened on 1897, is located in downtown San Jose, Plaza de la Cultura.

Metalic Building (Edificio Metálico), located in front of Parque Morazan is just a beautiful and intriguing building. It was built in Belgium and brought by boat to Costa Rica in pieces, which were later ensemble in the country.

Other interesting historical buildings in San Jose and the Metropolitan area are the National Museum, which just to be a fort, and Heredia Fortin, located in Heredia city.

About the houses, in San Jose you can find from very luxurious houses to very small middle class houses, mostly build from wood, or plywood, with zinc roof. There are a lot of faraway areas that belong to San Jose; places such as Gallera, Monserrat, Purral, etc. In each little town or residential you will find the Pulperias, which are small basic markets where people living close by can get what the need at a good price.

Link: Visit Costa Rica

Happy New Year 2010

2010-01-01T13:13:00.001-08:00

Banana Adventure Tours wishes you a Happy New Year 2010, full of prosperity and happiness for you, your family and friends.

Here are My Wishes for You...
H ours of happy times with friends and family
A bundant time for relaxation
P rosperity
P lenty of love when you need it the most
Y outhful excitement at lifes simple pleasures

N ights of restful slumber (you know - dont' worry be happy)
E verything you need
W ishing you love and light

Y ears and years of good health
E njoyment and mirth
A angels to watch over you
R embrances of a happy years!
Author Unknown

Merry Christmas from Banana Adventure Tours

2009-12-12T20:27:00.001-08:00

Banana Adventure Tours

Winners of the Worlds Series Green Cup

2009-12-01T16:47:00.000-08:00

Yolanda Magallón (Bikezona Massi) and Santiago Arnés (BH Pro Teams) won the Wolrds Series Green Cup. This Cup was a duatlon that took place in Los Lagos Arenal, Costa Rica. Los Lagos Hotel was the place that sponsored the 5th International Series Green Cup, on the Arenal Volcano skirts; it took place on November 29, 2009. It was a hard biking ride after a run around the volcano for 10 kilometers.

More about Worlds Series Green Cup

Visit Costa Rica

Costa Rica Culture

2009-11-30T10:35:00.000-08:00

Costa Rica was conquered by Spanish in the 16th century, so from the beginning it was heavely influenced by the Spanish culture. Limon and the Cordillera de Talamanca are the exception with the predominancy of Black Jamaicans and indigenous people. The Ticos and Ticas (the way Costaricans demoninate themselves) are generally of mixed origins. There was a great number of immigrants who came to Costa Rica during the construction of the railroad; mostly the immigrants came from Jamaica and from China, and stayed in the Caribbean side of the country on Limon Porvince.

Costa Ricans speak Spanish, although there have been a great effort from the government to teach English in most schools due to the wolrd necesities nowadays. Normally Ticos and Ticas speak in the respectful manner of "usted", and in the familiar form of "vos" rather than "tu", used in other latianmerican countries. The term Ticos and Ticas came from the way Costa Ricans talk using diminutives with the suffixing -ito and -ita.

Costa Rica Adventure

2009-11-26T11:18:00.000-08:00

Costa Rica has so much to offer. It is a tropical country located on Central America, which has both coasts, Pacific and Caribbean, many active volcanoes, great mountains, lush green forests and swamps. It is truly a place to enjoy family adventures and high adrenaline adventures. There are so many types of adventure activities to do, that it makes Costa Rica a never end place of fun.

There are canopy tours (zip plining) located in every region of the country, canoynning tours and rappel on beautiful waterfalls, white water rafting of different intensity (from Class I to Class IV - V), ATV (four wheelers), bungee jumping, kayaking, mountain biking, surfing, horseback riding, and hiking among many others, Depending if you want low intensity adventure enjoying the forests, biodiversity, volcanoes and hot springs, or if you would like to try high intensity adventure involving white water rafting, canyonning and bungee jumping, Costa Rica is the place to be.

Adventures in Costa Rica

Visit Costa Rica

I Enduro MTB 2009: Nandaride

2009-11-25T09:16:00.000-08:00

On the same day of the Braulio Carrillo Route 2009 race, there is also another biking route on the other side of the country, Nandaride. The race is called I Enduro MTB 2009: Nandaride and it involves 45 kilometers only for experts or 25 kilometers for amateurs. The winner will have prices in two different categories, femenine and masculine.

For more information about this race visit Bikecr Mountain Bike Costa Rica.

Visit Costa Rica

Braulio Carrillo Route 2009

2009-11-24T19:03:00.000-08:00

The biking Route Braulio Carrillo will take place on December 06, 2009, beginning at 9:00 a.m. To participate you should go to Ciclo Los Ases in San Jose or Ciclo Olman Ramirez in Heredia. It has a cost of 4.000 colones per person, and it has two routes, the short one and the long one.

The long route has 40 kilometers and goes through San Isidro de Heredia, Santa Elena, Concepción, Santa Cecilia, Sanjosecito and San Luis de Santo Domingo, starting from soccer field of Sanjocesito at San Isidro de Heredia. The short route is 25 kilometers.

For more information about this race visit Braulio Carrillo Route 2009.

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Costa Rica Farmers Market

2009-11-13T16:32:00.000-08:00

Every Saturday or Sunday, depending on the area or community, the Farmer Market opens its doors to sell at low prices very fresh vegetables and fruits. Many Ticos and Ticas go to the market very early in the morning to buy the best products, very fresh, at very good prices. It is also a true expression of Costa Rica culture; people also take advantage of the place and have some delicious breakfast, or typical beverage (such as resbaladera, coconut water or fresco de cas), while enjoying the surroundings.

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Top activities to do in Costa Rica

2009-11-06T19:17:00.000-08:00

Costa Rica has a great number of activities that can be enjoyed no matter where you go in the country. During your vacations in Costa Rica, make sure that you experience as many of these activities as you can. Among the top activities to do in Costa Rica are:

Canopy Tours: it is amazing the amount of canopy tours that can be found in the country. Whether you want to experience the canopy tour close to the beach, in the dry forest, rainy forest, cloud forest, close to a volcano, in the Caribbean or in the Pacific, south or north, everywhere you can find a great canopy tour. Some will have different elements; more or less zip lines, Tarzan swing, hanging bridges, among others.

Coffee Tours: Costa Rica is known for its gourmet coffee, high quality instead of high quantity. For so long the economy of the country was based on the Golden Bean, until tourism became one of the most important economic activities of the country. That is why the agriculture and the tourism industry got related to created a coffee tour. The best coffee tours in the country are located in the Central Valley and areas close by; however, these tours can be found also in other areas of the country.

Volcano Tours: Costa Rica has more than 200 volcanos, 6 are active (Irazú, Poás, Arenal, Rincón de la Vieja, Miravalles, and Turrialba). Due to the wide variety of volcanoes in the country, volcano tours a top highlights. Hiking, bird watching, volcano watching, mountain biking, among others are some of the tours that can be enjoyed close to the many volcanoes of the country.

White Water Rafting: There are many rivers in Costa Rica where white water rafting can be experienced. Rafting and kayaking can be enjoyed. There are rivers from class 1 to 5, but most commercially ran tours are class III - IV. Among the top 5 white water rafting rivers are Pacuare, Reventazon, Sarapiqui, Pejivaye, and Orosi, among many others.

Hiking: Costa Ricas a great amount of trails of all types, wonderful waterfalls and amazing landscapes to enjoy the essence of the country. There are more than 20 national parks and a ton of wildlife reserves, botanical gardens and even countryside trails, and for all types of physical conditions. When planning your trip to the country, anywhere during your itinerary you can fit some hiking and trekking.

Surfing: Costa Rica has both Caribbean coast and Pacific coast, which makes it a great place to learn how to surf in the warm waters of the tropic. Actually, during 2009 there was an International Surfing Competition that took place in Jaco, on the Pacific side of Costa Rica.

There are so many other activities and thing that you can do in the country, pretty much anything that you can think of to do in warm weather you can do here in Costa Rica.

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Costa Rica Mountain Biking Tour

2009-11-06T09:52:00.000-08:00

Costa Rica is a very mountainous country, which makes it perfect to practice mountain biking in the different places, from the beautiful beaches to the breathtaking forests of the high lands. Come and experience the amazing landscapes offered by the active volcanoes, numerous waterfalls, incredible biodiversity, small roads and trails connecting small towns and warm people of Costa Rica. There are trails challenging enough for very experienced mountain bikers, to soft easy ones for beginners. It is safe to say that cycling is the second most important sport in Costa Rica, after soccer.

If you want to create a customized tour please check Custom And Family Designed Adventure Tours .

Costa Rica Mountain Bike: La Ruta de los Conquistadores

2009-11-05T09:07:00.000-08:00

"La Ruta de Los Conquistadores" is a race that takes place every year, and which main porpuse is to give the opportunity to mountain bikers. It is not only targeted to proffesional racers, but to people who are trainned enough and who would like to experience the Costa Rica mountain bike. This year (2009), the race will take places from November 11 to November 14, and it will begin in Jaco Beach. It is a 400 km competition, beginning in Jaco Beach on the Pacif Side, and ending on the Caribbean shores of Costa Rica; it is a three day competition.

For more information about registration, rules, categories, and prices among others, contact La Ruta de Los Conquistadores. There you can also find biker packages for other routes in the country.

To plan your vacations in Costa Rica, contact Banana Adventure Tours, or send an e-mail to info@bananaadventuretours.com.

Costa Rica Facts

2009-11-03T13:02:00.000-08:00

Costa Rica is a small beautiful country located in Central America. It borders with Nicaragua to the North, Panama to the South, the Caribbean Sea to the East and the Pacific Ocean to the West. Historicly, the economy of Costa Rica has been based on agriculture, first with the famous golden bean (Coffee) and bananas, and now with a more diversified agriculture including pineapple, and melons. In recent years, the goverment has bet on tourism, especially ecotourism taking advantage of the great natural wonder and biodiversity of the country. Because of its size, it is very easy to see and feel a change in temperature and landscape in just a few hours.

Facts About Costa Rica

Capital (and largest city): San José
Number of Provinces: 7 (Alajuela, San Jose, Heredia, Cartago, Limon, Puntarenas and Guanacaste)
Area: 51.100 km²
Official Language: Spanish
Government: Democracy
Population: 4,133,884 (2007 estimate)
Currency: Costa Rican Colón - Exchange rate
Temperature: At the Central Valley it ranges from 17° C to 24° C
Highest Point: Mount Chirripo with 3.810 meters above sea level

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Aprendo por mi Vida biker

2009-10-27T18:36:00.000-07:00

This man was the winner in the race "AVON Aprendo por mi Vida". Costa Rica is a country that has opened to help people with disabilities to have chance to attain their dreams.

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"Caminata por la Vida" Avon

2009-10-26T10:23:00.000-07:00

On October 25, there was a public city hike to collect funds for the Foundation against mammal cancer, called Caminata por la Vida. It took place in the city of San Jose, Costa Rica, from Paseo Colon to Plaza de la Democracia, and there was a lot of people united for this purpose. It was truly a big event that finish with numerous concerts and the presentation of TV personalities. The activity was promoted by Avon.

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Cocos Island Adventure

2009-10-21T17:39:00.000-07:00

Banana Adventure Tour now offers excursions to Cocos Island Marina National Park, with the tour operator Undersea Hunter. A ten-day adventures to Cocos Island, 300 miles offshore of Costa Rica's Pacific coast. A distinctive and remote diving location, Cocos Island is for the serious diver! Cocos Island has retained its pristine appearance both above and below the ocean's surface. Cocos is a very lush, rugged tropical island that is preserved as one of Costa Rica's National Parks. Visibility averages 80-100' with occasional extremes of 40 and 120'.

The history of Cocos Island is replete with true tales of pirates and explorers. The evidence is everywhere. It can be found in the archives of Spain and England as well as on Cocos itself. For four centuries, adventurers and sailors have left their mark carved in the numerous stones and boulders along the beach of Chatham Bay.

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Costa Rica´s original countryside

2009-10-15T10:11:00.001-07:00

Costa Rica is fundamentally an agricultural country, which over the years has shifted to tourism with an emphasis in ecotourism, adventure and agro tourism. It is a small country, which has a lot to offer to its visitors. As in every tourist country, there is a part of it that is completely dedicated to tourism and offers all the services that a tourist may need when visiting the country. It includes Internet Cafes, restaurants, bars, discotheques, souvenir stores, great supermarkets, banks and ATMs, and a wide variety of tours and other tourist services. Places such as La Fortuna, are dedicated to providing a great variety of hotels, cabins, lodges, tours, travel agencies, among others, and their economy is almost entirely dedicated to these services.

There is a branch of tourism in the country that has been developed to offer the agricultural side of the country, which is agro ecotourism. In this type of tourism, tourist enjoy what would be a farmers life, showing tours such as the pineapple tour, coffee tour, the hacienda tour, and artisanal fishing, among others. However, there is another side of the country that some tourist would like to know, but that almost always is shown when the tourist stay in Costa Rica for a long time. We are referring to the original true country side, where farmers live and Ticos and Ticas develop their day by day life.

When visiting Costa Rica visitors may see scenes like the one in the picture, where a couple of cows are running freely in the roads, probably because they escape from some farm, or sightseeing of goats farms, and homemade cheese sales.

The “pulperias”, usually located close by a small town, where they sell all kinds of snacks, and sometimes even work as small supermarkets with the basics; the common wood houses, with barking dogs, and the everyday people who work to maintain the country running smoothly. Costa Rica is truly a paradise on earth, come and enjoy the wonders of this amazing country.

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Costa Rica Travel Tips

2009-10-04T19:09:00.000-07:00

Costa Rica is a wonderful country to travel to. It offers a wide range of options for all tastes. However, when traveling to other countries, there are things that will be different, and you as tourists should be prepared with a little information to handle every possible situation and enjoy completely your vacations. Some of these travel tips are:

When you come to Costa Rica make sure you keep your important papers, passport, and other valuables in a safe place. Ask if your hotel has a security box in the room or in the reception. You only need a photocopy of the main page of your passport and of the entry stamp page.

When traveling around the country keep your money in different places. Costa Rica is a fairly safe country, however, you can lose your money or it could be stolen. It is advisable to have your money and credit cards in different places and not in just one place.

Before coming to Costa Rica leave a copy of your itinerary along with other important papers, such as airplane ticket information, traveler’s checks, credit cards, and medical history, with a friend or family. This in case you lose your papers and need to have your information again.

Check your health insurance; verify if it covers you outside your country, or buy travel insurance with your travel agency.

Pack exactly what you need and weight your bags so you won´t get charge for the overweight. You can also use covered luggage tags with the information and address of your office instead of your house, just to be safe!

In Costa Rica there is "Costa Rican Time" meaning that everyone goes on their own peace, so be patient and remember that you are a visitor in the country and enjoy the difference.

For more advice visit Costa Rica Travel Tips