I have travelled to Costa Rica five times, so I guess you could say I like this country very much! Costa Rica is probably the safest country in Central America to visit as a traveller, the costs are reasonable, there are good roads, health care and other infrastructure, and the people are friendly and generally helpful to travellers.
Major international airlines serve both San Jose and Liberia airports, and car rentals, taxis, tour bus and other transportation services are easily found. Costa Rica also has two deep sea ports at Puerto Caldera on the Pacific Coast and Puerto Limon on the Caribbean coast, so cruise ships make regular stops.
April 18, 2023 – Cloud Forest
A port call in the Pacific coast port of Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica on my 2023 Panama Canal cruise gave me an opportunity to explore an interesting Cloud Forest on a walking excursion at Adventure Park San Luis in San Ramon. It was an hour-long drive from the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica to the private park in Alajuela province.
November-December 2011 – Incan Empires cruise
- Puerto Limon – a shore excursion to explore the Caribbean coast
- Puerto Caldera – a shore excursion involving a train ride and a boat exploring a mangrove swamp
Feb-Mar 2009 – Southern Sky Fiesta & Tamarindo Coast
- Victoria to San Jose – travelling to San Jose from my home in Canada
- San Jose to La Ensenada “Star” Lodge – big city to dark, rural site
- Southern Skies Fiesta – 5 nights of astronomy & wildlife
- Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Carera Park & Day 4
- La Ensenada Lodge to San Jose & last night of night sky imaging
- Tamarindo – a week of relaxation on Costa Rica’s beautiful Pacific coast
- San Jose to Tamarindo – local flight
- Day 1 & Day 2
- Tamarindo Estuary – Day 3
- Days 4-6
- Tamarindo to San Jose – flight and overnight in a funky hotel
- San Jose, Costa Rica to Victoria, Canada – fly home
Feb 2008 – Southern Sky Fiesta & Volcanos – Costa Rica
- Victoria to San Jose – flying to Costa Rica from my home in Canada
- La Ensenada “Star” Lodge – observed the night sky, rode horses, took a tractor & horse rides of the working ranch, daily Nature Walks, boat to mangrove swamp
- San Jose to La Ensenada Lodge
- Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 (Carera Park), Day 4
- La Ensenada Lodge to San Jose
- Sarapiqui River region
- Poas Volcano & Sarapiqui Rainforest – volcano in the clouds, bats at Tirimbina
- Rainforest tour at La Selva
- Sarapiqui River rafting and then onward to Arenal
- Arenal Volcano – the volcano up close, and relaxing soaks in volcanic pools
- El Silencio – Arenal to San Jose – my first cloud forest
- Costa Rica to Canada – the trip home from San Jose took two days through Houston and Seattle
January 1995 – Two Oceans Coast to Coast
The Two Oceans Coast to Coast Tour was a package from Sun Fun Tours (based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) which gave us two weeks in Costa Rica, covering the Caribbean coast, the Pacific coast, as well as some interesting inland destinations by tour bus. The tour group was mainly Canadians, with a few Americans along as well.
We stayed in San Jose (the capital of Costa Rica) for a couple of days, which gave us time to look around the city, and to see a few of the sights. Our hotel was the Centro Colon – a modest but nice hotel, centrally located in the hotel district, and only a couple of years old. Moderate rates, 24 hour coffee shop and restaurant, casino, bar, gift shop, and part of an American-style mall with some nice shops. The coffee in the coffee shop is the best we tasted in Costa Rica…and that’s saying a lot, considering Costa Rica grows so much coffee!
Itinerary
- Caribbean Coast of the trip took us on a 4 hour river boat trip up a jungle canal to the Jungle Lodge, located within Tortuguero National Park.
- Central Highlands – we stayed at a resort near Arenal Volcano which boasted volcanic hot pools for the guests. Along the way, we saw a botanical garden where many of the exotic tropical flowers we order from our florists at home are shipped from. We were even sprayed with volcanic ash from a rumbling volcano!
- Pacific Coast – we had the quintessential tourist experience, including: staying at a huge resort which boasted acres and acres of swimming pools, went on a luxurious yacht to a tropical island in the gulf, and hiked among iguanas in the jungle!
- The final leg of our journey on our way back to San Jose we toured a painted ox cart factory and then to a butterfly farm. Our last night in Costa Rica (and San Jose) saw us experience the traditional hospitality of the Ticos atop Pico Blanco – a mountain overlooking the city. Folkloric dancers, traditional Costa Rican food, and warm and friendly Ticos all contributed to a wonderful final memory of Costa Rica.
