Monthly Archives: July 2012

Dominical, Costa Rica: Yoga and Spas

Posted on by
3

Enjoy a hot stone massage.

This month we are looking at Dominical, Costa Rica.  In part 1 of this series, I talked about two of my favorite National Parks. In part 2, I shared with you the incredible beaches in Dominical. In part 3 I discussed the wide variety of water activities.  Part 4 addressed land activities.

This article will discuss Yogas, Spas and ways that you can pamper yourself after all of the activities.

Yoga –  Bamboo Yoga Play offers classes in yoga and movement art classes.  Classes are available for beginners to advanced yoga students.  They offer private as well as group classes.  Experiment with some interesting combinations such as Danyasa, a fusion of dance and yoga.  Hoop Dance utilizes a hula hoop to explore use of space, rhythm for stretching and exercising.  Consider the yoga play swing, which is great way to experience the benefits of inversions and backbends without compression of the spine.  Another interesting option is the Artful Warrior Coaching.

Spas- Costa Rica boasts over 500 spas.   One of my favorites in Dominical is Cuna del Angel. This is a great way to relax after your activities. They offer a wide variety of spa services.  Some of my favorites are a Turkish bath, which can be a couples bath, perfect for a first or second honeymoon.  They have facials, massages, reflexology, waxing and some special packages. Two of my favorite packages include “Angel’s Dream” which is for the chocolate lover, featuring a chocolate scrub, chocolate body wrap, relaxing massage and foamy milk bath.  Another interesting combination is the “Delicious Marine,”  a mineral salts scrub, seaweed body wrap, clay massage and sea crystals bath.

I want to share with you some of the wide variety of accommodations that are available in the area from Costa Rica Bedfinder.  Each week I will select a few of my favorite places to stay with you.

This week is Cuna Del Angel, which in addition to being an amazing spa, it is also arguably the best hotel in Dominical. Cuna del Angel is a member of ‘Small Distinctive Hotels of Costa Rica’ and also a vacation rental hideaway.

Dominical, Costa Rica: Land Activities

Posted on by
Reply

 

Scarlet Macaw

This month we are looking at Dominical, Costa Rica.  In part 1 of this series, I talked about two of my favorite National Parks. In part 2, I shared with you the incredible beaches in Dominical. In part 3, I discussed water activities.

This article will discuss the wide variety of land activities Dominical has to offer.

Bird Watching

Costa Rica is a bird lover’s paradise, boasting more than 850 species of birds. Approximately 600 of these bird species reside in Costa Rica year-round; the rest migrate seasonally. In Dominical you can see a wide variety of birds. You may wish to invest in a professional tour or a good bird book. My favorite book is the Birds of Costa Rica by Richard Garrigues and Robert Dean.

Some of the popular birds commonly found in the area include the Toucans and Parrots. At the Corvovado National Park, south of Dominical, visitors can see the rare Scarlet Macaw in the wild.

Horseback Riding

Several companies in Domincal offer horseback riding guided tours. Take a ride on the beach on a beautiful horse. Explore on jungle trails where you ford rivers on horseback. Take a ride to 600′ Diamante Waterfall or the lesser known 600 + foot Angel Waterfall. There are a variety of different places to explore and many include opportunities to see birds and take photos along the way.  Options include full and half day trips.  There are horses available for beginning to experienced riders.

Tree Climb

Did you love Tree climbing as a child?  Well you can take it to the next level and then some.  With the tree climb you will use specialized equipment, harnesses and ascenders to climb via a rope to the upper branches of a rainforest tree.  You climb to a height of 113 feet where you can sit on the branches and be part of the canopy.  An English speaking naturalist guide will be with you. You don’t have to be strong to do this, but you do need to be somewhat physically fit.

Zip Line

No vacation to Costa Rica is complete without the breath-taking experience of flying through the canopy on a zip line. It is a great way to see the rain forest. In Dominical the zip line offers 8 separate cable ridges where you fly from one ridge top to another across valleys and streams. The tour will have two guides and at least one of them speaks fluent English.

I also want to share with you some of the wide variety of accommodations that are available in the area from Costa Rica Bedfinder.  Each week I will select a few of my favorite places to stay with you.

Opposite the Escaleras hills on the ocean side, the Puerto Cito  is where you will find two of my favorite vacation rentals.

‘The Edge’, is an Estate villa with 180 degree vistas of ocean and jungle, as well as an architectural jewel.

Another great option is “Casa Ramon”, considered by many to be The ultimate luxury home away from home in Costa Rica.   

Dominical, Costa Rica: Water Activities

Posted on by
2
View from Cano Island .

In part 1 of this series, I talked about two of my favorite National Parks and in part 2, I shared with you the incredible beaches in Dominical.

This article will discuss will the wide variety of water activities Dominical has to offer.

Surfing – As I mentioned in the beach article Dominical is known for surfing.  If you didn’t bring your own board, don’t worry, there are several places where you can rent a board and several surf schools that provide lessons. There are waves right for every experience level in this area.

Shoot the Rapids – Two nearby rivers The Savegre River and the Naranjo River provides opportunities to go rafting.  There are rafting trips for everyone as the trips range from Class 2 relatively mild rapids to the Class IV rapids for adrenaline junkies.

Kayaking – Explore the south coast of Dominical with the popular activity of ocean kayaking.  Depending on the tide, you may be able to travel through shoreline caves and view pre-Columbian inscriptions on the wall.

Fishing – There are many bilingual outfitters that can provide a wide variety of fishing experiences for novices and more experienced fishermen.  Options include offshore fishing for marlin, sailfish, tuna and dorado.  Fishermen boast that Dominical offers some of the best fly fishing in the world.

Snorkeling and Diving – The coral reefs and abundance of sea life entice many to snorkel or dive in the area.  Approximately an hour from Dominical, Cano Island National Park offers a magnificent location to go snorkeling and scuba diving.  Here you can see porpoises, schools of manta ray, white tip reef sharks, sea turtles and whales.  The presence of stone spheres on the island suggest pre-Columbian human activity here.

I also want to share with you some of the wide variety of accommodations that are available in the area from Costa Rica Bedfinder.  Each week I will select a few of my favorite places to stay with you.

Approximately 10 km out of Dominical is the famous ‘Escaleras’ community that has developed along a ‘horseshoe’ shaped road that rises up to above 1000 feet, allowing most of the vacation rental properties to take advantage of the phenomenal Pacific Ocean view.

Some of my favorites include the Newly Completed Luxury World Class Estate property named ‘Casa Big Sur’.

An old favorite is the spectacular Dominical Ultra Luxury Vacation Rental, ‘Toucan Alley.’

Dominical, Costa Rica: The Beaches

Posted on by
6

The 'Window' at Playa Ventanas, south Pacific coast

In part 1 of this series, “Dominical, Costa Rica: The National Parks,”  I talked about two of my favorite National Parks, Manuel Antonio and Marino Ballena National Marine Park both of which are located near Dominical. In this article, I would like to share with you some of the fantastic beaches which offer a wide variety of different experiences from surfing to strolling along the beach.

Playa Ballena

Playa Ballena, located in Marino Ballena National Park, offers beginning surfers a good place to learn. The waves here are approximately a one foot in height. This is also a great long-boarding location. During the winter months, October to March, you might get a chance to see the humpback whales on their migratory route.

Playa Dominical

According to surfers, Playa Dominical has the most consistent wave in Costa Rica. Wave heights rarely drop below three feet. However, this is not a good place to swim as the swells and rip tides make it difficult and dangerous.

Playa Dominicalito

The name roughly translates to the “little Playa Dominical.” This is a popular beach for beginning surfers. Waves here are small and gentle – averaging about one foot high. You can also see the local fishermen bring in their daily catch here.

Playa Hermosa

There is more than one beach named Playa Hermosa in Costa Rica for a good reason. The name translates to “beautiful beach” in English, and this, like the others lives up to its name. Playa Hermosa is bordered by Marino Ballena National Park to the south. The waves at Playa Hermosa’s waves are normally about a foot and a half with very good wave form. The water here is crystal clear.

Playa Ventanas (Windows Beach)

Playa Ventanas (Windows Beach) derives its name from the beautiful sea caves that line the beach. Some may create a blowhole” effect during certain tides.

I also want to share with you some of the wide variety of accommodations that are available in the area from Costa Rica Bedfinder.  Each week I will select a few of my favorite places to stay with you.

About 5 km south of Dominical an exclusive gated community called ‘Las Olas’ is home to some of the best luxury vacation rentals in Dominica. One of my favorites is ‘Villa Paraiso’, arguably The most outstanding luxury villa in South Pacific, Costa Rica.

Another one I like is ‘Villa Suenos Pacifico’, which is perhaps The top 3-bedroom luxury vacation home in Dominical.

‘The Antigua’, a fine example of Guatemalan architecture & decor with spectacular ocean views is another vacation villa you have to see.

Dominical, Costa Rica: The National Parks

Posted on by
6

One would be hard pressed to find a better place to visit than Dominical, a small city on the Central Pacific Coast.  It is a little gem and a place to get away from it all – but not too far.  There are still plenty of places to stay and activities when you want them.

Two of my favorite National Parks in Costa Rica are located near here:

Beach at Manuel Antonio.

Manuel Antonio National Park  is located north of this region.  It is one of the smaller parks and one of the most visited.  This is a great place to visit if you want to see wildlife.  Manuel Antonio has cataloged 184 species of birds, 109 species of mammals, 78 species of fish and 4 species of turtles. All four species of monkeys that live in Costa Rica call Manual Antonio home, the Howler Monkey, the White Faced Capuchin Monkey, the Spider Monkey and the endangered Squirrel Monkey.  This is one of only two locations in Costa Rica where the Squirrel Monkey is found.

The beaches are spectacularly beautiful and you can go snorkeling here to see 19 coral species and 10 sponge species along with the fish.

Magnificent Frigate Bird

Ballena National Marine Park – is located south of the region.  It is the first marine park in Latin America.  Come here to enjoy the beach, see the incredible birds including the Magnificent Frigate bird that uses this area as a roost or resting place.  You may also be able to spot the common and bottle-nosed dolphin as well as humpback whales .

I also want to share with you some of the wide variety of accommodations that are available in the area from Bedfinders.  Each week I will select a few of my favorite places to stay with you.

About 10km north of Dominical, or about 30km south of Manuel Antonio, is the village of Hatillo, where a small community of expats reside, and among them is this  luxurious oceanview Balinese masterpiece called ‘Villa de Agua’.

Just 1km south of Dominical, overlooking the Roca Verde Beach is an Oceanfront 10-bedroom Luxury Mansion Above the Beach known affectionately as the ‘Surfing Compound’.

4 km south of Dominical, perched on a low hill with an enchanting view of Playa Dominicalito is the gated community of ‘Canto del Mar’ where you will find walk-to-beach condo villas such as ‘Villa Katarina’ with its Incredible 180 degree ocean view above a picturesque beach, or Pacific Breeze Villa which is a Dominical ocean view villa with a private plunge pool, or a Walk-to-beach villa with breathtaking white-water view like ‘Villa HighPalms’.

Each month I am going to focus on a different area of Costa Rica.  I want to share with you information about the nearby parks, beaches, activities and the wildlife you can expect to find.   I’d love to hear from you too – please leave your comments about your favorite places to visit as well.