Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica: Birding

Posted on December 30, 2012 by examiner

Magnificent Frigate Bird. Photo provided courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Many people come to Costa Rica to see birds and Manuel Antonio is a great place to see a wide variety of birds. There are approximately 350 different species of birds in this area. Even people that aren’t normally birders, find themselves taking note of the interesting species.

You can go on an organized tour to see birds with guides that know where the birds that tourists want to see are commonly found. Or you can just enjoy the birds as you walk the beach, eat in open air restaurants or sail on a sunset cruise.

Some of the best romantic places to stay in the area which have only one bedroom are the appropriately named Villa for Romance and the Romantic Wood Chalet.

Some of my favorite birds to see are the water birds, which include the Magnificent Frigate bird (which is pictured above) the brown pelican, the roseate spoonbill, the white ibis, the neotropical cormorant and the anhinga.

The brown booby is a harbinger of dolphin as they eat the same food. Become familiar with this bird, so that you can easily find dolphin when you are out on the water.

Other water birds include a wide variety of herons, sandpipers, kingfishers, gulls and ducks.

If you have more people that you wish to accommodate on your vacation, consider The Ocean Penthouse which has 3 bedrooms and sleeps up to 6 or Los Elementos: Villa de Agua which has 4 bedrooms and sleeps 8.

As many water birds as there are here, there are more birds to be found in the nearby jungles. Here you will hear parrots and parakeets. I love seeing the variety of the colors of the tanagers, warblers and the cuckoo birds. The chestnut-mandibled toucan and firey-blled aracari are two of my favorite birds.

There are many varieties of hummingbirds and honey creepers which always delight visitors and many locations have hummingbird feeders to attract these popular birds.

If you have a large party to house, consider Villa Vigia which has 4 bedrooms and sleeps up to 12 or Tanager Villa which has 7 bedrooms and sleeps up to 16.

Birding isn’t limited to the day at Manuel Antonio. At night you can hear and see a wide variety of owls that call this area home. There are also night herons, nighthawks and nightjars.

There are many excellent birding books that you can purchase either before your trip or after you arrive in Costa Rica that can help you identify these birds.

Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica: Dining

Posted on December 24, 2012 by examiner

El Avión Restaurant in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.

Manuel Antonio is a popular tourist location in Costa Rica and there are a wide variety of places to dine here, from simple coffee shops to gourmet restaurants.

Some of my favorites include:

El Avión – This restaurant offers a history lesson within the restaurant. It features inside the restaurant a Fairchild C-123, airplane, the sister plane to the one in U.S. that was shot down over Nicaragua during the Iran Contra affair. Learn more about this incident, while dining on delicious seafood and enjoying a great view of the ocean.

While in Manuel Antonio you can stay at the Villa Mot Mot which features 2 bedrooms, or the Carpe Diem (‘Seize The Day’) which offers 4 bedrooms. Both can accommodate up to 8 people.

Another very popular place to eat is Kapi Kapi which translates to “Welcome” in the language of the Maleku Indians of Costa Rica, This restaurant features elegant food with an Asian influence. Desserts here are spectacular.

Other places to stay if you have a slightly larger group are Villa El Salto and Casa Feliz both of which sleep up to 12 people.

El Patio de Cafe Milagro-Bistro Latino is a great place for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It offers a wide range of coffee drinks, fresh-baked sweets, salads, sandwiches and wraps. It received the 5 out of 5 spoons! Tico rating.

Another great vacation home is The Beach House which sleeps up to 8 people in 3 bedrooms. If you have a large group, an amazing facility is Casa Fantastica which can accommodate up to 22 people in 8 bedrooms. This is an amazing 10,000 square foot home featuring a 30 seat cinema, a 20 person jacuzzi, a huge gym and a game room.

Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica: Beaches

Posted on December 17, 2012 by examiner

Casa Romantica, boasts 5 bedrooms and sleeps up to 12 with 6,000 sq. feet of living space and 7 bathrooms. http://costaricabedfinder.com/vacation-rental/746/award-winning-luxury-estate-home

I have a hard time choosing my favorite beach in Costa Rica, because they are all so beautiful and different in so many ways. However, Manuel Antonio is high on my list because it is really the tale of two very different kinds of beaches.

In Manuel Antonio National Park, you have several fabulous beaches to explore, Playa Manuel Antonio, Playa Gemelas, Playa Puerto Escondido and Playa Espadillo Sur. As admission to the park is limited, these beaches are never too crowded and the areas around the beaches are packed with nature. The last time I visited, I saw deer, sloths, all four types of monkeys, raccoons, coatimundi and a wide variety of beautiful birds. The water was clear and beautiful and we took lots of photos. Some of my favorite places to stay when I visit here include: Mot Mot Villa which has 4 bedrooms and sleeps up to 8 and Discovery Beach House which has 3 bedrooms and sleeps 6.

Right outside of the National Park is Playa Espadillo Norte. It is a fun beach full of activities. There are makeshift kiosks selling clothes, jewelry, art and food. There are places for renting beach chairs and umbrellas. The beach is set up for volleyball and other activities. You can rent boogie boards, take surf lessons, or go parasailing. This is also the place to schedule a time to go snorkeling, dolphin watching, sailing or fishing. Playa Espadillo also offers great people watching. You can walk to bars and restaurants to get a bite to eat.

If you visit with a large group there is a beach for everyone and activities to keep even the most energetic group members busy. Several of the vacations homes can house large groups. Both Casa Grande and Casa Elsa have 4 bedrooms and sleep up to 12 people. Another popular vacation home in Manuel Antonio that sleeps 12 people is the 5-bedroom Casa Romantica. Closer to Quepos, Tropical Jacana House has 5 bedrooms and sleeps up to 13.

Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica: Monkeys

Posted on December 10, 2012 by examiner

Central American Squirrel Monkey near Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
Photo by Michelle Reback

Manuel Antonio is at the top of my list of places to visit in Costa Rica. In the next few weeks I will be describing many of the reasons to come here and some of my favorite places to stay, including two huge vacation homes, Casa Maravilla, which has 6 bedrooms and sleeps up to 16 and Casa de Anjali, which has 7 bedrooms and sleeps up to 15.

One of the things I love about Manuel Antonio is the monkeys, which are called monos in Spanish. Most of my friends that come to visit me want to see monkeys. You can find monkeys many places in Costa Rica, especially the howler monkeys (congo in Spanish) that live in the trees and howl as their name implies. Manuel Antonio is one of the few places that you can see all four different species of monkeys that exist in Costa Rica. A few of my other favorite places to stay here include Casa Paraiso, which has 5 bedrooms and sleeps up to 12 and Casa de Agua also boasting 5 bedrooms that accommodates 10.

Here you will also find the white-throated capuchin monkey (cara blanca in Spanish). These are what we think of as the “organ grinder” monkeys. They are smart and curious. Be careful what you pack to take to the beach as these are the monkeys that may steal bananas right out of your picnic basket.

The spider monkey (mono colorado or arana in Spanish) is the acrobat of the monkey world and moves very quickly. Unfortunately the number of spider monkeys are declining due to loss of habitat, but can still be found in Manuel Antonio.

However, the reason many people venture to Manuel Antonio is to see the Central American squirrel monkey (titi in Spanish). The status of this monkey has recently been upgraded from endangered to vulnerable. This monkey exists only in Costa Rica and Panama and Manuel Antonio is one of the best places to spot one. Like the howler monkey the Central American squirrel monkey lives only in trees.

One last place that I recommend staying while you are here is Casa Fleur de Lis, this is a fabulous vacation home with 4 bedrooms that accommodates 8 guests.

Nosara, Costa Rica: Surfing

Posted on December 3, 2012 by examiner

http://costaricabedfinder.com/vacation-rental/210/guiones-village-center-beach-house-built-for-surfers

With dependable beach breaks year round, Nosara is a premier spot to surf. Compared to some of the other locations, such as Tamarindo, which we covered previously, Nosara offers a more remote, less crowded place to learn to surf or to perfect your surfing. Two of my favorite places to stay when I am here are Casa Tranquila, which has two bedrooms and sleeps 4, and Green Fish, which offers 3 bedrooms and sleeps 6.

There are three quality programs which offer instruction and board rentals:

Safari Surf School - Teaches you how to surf or improve your skills. They focus on ocean awareness, environmental awareness, basic surf stretching exercises and safety. They try to maintain a 3 student to 1 instructor ratio and employ the latest methods to help students learn. Board rental is included in the lessons. Safari Surf School features women’s programs, and kid’s camps. If you are bringing a large family or group, I recommend staying at Casa Paulina, which has 4 bedrooms and sleeps up to 12.

Coconut Harry’s Surf Shop – Boasts the largest selections of boards and the closest school to the ocean. They offer standup paddle lessons. You have the option of having single or multiple day lessons. Coconut Harry maintains a 3 – 1 student to instructor ratio and offers camera rentals. Two good options to stay if you come here include Vista Hermosa which has 2 bedrooms and sleeps 4, or if you have a larger group, there is Las Palmas Rojas which offers 3 bedrooms and sleeps up to 8.

Corky Carroll’s Surf School – Prides itself on being the first surf school in Playa Guiones. As such they claim to have had the best location options since the beach was undiscovered at the time. They tout the fact that they get all directions of swells and various types of waves. This allows for practice in all types of conditions and is ideal for all levels of surfing. A perfect budget rental for your stay while you are here is Casa Maple Sun, it has 2 bedrooms and sleeps up to 4.

Nosara, Costa Rica: National Parks

Posted on November 19, 2012 by examiner

Looking for some excitement on your vacation? Consider the sport of spelunking. You don’t have to be an experienced spelunker to visit the caves at Barra Honda National Park. This park features an extensive cave system with some caves reaching a depth of 655 ft.

The main portion of the cave that is open to the public is La Cueva Terciopelo. It reaches a depth of 62 ft. You climb straight down a wooden ladder with a safety rope attached. You rent equipment and hire a local guide at the park entrance station. They will provide you with harness, helmet and a flashlight. Here you will visit several chambers of various sizes with impressive stalactites and stalagmites.

The cave is open only during the dry season from mid November to April. It is a short drive to this area from Nosara and really any of the rentals would work for a visit here. Some of my favorites include: Casa de Olas One – Nosara Playa Guiones as well as Casa de Olas Two – Nosara Playa Guiones, both of which sleep ten people. I also really like Costa House, which sleeps four and Iguana Blanca which sleeps six.

If you aren’t into spelunking, there is still plenty to do at this National Park. Hike the trails around the area. Birding is terrific here. La Cascada is a gentle waterfall that fills a series of pools, some of which you can swim in. A few other locations that I like to stay include: Las Palmas Inclinadas – Nosara Playa Guiones, which sleeps five, Marisol – Nosara Playa Guiones, which sleeps four and Olas Playitas – Nosara Playa Guiones, which also sleeps four.

As of this writing the cost for admission to the park is $10. And a guided tour ranges from $20 to $35 per person. You can call 2685-5267 or 2659-1551 for more information.

Nosara, Costa Rica – Yoga

Posted on November 12, 2012 by examiner

Las Palmas Rojas – Nosara Playa Pelada http://costaricabedfinder.com/vacation-rental/96/tastefully-designed-beach-villa-on-playa-pelada-nosara

When I think about Nosara, the first thing that comes to mind is the Nosara Yoga Institute. The Yoga Institute is an internationally recognized retreat and training center for Yoga. They offer 100 hour, 500 hour and 1,000 hour professional certifications. If you are planning to come for professional certifications, staying at one of Costa Rica Bedfinder’s vacation locations that are within walking distance makes a great deal of sense. One of my favorite vacation rentals in this area is the Peace Retreat which is only 100 yards from the Nosara Yoga Institute. Another one that is very close is Namaste. Las Colinas boasts a 40-foot infinity-edge pool with a view over a seven-mile beach. If additional room is desired the Casita de las Colinas can be combined with this rental.

However, the Nosara Yoga Institute is not just for professionals. They have classes available for a wide variety of levels including beginners. Classes are 90 minutes long and are taught in English and some instructors are bilingual.

Some of my favorite cost conscious options include Ocean Heights Apartment – Nosara. In Playa Pelada two very cost effective locations offer great rates. Michelle’s Hideaway and Villa Domingo. The Villa Domingo location is a great option for a large family.

Tamarindo, Costa Rica: Surfing

Posted on September 3, 2012 by examiner

Surfer in action at Tamarindo Beach

Tamarindo is the surfing mecca of Northern Guanacaste. The best time to come for surfing is between December to April. We went to Tamarindo when my son wanted to learn to surf.

Witches Rock Surf Camp was the surf school we chose. They work with beginner, intermediate and advanced students. The instructors are bilingual and they have a low student-instructor ratio. They offer daily surf tours to the best waves along Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. They also have a great surf shop and restaurant. Robert August, from the movie “Endless Summer II” shapes surfboards on-site. You can even take home your own Robert August surfboard. My son is athletic and got up during his first lesson. He improved during the second lesson. Each class had only one other student, so he got lots of one on one time with the instructor.

Tamarindo Surf School is another popular place to learn to surf. They guarantee they will get a beginner to stand up and ride your first waves in just one lesson! They also offer several packages. These include combination surf and Spanish program as well as a surf and tennis program.

Banana Surf Club offers instruction to beginning, intermediate and advanced students. They have experience teaching all ages of surfers. Instruction is available seven days a week in both English and Spanish.

Next week I will highlight the best surfing destinations in this area.

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. Here are some of my favorites in the Tamarindo beach area:

50 meters from the beach a short walk from JW Marriott Resort
Ultra luxurious 8-bedroom villa with spectacular Tamarindo Beach view
Tamarindo beach home with an 18m lap-pool on sandy beachfront

Flamingo and Potrero Costa Rica: The Beaches

Posted on August 12, 2012 by examiner

Horses on the beach at Playa Potrero

In part 1 of this series, “Flamingo and Potrero, Costa Rica: The National Parks,” I talked about two National Parks, Las Baulas National Marine Park (Parque Marino las Baulas) and Santa Rosa National Park.

Guanacaste has 155 miles of Pacific coastline which offer a variety of different experiences. In this article, I would like to share with you some of my favorite beaches which are near Flamingo and Potrero. All beaches in Costa Rica are public. However some are a little difficult to reach as large hotel complexes may front them. If you want to visit these beaches, simply stop at the hotel and ask them where you should park to access the beach. (I do this often and the management is always gracious about it.)

Flamingo Beach (Playa Flamingo) offers a relatively short straight beach with white sand, which is beautiful for strolling. The waves here are not big enough for surfing and the water is slightly rough for swimming. Playa Flamingo is home to one of the few full service marinas on the Pacific Coast of Central America.

Potrero Beach (Playa Potrero) has a relatively protected beach where you can swim or kayak without worrying about rip tides. Most people in Costa Rica have a favorite beach and many people I know love this one. You can ride horseback in the surf here.

Playa Grande is one of my favorite beaches in all of Costa Rica. It offers a variety of experiences. Surfers love it because it offers one of the most consistent breaks. Walk for miles during low tide on the long straight beach. I love viewing the incredible life on this beach; you can actually see the shells moving. This is the nesting ground for the Leatherback turtles mentioned in Part 1 of this series.

Playa Tamarindo boasts the most commercial beach area in Guanacaste. If you want nightlife, this is the place for you. Tamarindo sports a wide variety of restaurants, bars and shops to please every taste and budget. The famous Witches Rock surf camp is headquartered here.

Playa Conchal translates to the shell beach and as expected the beach is made up of crushed shells. Many people love this beach and believe it is one of the most beautiful. This one is a little challenging to find as it is fronted by the Paradisus Playa Conchal. Access is via a sand beach road from Playa Brasilito, or through the resort.

Superbly located luxury townhome condo on Flamingo Beach

Paparazzi-proof + Mobility-friendly + Super-deluxe + White-water view

Family vacation rental on the beach at Playa Flamingo

Dominical, Costa Rica: Water Activities

Posted on July 16, 2012 by examiner


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.’

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