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.

Nosara, Costa Rica – an overview

Posted on November 5, 2012 by examiner

Casa Pauline, located between the beaches of Guiones and Pelada. Photo provided by Costa Rica Bedfinder. Find more about this beautiful vacation home at http://costaricabedfinder.com/vacation-rental/152/pelada-beach-rental-home-in-quiet-shared-compound

One of my favorite locations in Costa Rica is Nosara. In fact, this is one of the places we strongly considered living, when we purchased a vacation home in Costa Rica. When I think of Nosara, I immediately think of yoga, surfing, and turtles. In a country that prizes the environment, Nosara combines tourism with respect for the environment admirably.

Located in the Guanacaste province on the Pacific Coast, Nosara offers a remote beach destination; however, there is a small airport that can easily access the area. If you want to stay away from the crowds and enjoy some privacy, this is the place for you. Mel Gibson has a home in this area.

It is important to realize that Nosara is generally an umbrella term which refers to several towns located in this area.

These towns include Playa Guiones, a beach town which is known for surfing. The highlight is the seven kilometer stretch of white sand. This is the most southern of the beaches that comprise what is loosely called Nosara. Some of my favorite places to stay here include: Descano which sleeps 6 and Tortuga Feliz, which can accommodate up to 8 people.

Playa Pelada is the next beach. It is separated from Playa Guiones by Punta Pelada, a peninsula that divides the two beaches. This is a gorgeous but small curving white sand beach. It is still an operating fishing village and you will see several small fishing pangas lining the beach. At the southern end of the beach a blowhole is visible when the tide is right. Come to this beach for walks, shell hunting, drinking at Olga’s Bar or dining at La Luna Restaurant. This beach is frequented by locals and their families. A few of my favorite places to stay at Playa Pelada include: Villa Mango which accommodates up to 18 people in 7 bedrooms. I also love Casa de Piedra which sleeps up to 10.

Playa Nosara is the northern most beach in the area, stretching to the mouth of the Nosara River. Before the river empties into the ocean, it forms lush mangrove estuary filled with birds and other wildlife. Explore this area by kayak or standup paddle board. This beach is often deserted. You will occasionally see a fisherman, a surfer or an Olive Ridley turtle here. This is the place to come if you crave some peace and quiet. My favorite places to stay here include: Nosara Retreat Villa, which sleeps 4 and Libelula which accommodates 14.

Tamarindo, Costa Rica: Dining

Posted on September 16, 2012 by examiner

Lola’s is a great beach front restaurant. Photo by Donald Farris.

In part 1 of this series, Tamarindo, Costa Rica: Surfing, I discussed the schools where you can learn or perfect your surfing. In part 2 of this series, Tamarindo, Costa Rica: Surfing Destination, I outlined some popular locations to surf near Tamarindo.

In this article, I will share with you some of my favorite dining options in Tamarindo.

Tamarindo offers a wide variety of places to which will accommodate every budget and taste. .

Carolina’s Restaurant and Grill - This is an elegant restaurant specializing in International Fusion. The owners are a Costa Rica and Swiss couple who met at culinary school. They offer a nightly four or five course tasting menu.

Season by Shlomy – A popular option for dining in Costa Rica is seafood and this is one of the best options for seafood. The Israeli –born chef offers fresh fish and seafood with a changing menu featuring a Mediterranean influence.

Eat at Joe’s – This is associated with the Witches Rock Surf Camp. It is open from 7:00 am until 10:00 pm. I love to eat breakfast here on the beach. They have amazing breakfast burritos, banana pancakes and huevos rancheros. They are also known for their sushi and nachos.

Lola’s – This restaurant is located just south of Tamarindo in Playa Avellanas. It is located on the beach and is my favorite place for lunch. They offer great salads, amazing sandwiches and fresh fruit smoothies.

There are so many great places to dine here, please share with us your favorite places to eat.

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:

Ocean view 3-bedroom family vacation home

Modern vacation home a mile from Tamarindo Beach

Tamarindo, Costa Rica: Surfing Destinations

Posted on September 10, 2012 by examiner

Surfing at Witches Rock Tamarindo. Photo by Donald Farris.

In part 1 of this series, Tamarindo, Costa Rica: Surfing, I discussed the schools where you can learn or perfect your surfing.

Tamarindo is a great location as a base for a surfing vacation. There are several great surfing locations within walking distance, many within a short drive and a few special ones that you can reach only by boat.

Playa Tamarindo itself is a very popular place for beginning surfers to learn to surf.

Advanced surfers may wish to explore these special places located within walking distance:

Rivermouth – offers a right beach break with hollow waves for advanced surfers. Best condition at mid tide.

Pico Pequeño – located south of river mouth this reef breaks right. Best condition at mid tide.

Playa Langosta – located south of Playa Tamarindo. This is a beautiful but rocky beach. Exposed beach break with hollow peaks. Best conditions occur at mid-high tide with offshore flow. At low tide, explore the sea life in the calm pools made by the rocks.

Breaks within a short drive:

Playa Grande – located north of Tamarindo offers an exposed beach break with hollow peaks. Best condition at mid- high tide. Playa Grande is also home to Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas, the nesting ground of the Leatherback and Ridley Turtles.

Playa Avellanes – located south of Tamarindo. Offers beach break waves. This is a great family beach with a white sand that stretches for miles.

Playa Negra – Located south of Tamarindo. Offers on of the few point breaks in Guanacaste. The break is perfectly formed, but short.

Access only by boat:

Witches Rock – Located north of Tamarindo. Very isolated beach with a stunning rock backdrop. Offers a beach break with both right and left waves.

Ollie’s Point – Named for U.S. Military Lt. Col. Oliver North. This location was made featured in the movie “The Endless Summer II.” It offers a right point with fast, hollow waves. Best conditions at outgoing to mid low tide.

Absolute beachfront luxury on Tamarindo Beach

3-story Tamarindo vacation homes for up to 24 rental guests

6-bedroom 2-level luxury ocean view penthouse condo

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.

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: Activities

Posted on August 27, 2012 by examiner

Play golf on one of the many courses near Playa Flamingo or 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. Part 2 “Flamingo and Potrero, Costa Rica: The Beaches” explored five fabulous beaches in the area. Part 3 “Flamingo and Potrero, Costa Rica: Arts and Crafts.

This area is known for its incredible beaches, so almost any water activity, that you can imagine, is available. In this article, I want to share some of the activities that aren’t as well known that you can do.

Horseback Riding – There are a wide variety of vendors that offer opportunities to rent horses. You can take a ride on the beach at sunset, or trek through the savannas and dry forests inland.

ATV tours – There are a few tour operators that offer ATV tours of the area. Most stop at a few beaches, and small towns. Most provide some kind of picnic lunch. Many combine the tour with horseback riding, zip line canopy tour and even surfing.

Canopy Tour – Fly through the air on a zip line. With some you may additionally have the opportunity to include rappelling, rock climbing, Tarzan Swings and hanging bridges. Some even require you to take a horseback ride to get to the canopy.

Golf – Guanacaste offers several golf courses most with views of the Pacific Ocean and you may get to see some spectacular wildlife as a bonus.

Spas – A wide variety of spas exist in this area to pamper you. Some are large scale and offer extensive spa facilities. You can have a freshly harvested warm volcanic mud bath and natural steam showers. Prices are available for every budget.

Spectacular 5 bedroom private ocean front villa rental
Playa Potrero Villa two blocks from the beach
Playa Flamingo Luxury beach condo residence

Flamingo and Potrero Costa Rica: The Beaches

Posted on August 12, 2012 by examiner

Horses on the beach at Playa Potrero

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

Flamingo and Potrero Costa Rica: The National Parks

Posted on August 6, 2012 by examiner

Boats taking people to Las Baulas National Marine Park.

The beaches of the Guanacaste Province of Costa Rica have been called the Gold Coast. With less rain than the rest of the country, Guanacaste offers a great place to visit especially during the green season from May until October. Both Flamingo and Potrero offer fantastic places to base yourself when you are visiting this area.

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

Las Baulas National Marine Park (Parque Marino las Baulas)

The Leatherback Turtle (in Spanish baula) nests in only 13 places in the world. One of these places is at Las Baulas National Park which is located south of Flamingo and Portrero, near Tamarindo. The Leatherback turtle is the largest reptile in the world weighing an average of 1,300 pounds. This is an ancient species which dates back 150 million years. They are approximately six feet long and three and a half feet wide. They nest October through February. If you want to see them nesting, which is an incredible experience you have to be escorted by guides from the National Park Service. There are many tours to take you to the park or you can contact the National Park Service directly.

Santa Rosa National Park

Located approximately 45 miles north of Flamingo and Portrero is Santa Rosa National Park, a site of both historical and ecological significance. The Hacienda Santa Rosa marks the fall of filibuster William Walkers mercenaries that wanted to take over and enslave Costa Rica.

This 122,350 acre park offers ten different habitats which range from a mangrove swamp to a dry tropical forest. Santa Rosa National Park is a great place to see a wide variety of animal species. There are 115 species of mammals including the white face, spider and howler monkey and five species of the big cats. Over 250 species of birds and 3,200 species of butterflies call Santa Rosa home. At Playa Nancite you can experience a large nesting ground of the Olive Ridley Turtle from July to November.

The Murcielago sector is home to a large number of bats. The road to the park is well marked. You may wish to hire a guide in the park so that you can make the most of your time here.

Opulent Flamingo Beach ocean view villa with gym, sauna and media room

7-bedroom classic Spanish villa on Flamingo beachfront

Ultra luxury vacation villa on Flamingo beachfront

Dominical, Costa Rica: Yoga and Spas

Posted on July 30, 2012 by examiner

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 July 23, 2012 by examiner

Scarlet Macaw

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.

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