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5 4 3 2 1
Frommer's Star Ratings System
Every hotel, restaurant and attraction listed in this guide has been ranked for quality and value. Here's what the stars mean:
Recommended
Highly Recommended
A must! Don't miss!
AN IMPORTANT NOTE
The world is a dynamic place. Hotels change ownership, restaurants hike their prices, museums alter their opening hours, and busses and trains change their routings. And all of this can occur in the several months after our authors have visited, inspected, and written about, these hotels, restaurants, museums and transportation services. Though we have made valiant efforts to keep all our information fresh and up-to-date, some few changes can inevitably occur in the periods before a revised edition of this guidebook is published. So please bear with us if a tiny number of the details in this book have changed. Please also note that we have no responsibility or liability for any inaccuracy or errors or omissions, or for inconvenience, loss, damage, or expenses suffered by anyone as a result of assertions in this guide.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Writer and photographer Nicholas Gill is based in Lima, Peru, and Brooklyn, New York. He is the co-founder of the website New Worlder, and his work appears in publications such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Saveur, New York Magazine, and Roads & Kingdoms .
Surfers at sunset in Tamarindo
C osta Rica continues to be one of the hottest vacation and adventure-travel destinations in Latin America, and for good reason. The country is rich in natural wonders and abundant biodiversity. Costa Rica boasts a wealth of unsullied beaches for sunbathing and surfing, lush jungle rivers for rafting and kayaking, and spectacular cloud forests and rainforests with ample opportunities for bird-watching, wildlife viewing, and hiking. In addition to the emblematic eco- and adventure-tourism offerings, you will also find luxury resorts and golf courses, plush spas, and some spectacular boutique hotels and lodges. In this chapter, youll find the very best of what this unique country has to offer.
Costa Ricas best Authentic Experiences
Taking a Night Tour in a Tropical Forest: Most neotropical forest dwellers are nocturnal, so nighttime tours are offered at rainforest and cloud-forest destinations throughout the country. Some of the better spots for night tours are Monteverde ().
A spectacular view from Cerro Amigos in Monteverde
Soaking in a Volcanic Hot Spring: Costa Ricas volcanoes have blessed the country with a host of natural hot springs. From the opulent grandeur of Tabacn Grand Spa Thermal Resort (), mineral-rich, naturally heated waters are waiting to soothe what ails you.
A nesting sea turtle at Tortuguero National Park
Spotting a Resplendent Quetzal: The iridescent colors and long, flowing tail feathers of this aptly named bird are breathtaking. This rare species can still be regularly sighted in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve ().
Meeting Monkeys: Costa Ricas rain and cloud forests are home to four species of New World monkeyshowler, capuchin, squirrel, and spider. Your odds of seeing one or more are very good if you visit Monteverde ().
Help a Hatchling Reach the Sea: During various months throughout the year, multiple species of sea turtles arrive on beaches on both coasts of Costa Rica to lay their eggs. After hatching, the baby turtles face enormous odds in reaching the sea in places such as Las Baulas National Marine (, The Best Special-Interest Trips.
Relaxing on the hammocks at Monteverde Lodge & Gardens
Visit a Feria: On Saturdays, a vast network of rural farmers markets comes alive in every part of Costa Rica. Theres a brilliant display of colorful fruits and vegetables, local foods, and often live music. Some of the more interesting ferias occur in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Guapiles, and San Joses Feria Verde de Aranjuez.
Climbing trees at Bosque del Cabo
Playing in a Pickup Football (Soccer) Game: Youll find informal, friendly ftbol matches all across the country. You can head to La Sabana Park () and find one just about any weekend or afternoon. Or just jump into a game on the beach, with some simple sticks stuck in the sand as goal posts.