We've been told that books are dead and you can find anything you want on the internet for free. Not true. Don’t have time to read all the insightful reviews below? See the executive summary. Selecting the best guidebook We’ve been traveling in Costa Rica mapping the country for over two … [Read more...]
Practical Information & Logistics
Once you know when and where you want to go and what you want to see and do it's time to get down to the nitty-gritty, make sure your budget can handle the trip, get your documents in order, find out if your phone will work (if you want it to), pack your bags, buy travel insurance and stash away the $29 bucks you may or may not need for the departure tax. This section includes all the logistical information we've accumulated over the decades.
Secret Beaches of Costa Rica
Semi-Secret Beaches Semi-secret beaches are our favorites. They aren’t totally deserted – some of them even have a few little houses, some residents and maybe a bar, soda, or restaurant but if you ever see more than ten people per mile of sand on any of these playas that would be considered a … [Read more...]
Gambling on Arenal Volcano
It's really a long shot now. The article below is one we used to maintain when you used to be able to see lava flows on Arenal Volcano. It's not impossible that it will come back to life any day but it quieted down to an occasional puff in 2009 and hasn't made so much as a peep for six … [Read more...]
Driver’s License Renewal
This is going to be interesting. I went in to the Colorado DMV to renew my driver's license ahead of a trip to Costa Rica this weekend and now I'm doomed. I blocked out a hour figuring that's about how long a five minute process would take when government bureaucracy was involved and was … [Read more...]
Books for Costa Rica
Current guidebook reviews are available on this link All Books Alphabetical by Title A Adventures in Nature: Costa Rica by Ree Strange Sheck, Paperback, 320 pages, Publisher: Avalon Travel Publishing; 2nd edition (February 2001), ISBN: 1566912423 A guidebook to Costa Rica built from … [Read more...]
Bird & Wildlife Books
General Interest Wildlife Field Guide to the Wildlife of Costa Rica Color photos, species accounts, and distribution maps, for almost three hundred species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, moths, and other invertebrates are complimented by general introductions to … [Read more...]
Leisure Reading
Some good books while hanging out in a hammock on the beach The Adventurer's Son: A Memoir The true story of a mysterious disappearance of a trekker on the Osa Peninsula. If you've been here you'll get chills. We've crisscrossed this region many times and all the theories - drug runners, … [Read more...]
English Costa Rican Spanish Dictionary
PHRASES The ATM ate my card! ¡El cajero automático se comió mi tarjeta! When does it open? ¿A qué hora abre? When does it close? ¿A qué hora cierra? What is the exchange rate? ¿Cómo es el tipo de cambio? What is the commission? ¿Cuál es la … [Read more...]
Parks Directory – Phone & E-mail List
SINAC Oficina Central San José, Avenida 15 Calle 1º, Barrio Tournón al costado Sur de la ULACIT Teléfono: 2522-6500 Fax: 2248-2451 info@sinac.go.cr Área de Conservación Arenal Huétar Norte (ACAHN) Oficina Regional - 150 norte y 200 este del Hospital de San Carlos, Ciudad Quesada Teléfono: … [Read more...]