Costa Rica has a long-established reputation for nature conservation and protection of its environment that is the envy of many other countries around the world. To some extent, the country got off to a good start by virtue of the fact that its relative lack of highly valuable natural resources in the past (e.g. precious metals, minerals and oil) meant that it did not suffer the ravages of exploitation that other countries in central and South America experienced. Even so, Costa Rica showed from the very earliest days that it was well aware of the need to protect some of this incomparable countryside, comprising rainforest, high volcanic mountains and stunning coastline. It is something that the people and their governments are to be congratulated on.

Walking, Costa Rica, and your annual holidays

Although Costa Rica’s popularity is increasing rapidly as a holiday destination, it still may not instantly spring to mind when you are planning your annual break. If you are struggling to place it in your mind’s eye, it sits in Central America on the piece of land just at top end of South America. This means that it has a coastline that sits on the Pacific Ocean and another coastline that sits equally comfortably on the Caribbean.

A Spanish-speaking country, it has long had a reputation for stability and people that offer visitors a very warm welcome. If you enjoy the pursuit of walking, Costa Rica may be able to offer you attractions that you won’t easily find elsewhere on holiday.

Just consider for a second the geographical diversity touched on above. There is a range of volcanic mountains, some of which are still active and which provide a stunning mountain environment to explore. You can walk around the national parks and you may even have the chance to see an erupting volcano (from a safe distance of course!). The country is also famed for its extensive rainforest and the multitude of creatures that inhabit it. For example, at night you can see a multitude of amphibians, and during the day, in some locations, you may get the opportunity to see things such as squirrel monkeys or perhaps jaguars and pumas. Other walking opportunities may concentrate on the fabulous coastlines, their stunning scenery and birdlife.

Of course, if you do fancy a break from walking, Costa Rica has many other attractions as well. There are a wide variety of water sports, conventional beach lazing, or you can even go horse riding along some of the pristine coastal locations. Many of the towns are well worth exploring and whatever other experiences you may have, you can be sure that boredom will not be amongst them.
A walking holiday in Costa Rica

Walking may well be the best way to see many of these magnificent sights. There are guided walks available which can form the core of your holiday. Under the supervision of expert tour leaders, you’ll leave your excellent hotel accommodation and strike off on expeditions to take in the incredible surroundings. The itinerary is constructed to be perfectly manageable by all people of even moderate fitness levels, although more demanding walks may be available for those that wish them.

So, if you like a holiday with a difference that is based around walking, Costa Rica may justify being included well up on your priority list.

Tony Maniscalco is the Sales and Marketing Manager for Ramblers Worldwide Holidays. They offer over 250 guided group walking holidays in over 65 different countries. While walking Costa Rica with Ramblers Worldwide Holidays, you will see scenic locations & landscapes at the best value prices.

Thank you for visiting Travel Articles Directory. Feel free to use any of our travel writing articles for your own website, on the condition that you also take the link we have included in the text. Check back for more travel writing soon; we’re uploading more original travel articles all the time!

This article was provided by LeadGenerators – the smartest SEO agency in London, and the proud host of a series of Internet Marketing training seminars and Social Media breakfasts.

Costa Rica is located around the Isthmus of Panama and has a coastline on both the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean. It is a beautiful country which is heavily covered with rainforest and which has what appears to be a backbone of volcanoes. It was colonised by the Spanish and today it retains a significant Spanish influence including, of course, its language.

The people of Costa Rica have a long and proudly held history of independence and pride themselves on having a long established tradition of stability and peaceful development. The country is at the forefront of global conservation methods to protect the rainforest and its bio-diversity. What that means is that it is ideal for exploration by walking and you will have the opportunity to see volcanic terrain, rainforest, lowland agricultural areas and some stunning coastline.
Getting around

Some of the most beautiful scenery and richest opportunities for discovering the unique flora and fauna of this country exist in areas that are now strictly protected. What that means is that you simply cannot go driving around where you wish. That gives an incredible opportunity for people that enjoy walking holidays to get around and see natural beauty and grandeur without having the distraction of mass tourism.

If you enjoy walking, Costa Rica offers a range of holidays based around guided walks. Your tour leader will ensure that your party gets to see the stunning wildlife and scenery without you needing to worry about things such as road access and parking! You also do not need to worry about needing the prowess of a superhero to be able to participate in these guided walks. They are based around excellent accommodation and each day your tour leader will define an itinerary that is suitable for you and your party. This is all about enjoying the country and its people and not about trying to get you to stretch yourself beyond your capabilities.

The sights

While you are out and walking, Costa Rica won’t disappoint you in terms of things to see and discover. Just a brief taster or some things to explore includes:

• Lake Arenal – this is Costa Rica’s largest body of water and the highlight of the area is the stunning Volcano Arenal. This is a live and active volcano which every few hours is known to send gasses and clouds shooting up into the sky. At night, with luck, you can watch hot lava slipping from its summit. Don’t worry, though, this is a National Park and walkers are only allowed in the lower regions at a safe distance from the spectacle itself.

• The Manuel Antonio National Park. Here you’ll be able to see some stunning beach scenery and some incredible wildlife which may include the famous squirrel monkey.

• Monteverde cloud forest. This is a fantastic chance to explore a rainforest up close, including the opportunity to take a cable car ride up part of the mountain (the sky tram) at treetop height. If you are feeling very adventurous, you can make a zip line descent!

For a guided holiday based around walking, Costa Rica offers unrivalled opportunities. The costs may be a lot lower than you would expect and it may well turn out to be the holiday of a lifetime.

Tony Maniscalco is the Sales and Marketing Manager for Ramblers Worldwide Holidays. They offer over 250 guided group walking holidays in over 65 different countries. While walking Costa Rica with Ramblers Worldwide Holidays, you will see scenic locations & landscapes at the best value prices.

Thank you for visiting Travel Articles Directory. Feel free to use any of our travel writing articles for your own website, on the condition that you also take the link we have included in the text. Check back for more travel writing soon; we’re uploading more original travel articles all the time!

This article was provided by LeadGenerators – the smartest SEO agency in London, and the proud host of a series of Internet Marketing training seminars and Social Media breakfasts.

Although Costa Rica is a Catholic country, Christmas isn’t the only major celebration that takes place at the end of December. Las Fiestas de Zapote is a fiesta of all things Costa Rican, from rodeos and cowboys to fried food and alcohol. Las Fiestas de Zapote marks the end of the year and is basically a four-day-long New Year’s Eve celebration. When walking Costa Rica you’ll see that many towns have their own celebrations. However, the best are in the capital, San Jose, and those close to the area of Palmares.

When you get to the festival, although you’ll find an abundance of attractions to choose from, humane bullfights are the main spectacle. As you’ll soon discover, Costa Rican bullfighting is nothing like the Spanish style of bullfighting. Amateur men and woman enter a caged arena en masse and then very large bulls are released into this arena with often hilarious consequences. No bulls are harmed in this style of fighting and, as an animal loving nation, the Costa Ricans would certainly not abide the killing of animals for simple pleasure.

The festival ground covers a large area and features some great fair rides. Small portable bars are set up around the grounds and locals are able to dance the night away to the funky Latino beats, stopping every so often to fill up on delicious sweet churros and cotton candy.

Walking Costa Rica around Christmas time is a rewarding prospect, not only do you have Las Fiestas de Zapote to look forward to, but Christmas also coincides with the Festival de la Luz, or, festival of lights. During the Festival de la Luz, the city of San Jose is decorated with bright lights and a carnival marks the start of the festivities.

You’ll also see many organised ‘topes’ while walking Costa Rica during the festive season; topes have taken place in the country since colonial times. In a tope, horseback riders from all over Costa Rica flock together to show off their best outfits and horses. Many have been training their animals all year for this event and topes often coincide with the Festival de la Luz.

Although you won’t see any pine trees in Costa Rica, you’re likely to see a lot of decorated Cypress trees hung with lights for Festival de la Luz, and mini portals for Christmas. Portals are the representation of the birth of Jesus and these are either hung from trees or included in household Nativity scenes. That is apart from the portal of Baby Jesus which cannot be placed with the others until December 25th, the date when the main presents are opened. Although, Christmas is celebrated on the same date as in the United Kingdom, don’t expect to come home to a filling roast dinner after a day walking Costa Rica. That kind of meal would be a little hard to stomach in the 22 degree heat. For this reason, hot tamales are the dish du jour and the spiced pork offers many visitors a welcome change from turkey and stuffing.

Thank you for visiting Travel Articles Directory. Feel free to use any of our travel writing articles for your own website, on the condition that you also take the link we have included in the text. Check back for more travel writing soon; we’re uploading more original travel articles all the time!

This article was provided by LeadGenerators – the smartest SEO agency in London, and the proud host of a series of Internet Marketing training seminars and Social Media breakfasts.

Frogs

Frogs are plentiful in the rainforests and jungles of Costa Rica, often active during the day. One notable type is the Poison-Dart Frog, though many species are endangered. Their brightly-coloured bodies make them easy to spot while you’re walking Costa Rica. Though levels of toxicity vary from one species to the other, they are all somewhat poisonous – they’re often known as ‘dart frogs’, due to the native Amerindians’ use of them to poison the tips of their blow-darts. The most poisonous type, the Golden Poison frog, actually secretes enough venom from its skin to kill ten or twenty men, or about ten thousand mice.

Reptiles

There are a wide range of reptiles to be seen while walking Costa Rica, but some might present a strange sight! The Striped Basilisk possesses the unique ability to ‘walk’ on water, being able to run about four and a half metres along the surface of water before sinking, due to flaps between its toes creating a pocket of air. Another distinctive animal is the Spectacled Caiman crocodile; living in a range of lowland and wetland habitats, it’s the most common of all the crocodilian species – though not one you want to get too close to while walking in Costa Rica.

Big Cats

While once numerous, big cats such as the jaguar are declining in numbers in Costa Rica. The third-largest feline after the lion and tiger, and the most powerful feline in the western hemisphere, the jaguar is nevertheless classed as a ‘near-threatened’ species. Relative to the other big cats, the jaguar has an immensely powerful bite, allowing it to pierce the shells of armoured reptiles, and employ a killing strategy of biting directly through the skull of its prey to their brains. While the jaguar prefers rainforests for a habitat, it might also be seen in forested or open terrain while you’re walking Costa Rica – though it is often associated with water too and (along with the tiger) enjoys swimming!

Birds

One species of bird you just can’t miss in Costa Rica is the Scarlet Macaw. Though they are also suffering from a decline in population, in part due to the country’s spraying of pesticides to preserve their banana crops, they can be glimpsed fluttering overhead and are recognized by the distinctive squawk you may hear while you’re out walking in Costa Rica. Although popular as pets, it is currently illegal to take Scarlet Macaws from the wild without specific permits.

Thank you for visiting Travel Articles Directory. Feel free to use any of our travel writing articles for your own website, on the condition that you also take the link we have included in the text. Check back for more travel writing soon; we’re uploading more original travel articles all the time!

This article was provided by LeadGenerators – the smartest SEO agency in London, and the proud host of a series of Internet Marketing training seminars and Social Media breakfasts.

There are four beaches within the Manuel Antonio national park – Espadilla Sur, Manuel Antonio, Escondido, and Playita.  The park’s namesake, Playa Manuel Antonio, is arguably the prettiest of the four – shaped like the moon, it’s bright white sands and coral reef leave you feeling utterly transported.  Playa Manuel Antonio is separated from Playa Espadilla Sur by a naturally formed bridge made of accumulated sand, at the end of which you will find the Punta Cathedral.  The steep hike to the top of the cathedral takes roughly an hour and can get rather muddy but the views of the Pacific make every step of the climb worthwhile.  On your return to the beach, why not wash yourself off as you snorkel in the tidal pools on either Playa Manuel Antonio or Playa Espadilla Sur, catching a glimpse of coral reefs, submerged volcanic rocks and other fascinating marine life.  If you fancy a more challenging walk, head east towards Playa Escondido (the hidden beach), where the trails are less well maintained and somewhat rocky.  The tide comes in fast in this part of the park however, so be sure to keep an eye on the time while you are walking. Costa Rica’s smallest national park it may be, but Manuel Antonio’s beaches have as great an appeal as any in the country.

The wildlife and biodiversity you will see whilst walking in Costa Rica is second to none, and with over 100 species of mammals, and an even greater variety of birds, the Manuel Antonio national park is no exception to this.  Trails lead straight into the tropical forest, where you can marvel at the tree top canopies and watch howler monkeys as they climb lethargically from one tree to the next.  The Perezoso Trail – aptly named after the three-toed variety of sloth that you are likely to see several of along your route – begins on the East side of the Playa Espadilla, and is generally the most popular trail within the park.  During the walk you are likely to spot not only sloths, but iguanas, squirrel monkeys, marmosets, and macaws.  At points you will also emerge from the forest to see some spectacular views of the islands dotted in the Pacific and surrounding the park.

With its glorious beaches for those who want to lay back and relax, abundant forests for the explorers, and a selection of moderately challenging trails for those who enjoy walking, Costa Rica’s smallest national park caters for everybody and encapsulates the essence of a beautiful country.

Tony Maniscalco is the Sales and Marketing Manager for Ramblers Worldwide Holidays. Operating since 1946, Ramblers Worldwide Holidays now offer over 250 holidays in more than 70 different countries. On a holiday walking in Costa Rica with Ramblers, you can walk the most scenic landscapes at the best value prices.

Cahuita

Cahuita is one of the few places in the world where you can combine a trek through a verdant jungle with an afternoon sunbathing on a perfect white sand beach. The region also contains a national park, which is among one of the most visited in the whole country. This park was formed in 1970 to protect Costa Rica’s largest coral reef and is a popular place to try your hand at scuba, snorkelling and deep-sea diving. The park even contains an 18^th century shipwreck, which is fascinating to explore.

The crystal clear waters make the area ideal for swimming and spotting different species of marine life from sea urchins to angel and parrot fish. You may also be lucky enough to spot a Carey Turtle or lucky (or unlucky) enough to spot one of the three species of sharks that frequent the area. The animal species found in the jungle include sloth, possums and monkeys, with birdlife including kingfishers, heron and ibises amongst others.

Arenal

If you plan on hiking in Costa Rica, a visit to Arenal National Park is an absolute must to experience the breathtaking beauty of Central America’s natural landscape. The park is home to the spectacular Arenal Volcano, one of the top ten most active in the world. This colossal landmark, set in the depth of a lush tropical rainforest, will leave you in a sense of awe as you bear witness to its perpetual stream of rising smoke and the flow of the crimson lava creeping from the precipice. Listen carefully and you will even hear the deep earth-shaking rumblings of this prehistoric titan. Many hotels tout their views of the volcano, and if you can spare the time while hiking in Costa Rica then an overnight stay is highly recommended. As night falls, the scene becomes ever more dramatic, with the luminescent lava flow creating a spectacular image against the dark skies.

While you cannot scale the volcano itself, there are many tours offering you the chance to hike around the base and view this spectacular landmark from every perspective. After a day of hiking in Costa Rica there is nothing better than unwinding at the famous Tabacon thermal resort. Set in acres of primary rainforest, the resort offers weary hikers the chance to revitalise in a series of lagoons, each enjoying a constant supply of natural and steamy-hot volcanic water. While there, don’t miss out on the waterfall back massage, the Ayurvedic spa treatments or the 5-star restaurant. If action is more your kind of thing, why not try your hand at white-water rafting, horseback riding, caving or even the exhilarating canopy zip-lines. With so many activities in an around the Arenal area, you should be sure to make this a priority stop while hiking in Costa Rica.

Tony Maniscalco is the Sales and Marketing Manager for Ramblers Worldwide Holidays. Operating since 1946, Ramblers Worldwide Holidays now offer over 250 holidays in more than 70 different countries. On a holiday hiking in Costa Rica with Ramblers, you can walk the most scenic landscapes at the best value prices.