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Central Valley
What makes the Central Valley, or Meseta Central, surrounding San José so fascinating are the many smaller communities where you can absorb a real slice of Costa Rican life. If you are based in the capital you can take day-trips to explore and enjoy the attractions in nearby cities. If you have the time and self-discipline to relax and wander on a vacation (rather than jam everything in at once), towns like Cartago, Heredia, Zarcero and Orosí are like treasure chests to open. You’ll find gems of shops, bars, restaurants, art galleries, flower and vegetable markets, little churches and community affairs.
The next time you come to Costa Rica you may find you want to stay in one of these places.The Central Valley Area also called the Hub of Costa Rica combines parts of the Provinces San José, Heredia, Cartago and Alajuela. Within this area lives the mayority of the population of Costa Rica and also is where you can find the famous best Cilmate in the World. Into this Area falls the Volcanoes Irazú, part of the Braulio Carrillo National Park, Moravia, Coronado, Rancho Redondo, Lankaster Gardens, the valley of the river Orosi, the Tapantí National Park, Cerro de La Muerte and the National Monument Guayabo.
This section of the country contains arid land and sprawling cattle ranches, a windswept lake, cloud-shrouded forest preserves, deep caves with thousands of bats, lakes and swamps, active volcanoes like the arenal and rincón de la vieja, flat land, deep valleys and high mountains. The territory borders Nicaragua to the north and the Central Valley to the south, Los Chiles, San Ramón and Zarcero.
If you travel north from San José, you will cross the volcanic ridges of the Cordillera Central. After about 40 km from San José you will reach the the flat tropical lowlands that go all way to Nicaragua . The so called Llanuras del Norte include the northern halves of the Provinces Heredia and Alajuela. Here you will find mixed tropical forests. the climate is generally humid and hot. Here the dry season is more pronounced towards the pacific side and less so at the caribbean side.
In many remote areas in the north, especially in the Llanuras de los Guatusos and the Llanura de San Carlos, the land floods extensively during the wet season, creating vast swamps and lakes. One of this areas is protected in the Refugio National de Vida Silvestre Caño Negro. Other swamps are being used to cultivate rice. The northern lowlands have a small population and a few small towns. The exception is the Town of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí. This remote areas lend themselves for excellent bird watching and other nature activities. Good places to start exploring this vast terretory are Selva Verde Lodge and Hacienda Guachipelín.
The area called Southern Pacific in Costa Rica starts at Playa Dominical Beach going south until Panama. There is a very good high way called 'La Costanera' from here all way down to Palmares and Golfito. This is called the biologically richest area of Costa Rica. Some areas are as difficult to access as Tortuguero, specially in the green season. Take a boat from Sierpe to the Drake Bay.
From Bahía Drake it is not difficult to hike to the Corcovado National Park along the coast. It takes between 4 and 7 hours to reach the San Pedrillo Ranger Station. From this point hiking trails continue into the Park. It's good to get a table about high and low tides. The best time for the walk is during low tide, since on some places one can get cut off during high tide. If you cannot follow along the beach there are in-land trails around that obstacle.
The exciting part of the Corcovado National Park is its long trails that all lead to a ranger station. This National Park with its enormous amount of different Flora and Fauna harbors the largest population of the beautiful Scarlet Macaw or Lapa Roja together with Tapirs, 5 species of Cats, Crocodiles, Peccaries, Giant Anteaters, Monkeys and Sloths. There are over 400 species of birds, even the almost extinct Harpy Eagle can be found here. But please don't think that they are lined up along the trails. Most of the animals are very hard to see, and it is a good idea to get a experienced Nature Guide.
The big selection of different activities and immense Bio-Diversity in this area makes a stay of at least 3 - 4 days recommendable, specially if getting there is by ground transportation. Activities range from canoeing, scuba diving to snake nature hikes. My personal favorite place between Palmares and Golfito the Esquinas Rain Forest Lodge, it is located near the Piedras Blancas National Park in a Nature Reserve also called the Rain forest of the Austrians, because Austrian Doctors collected the money to buy this Private Rain Forest Reserve.
A little further on that road only passable with a 4 x 4 vehicle, you'll reach Golfito. This port town once used by the point where bananas left Costa Rica on ships, but today the main atraction is a duty free zone at the very north end of Golfito. It also is a good point from where to start expeditions to Puerto Jiménez, the Corcovado National Park or take a small boat and go to the nearby Playa Sancudo.
About 15 km south of Zancudo is the Bahía de Pavón. It is famous for its Surf, Surfers say it is the best in all Central America. April to September is the time with the highest waves. A big long left can give you a three minute ride. But besides surfing, there is not much to do in this area. The so called Pavones comprises the two beaches Río Claro and Pavones. If you keep on going further south you soon will reach Panama.
Select your favorite hotel, resort, or bed and breakfast in Playa Dominical Beach, Golfito or Bahía Drake. Reserve your rental car, learn Spanish in Costa Rica, using one of the many Language Schools. Eco tourism is becoming popular in Costa Rica, so you can also find Campgrounds and Private Camping Places, Backpacker Hostels and Hotels and much more.
The coastal regions of the Costa Rica Pacific with its long and irregular coastlines and beaches are quite different from the Caribbean Region. Here the coast is a smooth sweep of mangroves swamps, coastal forests and beaches. There are smaller tide variations and there is no dry season. When the rest of Costa Rica experiences more rain, here the nicest months are February, March, September and October. About half of the Caribbean Coastline is protected by two National Parks and two National Wildlife Refuges.
All of Costa Rica 's Caribbean Coast is part of the province of Limón, which covers 18% of the Costa Rica territory but only 9% of its population. One third of the habitants are blacks of Jamaican descent. Many speak still an English /Spanish Dialect (Spanglish) a very tropical sound to ears not used to it. Also several thousand BriBri and Cabecar Indians inhabit the southern part of the province.
Until 1949 the black population was discriminated by Constitution to live in the Caribbean Lowlands only, that, plus fewer roads and the many places that are only accessible by boat helped to slow down development in this part of Costa Rica. The Caribbean Coast has less than 10% of Costa Rica 's Hotels, while the Pacific Coast has over 40%. Costa Ricans are used to vacation on the Pacific and even since the new highway opened in 1987, which cut down the driving time in half, Costa Ricans still prefer the Pacific. Not so the foreign tourists. They like the cultural diversity, the romance associated with the word 'Caribbean' and the unhurried, gentle, laid-back live stile. Going north you need boats to reach the Tortuguero Canals that offer an impressive diversity of Flora and Fauna, to be observed from the boats.
Going south there is a single highway to the Panama border. There is a great variety of lodging available along the coast. From campgrounds to very basic cabins up to three star hotels.
The Northern Pacific and Peninsula Nicoya areas are located in the Province of Guanacaste. It is mainly famous for its beaches and is also called The Gold Coast of Costa Rica. This area includes the famous beaches of Playa Conchal Beach, Playa Langosta Beach, Playa Flamingo Beach, Playa Tamarindo Beach, Playa Sámara Beach, Playa Hermosa Beach, the Gulf of Papagayo, Playas del Coco and Ocotal Beach and many more. But the Northern Pacific Region stretches all way from Nicaragua along the Cordilleara of Guanacaste, with its spectacular string of dormant or gentle active volcanoes. These Costa Rica volcanoes are all protected in National Parks.
If you want to visit Rincón de La Vieja, you will get there not far fom Liberia, the capital of Guanacaste. Go to the Hotel Hacienda Guachipelín, they will show you the famous fumaroles, Hot Springs, Waterfalls and can take you to the rim of the crater. Parque Nacional de Guanacaste, and the Tenorio Volcano National Park protect other volcanoes. The dry forests and Coastlines are protected in the beautiful and historic Santa Rosa National Park. Enjoy beautiful Beaches of Guanacaste, Costa Ricas nicest National Parks, Rainforests, Cloudforests, Tropical Dry Forests, Wildlife Refuges and Biological Reserves. Go Sport Fishing or Deep Sea Fishing and enjoy the many Night life activities and Casinos. Let us be your tour operator to help you plan your trip to paradise. Choose from a tour or activity of your taste from the many that Costa Rica has to offer, or just do nothing and savor some of the best climates in the world. Costa Rica awaits you. You will fall in love with this paradise as so many did before you.
Select your favorite Hotel, Resort, or Bed and Breakfast in Playa Tamarindo Beach, Nicoya, Santa Cruz, Liberia, Playa Flamingo Beach, Playa Potrero Beach, Playa Conchal Beach, Playas del Coco, Golfo de Papgayo or Rincón de La Vieja.
The Central Pacific area starts with the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula in the north and end at Playa Dominical in the south. It includes the city of Puntarenas which is the capital of the province of Puntarenas and also the biggest coastal town of Costa Rica. Located about 110 km West of San José, it was traditionally the main destination of the people from Costa Rica's Capital San José to enjoy a few days at the long sandy beach. There are several bigger hotels available right in Puntarenas City, some small Cabins and Villas along the Coast and a larger Deluxe Resort called Fiesta Resort.
Generally the Pacific Coast, with exception of the southern end, is more developed for tourism than the Caribbean Coast. If you are looking for luxury beach and resort accommodations, golf courses and high end residential areas and condominiums, the Pacific Coast of Puntarenas and Guanacaste is where to look for it.
Driving South, you can find lots of deserted beaches, wildlife and small coastal towns. Reaching Playa Dominical you'll find again some hotels and cabins on the beach including the well known Hotel Villas Rio Mar located a little off the Beach on the Riverside.
In Costa Rica most Beach Resorts and Hotels have different rates for High and Green Season. Some have in addition Peak Season Rates for Christmas, New Year and Easter Week. Vacationers that want to visit Costa Rica during this season and specially if they want to find accommodations in the more luxurious hotels and resorts, are well advised to make reservations ahaid of time (several month).
The average temperatures on the beach are about 22ºC (72ºF) minimum and 32ºC (90ºF) maximum. The main activities here are observing White-faced Capuchin Monkeys, Motmots, Morphos and Manzanillos at Manuel Antonio National Park, Canopy Tours, and Horseback rides, tanning at the Beach or observing Crocodiles, Mangroves and lost of birds on River Tárcoles and Ara Macaws at the Carara National Park, Surfing at Jacó Beach of Playa Hermosa near Jacó, take Surf lessons in Playa Dominical or ride a horse into the magnificent sunsets.