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Costa Rica - Butterfly Gardens Costa Rica's varied ecosystems and habitats are famed for their biodiversity and one of the areas where you can truly see it is in the hundreds of butterfly species that inhabit the cloud forests, marshes and rainforests. While looking at Costa Rica Real Estate you will probably run across an assortment of species by your hotel or while you are out and about adventuring. In addition, visitors to Costa Rica have the opportunity to observe butterflies and other tropical insects at a number of butterfly gardens around the Country. The most notable Costa Rican Butterfly Gardens are The Butterfly Farm in San Jose, the Monteverde Butterfly Garden and the La Paz Waterfall Gardens Butterfly Observatory. La Paz Waterfall Gardens Butterfly Observatory is the largest in the Country and after seeing the butterflies you can take a hike and see the incredible waterfalls that they also have on the property! Contact your Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Company Costa Rica Real Estate Agent to coordinate your visit. Costa Rica - Orchid Gardens Orchids are surprisingly difficult to see in the wild. Even with a qualified guide you'd be lucky to spot a dozen during a full day in the forest. The majority are epiphytic, growing high in the canopy on trunks, branches or in crotches out of sight. Additionally, many are rather mundane until they flower, and might only flower for a day or two a year. The same is true for many of the other interesting epiphytes in Costa Rica. There are more than 1,400 types of Costa Rica Orchids and 500 of them are found in Monteverde, Costa Rica. Gabriel Barbosa, biologist and owner of the Monteverde Orchids Garden, says that he has 426 of them. If you are travelling to Costa Rica and are interested in visiting a Costa Rica Orchid Garden while you are here, we recommend the Monteverde Orchid garden or just outside of San Jose, Costa Rica, Lankaster Gardens. Contact your Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Company Costa Rica Real Estate Agent to coordinate your visit. Costa Rica - Chocolate Tours Chocolate, which comes from the cacao tree, has a long history in Costa Rica. The chocolate beans were originally used as currency during pre-Columbian times by indigenous tribes in Costa Rica. Cacao was one of the major crops in Costa Rica Real Estate until the introduction of coffee and tobacco in the late 1700's. It remained an important export crop well into the 1900's until a fungus swept through the plantations, killing more than 70% of the cacao trees in Costa Rica. The majority of Costa Rica's cacao is harvested in the Caribbean lowlands where plentiful rainfall and land aid in cacao growth. It is a shade-grown crop, and one of the few agricultural industries that does not necessitate deforestation. As a result, much of Costa Rica's wildlife and migrant bird species are finding shelter in the rejuvenating cacao plantations. To learn and experience Costa Rican chocolate in its purest form, you can visit Chocorart on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. At Chocorart Costa Rica, a friendly Swiss couple continues the tradition and shows you the workings of their chocolate plantation on their Costa Rican chocolate tour. Follow the little-known life cycle of this crop from cultivation to processing. There's sampling at the tour's conclusion. Contact your Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Company Costa Rica Real Estate Agent to coordinate your visit. Costa Rica - Coffee & Coffee Tours Coffee arrived in Costa Rica in 1797. The government provided plants and land to all who were willing to grow crops for export, and Costa Rica coffee production quickly became a major industry, surpassing cacao and tobacco. Costa Rica was the first Central American country to establish coffee growing as an industry. Costa Rican Coffee enabled Costa Rica to develop ports, roads and other infrastructure necessary for continued expansion in the early years. Today, coffee is still a stable agricultural product in Costa Rica. Around the World, Coffee is the second largest commodity traded on the international market, second to petroleum. Of the two types produced commercially - Arabica and Robusta - Costa Rica only produces Arabica, as mandated by executive order. In general, Arabica beans produce a sweeter, smoother cup of coffee. Cafe Britt's is one of the most notable names in Costa Rican Coffee and at its coffee plantation, they offer informative tours in the Central Valley. Located near Heredia one kilometer north of Barva, outside of San Jose, Cafe Britt Costa Rica produces several tasty varieties, including an organic, shade-grown coffee. Cafe Britt Costa Rica offers two coffee tours - the Classic Costa Rica Coffee Tour and the Costa Rica Coffee Lovers' Tour - which incorporates theater acting, humor and hard facts to produce an informative and enjoyable experience. Contact your Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Company Costa Rica Real Estate Agent to coordinate your visit. Costa Rica - Banana Plantations & Tours Learning about Bananas in Costa Rica is a perfect opportunity to learn about the customs and heritage of the people who settled on this Caribbean Coast. The historic port city of Limon is the gateway to Costa Rica's Caribbean and retains much of its historic and cultural past. Just outside of Limon, Costa Rica you will find the Del Monte Banana Plantation and Packing House: where you can get a chance to learn many interesting facts about this amazing fruit. You will learn about: the Crop, harvesting, processing, packing and exportation. Costa Rica is the second largest banana producer in the world and 82% of the plantations are located in Limon province, becoming one of the most important economical activities in the region. Contact your Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Company Costa Rica Real Estate Agent to coordinate your visit. Costa Rica - Whale & Dolphin Watching A not so publicized activity in Costa Rica is whale and dolphin watching. After you have had a chance to see these animals up close you will definitely recommend it. Costa Ricas warm seas are home to one of the most biologically diverse marine habitats in the world. The pockets of shallow, temperate waters create the ideal ecosystem for humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), killer whales, pilot whales, and bottlenose, spinner and spotted dolphins. Humpback whales regularly pass through Costa Rica's Pacific Coast seas between late July and November, and again in December through March as they migrate to and from feeding and mating grounds. One of the best places to observe these magnificent mammals is in the South Pacific waters off the Osa Peninsula. Here, migrations from both the northern and southern hemispheres swim through the area, contributing to the longest humpback whale season in the world. These gentle giants are regularly seen in Costa Rica along with bottlenose and spotted dolphins. In all, over twenty five species of dolphins and whales either permanently reside in or pass through Costa Rica while migrating. You can see them, just south of Dominical, at the Ballena National Marine Park. Or in the Central Pacific, of Costa Rica you might catch spotted dolphins and migrating humpback whales occasionally in the waters off Quepos / Manuel Antonio. Our office, Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Company Costa Rica sits on the edge of a protected bay called Bahia Ballena and in the winter you can often catch sightings of humpback whales, killer whales and an assortment of dolphins. Contact your Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Company Costa Rica Real Estate Agent to coordinate a whale and dolphin watching trip during your visit. Costa Rica - Birdwatching Birding in Costa Rica is an extraordinary experience. Over 870 species of birds have been recorded from this small Central American country, the highest species diversity in an area of this size anywhere on earth. Not only is its avifauna exceedingly rich, but Costa Rica is one of the greatest centers of avian endemism in the world, with nearly 70 species found nowhere else! Costa Rica is now well-known as one of the best areas for birding on earth, for a series of stunning wildlife films and the many glowing reports from visitors have made people realize what a treasure house of nature this gem of a country really is. Costa Rica is utterly unlike the preconceived view of Central America. There is no recent history of revolutions, medal-bespattered dictators, political prisoners and masses of half-starved, landless peasants. Instead Costa Rica is one of the most prosperous countries in Latin America with the highest literacy level in the region, no army (it was abolished as unnecessary in 1949!), stable democratic government, excellent standards of public health and the highest percentage of land area devoted to national parks and reserves of any country in the world. This beautiful land is an ornithological melting pot where the avifaunas of Central and South America merge. Here you will see Central American species at the southern limits of their range, South American species at their northern limits and numerous species that are endemic to Costa Rica Real Estate and western Panama Real Estate. For the birdwatcher the factor that makes Costa Rica so attractive is not simply its astonishingly rich avifauna, but the fact that it is packed into such a small area. In Costa Rica one could, if one wanted, drive from the Pacific lowlands up over the central highlands and down to the Caribbean lowlands in a matter of five or six hours, passing through every major habitat zone found in Central America! Contact your Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Company Costa Rica Real Estate Agent to coordinate some birding during your visit. Costa Rica - Volcanos Part of the Pacific Ring Fire Circle, Costa Rica has over 200 identifiable volcanic formations dating back over 65 million years. Today, however, only 100 or so show any signs of volcanic activity, while just five are classified as active volcanoes. Most of the volcanoes in Costa Rica lie in the northern part of the country and in the Central Highlands. Considered to be among Costa Rica's top tourist attractions as they captivate the attention of both tourists and scientists from all over the world, these volcanoes are a key part of this country's spectacular natural diversity. This is because they have played an important role in how the lush landscape of this region has come into being. Due to the many eruptions over the past millennia, the soil in Costa Rica is rich in many minerals and is very fertile. This fertility in turn has contributed to dense verdant forestation, which supports not only a myriad of bird & wildlife species, but is also home to numerous tropical and exotic plants and trees as well. Arenal is perhaps the most famous of all Costa Rica's volcanoes. This is because it is the most active volcano in the country, spewing hot gases and steam on a regular basis. Thought to have a ‘perfect' volcanic cone, the Arenal is indeed a sight to see as it sits towering amidst the surrounding landscape of the Arenal National Park. Two others that are easily accessible are Volcan Poas and Volcan Irazu. Contact your Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Company Costa Rica Real Estate Agent to coordinate a stop at one of the active volcanos during your visit. Costa Rica - Surfing Central America as a whole is a giant surfers playground, with diverse coastline, a tremendous variety of breaks, and the possibility to surf excellent waves all year long in different regions with assorted settings, all in warm water. Costa Rica is the hub of surf tourism, not only for its beaches, but because of its position as a central point of access to Panama and Nicaragua. Today, almost all of the major international airlines fly into both San Jose Juan Santamaria and Liberias Daniel Oduber International airport, while several smaller national airlines have regular puddle jumper flights to most of the major surf towns in Costa Rica. In addition, Costa Rican car rental companies have organized inter-border transfers, so travelling between several countries has never been easier and there are easy direct bus tours available in most spots. All this combined with its scenic beauty, friendly Ticos and overall travel safety Costa Rica is the hub of surf tourism in Central America. Surfing Costa Central Pacific Coast - The waves in the Pacific central region are consistent especially during the rainy season. All kinds of beach breaks and reef breaks can be found along this area of Costa Rica. You will find the best surfing conditions in this area of Costa Rica from April through November. Boca Barranca: A river mouth with a very long left, located 100 kms of San Jose with excellent access. Many places to stay. Dark water during rainy season scares off many. Boca Barranca and any other nearby beaches are not contaminated. Boca Barranca offers some of the best waves in the country. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Sandy Point. Puerto Caldera: This spot has very very good left located 3 km south of Boca Barranca, Puntarenas. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Puerto Azul. Playas Tivives and Valor: Featuring a variety of waves from beach breaks (Tivives) to a rocky point (Valor). Good quality rights and lefts. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Punta Lorros. Playa Escondida: Excellent point break that peaks up forming a very good left and a surfable right. Accessible by land if you are a member of the beach club there (fresh water shower on the beach for member and guests) or by taxi boat to the cove to the south. You can rent a boat from Playa Jaco or Playa Herradura. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Jaco Blu. Playa Jaco: Can be a good beach break when the surf is not too big. Tends to close out when it gets over 5 feet. Playa Jaco is approximately 2 hours from San Jose (140 km) and the waves are not always dependable. One of its principal attractions has been surfing because of its location on the Central Pacific and its being so close to a great quantity of places, specially Playa Hermosa, Playa Escondida, and Boca Barranca, Puntarenas. Contact your Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Company Costa Rica Real Estate agent for properties in this area.Roca Loca: Located 1.5 km south of Playa Jaco, a rocky point with rights that break over submerged rocks. To get to the point you will have to climb a small hill. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Del Pacifico. Playa Hermosa: A very strong and long stretch of beach break peaks working any given day, but the preferred sand bar is located in front of a large tree known as the Almendro. The wave conditions are generally best when the tide is rising. Don't forget to tip the kids who open the gate for your car. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Oceano. Esterillos Este, Esterillos Oeste, Bejuco, Boca Damas: Beach breaks, good wave forms, the points located very close to Playa Hermosa making access easy . Many nearby accommodations. The wave conditions are very similar to those of Playa Hermosa. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Del Pacifico. Quepos: This small left point is found at the river mouth in the city of Quepos. Easy access. Many restaurants and accommodations. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Marina Pez Vela. Playa Manuel Antonio: Beach break, lefts and rights with good shape. This coastal area needs larger swells for the surf to show. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Marina Pez Vela. Playa El Rey: Rights and lefts beach break peaks. Best access to get there is taking the road to Playa Dominical, 25 minutes from Quepos, then go right in Roncador about 11 kms and you're there. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Kiana Resorts. Surfing Costa Caribbean Coast - The Caribbean coast of Costa Rica contains the most powerful waves in the country, helped by nearby storms and shallow coral reefs. It is definitely a stop worth making, as its quite different than any other part of Costa Rica not only because the waves are stellar and challenging but also because the environment, vibe and culture is more exotic and exhuberant. Because of the nature of the waves on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica it is always best to surf with people that are familiar with these Costa Rican breaks. You will find the best surfing conditions in this area of Costa Rica from November through March. Manzanillo: A very fast beach break located 20 km from Puerto Viejo, Limon. Here you find rustic lodging and typical food. Located close to an unpaved road, and easy to get to. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is the surf outpost.Puerto Viejo: A very thick and voluminous wave that comes from deep water onto a shallow reef, also called "salsa" for its juice power. This place gets very big and tubular (legitimate big wave). Salsa is approximately a 3-1/2 hour drive from San Jose and there is a restaurant and accommodations close to the point. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is the surf outpost.Black Beach: An excellent beach break in Cahuita, not well known and therefore not heavily visited. Nevertheless, there are waves all year round. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Isla Moin.Westfalia: A stretch of beach breaks extending south from Limon to Cahuita, offering lefts and rights that tend to close out where the swell gets too big. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Isla Moin.Playa Bonita: A point/reef break known for its very thick, powerful and dangerous left. Located 5 km north of downtown Limon. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Isla Moin.Portete: A small bay located north of playa Bonita with a right working off the southernmost point. Since it is close to Limon, you will find easy access. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Isla Moin.Isla Uvita: An island off the coast of Limon. Here you will find a good left. Isla Uvita is about a 20 minute boat ride from Limon with passage available at certain times of the year. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Isla Moin.The North Caribbean Coast: Good beach break waves accessible via Tortuguero channels or by private plane. You can rent a boat to take you through the channels near Puerto Moin, 15 km north of playa bonita. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Isla Moin. Costa Rica Surfing North Pacific - The land of Costa Rican cowboys and fisherman does much to preserve the Indian and Spanish traditions of Guanacastecan culture. Rodeos with bull riding, marimba bands, mariachis, traditional music and dances and rich Costa Rican foods at corner sodas mixed in with international restaurants and bars give you a glimpse into what they call Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Now informally known as the gold coast of Costa Rica real estate, surfers will find all sorts of breaks such as beach, reef, river mouth and points. Add a constant offshore Costa Rican wind during the dry season and this part of Costa Rica is a dream come true! You will find the best surfing conditions in this area of Costa Rica from December through July. Potrero Grande: A right point break with very fast and hollow waves. Located 270 kms from San Jose with no road access. To get there you must go to Playa de Coco or Playa Ocotal and proceed by rented boat. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Azul Paraiso.Roca Bruja (Witch's rock): One of the best breaks in the country, with very strong off-shore winds from December to March. This wilderness point is located in the national park of Santa Rosa. You must go totally prepared for camping since there are no facilities. A good 4x4 is a must. And don't forget your mosquito net. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Crystal Sands.Playa Grande: Beach break located about 20 minutes north of Tamarindo. Accessible by road. . A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Crystal Sands.Playa Tamarindo: Here you will find two main points: a) Pico Pequeño, a rocky point in front of the hotel Tamarindo, and b) El Estero, an excellent river mouth break. . A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Crystal Sands.Langosta: A right and left point break that curls off the mouth of a a small river, located 1 km south of Tamarindo. . A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Crystal Sands.Avellanas: Good beach break featuring very hollow rights and lefts. Located 10 km south of Tamarindo. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Hacienda Pinilla.Playa Negra: A right point break with very fast waves, 350 kms from San Jose. Playa Negra is one of the best breaks in the country. Located 5 km south of playa Avellanas. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Hacienda Pinilla.Nosara Beach: Break with lefts and rights about 350 kms from San Jose. You go from San Jose to Nicoya and from there to Nosara. It takes approximately 5 hours to get there. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Montelaguna.Playa Coyote, Manzanillo, and Mal Pais: Beach breaks with very consistent lefts and rights and several points. A 4x4 vehicle is recommended. Now you can find a lot of places to stay. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Mar A Mar. Costa Rica Surfing South Pacific - The south pacific of Costa Rica has a wide range of waves to choose from including what some consider one of the longest lefts in the World!. Some of the best known spots like the point break at Pavones require a south swell, characteristic of the winter months in the Southern Hemisphere. Best time to surf is April through November. Playa Dominical: Good, strong beach break with lefts and rights. Beautiful landscapes and very tropical. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is Canto Ballena. Drake's Bay and Area: Accessible only by boat. This remote break offers long, powerful waves when the swell is running. Boca del Rio Sierpe is another place with exciting potential for the same kind of waves. Next to it is Corcovado National Park, a kingdom of lush, tropical wilderness. Approximately 1-1/2 hours by boat. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is La Manta. Matapalo: Excellent right point located in front of Pavones. You can get there by road from Pavones or by car from Golfito. Perfect waves. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is La Manta. Pavones: Excellent left point, considered one of the longest in the world. Good shape and very fast. It is located 400 kms from San Jose (8 hours by car). Bring camping gear if you wish to hang out there. Out on the peninsula across Pavones a half-hour boat ride away is reputedly a series of right points the equivalent of Pavones world class lefts. A great opportunity in Costa Rica Real Estate in this area is La Manta. Contact your Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Company Costa Rica Real Estate Agent to get in some surf while you are here! Costa Rica - Fishing Costa Rica is one of the hottest fishing destinations, there are Dorados averaging 40 pounds, yellow fin tuna that push the 300-pound mark and one of the largest concentration of pacific sailfish found anywhere. Costa Rica has one of the healthiest billfish fisheries in the world, with 20-fish days being a common occurrence. Calm blue waters and short rides to the fishing grounds place the Country at the top of the big game fishing destinations. Costa Rica Sailfish: The sailfish have engraved Costa Rica on every international anglers wish list. The tournaments are usually during June and July but there is not really a regular season for Sailfish. This beautiful Costa Rican fish, spends more time in the air than in the water during the fight and is not as powerful as the Costa Rican Marlin, but always spectacular. Los Suenos Resort and Marina, is considered to be the center of the action from December to March, with February being the key month with the highest concentration of Sailfish and the possibility of 20 to 30 hook-ups per day. The year round availability of Costa Rican Sailfish makes Costa Rica a leading fishing destination for anglers around the world. Costa Rica Roosterfish: It´s an inshore species, often found in the surf, over sandy bottoms and always in moderate depths. The all-tackle world record is 114 pounds caught off Baja California, Mexico but many international anglers speculate that the conditions are right for the next record to come from the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. An aggressive predator, the Roosterfish is always exciting when hooked. They are available all year, but there are more caught in the Peninsula Papagayo Bay area from November through March. That may be because more boats in the north spend more time fishing inshore during these months because these are the windy months, and the roosters like the structure of the shoreline and islands where they are found in 50 to 60 feet of water. Costa Rica Dorado: Known as well as the dolphin fish or mahi mahi, the Dorado is one of the most exciting fish to catch on light tackle. This extremely colorful fish is an extremely fast swimmer. It has been estimated that they can reach speeds of up to 50 miles per hour in short bursts. They are most abundant from late May until November when the seasonal rains flood the rivers, carrying out debris that form trash lines close to shore that they like to lie under. Schools of Dorado can become a nuisance for Costa Rican looking for larger billfish lurking below the school. The Costa Rican Dorado is a delicious food fish. Costa Rica Snapper: There are many species of Snapper. Each fish is a shallow water fish preferring rocky bottom structure that provides bait fish and protection. The cubera is the largest of the snappers, often going beyond 100 pounds. The dog snapper is the largest of the pacific snappers with the World record of 78 pounds held by a resort in Quepos / Manuel Antonio Costa Rica. Each species will be a tough fighter, particularly on light tackle and although all snapper are delicious eating the flesh of the larger fish can become course. Costa Rica Wahoo: The Costa Rican Wahoo is a loner and when travelling with other Costa Rican Wahoo, its usually only a school of five or six. The fish can be found anywhere in the ocean but does seem to concentrate during the summer off of Costa Ricas Pacific Coast. The first showing begins about the time the rains start in May, peaking in July and August. Most are caught around rocky points and islands, but you can pick one up occasionally offshore. It is considered one of saltwaters finest delicacies. Experts speculate that the Costa Rica Wahoo is the fastest fish in the ocean and it is no wonder that the first scorching run can burn out the drag on some reals. Costa Rica Marlin: Both blue and black species can easily approach 600 pounds and because of the power, size and persistence this fish is one of the most highly prized by all anglers. Los Suenos Resort and Marina, in the Central Pacific is considered one of the top spots for Costa Rican Marlin. It is generally agreed that Marlin fishing is best on the coast of Costa Rica from December to April. Black Marlin tend to show up most during April and May. Whereas, the smaller striped Marlin is found year round. Costa Rica Grouper: The Goliath Grouper is a large saltwater fish of the grouper family. It was commonly known as the "Jewfish" but that name was considered objectionable and was officially dropped in favor of "Goliath Grouper" by the American Fisheries Society in 2001.The Goliath Grouper is found primarily in shallow tropical waters among coral and artificial reefs at depths of up to 165 feet (50 m). In Costa Rica you can find the Costa Rica Grouper on both coasts. Costa Rica Barracuda: The Costa Rica Barracuda is ray-finned fish notable for its large size (up to 1.8 m or 6 ft) and fearsome appearance, and have been confused with the Costa Rican Wahoo. The body is long, fairly compressed, and covered with small, smooth scales. The Costa Rican Barracuda makes a great meal if you see it in a restaurant here while you are looking at Costa Rica Real Estate definitely give it a try! A great place to sample it is at one of Costa Ricas best restaurants in Montezuma near Playa Tambor, called Café De Las Artistas. Costa Rica Tarpon: The Costa Rica Tarpon is a large coastal fish prized by anglers. There are two species in a single genus, one native to the Atlantic, and the other to the Indo-Pacific oceans. The tarpon is a large thick-bodied fish generally silver in color other than its back, which can range from a dark green to gray. The Costa Rica Tarpon is a large, hard fighting fish and is judged by many to be the world's most exciting gamefish. Once it feels the hook being set it begins the spectacular display of frequent, twisting, acrobatic leaps into the air to free itself from the hook. Most Tarpon landed are between 25 to 80 pounds on average, but can range from a few inches in length to about 300 pounds. The world all-tackle record is 283 pounds four ounces. The center for Costa Rica Tarpon fishing is the Caribbean Coast, a great spot to call home if you are an avid Tarpon and Sportfishing enthusiast would be the, Isla Moin Resort Residences and Marina. Costa Rica Snook: The Costa Rican Snook is a powerful fish and a thrilling catch, much like the freshwater Largemouth Bass. One of the reasons why anglers come to Costa Rica is because the Snook, one of the most sought-after and prized gamefish, is abundant. Once hooked, its strength and speed are hard to compare to any other game fish of its size. The Snook is a large, Pike-like fish with a protruding lower jaw and a prominent black lateral stripe that runs from just behind the gills to the tail. The Snook is overall a silvery-green color with fins that are sometimes bright yellow. It is a sleek and extremely strong fish and the World Record of 53 pounds was set in Costa Rica . They normally tend to gather near shorelines, inlets and estuaries and prefer structures for shelter such as mangroves, rock formations and reefs. This is also a Costa Rican fish found primarily on the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica. Costa Rica Pompano: These fish are a greenish gray on the back that shades into silvery sides. When Costa Rican Pompano are in dark waters they show a little gold on the throat, pelvic, and anal fins. They have a deep flattened body with a small mouth. The Costa Rican Pompano normally have 22 to 27 soft dorsal rays and 20 to 23 soft anal rays. The location of the anal fin is slightly behind the origin of second dorsal. The Costa Rican Pompano feeds on mollusks and crustaceans, especially sand fleas. Local movements are influenced by the tide, and seasonal movements are influenced by temperature. You can catch these all over but there are great charters leaving from the new Marina Pez Vela in Quepos / manuel Antonio. Costa Rica Amberjack: Typically the Costa Rican Amerbjack have a dark stripe that extends from nose to the front side of the dorsal fin and it lights up when it is in feeding mode. There are no scutes, and there is a soft dorsal base that is less than twice the length of the anal fin base. The Costa Rican Amberjack are common up to 40 pounds. Largest of the jacks and thought to spawn offshore most of the year. The Greater Amberjack feeds on squid, fish, and crustaceans. Costa Rica Swordfish: The back of the Costa Rican Swordfish has a range of grayish blue, brown, metallic and purple, or a bronze look. Its sides are kind of light muddy color and its underbelly is an off white. The Costa Rica Swordfish has a long, flat, sword-like upper jaw and does not have scales, teeth, or pelvic fins. A single keel on each side of its body in front of tail, first dorsal fin is high. In the past the Swordfish averaged 200 pounds, but now with commercial fishing that has changed. The Costa Rican Swordfish average around 48 inches, the large ones are usually females cause most males rarely exceed 200 pounds. Except when spawning the females are believed to prefer water that is cooler than that favored by male Swordfish. The Costa Rican Swordfish feed on squid, octopus, and pelagic fish of all kinds. Los Suenos Resort & Marina and the Marina Pez Vela are great starting points for catching Costa Rica Swordfish. Costa Rica Bonefish: Silvery with bluish or greenish color on back. They have a slender round body, long snout , conical, going downward and overhanging their lower jaw. The Costa Rica Bonefish has dark streaks between scales on the upper half of their body and light cross bands extending down to the lateral line. Edges of dorsal and caudal fins are shaded with black. 3 to 5 pounds. The Costa Rica Bonefish travel in loose schools and root out shrimp, shellfish, crabs, and other fish from the bottom. Costa Rica Mackeral: The Costa Rica Mackeral also known as the Spanish Mackerel are a black green color with shading to silver on their sides. They have golden yellow irregular spots above and below their lateral line. The front of dorsal fin is black. The lateral line curves gently to base of their tail. The average Spanish Mackerel caught is less than 2 pounds and under 20 inches. Spanish Mackerel are schooling fish that migrate northward in the spring. They return to southerly waters when water temperatures drop below about 70o F. They spawn offshore spring through the summer. The Costa Rica Mackeral feed on small fish and squid. Costa Rica Permit: The sides of a Permit shade into silver and in dark water show golden tints around breasts. The Costa Rica Permit dorsal fin insertion directly above that of the anal fin and has 17 to 21 soft dorsal rays and 16 to 19 soft anal rays. In Costa Rica, the Costa Rica Permit are common up to 25 pounds, but can weigh up to 40 pounds feeding mainly on bottom-dwelling crabs, shrimp, small clams, and small fish. Costa Rica Jack Crevalle: The Costa Rica Jack Crevalle have a bluish-green to greenish-gold back and silver or yellowish belly. Soft dorsal and anal fins are almost identical in size. There is a prominent black spot on the gill cover and a black spot at the base of each pectoral fin. There are no scales on the throat of the Costa Rica Jack Crevalle and it ranges in size from 3 to 5 pounds normally. Schools of Costa Rica Jack Crevalle corner schools of bait fish at the surface and feed like crazy that can be seen for great distances. The Costa Rica Jack Crevalle feeds mainly on small fish. Costa Rica Black Drum: With its high arching back with 10 to 14 pairs of chin barbells and gray or black colored body when adults the Costa Rica Black Drum young fish have 4 to 6 vertical bars. They have cobblestone-like teeth capable of crushing oysters and their scales are large. The Costa Rica Black Drum are common to 30 pounds. Largest member of the drum family that spawns near shore. The Costa Rica Black Drum, feed on oysters, mussels, crabs, shrimp, and occasionally other fish. In Costa Rica, the Costa Rica Black Drum, can live to be over 35 years old. Maybe the Costa Rica Black Drum are getting some life chispa from the Nicoya Blue Zone! Contact your Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Company Costa Rica Real Estate Agent to arrange a fishing charter during your visit! Costa Rica - Waterfalls Let me set the scene for you: it's the first day of winter, and I am lying naked on a slab of sun-warmed granite jutting out above a tropical waterfall in a little canyon deep in the jungles of Costa Rica. Layer upon layer of green on green softens the intensity of the noonday sun, burning brilliantly in a sky the color of robins' eggs. The only sounds I hear are the never-ending lullaby of the cascading water, the lazy drone of katydids, and an occasional shriek or hoot from a passing parrot or monkey. My only slender connection to the real world (for surely this world is fantasy) is this pen in my hand. Well, you get the picture. . . The number of spectacular waterfalls in Costa Rica reflects rainfall averages of over 20 feet a year and the sheer drops of some of the mountain ranges. Some are visible from paved roads as you travel from place to place, but others require significant effort to reach. The surest way to find a falls with a deserted swimming hole at the bottom is to start walking upstream. They are absolutely everywhere so best to give your Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Company Costa Rica Real Estate Agent info on where you will be and he or she can fill you in on the best waterfalls to visit in the area. Costa Rica - Hotsprings An added benefit of the many active volcanoes dotting Costa Rica's real estate landscape are the natural thermal waters, or hot springs that they produce. What better way to end a long day of travel than soaking in the steamy waters of a nearby volcano. Set amid lushly-landscaped gardens, the hot springs at Lake Arenal at Tabacon Resort offer guests secluded pools, a swim-up bar and unparalleled views of Arenal Volcano. Also popular in the Arenal area are the Baldi Hot Springs and Eco-Termales, both ideal for visitors seeking a more intimate and relaxing environment. There are other hot springs around the Country contact your Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Company Costa Rica Real Estate Agent for info on other areas with hot springs to visit during your trip. Costa Rica - Windsurfing & Kitesurfing The Lake Arenal area of Costa Rica Real Estate is a paradise for Windsurfers and Kitesurfers. It is considered one of the top spots in the world for high-wind boardsailing. Costa Ricas warm water, predictably high winds, moderate temperatures and great places to stay all add up to possibly the greatest windsurfing and kitesurfing conditions on the planet. The Trade Winds and pleasure combine together to make northern Lake Arenal, Costa Rica one of the Worlds premier spots. The best time for windsurfing and Kitesurfing in Lake Arenal, Costa Rica is December through March. For more information on other spots to windsurf and kitesurf in Costa Rica contact your Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Company Costa Rica Real Estate Agent. Costa Rica - Mountain Biking Costa Ricans love mountain biking, and the races and organized recreational rides are held throughout the year in nearly every town and they truly are a tribute to the passion of mountain biking. While Costa Rica single track is a rarity, miles of dirt roads that snake through Costa Rica's mountains provide plenty of adrenaline-fueled action for both weekend warriors and hard-core Costa Rica Mountain Bike riders. For the more independent traveler, mountain bikes can be rented in Costa Rica in most tourist towns. You can also rent beach cruisers just about anywhere there is sand, although they tend to be patched-together, rusty affairs. These are fine for trips from your cabin to the nearest bar or corner store, but if off-road riding is what you want, seek out a reputable rental company. If your idea of a Costa Rican vacation includes serious time in the saddle, customized mountain biking trips are available by US and Costa Rican tour operators. Organized tours lasting anywhere from two to fourteen days can be tailored to suit both intermediate and advanced riders. Some of the more popular routes to ride include the Turrialba Volcano area, the loop around Lake Arenal, through Central Valley cloud forests, or the dusty trails around Rincon de la Vieja National Park. For the truly serious Costa Rica Mountain Bike rider, bringing your own bike as checked luggage may be the way to go. This will insure you have a bike that truly fits and that you are used to. Check with your airline for additional fees and packing requirements. If you are on your own and encounter trail-side troubles, most mid-sized Costa Rican towns will have a bicycle shop that can do simple repairs. Mountain biking is an amazing way to explore Costa Rica while getting some adventure in on the way. With a bit of planning and a pair of strong legs, adding mountain biking to your Costa Rica Real Estate itinerary is sure to be one of your trip highlights. Contact your Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Company Costa Rica Real Estate Agent to have them incorporate some Costa Rican mountain biking into your trip. Costa Rica - Language Schools Try your hand at learning Spanish while you are here looking at Costa Rica Real Estate at one of the Intensive Language Schools. You can arrange to stay with a Costa Rican family in San Jose and study at the same time. Learning the language provides an ideal way to understand Costa Rica and its people. You can also find independent Spanish programs at most of the Costa Rica beach communities where you can arrange private lessons or a short term study program. Another way to get more acquainted with Costa Rican culture and customs are by enrolling in a dance or cooking class. Contact your representative at Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Company to help organize some cultural activities while you are here. Costa Rica - Zipline & Canopy Canyoning, one of the ultimate Costa Rican adventure sports, is the act of traveling down canyons using a variety of techniques including hiking, climbing, jumping and rappelling. In Costa Rica, this usually involves hiking into a rainforest canyon where a series of rappels descend breathtaking waterfalls (some towering over 300 feet) and traversing scenic trails that carry hikers from one rappel to another. Sometimes the adventure winds down with a swim at the base of a waterfall followed by a typical Costa Rican lunch. This adrenaline-fueled sport is popular in several areas throughout Costa Rica. A canopy tour is a must on any nature lover's "to do" list since so much of Costa Rica's biodiversity exists in the canopy layer. These tours are one of the most popular tourism activities in Costa Rica. Most are zip-line style tours, but some include aerial trams, suspension bridges and lookout towers. Canopy tours are intended to provide a unique perspective of the flora and fauna of this ecosystem. Bromeliads, toucans, monkeys and sloths all call the forest canopy their home. Panoramic views of distant mountain ranges, volcanoes and oceans make the canopy tour experience unforgettable. Contact your representative at Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Company to help organize a canyoning or zipline tour while you are here. Costa Rica - Canoing & White Water Rafting The spectacularly scenic rivers of Costa Rica Real Estate attract thousands of river-runners each year. During the wet season, from June through October, Costa Rica rivers are particularly wild as the water levels are high. The drier months from November to April provide the best runs for rafters of all skill levels. Several established tour operators located in San Jose and Turrialba offer rafting trips down the popular Pacuare and Reventazon rivers. Costa Rican rafters will enjoy miles of scenic waters that course through a wilderness flanked by steep gorges towering above the riverbanks. Situated at the junction of the Sarapiqui and Puerto Viejo Rivers, the village of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui offers sensational Class III-IV whitewater rafting as well as tranquil safari floats, allowing passengers glimpses of caiman, crocodiles, monkeys and sloths along the river banks. Several rafting outfitters provide single and multi-day trips, as the Sarapiqui River of Costa Rica produces exhilarating rapids that draw explorers from across the globe. Whitewater tubing adventures are available on the Rio Negro, near Rincon de la Vieja National Park. Contact your Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Company Costa Rica Real Estate Agent to assist you in coordinating your Costa Rica adventure travel itinerary. Costa Rica - Casinos There are Casinos in Costa Rica in most popular tourist areas and all of the large cities. They are usually part of a large hotel; however they are not huge casinos like in Las Vegas. They are fairly informal places, and dress codes are neat but casual. Minimum bets in most places start at 500 Colones (about $1). The most popular Casino game in Costa Rica is 21 also called "Rummy", which is similar to blackjack but with tico rules. You get two cards, you can then ask for another card or stay with the two you have if you have 21 or close to 21. As in blackjack, the idea is to get as close to 21 as possible without going over, with face cards counting as 10 and aces counting as one or 11. All the rules just mentioned are just like blackjack. Here is where the game differs from the Las Vegas version: if your first three cards are the same, three of a kind, or a straight (6, 7, & 8 of the same suit), you have a ‘rummy' and you are paid double. And if your three of a kind happen to be three sevens (which is 21), you get an even higher bonus. If you get 21 with two cards or get five cards without breaking 21, there's no double bonus as you get in many other international casinos. Splitting pairs is allowed as is doubling down. Some of the other games include roulette, where the numbers are drawn from a lottery tumbler rather than spun on a roulette wheel. There are also electric slot machines; however most are different than the Las Vegas style. There are also other, uniquely tico, card games you'll need to learn before you can play. Contact your Coldwell Banker Peninsula Trading Company Costa Rica Real Estate Agent to assist you in coordinating some gambling during your visit to Costa Rica.
Coming Soon: Costa Rica - Golf Costa Rica - Zoos & Wild Animal Parks Costa Rica - Equestrian Costa Rica - Bungee Costa Rica - Ultralight & Girocopter Costa Rica - Quad Tours Costa Rica - Turtles Costa Rica - Snakes
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