Archive for November, 2008

Whale Watching in the South Pacific of Costa Rica

Friday, November 28th, 2008

In Costa Rica the breathtaking scenery of the South Pacific is a reason enough to justify a travel by boat from the Golfo Dulce to the shores of Quepos in the hope of being able to envision the world’s largest mammals in their natural habitat. But when visitors are fortunate enough to see one of these giants on the surface, swimming, blowing, and playing, they know they have had an experience that will last a lifetime. The entire nation of Costa Rica has much pride and joy in knowing that these giants visit their marine waters, especially knowing that these gentle animals visiting the waters of Costa Rica for mating and caring for their brood.

From November to March, and then from July to September, the whales can be found in the South Pacific coast of Costa Rica, as they come to the area to give birth to their offspring in a quiet and rich in nutrient environment where the brood can be protected and grow strong enough to continue making the migration of whales between the northern and southern hemispheres.

There are huge populations of resident dolphins up and down both coasts of Costa Rica, so it’s quite probably that you can take a view of these playful creatures as well. The dolphins normally follow the boats that are navigating the beautiful waters of the region. The best places in the South Pacific to see whales are:

Dominical Beach in Costa Rica
Whale National Marine Park, just south of Dominical is named because the Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) that migrate there every year. Also spotted dolphins can be seen in the area. If you are really interested in seeing whales, it is better to take a day trip to Drake Bay and Isla del Caño, where the whales can be seen almost every day during its peak season. Day trips to Drake’s Bay are available on Dominical, Sierpe, Puerto Jimenez and other towns of the South Pacific.

Drake Bay in Costa Rica
Whales and dolphins are commonly seen in the area of Drake Bay, with its calm and protected waters that are perfect for reproduction and to give birth, the area is the perfect place to visit these gentle giants. Drake Bay is also home to the longest season of humpback whales in the world with whales of the North and South America that come here to breed and give birth. From Drake Bay to you can take a trip to Isla del Caño and Corcovado National Park every month of the year except April, May and June.

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Nosara Beach in Costa Rica – North Pacific, Guanacaste

Sunday, November 23rd, 2008

The village of Nosara is about 4 meters above sea level and is a valley irrigated by the river Nosara and surrounded by beautiful hills with excellent views of the valley and the sea (Pacific Ocean), which develops residential projects and private hotels luxurious. Located at 257 kilometers (160 miles) from San Jose (the capital of Costa Rica), there is bus service from there, with a bus that departs daily at 5:30 a.m. and arrives at approximately 11:30 a.m. This bus passes through Nicoya.

Nosara can also be reached by plane to. There are two airlines that fly from San Jose (SANSA) and Nature Air, represented in Nosara Office Center, with offices in Arenales of Nosara. The flight time is about 45 minutes. Nature Air also offers regular flights to the new Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia, simplifying travel to an increasing number of tourists and residents.

Nosara Beach in Costa Rica - North Pacific

The whole area of Nosara was well populated by various indigenous groups of Chorotegas, as evidenced by the large number of objects of mud, stone, crystal, jade and gold found in the past, especially in the higher hills, where they were buried the indigenous people of higher rank. All these tombs filled with all these beautiful objects that were buried with the ancestors of the costaricans were looted in the past and most of these treasures today are in the hands of private collectors. The beaches are the biggest attraction of Nosara, especially for those looking to be in touch with nature in an atmosphere of calm and surrounded by wildlife in abundance.

Nosara has three beautiful beaches: Nosara, Guiones and Pelada and is located 7 miles from Playa Ostional (which belongs to Santa Cruz (Canton), where almost every month arrives to spawn thousands of sea turtles, especially the Lora turtle ( Lepidochelys olivacea), which nesting habits are widely known and the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata).

Playa Guiones highlights as a ideal place for the practice of the Surf, however Playa Pelada highlights by its rock formations that, when left uncovered when the tide is low show great variety of life forms: snail, sea star, octopus, multicolored fish and corals, sea urchins and crabs among others. The fauna of Nosara is very varied and colorful as representatives of this diversity can be mentioned birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, as well as insects and amphibians of many kinds.

Both local and visitors quickly become familiar with the howler monkey – known as mono congo, the iguana, armadillo, the raccoon, the pizote and the squirrels, that can be watched in large quantities, although it can still be found, the paca, the ocelot and the panther. The heron, the pelicans and the lizards are the best representatives of the aquatic environment of the river and the coast of Nosara.

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Esterillos East in Costa Rica ’s Central Pacific

Wednesday, November 19th, 2008

Located between Jaco and Quepos, Puntarenas province, in the Central Pacific of Costa Rica this town offers good conditions for surfers. Eastrillos Beach East is adjacent to the north with Eastrillos Center. These beaches are divided by a river and south to Playa Bejuco.

The village of East Eastrillos has an airstrip, which is in operation and runs parallel to the beach. To get there by car to East Eastrillos you have to cross the runway. It is advisable to look to the sky before doing that. Eastrillos is an excellent starting point for surfing also La Felicidad that is located in Eastrillos Center. It owes its name to the hotel which is located directly across the street. The waves here are not as round as in Playa Hermosa, but the beach is crowded.

You need to be careful of crocodiles near the mouth of the river. Sometimes in the rainy season they arrive to the mouth of the river because they are looking for a way to the Pacific Ocean. The hotels located in this area give discounts to surfers between the months of May to early December and also is possible to find teachers of this activity in Eastrillos Beach East.

Tortuguero Nacional Park in Costa Rica

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008

Tortuguero National Park is located in the north-eastern of Costa Rica. This is one of the most famous parks at the international level, and for good reasons, besides being one of the most important locations for spawning of sea turtles like Lora turtles, Leatherbacks turtles, Green turtles and others, this ecosystem is as diverse as nature itself.

The park and refuge consists of coastal storm flood area which is formed by the convalescence of the deltas of several rivers, down to the old inshore of Nicaragua. The location and geological factors make this area one of the most humid and rainy in the country.

The wildlife in this area is very diverse, usually there are large populations of monkeys, amphibians, birds and fish. The resident fauna includes tapirs, jaguars, Grisons, sloths, frogs, limpets, toucans and bats. The flora in this region is very diverse and abundant. Some species are originated only from this region; you will find species as some palm trees, orchids and heliconias.

This park is located in north-east of Costa Rica, traditionally a way to get to Tortuguero National Park is by boat trip through the channels to the port of Moin in Limon. To arrive by car must use the highway to Braulio Carillo until Sao Pin in Limon. There are many hotels in Tortuguero as well as tour operators offering sightseeing, sport fishing and other guided activities. Restaurants and other entertainment centers do not abound in the area, but there are a few. Expect to be traveling a lot by boat.

Tortuguero National Park in Costa Rica

Monday, November 10th, 2008

Frequented by tourists from around the world, Tortuguero National Park is another nesting site for sea turtles in Costa Rica. It is one of the most important nesting areas in the western hemisphere of the green turtle that is in via of extinction. The stunning Tortuguero National Park lies in the beautiful Caribbean coast of Costa Rica in the north-east region of the country about 50 miles north of Limon. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and is adjacent to the Refugio Barra del Colorado to the north.

Protecting more than 22 miles of beach starting at the mouth of the Rio Tortuguero until Parisimina, this National Park of 19,000 hectares is a key area for nesting of different species of sea turtles like the green turtle who visit the place every year. It was declared a National Park in 1970 with the aim of protecting the population of green turtles in the world, and is also a reserve of monkeys, jaguars and a variety of mammals, birds and reptiles.

Tortuguero is home to about 170 species of reptiles and amphibians, this park is also habitat for 60 species of mammals and 300 species of birds. It is great place for birdwatching, both migratory and native that can be seen throughout the park, including parrots, herons, toucans, Jacana, hawks and many others. Other animals that inhabit the park include alligators, crocodiles, iguanas, toads, bats, lizards, otters, ocelots and others. You can also find a variety of shellfish. Another animal in danger of extinction that is found in the park is the manatee of the western India. The researchers believe that only 100 manats inhabit the lagoons of Tortuguero National Park.

Tortuguero, which means ‘Region of Turtles’, is a nesting are for turtles that every year comes from March to mid-October. This period of nesting, known as arrival, occurs when the moon is hiding, for that reason, to see the turtles nesting you will have to go after 6:00 pm and with an expert guide, because it is not possible to explore the beach unaccompanied after this hour. One way to see the turtles is by boat, canoe or kayaking, away from the edge so as not to disturb the turtles during their nesting or mating.

The climate of Tortuguero is humid and rainy throughout the year and the best time to visit Tortuguero National Park is in February, April and November because they are the driest months. Primarily composed of a rain forest, this park has 11 different and varied ecological habitats that include coastal shrubs, bogs and evergreen forests. The flora and fauna found in this place are the most diverse in the country. To get there; there is a fly from San Jose to the village of Tortuguero which is located within the park. As there are no roads to this village, your only option is to take a boat from Moin, near the port of Limon.

Limon province in Costa Rica

Friday, November 7th, 2008

Limon is a beautiful province of Costa Rica, located on the eastern tip of the country. It limits to the northeast with the Caribbean Sea to the west with Heredia, Cartago and San José with Puntarenas in the southwest and southeast with Panama. Limon is the pearl of the Costa Rican Caribbean. Is marked by great cultural diversity with a predominantly black population and with important roots of indigenous culture in Costa Rica, the Afro-Caribbean, white and Chinese, each group brings to the area its own style. It is the area where cultures converge more than in any other side of the Costa Rican territory. It has a warm climate, typical of the coast and humid, with an average annual temperature of 25.5 º C. The marks of historical temperature in Limon are 35C and 15C. It is located about 209 km from San Jose. Located south of the province in the Cordillera de Talamanca are the highest peaks in the country, most notably the Cerro Chirripo, highlight point of the geography of Costa Rica with 3819 meters above sea level and whose night temperature drops to below zero degrees in the dry season, with a historic mark of 9 ° C below zero. In 1973 it was reported as a brief snowfall at its summit.

Limon has located in its territory the oil refiner RECOPE and several state institutions as JAPDEVA. It has a little industrial area and is dedicated mostly to agriculture. It has the largest banana production in the country that makes Costa Rica the second largest exporter of the fruit. Also is the largest lemon producer in the world. This region suffered a devastating earthquake in 1991. Its port is the largest in Costa Rica and one of the largest container transit centers in Latin America. Christopher Columbus, Italian navigator who discovered America in 1492, arrived in this province, specifically to the Island Uvita, in September 18, in 1502.

The name of the province is because it was a lemon tree, in front of the governor’s office in the area, which was the only of its kind.
Lemon was a sparsely populated area because the attacks of mosquitoes and pirates during colonial period. During that time was inhabited by indigenous groups like the Huetar, Suerre, Pococí. Its development began with the leasing of land from U.S. companies seeking to establish their banana plantations. The first center of population began with the leak of Indians to high and inaccessible mountainous areas, exodus that lasted until independence. Focus of Indians as mentioned above, its first urban settlements began with the black slaves brought from the banana plantations, it was believed that they would not stay long in the territory for which their studies were conducted with the texts brought from Jamaica by which a variety of mix of English, Spanish and French is still preserved in the coastal area of Limon.

Limon offers 336 km of white sands, palm trees and beaches and lush national parks that protect tropical rain forests and coral reefs as well as hundreds of species of flora and fauna in danger of extinction. In this province is located all the Caribbean coast of the country.
Tortuguero National Park, located in this zone, contains the largest sample of protected tropical rainforest and here you can travel through their channels and rivers, to observe the flora and fauna, see the spawning of sea turtles and have the opportunity to observe more than 300 species of birds within which lies the beautiful green macaw, the Pavón and toucans. In this zone are carried out major scientific research and has become a special item for the scientific and ecological tourism. The place is also famous for the wide diversity of marine ecosystems, such as Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, Manzanillo, Uvita Island, Punta Uva, Cocles and Gandoca-Manzanillo. The carnivals in the city of Limon is one of the most famous popular parties in the province, and is celebrate in October when it commemorates the arrival of the Spaniards to land in Costa Rica.