Pura Vida is not only a phrase, it is really the way of living in Costa Rica

What most people know about Costa Rica is that the country has a huge and colorful birdlife and of course a lot of volcanos and hot springs. The country is surrounded by the Pacific – and the Caribbean Ocean and lot of rainforests which is a great opportunity for nature and sport lovers. We have visited Costa Rica for 8 days and we like to share a little bit about our experience there.

We started in San Josè and our first thought was O-M-G, so much traffic … it took us 1,5 hours to our hotel the Radisson Park Inn Hotel. Normally it takes maybe 30 minutes. The reason was they were reconstructing a bridge which was disturbing the traffic.

We did not really visit the city San José, because the city is not so interesting and there is not so much to see.

La Fortuna 

On the next day our guide picked us up and we were heading to Fortuna. A really great place for backpackers. Here you can find a lot of small hotels and hostels and also restaurants for a very good price. We were staying in the hotel  Secreto and were really impressed because we had an awesome view. We could see the nice palm trees and the volcano direct from our terrace.

This view is amazing

One of the 10 most active volcano in the whole world. The last eruption was in 1989. The last eruption made this volcano quite special because you can still see the stream of lava. We could recognize it from one side very good. Unfortunately, the spot of the volcano moved a little bit, so you can only admire the eruption from the other side, which is not yet surrounded by hotels.

In La Fortuna we did a couple of excursions. One excursion was of course bird watching. Our big wish was it to find the Keel-Billed Toucan. But on this day we saw only a slot, a yellow Toucan and a parrot but unfortunately, we couldn’t find the green Toucan. A couple of days later we had more luck and could admire the Keel-Billed.

Beautiful waterfall in La Fortuna

La Fortuna offers:

• hiking
• riding
• hot springs
• cacao/coffee plantation
• bird watching
• waterfalls

  Monteverde

Monteverde is one of the best places in Costa Rica. This place looks really like the alps in Switzerland. Grass green mountains everywhere and really an amazing panoramic view. The hotels there, are looking so similar to Switzerland in the alps, and especially one hotel was looking really cool, it was a small hotel village with stable and church. For coffee lovers Monteverde is an absolutely insider tip. We did a coffee tour at Don Juan and we were really thrilled about the great quality and the great guided tour through the plantation. They were explaining everything from the coffee bean plant till the roasting process and at the end of the tour you could of course try the really awesome coffee and cacao! They were also showing us how they were producing real cacao bean out of and sugar syrup.. It is really a must see and taste it .

Little Switzerland

The nature is fantastic

The volcano from the other side of La Fortuna direct way to Montverde

Don Juan Coffee Tour

All you have to know about the coffee producing in Costa Rica:

• Costa Rica has approximately 400 million coffee trees
• They only grow Arabica beans, they are famous for great taste and a special aroma and a for a very high quality
• The main customer , is the USA with 50 %, and of course Germany and Italy, France, Finland and the UK.

Coffee plant

Coffee beans before…

and after roasting

 Coco Palms

We were not so thrilled about Coco Palms because the atmosphere and also the hotel and the surrounding were not so great. But we were really looking forward to see the Championship of the bull riding, unfortunately everything was already done after the third round.

Actually, we were thinking bull riding is something else. But what we saw there is rather a cruelty against animals. The bull were entering the arena and a lot of drunk young mens were playing football with him to provoke the bull and of course it was making him more aggressive. They were kicking him with ball everywhere it was not nice to see. Please don’t support such events!!! Maybe it is a tradition for some locals, but for us it was really horrible and we left this place after a short time.

  Rainforest adventure in Costa Rica

Of course adrenaline junkies are familiar with zip lining through the jungle and bungee jumping! We picked zip lining for advanced but as we reached the top we recognized that we were underrating the height a little bit but it was to late to change our mind just one option ,,take a deep breath and get to it„!!!!

This adventure was really so much fun!! It is incredible you just jump and gliding through the jungle …

look into the camera

and let´s go I´m ready!!!

 Conclusion

Costa Rica was actually quite good, especially the colorful variety of the bird life and the amazing landscape. San Jose the capital of Costa Rica was not so interesting.

La Fortuna and Coco Palm are typical tourist places. Our highlights in Costa Rica were definitely the amazing coffee plantation in Monteverde Don Juan and the zip lining in the jungle.

And last but not least….

We found the original Keel Billed Toucan …yeeaaahhhh!!!!

Infobox

Visa:

Visa free

Currency:

Costa Rica Colón CRC

US-Dollar

and Credit cards

The current course you can look up at Oanda

Language:

Spanish

Local Time:

You can read the local times here 

High Season:

The best time for Costa Rica here 

Health:

Malaria:
You should looking for a doctor and tell him, which country you visit in the next time.
Malariaprophylaxe is very expensive but the health insurance will pay for it.

Yellow fever:
Yellow fever is very important. Even this will be paid by the health insurance.
Please tell them the situation.
Vaccination card must be available for the entry

Hepatitis:
Check your vaccination card from the doctor. The health insurance will pay for that.

Safety

You can find all entry requirements at the listed embassies

Embassy:

For US Embassy: link
For UK Embassy: link 
For AUS Embassy: link

Information about the local guide Costa Rica

Name:

Mainor Lara Bustos

Language:

spanish

english

Contact:

E-mail: toursyourway@gmail.com

About Mainor

Mainor is a funny and crazy guide. He showed us the best places in Costa Rica. He even accompanied us in the evening for dinner. He is super reliable and always found great accommodations for the night.
Mainor has a big knowledge about the animals especially birds 😉  and is proud of his country.

Thank you Mainor for the unforgettable time in Costa Rica!

Saskia and Basti