Costa Rica

Accommodations Ocean Pointe Key Largo, Florida - USA

 INFORMATION ***  CALL 516-991-9575

Florida Keys Vacation Condo Hotel Resort at Ocean Pointe - OCEAN POINTE  - KEY LARGO  - Rent Owner Direct Vacation Rental at Ocean Pointe Suite Key Largo - Upper Keys Sailing Club - Upper Keys Diving - Dive the Coral Reef - Snorkeling and Scuba Diving John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park - Islamorada Deep Sea Fishing -  Everglades Flats Fishing - Back Country Fishing - Islamorada Flats Fishing -Kayaking John Pennecamp Park - Jimmy Buffett Margaritaville - Sailing Seminars - Quepos Costa Rica -  Manuel Antonio Costa Rica - Costa Rica Canopy Tour - Costa Rica Transportation - Stars - Costa Rica Tours- Costa Rica Calypso Tours

                                                                  OCEAN POINTE Holiday Vacation Key Largo - Florida, USA

COSTA RICA TOURS

NATURE AIR - SAN JOSE,COSTA RICA - DOMESTIC FLIGHTS   Costa Rica domestic airlines have 16 Costa Rica domestic flights to main destinations in Costa Rica. This is a fast, convenient service within cities of Costa Rica. Air transportation is a great tool for Costa Rica travel and tours. To drive to these locations would take many hours of stressfull driving. Domestic flights will get you there in minutes. Experience the vistas of the country by air, an enjoy the whole jouney.

NATURE AIR - SAN JOSE,COSTA RICA - DOMESTIC FLIGHTS l   Area - 50,895 square kilometers Capital - San Jose (pop. 300,000) Population - Three million Language - Spanish Location - Central American between Nicaragua and Panama (between 8 and 11 degrees north of the equator) Currency - Colon (Floats, currently $1 US = about 240) in notes of 5,000, 1,000, 500, 100 and 50 Religion - More than 90 percent of Costa Ricans are Roman Catholic.

NATURE AIR - SAN JOSE,COSTA RICA - DOMESTIC FLIGHTS     Costa Rica seems to have it all - one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. It is centered between Nicaragua and Panama, and the Caribbean and the Pacific Oceans. A series of volcanic mountain chains runs from the Nicaraguan border in the northwest to the Panamanian border in the southeast, splitting the country in two. In the center of these ranges is a high-altitude plain, with coastal lowlands on either side.

NATURE AIR - QUEPOS,COSTA RICA - DOMESTIC FLIGHTS     Costa Rica has stunning beaches, a magnificent offshore islands, lush rainforest. You may encounters close-up with monkeys, sloths, coatimundis, and scarlet macaws. There is a wealth of wildlife, especially birds.  Some of the resident mammals are howler, spider and white-faced monkeys, tapir, jaguar, puma, paca, white-tailed deer, porcupine and sloths.

Sansa (tel. 221-9414; www.flysansa.com

Nature Air (tel. 220-3054; www.natureair.com

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT COSTA RICA   pichirulo@gmail.com

C0STA RICA CANOPY TOUR

COSTA RICA   CANOPY SAFARI

CANOPY SAFARI - QUEPOS,COSTA RICA - CANOPY TOUR   Explore the elevated ecosystem of the rain forest canopy of Costa Rica .

CANOPY SAFARI - QUEPOS,COSTA RICA - CANOPY TOUR l   One of the vogue attractions in Costa Rica for many tourists is to take a  Canopy Tour. .

CANOPY SAFARI - QUEPOS,COSTA RICA - CANOPY TOUR     Visitors explore the elevated ecosystem of the rain forest canopy, a luxuriant and little-known realm that is home for most of the jungle's plant and animal species.

CANOPY SAFARI - QUEPOS,COSTA RICA - CANOPY TOUR       Go flying through the treetops of rainforests hanging from harnesses tied to ropes, well, that is what a canopy tour is all about.

CANOPY SAFARI - QUEPOS,COSTA RICA - CANOPY TOUR       Travel from tree to tree and platform to platform using pulleys on horizontal traverse cables, as they sail through the treetops of the tropical rainforest canopy, and over the ground far below.

CANOPY SAFARI - QUEPOS,COSTA RICA - CANOPY TOUR     Traveling high up in the canopies of the rainforest trees hanging from a pulley and a safety strap attached to your harness. It is an exciting way to sail through the tree-tops and enjoy the view all around you.

CANOPY SAFARI - QUEPOS,COSTA RICA - CANOPY TOUR   The basis of the system is cables at the top of the rainforest canopy from tree platform to tree platform. You where a harness and on this harness is a runner that you use to slide along the cables. You also wear a big leather glove, this is your brake.

CANOPY SAFARI - QUEPOS,COSTA RICA - CANOPY TOUR     Seeing the rain forest from a completely different perspective? From the top of the rain forest canopy. The canopy is the habitat for approximately 65% of all species of flora and fauna.

CANOPY SAFARI - QUEPOS,COSTA RICA - CANOPY TOUR           The feeling of flying through the trees is unmatchable!           FOR INFORMATION ABOUT COSTA RICA   pichirulo@gmail.com QUEPOS - COSTA RICA   Brisas del Nara (tel. 779-1235; www.horsebacktour.com) offers full- and half-day horseback excursions that pass through both primary and secondary forest and feature a swimming stop at a jungle waterfall. A full-day tour with these folks, including breakfast and lunch, costs $55 per person ($45 half-day).   ________________________________________________________________________________   MANUAL ANTONIO        COSTA RICA   SANDY BEACH OF COSTA RICA     SANDY BEACH OF COSTA RICA  _____________________________________________________________________________________ QUEPOS COSTA RICA   Quepos is a beautiful town three and a half hour drive by car from San Jose. Quepos is a sleepy town, built in the thirties as a banana port. It is a fairly good sized town with about 7,000 permanent residents, a large hospital, banks, markets, stores, hotels, bars, restaurants and main bus terminal. The town features colonial architecture and great fish restaurants along a quiet seaside plaza. Quepos, Costa Rica is most famous for its fabulous fishing, white sandy beaches, and beautiful mountain outcroppings jutting into the crystal clear waters of Manuel Antonio National Park. The Park is a little gem of greenery with emerald coves and a tree lined shoulder reaching an island of serenity. It is home to White Face and Spider Monkeys, Sloths, Toucans and Iguanas. Puerto Quepos drapes itself across a tropical inlet surrounded by primary rainforest. The village center is a delightful six-block square of restaurants, bars, hotels, bakeries, art galleries and gift shops, all fronted by the main beach and sportfishing fleet. Quepos is growing quickly yet maintains many of its sleepy and humble beginnings. Tourism is now the area's leading employer as Quepos evolves from its banana growing roots into a premier holiday destination. After the demise of the Quepoa Indians in the late 1800's, vast banana plantations were developed throughout the region. Bananas were shipped to world markets across the docks that now service the sportfishing fleet. In the 1980's bananas lost out to heartier African palm and their high quality palm oil. As Quepos diminished in importance as a banana port, it renewed itself as an ecotourism and sportfishing destination. World travelers are discovering the area, with many visitors purchasing homes and returning each year to enjoy the relaxing village lifestyle and natural beauty of nearby Manual Antonio. FOR INFORMATION ABOUT COSTA RICA   pichirulo@gmail.com   QUEPOS - COSTA RICA - SUNSET     COSTA RICA   EL AVION RESTAURANT       Getting Around by a taxi from Quepos to Manuel Antonio (or any hotel along the road toward the park) costs around $4.  If you need to call a taxi, dial tel. 777-1695 or 777-0425. The bus between Quepos and Manuel Antonio takes 15 minutes each way, and runs roughly every half hour from 6am to 7pm daily, with one late bus leaving Quepos at 10pm and returning from Manuel Antonio at 10:25pm. The buses, which leave from the main bus terminal in Quepos, near the market, go all the way to the National Park entrance before turning around and returning. You can flag down these buses from any point on the side of the road. The fare is 35¢. ________________________________________________________________________________________   COSTA RICA   SOL TROPICAL TOURS   DAY TOURS IN COSTA RICA   Volcan Poas National Park          ________________________________________________________________________________                  The Poas Volcano, located in the National Park of the same name, is one of the most active volcanoes in Costa Rica.         ________________________________________________________________________________ When the mist and clouds part you'll see the sulfuric, bubbling, green rain fed lake at the bottom, surrounded by smoke and steam rising from fumaroles. Water from the lake is constantly seeping through cracks in the hot rock, evaporating and building pockets of steam.           ________________________________________________________________________________ The volcano experiences eruptions similar to those of a geyser, which consist of columns of muddy water together with steam that rise from a few to several kilometers. These eruptions have made Poas famous as the biggest geyser in the world.         ________________________________________________________________________________ This volcanoes allow you to drive all the way to the rim. Poás does--well, at least to within 300 meters, where a short stroll puts you at the very edge of one of the world's largest active craters (1.5 km wide).         ________________________________________________________________________________ This is a close-up of the innermost pit at Poas Volcano. You can catch a glimpse of the sulfurous boiling pond, at this time about 50 m across. The area around the pond is built up of ash, into which heavy rainfall has cut numerous gullies. The light-colored specks are actually large boulders that have been thrown out during numerous explosions.           ________________________________________________________________________________ Poas is a stratovolcano with several eroded calderas, cones, and two crater lakes at or near its summit. Poas has erupted at least 39 times since 1828 and is in state of nearly continuous mild activity.            ________________________________________________________________________________ Botos Lagoon is a filled-up crater in the Parque Nacional Volcan Poas. Its deep blue waters contrast with the dense tropical forest that surround it.            ________________________________________________________________________________ COSTA RICA COFFEE TOUR "The Costa Rican way" to make a cup of coffee:                                                          Place a mug under the cloth bag:                                          Place 1 tablespoon of ground coffee in the cloth bag                                          Add 6 fl. oz. of hot water (not boiling water)                                          Wait until coffee stops dripping.  COSTA RICA   COFFEE PLANTATION ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   COSTA COFFEE  TOUR Just the riped coffee beans are picked.       COSTA COFFEE  TOUR The coffee beans are placed in a hopper with water for sorting.   COSTA COFFEE  TOUR The outer shell of the coffee bean is removed.       COSTA COFFEE  TOUR The coffee beans are washed. COSTA COFFEE  TOUR The coffee beans are dried in a wood burning furnace. COSTA COFFEE  TOUR The coffee beans are placed in drying beds outside.   COSTA COFFEE  TOUR The coffee bean is raked/turned seval times a day.     COSTA COFFEE  TOUR The dry coffee beans are bagged.   COSTA COFFEE  TOUR The bagged coffee is ready for shipping.         COSTA COFFEE  TOUR A happy coffee drinker. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ COSTA RICA   BALDI HOT SPRINGS Baldi Hot Springs - Arenal Costa Rica Bathe In The Thermal Waters Of The Volcano   Costa Rica is also a haven for relaxation. Costa Rica's hot springs offer the premier destination for rejuvenation! Baldi offers 10 pools with 100% thermo-mineral water, each with a different temperature for you to choose. 16 Hot Springs of various tempuratures surrounded by beautiful tropical gardens. Facillities include 2 swim up bars, Spa services & resturant. The pools are large and the surroundings flashy, inviting a party mood and reminding you that you're frolicking in a luxurious, man-made, aquatic bath. Nestled at the base of the Arenal Volcano, the hot springs are a welcoming place for all ages. Arenal Volcano is a breathtaking natural phenomenon that attracts thousands of tourists due to its extraordinary activity, which on clear nights can seem like fireworks with intermittent explosions of ash and lava.   _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ COSTA RICA   CALYPSO CRUISE TOUR Tortuga, a dream island in the Pacific Ocean TORTUGA ISLAND CRUISE - DAY ADVENTURE   Calypso Catamaran Cruise" also known as the Pacific Island Cruise or the Calypso Island Cruise, is a one-day boat tour full of adventure that leaves daily from Puntarenas.   "Calypso Catamaran Cruise" to Tortuga Island was created by Calypso Tours in 1975 and is one of Costa Rica's great experienc. Calypso's One Day Adventure is everything that is magical about Costa Rica's magnificent pacific coast. Calypso's Catamaran Cruise - Take the luxury catamaran Manta Raya to Tortuga Island for a fun-filled day on the beach. Visit the white sand island with green mountains and crystalline waters that seem as if designed for snorkeling. The cruise passes seven different islands before passengers disembark on Isla Tortuga. Breakfast and lunch included. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ COSTA RICA  BUS SCHEDULE   COSTA RICA History of Costa Rica - The first European explorer to encounter Costa Rica was  Christopher Columbus. The day was September 18, 1502, and Columbus was making his fourth and final voyage to the New World. Christopher Columbus landed at "Cariari," known today as Puerto Limon. Christopher Columbus actually named Costa Rica (rich coast) under the assumption that the land was filled with precious metals. Costa Rica was inhabited by an estimated 400,000 Indians when Columbus explored it in 1502. . He found several autonomous tribes, all with distinct cultures and customs. In 12000 B.C. Initially, early man in Costa Rica was a hunter and a gatherer, but later, between 8000 and 4000 years B.C. nomadic groups started settling down and domesticating crops. The country declared independence from Spain in 1821 but became part of Mexico. Two years later, it was a founding member of the United Provinces of Central America, a short-lived confederation. It was the first to pull out of the federation in 1838, and declared itself a fully independent state. An era of peaceful democracy in Costa Rica began in 1899 with elections considered the first truly free and honest ones in the country's history. This began a trend continued until today with only two lapses: in 1917-19, Federico Tinoco ruled as a dictator, and, in 1948, Jose Figueres led an armed uprising in the wake of a disputed presidential election. With more than 2,000 dead, the 44-day civil war resulting from this uprising was the bloodiest event in 20th-century Costa Rican history, but the victorious junta drafted a constitution guaranteeing free elections with universal suffrage and the abolition of the military. Figueres became a national hero, winning the first election under the new constitution in 1953. Since then, Costa Rica has held 14 presidential elections, the latest in 2006. Geography of Costa Rica  The country is blanketed by 112 volcanic formations, created eons ago as part of the Pacific Rim of Fire which accounts for 81% of all major earthquakes. Seven volcanoes are active. A series of volcanic mountain chains runs from the Nicaraguan border in the northwest to the Panamanian border in the southeast, splitting the country in two. In the center of these ranges is a high-altitude plain, with coastal lowlands on either side. The country is divided by a backbone of volcanoes and mountains, an extension of the Andes-Sierra Madre chain which runs along the western side of the Americas. Costa Rica has four distinct cordilleras or mountain ranges -- Guanacaste and Tilaran in the north, Central and Talamanca in the south. Costa Rica is part of the Pacific "Rim of Fire" and has seven of the isthmus's 42 active volcanoes plus dozens of dormant or extinct cones. Over half the population lives on this plain, which has fertile volcanic soils.  Experience the popular national parks in this country that has set aside 30% of its territory for protected areas. There are seven Provinces of Costa Rica. They are called Alajuela, Heredia, San Jose, Puntarenas, Guanacaste, Limon and Cartago. All Province Capitals have the same name except the capital of Guanacaste is called Liberia.  This rainy region, home to the Irazú y Turrialba volcanoes, was where the country's first hydro-electric dam was built and has typically produced crops of potatoes, coffee, flowers and vegetables, peach palm and sugar cane, as well provided space for dairy cattle. In more recent times, agricultural production has been diversified and industrialized, and there is even production of ornamental flowers and plants for export.                                                             COSTA RICA PLANTATIONS Costa Rica is a wonderfully blessed country not only for the beauty of its sights but for the incredibly rich soil and grounds all over the country. Costa Rica edible fruits and vegetables are exported everyday to many different regions: tobacco, strawberries, pineapple, bananas, potatoes, yucca, coffee, bananas, sugar cane and tamarindo fruit. Thought to be a native plant of tropical Asia, the banana ( platano, banano) was introduced into the Caribbean and then to Central America   and Costa Rica sometime after the Spanish invasion.  Costa Rica’s banana industry, recently ousted by tourism as the country’s number one foreign currency earning industry, continues to expand to meet the demand of a growing international market. In 1992, 32,000 hectares were planted with bananas, a 50% increase since 1985. As  you read this the bananas will be over at least 50,000 hectares. Most growth is concentrated in the Atlantic lowlands. Bananas have been part of the Caribbean landscape since 1870. CLIMATE OF COSTA RICA The climate of Costa Rica. Costa Rica is unequivocally a tropical country, situated between 8° and 11° North latitude, fairly close to the equator. Although in the mountains above 2000 meters you get much cooler temperatures, the average annual temperature for most of the country lies between 21.7°C (71°F) and 27°C (81°F). The coolest months are from November through January, and the warmest from March through May. San José, the capital, where over a third of the population lives, stands at approximately 1170 meters altitude and has a mean annual temperature of 20.6°C (69°F). The banana plantations, the oil palm and pejiballe (peach palm) plantations, the small cocoa plots, the large port area, "Moín," sport fishing and tourism are the main employers in the Limón area.   COSTA  RICA TICOS Ticos—as the friendly, warmhearted Costa Ricans are known—pride themselves on having more teachers than policemen, a higher male life expectancy than does the United States, an egalitarianism and strong commitment to peace and prosperity, and an education and social-welfare system that should be the envy of many developed nations.      Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. The tropical rain forest is the most diverse ecosystem found in the world today. It contains more species of birds, insects, flowers, trees, and other organisms than any other biome found on Earth. Unfortunately, with the ever growing population of humans the rain forests are being cut down at a terrifying rate to provide man with lumber, pasture land, and farm land. As a result of this cutting down of trees, or deforestation, the world's most precious environment is being destroyed.