2024 Jan Costa Rica

Legend

Boat
Bus
Driving

Juan Santamaría International Airport, Costa Rica ‐ Jan 16, 2024

We cleared security without a problem and the plane left on time.
Puerto Caldera Wharf and Cruise Ship Dock ‐ Feb 3

We landed at 7 but had to wait until the boat was cleared after 8 before we could get off the boat to transfer to our ride to the airport. The ride took a little over an hour.
Bahia Herradura ‐ Feb 2

Los Suenos Canopy Tour - Walking through a tropical forest traveling on cables on top of it. The tropical forest is one the most complex ecosystems on Earth, more species of flora and fauna inhabit this type of forest than in any other on the planet. The richest part of the forest is the canopy, as most plants, including orchids and ferns, climb on the trees to receive more sunlight. Here is your chance for an adrenaline-filled encounter with the rainforest, at 100 feet above the ground! We wal [...]
ked over exotic trees and flora while experiencing spectaculars views of Herradura Bay, the Pacific Coast, as well as the Nicoya Gulf. We crossed an exuberant primary forest on 12 cables and 14 platforms suspended on the treetops discovering the unique comparison of two different ecosystems, the Tropical and the Dry Tropical eco-systems, two different climates and many singular species of birds and animals not seen anywhere else. At the end of your adventure enjoy a delicious buffet of tropical fruits. This port is accessed with a wet landing.
Golfo Dulce ‐ Feb 1

We visited Puerto Jimenez in Golfo Dulce. This port was accessed with a wet landing. The visited a chocolate plantation a short ride from the beach. The land was previously used to raise rice, but the current owner decided to go green and planted the land with a variety of different plants. There were various types orchards and other flowers. Different types of palms and other tropical plants. The had a section planted in vanilla. And finally, coco trees. He gave a demonstration of how t [...]
he plants were harvested and how the coco beans were extracted and ground into chocolate.
Quepos

The former banana-exporting town of Quepos was our basecamp for a day of rainforest adventure. We took a Viator tour through Manuel Antonio National Park with its sloths and monkeys and abundant animal life.
Río Curú ‐ Jan 16

We were delayed landing in Curu due to the tides and we could not land at Tortuga Island. We did a short nature walk on Curu, but did not see much.
Playa Flamingo ‐ Jan 28

Playa Flamingo, Costa Rica was our first port. Playa Flamingo is considered one of Central America’s most beautiful beaches. This port was accessed with a wet landing. Took the Playa Flamingo, Volcano & Waterfall Nature Walk with Lunch We visited the national park and walked to the mud pots, before walking down to the waterfall across hanging bridges
Puerto Caldera Wharf and Cruise Ship Dock ‐ Jan 27

In the morning we transferred from Park Inn Radisson to Puerto Caldera cruise port stopping in Alajuela on the way and visited Museo Historico Cultural Juan Santamaria. The museum was primarily about how a Southern American attempted to conquer Costa Rica in the 1850s and merge it into the US and the locals defended their country and defeat the invaders. Now Juan Santamaria is considered a national hero as he burnt the building down where the invaders were staying and was killed in the process [...]
. We also visited the old church on the square before proceeding to the port. We boarded the Wind Star a little after 1 in time for lunch and settle in.
San José, Costa Rica ‐ Jan 23, 2024

Arrived late and transfered toPark Inn Radisson 24 Walked downtown and visited Metropolitan Cathedral of San José - This stately cathedral built in 1871 blends Greek orthodox, neoclassical and baroque architecture. Stopped at the Museo del Jade - Museum displaying anthropological, geological & archeological objects & a large jade collection, but thought the entry fee was a bit high so we passed and went on to see the National Theater, which was a very impressive building. Then visited the Pr [...]
e-Columbian Gold Museum - Museum featuring historic gold artifacts, including figures & coins, in a modern, underground space. Afterward visited the National Museum of Costa Rica - Costa Rican national museum with archaeological, wildlife, cultural & military exhibits. It was once the country’s military headquarter before Costa Rica abolished the army. Had dinner at our hotel. 25 We took the Arenal Volcano Experience Full-Day Tour from San Jose. It was a 14 hours trip through the Costa Rican. Take a scenic route to Arenal with views of farms, rain forest, and small towns. We stopped at a coffee plantation where we could sample coffee and traditional snacks. Stop by the side of the road to view a waterfall. Then we stopped at a restaurant overlooking the falls and had a feeding area for birds. We stopped to look at howler monkeys in the trees and sloths. We stopped to visit a local native outpost to hear about the life of the indigenous population. We finished the day with a soak in hot springs set in a lush garden near the Arenal Volcano. Then spent another couple hours winding our way in the dark through a rain forest stopping for dinner and back to our hotel. 26 We started the day with a visit to the MADC - Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo - Indoor-outdoor Museum showcasing contemporary art & design from Central America & around the world. It was located in the old 1948 airport terminal. When the airport was moved, the land was developed as a park. The soccer stadium was built on the land and it has a large green space with various types of fields for volleyball and soccer. We than stopped on the way back to hotel for drinks. We visited the hotel pool but were disappointed as the water was cold. That night we had dinner at an Argentina restaurant.