When you are staying at the Lagarta Lodge in Nosara, on the Nicoya peninsula, why not spend additional time exploring the beautiful country of Costa Rica?
Costa Rica is home to the natural wonders, pristine islands, and the magnificent waterfalls. It has plenty of marine and wildlife while also providing freedom and exotic experiences to the nomads. The serenity, calmness, and spacious beauty are one-of-a-kind. This place is so fabulous that you will want to return more than once. But hey, the only thing that can limit your adventure is your return date.
Most of us who travel to Costa Rica are nature fanatics. You have to take time to fuel your soul away from the busy life. Every year thousands of tourists flock to this natural wonder from all over the world. Rainforests, waterfalls, underground caves, cloud forest, and the national parks – it has it all.
Not only this, Costa Rica has more than 300 beaches, exquisite diving destinations, animal sanctuaries, and hot springs. With so much at your disposal, it is essential to know the must-visit places for a nature fanatic and an adventure geek like myself.
Apart from experiencing the aesthetically peaceful beaches, you can immerse yourself into the tropical rainforests that have echoing sounds of animals and hustling of lush green plant life. Costa Rica is home to about 5% of the world's species, making it one of the top bio-diverse countries in the world.
Before we could dig deeper into the most incredible destinations, here are the most interesting facts about Costa Rica. It has around:
Still not convinced? Below is a list that makes Costa Rica a perfect travel destination. Allow me to indulge you in some of the incredible and thrilling experiences this place has to offer you.
The adventure capital of Costa Rica has a picturesque volcano that looks like a perfectly symmetrical cone.
The lush green forest surroundings have plenty of wildlife. Stroll through the butterfly gardens, the adrenaline rushing zip lines, the hot springs, and waterfalls. Don't forget to have a horse ride to experience an authentic adventure. If you are looking for a combination of thrill, adventure is, this park has it all.
Since no public transportation is accessible to the park, you have to hire a taxi from downtown La Fortuna which usually costs you $20-$25.
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There is something about the unmatched beauty, gracefulness, and the raw power of the roaring waterfall that always fascinates me. This awe-inspiring 230 feet high waterfall is a perfect place to experience the raw power of a waterfall.
To reach this place, you have to hike up through the trail via horseback and then walk down 500 steps to get to its basin. Have an incredible experience once you reach the pool beneath the cascade of water. Just around the waterfall is the lush, dense jungle. If you are lucky enough, you will see some sloths, monkeys, toucans, and butterflies.
The most convenient way to reach La Fortuna Waterfall is a road trip. It is located around three hours from San Jose and roughly 10 minutes from La Fortuna.
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Commonly known as the "Disneyesque" for its majestic qualities, this place has it all for a dream vacation. Magnificent waterfalls, beautiful creatures, and the delicious buffet.. oh my!!! This privately owned nature sanctuary is the most visited ecological attraction that has rainforests, cloud forests, and five waterfalls.
I rarely walk for long hours, but at the La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park, every step was worth it. As you walk for 5 hours, you will find a lot of hummingbirds, sloths, monkeys, jungle cats, snakes, birds, snakes and more!
There are cheaper ways to get to the park. Since we didn't rent a car, we had been traveling by bus, and it's easier to get to the venue if you get up early. Buses leave the Gran Terminal del Caribe at different times.
The only challenge you might face is getting up early around 5:00 am. The bus ride is quite cheap, roughly $2 per person. There are not too many native speakers, you might face some of the problems that you don't usually at most of the tourist-centric places.
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Get down and get dirty at this real hidden jewel - an incredible attraction for adventure geeks. Did you know Venado Caves formed during the Miocene age around 20 million years ago? Your trip to the Venado Caves is going to be fun-filled yet challenging. You will get soaked with some great memories, but they don't come without some bruises and scrapes, but ultimately it will leave you exhilarated. There is crawling, squeezing, and climbing involved, but your tour group knows how to tailor you to the specific group according to ability.
While you can mesmerize activities like crawling or wall scaling inside the caves, you will find fossils, marine spiders, and bats on the route.
Venado Caves is located about 45 minutes away from La Fortuna. Your trip to the Venado Caves is going to be your favorite activity while you are in Costa Rica.
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Marine life in Costa Rica is nothing short of amazing. One of the most sought-after locations in Costa Rica, Catalina Islands, aka "the Cats". The pristine waters are breathtaking with its indigo color that is extended over the 20 islands. Catalina Island is home to an array of land animals, birds, and marine animals.
Getting to Catalina is fun and easy. Based on your budget, you can reach there by air or sea. You can go by a passenger ferry from any of the four mainland ports - Dana Point, Newport Beach, Long Beach or San Pedro, and the ride usually takes an hour. But if you choose to go by helicopter, it will take 15 minutes.
There is never a downtime around Catalina, so if you are diving enthusiastic, you owe it to have the life experience.
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No matter where you will go in Costa Rica, we will help you pick up the best yet budget-friendly hotels so that you can have a hassle-free family trip and make the happiest memories along the way. So what’s your plan?