community - Blogs - Tripatini2024-03-28T18:18:44Zhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/communityPost-Pandemic Safari Inspiration From Acacia Africahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/post-pandemic-safari-inspiration-from-acacia-africa2021-03-27T14:11:41.000Z2021-03-27T14:11:41.000ZBea Villiershttps://tripatini.com/members/BeaVilliers<div><p></p><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009459266,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009459266,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009459266?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p>Recent events have altered our lives considerably, but while our freedom to roam is on hold, we can still escape online and make plans for the future. Ready to inspire your itchy feet, leading adventure travel specialist, Acacia Africa has picked out a list of safari holidays that are likely to be in demand once we start to wander again, the operator including a selection of blog posts and YouTube videos, so you can indulge in Southern and East Africa from the safety of your sofa.</p><p></p><p>Arno Delport, Sales & Marketing Manager at Acacia Africa, comments, "Travel can be uplifting, and by providing some much-needed inspiration we are hoping to raise everyone's spirits - every online journey a virtual springboard to new and exciting adventures."</p><p></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>THE CALL OF THE NATURAL WORLD</strong></p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009459678,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009459678,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009459678?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p>The end of self-isolation will undoubtedly trigger a desire to rediscover the natural world. Africa is the ideal choice for anyone wanting to get back in touch with nature, the continent home to breathtaking landscapes, abundant wildlife and spectacular migrations. While Kenya plays host to "The Greatest Wildlife Show On Earth," the Masai Mara is a year-round crowd-pleaser for Big Five fans - especially those hoping to catch sight its feline inhabitants, the Big Cat Diary, Big Cat Tales and The Lion King remake all set in the beloved game reserve.</p><p></p><p>Also, part of the annual event, the open plains of the Serengeti burst into life during "Green Season" - roughly half a million wildebeest giving birth over a two or three week period (usually in February). The <strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/tours/kenya-and-tanzania-adventure-13-days-20KTA13" target="_blank">13-day Kenya & Tanzania Adventure</a></strong> includes game drives in the Mara, the Serengeti National Park and the neighbouring Ngorongoro Crater - the bonus, an additional three-night stay on the tropical island of Zanzibar. From £1,395pp (no single supplement) + £980pp (Adventure Pass) including all highlights, transport, camping accommodation, most meals, services of a tour leader and driver. Starts Nairobi - ends Dar es Salaam. Year-round departures.</p><p></p><p>Discover the wide-open vistas, sweeping sunsets, warm smiles and magnificent wildlife of <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQL_Nf-3ryw" target="_blank">East Africa</a></strong>. Join Acacia Africa in the Masai Mara and see the herds of elephant and zebra roam free. Visit a local Maasai Village. Gaze into the expanse of the Ngorongoro Crater and explore the wilds of the Serengeti National Park.</p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009460090,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009460090,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009460090?profile=original" /></a></p><p style="text-align:center;"></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>QUALITY FAMILY TIME & TOGETHERNESS</strong></p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009460862,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009460862,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009460862?profile=original" /></a></p><p style="text-align:center;">Victoria Falls (c) @thecuckooproject</p><p></p><p>Currently, many of us are separated from our loved ones, a sure sign that 3G holidays will be in demand when the world opens up to travel once again. One of Acacia's family-friendly small group safaris, the <strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/tours/kruger-and-victoria-falls-accommodated-20KVF7A" target="_blank">seven-day Kruger & Victoria Falls</a></strong> makes stops in South Africa and Zimbabwe, the itinerary including game viewing in the Kruger and Matobo national parks, before coming to a close at the Victoria Falls.</p><p></p><p>Weekly Saturday departures make this the ideal half-term adventure - night flights and zero jet lag an added bonus for those with kids in tow. From £895pp (two sharing) + £590pp (Safari Pass) including all highlights, transport, accommodation (twin-share rooms with en suite facilities), most meals, services of a tour leader and driver. Starts Pretoria - ends Victoria Falls. Year-round departures.</p><p></p><p>Explore the wonder of the <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyITJIR6rrU" target="_blank">Victoria Falls</a></strong> from all sides in this epic video capturing the world's largest curtain of falling water from the land and the skies.</p><p></p><p>See <strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/blog/2019/03/08/south-africas-hidden-gems-is-south-africa-on-your-bucket-list/" target="_blank">South Africa</a></strong> from all sides...</p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009461862,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009461862,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009461862?profile=original" /></a></p><p style="text-align:center;">Addo Elephant Park (c) South Africa Tourism</p><p></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>MEETING CHALLENGES HEAD-ON</strong></p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009461890,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009461890,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009461890?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p>Crises have the power to wreak havoc, but they can also focus the mind and give us the confidence to meet challenges head-on. For that reason, Acacia claims in the days to come, more of us could find ourselves saying yes to adrenaline-fuelled pursuits. Covering off the best of Southern and East Africa's adventure capitals, the <strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/tours/grand-african-adventure-56-days-20GAA56" target="_blank">56-day Grand African Adventure</a></strong> passes through Jinja, Livingstone and Swakopmund - white water rafting down the Nile, bungy jumping from the Victoria Falls bridge and sky-diving over the Namib desert just some of the thrilling pursuits on offer.</p><p></p><p>The trip also features an optional 16-kilometre hike to Livingstonia in Malawi, the exhilarating itinerary combined with safaris in eight countries - gorilla trekking in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park a major highlight. While shorter stints on the continent have become increasingly popular, Acacia expects to see a rise in the number of people taking longer overland trips of five weeks or more, recent events causing people to reevaluate their priorities in life. From £4,450pp (no single supplement) + £1,140pp (Adventure Pass) + £640pp (Gorilla & Chimp Permit) including all highlights, transport, camping accommodation, most meals, services of a tour leader and driver. Starts Cape Town - ends Nairobi. Year-round departures.</p><p></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkOEy3rVJHU&t=49s" target="_blank">Experience Africa</a></strong> - A Once-in-a-lifetime Adventure...</p><p style="text-align:center;"></p><p style="text-align:center;">One <strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/blog/2019/09/16/one-adventure-is-never-enough/" target="_blank">Adventure</a></strong> Is Never Enough...</p><p></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>MAKING A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD</strong></p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008790675,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008790675,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9008790675?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p>Over the last few weeks, we have seen an outpouring of goodwill - in our cities, across social networks and between nations. A silver lining in otherwise uncertain times, these grassroots humanitarian efforts will likely inspire many more of us to opt for holidays that reflect these same values. In the words of Bill Gates, "It (Covid19) is reminding us that our true work is not our job, that is what we do, not what we were created to do. Our true work is to look after each other, to protect each other and to be of benefit to one another." Keen to give back, we might find ourselves actively volunteering or making a conscious decision to book tours where tourism makes a positive difference to communities and wildlife projects.</p><p></p><p>Travel on the <strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/tours/rivers-lakes-and-mountains-44-days-20RLM44" target="_blank">44-day Rivers Lakes & Mountains,</a></strong> your walking safari in Zimbabwe's Matobo National Park providing support for the Matobo Rhino Trust program; seek out Africa's endangered Wild Dog in Zambia's South Luangwa National Park where conservation efforts have helped to keep the painted dog on the landscape; and traverse dense undergrowth in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park - the population of the world's last remaining Mountain Gorillas making a comeback. Covering seven countries, the adventure includes additional wildlife viewing, and a trip with a purpose, an optional half-day of volunteering in Uganda and the opportunity to work alongside local craftsmen in Malawi. From £3,815pp (two sharing) + £880pp (Adventure Pass) + £640pp (Gorilla & Chimp Permit) including all highlights, transport, camping accommodation, most meals, services of a tour leader and driver. Starts Pretoria - ends Nairobi. Year-round departures.</p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009462852,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009462852,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009462852?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p style="text-align:center;">Go walking with rhinos in <strong><a href="https://www.suitcasestories.be/must-do-walking-with-rhinos-in-zimbabwe/" target="_blank">Zimbabwe</a></strong> and meet Mik & Valerie, Editors of Suitcase Stories...</p><p></p><p style="text-align:center;">Safari online with <strong><a href="http://acacia-africa.com/blog/2017/02/22/fighting-extinction-matopos-rhino-experience/" target="_blank">Simple Discoveries,</a></strong> the team getting within a mere few feet of the endangered rhino...</p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009463692,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009463692,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009463692?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p style="text-align:center;">How to Be a Humanitarian on Tour & <strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/blog/2020/02/20/how-to-travel-as-a-humanitarian-with-purpose/" target="_blank">Travel with Purpose</a></strong>...</p><p></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>A LONGING TO DISCOVER THE EXTRAORDINARY</strong></p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009463885,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009463885,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009463885?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p>The global pandemic has reminded us of our own fragility, and regardless of age, that our time on this planet is limited. That fear might well awaken in us, not just a desire to travel, but a longing to discover the extraordinary. From exploring attractions that are unique to the world to viewing endangered wildlife and engaging with communities whose traditional way of life could well disappear.</p><p></p><p>Book a seat on the <strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/tours/zanzibar-to-cape-town-34-days-20ZTC34" target="_blank">34-day Zanzibar to Cape Town,</a></strong> the camping adventure including a safari with the Kalahari Bushmen (your visit contributing to the survival of this fascinating tribe); an optional underwater safari in Lake Malawi - the freshwater lake inhabited by cichlids, a colourful range of fish found nowhere else in the world, and 24/7 wildlife viewing at Etosha, the national park's waterholes among the best places in the world to see the endangered Black Rhino (Namibia is home almost half of the world's population of black rhino). From £2,820pp (no single supplement) + £300pp (Adventure Pass) including all highlights, transport, camping accommodation, most meals, services of a tour leader and driver. Starts Dar es Salaam - ends Cape Town. Year-round departures.</p><p></p><p style="text-align:center;">Travel across <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZFlrr2rJPs" target="_blank">Botswana's</a></strong> Land of Giants...</p><p style="text-align:center;"></p><p style="text-align:center;">This is <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoMAyTC5rtk" target="_blank">Namibia</a></strong> - a journey into the wild...</p><p style="text-align:center;"></p><p style="text-align:center;">Experience <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0XCaYLYUX8" target="_blank">Malawi</a></strong> - the warm heart of Africa...</p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009464694,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009464694,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009464694?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>CHOOSING TO TRAVEL MORE RESPONSIBLY</strong></p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009464882,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009464882,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009464882?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p></p><p>One of the most dramatic effects we have seen in recent days is the considerable reduction in air pollution while countries are on lockdown. That's cause for everyone to take a more sustainable travel stance when they finally hit the road - Earth Day already heightening the importance of this message - the 2020 theme focused on climate change. Always looking for innovative ways to reduce its travellers' carbon footprint, Acacia Africa partners with Greenpop, and in the summer of 2019, the operator signed up to help its local suppliers limit the number of single-use plastic bottles on their tours.</p><p></p><p>The Serengeti & Ngorongoro safari vehicles used by Acacia are fitted with new 20-litre water dispensers, each one carrying safe potable drinking water from Arusha. Game drives on Tanzania's "Endless plains" and within the Ngorongoro Crater, are in included on the <strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/tours/highlights-of-tanzania-north-11-days-20NHOT11" target="_blank">11-day Highlights of Tanzania,</a></strong> the Adventure Camping tour priced from £1,395pp (no single supplement) + £600pp (Adventure Pass) including all highlights, transport, camping accommodation, most meals, services of a tour leader and driver. Starts Dar es Salaam - ends Nairobi. Year-round departures.</p><p></p><p>Get ready for some <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqdP-Jvh5Hc" target="_blank">nature-reality TV</a></strong> in the Serengeti, a leopard facing off against a hyena, the gripping encounter (fast forward to 6:35) filmed by Alex & MJ from On The Go Productions...</p><p></p><p>Safari Inspiration From <strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/blog/2019/06/03/safari-inspiration-from-the-big-screen/" target="_blank">The Big Screen</a></strong>...</p><p></p><p>All prices exclude return flight. Independent flight prices available on request. Acacia Africa's Adventure Camping and Adventure Accommodated Tours are aimed at travellers aged 18-39'ish. The operator's Small Group Safaris and Signature Safaris & Tours are open age (from eight years). Acacia offers pre and post accommodation and a wide selection of city breaks and short stays.</p><p></p><p><strong>Acacia Africa</strong> (<strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/" target="_blank">acacia-africa.com</a></strong>) SATSA membership No. 1931, Atta membership no. 20151 and ABTA No. W4093 PROTECTED.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p></div>How to give back while traveling? Follow the inspiration of these Santa Teresa, Costa Rica hotels.https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/how-to-give-back-while-traveling-follow-the-inspiration-of-these2016-02-20T22:22:40.000Z2016-02-20T22:22:40.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009037660,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="500" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009037660,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009037660?profile=original" /></a>More and more travelers want to feel they are contributing in some way to the place where they vacation. <b>Giving back while on vacation</b> has become a global movement sparking volunteerism and community outreach with tourists.</p><p>In <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/travel-tips/best-ways-get-santa-teresa-costa-rica/" target="_blank">Santa Teresa, Costa Rica</a>, two top hotels share a heartfelt program that lets their guests feel good about supporting the community there.</p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008858655,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008858655,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" alt="9008858655?profile=original" /></a><a href="http://www.hoteltropicolatino.com/" target="_blank">Hotel Tropico Latino</a> </b>and <strong><a href="http://www.florblanca.com/" target="_blank">Florblanca Hotel</a></strong> implement the <b>“<a href="http://www.florblanca.com/sustainability/community/" target="_blank">$5 Check Out Program</a>”</b> that allows their guests to add an optional charge on their bill at the end of their stay to fund community and environmental programs in the Santa Teresa area. Created by Florblanca Hotel manager Cody Dillon in 2012, Hotel Tropico Latino manager Roberto de la Ossa quickly followed the lead of his friend. Both hotels have experienced such success, that De la Ossa wants to inspire others to get involved.</p><p>“We thought it was such a great initiative that we joined them. And we are inviting the rest of the Santa Teresa community and other areas of Costa Rica to do the same,” said De la Ossa. “If every business in town did this, the possibilities would be surprising.”</p><p>Hotel Tropico Latino adds an optional voluntary charge of $2 to each guest’s final bill, and is thinking to raise it to match Florblanca’s $5 charge. When you stay at these hotels, you can help <b><a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/hot-news/ocean-pollution-kept-at-bay-on-santa-teresa-costa-rica/" target="_blank">keep the beaches clean</a>, <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/costa-rica-2/lifeguards-ocean-safety-beach-santa-teresa-costa-rica/" target="_blank">fund the local ocean lifeguards</a>, or </b><strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aprendiendo-Unidos/1542192829333490" target="_blank">provide school kids with much needed supplies and programs</a></strong> – all for the price of a smoothie in Santa Teresa.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009037293,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009037293,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" alt="9009037293?profile=original" /></a>“This is something so simple to do, so small and easy. Every year we were struggling with finding a budget to help out with community initiatives. And in the end we decided to include our guests in our commitment to giving back,” explained De la Ossa. “It’s about giving back. It’s conscious business. We don’t want to just take from the area. We want to give back so the area stays nice and beautiful and is a great place to live and visit.”</p><p>Hotel Tropico Latino so far has focused on environmental programs like keeping the region’s beaches clean<b>.</b> The <a href="http://www.hoteltropicolatino.com/hotel/santa-teresa-costa-rica-accommodations.html" target="_blank">Santa Teresa beachfront hotel</a> has donated $1,500 to the Santa Teresa Tourism Chamber to purchase and place trash and recycling bins at all of the main public beach access points. These Pacific beaches – Mal Pais, Playa Carmen, Playa Santa Teresa and Playa Hermosa – on the southern Nicoya Peninsula have been awarded <b>Costa Rica’s Ecological Blue Flag</b> for environmental purity.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009037897,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="650" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009037897,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009037897?profile=original" /></a>Florblanca Hotel aids three nonprofit programs, following the catchphrase “Think Globally, Act Locally.<b>”</b> They are: the <strong><a href="http://aprendiendounidoscr.org/" target="_blank">Fundación Aprendiendo Unidos</a></strong> (Learning Together Foundation) that provides resources to public school children from Santa Teresa and neighboring communities; the <strong><a href="http://waterkeeper.org/waterkeeper/MDAxMWEwMDAwMEV2UU5iQUFO/nicoya-peninsula-waterkeeper/" target="_blank">Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeepers</a></strong>, which works to improve water quality in Santa Teresa; and the <strong><a href="http://santateresalifeguards.org/" target="_blank">Santa Teresa Lifeguards</a></strong>, a new organization dedicated to saving lives and preventing dangerous accidents along the Santa Teresa area beaches.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009039253,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009039253,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" alt="9009039253?profile=original" /></a>Dillon said Florblanca gives a few thousand dollars a year, divided between these community organizations. She said their guest response over the years has only been positive.</p><p>“A lot of our guests would come to our hotel and read about our sustainability initiatives and would ask us how they could help. We really feel that travelers more and more really want to give back to the place that they journey to,” said Dillon. “We have never had anyone say to us, ‘Take this off of our bill.’ Every now and again, someone gets really inspired about one of our programs and leaves an extra $50 or $100, or more.”</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009033073,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="650" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009033073,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009033073?profile=original" /></a>There are many community organizations that need assistance in Santa Teresa, noted De la Ossa, adding that the contribution could be tax deductible for businesses.</p><p>“Every restaurant could charge 50 cents or $1. Every hotel could charge $2 or $5, and think of how much we could raise. Think of how much good we could do, helping out schools, reforestation, and environmental initiatives. It will only work on a large scale if more people join together,” he said.</p><p>“I could not agree more with Roberto,” added Dillon. “Of course, what we do helps. But if everyone in town were to do this – from small bungalows to restaurants to surf shops – they could put $1 or $2 extra on their clients’ bills, and if everything is handled in a very transparent way, I think the success rate would be very high.”</p><p>For more information on the <b>$5 Check Out Program</b> <b>and</b> <b>how you can get involved</b>, contact Roberto de la Ossa at <a href="http://www.hoteltropicolatino.com/" target="_blank">Hotel Tropico Latino</a> or Cody Dillon at <a href="http://www.florblanca.com/" target="_blank">Florblanca</a>.</p><p><b><i>Article by Shannon Farley</i></b></p></div>It’s time for a winter sun vacation in Costa Ricahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/it-s-time-for-a-winter-sun-vacation-in-costa-rica2015-11-25T00:06:25.000Z2015-11-25T00:06:25.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963452,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="650" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963452,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008963452?profile=original" /></a>Winter has begun across most of the United States, Canada and northern Europe. As chilly winter weather freezes the north heading into Christmas, you are not alone if you have started <b>dreaming about a sunny tropical holiday</b>.</p><p> </p><p><b>Escape this winter to the land of summer in Costa Rica – the “<a href="https://www.gfmag.com/global-data/non-economic-data/happiest-countries" target="_blank">happiest country in the world</a>”</b>. It’s hard not to be happy with blue skies, warm sunshine, tropical breezes, rainforest, warm surf and soft sand. Sounds pretty good if you are looking out the window at freezing rain, ice, snow and a dark gray sky, doesn’t it?</p><p> </p><p><b>Costa Rica</b> was named <b>“Best Destination in Central/South America”</b> this year in the Readers’ Choice Awards by Travel Weekly magazine. U.S. News & World Report called <b>Costa Rica “the ultimate destination to enjoy a family holiday.”</b> And British newspaper The Guardian named <b>Costa Rica “one of the destinations to visit in 2015”</b>.</p><p> </p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009016068,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="650" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009016068,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009016068?profile=original" /></a>Costa Rica’s famous stunning landscapes</b> of rainforest and gorgeous tropical beaches, along with the country’s culture and <b>relaxed enjoyment of life</b>, feature prominently in the <b>romantic feature film “<a href="http://level33entertainment.com/After_Words.html" target="_blank">After Words</a>,”</b> released in the U.S. in August 2015 and starring Academy Award Winner, Marcia Gay Harden, and Goya Award Winner, Oscar Jaenada.</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast</a> is one <b>popular area to visit</b>. Stretching from the port town of Puntarenas to the surf town of Dominical, the area is known for <b>long sunny beaches</b>, <b>colorful sunsets</b>, <b>national parks</b>, great surf, and excellent tourism services. The Central Pacific also has some of the <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/costa-rica-2/shhh-dont-tell-hidden-paradise-beaches-costa-ricas-central-pacific-coast/" target="_blank">best beaches in Costa Rica</a>. <b>Manuel Antonio Beach</b> was listed No. 2 of the <b>Top 10 Beaches in Central America</b>, and No. 17 of the <b>25 Top Beaches in the World</b> in the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice" target="_blank">2015 TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice Awards</a>.</p><p> </p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008935458,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008935458,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" alt="9008935458?profile=original" /></a>Costa Rica eco-development <a href="http://portasol.cr/en/" target="_blank">Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living</a></b> is exactly where you want to be in <b>Costa Rica’s Central Pacific region</b> – right between the busy <b><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/national-parks.html" target="_blank">Manuel Antonio National Park</a> and beaches</b>, and the popular <b>surf town of</b> <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/nearby-beaches.html" target="_blank">Dominical</a>. Enjoying these attractions is easy from Portasol, and you can retreat back to your <b>private paradise</b> at the end of the day. Three miles away are the <b>beautiful uncrowded beaches</b> <b>of Playa Linda and Playa Matapalo</b>.</p><p> </p><p><strong><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/lodging/costa-rica-vacation-homes-for-rent-casa-de-paz.html" target="_blank">Luxury Costa Rica vacation rentals</a></strong> in the exclusive 1,335-acre eco-development are <b>comfortable and affordable</b> – ideal for families, groups of friends and couples. The private community is crisscrossed by rivers, streams, waterfalls, and lush rainforest abundant with a wide variety of wildlife. You can enjoy <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/activities/best-wildlife-tour-in-costa-rica/" target="_blank">unique wildlife tours</a>, mountain biking, hiking and <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/inside-portasol/la-cazuela-park.html" target="_blank">waterfall swimming</a> at Portasol.</p><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009017081,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="650" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009017081,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009017081?profile=original" /></a>There are <b>dozens of daily flights to Costa Rica</b> from the USA and Europe, making Costa Rica a top vacation destination. Contact <b>Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living eco-community</b> for an <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/news-blog/183-why-choose-portasol-for-your-costa-rica-vacation-destination.html" target="_blank">unforgettable vacation</a> in one of their <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/lodging/costa-rica-rainforest-vacation-rental-bungalows.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica vacation rentals</a>.</p><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009017270,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009017270,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" alt="9009017270?profile=original" /></a><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location.html" target="_blank">Getting to Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living</a></p><p>From San José to Portasol, the driving distance is 131 miles (211 kilometers) via Jaco and Quepos (approximately 2.5 hours). You can fly from San José to Quepos (20-minute flight) on either Nature Air or Sansa Airlines; from there, it is 18 miles (29 kilometers) to Portasol. Dominical is only 11 miles (18 kilometers) from Portasol.</p><p><b><i> </i></b></p><p><b><i>Article by Shannon Farley</i></b></p></div>What if you left stressful living and escaped to a tropical paradise?https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/what-if-you-left-stressful-living-and-escaped-to-a-tropical2015-10-16T22:40:18.000Z2015-10-16T22:40:18.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008997471,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008997471,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" alt="9008997471?profile=original" /></a>Have you ever been driving down the highway in totally stop-and-go rush hour traffic, and thought, “Why the <i>(bleep)</i> am I doing this?”</p><p>It just took 10 minutes to go 2 miles. And this is nothing unusual. It’s every day – to work, home from work ….</p><p>Know what I’m talking about?</p><p>You have deadlines to meet, things that have to get done, places to be, and you’re already late. There’s that question that nags at you, subtly, persistently … “Is my life worth this stress?”</p><p>Then you think: <strong>“What if I just chucked it all and escaped to some tropical paradise?”</strong></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008998266,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="650" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008998266,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008998266?profile=original" /></a>A lot of people would say, yes, I’m out of here! There’s a reason the online <a href="http://internationalliving.com/" target="_blank">International Living magazine</a> is so popular.</p><p>The country of <b>Costa Rica has been targeting overworked and overstressed Americans</b> for the past year with its tourism campaign <b>“<a href="http://www.savetheamericans.org/" target="_blank">Save the Americans</a>”</b>, a spin-off of saving animals. A funny <b>advertising video of Costa Rican animals</b> singing to save humans aired on U.S. television and in movie theaters, and billboard ads appeared in subways and on busy urban streets. <b>In Los Angeles last month</b>, <b>huge banners featuring Costa Rican sloths</b> with phrases like “Cubicle. Cage. What’s the difference?” and “Follow me to freedom”, were hung outside windows of tall office buildings to get the attention of workers “trapped” inside.</p><p><br /> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YM4kdy39ZIY?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><p>“Save the Americans was created by the animals of Costa Rica to help save overworked Americans. Forced to work long hours in stressful environments, increasingly estranged from their natural habitat, the American worker grows more endangered every day. As resident animals of Costa Rica, we happily offer our country as sanctuary,” states the Costa Rican Tourism Board’s website.</p><p>The recently released <strong><a href="http://level33entertainment.com/After_Words.html" target="_blank">Hollywood movie “After Words”</a></strong><strong>, that was</strong> <strong>filmed in Costa Rica</strong><strong>, also explores leaving city stress for a tropical vacation destination.</strong></p><p><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008998883,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="650" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008998883,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008998883?profile=original" /></a>In “<a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/costa-rica-2/after-words-movie-filmed-at-portasol-living-in-costa-rica/" target="_blank">After Words</a>” (released Aug. 21, 2015),</strong> Oscar- and Tony-winning actress <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001315/" target="_blank">Marcia Gay Harden</a> (known for her roles in the films Fifty Shades of Grey and Mystic River) portrays a highly introverted librarian, Jane, who loses her job in Los Angeles due to budget cuts. While Jane slides into depression and considers suicide, she finds a book about Costa Rica whose images inspire her to take an end-of-life-journey to “see something beautiful before she dies”. In Costa Rica, she meets a charismatic young tour guide named Juan, played by Spanish actor <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1049982/" target="_blank">Oscar Jaenada Catalan</a>, who won a Goya Award for his role in “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” (2011) and also starred in “Cantinflas” (2014). Together, they embark on an adventure around the many sights of Costa Rica, and eventually fall in love. Whether Jane “ends it all” in paradise or not is a surprise ending.</p><p><br /> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HZF1X_mYl80?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><p>Written by Joel Silverman and produced and directed by Juan Feldman, the romantic drama reflects on the <b>stresses of city living in the USA</b> and the search for freedom of spirit and a <b>better lifestyle in another country</b>.</p><p>“The film is really positive about Costa Rica. As a matter of fact, it ties in with the Costa Rican Tourism Board’s campaign of ‘Save the Americans’, all about <b>working too much and not enjoying life</b>,” commented Guillermo Piedra Gonzalez, general director of <b>Costa Rica eco-development</b> <a href="http://portasol.cr/en/" target="_blank">Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living</a>, where “After Words” filmed part of the movie.</p><p>“After Words” was filmed mostly in Costa Rica at Portasol Living, on the Pacific Coast at Manuel Antonio, and on the Caribbean Coast.</p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008998697,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008998697,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" alt="9008998697?profile=original" /></a>Moving to Costa Rica</b></p><p>Costa Rica is a really popular destination both for retirees and people looking for a calmer, quieter, less stressful lifestyle. According to the <b><a href="http://internationalliving.com/2015/01/the-best-places-to-retire-2015/" target="_blank">2015 International Living Retirement Index</a>,</b> Costa Rica is one of the <b>top five</b> <b>best places in the world to retire.</b> Younger people, many with families, are moving to the Central American country for more freedom, lower living expenses and less stress.</p><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008936271,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008936271,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" alt="9008936271?profile=original" /></a>A lot of people who are not quite ready to leave the U.S. just yet <b><a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/destinations/want-unique-eco-community-costa-rica-property-investment/" target="_blank">invest in real estate in Costa Rica</a> for vacation homes</b> or <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/news-blog/183-why-choose-portasol-for-your-costa-rica-vacation-destination.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica vacation rentals</a>.</p><p>A good place for <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/properties/costa-rica-property-management.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica property investment</a> is <b><a href="http://portasol.cr/en/" target="_blank">Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living</a>.</b> Located on 1,335 acres of <b>pure rainforest on <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/project-location.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast</a></b>, Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living is close to the renowned <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/national-parks.html" target="_blank">Manuel Antonio National Park</a> and beaches, the popular surf town of <b>Dominical</b>, and remarkable <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/news-blog/198-costa-rica-whale-dolphin-festival-2015-starts-in-september.html" target="_blank">whale-watching</a> in the <b>Ballena Marine National Park</b>. Ten minutes away are <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/news-blog/170-discover-portasol-s-hidden-beach-playa-linda.html" target="_blank">beautiful unpopulated tropical beaches</a>.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963452,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="650" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963452,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008963452?profile=original" /></a>You can live at the <b>unique, <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/community/responsability.html" target="_blank">sustainable eco-community</a></b> – either buying one of their <b><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/ocean-view-home-for-sale-in-costa-rica-real-estate.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica homes for sale</a>,</b> or a <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/properties/costa-rica-land-for-sale.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica property for sale</a> and build your own dream home.</p><p>Not looking to invest, but definitely <b>need to get away from it all on vacation</b>? Portasol offers <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/lodging/costa-rica-vacation-homes-for-rent-casa-de-paz.html" target="_blank">vacation accommodation in Costa Rica</a> in rainforest bungalows or vacation home rentals.</p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/portasol/" target="_blank">Contact Portasol</a> for your escape to unstressed life.</p><p><b><i><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008909093,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008909093,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="600" alt="9008909093?profile=original" /></a>Article by Shannon Farley</i></b></p></div>Live permanently on vacation in Costa Ricahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/live-permanently-on-vacation-in-costa-rica2015-07-25T22:12:11.000Z2015-07-25T22:12:11.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9296602888,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9296602888,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9296602888?profile=original" /></a>You’ve been to <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/news-blog/183-why-choose-portasol-for-your-costa-rica-vacation-destination.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica on vacation</a>, and you’ve thought: <b>“Wouldn’t it</b> <b>be great to live there?”</b> Or, <b>invest in a vacation home</b> that you can rent out and visit frequently?</p><p>Besides being one of the <b>top five</b> <b>best places in the world to retire</b> according to the <a href="http://internationalliving.com/2015/01/the-best-places-to-retire-2015/" target="_blank">2015 International Living Retirement Index</a>, a lot of people from other countries <b><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/properties/costa-rica-property-management.html" target="_blank">invest in real estate in Costa Rica</a> for <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/where-to-stay/new-costa-rica-vacation-home-in-portasol-living-eco-community/" target="_blank">vacation homes and rentals</a></b>.</p><p>But where do you start to <b>look for <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/ocean-view-home-for-sale-in-costa-rica-real-estate.html" target="_blank">property in Costa Rica</a></b>?</p><p><b>Location is most important</b>. Two of the <b>main attractions of Costa Rica are the rainforest and its beaches</b>. <b>If you’re a nature lover and sustainability and being environmental are important to you, keep reading</b>. There’s an <b><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/news-blog/124-portasol-stars-as-a-model-eco-community-in-latin-america.html" target="_blank">extraordinary eco-development</a> on </b><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/project-location.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast</a> that’s perfect for you.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008907887,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008907887,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008907887?profile=original" /></a></p><p><strong><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://portasol.cr/en/" target="_blank">Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living</a></span></strong></p><p>Set on <b>1,335 acres of pure rainforest along the coast</b>, Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living is a <b>unique, <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/community/about-portasol.html" target="_blank">sustainable residential eco-community</a></b>. Portasol’s location is ideal – <b>close to the renowned</b> <b><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/national-parks.html" target="_blank">Manuel Antonio National Park</a> and beaches</b>, the popular <b>surf town of</b> <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/nearby-beaches.html" target="_blank">Dominical</a>, and remarkable <b>whale-watching in the Ballena Marine National Park</b>. Minutes away are the <b>beautiful undiscovered</b> <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/costa-rica-2/shhh-dont-tell-hidden-paradise-beaches-costa-ricas-central-pacific-coast/" target="_blank">tropical beaches of Playa Linda and Playa Matapalo</a>. Rivers and <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/inside-portasol/la-cazuela-park.html" target="_blank">waterfalls</a> flow freely at Portasol making lots of <b>great natural swimming pools</b>. Miles of unobtrusive <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/inside-portasol/flora-fauna.html" target="_blank">hiking and mountain biking trails</a> crisscross the development.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963072,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963072,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008963072?profile=original" /></a>Being a <b>sustainable gated community</b>, <b>Portasol Living protects 83% of its land as green space</b>. Two hundred acres of virgin forest have been set aside as a <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/inside-portasol/bio-reserve.html" target="_blank">private nature reserve</a>, and there is a community regulation that <b>only 15% of each lot may be used for construction</b> and the remaining space preserved naturally.</p><p><b>Portasol Living is being developed in phases</b>. There are <b>currently 56 lots developed</b> with a <b>total of 180 planned</b>. At present, there are <b>seven new properties available for sale</b> and <b>11 lots available for re-sale</b>, ranging in size from 1.2 acres up to 11 acres at prices ranging from $46,000 to $300,000. <strong>S</strong><b>ix houses have been built</b> so far in the development; <b>four are used as <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/lodging/costa-rica-vacation-homes-for-rent-casa-de-paz.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica vacation home rentals</a>;</b> <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/ocean-view-home-for-sale-in-costa-rica-real-estate.html" target="_blank">two are for sale</a>. Property owners come from all over the world.</p><p>Lots are positioned <b>between 250 and 1,800 feet above sea level on mountain terrain</b> covered with forest; <b>each has road access, water, satellite TV, telephone and electricity</b> supplied to the property line. Features include: <b>ocean and mountain views</b>, mature rainforest, river or creek boundaries, and access to trails and public areas. <b>Portasol Living offers financing options</b> for land purchases and home construction, and can assist with architects and building contractors.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008979491,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008979491,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008979491?profile=original" /></a> </p><p><span class="font-size-3"><b>What do people say about Portasol Living?</b></span></p><p>“I first visited Costa Rica in 1998 and fell in love with the people, the climate, and the nature and its beauty,” commented Portasol property owner, Barrett Klutts of North Carolina, USA. “After looking for a place to call home in an extensive search in 2006, I found <b>Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living,</b> <b>located in the most beautiful and best climate part of the country</b>.”</p><p>Klutts, who owns Klutts Property Management, a large residential property management company in Charlotte, North Carolina, <b>bought a property in Portasol Living and built his dream retirement home</b> – <strong><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/lodging/costa-rica-vacation-homes-for-rent-monos-locos.html" target="_blank">Casa Monos Locos</a></strong> (“Crazy Monkeys House”). He uses the fabulous house in the rainforest with ocean views for a very <b>popular vacation home rental</b>, until he is ready to retire.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008980253,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008980253,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008980253?profile=original" /></a>Thomas Paul, of Connecticut, USA, owns several investment properties in the Manuel Antonio area of Costa Rica, and runs the management company of the Tulemar Resort. <b><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/community/responsability.html" target="_blank">Portasol Living’s commitment to sustainability</a> and land protection</b> are what attracted him last year to buy and remodel the <b>luxury vacation home, <a href="http://casapazcr.com/" target="_blank">Casa de Paz</a></b> (“Peace House”).</p><p>“<b>I really liked the whole concept behind Portasol</b> – the extent of the acreage and the amount that will remain jungle, and the size of the properties themselves. Also very important to me is the fact it is a gated community and is very secure. <b>Portasol is environmentally unique within Costa Rica</b> and is unlikely to be duplicated,” said Paul.</p><p>“We offer a unique, real Costa Rican ambience – both cultural and environmental. It is a place of total peace in a strategic location,” summed up Portasol CEO, Guillermo Piedra Gonzalez.<br /> <br /> <b>Come to Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living on vacation</b> and explore the eco-development’s many <b>Costa Rica properties for sale</b>.</p><p><span class="font-size-3"><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963874,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963874,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008963874?profile=original" /></a>Property Services at Portasol Living</strong></span></p><ul><li><strong>Water</strong>: Numerous springs and ground water at Portasol guarantee an abundance of fresh, potable water.</li><li><strong>Electricity</strong>: Residents have 110 and 220 volts available to the property line.</li><li><strong>Security</strong>: Access to Portasol is controlled by a private gate and 24-hour security personnel.</li><li><strong>Telephone</strong>: Land lines are available on most of the lots; mobile phones have reception throughout most areas of Portasol.</li><li><strong>Internet</strong> Wi-Fi is available.</li><li><strong>TV</strong>: Satellite dish technology is available.</li><li><strong>Garbage collection</strong>: Living regulations call for recycling and garbage collection on a fee basis.</li><li><strong>Roads</strong> in the developed areas are graveled and well-maintained.</li><li><strong>Rain drainage</strong>: The community is integrated with the natural terrain. Engineered planning and construction has created a very successful system of culverts and ditches, making the hydrologic environmental impact very low.</li><li><strong>Sewage water disposition</strong>: Portasol has a carefully designed system of septic tanks to be implemented by property owners in their construction.</li></ul><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963452,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963452,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008963452?profile=original" /></a></p></div>Make this eco-community your next Costa Rica vacation destinationhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/make-this-eco-community-your-next-costa-rica-vacation-destination2015-05-27T01:27:14.000Z2015-05-27T01:27:14.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008962291,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008962291,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" alt="9008962291?profile=original" /></a>People in other countries <b>pay big money for audio programs like this</b>, while <b>here at <a href="http://portasol.cr/en/" target="_blank">Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living eco-community</a></b> <b>it’s real</b>. The <b>sounds of the</b> <b><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/inside-portasol/flora-fauna.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica rainforest</a>:</b> crickets chirping, big bullfrogs burping and booming, Common Tink Frogs “tinking”, myriads of other insects whirring, and the Portalón River bubbling over stones and boulders.</p><p> </p><p>I returned to <b>Portasol Living eco-community</b> on <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast</a> a couple of months ago for a much-needed weekend getaway. Set on <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/inside-portasol/bio-reserve.html" target="_blank">1,300 acres of beautiful rainforest</a> along the narrow Portalón River Valley, <b>Portasol is a </b><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/community.html" target="_blank">residential eco-community</a> <b>that also has</b> <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/lodging.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica vacation rentals</a>.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9296599665,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="650" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9296599665,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9296599665?profile=original" /></a></p><p>I love enjoying a few days of <b>jungle living at Portasol</b> – hiking rainforest trails, swimming under <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/activities/try-airbrady-jump-costa-rica-waterfalls/" target="_blank">waterfalls</a>, being visited by a band of raccoons at night, and maybe a coati or two in the morning. Sleeping in one of the <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/lodging/costa-rica-rainforest-vacation-rental-bungalows.html" target="_blank">Rainforest Bungalows</a> to the sounds of the rainforest is the best. And while I am thankful the rainforest is right there, I also am grateful that I can <b>relax in a nice, clean, critter-free room</b> with soft beds, a hot water shower, and a coffeemaker.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963072,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963072,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" alt="9008963072?profile=original" /></a> </p><p><b>Why choose Portasol for your Costa Rica vacation destination?</b></p><p> </p><p>Portasol is <b>exactly where you want to be in Costa Rica’s Central Pacific region</b> – right between the busy <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/national-parks.html" target="_blank">Manuel Antonio beaches and national park</a>, and the popular <b>surf town of <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/nearby-beaches.html" target="_blank">Dominical</a> and the Ballena Marine National Park</b>. You are close enough to easily visit, but out of the crowds. Less than 15 minutes away are the <b>beautiful uncrowded</b> <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/costa-rica-2/shhh-dont-tell-hidden-paradise-beaches-costa-ricas-central-pacific-coast/" target="_blank">beaches of Playa Linda and Playa Matapalo</a>. Stay the weekend for a little R&R, or use Portasol as your vacation home-base to explore the area’s many attractions.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963452,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="650" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963452,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008963452?profile=original" /></a></p><p>“<b>The location is really good</b> if you want to have an <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/inside-portasol/tours.html" target="_blank">active vacation</a> – go to the national parks, to the beach, go whale watching, go on tours – and it is really good if you want a <b>relaxing vacation to stay in nature</b>. <b>Portasol really appeals to any kind of traveler</b>,” remarked Katie Widdowson of Costa Rica. For her, it is a chance to get away from the city of San Jose to relax, breathe fresh air, and enjoy <b>long weekends with friends</b>.</p><p> </p><p>“I picked <b>Portasol because it is mountains and beach</b>, and it is also close to Quepos and Manuel Antonio,” commented Jan Yatsko of Pennsylvania, who lives in Costa Rica. “You can visit the national park, but you’re not in the hubbub; you’re in <b>peace and quiet</b>. I really like the waterfall, and we enjoyed that.”</p><p> </p><p>“This is the <b>perfect hideaway, tranquil and beautiful</b>,” wrote a traveler from New Zealand on TripAdvisor, who stayed at Portasol earlier this year. “<b>Portasol was much more than I expected</b>. The views are breathtaking,” wrote another guest who stayed in 2014.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963853,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963853,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="638" alt="9008963853?profile=original" /></a></p><p>“We stayed there three nights, this January, my family loved the quietness of the place, right in the middle of the forest and yet great access to the beach and nearby restaurants, very comfortable rooms, beautiful style and spacious<b>. I couldn't have made a better choice</b>,” wrote a traveler from Texas who stayed at Portasol in January 2015.</p><p> </p><p>South African couple Gary Kritzinger and Shayne Mrazek <b>rented Portasol vacation home <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/lodging/costa-rica-vacation-homes-for-rent-monos-locos.html" target="_blank">Casa Monos Locos</a> for a year</b>, in preparation for building on their home site purchased at Portasol. “Portasol has a unique environment. There are not too many people around, but at the same time it is close to all of the necessities. It’s a <b>wild and natural getaway</b>.”</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963874,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963874,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" alt="9008963874?profile=original" /></a></p><p><b>Costa Rica</b> is one of the <b>hottest destinations for 2015</b> and there are <b>dozens of <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/costa-rica-2/travel-to-costa-rica-easily-with-dozens-of-daily-flights/" target="_blank">daily flights to Costa Rica</a></b>. <b><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/contac-us.html" target="_blank">Contact Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living</a> eco-community</b> for an <b>unforgettable vacation</b> in one of their <b>Costa Rica vacation rentals</b>.</p><p> </p><p><b><i>Article by Shannon Farley</i></b></p></div>Keeping a Healthy Lifestyle on the Big Islandhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/keeping-a-healthy-lifestyle-on-the-big-island2018-02-28T06:52:08.000Z2018-02-28T06:52:08.000ZLeo Aranashttps://tripatini.com/members/LeoAranas<div><p>With a culture and an environment that promotes wellness, oneness with nature, harmony, and love of community, Big Island, Hawaii is the best place for pursuing a healthy lifestyle.</p><p>Here, residents can find a lot of opportunities to grow and nourish their mind and body.Together with their family and friends, they can take on different recreational activities that abound in any of its neighborhoods, and some of them are as follows:</p><p>Golf, spa, and watersports in Hualalai. The best golf, spa, and watersports amenities are the trademarks of the Hualalai Resort. Available exclusively to Hualalai Club members is the Jack Nicklaus course, while Hualalai real estate property owners have direct access to the newer Tom Weiskopf golf course, the Canoe Club, and the brand new Ke’olu Clubhouse. The community also features eight tennis courts, two gyms with state-of-the-art equipment, a lap pool, and a world-class spa. After a tiring day, residents can then savor healthy seafood choices in some of Big Island’s best restaurants, including the Beach Tree Bar and Grill and The Hualalai Grille by Alan Wong.</p><p>Kuki’o Outdoor Pursuits. Kukio, the crown jewel of the Kona Coast, is the first private golf and beach club of Hawaii. It offers not only stunning oceanfront views, but also a unique Hawaiian experience through its exclusive Outdoor Pursuits and Mauka Fitness programs. Some of the most popular activities are outrigger canoe sailing and paddling, swimming with dolphins, bike expeditions, hikes to a black-sand beach, surfing, and ocean and land fitness training. The program is also known for offering the only Tom Fazio-designed golf course, which affords guests panoramic views of the coastline. For relaxation and pampering, the Beach Club is also home to a beautiful bar and indoor/outdoor spa.</p><p>Surf and sun at Kohanaiki. Dubbed the beach lover’s paradise, Kohanaiki boasts of about 1.5 miles of pristine beachfront and the world-famous sport fishing grounds of “Ono Lane.” Here, members can enjoy surfing, scuba dividing, and deep-sea fishing. To take physical wellness to the next level, members should not miss the unique cross-training course called “Kohanaiki Fit” designed by Tracy Lee, which features a series of challenges to sculpt and tone the body. After a day of running, stretching, and moving around, people can easily unwind at the luxurious Shay Zak-designed beach club.</p><p>A stroll at the <a href="https://www.luxurybigisland.com/areas/waikoloa-resort/" target="_blank">Waikoloa Resort</a>. The Big Island also has the perfect spots for those who simply want to stroll, play, and relax. Built to capture the beauty of the Anaeho’omalu Bay, the Waikoloa Resort features two championship golf courses, historic sites, topnotch spas, and the King’s and Queen’s shops for dining and entertainment.</p><p>Get in touch with us today, if you are in search of a community that values wellness and peace of mind, in the beautiful paradise that is Big Island. With the help of our team here at <a href="https://www.luxurybigisland.com/" target="_blank">Luxury Big Island</a>, we will be happy to help you find your home in Hawaii.</p></div>Find your private paradise at this new Costa Rica vacation homehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/find-your-private-paradise-at-this-new-costa-rica-vacation-home2015-04-01T00:18:50.000Z2015-04-01T00:18:50.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9296596654,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9296596654,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9296596654?profile=original" /></a>Time to get away from it all</b>, but you want <b>something different</b> than the usual packed beaches and crowded hotels? What if I told you there was a <b>tropical paradise of rainforest and beach</b> with bright sunny days and warm balmy nights, and you could have it <b>all to yourself</b>? No crowds.</p><p> </p><p>You’d probably think: <i>now hold on, I can’t afford a private island or multi-million dollar hard-to-get-to swanky hideaway.</i> So what if I told you this place is <b>completely affordable, easily accessible, and brand new</b> in the luxury villa rental market? You’d be in, right? Exactly.</p><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008935669,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008935669,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008935669?profile=original" /></a>You can bring your family, your friends or your entourage when you stay at the <b>privately-owned</b> <strong><a href="http://casapazcr.com/" target="_blank">Costa Rica luxury rental villa Casa de Paz</a></strong> – majestically positioned on a hill overlooking the <b>rainforest and the ocean</b> on <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast</a>. The <b><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/lodging/costa-rica-vacation-homes-for-rent-casa-de-paz.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica vacation home</a></b> is located in the very <b>unique socially responsible eco-community</b> <b><a href="http://portasol.cr/en/" target="_blank">Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living</a>.</b> <b>Available to rent all year, it</b> <b>sleeps up to 10 persons.</b></p><p></p><p><b>Costa Rica</b> is one of the <b>hottest destinations for 2015</b> and there are <b>dozens of daily flights to Costa Rica</b> from the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Central and South America. <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/portasol/" target="_blank">Portasol</a> is exactly where you want to be in Costa Rica’s Central Pacific region</b> – right between the beautiful but very busy <strong><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/national-parks.html" target="_blank">Manuel Antonio beaches and national park</a></strong>, and the popular <b>surf town of</b> <strong><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/nearby-beaches.html" target="_blank">Dominical</a></strong>. You are close enough to easily visit in less than an hour’s drive, but out of the hubbub. <b>Less than 15 minutes away are the <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/costa-rica-2/shhh-dont-tell-hidden-paradise-beaches-costa-ricas-central-pacific-coast/" target="_blank">beautiful uncrowded beaches of Playa Linda and Playa Matapalo</a></b>. </p><p></p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008936059,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008936059,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008936059?profile=original" /></a>Portasol is for nature lovers who also are fond of luxury</b>. In their magnificent <b>rainforest,</b> there are <b>trails, lookouts, <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/inside-portasol/la-cazuela-park.html" target="_blank">waterfalls</a>, a beautiful river</b> and lots of <b>great swimming holes</b>.</p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008935898,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008935898,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008935898?profile=original" /></a>The Casa de Paz <a href="http://casapazcr.com/casa-de-paz/" target="_blank">luxury Costa Rica vacation home for rent</a> totals <b>4,000 square feet</b> <b>with</b> <b>three private air-conditioned suites</b> <b>and</b> <b>3.5 baths</b>. There are flat screen TVs with cable and DVD, iPod docking stations, free high-speed wireless internet throughout the house and outdoor pool area, safes in all bedrooms, an office and a Costa Rican cell phone for guests’ use. You can enjoy <b>panoramic jungle views</b> and distant <b>ocean views</b>, an <b>infinity edge pool</b>, and <b>multiple outside decks</b>. <b>Details that make a difference</b> include: bathrobes, bath amenities, hairdryers, yoga mats and a telescope for wildlife spotting and stargazing.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008936271,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008936271,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008936271?profile=original" /></a></p><p><strong><a href="http://portasol.cr/en/" target="_blank">Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living eco-community</a></strong></p><p></p><p>The <b>one-of-a-kind <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/community.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica sustainable community</a></b> offers <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/properties.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica property for sale</a> and <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/lodging.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica vacation home rentals</a>.</p><p><b> </b></p><p><b><i>Article by <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+ShannonFarley/posts" target="_blank">Shannon Farley</a><br /></i></b></p></div>See the whales in Costa Rica in September and Octoberhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/see-the-whales-in-costa-rica-in-september-and-october2015-09-20T23:46:21.000Z2015-09-20T23:46:21.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009009653,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="650" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009009653,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009009653?profile=original" /></a>It is once again time for <b>whale watching in Costa Rica</b>!</p><p>The <b>2015 whale-watching season in Costa Rica</b> gets going every year in August and September in southern Costa Rica. In Uvita Beach, there is a <a href="http://www.festivaldeballenasydelfines.com/" target="_blank">Festival of Whales & Dolphins</a> every year in September. The annual festival marks the <b>peak of the annual migration of southern Pacific Humpback Whales to the <a href="http://www.costarica-nationalparks.com/ballenanationalmarinepark.html" target="_blank">Ballena National Marine Park</a> in Costa Rica</b>. </p><p>Less than an hour north of the Ballena National Marine Park, <a href="http://portasol.cr/en/" target="_blank">Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living</a> <b>eco-community</b> is offering a <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/activities/tours/190-whale-and-dolphin-watching.html" target="_blank">special promotion</a> during <b>Costa Rica whale watching season 2015</b>. Stay two nights at the <b>Costa Rica sustainable community</b>, with full breakfast included, and receive a <b>whale-watching tour for two persons with transportation</b> from Portasol to the Ballena National Marine Park. The tour also includes snorkeling and a visit to the Ventanas sea caves.</p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009009689,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="650" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009009689,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009009689?profile=original" /></a>Costa Rica provides an important</b> <b>sanctuary for <a href="http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/whales/species/Humpbackwhale.shtml" target="_blank">endangered humpback whales</a></b> to breed and give birth. Southern Pacific humpback whales swim north from Antarctica as far as Costa Rica to the warm tropical waters of Golfo Dulce and the southern Pacific coast from <b>August to October</b>. Then later from <b>December to April,</b> northern Pacific humpback whales swim thousands of miles from Alaska to the shallow coastal waters of the <b>Ballena National Marine Park in southern Costa Rica</b>.</p><p>The Ballena (“whale”) National Marine Park covers 272 acres (110 hectares) of land and 13,280 acres (5,375 hectares) of ocean. It was created in 1989 as the <b>first marine park in Latin America,</b> and is a <b>vital refuge for marine life</b>, including pilot whales, false orca whales, sea turtles, and Pacific Spotted, Common and Bottlenose dolphins. The Ballena National Marine Park is <b>famous for its sandbar isthmus</b> formed perfectly into the <b>shape of a large whale’s tail</b>.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009010260,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009010260,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="525" alt="9009010260?profile=original" /></a>Biologists consider the protected area of the national park <b>a perfect spot between the northern and southern hemispheres for marine life</b> because it is located in what is known as the <b><a href="http://www.ipsnews.net/2014/10/protecting-biodiversity-in-costa-ricas-thermal-convection-dome-in-the-pacific/" target="_blank">Costa Rica Thermal Convection Dome</a>.</b> This large “bubble” of shallow, oxygen-rich warm water layered over the top of colder water with less oxygen creates an ideal habitat for marine life.</p><p> </p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963874,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963874,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" alt="9008963874?profile=original" /></a>About</b> <a href="http://portasol.cr/en/" target="_blank">Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living</a></p><p>Looking to <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/destinations/want-unique-eco-community-costa-rica-property-investment/" target="_blank">invest in real estate in Costa Rica</a> or enjoy a <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/news-blog/183-why-choose-portasol-for-your-costa-rica-vacation-destination.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica vacation rental</a> for your holiday? Visit the <b>unique eco-development of Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living</b> that appears in the new <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/news-blog/196-portasol-stars-in-new-hollywood-movie-after-words.html" target="_blank">Hollywood movie “After Words”</a>, with Marcia Gay Harden and Oscar Jaenada, that was filmed in Costa Rica.</p><p>Set on <b>1,335 acres</b> of pure wildlife-rich <b>rainforest on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast</b>, Portasol’s location is ideal – between <b>Manuel Antonio National Park</b> and <b>the Ballena National Marine Park.</b> Portasol is close to uncrowded tropical beaches and top whitewater rafting rivers. Offering <b>Costa Rica property for sale</b> and unique <b>Costa Rica</b> <b>vacation rentals</b>, Portasol is a perfect place to stay while you explore the southern Pacific region of Costa Rica.</p><p> </p><p><b><i>Article by Shannon Farley</i></b></p></div>PBS to feature baby sloths in Costa Rica on Nature programhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/pbs-to-feature-baby-sloths-in-costa-rica-on-nature-program2015-09-21T23:33:16.000Z2015-09-21T23:33:16.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009000888,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009000888,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" alt="9009000888?profile=original" /></a>The cute and cuddly sloths of Costa Rica</b> will once again feature in <b>international television and online programming</b>. The award-winning production <strong><a href="http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/" target="_blank">Nature</a></strong> will air a two-part program called <strong><a href="http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/natures-miracle-orphans/12712/" target="_blank">Nature’s Miracle Orphans</a></strong> <b>on PBS on September 23 and 30, 2015 at 8:00 p.m. (ET).</b> After each broadcast, the episode will be available for online streaming at <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/" target="_blank">pbs.org/nature</a>. <em><b>Nature</b></em> is a production of THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET. <em><b>Nature’s Miracle Orphans</b></em> is a BBC Production. The series has been consistently among the most-watched primetime series on public television in the USA.</p><p> </p><p>The show tells the story of <b>orphaned baby sloths</b> at <strong><a href="http://www.theslothinstitutecostarica.org/" target="_blank">The Sloth Institute Costa Rica</a></strong> (SICR) in Manuel Antonio, run by Sam Trull, who is “<strong>dedicated to helping one of the most charismatic animals in Costa Rica, the sloth.” The Sloth Institute collaborates with the nonprofit organization <a href="http://kidssavingtherainforest.org/" target="_blank">Kids Saving the Rainforest</a> in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theslothinstitutecostarica" target="_blank">sloth rescue, rehabilitation and release</a>.</strong></p><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009001464,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009001464,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="680" alt="9009001464?profile=original" /></a>n the episodes, storylines follow <b>“Newbie”, a baby three-toed female sloth</b> that has been battling pneumonia since her rescue, a condition Trull thinks may have been triggered by the stress of losing her mother. “In the wild, Newbie would have spent nine months clinging to her mother for comfort and security, feeding on her milk and learning what to eat. The tasks of feeding Newbie and showing her what foods to eat now fall to Trull as surrogate mother,” show information explains. Another sloth in the limelight is <b>“Pelota”, a two-toed female sloth</b> that Trull is preparing to release back into the wild, and so must teach her to climb, swim, and spend nights outside alone.</p><p> </p><p>The PBS documentary <em><b>Nature’s Miracle Orphans</b></em> <em><b>also</b></em> <b>follows the stories of koalas, wallabies, kangaroos and fruit bats in Australia</b> as they cope with survival without parents, and learning the life skills needed to survive back in the wild from their rescuers.</p><p> </p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009001299,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009001299,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" alt="9009001299?profile=original" /></a>Sloths in Costa Rica have become famous</b>, and are one of the most sought-after animals to see by travelers visiting Costa Rica. <b>Animal Planet</b> featured rescued sloths at the <b><a href="http://www.slothsanctuary.com/" target="_blank">Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica</a>,</b> on the southern Caribbean Coast, in several shows in 2014 – <b>“Meet</b> <b>the Sloths”</b> and <b>“Sloth Week”</b>. The <a href="http://www.visitcostarica.com/ict/paginas/home.asp?ididioma=2" target="_blank">Costa Rica Tourism Board</a> also promotes sloths in its tourism campaigns to Costa Rica.</p><p> </p><p><b>See sloths in the wild in Costa Rica</b></p><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009002081,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009002081,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" alt="9009002081?profile=original" /></a>The <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/inside-portasol/bio-reserve.html" target="_blank">private rainforest reserve</a> and 1,335 acres of protected land at <a href="http://portasol.cr/en/" target="_blank">Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living</a> <b>eco-development</b>, just south of Manuel Antonio, is a <b>great place to see <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/inside-portasol/flora-fauna.html" target="_blank">sloths in the Costa Rica jungle</a></b>.</p><p> </p><p>Portasol has <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/lodging/costa-rica-rainforest-vacation-rental-bungalows.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica vacation rentals</a> and <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/destinations/want-unique-eco-community-costa-rica-property-investment/" target="_blank">Costa Rica property for sale</a> in a <b>sustainable community</b>. You can stay on the rainforest property for a vacation and enjoy <b>Portasol’s trails and waterfalls</b>, or take a <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/activities/best-wildlife-tour-in-costa-rica/" target="_blank">wildlife day tour</a> with <a href="http://bushmastercostaricatours.com/" target="_blank">Bushmaster Adventures</a>.</p><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009001887,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009001887,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="487" alt="9009001887?profile=original" /></a>Portasol’s location is ideal – between <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/national-parks.html" target="_blank">Manuel Antonio National Park</a> and <b>the <a href="http://www.costarica-nationalparks.com/ballenanationalmarinepark.html" target="_blank">Ballena National Marine Park</a></b> on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast. The <b>beautiful uncrowded </b><a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/costa-rica-2/shhh-dont-tell-hidden-paradise-beaches-costa-ricas-central-pacific-coast/" target="_blank">beaches of Playa Linda and Playa Matapalo</a> are a few miles away. <b>Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living</b> appears in the new 2015 <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/costa-rica-2/after-words-movie-filmed-at-portasol-living-in-costa-rica/" target="_blank">Hollywood movie After Words</a>, with Marcia Gay Harden and Oscar Jaenada that was filmed in Costa Rica.</p><p> </p><p><b><i>Article by Shannon Farley</i></b></p></div>Costa Rica's best adventure tour to see wildlife in the Central Pacific regionhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/costa-rica-s-best-adventure-tour-to-see-wildlife-in-the-central2015-06-12T22:47:46.000Z2015-06-12T22:47:46.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008968272,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008968272,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008968272?profile=original" /></a>If you love the idea of <b>roaming through a rainforest</b> looking for monkeys, snakes, exotic birds and wild cats, then this <b>Costa Rica nature adventure tour</b> is for you.</p><p> </p><p>On your next <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/costa-rica-2/next-costa-rica-vacation-destination-portasol-living-eco-community/" target="_blank">Costa Rica vacation</a>, you should go on the <strong><a href="http://bushmastercostaricatours.com/" target="_blank">Bushmaster Adventures rainforest wildlife tour</a></strong>. This is one of your <b>best bets in the <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location.html" target="_blank">Central Pacific region of Costa Rica</a> to see an incredibly diverse array of wildlife</b>.</p><p> </p><p>Private or group guided tours visit the <b>coastal rainforest</b> at <a href="http://portasol.cr/en/" target="_blank">Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living</a>, located between <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/national-parks.html" target="_blank">Manuel Antonio National Park</a> and the <b>surf town of</b> <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/nearby-beaches.html" target="_blank">Dominical</a>. <a href="http://bushmastercostaricatours.com/tours/" target="_blank">Tours by Bushmaster Adventures</a> also are available from Dominical to the Osa Peninsula and Golfo Dulce.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008968478,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008968478,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008968478?profile=original" /></a></p><p>Portasol is a <strong><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/community.html" target="_blank">residential eco-community</a></strong> that has <b><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/lodging.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica vacation rentals</a>,</b> set on <b>1,300 acres of pure rainforest</b> a few miles from the <b>beautiful uncrowded</b> <strong><a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/costa-rica-2/shhh-dont-tell-hidden-paradise-beaches-costa-ricas-central-pacific-coast/" target="_blank">beaches of Playa Linda and Playa Matapalo</a></strong>. The sustainable community’s property spreads up the narrow Portalón River Valley to high ridges of primary rainforest that are protected in <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/inside-portasol/bio-reserve.html" target="_blank">Portasol’s private biological reserve</a>. An incredible range of plant and animal species live in the area.</p><p> </p><p>“<b>There is an abundance of <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/inside-portasol/flora-fauna.html" target="_blank">biodiversity in Portasol</a></b>. It is one of the <b>best areas in the whole Central Pacific from Manuel Antonio to Dominical to see wildlife</b>,” said Bushmaster Adventures owner and naturalist guide, Gary Kritzinger. “It’s really old forest and I’ve had great luck at finding lots of different species of animals here.”</p><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008969067,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008969067,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="500" alt="9008969067?profile=original" /></a>You can choose either a <b>day or a night tour</b> that will take you <b>hiking on Portasol’s</b> <b>well-kept trails</b>. On the day hike, Kritzinger said people have good chances to <b>see birds such as</b> <b>hawks, parrots, toucans, tanagers and trogons, along with squirrels, tayras, white-faced and howler monkeys, peccaries, iguanas, coatis, and lots of different kinds of snakes</b>. People can go for a swim in a crystal clear creek halfway through the two to three-hour tour; or Kritzinger said he can extend the tour to visit Portasol’s <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/inside-portasol/la-cazuela-park.html" target="_blank">Cazuela Waterfall</a> area for swimming and more wildlife viewing.</p><p> </p><p><b>The night tour is particularly fascinating</b> since most people don’t usually see what comes to life at night in a rainforest. Kritzinger said he usually spots assorted snakes, spiders, frogs, toads, salamanders, night hawks, owls, agoutis raccoons, and if very lucky an ocelot or an anteater.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008968867,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008968867,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008968867?profile=original" /></a></p><p>The private guided tours cost $65 per person (both the day and night tours). Kritzinger supplies drinks and snacks, and for night tours: headlamps, flashlights and rubber boots. Bushmaster Adventures has never had any incidents but for those who are timid of snakes and want peace of mind, he has snake-protective chaps that you can wear over your pants for protection. <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/bushmasteradventures?fref=ts" target="_blank">Bushmaster Adventures</a> can tailor any tour to suit guests' schedule and interests.</b> Kritzinger is an accomplished nature photographer and is always happy to help people with their photos during his tours.</p><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008969655,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="250" class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008969655,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008969655?profile=original" /></a>Bushmaster Adventures was born out of <a href="http://bushmastercostaricatours.com/about-us/" target="_blank">Kritzinger’s love for nature and wildlife</a>. He <b>traded the concrete jungle of</b> <b>Johannesburg, South Africa for the rainforest jungle of Costa Rica</b> two years ago along with his wife, Shayne Mrazek, and their two dogs and two cats. <b>Kritzinger specializes in herpetology</b> (the study of reptiles and amphibians). He and Mrazek kept 18 snakes in South Africa, and both are certified there for venomous snake handling and snake removal from houses and other establishments.</p><p>“I fell in love with Costa Rica two years ago while on vacation from my home country of South Africa,” explained Kritzinger. “<strong>I chose Costa Rica specifically</strong> as it is well known for being one of the best places in the world to find a wide variety of snakes, birds and other animals. As a child, I always wanted to experience the jungle first-hand, and so with my research, Costa Rica ended up being the perfect place.”</p><p>The couple own <b>four acres of rainforest with ocean views at the sustainable eco-community of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/portasol/" target="_blank">Portasol Living</a></b>; they plan to build a home there. In late 2013, the couple operated an impromptu <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/costa-rica-2/costa-rica-newcomers-jump-into-wildlife-preservation-at-portasol-eco-community/" target="_blank">rescue project for the red-eyed tree frog</a> at Portasol.</p><p> </p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008907887,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008907887,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008907887?profile=original" /></a>Other <a href="http://bushmastercostaricatours.com/tours/" target="_blank">Costa Rica nature and adventure tours</a> offered by Bushmaster Adventures</b> include a mangrove kayaking tour, a cave tour, and a boat tour to see dolphins, whales and sea snakes. Bushmaster Adventures also has <b>longer rainforest expeditions</b> between two and four days.</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/contac-us.html" target="_blank">Contact Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living eco-community</a> or <a href="http://bushmastercostaricatours.com/contact/" target="_blank">Bushmaster Adventures</a> to reserve a tour. Stay for a vacation in one of Portasol’s <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/where-to-stay/new-costa-rica-vacation-home-in-portasol-living-eco-community/" target="_blank">Costa Rica vacation home rentals</a>, or stay forever on your own <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/properties.html" target="_blank">rainforest property in Costa Rica</a>.</p><p> </p><p><b><i>Article by Shannon Farley</i></b></p><p> </p></div>Pack with a purpose when you visit Santa Teresa, Costa Ricahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/pack-with-a-purpose-when-you-visit-santa-teresa-costa-rica2015-04-24T02:12:05.000Z2015-04-24T02:12:05.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008951088,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="250" class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008951088,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008951088?profile=original" /></a>If you are a <a href="http://www.whattowearonholiday.com/en/index.php" target="_blank">Pack Light</a> traveler, you probably often find yourself with extra room in your luggage when you go on vacation. Have you ever thought about using that available luggage space to provide supplies to communities you visit?</p><p> </p><p>The desire to <b>give back or contribute to the place people visit as tourists</b> is a fast-growing movement around the world. <b>Volunteer vacations</b>, or volunteerism, are a very popular way to take a vacation. Another way is to <b>“pack for a purpose”</b> and <b>bring needed school and community supplies</b> to your vacation destination.</p><p> </p><p><b><a href="http://www.pranamarvillas.com/en/" target="_blank">Pranamar Oceanfront Villas & Yoga Retreat</a> in Costa Rica</b> has been cooperating with the program <a href="http://www.packforapurpose.org/" target="_blank">Pack for a Purpose</a>, which connects travelers wanting to make meaningful contributions to help the places they visit and local community-based projects that receive and use the supplies.</p><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008950694,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="250" class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008950694,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008950694?profile=original" /></a>“Every time there is a yoga retreat coming and they ask us if there is a way to help the community, we tell them to <b>make a little space in their luggage and bring colored pencils, scissors, notebooks, coloring books, etc. to donate to the local schools</b>,” commented Tania Bertolo, Concierge at Pranamar Villas.</p><p> </p><p>In 2014, the <a href="http://pranamarvillas.com/en/the-hotel.html" target="_blank">beachfront hotel on Santa Teresa Beach in Costa Rica</a> <b>donated supplies to local schools</b> in the nearby communities of Manzanillo and Montezuma that had been <b>brought by hotel guests as donations</b>.</p><p> </p><p>“We would like to <b>offer to our guests</b> <b>that if they would like to do something to help our community</b>, and they can make a little space in their luggage, to <b>bring supplies for the children</b>. We have this great organization to give the donations to that is working with the children in our community,” said Bertolo.</p><p> </p><p>That organization is the non-profit <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aprendiendo-Unidos/1542192829333490" target="_blank">Aprendiendo Unidos</a> (meaning “Learning Together” in Spanish). Since March 2014, <b>Aprendiendo Unidos has been helping the local children of Santa Teresa and neighboring communities</b> who attend schools that don’t have ample educational resources and school supplies.</p><p> </p><p>Gabriela Medina, Director of Aprendiendo Unidos, said <b>the organization currently helps four schools in the Santa Teresa area</b>: Bello Horizonte in Manzanillo, Mal Pais, and two tiny rural schools of San Fernando and Bajos de Ario.</p><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008951255,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="500" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008951255,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008951255?profile=original" /></a>“We have learned that the <b>public schools are really lacking in books, paper, pens</b> … all the things we take for granted as part of a school’s supply to the students. However, that is not the case in the public schools in Costa Rica,” noted Pranamar Villas’ owner, Susan Money. “<b>We invite our guests to pack a few notebooks, or any school supplies they can fit, into their suitcases</b> for us to distribute to various schools. It sets a tone of appreciation not only from those of us who are residents, but from people all over the world who are able to spend time in this part of the world.”</p><p><br /> “<b>Pranamar will make sure your gifts go directly to the schools</b>, and your kindness will make a difference long after you leave!” Money added.</p><p> </p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008951701,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="250" class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008951701,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008951701?profile=original" /></a>What can you bring or give:</b></p><p><b>Ongoing needs:</b></p><ul><li>School supplies like pencils, notebooks, kids’ scissors, backpacks, etc.</li><li>Art supplies for painting and coloring</li><li>Children’s books in English or Spanish</li><li>Ball caps, sun hats and sunscreen for kids</li><li>Water filters and re-usable water bottles</li><li>Games like puzzles, Scrabble, etc.</li><li>Musical instruments</li><li>Funds to help pay for school uniforms, assist with nutritional support at the schools, upgrade school facilities</li></ul><p> <b>Requests for 2015:<a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008952066,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="200" class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008952066,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008952066?profile=original" /></a></b></p><ul><li>6 First aid kits for the schools</li><li>50 New or gently-used yoga mats to teach kids yoga</li><li>IPod and speakers to use for dance lessons & yoga</li><li>50 Mini-computers or tablets for language lessons, etc.</li></ul><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008923452,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008923452,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008923452?profile=original" /></a><a href="http://www.pranamarvillas.com/en/" target="_blank">Pranamar Oceanfront Villas & Yoga Retreat</a></p><p>On <b><a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/costa-rica-2/santa-teresa-costa-rica-chosen-top-beach-central-america/" target="_blank">award-winning</a> <a href="http://pranamarvillascr.com/en/the-beach.html" target="_blank">Santa Teresa Beach in Costa Rica</a></b>, on the southern Nicoya Peninsula, <b>Pranamar Oceanfront Villas</b> specializes in <strong><a href="http://pranamarvillas.com/en/yoga/yoga-classes-and-retreats.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica yoga retreats</a></strong> and <b><a href="http://pranamarvillas.com/en/packages/surf-yoga-packages.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica surfing vacations</a>,</b> with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pranamaroceanfrontvillas" target="_blank">daily yoga classes</a> for hotel guests and the public.</p><p> </p><p><b><i>Article by Shannon Farley</i></b></p><p> </p></div>Whitewater action in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica at the Chorro River Race 2015https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/whitewater-action-in-manuel-antonio-costa-rica-at-the-chorro2015-02-17T20:12:25.000Z2015-02-17T20:12:25.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><i><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9296595080,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="550" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9296595080,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9296595080?profile=original" /></a>Article by Shannon Farley</i></p><p> </p><p>The exciting, adrenaline-charged <b>whitewater rafting and kayaking competition</b> of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/774231439338040/?ref=br_tf" target="_blank">Chorro Race 2015</a> comes again to <b>Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast</b> on <b>Feb. 21 to 22.</b></p><p> </p><p>The second annual event is organized by the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Asociaci%C3%B3n-de-Aguas-R%C3%A1pidas-y-Aventura-Quepos/665529776822133" target="_blank">Quepos Whitewater and Adventure Association</a> and <b>sponsored by TEVA</b>. The competition in the <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ea8LPuOeTJQ" target="_blank">Chorro Canyon of the Naranjo River</a>,</b> by the <b><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/national-parks.html" target="_blank">Manuel Antonio National Park</a>,</b> will have both <b>whitewater kayaking</b> and <b>four-person team whitewater rafting</b> races and slalom events.</p><p> </p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9296595486,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="400" class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9296595486,original{{/staticFileLink}}" height="242" alt="9296595486?profile=original" /></a>On Feb. 21</b> there will be training sessions on the river and an evening concert at the race campgrounds. <b>The</b> <b>competition runs all day on Feb. 22</b>. The <b>registration fee is $20 per person</b>, which includes overnight camping near the river, transport to/from the river on race day with teams’ equipment, an evening concert on Feb. 21, and an event shirt.</p><p> </p><p><b>The 2014 championship rafting team</b> <b>“Savegre,”</b> led by <b>David Orozco,</b> will <b>defend their champion title in the four-person rafting competition</b>. Team Savegre is <b>sponsored by</b> <b><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/" target="_blank">Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living</a> eco-community</b>, which is located close by, near <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/nearby-beaches.html" target="_blank">Matapalo Beach</a>. Orozco, who formerly worked as a commercial rafting guide on the Naranjo and Savegre rivers, recently joined the team at Portasol.</p><p> </p><p>“We like supporting our community, especially in events for young people that involve sports,” said Portasol CEO Guillermo Piedra, who enjoys rafting. “I love going whitewater rafting. It is so much fun and the best way for me to disconnect from my work, and to relax. I especially like the Savegre River, known as the cleanest in all of Central America. It is so beautiful with nature.”</p><p> </p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008921264,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="400" class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008921264,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008921264?profile=original" /></a>Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living community</b> is one of the <b>best <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/lodging.html" target="_blank">places to stay near Manuel Antonio</a></b> for spectators attending the <b>Chorro Race 2015</b>. The <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/community.html" target="_blank">residential community</a> has <b>comfortable and luxurious <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/lodging.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica vacation rentals</a></b>, and is a <b>short drive from the Naranjo River.</b> Portasol staff can help arrange <b>rafting trips on the Naranjo and Savegre rivers</b> for guests.</p><p><b> </b></p><p><b>A favorite for</b> <b>whitewater rafting in Costa Rica,</b> <b>the Naranjo River</b> flows from the Talamanca Mountains above Quepos and Manuel Antonio, passing through several narrow gorges – like the Chorro – on its way to the Pacific Ocean. <b>Exciting and challenging class III to V rapids make for a fun day of rafting</b>. The nearby <b>Savegre River is another popular whitewater rafting destination</b>, offering <b>easier</b> <b>rafting and fun <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/activities/river-tubing-fun-in-costa-rica/" target="_blank">river tubing trips</a></b> in class II and III rapids.</p><p><br /> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jxcucYA5M1E?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe></p></div>2015 Envision Festival is Coming to Costa Ricahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/2015-envision-festival-is-coming-to-costa-rica2015-01-14T17:37:10.000Z2015-01-14T17:37:10.000ZDanny Solano Alvarezhttps://tripatini.com/members/DannySolanoAlvarez<div><p style="text-align:left;"></p><p style="text-align:left;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008911688,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008911688,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008911688?profile=original" /></a><br />For its fifth year Envision Festival returns to Costa Rica, where thousands of socially conscious people from all over the world gather together to share a magical experience of culture, art, music, yoga, meditation and pure nature.</p><p style="text-align:left;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008912286,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008912286,original{{/staticFileLink}}" height="187" width="270" alt="9008912286?profile=original" /></a>The <a href="http://www.2015.envisionfestival.com/" title="2015 Envision Festival">2015 Envision Festival</a> will be held from <strong>February 26th to March 1st at Rancho La Merced in Uvita, Costa Rica</strong>, next to the <a href="en/location/national-parks.html" title="Marino Ballena National Park">Marino Ballena National Park</a>, famous for its beautiful Whale’s Tail sandbar formation.</p><p style="text-align:left;">The festival is known for its great music performances with an excellent lineup of amazing artists. The building, lighting, sound and ambiance make it a wonderful experience. You can check out the lineup <a href="http://www.2015.envisionfestival.com/index.php/env-experience/music-lineup" title="2015 Envision Festival">here</a>.</p><p style="text-align:left;">It’s also full of art and <a href="http://www.2015.envisionfestival.com/index.php/env-the-village/spoken-workshops" title="2015 Envision Festival"><strong>educational workshops</strong></a> for spiritual activities like yoga and meditation. There are new healthy organic dishes to try and unique handmade products to purchase. There is also a small camp for kids and families.</p><p style="text-align:left;">The whole location is surrounded by stunning natural settings to visit and enjoy.</p><p style="text-align:left;"></p><p style="text-align:left;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008912685,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008912685,original{{/staticFileLink}}" height="326" alt="9008912685?profile=original" /></a></p><table border="0"><tbody><tr><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align:left;">“Our focus on <strong>sustainability, art, sacred movement, culture, education and world music along with the natural majestic beauty of Costa Rica</strong> ensures that Envision is nothing like anyone has ever seen. This is why we live by the phrase 'Vive La Experiencia' or 'Live the Experience'. You just need to experience Envision… there's no other way to put it," says founder Justin Brothers.</p><p style="text-align:left;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008913070,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008913070,original{{/staticFileLink}}" height="305" width="749" alt="9008913070?profile=original" /></a></p><p style="text-align:left;">Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living is just a short drive up the coast to the north. It is located between <strong>Uvita and the Manuel Antonio National Park</strong>, just 10 minutes from the turtle-nesting beach of Matapalo. It has luxury vacation home rentals and tropical bungalows, and also offers <a href="en/properties/lots-for-sale.html" title="Costa Rica Lots for Sale">Costa Rican property for sale</a>.</p><p style="text-align:left;">The <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/" title="Costa Rica Sustainable Community"><strong>Costa Rican sustainable community</strong></a> has private trails in the jungle, rivers and waterfalls with natural pools, comfortable lodging, and spa services. If you would like to attend the Envision Festival, but prefer a more comfortable, calmer stay, this might be the place for you.</p><p style="text-align:left;"><strong>By Maria Laura Charles</strong></p></div>Own a home in a rainforest eco-community in Costa Ricahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/own-a-home-in-a-rainforest-eco-community-in-costa-rica2014-12-14T22:11:04.000Z2014-12-14T22:11:04.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008907887,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="500" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008907887,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008907887?profile=original" /></a>Have you always wanted to <b>live in the rainforest by a tropical beach</b>? Or are you looking for a <b>vacation home in a warm climate</b>? The special eco-community of <b><a href="http://portasol.cr/en/" target="_blank">Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living</a> in Costa Rica</b> is an excellent option.</p><p> </p><p><b>Strategically located on the <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica Central Pacific Coast</a></b> between <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/national-parks.html" target="_blank">Manuel Antonio National Park</a> and <b>Dominical,</b> the beautiful <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/community/responsability.html" target="_blank">sustainable development</a> encompasses <b>1,300 acres</b> of pure rainforest, streams, waterfalls, mountain ridges and sea views along the Portalón River Valley by <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/nearby-beaches.html" target="_blank">Matapalo Beach</a>.</p><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008908261,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="400" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008908261,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008908261?profile=original" /></a>The <b><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/community.html" target="_blank">Portasol eco-community</a> protects 65% of its land in conservation areas,</b> including a <b>200-acre </b><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/inside-portasol/bio-reserve.html" target="_blank">biological reserve.</a> There is a <b>gated entrance with 24-hour security</b>, a well-designed <b>gravel road system</b> with street lighting, a Reception building and dining area, office, a small spa and a <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/inside-portasol/la-cazuela-park.html" target="_blank">community park</a>. There are many <b>waterfalls</b> and <b>natural river swimming holes,</b> and Portasol also provides unique <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/lodging.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica vacation rentals</a>.</p><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008908455,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008908455,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="320" alt="9008908455?profile=original" /></a>Portasol offers <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/properties.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica land for sale</a> with <b>10 new building lots</b> and <b>nine <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/properties/lots-for-sale.html" target="_blank">homesites for resale</a></b>. Homesites vary from <b>jungle hideaways</b>, to being <b>river-side</b>, or with <b>sweeping views of the Pacific Coast</b> and the valley. Spacious lots range from <b>1.3 acres to 11 acres</b>, and in elevation from 250 feet up to 1,800 feet. <b>All lots are ready to build and have utilities services to the property line.</b> The development has a maximum of <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/properties/master-plan.html" target="_blank">180 residential lots planned</a>.</p><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008908272,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="400" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008908272,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008908272?profile=original" /></a>One of Portasol’s most fabulous <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/homes-for-sale-in-costa-rica-at-portasol-community.html" target="_blank">luxury homes is for sale</a>: “Casa Frondosa”, a gorgeous 8,073-square-foot luxury home on a promontory with extensive ocean views, designed by renowned Costa Rican architect Franz Beer Chaverri.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008908095,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="450" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008908095,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008908095?profile=original" /></a><br /> </p><p>As a <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/community.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica sustainable community</a>, Portasol adheres to <b>green development principles</b>. Only 15% of each <b>Costa Rica property for sale</b> can be used for any kind of construction, and the remaining 85% must be conserved in its natural state.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008909093,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="400" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008909093,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008909093?profile=original" /></a> </p><p>If <a href="https://www.facebook.com/portasol/" target="_blank">rainforest living</a> in the tropics appeals to you, <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/contac-us.html" target="_blank">contact Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living</a>.</p><p> </p><p><b>Article by <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+ShannonFarley/posts" target="_blank">Shannon Farley</a><br /></b></p><p> </p></div>Annual festival celebrates sea turtles in Matapalo Costa Ricahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/annual-festival-celebrates-sea-turtles-in-matapalo-costa-rica2014-11-15T22:12:27.000Z2014-11-15T22:12:27.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008893474,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="550" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008893474,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008893474?profile=original" /></a>Celebrate the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB65Vi1HygY&feature=player_embedded" target="_blank">sea turtles of Costa Rica</a> every November at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Festival-de-las-tortugas-matapalo/131638630218439" target="_blank">Matapalo Sea Turtle Festival</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The <b>annual sea turtle festival</b> on <b>Nov. 15 and 16</b> at <b>Matapalo Beach,</b> halfway between <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/national-parks.html" target="_blank">Manuel Antonio National Park</a> and Dominical on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast, celebrates the <a href="http://www.asvocr.org/english/matapalo/index.php" target="_blank">Matapalo Sea Turtle Conservation Project</a> and <b>hatching of baby sea turtles</b>. This year’s festival celebrates the <b>project’s 25<sup>th</sup> anniversary</b>.</p><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008893501,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="300" class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008893501,original{{/staticFileLink}}" height="191" alt="9008893501?profile=original" /></a><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location/nearby-beaches.html" target="_blank">Matapalo Beach</a> is a <b>main nesting area for <a href="http://www.conserveturtles.org/seaturtleinformation.php?page=species_world" target="_blank">three species of sea turtles in Costa Rica</a></b>. Every year, from <b>July to December</b>, hundreds of female <b>Pacific Black sea turtles</b> (<i>Chelonia mydas agassizi</i>), <b>Olive Ridley turtles</b> (<i>Lepidochelys olivacea</i>), and <b>Hawksbill</b> <b>sea turtles</b> (<i>Eretmochelys imbricata</i>) arrive along the pristine Matapalo coast to lay their eggs.</p><p> </p><p>To celebrate the turtle project and baby hatching, the <b>Turtle Festival will feature</b> <b>music, food, dancing, turtle tours and a small fair</b>. There will be varied <b>sports competitions, a hermit crab race, sand sculpture contest, theatrical and cultural presentations,</b> and <b>release of baby sea turtles</b> as they hatch to go back to the sea.</p><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008894096,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="200" class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008894096,original{{/staticFileLink}}" height="288" alt="9008894096?profile=original" /></a>The Matapalo Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Project is operated by the non-governmental, not-for-profit <b><a href="http://www.asvocr.org/english/index.php" target="_blank">Association of Volunteers for Service in Protected Areas in Costa Rica</a> (ASVO)</b>.</p><p> </p><p><b>Volunteers with the project protect the endangered sea turtles</b> from poachers and predators. They carefully <b>collect the turtle eggs, and bring them to a protected turtle hatchery</b>. There, the eggs incubate from 45 to 60 days until hatching. About <b>80 to 100 baby turtles hatch</b> from an average nest; however, studies show that <b>only one in 1,000 sea turtles survive to adulthood</b>.</p><p> </p><p><b>Stay at <a href="http://portasol.cr/en/" target="_blank">Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living</a> sustainable community</b></p><p> </p><p>Less than 10 minutes away from Matapalo Beach, the <b><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/community/responsability.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica sustainable community</a> of Portasol</b> has <b><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/lodging.html" target="_blank">vacation rentals</a> available</b> in <b>rainforest bungalows</b> and <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/lodging.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica luxury vacation homes</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Portasol offers <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/properties.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica property for sale</a> and <b>homes for rent</b>. Its 1,300 acres of rainforest feature private trails in the jungle, rivers, waterfalls with natural pools, and an area for <b>yoga retreats</b> and events.</p><p> </p><p><b>Article by Shannon Farley</b></p></div>The secret life of a Costa Rica rainforesthttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/the-secret-life-of-a-costa-rica-rainforest-12014-06-18T20:41:41.000Z2014-06-18T20:41:41.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p>What goes on in the rainforest when we’re not there? At <b><a href="http://portasol.cr/en/" target="_blank">Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living community</a> in Costa Rica</b>, they’re finding out with the help of a few hidden camera traps.</p><p></p><p><iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/mContk2qGwI?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><p></p><p></p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008855260,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="300" class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008855260,original{{/staticFileLink}}" height="190" alt="9008855260?profile=original" /></a>Camera traps</b> placed in the <b>rainforest at Portasol</b> – located on the <b>Central Pacific Coast</b> between <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/location.html" target="_blank">Manuel Antonio</a> and <b>Dominical</b> – have captured images of such <b>exotic Costa Rican animals</b> as this <b>ocelot</b>, followed by a <b>tayra</b> and a <b>nine-banded armadillo</b>. The cameras have been placed in the 200-acre <b>Portasol Biological Reserve</b> and on <b>property lots</b> nearby.</p><p> </p><p>“We attach them to a tree where animals pass by. They are motion activated and work at night with special illumination,” explained Stefano Luconi, Portasol client services manager. “We want to show people the biodiversity and nature that we have here in Portasol.”</p><p> </p><p>Every few weeks, they pick them up to check the images. So far, <b>they have caught on film</b> the ocelot, tayra and nine-banded armadillo, along with an agouti, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAYip0MGjh0&hd=1" target="_blank">collared peccaries</a>, a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152296015074875&set=vb.349374284874&type=3&theater" target="_blank">Great Tinamou</a> and her chicks, male and female <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-C1kCvKuEhI&hd=1" target="_blank">Great Curassows</a>, a skunk and an opossum.</p><p> </p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008855455,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="200" class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008855455,original{{/staticFileLink}}" height="275" alt="9008855455?profile=original" /></a>Other</b> <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/inside-portasol/flora-fauna.html" target="_blank">wildlife</a>that Luconi, other staff and Portasol residents often see <b>roaming around</b> <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/lodging.html" target="_blank">Portasol’s vacation bungalows and homes</a>, include basilisk lizards, red-eyed tree frogs, poison dart frogs, toucans, trogons, geckos, iguanas, white-faced capuchin monkeys, sloths and coatis.</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/inside-portasol/bio-reserve.html" target="_blank">Portasol’s nature reserve</a> is part of a <b>large <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/destinations/mesoamerican-biological-corridor-successful-in-costa-rica/" target="_blank">biological corridor</a></b> that connects with three of Costa Rica’s most well-known national parks – <b>Corcovado, Manuel Antonio, and Los Quetzales</b>. A wide range of microclimates and topography on Portasol’s 1,300 acres of <b>pure rainforest along the Portalón River Valley</b> allow for high wildlife diversity.</p><p> </p><p>The <b>Costa Rica sustainable residential community</b>, in the coastal mountains near <b>Matapalo Beach</b>, has <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/properties.html" target="_blank">building lots for sale</a> and offers tourism hospitality with unique <a href="http://www.portasol.cr/en/lodging.html" target="_blank">vacation rentals</a>.</p><p> </p><p><b>Article by Shannon Farley</b></p></div>Costa Rica yoga retreats bring harmony and relaxation in the rainforesthttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/costa-rica-yoga-retreats-bring-harmony-and-relaxation-in-the2013-10-29T15:51:51.000Z2013-10-29T15:51:51.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Yoga and meditation</strong> are all about breathing deeply, relaxing, and reconnecting with your inner nature. What better setting for this practice than the <strong>pure oxygen-rich rainforest of <a class="zem_slink" title="Costa Rica" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=9.93333333333,-84.0833333333&spn=10.0,10.0&q=9.93333333333,-84.0833333333%20(Costa%20Rica)&t=h" target="_blank">Costa Rica</a></strong>.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/yoga_urwald_asana.jpg"><img class="align-right" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/yoga_urwald_asana.jpg?width=220" width="220" alt="yoga_urwald_asana.jpg?width=220" /></a>Be in harmony with nature around you at a <strong>yoga and meditation retreat at <a title="Portasol Rainforest and Oceanview Living in Costa Rica" href="http://portasol.cr/en/" target="_blank">Portasol Rainforest & Oceanview Living</a></strong>. The sustainable community on <strong>Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast</strong> will hold seven <a title="Rain-Sun yoga meditation retreats at Portasol in Costa Rica" href="http://portasol.cr/en/community/rainsun-yoga-retreats-puntarenas.html" target="_blank"><strong>Rain/Sun Yoga and Meditation Retreats in 2013-2014</strong></a>. Retreats will focus on creating new energy for participants with <strong>yoga, <a class="zem_slink" title="Qigong" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qigong" target="_blank">Qigong</a>, meditation, nature hikes</strong> and other creative activities.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Spending time in nature is a way people can reconnect with their inner-selves, explains yoga instructor and retreat leader, <a title="About yoga instructor Doris Mueller-Weith" href="http://www.yoga-costarica.com/en/home.html" target="_blank">Doris Mueller-Weith</a>. <strong>Portasol is a perfect place for yoga retreats</strong> because participants are immersed in the green beauty of wild rainforest, waterfalls and the crystalline Portalon River that runs through the <strong>1,300-acre sustainable development</strong>, said Mueller-Weith, who owns an eco-home at Portasol. <strong>Breathing in the pure oxygen-rich air of the rainforest helps people rejuvenate</strong>, she said.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">“In my experience during my life, many diseases that humans have are from cutting off our life energy to the planet. We are not grounded anymore, so we have nervous breakdowns, high pressure, stress, heart attacks, burn outs – because we are not connected with our own nature and the nature that is around us. That is how we get sick,” Mueller-Weith explained. “This connection to nature is vital to our lives and our health. Being in nature keeps us healthy, and we create good energy with yoga in nature.”</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Yoga-lessons-at-Portasol.jpg"><img class="align-left" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Yoga-lessons-at-Portasol-300x225.jpg?width=300" width="300" alt="Yoga-lessons-at-Portasol-300x225.jpg?width=300" /></a>On the retreats, Mueller-Weith leads a gentle type of sequenced <a title="Type of yoga on Rain-Sun Yoga Retreats at Portasol, Costa Rica" href="http://www.yoga-costarica.com/en/meditation-qi_gong-yoga.html" target="_blank"><strong>Hatha Yoga called Viniyoga</strong></a>. Meditation practice is simple and free of religion. <a title="What is Qigong by WebMD" href="http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/health-benefits-tai-chi-qigong?page=2" target="_blank"><strong>Qigong</strong></a> (pronounced “chee-gung,” as in “lung”) is the ancient Chinese art and science of using breathing techniques, gentle movement, and meditation to circulate the body’s energy, or chi (qi). Mueller-Weith also uses singing bowls, drama therapy, and walks in nature to stimulate inner reflection during retreats.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Yoga retreats at Portasol vary from <strong>five to six nights</strong>, and there are also <strong>short weekend programs</strong>. Participants receive <strong>meals and lodging at Portasol</strong>; accommodation is available in Bungalows, a shared Duplex dwelling, and the private vacation home, Toucan House. There is a maximum of eight persons accepted per retreat, so make reservations early.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">The next upcoming yoga and meditation retreat is <strong>“<a title="Calendar of Rain-Sun Yoga Retreats at Portasol, Costa Rica" href="http://www.yoga-costarica.com/en/news-activities-vacation.html" target="_blank">Endings and New Beginnings</a>” from Dec. 28 to Jan. 3, 2014</strong>. The program involves daily yoga and meditation sessions, walks in the rainforest and by the river, swimming at Portasol’s waterfalls, visits to the nearby Matapalo Beach, and other creative activities. Based on interest, the group will go on Jan. 2 to the traditional indigenous “Festival de los Diablitos” (Little Devils Festival) in the village of the Borucas, as an optional activity.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Yoga-at-Cazuela-Rancho-at-Portasol.jpg"><img class="align-right" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Yoga-at-Cazuela-Rancho-at-Portasol-300x292.jpg?width=300" width="300" alt="Yoga-at-Cazuela-Rancho-at-Portasol-300x292.jpg?width=300" /></a>A <strong>Yoga, Meditation and Drama Therapy retreat will be held January 13-19, 2014</strong>. Drama therapy uses dance and movement, poetry and painting, ritual and fantasy to explore archetypes and inner life, explains Mueller-Weith.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">A 5-night <strong>Yoga Vacation from Feb. 4-9, 2014</strong>, adds local area tours to the program. The <strong>March 10-16, 2014 yoga retreat</strong> focuses intensively on the seven <strong>chakras</strong>, working on awareness levels with participants, along with healing yoga and meditation. An <strong>April 11-17, 2014 retreat</strong> centers on the Easter theme of “<strong>End and Renewal</strong>.”</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Two <strong>yoga awareness weekends – Jan. 24-26 and Mar. 28-30, 2014</strong> – involve yoga and Qigong classes, meditation, mandala painting, storytelling, and a hike in the rainforest with a biologist.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong><a title="Portasol Rainforest and Oceanview Living on the Central Pacific, Costa Rica" href="http://portasol.cr/en/" target="_blank">Portasol Rainforest & Oceanview Living</a> is an ecological community</strong> of nature lovers from all over the world. The <strong>sustainable residential and vacation rental community</strong> is located on 1,300 acres of pure rainforest along the Portalón River, approximately <strong>30 km south of <a class="zem_slink" title="Manuel Antonio National Park" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=9.37555555556,-84.1358333333&spn=0.01,0.01&q=9.37555555556,-84.1358333333%20(Manuel%20Antonio%20National%20Park)&t=h" target="_blank">Manuel Antonio</a> and 20 km north of Dominical</strong>. The long, un-crowded Playa Matapalo is only a 5-minute drive away.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Article by <a title="Follow writer Shannon Farley on Google+" href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/104506194721250694108/posts" target="_blank">Shannon Farley</a></strong></p></div>Have you ever wanted to be the member of a tribe?https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/have-you-ever-wanted-to-be-the2010-05-11T14:30:00.000Z2010-05-11T14:30:00.000ZWest Africa Discoveryhttps://tripatini.com/members/WestAfricaDiscovery<div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_S8hy1YOboMw/S-lh_MpoArI/AAAAAAAAAEk/bJd6Ea0Y46w/s1600/PIC6.jpg"><img style="float:left;margin:0 10px 10px 0;width:200px;height:150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_S8hy1YOboMw/S-lh_MpoArI/AAAAAAAAAEk/bJd6Ea0Y46w/s200/PIC6.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470010960773644978" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470010960773644978" /></a><div style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ever wanted to be part of a tribe? Or just like the idea of chilling on a beach, going snorkelling, catching some fish for the evenings dinner, or just getting your hands dirty in some community development work... Well, for all those of you who have the 'outdoors instinct', the need to get away, or the want to experience something different and make a difference along the way, here is what you have been waiting for; a new community-based cultural exchange tourism project based in Sierra Leone, West Africa, courtesy of the award-winning Tribewanted team.</span></span></div><div style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align:justify;"></div><div style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The Tribewanted team have proven that this kind of project can work well for both those wanting to be part of a like-minded global community of over 10,000 members and the community in the chosen destination where members can visit and take part in the everyday life. This pioneering project started off in Fiji, in 2006, and since has gained recognition as an excellent model for sustainable community development through cultural exchange programmes using Responsible Tourism practises as a basic doctrine.</span></div><div style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align:justify;"></div><div style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The Tribewanted Sierra Leone project has launched today, and will welcome the first tribe members in October this year. For your reference, we have added <a href="http://www.westafricadiscovery.co.uk/sierra-leone-cultural-exchange-holiday-tribewanted.html">a description of the project</a> on the West Africa Discovery web portal to show you what it is all about.</span></div><div style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align:justify;"></div><div style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ben Keene, the co-founder of Tribewanted, explains: "Tribewanted on Vorovoro in Fiji has become a way of life for visiting members and the local community. People find it very hard to leave - they feel like they’ve come home. It’s been clear for a while we should try and take the model elsewhere.”</span></div><div style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align:justify;"></div><div style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">“Tribewanted Sierra Leone aims to do this and more. When you take part in the project you’re not sacrificing your hard earned time-out for an intense volunteer programme nor are you replacing a much-needed beach holiday. You can sunbath, build, swim, cook, canoe up river, trek, fish, play beach football, share skills, teach, drum round bonfires, and eat great seafood. You’re living alongside a local community whilst connecting with a global network of like-minded people.”</span></div><div style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align:justify;"></div><div style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">At West Africa Discovery, we are thrilled to have listed them on our Responsible and Sustainable Tourism listings, as we feel that tourism can be a tool to develop local communities in a sustainable way, raise awareness towards the rich local cultures in the destination, and change the image of a country which is generally known for the wrong reasons. Tribewanted Sierra Leone aims to do just that, and we think that it will have a positive impact on all those involved.</span></div><div style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align:justify;"></div><div style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">To learn more about the Tribewanted project, click <a href="http://www.westafricadiscovery.co.uk/sierra-leone-cultural-exchange-holiday-tribewanted.html">here</a>.</span></span></div><div style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align:justify;"></div><div style="text-align:justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">For more information, please email us at <a href="mailto:info@westafricadiscovery.co.uk">info@westafricadiscovery.co.uk</a>.</span></div></div></div>Reunions Mean Big Bucks for The Travel Industry: How To Plan Onehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/reunions-mean-big-bucks-for2010-06-06T17:30:00.000Z2010-06-06T17:30:00.000ZKaleel Sakakeenyhttps://tripatini.com/members/KaleelSakakeeny<div><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BtkIR49bTIAIvQ09iPBBm_of0dzRa7ymPcRZ9zZ0Nsc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_AnBusKXSA8o/TAPv14y8QrI/AAAAAAAAB2g/Ofi6c-2FOEo/s800/Family_Reunion.jpg" alt="Family_Reunion.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/travel.video/FromKaleel?authkey=Gv1sRgCIaWy9qJ5r_9WA&feat=embedwebsite">From Kaleel</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Reunions Mean Big Bucks for The Travel Industry: How To Plan One<br /><br />Travel for reunions is big business and getting bigger as families, communities, organizations and affinity groups strive to stay in touch in an increasingly complex post 9/11 world. <br />The <a href="http://www.ustravel.org">U.S. Travel Association</a> estimates that in the last three years, 82 million adults have hit the road to see Uncle Joe play horseshoes with cousin Alice, swap stories with long lost relatives and be part of affinity groups reaching out to each other at annual outings, all generating millions in revenue for the hard-hit travel industry.<br /><br />When Facebook became the monster place to meet and swap stories, the travel reunion business thought they were finished. <br />Turns out the opposite was true, says Edith Wagner, Editor-in-Chief of the Milwaukee-based <a href="http://www.reunionsmag.com">Reunions Magazine</a>. <br />“Facebook enhances reunions,” Wagner says, “because people learn about each other ahead of time and then build great conversations around that information when they meet.” <br />So no matter how weird we think our families are, they’re still our families, and we’re apparently willing to travel long distances to get together with them.<br /><br />But reunions can go pretty deep. “Many families,” Wagner points out, “memorialize lost family members with candle light services, or they’ll create souvenir booklets and play games like ‘autograph bingo’ as a way for out-of-touch members or the younger generation to get to know each other." It’s about creating memories, she says.<br /><br />Her advice for families planning that big reunion?<br />• Chose a cruise because they have something for everyone. Cruises and all-inclusive resorts reduce the stress involved in planning meals and activities, creating a worry-free time to get to know each other. <br />• Get creative. Reunion activities can include river rafting, tours of cemeteries in Ireland, East African safaris, Galapagos Islands tours, stays at dude ranches, visiting bike week in Daytona Beach, Fla., or European trips to retrace family heritage.<br />• Use a a travel agent, someone with reunion-planning experience who can handle all the logistics skillfully. <br />• And plan a family reunion around a milestone event like an anniversary or wedding.<br /><br />But beware, family reunions can rekindle old animosities and stir up unresolved feelings among family. Dr. Larry Basirico’s funny and wise book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Family-Reunion-Survival-Guide-Problems/dp/0972971408">The Family Reunion Survival Guide: How to Avoid Problems With Your Family Without Avoiding Your Family</a> is must-read for anyone planning a reunion, or attending one. <br /><br />It goes a long way toward insuring family feuds stay buried. <br /><br />Been to a reunion lately? How was it?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>