Vacations (82)

9009032278?profile=originalSummertime in the popular beach town of Santa Teresa, Costa Rica means it’s time to hang out on the beach soaking in the sun and playing in the beautiful blue Pacific Ocean. It’s a great time to have fun with family and friends on a Costa Rica beach vacation.

On the southern Nicoya Peninsula, Santa Teresa is one of the best beaches to surf in Costa Rica. National surf competitions are held here annually.

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Knowing what you are doing when you go in the ocean, taking precautions and water safety are t

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How to make Costa Rica vacations affordable

A colleague of mine and I both traveled out of Costa Rica for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. He to Western Europe and I to the western United States. What we both found when people learned we lived in Costa Rica was surprising. Everyone said they either loved visiting Costa Rica or wanted to go there; but many also commented on how expensive it was to travel to Costa Rica.

It’s true.

If you plan to vacation in Costa Rica for a couple of weeks, and only stay at all-inclusive resorts or medi

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You don’t need a well-manicured grass pitch. You don’t even need all 22 players, or fancy uniforms … or even shoes, for that matter. All you need is a ball and people willing to play.

Football-brings-kids-together-in-South-Africa-300x189.jpg?width=300The most popular sport in the world – football (known as soccer in the USA) – can be played anywhere by anyone. That’s the simple beauty of a sport that traverses borders, has brought bitter enemies together, even stopped wars, and has been a unifying force across the planet.

“As a consequence of its simplicity and g

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What are the best places to visit in Costa Rica? What are the best things to do in Costa Rica?

I get these questions a lot. Having lived in Costa Rica for 12 years, working in the tourism industry, I field questions from extended family, friends, friends of friends, and even complete strangers if I happen to mention that's where I live. They all ask the same thing, "If I were to visit Costa Rica, where should I go and what should I do?"

Costa Rica map, by Costa Rica GuideStart small, I always recommend. Choose two or three destinat

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What are the best places to visit in Costa Rica? What are the best things to do in Costa Rica?

I get these questions a lot. Having lived in Costa Rica for 12 years, working in the tourism industry, I field questions from extended family, friends, friends of friends, and even complete strangers if I happen to mention that’s where I live. They all ask the same thing, “If I were to visit Costa Rica, where should I go and what should I do?”

Costa-Rica-Map-large-300x286.jpg?width=246Start small, I always recommend. Choose two or three destinat

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Re-use your towels at your hotel, ask that your bed linens not be changed daily, take a shower instead of a bath, wear water-resistant sunblock – these are all ways travelers can be responsible water consumers and participate in this year’s World Tourism Day that highlights water conservation.

World-Tourism-Day-2013-image-by-UNWTO-300x164.jpg?width=300In support of the United Nations International Year of Water Cooperation for 2013, this year’s World Tourism Day (WTD) on September 27 is themed: Tourism and Water: Protecting our Common Future.

Travelers ar

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9009010901?profile=originalChristmas is right around the corner, and with it are holidays and school vacations. For a fun adventure in the sun with rainforest, beaches and volcanoes, head to Costa Rica for your family vacation.

Costa Rica is a top family vacation destination for warm tropical sunshine and seas, beautiful beaches, rainforest adventures, affordable easy travel and plenty of kid-friendly activities. It is one of the safest countries in Central America and English is widely spoken.

What makes Costa Rica so grea

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9008896289?profile=originalYoga retreats at Pranamar Oceanfront Villas & Yoga Retreat, on award-winning Santa Teresa Beach in Costa Rica, draw people from all over the world. So do Pranamar Villas’ daily yoga classes with popular instructor and Pranamar yoga director, Nancy Goodfellow.

Now Nancy will be holding two inspirational Costa Rica yoga retreats, called Embracing Totality, at Pranamar Villas in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, next year in 2016. The seven-night all-inclusive retreats will be held May 21 to 28, 2016 and

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9009006457?profile=originalWhether you are traveling for a couple of days, a few weeks, or even months, all of that sitting, standing, carrying and hefting luggage does a number on your body and especially your back and neck. You may even have been suffering from back and neck pain before your trip from stress, tension, overworking, etc.

Yoga can help. There are several easy yoga poses you can do almost anywhere to help ease many of the common symptoms of traveler’s back pain. You can do these poses at the airport, in your

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What’s the latest vacation craze? Surfing and yoga retreats in the balmy tropics are the hot fashion.

But what if you don’t know how to surf or live far from the nearest ocean? Is it still an adventure worth taking? Try it and you’ll see. Here’s what a few surf retreat fans had to say:

Surf-camp-01.png?width=272“This week has been about so much more than learning how to surf ... the support & encouragement you have given me, and this beautiful place will stay with me for years to come. I never imagined myself as a surfer c

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Being right on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, with warm Pacific Ocean, uncrowded white sand and shady palm trees, you may never want to leave your hammock or cushy lounge chair. However, there's also a lot going on in this region of the southern Nicoya Peninsula, so if you should get the urge to be active and adventurous, here are 8 top things to do in Santa Teresa Costa Rica.

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Daily Yoga Classes


You can go to beginner and advanced yoga classes every day

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9008855854?profile=originalFinding your bliss is easy on a Costa Rica beach vacation at Hotel Tropico Latino.

With inspiring daily yoga classes, Costa Rica yoga retreat vacations, and the marvelous natural spa at the beachfront hotel in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, there is no better way to relax.

Imagine having a soothing massage or relaxing in a yoga class while listening to the rhythmic sound of ocean waves (real ones, not recorded), enjoying cool sea breezes, and looking out at shimmering white sand and the brilliant blue

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9008983484?profile=originalWith the internet flooded with travel websites, it's easy to think that no one needs travel agents anymore. But in fact, travel specialists have become more important than ever for personalized service and luxurious touches on trips.

The continued popularity of travel agents was evidenced by the big attendance at Educational Travel Agents Seminars held recently in three major cities in California by members of the Pro Image Costa Rica Group. Hundreds of travel specialists in San Francisco, Los An

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9008970878?profile=originalSmall hotels offer unforgettable travel experiences. They enrich your journey with something different – history, culture, remarkable architecture, outstanding surroundings, new friends or unusual charm. Instead of an impersonal homogenous chain, small boutique or family-run hotels are places where design is intrinsic to the experience, where hotel staff gives personalized service, where details and quality count, and where charm eases you into relaxing even before you’ve checked in.

Small, out-o

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9008969886?profile=originalWhen I stay at Pranamar Oceanfront Villas & Yoga Retreat in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, one of my favorite things to do is to swim in the giant tide pool down the beach about five minutes from the hotel.

 

The larger-than-Olympic-sized shallow sea water swimming pool is one of the best-kept secrets of the area. It is located between Pranamar Villas and El Peñón,” or the big rock, where Santa Teresa Beach turns into Hermosa Beach – better known as “Playa Hermosa”. Since Santa Teresa and Playa Hermos

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9008955053?profile=originalEver wanted to have your own private tropical island?

 

That was the dream of Argentinean Jorge Benatuel, co-owner of eco-boutique Hotel Laguna Azul in Bocas del Toro, Panama.

 

The intense city-life of Buenos Aires is a far-cry from the backwater southern Caribbean archipelago of Bocas del Toro in northwestern Panama. But in 1998, Benatuel and his wife traveled from Argentina to Bocas del Toro on vacation. They spent 15 days boating around Bocas del Toro’s nine major islands and 200-plus islets, lo

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9008952452?profile=originalWalk down the Pacific beaches of Santa Teresa, Costa Rica and you’re likely to see long, empty stretches of white sand, beautiful blue rolling waves, multicolored crushed seashells and interesting rocks and pebbles. What you won’t see so much is trash.

 

The southern Nicoya Peninsula beaches of Playa Hermosa, Playa Santa Teresa, Playa Carmen and Mal Pais all were honored once again with the Costa Rica Ecological Blue Flag Award by the Costa Rican Tourism Board for being some of the cleanest beache

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9008951088?profile=originalIf you are a Pack Light 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?

 

The desire to give back or contribute to the place people visit as tourists is a fast-growing movement around the world. Volunteer vacations, or volunteerism, are a very popular way to take a vacation. Another way is to “pack for a purpose” and bring needed school an

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9008949874?profile=originalLet’s face it; we all care about what we eat. So if visiting a remote jungle eco-lodge is in your plans, you might be wondering if mealtime will resemble a Mission Survive episode or be awesome.

 

In fact, remote Costa Rica eco-lodge Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge gets regular rave reviews from guests about its exceptional, fresh, gourmet cuisine. The abundance of fresh, healthy and wholesome ingredients is inspiring, and head chef Edixon Lezcano adds a huge helping of creativity to Nicuesa’s menu

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9008933893?profile=originalSpring means a return to sunshine; and if the sun is not shining yet in your part of the world, it’s time for a sunny Spring Break getaway.

There is a reason Spring Break is called what it is – a break from winter’s chill to tide you over until summer. But if you are looking to avoid the crowds of heavily partying spring break students and instead have a true getaway, then choose a destination not frequented by that set.

Costa Rica is being talked about everywhere for vacations, but is not a touri

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