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People in other countries pay big money for audio programs like this, while here at Portasol Rainforest & Ocean View Living eco-community it’s real. The sounds of the Costa Rica rainforest: 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.

I returned to Portasol Living eco-community on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast a couple of months ago for a much-needed weekend get

Rainy season in Costa Rica is here, and with it, changes in weather and the environment that can potentially wreak havoc on your home in Costa Rica if you’re not prepared. These 15 simple tips from Atenas, Costa Rica realtors Pure Life Development will help you stay safe, dry and protected this time of year.

Clean your roof gutters. Dry season winds have probably blown a lot of leaves, dirt and debris into your roof gutters. If you don’t clean them thoroughly, the first big rain could cause an o

For tourism companies interested in Latin America’s hottest destination, the Costa Rica travel trade-mart – Expotur 2015 – is an opportunity to build business relationships with Costa Rica’s hotels, tour companies and travel agencies.

Costa Rica’s biggest tourism fair will be held May 7 to 10, 2015 at the Wyndham Herradura Hotel in San José, the capital city of Costa Rica.

“Expotur is the main showcase of the Costa Rica tourist industry to the world,” said Daniel Chavarria, board member of Pro-I

With more than 2 million visitors last year to Costa Rica, more and more airlines are adding flights to the Central American tropical paradise.

Delta Airlines, United Airlines and JetBlue Airlines all increased flights to Costa Rica during peak tourist season this year, and Southwest Airlines opened new routes to Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is a hot product and so far this year, the praise keeps pouring in: Costa Rica was named “most amazing destination this year” by CNN; a destination you must visit

Luxury glamping in Costa Rica is now available on Santa Teresa Beach – an extraordinary experience in a tropical paradise.

The way people like to travel sure has changed. They no longer want a generic, one-size-fits-all vacation. Increasingly, folks now want to explore the world on their own terms, and that often means being more immersed in nature and local culture than ever before.

Glamping in Costa Rica is one way to do that. “Glamping” is a combination word meaning “glamorous camping”; but

Time to get away from it all, but you want something different than the usual packed beaches and crowded hotels? What if I told you there was a tropical paradise of rainforest and beach with bright sunny days and warm balmy nights, and you could have it all to yourself? No crowds.

You’d probably think: now hold on, I can’t afford a private island or multi-million dollar hard-to-get-to swanky hideaway. So what if I told you this place is completely affordable, easily accessible, and brand new in

Article by Shannon Farley

The last time I was at Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge, I was down at the beach cooling off from the hot sun in waist-deep tranquil waters of the Golfo Dulce, when suddenly there was a splash very close behind me. I turned quickly to look out toward the Gulf and was greeted by three Bottlenose Dolphins calmly gliding about 15 feet past me parallel to the beach.

This is how it is on Golfo Dulce in southern Costa Rica. During whale-watching season, you might see a Humpback

Portasol Sustainable Community is located in the coastal mountains of the Central Pacific of Costa Rica, minutes away from some of the most visited national parks  in the country.

About 100 miles away you can find Carara National Park to the northwest, and Corcovado National Park to the southeast. Corcovado is, according to National Geographic, “the most biologically intense place on earth”.

It has been said that Corcovado has more biodiversity than Canada & United States combined. This park h

If you like to adventure, these four iconic places in Costa Rica need to be on your travel list.

From the towering Rincon de la Vieja Volcano to an endless horizon of water birds during migration season in Palo Verde National Park, here are some of the most iconic places in Costa Rica to visit in the Guanacaste province.

RINCON DE LA VIEJA NATIONAL PARK

To Do: Hiking, waterfall swimming, hot springs, horseback riding, wildlife viewing

The massive, 600,000-year-old geological wonder of the Rincón d

Article by Shannon Farley

Famous for its year-round surf, spectacular sunsets and friendly beach town, Santa Teresa Beach in Costa Rica was once again named a top beach in Central America in the newest TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice Awards.

The global travel site announced its 2015 Travelers' Choice Awards on Feb. 18, awarding Costa Rica the honor of having some of the best beaches and hotels in the world.

Santa Teresa Beach and Hermosa Beach by Santa Teresa were both listed as Top 10 Beaches in C

Article by Shannon Farley

Renting a vacation home in Costa Rica, especially one at the beach, is a great idea. Stay steps from the sand at beautiful Santa Teresa, Costa Rica in the new beachfront vacation home, Martha’s House.

The two-story octagon-shaped house is just off the beach and surrounded by lush tropical gardens. The house sleeps up to 10 persons with four air-conditioned bedrooms and three baths. Other luxury features include a fully-equipped kitchen, large swimming pool, Jacuzzi, saun

It’s summer - time to be outside enjoying everything nature has to offer! Time for a vacation where you can disconnect in nature and slow down from the fast pace of daily life.

“Nature offers one of the most reliable boosts to your mental and physical well-being,” reports Business Insider.

“Breathe in the beauty and remember that by keeping our planet healthy, we keep ourselves healthy too,” urges the United Nations in this month’s World Environment Day 2017 theme of "Connecting People to Natur

Costa Rica, known for its beautiful beaches and rainforests, is also gaining fame around the world for mountain biking and endurance sports competitions.

Now there are Costa Rica vacations dedicated solely to mountain biking. If you are a mountain biking enthusiast looking for a training trip or a fun and challenging cycling vacation, now Cycling Trails Costa Rica has partnered with Horizontes Nature Tours to offer exceptional mountain biking and cross country cycling trips in Costa Rica.

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Sustainability and being good to the planet mean everything to Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge, even down to their incredible Costa Rican natural bath products by Raw Botanicals.

If you have stayed at Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge in Costa Rica, you’ll remember the delicious smells of their banana hair conditioner, ylang-ylang shampoo, and papaya tangerine body wash. If a vacation to the Costa Rica eco-lodge is in your future, you can look forward to their Costa Rican natural bath products!

The st

You can still get great summer vacation deals in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica with big savings on rates at Hotel Tropico Latino.

There's still time for summer vacation, and now is the time to visit Santa Teresa, Costa Rica.

Hotel Tropico Latino is offering huge savings of up to 40% off room rates in July and August, and 30% off room rates during September and October.

It’s the perfect opportunity for your family vacation in Costa Rica or a much-needed romantic getaway for two.

The beautiful “barefoot lu

One of the most pristine ocean habitats in the world is located in Costa Rica -- the Pacific gulf of Golfo Dulce.

Located in the southern region by the Osa Peninsula, the 31-mile-long (50 km) gulf of Golfo Dulce is recognized by National Geographic as one of only four tropical fjords in the world, and it is the tenth deepest. With an average annual temperature of 86 degrees Fahrenheit, it is an extremely rare biome.

Given its low human impact due to its remoteness, the sheltered gulf is home to

One of the most magnificent birds in Costa Rica is the Great Green Macaw.

This time of year, from October through December, Great Green Macaws (Ara ambiguus) return to the Maquenque National Wildlife Refuge in northern Costa Rica from the Indio Maiz Biological Reserve in Nicaragua. Following their main food source of mountain almond tree fruits that are now in season, the Macaws return to this vital habitat of rainforest and wetlands in Costa Rica.

The Maquenque National Wildlife Refuge preserve

Offering unforgettable travel experiences with exceptional charm and service, Enchanting Hotels Costa Rica celebrates 10 years of excellence this year in the finest hotels in the best Costa Rica vacation destinations.

The exclusive collection of 11 luxury boutique hotels and eco-lodges in Costa Rica rewards visitors with outstanding places to visit in Costa Rica’s best destinations.

Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin at the spectacular Rincon de la Vieja Volcano in Guanacaste was one of the very first Enc

What is it like to stay at Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge?

The extraordinary Costa Rica eco-lodge is designed sustainablywith lodge buildings tucked into the forest back from the beach. All construction is from beautiful tropical hardwoods taken from naturally fallen or farmed trees, and recycled materials.

For accommodations at Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge, there are three one-bedroom cabins, one cabin suite, one two-bedroom cabin, four rooms in the two-story Mango Guesthouse, and the two-sto

In nearly all travel guides for Costa Rica you will read that the country has two main seasons: dry season (also called “summer”) from December through April, and rainy season (also called “winter” or “green season”) from May through November.

However, that's not completely true.

Why? Because most tourist information for Costa Rica focuses on the long Pacific Coast and Central Valley regions. In stark contrast, the weather patterns on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica are completely different, crea