As well we have ample natural attractions to be discovered and the wildlife is abundant! Here are a few animals and mammals you may easily spot while visiting our coast.

Scarlet Macaws

You know you have reached the beach when you hear the squawk of this brilliantly beautiful bird. Normally flying in pairs, this noisy duo tends to hang out in the almond trees.

Whales

Easily spotted from the coast, the majestic Humpback Whales grace us with their annual presence, migrating either from Alaska or Antarctica they some to mate off the coast of Costa Ballena. The southern hemisphere whales can be seen from August to December, and those from the northern hemisphere mate from December to April.

Olive Ridley Sea Turtle

Nesting has now started as of mid-July, and will happen until the first week of December. You can go with the Reserva Playa Tortuga to release newly hatched baby turtles into the Ocean at Playa Tortuga. It’s a unique experience that you must try once in your life.

Tapirs & Big Cats

Roam where the wild things are. More and more, these mammals are spotted with the aid of a guide in Corcovado National Park. Osa Peninsula is considered one of the most biologically diverse regions in the world. Hiking trails and day trips are a great way to explore untouched nature.

White Faced Monkeys

Do you hear or see leaves rustling above? Chances are there is a troop of monkeys eating away above you. Look up, can you spot them? Also called capuchin, these small primates are widely recognized as the most intelligent New World monkey.

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#1 Witness the Awe of Nature

Whether it’s climbing to the top of a mountain to see both the North Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, in one breathtaking panoramic view (that would be Mount Chirripó with a summit of 3,820 metres), or simply watching an army of ants cross your path, watching hundreds of them carry leaves back to their queen at their nest, you’ll want to put something that gets you back in touch with the simpler things of life on your list. It awakens childhood wonder and puts everything into perspective.

#2 Indulge in Culture

Not all culture has to be stuffy and in a museum for it to be authentic. What is the “Tico” culture you may ask. Well, my new found friend, it’s the rural life, read: the beach life! Yes, there’s the city, San José, Cartago, and the likes, but above all where the action is at is on the shores of this beautiful country. It’s at the beach, in the country, where families and friends get together from all walks of life, to swap stories, share laughter, and share a beer or two, and cook upsome chicarones! This is where you’ll find their culture, it’s in their family values and attitudes of camaraderie. So observe for afar or combine this with #4.

Chicarones are made by frying pork (usually rib) in fat. Most Ticos usually eat them with  lime juice or “limones”, like a citrus and a lemon combined.

#3 Get Lost

This will inevitably happen, so make a good thing out of a potentially bad thing. With directions like “go 25 meters south then turn right at the Y shaped tree”, there is no shame in asking various times for directions while on the way, just to kinda make sure all directions ad up to being at the same place. And when in absolute doubt, stop at the local cantine, known in Costa Rica as a “soda”. You can enjoy a meal, a refreshing drink and take time to get written directions, and a load off while doing so. Apps to use: Waze and/or Google Maps.

#4 Lend a Helping Hand

There is plenty to see and so much to do, why not include a charitable act like visiting a Wildlife Reserve or make a donation to local charity. It’s these acts of kindness that will allow the world to become one.

Offset Your Carbon Footprint

When you plant trees, you are directly cleaning the air. As a tree matures, it can consume 48 pounds of carbon dioxide per year as it turns that CO2 into parts of itself. It also releases enough oxygen to supply your needs for two years.

$25 sponsors a tree

communitycarbontrees@gmail.com
www.communitycarbontrees-costarica.com

#5 Get to Know a Local

The best times are spent with the people who live here. They know the best spots, have stories about the area, yup those, not told in the books, and will teach you some, oftentimes funny, phrases that will have you feeling like your at home in no time at all. It’s those moments that will tug at your heartstrings when it’s time to go, and it’s those memories that will grow fond with times that will pass.

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Adventures in Brewing

Brewing the perfectly creamy stout or a tangy IPA is difficult enough under normal conditions. However, when you throw in tropical climates, government hurdles, and a generally untapped and lager-loving public, you’ve got a whole different kind of rodeo.

One of the biggest obstacles for Costa Rica brewers is the lack of beer’s main ingredients, hops and malts. All of the hops must be imported, which more than once has caused major confusion with immigration officers, who mistake the shipments as large, poorly concealed crates of marijuana.

The good news is that with the increase of craft beer in the country, microbrewers are working together to make hops more available and at better cost. From its humble beginnings in 2010 when there was one microbrewer with three different ales to nearly 40 independent breweries and the 85 different craft brews available now, it’s clear that the industry has rallied to bring new flavor to an unfamiliar land.

Tiny Country, Big Flavor

While Imperial lager is typically considered the king of beers in Costa Rica, craft beer is steadily and not-so-quietly creating a name for itself not only here, but on an international scale. Just this year four of Costa Rica’s microbrewers took home five medals at the biggest beer competition in Latin America, the Copa Cervezas de América. Additionally, the Costa Rica’s Craft Brewing Company, which was Costa Rica’s first microbrewer, was recently named one of the top 100 craft breweries in the world by London’s Future Publishing. Not bad considering Costa Rica’s craft beer market has only been around for about six years.

If you haven’t had a chance to try one of Costa Rica’s many craft ales, then it’s time to get to the nearest beach or bar and indulge yourself. Or if you’re really lucky, you might be able to find a few thousand of your good, similarly-minded friends at a regional beer festival with a bottomless glass. No matter how you discover the local craft beer, cheers to many tasty adventures to come.

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