Arenal Volcano, Pacuare River, & Caribbean Beaches

Arenal Family Shot

Day 1 ------- Arrive and Travel to Casa Luna Lodge (Casa Luna Lodge or Manoa Resort)

Today we will meet you outside the airport where your private guide and driver will take you through the San Lorenzo Cloudforest and then drop down to the northern lowlands. Your final destination will be the perfectly cone-shaped volcano of Arenal. Here you will have the option of staying in the Casa Luna Lodge or a very small upgrade to the Manoa Resort. These are both beautiful 3 almost 4 Star hotels with excellent views of the volcano. (Meals: None)

Day 2 ------- Zipline & Hotsprings (Casa Luna Lodge or Manoa Resort)

Let the adventure begin! With over 70 different ziplines in the country you will have the chance to zip on SkyTrek, the one I still consider the best. The views of the volcano and the nearby lake make for a very scenic trip. The 700ft high cables and the 1km long cables make for a very adventurous ride as you can imagine. After the zipline we will take you into the town of La Fortuna to one of our favorite places for lunch and then in the evening you will relax at the Hotsprings of The Springs Resort. This is the best view of the voclano you will find and not to mention a great evening to relax in the thermal waters and enjoy a 5-Star dinner. (Meals: Breakfast & Dinner)

Day 3 ------- Travel to Turrialba (Casa Turire Hotel)


Today after breakfast we will travel to the area of Turrialba. You will be staying in one of my favorite hotels in all of Costa Rica called Casa Turire. This is a beautiful hotel on a lake surrounded by mountains and the smoking Turrialba Volcano. Here we will be situated in a perfect area to enjoy some of Costa Rica's most scenic and adventurous rivers. (Meals: Breakfast)

Duckie Adventure

Day 4 ------- Raft Duckies in Pejibaye River (Casa Turire Hotel)

Get ready for some adventure as we give you your own paddle and your own duckie. We are going to be paddling down the Pejibaye River which is a small class II river that is very scenic and perfect for the sport of steering your own duckie. After a morning on the river we will head up to a local village where you can enjoy a homemade Tico meal prepared by families from the village and we can even show you some of the local dance. The afternoon will be spent relaxing back in the hot tub or pools of the Casa Turire Hotel. (Meals: Breakfast & Lunch)

Plenty of Waterfalls

Day 5 ------- Raft Pacuare River & Travel to Caribbean Beach (Almonds & Corals or Shawandha)


Today after breakfast we'll head to the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. Before we make the two hour drive to the Caribbean we will be rafting what National Geographic has listed as one of the top five most scenic rivers on the planet. The Pacuare River is a true gem with virgin tropical rainforest waterfalls and canyons from start to finish. After we pass through the port city of Limon you will be delighted to find some of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica and laid back island atmoshpere that will make you want to give up your job and stay. When we arrive to the Caribbean you will have the option to stay in the Shawandha or the Almonds and Corals Ecolodge. Both are beautiful places to spend a few days. (Meals: Breakfast & Lunch)


Day 6 ------- Snorkel & Beach Day (Almonds & Corals or Shawandha)


Costa Rica often does not get the credit for having good snorkeling. One of the best parts about snorkeling in Costa Rica on the Caribbean side is that you can just walk from the beach and enjoy the snorkeling. We will visiting an area called Punta Uva where you will can do some good snorkeling. (Meals: Breakfast)

Day 7 ------- Beach Day (Almonds & Corals or Shawandha)


Today is your day to relax on the beach. This day can be filled with other activities like surf lessons or a walk down one of my favorite beaches to see sloths, monkeys, and even a little cave. (Meals: Breakfast)

Day 8 ------- Fly Home!


This is a three hour drive back to the San Jose airport so depending on your flight time we will be making the drive back early or on day 7 and staying closer to the airport. (Meals: Breakfast)

Costa Rica Corporate Travel

I would rather be Rafting Pacuare River

When Costa Rica is mentioned you think more of an ecotourism, family adventure, beautiful beach type destination. One thing that does not come to mind is getting off the plane in a suit and tie and jumping into some adventurous business planning.

With the recent infrastructure or hotels in the San Jose area, Costa Rica is looking to market another branch of Tourism. The market in Costa Rica back in the 70's was surfers searching for the great waves on the Pacific and Scientist for the Monteverde Cloudforest and lowland tropical rainforest. It slowly over the years changed to an ecotourism destination when companies started setting up adventure and tour companies to come see some of the many natural wonders in Costa Rica much of which my company offers today. 

With 50 years of no army and heavy education and a focus on health care Costa Rica developed in to one of the most educated countries with the best healthcare in the region. It was just a few years ago that a new tourism market burst on the scene and that was medical tourism in Costa Rica. Many of the private hospitals, doctors, and hotels in the central valley of San Jose area have opened it's doors to the industry of Medical Tourism working together making it a growing industry every year.

The most recent market to come on the scene is Corporate Tourism and is a market that should not be overlooked by tour operators and hotels. It is becoming so big that some hotels are in the process of being built just for the Corporate Market. It is exciting and you might start seeing some guys with suits and ties rafting some of Costa Rica's rivers during their corporate travels. You just better remind them so they don't forget that their Crackberry's are not waterproof.

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Holy Week in Costa Rica

Another beautiful morning in Costa Rica. Today is the start of holy week here in Costa Rica. If you have planned your family vacation for this week you can expect many things to be closed, no alcohol to be served, and many processions In the streets. It is a week filled of many traditions and celebrations of the Catholic and Christian holiday of holy week. Many Costa Ricans travel to the beach this week and celebrate the last official week of the dry season. Many local places are closed while all the touristy attractions remain open. Have a fun and safe holy week from your friends at Costa Rican Resource.

Costa Rica Family Zipline

Costa Rica Family Vacation off the Touristy Path

Costa Rican Resource off the beaten path

Depending upon where you visit in Costa Rica it can now be a very touristy area such as the places of Manuel Antonio, Tamarindo, Jaco, or Arenal. Because of Costa Rica's rough terrain their are many places that are also off the touristy path that can give you a look into the not so touristy areas of Costa Rica.

Learning from the Ancients

During this tour we took a boat trip into an indigenous reserve and gave this family an experience that they would not find in any of the touristy towns of Costa Rica. It is important to experience this and see that all of Costa Rica is not living off of tourism economy. It is an excellent learning experience and should be a part of every Costa Rica Family Vacation even though it might take you out of your comfort zone for a few hours.

Visiting Indigenous Tribes in Costa Rica

What you Expect to see is this but there is...

One of my favorite lessons on the Rainforest is visiting an indigenous tribe in Costa Rica. There are many ways to operate a tour to indigenous tribes and one of the most common and best tours is the Bribri tribe located on the southern Caribbean. There are a few spots where the Bribri have set up local areas where they can showcase their culture and ways of living.

One of my favorite though is to take a look into the sociology and humanity lessons visiting an indigenous tribe has to offer. Much of the reserve is now a mix of indigenous culture and a culture that is in extreme poverty holding on to the dream of modernization. The hard fact is that these indians are last on the list when it comes to what the government can do for them. It is here that you see a culture that is dead and younger children that they say want to play "white" which is what they refer to the Spanish decent race in Costa Rica. These young Bribri children that want to play "white" are now speaking Spanish and much have forgot the Bribri native language. They are fighting strong to conserve the traditions and many of the Bribri are committed to making this happen but when you cross the river into the tribe at Sureka and you see a bus stop that is just filled with trash and litter you get the sense that the tribe that was once one with the Earth is now detached from the Earth as is much of the world we live in.

It is an important experience that visitors to reserves see both aspects of the traditional customs and the hardships of what has happen in recent years. There is much to learn and it can be an incredible experience to see sometimes what you are not expecting to see.

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Eating Termites in Costa Rica

Let the Termites Crawl on your fingers

One of the best parts about my job is learning just how much fruit and things we do not eat in the States. I have lived in Costa Rica for 11 years working as a naturalist and adventure guide on different tours and I am still running into new species of plants, fruits, and animals that I have never eaten before. So you can imagine how much of it is new to the families that are making a one week Costa Rica family vacation with us.

Then Suck them off your fingers like the Mader's do here

One of my favorites is eating termites with our guest. You might not know that termites are eaten all over the world in many tropical countries. They happen to be a high source of fat and protein with a nutty flavor that makes them quite tasty. Whenever I see a termite nest I ask the kids if they are ready for a snack and as most kids are always ready for sweat snack. The best part is sticking your finger into the termite nest (which you want to make sure you know the difference between a termite nest and a wasp nest) and gathering a finger full of termites and then sucking them off like your cleaning your fingers. It usually takes a few seconds and a few rounds of eating the termites myself but after awhile I tend to get everyone in the group to try. Click Here to Plan Your Next Family Adventure in Costa Rica

For your next snack in the jungle consider a termite nest!

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