These types of specialized themed trips to Costa Rica seem to be getting increasingly popular. I`ve heard about many kinds of these trips for large and small groups including executive retreats, team building trips, spring break trips and Costa Rica is very popular for things like sportsfishing trips, along with learning how to surf while in Costa Rica. However, this is the first I have seen or read about a group actually travelling to Costa Rica to do Yoga right in the rainforest! Actually arranging to do Yoga on one`s trip to Costa Rica is quite popular already and any reputable and competent Costa Rican travel service provider or agency (link to homepage) can plan these trips out for you. But whether your trip is primarily to do Yoga (in the rainforest or maybe on the beach) or you want a Yoga specific trip like the group noted in the article above, your best bet is obviously a local travel agency in Costa Rica. The best part about working with a local agency is that they know Costa Rica, have experience planning these types of trips to Costa Rica and possibly most important are ready and willing to work directly with the activity providers and hotel management to get you the possible experience on your vacation to Costa Rica.

Happy Traveling!

1. Try to avoid walking late at night. Take a taxi; it’s very cheap and safe.
2. Don’t wear expensive jewelry visibly or carry large amounts of cash.
3. Do not get too intoxicated or use drugs.
4. Stay away from dangerous areas such as poor neighborhoods and areas catering to adult entertainment.

General Travel Tips in Costa Rica
- It is best to carry a photocopy of your Passport, as opposed to your actual Passport, when going on tours or walking around leisurely. MAKE SURE YOU COPY THE STAMP AS WELL!
- Most restaurants include a 10% service tax to your bill, which means that tipping in these cases would not be necessary.
- If you are to travel in a taxi in Costa Rica, please ensure they are legitimate and not pirate taxis and that they have a Maria (a counter).
- Protect cameras, batteries and other electronic devices in plastic bags.
- Leave a copy of your itinerary, a photo copy of airline tickets, passport identification page, driver’s license, credit cards, traveler’s cheques, prescriptions medical history, and important business documents with a family member and /or friend in case of emergency.
- Don’t put all of your money in one place to protect yourself in the case of a theft or loss.
- Make sure your health insurance covers medical emergencies away from home. If not, look into purchasing travel insurance.
- Always pay attention crossing the street, as Costa Ricans don’t always pay attention to you when driving.
- If you’re ever in a traffic accident in Costa Rica, no matter how minor the fender bender, you must not move your vehicle, no matter how much traffic there is and wait for the police to arrive. Otherwise your insurance will not cover the accident, no matter who is at fault.

I find these types of feelings you have are based more on your observations of the general populace and thus if while you are traveling to Costa Rica and you don’t witness much in the way of crime (or what you think may be criminal) then that leaves an impression on you. I decided when I got back to Canada to look up crime rates in Costa Rica. Here is what I found:

According to the United Nations Seventh Annual Survey on Crime, crime recorded in police statistics shows the crime rate for the combined total of all Index crimes in Costa Rica to be 1208.2, per 100,000 inhabitants in 1999. This compares with 1529.75 for Japan (country with a low crime rate) and 4184.24 for USA (country with high crime rate).

Now I also found this a bit strange as well. Although I did not see or experience much related to crime I did encounter prostitution and cocaine use in Costa Rica which seemed fairly prevalent during my first visit. I realized soon afterwards that this impression was generated from spending 3 days in Jaco (a surfing town). Any Costa Rican or foreigner living in Costa Rica will tell you that Jaco is an exception to the rule. If you don’t believe them then read this May 2007 UN study where Costa Rica ranks last on the list of Central American countries in terms of cocaine use among adults (page 19): http://www.unodc.org/pdf/research/Central_America_Study_2007.pdf

The same study also shows Costa Rica ranking last in terms of Central Americans arrested for drug trafficking in the US (page 21); Third from last for estimated gang memberships (page 21); and by far the smallest shadow economy or black market/informal sector in relation to GDP (page 25);

Although the study claims that Costa Rica’s low crime can be related to its “longstanding democracy” and its “political stability”, I would argue that this is convenient when compared to other Central American countries. But when you stack up Costa Rica against other countries with longer standing democracy and political stability you find very much the same thing, very little crime. Others may argue that because Costa Rica is the richest of the Central American countries that this is ultimately why you have less crime. Fair enough, but the next country with the lowest crime level in Central America is bordering Nicaragua, which happens to be one of the poorest, if not the poorest (p. 30 of UNODC). I think maybe there is combination of cultural factors that can lead to both more development and while others that can lead to both development and less crime.

Perhaps one of the most startling statistics in the study is that ONLY 31% of Costa Ricans actually believe their government is winning the war on crime (p. 34). This then most likely indicates a perception amongst Costa Ricans that even though the crime rate is relatively small, what crime they do have is unacceptable to the general population and the government must thereby assist in providing solutions for this.

This then is what I would argue is why crime is low and nearly unnoticeable when you visit. As a sound piece of advice in closing: if you don’t like to witness drug trafficking, drug use or prostitution, then please stay away from Jaco… unless you`re an avid surfer you`ll thank me for it later!

Multiplaza – Escazu
This used to be the cream of the crop, but it looks a little aged now. It is located next to the Intercontinental, so it makes for a popular choice among people staying there. Holigans in Multiplaza is one of my favorite spots to catch the game in Costa Rica.

Terra Mall – Cartago
In my opinion this is the most beautiful mall in the country with a gorgeous open air concept near the movie theater. On top of being the nicest, it is also home to the best movie theater in the country, with 2 VIP viewing rooms that even serve beer and crepes. The only drawback to this mall is the distance from San Jose, Heredia and Alajuela. You really need a car to get there.

Mall San Pedro – San Pedro
The first Mega mall of Costa Rica. Now it’s just a plain old regular mall, that is home to quite a lot of vacant shops, which makes it a little depressing shopping there. The food court is nice for a bite to eat, and the large event venue is great when there’s a show to catch, but overall, there is no reason to check this mall out, unless you’re in San Pedro.

Well, the biggest reason I have moved here is to start up my own tourism company. I have been working hard with a few of my friends to get this thing off the ground these last six months and it has been very rewarding for me. I wanted to do this as I really believed, and still do, that this wonderful country has so much to offer so many people who visit it. For me it was just a matter of establishing a company with integrity and phenomenal service standards in order to bring people here and keep them coming back.

Given the fact that I have no background in business, everyday seems to have provided me with good learning experiences. The biggest lesson I’ve learned thus far you ask? Well this is simply to make sure you take the time to do things right in all of your venture, whether it be with family, friends, business partners or clients. People really do appreciate when you are willing to take the time for them: it makes them feel special!!!

It really has been an amazing experience to be able to call the shots, and I don’t know how easy it will be to go back to taking orders if things were not to succeed the way I would like them too. Everyone who knows me is well aware that I tend to be a little difficult on authority. I won’t really give any more details about my business but I really think that I might surprise a few people when they come down, at least I hope I do, if you don’t believe me give our offices a call and find out for yourself!!!

Let me also introduce you to my new hometown and the birthplace of Exclusive X-Cursions Travel Inc.: Barva, Heredia. This quiet little town I live is about 20 minutes away from the capital, San Jose. This place is everything I had hoped for in moving here. I really took a step back in time and have had the opportunity to experience how things must have been like years ago. There are no large multinationals, restaurant chains, no street lights, and everybody in the town really ends up knowing your name. Everything is within a five minute walk, whether it be the food/supermarket, bakery, local pubs, gym, Internet café, bus stops, park, basketball courts, football fields, and even a beautiful church. It did not take me long to realize I would be happy living somewhere where no car was needed. I walk and take the bus everywhere, and if the need ever occurs, I take a taxi. All in all it is very cheap to get around, and I don’t have the guilt of polluting or putting a large dent in my pocket. Barva is known in Costa Rica as the city of artists because of the large number of famous artists and sculptors living here. What I like most about being here is that there always seems to be a festival of some sort on any given weekend. The picture I posted is of one of my friends while he painted a scene depicting a yearly festival that takes place in front of my Church every year in August. He painted this painting of a Festival during a different Festival, where artists from all over the country travel to Barva to produce something for all to see and appreciate.

Until next time!

Construction of the Army General Barracks took place between 1916 and 1930. In 1949, after the abolition of the army, the building was converted into the National Museum. Its fundamental purpose is to promote the study, conservation and display of the country’s flora and fauna. Currently, the museum’s main themes are archeology, national history and natural history. Located on Calle 17 between Avenidas Central and Segunda, the museum is open to the public Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

I would not rank the National Museum as one of the top museums in Costa Rica. I would prefer to spend time at Inbio Park in Heredia, which focuses on the nature and seven bioms located in Costa Rica, or the Gold Museum located in downtown San Jose. The Costa Rican National Museum still has a lot to offer visitors and would surely satisfy the hungry minds that stop in for a visit.

Ticket prices have really soared in the last few years in Costa Rica, which is unfortunate for the ticket buyer, but which is most likely responsible for acts such as Guns and Roses, Metallica and Iron Maiden to even consider coming to Costa Rica in the first place.

Guns n Roses confirmed their concert on their Facebook page, and claimed no one had informed them they had been booked in Costa Rica. A little strange to me, but all that really matters is that the show is finally coming to Costa Rica on April 7th, 2010. For those who are interested as to what kind of show Guns n Roses will be bringing to Costa Rica, can check out recent videos that have been posted on Youtube for their recent concert in Uraguay. Of course, if you don’t want to spoil the surprise you’d be better off to leave this little idea alone.

If this hotel did not offer a so called all inclusive plan, it would not find itself on this list. Unfortunately for them they do, and well…here they are. This resort is located in front of one the the country’s most beautiful beaches. When we stayed there, and opted for all-inclusive, we were truly sorry to see that this meant three small portions of food a day, to be eaten at a time decided by our resort, and not our stomachs. Our rooms was decent at best, and the service was definitely sub par. We just got the feeling that this resort does as little as possible at everything that they do.

9. Hotel Presidente

Located downtown San Jose, Hotel Presidente seems like the posh hotel of the capital. However, when staying in San Jose Costa Rica, you quickly realize that behind the glamor is something a little sketchy. Hotel Presidente, because of its location, is where most men with money who wish to take advantage of the legality of prostitution stay at. The ladies of the night can be seen everywhere. To the hotel’s credit, they do have a dress code for the prostitutes, unlike the Del Rey, and do not allow them to solicit inside the hotel, however, this is still not a top choice if I am traveling with my significant other or family.

8. Arenal Paraiso – La Fortuna

We can’t lie, the value is definitely good if you stay at Arenal Paraiso. The reason this hotel earned the eight spot is that this property does a terrible job reaching its potential. Arenal Paraiso sits on Hot Springs, and does a limited job exploiting them. Murky pools are all that are offered, that look neither natural, nor clean. The massive grounds with poor cart service makes you feel stranded at times.

Ocotal Resort is a highly praised Sport Fishing Resort. Unfortunately, when we inspected this hotel, we were hugely disappointed by the location, quality of the infrastructure, and the beach really let us down. This hotel does a great job with the website, and have a tremendous photographer, as this property definitely does not live up to the hype.

6. Monteverde Lodge – Monteverde

Monteverde Lodge may be one of the most well known hotels in all of Costa Rica. It is without a doubt the most famous hotel in Monteverde. This is due to the lodge being one of the first Eco Lodges in the country. Their history seems to be their biggest asset, as the hotel itself has very little to offer. Simple rooms, no pool area, no views, driving distance from the Monteverde Reserve, as well as higher prices make this a poor choice of hotels if you are staying in Monteverde.

5. Hotel Mimos – Manuel Antonio

Hotel Mimos is a mystery to us as to how anyone would want to stay here. Manuel Antonio has countless hotels perched on the hillside with unforgettable views of the Pacific Ocean. Others are located short walking distance from one of the most beautiful National Parks in Costa Rica. However, Hotel Mimos offers neither as it is located on the wrong side of the road. Their pool is sunk in the forest, and their tacky casino is the main attraction. You would be better to choose a different hotel when traveling to Manuel Antonio.

4. Hotel Captain Suizo – Tamarindo

One of the top rated hotels in Tamarindo, Hotel Captain Suizo holds the forth spot due to the vast amount of hotels that offer a better experience in close vicinity. The beach is why most people come to Tamarindo, and Captain Suizo offers almost no views of the beach, is located on a dusty secondary road, and is a poor location if one is not traveling with a car. The grounds are well kept, and the rooms beautifully decorated, but this serves only as a distraction to their shortcomings.

3. Intercontinental – Escazu

The Intercontinental is one of few five star hotels in Costa Rica. So how could this hotel reach the third spot on our list of most over-rated hotels in Costa Rica? Firstly, we consider this hotel nothing more than a glamorous business hotel. In addition, the location is only remarkable for those travelers that decide to venture to one of the most beautiful countries in the World in order to take in a good shopping destination- it is located next to the huge Multiplaza shopping center.

2. Paradisus Conchal – Guanacaste

As we consider value a major indicator of a hotel being considered overrated, this Mega All Inclusive Resort earns the second spot mostly due to their over the top prices. Playa Conchal is roughly triple the price of any other all-inclusive hotels that we consider their equal, such as Hilton Puntarenas, Barcelo Tambor or Papagayo Allegro.

1. Tabacon Hot Springs – La Fortuna

At the top of our list is the famous Tabacon hotel located in Arenal. Tabacon tops our list because it is the hotel that is most in demand in Arenal, and is in our opinion not even a top ten option. They are grossly overpriced, their rooms offer NO views of the volcano (which should be a must for anyone traveling to Costa Rica), and they make it nearly impossible for friends who are not staying at the hotel to visit you. The entrance fee for non visitors is $80 USD, and outrageous price for Costa Rica. The newly built Springs Resort and Spa, or even Baldi Hot Springs offer a much better value than Tabacon.

Most people come to Costa Rica for two to four weeks to either learn, or master this romantic language. Often mixed in with the classes (which usually last between three to four hours a day), are local cooking classes and dance lessons. The most common dances here are the well known Meringue and Salsa dances, as well as the lesser known dance called Cumbia where dancers bounce up and down following the beat of the song. Cumbia originated in Columbia and has infiltrated Costa Rica.

Many of the language institutes in Costa Rica also have more than one location. This is due to people wanting to study near the beach (Pacific Ocean usually beats out the Atlantic Ocean), but also wanting to learn about the culture and integrate within a community, which is not possible at the beach. This is why you will also see a location within the Central Valley. Some of the activities that students enjoy most involve intercambios, where they get paired up with Costa Ricans who are learning English. This is one of the reasons why many of the language institutes also offer English classes at night for Costa Ricans.

The park boasts two very different beaches, one on each side of the point. The most interesting part of these beaches is that you are surrounded by rain forest that pretty much grows right to the high tide line. You will literally be surrounded by nature.

The most popular beach Playa Manuel Antonio, is located of the south side of the point. Here you will find a half mile white sand beach in the form of a crescent. On one side are rain forests alive with the sounds of white faced monkeys, three toes sloths, and many other tropical species of birds and reptiles. The other side is a quiet, tranquil, and secluded cove.

While here be sure to pack a lunch and bring plenty of water as there are no amenities located within the park itself. Also do not forget to take the short hike up to Cathedral Point, where you will get a breath taking view of the entire National Park, surrounding Rain Forest and Pacific Ocean,

Espadilla Sur is located on the Northern side of Manuel Antonio National Park. The first difference that you will note between this beach and Manuel Antonio is that Espadilla Sur has much darker sand and the water tends to be rougher. Here you also lose a sense of being surrounded by nature. This beach is backed by the rainforest; however it looks over the southern part of Quepos and the parking lot for the National Park. You will also notice less wildlife on this beach as well, due to the fact that it is not as deep into the rainforest.

One important thing to note is that because this is a National Park, there is an entrance fee as well as hours of operation. The Manuel Antonio National Park entrance fee is US$10 per person. Children under 12 are free. Hours: 7am. To 4pm, and is closed on Mondays.