Butterfly Botanical Gardens is just one of many tours offered by Finas Natural Wildlife Refuge in Manual Antonio
Did you know that there are approximately 2000 species of butterflies in Costa Rica? Or that of all of the eggs laid, only about 2% complete metamorphosis to become butterflies? Did you know that some butterflies copulate for four hours at a time? Or that all butterflies lay their eggs at mid-day? How many of you know that the Blue Morpho’s brilliant color is not a pigment, but actually a reflection? Have you ever noticed the snake’s head on the Owl Butterfly’s wings? Well you’ll learn that, and much, much more at the Butterfly Botanical Gardens in Manuel Antonio.
The Butterfly Botanical Gardens is part of a 30-acre nature reserve and conservation project created through the efforts of the guides from Adventuras de la Naturaleza, and Jim Damalas of Ecovision S.A., General Manager of the Hotel Si Como No and is supported by Association Grupo Manuel Antonio (GMA).
Once arriving, the best thing to do is pay (about $15USD) for a one-hour tour with a guide who will give you a short historical overview of the Fincas Naturales Nature Farms, as well as the goals of the conservation project. Read more... (553 words, 1 image, estimated 2:13 mins reading time)
We get emails all the time about traveling in Costa Rica, so we thought it might be a good ideal to point out some of our top 20 tips about a vacation and/or maybe retiring in Costa Rica.
One thing you must understand is the culture and society; manners and respect play an important role and sometimes a simple misunderstanding can become a big deal.
Costa Ricans by nature do not like auguring and confrontation; so knowing about the basic life, culture, customs, and laws of a country can help you to be prepared and have an enjoyable vacation.
1) Costa Rica legal system is based on Napoleonic law; Guilty until Proven Innocent. If you get into a confrontation, do not tried and bribe the officer. Give respect and unless you are portraying the ugly American, you should not have a problem.
2) The most cost efficient transportation is the community bus, shuttle bus, taxi and then rental car, which is the most expensive. If you do rent a car, the new vehicle laws have changed. Get caught passing on a double yellow line, and expect to pay around a $500 fine. Read more... (874 words, 2 images, estimated 3:30 mins reading time)
Costa Rica is nature’s theater where the crocodile is just one of many where one-day tourism loves its production of jagged, snaring teeth and prehistoric features. And crocodile attacks are considered one of the most gruesome. With that said, crocodiles annually attract thousands of tourists on the river Tárcoles where they come out of the bridges or board boats or display their shows as Costa Rica’s crocodile man does. Crocodile have also been the recent threat to drug smugglers. The Pacific coast from Puntarenas all the way to Esterillos is full of huge crocodiles during the mating season.
However, this prehistoric production may be threatened.
According to a scientific study released on August 8, 2010, Global warming has caused the birth of more males than females crocodiles in the rivers of Costa Rica, which could jeopardize the survival of the species in the next two decades.
“The assumption is that the birth of a greater number of males is related to the temperature higher still because of climate change and direct sunshine,” reports the newspaper La Nacion, which publishes some of this study by the Costa Rican biologist Juan Rafael Bolaños, a Crocodilian Biologist from the University of Costa Rica. Read more... (627 words, 2 images, estimated 2:30 mins reading time)
Golfito, Costa Rica, has it all. Sportsfishing, ecotourism and culture
These days, the words Banana Republic are more likely to conjure up an image of neatly stacked chinos and v-neck sweaters than they are a place like Golfito. But when United Fruit built this town on the southwest coast of Costa Rica in 1939, there was nothing here but wilderness and Boruca, the region’s indigenous tribe. Fleeing a rash of banana disease. like what happened to Quepos, that was sweeping through their Atlantic coast plantations, United Fruit surveyed this deepwater bay sheltered within the Golfo Dulce and found untamed perfection. They built a massive dock, immaculate houses, schools, roads, a hospital-even a bowling alley-and they brought in workers from around the world. Most of all, they brought money and influence to a region that became their virtual fiefdom for nearly half a century.
That era ended a long time ago, with the last vestiges of Mama Chiquita (as United Fruit was called by its employees) pulling up stakes in the eighties. They left behind a company town without a company; Golfito is no longer immaculate but it is, once again, wonderfully Costa Rican. Read more... (1257 words, 2 images, estimated 5:02 mins reading time)
A move to Costa Rica is not just a change in lifestyle or an extended vacation. It is very much, a learning and growth inducing experience. This is true for me and for many others, as they have testified. The course taken by our learning (and our life) is directed by our intentions associated with the move. Some have come to escape the rat race, others to find solitude or a soul mate. And most everyone comes with the intention of finding a better life in paradise.
I’m big on intentions. I believe thoughts create reality, like attracts like, and what we send out comes back to us. In fact, intention is the most powerful tool we humans have.
My intentions in coming to Costa Rica were all of the above and more. Many have come to fruition and some are still in process. Recently, several situations have been cause for reflection on my intentions for my life here in Costa Rica. Read more... (2156 words, 2 images, estimated 8:37 mins reading time)
