Here is what Ellen had to say:  We  enjoyed our vacation to Costa Rica very much!  Hotel Nayara (Arenal) was an amazing resort, great rooms and wonderful food. It was voted by our kids to be the favorite hotel of all the trips we have taken as a family. The adventure activities in and around Arenal  were great!  And each of us participated in all the outdoor activities.

Tabacon Hot Springs, horseback ride to Arenal Waterfall,  Zip line tour,  and ATV Tour were among the fun adventure things we did at Arenal.  Ann set all this  up for us and we had a smooth, stress free-fun  time with the family.

On the central pacific town of Jaco we stayed at a condominuim which I choose called Oceans of the Palms and enjoyed swimming and surfing in the Pacific at the unique black sand beach.

The kids  enjoyed the little town of Jaco with a very “Costa Rican” atmosphere.  We had lunch at a  typical Costa Rican restaurant and did some shopping for local arts and crafts made of very colorful native wood.

Ann, thanks for all your help in planning so a wonderful experience!   I will pass your name and email should anyone want an adventure filled vacation to Costa Rica.

You may contact Ann:  anncreed23@gmail.com

“Ann, The Costa Rica Travel planner ,  Allowing Ann to “design”  our  the trip to Costa Rica made it a wonderful and stress-free adventure for my husband and I!  Her expert knowledge of the country and its top attractions allowed us to plan the trip of a lifetime and leave feeling we saw everything we could have wanted to from monkeys and sloths, rain forests,  volcanoes and beautiful  Tortuguero canals.

Emmet and Esther

Ann’s  help in finding places to stay that were wonderful and within our budget and transport between locations made trip planning a breeze before hand and travel in the country stress-free as we didn’t have to worry about getting from place to place. Traveling with Ann was always fascinating as she has extensive knowledge of the country and the people. If you love nature and animals, I would highly recommend a trip to Costa Rica and contact Ann so you will be sure to enjoy the best this country has to offer!        Contact Ann  “The Costa Rica Travel Planning Expert”  at  anncreed23@gmail.com

Written by:  Emmet and Esther Loney, July 2011

Itinerary included- Central Valley- Hotel Buena Vista located in a mountain settings with gorgeous cool, clean air  with views Poas Volcano.  Day tour Poas Volcano National Park and lunch at Chubascos,  typical Costa Rican cuisine.   Four Generations Doka Coffee Plantation Tour.

Three Day Tour Tortuguero  National Park and the Tortuguero Canals along  Caribbean Coast.   Turtle nesting region.  Monkeys, sloths, toucans, lush tropical vegetation, crocodiles, manatees,  and green parrots.  Lush tropical jungle setting.

Arenal Observatory Lodge-Arenal Volcano.  Sky Tram and Zip line tour,  horseback riding to La Fortuna Waterfall,  Butterfly Gardens,  Tabacon Hot Springs with dinner.

Northern Region- Blue River (Rio Azul)     Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel   Hike to the Blue River (Rio Celeste) in the Tenorio Volcano National Park, swim in Blue River under the eight foot waterfall,  Day Trip to explore the limestone caverns at Barra Honda National Park.

“Design a Costa Rica  TRAVEL ADVENTURE Vacation” by Ann The COSTA RICA Travel Planner EXPERT

Costa Rica Travel Adventure  Vacation Planning:  “Design a Costa Rica Vacation”  by Ann, “The  Costa Rica Travel Planning Expert”   Take advantage of this unique service!  Let Ann design  the land portion  for your individualized vacation itinerary for your   Costa Rica vacation.  It’s easy and it will not cost you any extra money.  In fact you will save money and time.

Because Ann lives part of the year in Costa Rica and has worked many years in the Costa Rica Travel Industry,  she knows the distances, road conditions,  and time needed  to drive to popular tourist destinations, therefore, saving you time .  She knows the best hotels and travel adventure tours to suit your desires and  your budget.  She has knowledge of the different and diverse regions of the rain forest and the beaches and  the weather patterns in each.   She is an expert on  the  National Parks,  including the popular Arenal Volcano area and  Manuel Antonio National Park and all the adventure tours and other activities offered there. She can set up car rentals to be delivered to your hotel door on the day you arrive.  Or  if you wish, she can arrange private transportation.   Truely Ann offers a unique servi

ABOUT ANN:  Ann has been working in the Costa Rica Travel Industry as a Travel Agent specializing in individualized  Costa Rica travel adventure vacation itineraries  for  fifteen years and  lives part of the year  in Costa Rica,  along with her husband, Ken Creed, a professional videographer who has worked for National Geographic. So she knows the country like “the back of her hand” She has traveled to the most popular tourist destinations, from the mountains and rainforest to the beaches of the Pacific and the Caribbean.   So her advice is given from the  perspective of one who has visited or stayed in  the hotels and has done the adventure tours, and is familiar with the tour companies which have proven track records.     By following her to “Design”  your Costa Rica Vacation, you  will travel easier, smarter, and cheaper.  Thus have a relaxed-fun filled vacation!

Ann and her husband Ken  have made a travel adventure video on Costa Rica’s most popular tourist destinations   Ken, a professional videographer  has twenty five years of experience in the  travel adventure video business.  His works  have been selected by National Geographic to be shown at Constitutional Hall in Washington D.C. and Carnegie Music Hall in Pittsburgh, Pa.  Together Ken and Ann created the  58 minute adventure travel video “Costa Rica a Travel Adventure Spectacular”    This Costa Rica Travel video will help you better plan a vacation.  It highlights the most popular  National Parks and Adventure Tours.  To see a 3 minute trailer  (and purchase the video -if you wish)  go to the top of the home page of costaricalearn.com  and click on Buy Our Video.

HOW DOES IT WORK TO SET UP A TRAVEL ADVENTURE Costa Rica VACATION  DESIGNED BY  ANN?

First you  email Ann    anncreed23@gmail.com  You and Ann discuss  by email and phone which areas  you would like to visit in Costa Rica.  Ann will offer suggestions of the most popular destinations and places to see the most spectacular tropical beauty and wildlife of Costa Rica, and answer all  your questions.    If you have CHILDREN or TEENAGERS  Ann will suggest the best options for a family travel adventure vacation.

Together you will choose the hotels, mode of ground transportation, and adventure tours you wish to take.  Ann will  design an itinerary, price it, and email it to you. How does the money work?  You pay with your credit card to the hotels, tours, ground transportation and receive vouchers from each segment.  Your credit card is taken to guarantee and is not charged until you check out or finish the tours.  Cancellation policies are explained by Ann.    Then, after your travel adventure  Costa Rica vacation is finished,  Ann receives commissions directly from each of the hotels, tours, etc which you take.  (no extra charge to you, no hidden fees)

   Contact Ann       anncreed23@gmail.com       TO  “Design Your Costa Rica Travel Adventure Vacation”

“Father Time”

These mammoth trees which call the rain forest of Costa Rica their home, and we need to preserve them for all mankind.

Or to watch a great video  showing these beautiful birds go the world wide web and type in  youtube.com/watch?v=nr5VMCkUk6s

Costa Rica orchids

Are you planning to take a vacation to Costa Rica?    Read what Ann, The Costa Rica Travel Planner has to say.  And want to learn about the most popular and visited tourists destinations such as Arenal Volcano, Poas Volcano National Park, NW Guanacaste Beaches, Caribbean Coastline, Tortuguero Canals.  See white face monkeys, sloths, scarlet macaws, toucans,  and more.  Zip lines, rainforest,  smoking volanoes….Get a taste of Costa Rica culture- Annual horse parade in Alajuela “Tope”   Colorful Oxcart parade in the old town of San Antonio de Escazu, and many species of orchids including the Guardia Morada-the national flower of Costa Rica.    Plus testimonials from North Americans who have retired in Costa Rica and started a new and exciting life in this tropical paradise.   We have the perfect DVD travel Adventure video on Costa Rica called “Costa Rica A Travel Adventure Spectacular”  You can purchase this video by going to the top of our home page and click “Buy Our Video”  There you can view a three minute trailor and then order the video.

So get your copy of this special video today and start planning your vacation to Costa Rica!

Contact Ann at  anncreed23@gmail.com   She will be happy to help you design your perfect Costa Rica Vacation.  Go to costaricalearn.com  home page and at the top click on “About the Costa Rica Experts”  and there you can reads Ann’s bio.

Written by Doug:  I first came here to Costa Rica’s  first international orchid show in 1986 on one of those 4 day/3 night adventures. It was in March.
I returned in July and spent six weeks cruising around the whole country.
It took five hours to get from Boyeros ( stop light in Liberia) to Flamingo and I had to un-stick the Land Rover twice with a winch to get there !
On my way back to SJ; I passed through Tilaran and spent the night in Cabinas Los Lagos.Rode dirt roads to view the lava that night.
I told myself “this is where I retire”.
20 years despues….I DID !  Pura Vida!

Yes. I consider this area of Tiliran to Be Costa Rica. Pura Vida without the need of living in a cage.
I have a greenhouse, several garden areas, uncountable varieties of fruit trees, rabbits, meat chickens, egg laying hens, meat chickens, a small pig pen. I moved here to live like a Tico.
I have zero interest in PriceMart or Multiplaza.

I’m bringing some hams and also a beef brisket to make some corned beef this morning.
Come on by.

As to the wood for my projects, two Cabins and my house… It was harvested in the farm below me.I paid a good price but made the old guy some nice outdoor furniture( Adirondack chairs) as part of the deal.

This is what Doug had to say about living in the countryside–outside of the Central Valley area of San Jose and Alajuela:

WOW. You need to get out of the Central Valley. I pay 4200 a kilo for lomito de res, my cleaning girl is 850 colones an hour. My mechanic charges 2500 an hour, works fast and is good. The Honda shop in Miami charges $60 an hour and they’re morons.
Put that water heater on a timer. I only run mine from 5 to 530 AM and can still take a fairly warm shower at 8pm..
I recently finished a cabin. It’s all tricked out with hand made cedar doors, windows and furniture, etched glass,custom plaster ceilings with exposed beams. Italian ceramic, REAL plumbing and electric, alarm.
$42 / sf- turn key with dishes, coffee maker, stove, fridge and a new 32 inch TV.

Sounds like a real “Pura Vida” Doug!

Take a look at Doug’s project at  www.arenalbotanicalgarden.com

Rio Celeste Costa Rica

The road was winding  and rocky.  I thought we would never arrive.  The sun was warm but dark clouds settled in the east.  An impending rainstorm, hopefully not,  since we were on our way to the Tenorio Volcano National Park to see a river with clear sky blue water.  With a name very befitting-Rio Celeste.   Or Blue River.

This blue river has its birth place at the base of the Tenorio Volcano in the highlands of Northwest Costa Rica.   The water picks up sulphur and when the sunlight filters through, the water looks blue.

The hike was not easy to the river, through dense rainforest and mountainous terrain. Several inches of rain in the previous days had left the pathways deep in mud.  But off we treked  with much anticipation having heard there was a hot springs in the river near  the large waterfall.

After about one hour of hiking we reached the hot pool and of course could not wait to get it….so relaxing and soothing to the aching muscles.

The waterfall  was at least ten feet high and the sounds of the force of the water filled the tropical humid air.

I just could not believe my eyes!  Such a beautiful sight.  We all had to take photos so our friends back home would believe that we actually saw a river with blue waters.

The trip from La Fortuna (Arenal Volcano) took us around three hours because the last portion of the road is rocky  and loose gravel.  So come in a 4×4 vehicle.  (Look at your Costa Rica map and see this route.)

The other route: from San Jose drive north on highway 1.   Past the Canas Exit– turn right when you see signs to Bijagua – around Bijagua  you can can find small hotels and tours to the Tenorio Volcano National park  and the beautiful Rio Celeste River.

Read more about Tenorio Volcano National Park and the Rio Celeste River at
www.costarica-nationalparks.com/tenorionationalpark.html

See photos of Rio Celeste  www.ruralcostarica.com/photos4.html

Zebra Tarantula

I  would like to share a letter I received from one of my readers who has a 60 pet  Tarantulas.  And he is taking a trip to Costa Rica soon, and will be looking for Tarantulas there.

Hi, I came upon your blog because I’m a tarantula collector who’s also making a trip to Costa Rica soon.  I liked your post and thought you might be interested in more tarantula info.

There are a good many species of tarantula that live in Costa Rica.  Many of them are quite pretty (from a tarantula person’s point of view) and, as “New World” tarantulas, are fairly docile.  Species in Costa Rica include the Costa Rican Zebra (A. seemani), Costa Rican Tiger Rump (C. fasciata), and the Pinktoe (A. avicularia), which are arboreal tarantulas, likely the ones you’ve heard are found in banana plants.  Pinktoes are actually extremely docile, compared to some other tarantulas (though they still should not necessarily be handled in the wild by inexperienced people).  You can Google pictures of them if you like.

You are correct that no tarantulas are deadly- no one in recorded history has ever died from a tarantula’s venom.  Depending on the species, various levels of pain can be experienced from a “wet” (with venom- tarantulas don’t alway inject venom when they bite) bite, ranging from a little worse than a bee sting (localized swelling and numbness) to serious muscle spasms, sweating and heart palpitations.

Tarantulas don’t urinate, though.  Their biology requires them to conserve as much water as they can since they rarely drink  and often go weeks without eating- other insects, very, very small animals, where they also get much of their water.  For waste, they expel a guanine-based material that comes out looking like a white paste.  It’s basically white, pasty poop with a very small amount of water mixed in.  They only do this rarely- again, conserving their resources.  As far as I can tell, tarantula poop doesn’t irritate the skin at all.

Similarly, since they only eat other creatures (except for on the rarest of occasions when tarantula keepers have reported them eating something like a grape), which they detect as prey via vibrations (tarantulas’ eyes don’t see images, only the presence or absence of light) it is unlikely the tarantula was going after crumbs in your home.  It is possible it was coming inside to get warmer.  There is also a possibility that your tarantula was a mature male, since they rarely leave their homes- they’re not big wanderers, except for mature males- however, if the spider was only an inch across, this is unlikely.

“New World” tarantulas do flick hairs, as you saw in the NYT article.  I had a similar experience to that man when I touched my eye after working with my tarantulas and got a urticating hair in it, though I did not need surgery.  However, that New World tarantulas flick hairs also makes them more docile, as flicking is their first line of defense- when they feel threatened, they don’t have to resort to biting as their only option.

Lastly, unfortunately, the Cobalt Blue Tarantula (H. lividum) doesn’t live in the Americas, but in southeast Asia.  They are beautiful in the correct lighting and also plentiful in the tarantula hobby.  They are not handleable, though- definitely one of the meaner species of tarantula.  They are an “Old World” species and don’t have urticating hairs.  They also rarely seen by their owners because they are what’s called an “obligate burrower”- they spend almost all of their time in their burrow.

If you ever wanted to keep a tarantula as a pet, look for something in the Brachypelma or Grammostola genus.  They are docile, easy to maintain and often quite beautiful.

Thanks for the post!  I’m really looking forward to our Costa Rica trip.

P.S. The black  Costa Rica tarantula in the photo above is a pinktoe.

Zebras are not only animals found living in Africa but also spiders which are found living in western Guanacaste region of Costa Rica .  It’s called the Zebra Tarantula and lives burrowed underground.

I will talk a little about my personal experiences living in COSTA RICA. I have been coming to Costa Rica annually since 1970  because  I married a Costa Rican.. and lived here for 5 years straight from 1998-2003.  Now in 2011- I see in the last 7-8 years the cost of living in Costa Rica  has steadily  escalated. In the last year 2010 to mid 2011 –the dollar lost 14% of its purchasing power!    The weakening dollar: the exchange rate went from 580 colones for one dollar to 498 colones for one dollar.

Presently, the dollar seems to be staying around 498-500 colones for one dollar.  If your income is in dollars-Fluctuations in exchange rates producing  uncertainty is a major consideration.

So why is the cost of living here so high and just what do you mean by high?   The are many factors:    First-Costa Rica is a small  country and imports  a lot of  items  related to daily life,  (although being agricultural it does grows a lot of the food consumed here.)   The cost of these imported items is  driven up  partly because the government slaps an import tax on most imported items.  Example are household appliances and  automobiles.  Also imported food items.  (Anything that is imported  into the country from outside it’s borders.)

ICE- Costa Rica’s  electrical company is government  run and is a monopoly so what does that tell you.  Therefore the cost of electricity is extremely high (commercial is 25 cents per kilowatt hour and domestic is a little bit less than that. ) I pay for the B&B  (commercial rate) which I manage around $110 per month and that is when I have NO  GUESTS.  I cook on a propane gas stove, wash dishes by hand,  and I do not  iron clothes.  I very occasionally use the clothes dryer.  Biggest expense is the hot water heater (I dont use the  lesser expensive Tico showers which heats  the water as  it comes out of the water pipe directly into a gadget which heats only that water- This method is very ineffective and often  times  you are showering in cold or luke warm water)    I have an older  double wide kitchen refrigerator which uses a lot of electricity.  I am very frugal with lights inside and outside the house, and use only cost efficient light bulbs.  I have no air conditioning nor heating-which is not needed due to the climate which is around 72 F. year round.  The elevation where I live is an almost perfect climate at  3,500 feet above sea level.

Telephones- the more you talk-the more you pay..this applies to home phone lines as well as cell phones.  You can have high speed internet service connected to your home phone line-it’s a separate charge of  $35 per month.  If you dont talk much, then yes the home as well as the cell phones are cheap-however if you talk a lot you are charged per minute.  My cell phone bill is around $18 per month and I talk VERY LITTLE.   My home line -which I do talk a lot- is around $50 per month (then you have to add cost of internet service to this)

Water:  Is relatively inexpensive because it is so plentiful in Costa Rica.  I pay around $12 per month (when I have NO  guests in the B&B.)

Domestic help:  Is $3 per hour -however there are added cost to this.  And to calculate the added costs you need to go to the Labor office in your home town  and get a copy of ALL THE RULES  related to domestic help.  These rules are MANY  and the cost of them add up to quite a large sum of money.  Don’t hire domestic help without understanding  and implementing these rules.

Cost of automobiles and maintaining them here in Costa Rica is VERY  high. First if you want to import  your automobile.  you must pay a very high import tax.   This tax is figured by the blue book value of your car and the import tax goes from 100% of the value on down (depending on the age of your automobile) Gas is around $5.50 per gallon.   Mechanical work is   expensive -similar to prices in the US.  Tires and brake pads have to be changed more often due to the pot holes in the road and the stop and start type of driving that goes on here in CR. To insure  your car costs about same as US.  The car has to be inspected 1 time per year which costs $25  and in December you have to pay the tag—-and be prepared this cost is very high depending on what year and model your car is..new cars can be hundreds of dollars!

Cost of construction of a home is about same as in US per square foot. ( approx. $90-$100 per square foot-depending what kind of finishes you desire)  Construction is very slow and be sure to construct in dry season.  In rainy season workers loose a lot of working hours due to the rain–and you are required to pay for “some of these lost working hours”

Land is very expensive in CR- probably because it is a small country and just not that much land available to buy.   An acre lot in the central valley will cost around  $80-$90 a square meter and there are around 4,000 sq meters in an acre.  Planned developments charge a lot more per square meter……Beach lots are much  much higher in price.

Speculation is rampant on land prices so be sure not to over pay.  Spend a lot of time investigating for yourself and do not take someone else word for the value of the property.  North Americans usually pay a lot more than Ticos for the same property….so be careful.

Food costs are about same as in Atlanta, Ga  (where I come from)   However:  Fruits and vegetables are cheaper in Costa Rica.  But meat prices are higher.

Property taxes are low in Costa Rica

Labor  is cheaper however  it seems to take longer to get a job done here than in North America.  The Labor office in your home town will provide a list of labor prices for different types of work and professions.

A good restaurant will cost you the same as where I come from in Atlanta, Ga.  and if you are in a tourist area it will cost you more.  However: you can eat at a “Costa Rica Soda” which is a small place, locally run,  the food is simple and cheaper.

So why retire in Costa Rica?  Frankly, given today’s cost of living here…I would say I can’t think of a REALLY GOOD REASON but that is my opinion only.  In life there is a saying “different strokes for different folks”  Of course there are the advantages of the tropical weather with a lot of sun year round- and the beautiful green of the plants, trees, and flowers.  And  North Americans seem to live in areas where other North American live so one can make new friends.  The beaches are relatively close,  however a stay at a lovely beach if pricey- after you factor in  the cost of the gasoline to get there- takes 2-4 hours to drive to the nicer beaches from the central valley.  The hotels vary in prices-depending on how much comfort  and luxury you want to pay for.

Security ….I know you have read on many web sites about the serious problems with robberies in Costa Rica.  Visitors often said to  me,  “Seems that there are bars on everything, homes and businesses. “   “Why is that?’  Well, my answer is:  Because they must protect their homes and businesses from thieves.  Sadly, this is a very serious problem in Costa Rica.   Especially in the rural areas where there are few policemen.   If you visit the major cities of San Jose and Alajuela, you will see a large number of policemen.  However:  when you go out to the outlying towns, you will see few policemen.

PRACTICAL ADVICE:  To live here one must learn patience and  tolerance because the culture here is not to hurry or set a deadline for anything.  It is very helpful to speak some Spanish so you can learn something of the C Rican culture, which  leads to  tolerance and a much more enjoyable life.

And yes it is true.  You will get charged more than a Tico for the same service  OR for the same piece of land or for the same house.  That is just the way things work here, and it’s better just to accept this and learn to live with it.

MORE PRACTICAL ADVICE- I highly recommend that you come to Costa Rica  and rent for a least one year and check it all out for yourself.  That will give you enough time to see if you can adjust to a different culture.   And if the advantages for you outweigh the disadvantages. You will learn what the cost of living here is for your lifestyle.  You can determine for yourself if you can afford to live here the way you would like to live..  and  just of important if  you can adjust to the differences in culture.

So I have been living in Costa Rica for quite awhile SO what bugs me the most-  1.  the roads which many have pot holes and  are poorly designed. Too many cars on the highways esp from Alajuela to San Jose.    2.  the Costa Rican drivers esp the males who drive too fast, pass on curves, and are plain rude behind the wheel.   3. the price of gas here $5.66 per gallon- so you really have to think twice when you put your car on the road.  4. I like the Costa Rican people  who are helpful and polite-but one must learn that their culture is different and I mean DIFFERENT.   Examples: Relationships between men and women..the woman plays a much more submissive role in this Latin Culture.   Another example-this culture is one of politeness to the extreme.  To avoid a confrontation means not  telling you what you want to hear.  Or not exactly giving you a “straight answer”  So one has to become an expert at “reading between the lines”. And to live a happy life you must learn to be “polite  and smile” and wait awhile –without causing confrontation.  The Ticos do not deal well with confrontation, usually they will “retreat”

WHAT DO I MISS:  The conveniences I was accustomed to back home, the fact that things were organized and moved more or less smoothly.  Here in CR things are less organized.  Takes a lot longer to get even little things done.  And seems you need a lawyer for everything and lawyers are very expensive here. A simple power of attorney can cost you up to $90  SO  ask the attorney AHEAD  of time how much xyz is going to cost you and you may need to negotiate the price.

So Ill bet after reading this you are going to say-well, Ill just come to Costa Rica on vacation-enjoy the sunshine and beautiful green rain forest and beaches  and go back home where I things move smoothly  and everyone speaks my language.

This article is written by Ann Cabezas who has lived and worked in Costa Rica off and on since 1998.  First coming to CR in 1970, after marrying a Costa Rican.  She has built three houses in Costa Rica.   Ann  has worked in the Costa Rica Travel Industry-designing  personalized vacation itineraries for many years.  You can contact her at  anncabezas23@hotmail.com