Since I am a photographer and my husband is a professional videographer I can recommend some great spots for you.  First, in the cnetral valley of Costa Rica, the Poas Volcano is a great subject.  Go early in the morning and you will have a better chance of getting it without a cloud cover.

Second is the Arenal Volcano located in the northern region of Costa Rica.  The Arenal has many moods.  Again go early in the morning because it also tends to get a cloud cover.  If you are lucky you will get one of its mighty eruptions with fire and hot rocks spewing from it’s summit.  Also Lake Arenal is gorgeous early in the a.m. with losts of water birds and the view of the volcano from  the lake  is the best!

The blue River in the northern zone is a photographer’s dream.  It is located at the base of the Tenerio Volcano.  However, it is hard to get to.  Requires a hike of more than two hours .  The water is sky blue due to the mineral deposits in it.  But if you love hiking and are in good shape, then go for it!  Sunset tours in La Fortuna will sell you a day tour to the Blue River.

The Tortuguero Canals on the  north eastern Caribbean  side of Costa Rica allows you to photograph the dense jungle with monkeys, crocodiles, and toucans.  Also the exotic tropical flowering plants are unique.

The  Southern Caribbean beaches of Costa Rica are lined with palm trees and coconut trees and the houses are painted bright colors of yellow, blue, and green, reflecting the Afro-American culture here.  Everything here has color.  The dense rain forest in it’s thousand shades of green.  The sloths which hang out quietly in the tree tops, and the beaches are rocky and the water beats upon these rocks. There are lots of monkeys, crocodiles, and wildlife galore such as several species of Iguanas.  The whole culture here is colorful , even the fishing boats are colorfully painted in blues and yellows. It’s a great place for a photographer.

So bring your camera and come on down!

costaricalearn.com strives to present travel tips that will make your vacation to Costa Rica a more meaningful one.   Bring your camera and come join Ann’s escorted group tour to Costa Rica departing on June 19, 2010 for 8 nights.  I guarantee you will have wonderful photography opportunities.  Contact Ann at    anncreed23@gmail.com

Also

Poas volcano Central Valley Costa Rica

Thinking about taking a vacation to a warm tropical place where sunshine abounds and lots of outdoor nature orientated activities are available.  Costa Rica has the mountains, rain forest,  pristine beaches,  wild rivers,  colorful birds, monkeys, and well almost everything except giraffes,  rhinoceros, lions, and elephants.  The are lowland dry forest, low land rain forest,  cloud forest at the high elevations.  River rafting from a river float to a class IV rafting.  You can sleep on the river banks and feel like you are living in the jungle.  The many wildlife reserves provide sanctuary for hundreds of species of tropical birds. As well as three species of monkeys, the howler, the spider, and the white face.

Costa Rica has set aside over 20% of its land surface for National Parks and Wild life Reserves.  Quite an accomplishment so such a small country about the same size as out state of West Virginia.

Costa Rica has the Poas Volcano National Park in the Central Valley, the Arenal Volcano Nationl Park in the northern zone, and the Irazu Volcano National Park just east of San Jose near the smaller town of Cartago.  The most visited and the most exciting is the Arenal which spews fire and hot rocks from its crater several times a day.

The two coast of Costa Rica, the Pacific and the Atlantic (Caribbean are distinctively different)   read about the differences by clicking         http://costaricalearn.com/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=2226

Most beach lovers choose the Pacific coast of Costa Rica because there is consistently more sun there, all year round.   And in certain areas there are long stretches of beach with no rocks and waves good for surfing.

Also there is the jungle destination of the Osa Peninsula, where the low land primary rain forest are just gorgeous and full of wildlife.  Development has not yet reached this pristine area because it is very inaccessible.  No roads to speak of so you have to take a boat or small plane to get there.   Many small eco lodges are here but it is not inexpensive because of it’s remoteness.

The Arenal Volcano with  the Arenal volcano National Park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Costa Rica.   What is the Arenal Volcano like?  It is a hugh cone shaped volcano which almost constantly spews lava, hot gases,  and hot molten rocks from its summits.    But these are small eruptions.  Not big enough to cause danger to the surrounding  areas.

Tourist come here from all over the world to experience this unique ecosystem created by this vast volcano.  The Arenal sits in the middle of a vast rain forest, home to hundreds of colorful birds, giant trees and colorful flowering plants.  Also the howler and spider monkeys live here.

When did the Arenal Volcano have it’s last major eruption?  In the early morning of July 29, 1968 the Arenal violently erupted and buried the small village of Pueblo Nuevo, located at the base of Arenal’s north face, killing 86 people.

The Arenal Volcano National Park and the surroundings of La Fortuna have become almost like a Disneyland in these tropical rain forest.  Soft and hard adventure activities are offered by two major tour companies,  Sunset Tours  and Desfios Tours.   One of the most popular is the Canopy Tour, offered by two different tour companies.  so it’s hard to decide which one to take.

First,  the company called Costa Rica Sky Adventures. You get into a sky tram and are lifted up through the rain forest to a platform.  Here is a lovely view of the Arenal  Lake and a walking trail through the rain forest which takes around thirty minutes.  Then you get strapped into the zip line gear and off you go!  From tree top to tree top.  It’s great because you see both the Arenal Lake and the rain forest tree tops as you swing through the trees.   Upon return you can take a walk through a butterfly sanctuary and learn about the life cycle of butterflies.

Second, the company named Arenal Mundo Adventura  has a  canopy tour with eleven zip lines!  And believe me they are high above the rain forest canopy.  Great fun!  I saw a flock of toucans near by one of the platforms.  After the zip line you go to the Maleku Indigenous Spiritual House.  Witness a spiritual ceremony and also have an opportunity to purchase  their beautiful art work.

Both of these zip line are great fun so I don’t have a favorite.

learn more:  www.costaricaskyadventures.travel This shows the zip line in Monteverde as well as the one in Arenal.

learn more about arenal mundo adventura for the zip line tour:  go  to google and type their name.  I was unable to access them by searching their address any other way.

bungalow for tourist at Rancho margot

Rancho Margot located near the Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica is home to one of the most exciting development projects in the country.  It is the brainchild of Juan Sostheim who came to Costa Rica from Chile to retire, but instead created Rancho Margot,  a self sustainable, self sufficient working ranch.  Juan has opened it to tourist to come and see how all this is done and  enjoy the peace and tranquility of the rain forest setting.  There are fourteen bungalows where you sleep and enjoy the gorgeous views from your own front porch.  Then you get a guided tour of the ranch, take a guided hike into the rain forest,   or take a horseback tour to the highest peak to see the mighty Arenal Volcano  erupting .  The lovely open air restaurant serves typical Costa Rica food which is fresh and delicious, most of it grown organically right there on the ranch.

At Rancho Margot electricity is produced by water driven turbines.  There is a very swift river running right down the middle of the property surrounded by thick jungle rain forests filled with monkeys and colorful tropical birds.  Dairy cows are raised for cheese and milk.  Orchards and organic gardens are sown for the fruits and vegetables.   Chickens are raised  for their eggs.  Biodigestors convert animal waste into energy.   Cell phone and internet service is all there because  Juan installed several satellites around the ranch in order to get the service.

Juan is very active in the local community.  He has reforested hillsides, purchased shuttle buses, hired English teachers for the local school children.   He built an animal rescue center on the ranch with a veterinary clinic.

Rancho Margot welcomes researchers, horticulturists, students, volunteers, backpackers and high-end tourists as well.

Also there is a yoga center built built on stilts overlooking the beautiful river.

Transportation is provided from La Fortuna.

Mimi, the tiny spider monkey (shown in the above photo) was brought into Juan’s rescue center after having been injured.  He was treated by the vet and now after two weeks is doing well.

You can learn all about Rancho Margot at www.ranchomargot.org

We at costaricalearn strive to inform you of unique tourist destinations in Costa Rica which are very reasonably priced and offer high quality service.  We welcome you comments.  At the end of this post simply click  on comments or go to the top of this page and click on contact us.

This is indeed a unique place in Costa Rica!   Setting is  jungle,  one can wake up to the sound of monkeys and song birds.  Trails all around the lodge lead in and out of the  jungle setting. The swimming pool is spring fed with a hot tub at one end.   Nice small restaurant with a great view to the volcano.

Scientist from all over the world come here, including from the Smithsonian institute to do research and study the volcano with it’s unique ecosystem.

Arenal Volcano had it’s last Great Eruption in 1968 when it destroyed a near by village on the north face of the volcano  killing 86 people.  Today it rumbles and spits fire and rock from it’s summit  but these eruptions are small.

Natural hot springs come out of the base of the Arenal, but you have to go back down  the road to La Fortuna to get to these hot springs.  Most famous is the Tabacon Hot Springs with its lush tropical gardens and very upscale Spa.

The side of the volcano where Arenal Observatory Lodge is located seems to have been lucky and has not experienced  any negative impact from the  small eruptions going on these days from the volcano

Arenal Volcano in a quiet moment

Learn more about the Arenal Observatory Lodge at www.arenalobservatorylodge.com

Here at costaricalearn.com we would like to hear from you.  If you have visited Arena Observatory Lodge please share the  highlights of your trip.  At the end of this post simply click on comments or reply.

Eight days traveling in Costa Rica I recommend you fly into the Liberia International airport located in the northern part of Costa Rica, rent a car, and drive around 45 minutes  (good roads) to one of the NW Pacific beaches for four  nights and then drive to the Arenal Volcano -La Fortuna area-4 hours  (good roads) for another three nights  (if your are staying 8 days.) You will probably need to say near the Liberia airport the last night, depending on what time your return home flight departs.

If you have to fly into the San Jose international airport, then rent a car, drive to Arenal Volcano area  3.5 hours-good road.   Read my article  under category ” Driving to Costa Rica’s tourist destinations” for best route from  San Jose  international airport to Arenal.  Stay there  3 nights  then drive to one of the NW Pacific beaches for 3 nights (this drive is very scenic and takes 4 hours)  on the 7th day you will  need to drive back ( 4 hour trip) to the San Jose international airport area  (spend one night there around the airport) to catch your return flight home.

Sounds like a lot of driving but the drives are very scenic and the roads are good.   Also read my posts about Arenal Volcano National Park under category National Parks of Costa Rica  or  (go to the search box for quickly finding it).

If you choose this itinerary at Arenal you will see howler monkeys,  the Arenal  erupting at night, gorgeous rain forest, do a zip line tour, walk high above the canopy of the  rain forest  on man made bridges,  hike the Arenal volcano National Park, bath in a hot springs,   visit an organic Eco Farm, and much more.

On the NW Pacific beaches swim in the blue green waters, go surfing, collect shells on the beach, get a gorgeous tropical suntan, eat fresh sea food,   go deep sea fishing,  sailing,  read a good book, and just simply RELAX!

I would like to hear from my readers.  Click comment at the end of this post OR click  “Contact US”  at the  very top of the page