RURAL TOURISM IN COSTA RICA

Rural tourism in Costa Rica is relatively new.  It is designed for tourist who want a true Costa Rican cultural experience as well as adding some adventure to the experience.   In other words a mix of adventure and culture.

So we call it Rural Tourism with a  “spice of Adventure.”

First , participating in rural tourism in Costa Rica you will learn what a real Costa Rica rural community is like.    Schools, police, delivery of health care,  neighborhoods,  and of course the people.

You will learn why Costa Ricans are known as “the happiest people on earth.”

Lindsey Padilla, creator therealcostarica .net,  says it so well.

I quote Lindsey:

“ Our intention is to present the real Costa Rica to you, and to show what is essential to us here in the countryside:

Our luxury may be different from your luxury…

We have no air conditioning, we have fresh and still pure air.

We have no a swimming pools at home, we have clean rivers in our village.

We have no big and amazing houses, we have big wishes to share our amazing lifestyle.

We have no expensive rugs or furniture, we have green yards sorrounded by flowers where you can rest and admire the creation.

We have no cinema or theater in town, we have many beautiful landscapes to observe and enjoy.

Not everyone has internet in home, we are always personally close to family and friends.

We don’t have new cars, we are thankful with God because we can walk. 

Our kids have no expensive toys, they spend the day discovering species around (frogs, buttterflies, birds…) They collect smiles for sharing with everyone who accept to get into their world: soccer games, hide and seek, and games like these…

What we call “luxury” is to open our doors to share what we really are… From now and then… Welcome to “The Real Costa Rica! “

10.255.150.253/costaricalearn  voice will tell you:  A Rural Adventure -Cultural Tour could  consist of the following:

Lunch with a Costa Rican Family, learn about the food -how it is grown and prepared.  Food is always fresh-usually no preservatives added.  Some may be grown organically.

Visit a rural school.  Talk to the students and the teachers.

Homestay with a real Costa Rica family.  Learn what “Pura Vida” means  (pure life). Practice your Spanish or take Spanish classes.

Visit the police station, talk to the police.  Costa Rica has no standing army since 1948.  Citizens do not usually own firearms unless they live in an area where wild animals are a danger.

Tour a natural medicinal garden.  Learn about the plants and their curative properties.

When possible visit an indigenous group-dances, language, food, art.

Hike in a rainforest, get into a natural hot springs, see monkeys, iguanas, sloths.

Early morning bird watching.  There are hundreds of colorful tropial birds.

The Costa Rican government is doing a great deal to promote rural tourism.  The governmental agency “Institute for Rural Development”  INDER is providing assistance to rural communities to establish tours such as:  “Route of the Blue River” in North Eastern Costa Rica.  Here is the home to the indigenous people-The Maleku.  A rural tour here would hike along the blue river and then visit the Makelu Village.  See how they live.  What they eat, how they educate their children, what is their native language, how do they government their community?

Would you like to include in your vacation to Costa Rica a “Rural Tourism” experience.

You can do so by contacting Ann Cabezas Creed owner of the travel company www.costaricalearn.com  anncreed23@gmail.com