Experience the rush of Costa Rica's world-class whitewater rafting on some of Central America's best rapids on the Pacuare River. If the ride doesn't take your breath away, the scenery will. A one-day trip includes class III and IV rapids and can be a most exhilarating way to spend a morning in Costa Rica. Exploradores Outdoors is a Costa Rican owned and operated company that has been arranging trips down the Rio Pacuare for more than ten years, and even amateur rafters have been known to become white water enthusiasts after experiencing the adrenaline of whizzing down the Rio Pacuare.
Recommended for Best Attractions & Activities because: It's more than a rush through the rapid waters of the Rio Pacuare, it's an intense trip through a very green slice of Costa Rica.
Sophia's expert tip: Book an Exploradores trip and get picked up from your hotel and dropped at your next destination, even if it's across the country; experience Central America's best white water rapids with Costa Rica's most trusted operator.
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Chocolate lovers, nature enthusiasts, and those looking to learn more about Costa Rica's rich history of cacao should indulge in the Chocolate Forest Experience, but if you can't spare the time, there's the Chocolate Tasting Lounge to relax and indulge in. The Experience is an in-depth exploration of chocolate from the cacao seed to the to the fruit from the tree to the bean, and then, to the bar, and it's a real treat for all the senses. The experience begins with a guided tour through the varied areas of cacao, from the cacao jungle to the cacao forest and managed cacao restoration zones. Following the tour, stick around for a professional chocolate tasting with organic wine. The Chocolate Forest Experience costs $26 per person and includes all the chocolate you can eat. Regular excursions are Tuesday and Thursday at 10:30am and 3:00pm, no reservations, and private tours are available at other times with a reservation.
Recommended for Best Attractions & Activities because: Spoiler alert: Hershey's may never do the trick again once you've tasted the real thing here.
Sophia's expert tip: Don't skip the "chocolate creation lab" where 1800th century style premium organic chocolate is being made. Take the 3:00 pm tour and take in an unforgettable sunset from atop the chocolate forest.
After a warm introduction and a brief history of coffee in Costa Rica, the tour begins with a stroll through the plantation of coffee, cacao, and many other tropical trees. A charismatic bi-lingual guide explains the growing cycles from the cranberry red fruit to the brown bean. The roastery is a real working factory where Café Britt is roasted and packaged; large rooms with twenty foot tall machines are filled with the aroma of beans in various stages. Duration: 1.5 hours Price:$20 Transportation available from most major hotels in San Jose. Coming from San Jose, follow Route 2 through General Canas Highway in Heredia. Available: 9:30am and 11:00am year round.
Recommended for Best Attractions & Activities because: Learning about Costa Rica's important role in the global coffee trade is just one of the perks of this tour.
Sophia's expert tip: Check out the larger-than-life Costa Rican folk-lore puppets and orchid garden walk before the tour begins.
The Corcovado National Park is widely recognized as Costa Rica's "crown jewel" of natural preserves; the National Geographic cals it "the most biologically intense place on Earth in terms of biodiversity." Located in Costa Rica's southwestern-most corner, the Osa Peninsula, Corcovado may be visited on a day trip, or with a little advance planning, overnight camping inside may be arranged. The most popular route is a long coastal path that may be accessed from Puerto Jimenez. Encompassing thirteen vegetation types including montane and cloud forests and palm and mangrove swamps, Corcovado is home to more than 500 tree species, and an astonishing host of wildlife, such as: two and three toed sloths, the endangered squirrel monkey, white faced capuchin and mantled howler monkeys, and several jungle felines, including jaguar and puma. The greatest number of Scarlet Macaws also live in Corcovado, their bright feathers are often spotted flying overhead.
Recommended for Best Attractions & Activities because: Established in 1975, Corcovado National Park is the crown jewel of the Osa Peninsula.
Sophia's expert tip: To decrease the chance of introducing non-native seeds to the park that could detrimentally affect the habitat, visitors should carefully clean all hiking and camping gear, especially the soles of shoes and boots, before entering.
InBio Park is Costa Rica's national institute for biodiversity and conservation, and it's main attraction is a theme park for all ages that introduce's Costa Rica and many of its natural wonders to the public. InBio collaborates with government agencies, universities, and other public and private entities to provide the most cutting-edge technologies and advanced science, and the result is a comprehensive park that leaves few, if any, stones unturned. A collection of more than 3 million insects, an expansive mushroom exhibit, a Climate Change expose, and a Sustainable Trail are only some of the attractions in store at InBio Park.
Recommended for Best Attractions & Activities because: Family-friendly exhibits at this natural theme park lay the groundwork for a great vacation.
Sophia's expert tip: This park is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday only, and the last admission is at 3pm, unless you book a night tour in advance. Reservations for InBio Park guided tours can be made from most major hotels in San Jose, and include transportation.
The Monteverde Cloud forest is a lush preserve that remains largely intact despite a recent boom in tourism. Most of the wildlife is rare and much of it is nocturnal, which is why a night hike of the preserve makes for such a stimulating attraction. Hire a guide after you pay your entrance fee, or wander around alone by day and splurge for the guided nocturnal stroll. The reserve is open daily from 7am to 4pm, and the entrance fee is $17, discounts available for children and students. Since there is a limit to how many people are allowed into the reserve at any one time, there is a chance you'll have to wait in line, but it's well worth it.
Recommended for Best Attractions & Activities because: Founded by Quakers, the Monteverde Cloud Reserve has been declared one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Costa Rica.
Sophia's expert tip: Bird watchers can make the most of an early morning stroll through Sendero El Río, where they'll have a chance of spotting the elusive Quetzal.
Reef Runner Divers is a one-stop dive shop located in a prime beachfront spot in Puerto Viejo de Limon, Costa Rica. With a staff of experienced divers and a trusty panga boat named "The Reefer" this long-standing outfit has access to the most pristine, untouched parts of the Caribbean eco-system. Visit "The Holes" and swim through sun filled waters over the great barrier reef, and scale the Seahorse Wall, where yellow, green and brown sea horses can be seen up close on the Reef Runner Divers Fun Dive. Get your PADI certification or stay closer to the surface with a Snorkeling Safari. Find Reef Runner Divers on the water's edge at El Chino Beach.
Recommended for Best Attractions & Activities because: See Costa Rica's most pristine eco-system before it disappears; a marina planned along the Caribbean coast would compromise the coral reef.
Sophia's expert tip: Discounts offered for groups of 4 or more.
The Lankester Botanical Gardens (Jardín Botánico Lankester) was created in 1973 as a center for the exhibition, conservation and research of tropical air plants, with an empahsis on orchids. Recognized worldwide for its stunning collections of bromeliads, orchids, and other air plants, the Lankester Botanical Garden takes up 11 hectares , hosting more than 3,000 species of plants. On the walking trail, look for sloths eating in the trees above the extra large leaves of the Cecropia tree. Hours: 9:00 a.m. with last entry at 3:30 p.m. every day except for the Easter holiday week, Christmas and New Years day. Entrance fee is approximately $3, with discounts for students.
Recommended for Best Attractions & Activities because: A visit to Lankester Botanical Garden's 3000 species orchid collection is a boon for flower enthusiasts.
Sophia's expert tip: Bring a hat for walking the garden trails during green season.
Yes, it is the quintessential Costa Rican adventure, and yes it is a must-do experience, if you enjoy the great outdoors, that is. You'll feel the adrenaline in your veins and the wind in your hair as you whiz from platform to platform (there are twenty platforms!) suspended by cables just above the tree tops in the jungle outside of Puerto Viejo de Limon. If you're lucky, you may spot monkeys and sloths swinging on branches beside you, and there are always birds and iguanas at play above and below. For the affordable price of $55 per person, everything is included from pick-up at your hotel, a snack, and all the equipment- round trip is 3.5 hours.
Recommended for Best Attractions & Activities because: The canopy tour, or zip line, is Costa Rica's signature adventure attraction.
Sophia's expert tip: Don't wear loose fitting clothing; snug duds will keep from catching as you zip.
At the Jaguar Rescue Center in Playa Chiquita, a few kilometers south of Puerto Viejo de Limon, Costa Rica a primatologist (monkey expert) and her herpatologist (reptile expert) husband are a couple of passionate animal lovers who created the center in response to the community need for a place for the rescue of orphaned or injured animals. At this beautiful sanctuary, animals are cared for and raised with a goal of release back into the wild once rehabilitated. The Jaguar Rescue Center accepts visitors every day except Sunday at 9:30 am or 11:30 am for 1.5 hour tours. There is a $15 suggested donation.
Recommended for Best Attractions & Activities because: Rain or shine, this is one place you will always have fun at when you visit, knowing you helped make a monkey's day.
Sophia's expert tip: Tours are offered at 9:30 and 11:30 every day except Sunday.