Fodor's Costa Rica 2013 (Full-color Travel Guide)
Language: English
Pages: 616
ISBN: 0307929418
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
Costa Rica is one of the most popular destinations for travelers in search of natural beauty, outdoor adventure, and sun. In full-color and with helpful magazine-style illustrated features, Fodor’s Costa Rica shows off the splendor of country’s stunning natural landscapes and its varied flora and fauna like no other guide.
Expanded Coverage: New hotel and restaurant reviews in top beach towns, in and around the national parks, in San Jose, and beyond. Fodor’s Costa Rica 2013 has 54 newly updated maps and over 250 color photos.
Illustrated Features: Look for richly illustrated guides of surfing the Salsa Brava, sport-fishing off the Pacific coast, canopy tours in the cloud forests, turtle-nesting tours in Tortuguero, and bird-watching in the rare tropical dry forests of Guanacaste.
Indispensable Trip Planning Tools: An illustrated “Biodiversity” chapter guides readers through the country’s varied landscapes and helps plan a vacation based on particular activities or topography.
Discerning Recommendations: Fodor’s Costa Rica offers savvy advice and recommendations from local writers to help travelers make the most of their visit. Fodor’s Choice designates our best picks, from eco lodges to sports outfitters. “Word of Mouth” quotes from fellow travelers provide valuable insights.
witnessing the monumental egg laying. A decade ago, it was almost a sure thing to find at least one laying turtle on the beach during the nesting season. But today, some groups will come away disappointed, a sad reminder of how in the past 25 years, shore development and commercial fishing have reduced sea turtle populations by 99%. Previous Chapter | Beginning of Chapter | Next Chapter | Table of Contents Previous Chapter | Next Chapter | Table of Contents Rincón de la Vieja National Park
Bird-Watching Bird-watching is rewarding in the cloud forest, where some of the most vibrant and peculiar of nature’s winged creatures can be found. Rise early, enjoy some locally grown coffee, and check the aguacatillo trees for quetzals. If you opt to go without a guide, bring along waterproof binoculars and a good guidebook (we recommend The Birds of Costa Rica, by Richard Garrigues and Robert Dean) for spotting and identifying birds. Canopy Tours Canopy tours and suspended bridges run
Bay or hike in from Carate. But to get to the most pristine, wildlife-rich areas, you need to walk, and that means a minimum of three days: one day to walk in, one day to walk out, and one day inside. Hours of Operation Ranger stations are officially open from 8 am to 4 pm daily, but you can walk in almost any time as long as you pay in advance. OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES If your reason for coming to the Osa is Corcovado, choose a lodge that has resident naturalist guides. On the Drake Bay and gulf
by for breakfast most mornings. TripAdvisor: “peaceful,” “beautiful property,” “great potential.” | Rooms from: $85 | 12 km/7½ miles northwest of Tribunales de Justicia de Alajuela; turn left at high school | 20103 | 2449–5562 | www.siempreverdebandb.com | 7 rooms | Breakfast. Fodor’s Choice | Xandari Resort Hotel & Spa. $$$$ | The tranquil and colorful Xandari is a strikingly original inn and spa, tailor-made for honeymooners and romantic getaways. Its bold design is the brainchild of a
2283–5573 | www.interbusonline.com. Internet Expediciones Fortuna. Across the street from Central Plaza | 21007 | 2479–9104. Medical Clinic Seguro Social. 300 m east of Parque Central | 21007 | 2479–9643. Pharmacy FarmaTodo. 50 m north of La Fortuna’s gas station | 21007 | 2479–8155. Post Office Correos. Across from north side of church | 21007. Rental Cars Alamo. 100 m west of church | 21007 | 2479–9090 | www.alamocostarica.com. Mapache. 800 m west of church | 21007 | 2479–0010