Costa Rica's Eco-Adventures
by Candyce H. Stapen
Eco-adventures abound in Costa Rica. You and your kids can explore
volcanoes, raft rivers, stroll gorgeous beaches, and hike through
rain forests where macaws cry, monkeys chatter and parrots screech.
Nestled between the Caribbean and Pacific seas, and serving as a
land "bridge" between North and South America, Costa Rica boasts
an incredible diversity of ecological zones from cloud forests to
mangrove swamps, rain forests, marshes, and coral reefs. A visit
here enables you to teach your children to value nature by experiencing
it. Here are some great adventures:
Rain Forests
At Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, a 25,000-acre
reserve, the winds create clouds that envelop the mountain peaks.
You hike through mist-shrouded woods past lush ferns, mosses, vines,
and trees from whose limbs dangle sprays of orchids. The forest
shelters more than 400 species of birds, hundreds of varieties of
orchids, and such exotic wildlife as jaguars, ocelots, and quetzals,
although these are rarely encountered. Since only 120 people are
allowed in the reserve at one time, be sure to book ahead for a
guide through your lodging.
Carara National Park is known for its scarlet macaws.
Bold red, brilliantly feathered, and long-tailed, the macaws are
gorgeous. Ferns, massive trees, tall banyans with intricately fingered
roots, and thick, leafy branches form a dense green canopy. Look
out for the droves of leaf cutter ants trooping together, each bearing
a piece of leaf on their backs. Corcovado National Park, a huge
expanse of lowland rainforest, is home to abundant wildlife, including
scarlet macaws and the biggest bird of prey, the harpy eagle.
Volcanoes
From San José, Costa Rica's capital, it's an easy
day trip to two volcanoes. The windy roads en route to Paos treat
you to scenic valley views of coffee plantations with dark, green
bushy fields outlined by willowy palms, and slopes lush with mango
and guanacosta trees. Poas' wide crater steams and bubbles with
sulphurous waters. You can drive to the barren summit of Irazu.
The minerals in Diego de la Haya, one of its two craters, make the
lake appear green or even red.
Arenal, the country's most active volcano, still erupts. The
red-hot lava tubes snaking down the slopes look most impressive
at night, but clouds frequently enshroud the slopes. Even if you
miss the fiery show, during the day you can bike on the gravel and
dirt roads that ring the volcano and then soak in the region's soothing
mineral springs. Tabacón Hot Springs Resort welcomes day guests.
Beaches
Although often crowded, Manuel Antonio National Park is worth a
visit for its wildlife and beautiful beaches. Troops of white-throated
capuchin monkeys swing from tree branch to tree branch and sloths
(difficult to spot) nestle on tree limbs. There's good snorkeling
off Playa Manuel Antonio, one of the stretches of sand.
Rafting
In Costa Rica you can have your rivers mild or wild.
For an easy float, try the Corobici River from Cañas. It's best
to go in the afternoon when the wood storks and white cattle egrets
feather the banks, flocking home to their evening roosts.
The swift-moving Pacuare River is designated one of the top
ten whitewater runs in the world for its combination of easy access,
cascading rapids and wilderness scenery. You paddle past tall ceiba
trees, swirl by waterfalls and boulders, and in the calm of a canyon,
you can get out of the rafts and float along, admiring the rock
walls and the blue sky.
Big resort hotels include El Parador, near Manuel
Antonio National Park, and the Four Seasons Papagayo, in the Guanacaste
region. Small Distinctive Hotels of Costa Rica offer a range of
boutique properties, each with a local flair. Among these are the
Hotel Grano de Oro, San Jose, which has flower-filled interior courtyards
and individually decorated rooms; the Hotel Capitán Suizo, a collection
of eight bungalows and 22 rooms on the golden sands of Playa Tamarindo;
as well as Lapa Rios, on the Osa Peninsula near Corcovado National
Park. At the Lapa Rios, located on a 1,000-acre nature reserve near
where the Golfo Dulce meets the Pacific, opt for kayaking, surfing,
fishing or even camping out at night in the jungle (506-258-0150;
www.distinctivehotels.com).
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Great Places, Great Deals
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-Orlando: 
Book the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort
at least 21 days in advance and get a room from
$186 (restrictions apply). Rates available through
September 28, 2007. The resort has a spa, six
swimming pools, tropical gardens, and is located
near Walt Disney World (888-99-WORLD and ask for
rate code ADP, or visit www.worldsbestvacation.com).
-Hawaii: Waikiki: Learn to surf with the
Outrigger Waikiki's Room and Board package. Along
with four nights lodging, you get four hours of
surf lessons, eight hours of board rental, and
a complimentary CD of digital images taken during
one of the lessons. Prices start at $1,070 for
a City View room for the five-day, four-night
package. Valid through December 21, 2007 (800-OUTRIGGER;
www.outriggerwaikiki.com).
-Austria: Hikes to castles, boat rides
and zoo visits are just part of BikeToursDirect
new Danube Family Bike Tour. The seven-night adventure
begins in Linz and ends in Vienna, and takes families
downhill through Austria's scenic Wachau region
averaging 16 miles per day. Self-guided packages
depart daily April 1 through October 31, 2007.
Rates include lodging, breakfasts and some lunches;
admissions, activities, and train and boat transfers.
The guided tour adds dinners and a professional
guide experienced working with children (877-462-2423;
www.BikeToursDirect.com).
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*****
– Candyce H. Stapen is the author of
27 books, including National Geographic Guide to Caribbean Family
Vacations.
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