Costa Rica Life

Hip. Helpful. Happy.

Pension Santa Elena, in Monteverde, is THE place for the budget traveler backpacker. This Monteverde hotel staff is famous world-wide for their accommodating, effective advice. From booking activities to arranging even the most complex transportation…. from “what should I wear…boots or sandals?” to “is this really all it says it is?”….the staff at The Pension has got you covered.

The common room is always humming with an assortment of laid-back, smiling travelers. Bohemic artwork and murals cover the walls. One chalk-scrawled wall acts as a canvas for poems, old school movie quotes, or traveler inspired songs. The rooms are very clean and simple. Wi-Fi and computers are available.

If you get a hankering for a burrito, The Pension’s Taco Taco stand has the cheapest & tastiest food in Santa Elena. Eat your quesadilla and lounge in the sun-drenched hammock.

Don’t forget to introduce yourself to Ran & Shannon, the brother-sister tag team that own & operate The Pension.

Good food, good folks, good trip. Have fun! at the coolest Monteverde Hotel.

Check them out at: Best Monteverde Hotel for Budget Travelers and Backpackers

The freshest cup of coffee in Costa Rica….roasted by YOU!

Out of all the coffee tours in Costa Rica…Finca Flor Mar is best experience bar-none. This family owned and operated farm invites tourists into their home for a homecooked meal & on-the-spot roasted coffee….the catch is that YOU roast the coffee & get an authentic, hands-on Tico cooking lesson!

Take a guided excursion around the farm with the owner, Ken Lander, as he shares with you the farm’s organic and sustainable processes, step-by-step. Finca Flor Mar’s non-traditional, innovative techniques have brought organic, environmentally friendly, community conscious, sustainable practices into the small town of San Rafael. The switch to non-chemical, biodegradable, water-conserving, non-polluting practices is helping to preserve the beautiful country of Costa Rica for generations to come.

Finca Flor Mar is located on the outskirts of Monteverde. Ken picks up groups (in his very cool 1970 Jeep…you will feel like you are in a movie!) at the Pension Santa Elena and brings you out to the farm. You will tour the Costa Rica coffee plantation, learn about organic coffee growing, harvesting, and drying. Then join the Landers in their home to roast coffee and learn the secret ingredients in Gallo Pinto (the signature Tico rice & beans). Ken’s friendly daughter and son-in-law come over for their daily 4 o’clock cup of freshly roasted joe & talk with the day’s visitors.

 Finca Flor Mar is also said to have the best coffee in Costa Rica. All the finest Monteverde restaurant serve their organic Costa Rican coffee exclusively.

This is a truly unique experience and a peek into real-life Costa Rica today. Go visit and bring home to your friends the best coffee of Costa Rica that you roasted on the coolest farm in the country.

Moon Shiva is a Mediterranean style restaurant in the heart of Monteverde - Santa Elena. A simple but tasty menu mixed with Live Music at night makes for the coolest vibe in town. Enjoy local musicians & out-of-town talent, flamenco guitar to creative Sublime covers. The owner and staff of this awesome Monteverde restaurant are super friendly and always accommodating.

Downstairs is the Moon Shiva Lounge Bar. Live Music & Guest DJ’s rock out this local’s hangout with salsa, house, and more. Weekend nights, this is the place to be in Monteverde - Santa Elena. Make some new friends, have a juicy cocktail, shake your booty on the dance floor. Meet the locals, introduce yourself to fellow travelers. All with a good clean but lots-of-fun feel.

You can learn more about this Monteverde restaurant at www.moonshiva.com. Moon Shiva was opened by a Israeli family and recently sold to an American. What was already the one-stop place for a delicious dinner & a good party, is only getting better. Old & young, families & singles, any country, any language, make sure you make it to Moon Shiva when you visit Monteverde, Costa Rica.

50 Popular Surf Breaks in Costa Rica
(break type and location only)

1. Ollie’s Point - Right Point Break - Northern Guanacaste - access by boat from Tamarindo or Playa Coco.
2. Witch’s Rock - Beach Break - Northern Guanacaste - the beach at Santa Rosa National Park.
3. Playa Grande - Beach Break - A hike north of Tamarindo across the estuary.
4. Tamarindo - Beach Break - The beach directly in front of town.
5. Pico Pequeno - Rock Reef - Directly in front of the hotel Tamarindo Diria.
6. Langosta - Rock Reef - A few kilometers south of Tamarindo.
7. Little Hawaii - 30 minute drive South of Tamarindo.
8. Negra - Rock Reef - 30 minutes South of Tamarindo, 5km South of Avellanas.
9. Junquillal - Beach Break - 10 minutes south of Playa Negra, 45km south of Tamarindo.
10. Marbella - Beach Break - An hour south of Tamarindo, north of Playa Ostional.
11. Ostional - Beach Break - 20 minutes North of Nosara.
12. Nosara - Beach Break - 1 hour North of Samara.
13. Playa Guiones - Beach Break - Mellow surf town 1 hour north of Samara. (often called Nosara)
14. Samara - Beach Break - Central Nicoya Peninsula. Poor quality surf most of the time.
15. Camaronal - Beach Break - 30 minutes south of Samara and Carrillo.
16. Santa Teresa - Beach Break - On the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula.
17. Playa Carmen - Beach Break - Southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula.
18. Boca Barranca - Left Point Break - 20 minutes from Puntarenas.
19. Caldera - Left Point Break - 15 minutes south of Boca Barranca, toward Playa Jaco.
20. Tivives - Left Point Break - In the Puerto Caldera area, 30 minutes from Puntarenas.
21. Escondida - Rock Reef - A private beach north of Herradura bay.
22. Isla Herradura - Rock Reef (Left Point) - The Herradura side of the island between Jaco and Herradura.
23. Jaco - Beach Break - 2.5 hours from San Jose, 1 hr south of Puntarenas.
24. Roca Loca - Rock Reef Right - 2km south of Jaco on the way to Hermosa.
25. Hermosa - Beach Break - 5km south of Playa Jaco on the way to Quepos.
26. Playa Tulin - Beach Break - 5km south of the Backyard Hotel in Hermosa, down the newly paved beach road.
27. Esterillos Oeste - Rock Reef - 22km south of Jaco, 40km north of Quepos. A very mellow beach and wave.
28. Esterillos Centro and Este - Miles of Beach Breaks and rivermouths- 27km south of Jaco, 40 north of Quepos.
29. Bejuco - Beach Break - Between Jaco and Quepos.
30. Quepos - Left Point Break - Quepos harbor, the rivermouth in front of the breakwater and boats.
31. Playitas - Manuel Antonio - Rock Reef - 5km south of Quepos in the Manuel Antonio National Park.
32. El Rey - Beach Break - 20 minutes south of the Quepos hospital and airport. Limited beach access
33. Playa Matapalo - Beach Break - 20 minutes north of Dominical, heading toward Quepos.
34. Dominical - Beach Break - 48km south of Quepos, 6hrs from San Jose via San Isidro.
35. Dominicalito - Beach Break - 5km south of Playa Dominical.
36. Punta Dominical - Left Point Break - 10 minutes south of Playa Dominical. Just after Dominicalito
37. Cabo Matapalo - Rock Reef Right - Tip of the Osa Peninsula, 1.5 hrs from Puerto Jiminez.
38. Backwash Bay - Rock Reef - The small bay next to Cabo Matapalo, on the Osa Peninsula.
39. Pan Dulce - Right Point Break - 5km from the tip of the Osa Peninsula, near Cabo Matapalo.
40. Zancudo - Beach Break - Between Golfito and Pavones on the Golfo Dulce. Good fishing.
41. Pavones - Left Point Break - 1hr south of Golfito on the southern entrance of the Golfo Dulce.
42. Punta Banco - Rock Reef - 10km south of Pavones heading toward Punta Burica and Panama.
43. Isla Uvita - Coral Reef - The island off the Caribbean town of Limon.
44. Bonita - Coral Reef - 4km north of Puerto Limon on the Caribbean side.
45. Westfalia - Beach Break - The beach running south of Puerto Limon near the airport.
46. Cahuita (Black Beach) - Beach Break - 45km south of Limon, Cahuita Coral Reef National Park
47. Puerto Viejo - Beach Break - An hour or so south of Limon.
48. Salsa Brava - Coral Reef - In the middle of Puerto Viejo. One of the heaviest waves in Costa Rica.
49. Cocles - Beach Break, Some Coral Reef - 3km south of Puerto Viejo.
50. Manzanillo - Coral Reef and Beach Break - 20-30 minutes south of Puerto Viejo.

(article from CRsurfReport.com)

Costa Rica Scuba Diving & Snorkeling

Costa Rica Scuba Diving & Snorkeling is rich and abundant with a great variety of fish and under water life to enjoy. As a general rule, the best time to enjoy Costa Rica Scuba Diving & Snorkeling is when water visibility is best, in the dry season. During the rainy season, the rivers swell and their outflow clouds the ocean. At this time it is recommended to find available off shore locations where viewing is better and you will be able to best enjoy Costa Rica Scuba Diving.

Costa Rica Scuba Diving & Snorkeling is blessed with warm waters, averaging between 24C-29C at the surface. There is a thermocline around 20M below the surface, where it drops to 23C. If you keep it near the surface, Costa Rica Scuba Diving & Snorkeling can be done without a wet suite.

When visiting Costa Rica, Costa Rica Scuba Diving & Snorkeling is a wonderful activity that the whole family can enjoy. It is recommended that you inform yourself about diving accreditation if you plan to also spend time exploring Costa Rica Scuba Diving. Check out the site for Professional Association of Diving Instructors at www.padi.com or the Divers Alert Network site at www.diversalertnetwork.org. (copy and paste addresses in to a new browser to explore these sites)