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Sarapiqui:
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Sarapiqui is known throughout Costa Rica for its amazing and rich
biodiversity as well as for being an adventure seeker’s dream destination.
If you enjoy the outdoors, there are plenty of hiking and nature walk
opportunities in this region as well as white water rafting down the river
Sarapiqui. A boat trip down the river is a great way to catch a glimpse of
this region’s wildlife including monkeys, birds, turtles and caimans. If you
are an avid bird watcher, coming here is the perfect way to see some of
Costa Rica’s many bird species in their natural environment such as
hummingbirds, quetzals, dippers, guans, agoutis and quatamundis.
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Arenal:
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Currently ranked as the world's fourth most active volcano, the awe-
inspiring Arenal Volcano and its beautiful rainforest surroundings will
enchant you. Seismic activity is recorded here daily and during your stay
you are likely to hear explosions, and even see the volcano spewing
steam, rocks and hot lava. The surrounding landscape is filled with
forests, rivers and waterfalls waiting to be explored on foot or by boat,
horse, or bicycle. Spas in the area are built around natural hot springs,
inviting you to relax with a massage and hot soak or choose from an array
of other treatments.
Arenal is next to Laguna de Arenal, Costa Rica’s largest inland body of
water, which covers 48 square miles (124 sq. km). The lake’s natural
depression is about two million years, but was expanded by engineers in
1973.
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Monteverde:
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Monteverde area is one of the most naturally breathtaking places in the
country. This region’s principal claim to fame is that some of Costa Rica’s
most beautiful cloud forests are found in this area. A private reserve,
Monteverde plays home to Costa Rica’s Quaker community that migrated
here from the US in the 1950’s. This was mainly because the Quakers
refused to register for the war draft of 1949. One of the reasons why the
Quaker community chose to stay in Costa Rica was because of this
country’s peaceful philosophies. Easily adapting to their new home in
Monteverde, the initial Quaker settlers entered into the dairy farming and
cheese making business. Today, the cheese from Monteverde is some of
the best in the country and is sold far and wide.
The Quakers have played a huge role in developing Monteverde into the
region it is. Firm believers in conservation, the community together with the
help of organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund and the Nature
Conservancy, were able to raise money and started buying off huge
hectares of the cloud forest in 1972, to protect this habitat from being
destroyed or overdeveloped. This initial effort is what started the
Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, which today is over 17,000
hectares of pristine jungle.
Showcasing a plethora of unique and exotic animals and plants, the
Monteverde area is home to resplendent quetzal, ruby red poison dart
frogs, over 300 species of orchids and the rare and endemic golden toad.
With an almost mystical environment due to the cloud cover in the area,
this region is a lush and dense place with unparallel greenery. The ideal
ecotourism destination, there is plenty to see and do out here including,
hiking, horseback riding, bird watching, canopy tours and skywalks.
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