Excursions

From misty cloud forests to active volcanoes to pristine rainforests to lush tropical coasts, Costa Rica holds something special for everyone who visits.

While much of San Pedro is modernized, a part retains its local flavor. The town center, like most in Costa Rica, has a soccer field and park with a church opposite. Visit Ceramica Las Palomas to buy local pottery or check out the colorful road stalls at the Sunday farmers' market for traditional goods.

Nightlife in San Jose, fueled by tourists and university students, requires a taste for salsa and merengue and the stamina to sample the wide variety of bars and dance-clubs that fill the livelier sections of the city.

San Jose also boasts the well-planned bird-watcher's paradise of Parque del Este, while nearby the famous white waters of the Reventazón River beckon hardy rafters.

The varied ecologies of the Río Sapiqui region, north of San Jose, draw environmentally-conscious visitors from around the word, especially to the misty, orchid-filled cloud forests of Monteverde Reserve.

One of the nation's most stunning national parks, Manuel Antonio is a living paradise and nature lover's dream. The trees are alive with tropical birds and three species of monkey, including the rare mono titi (of which only 1200-1300 are left in existence). Wild orchids and butterflies abound, as well as sloth and the inquisitive coati.