Costa Rica Escapes

Costa Rica means nature, peace, endless adventures, warm welcomes. People are so genuinely kind and caring with a Pura Vida lifestyle that everything feels more special and visitors can’t help but smile all day long.

Costa Rica offers a variety of tour and activity options and it’s always nice to have a local expert along to make sure you get the complete experience.

That’s why CR Sun Tours gave us some tips on escapes that might surprise you. With almost 30 years of uninterrupted operations, Costa Rica Sun Tours specializes in itineraries that are tailor-made for clients, having the experience and resources necessary to deliver innovative, unique, authentic, safe, fun and educational travel experiences.

You can learn more about this local expert at our website here.

About TOURS TIPS: We are all well-versed in those adrenaline-fueled tours that take you zipping through the cloud forest canopy, rappelling down waterfalls, rafting on pristine rivers and so on. As it turns out, many travelers are looking to delve a little deeper. Below is just a sample of what you’ll find in this new series.

Corcovado National Park

Monteverde

Curicancha Wildlife Refuge

This unique reserve borders the famous conservation complex that includes the Monteverde Reserve, the Eternal Children Rainforest and the Arenal Volcano. Curicancha offers miles of trails that wind through the forest, where famous birds can be seen in their natural habitat. In addition to the emblematic cloud forest birds, you can also spot monkeys, sloths, armadillos, agoutis and coatis. Each creature is a normal resident of these secret paths. The Curicancha experience is even more special with CR SunTour´s private access to a series of hidden paths that other visitors are not permitted to explore.

Cerro Pinocho

Only 20 minutes from Monteverde is a magnificent 360-degree view of the Pacific waters of Costa Rica situated on the grounds of a private farm. Boasting some of the best sunsets and views of the Pacific coast in Costa Rica, this secret spot is just a short stroll from the road. With only the silence of nature around you and excellent views of Puntarenas and the dry lowlands of Guanacaste, it’s an ideal place to relax and enjoy yourself! Don Gerardo Vargas and his wife Lizbeth are the owners of this private farm and they have graciously granted CR Sun Tours private access to their land.

The Commission of Artisans of Santa Elena de Monteverde (CASEM) – The Women’s cooperative of Monteverde

The CASEM was born out of the challenging economic crisis of the 1980s, and the need to diversify the agricultural production in Monteverde, which was essentially dedicated to providing Monteverde’s fine cheesemakers with fresh milk. They are mostly housewives who want to continue taking care of their families and craft their products at home. One of the leaders, Doña Nery Gomez, a native of Nicoya in Guanacaste Province, views the cooperative as a leaf cutter ant colony – a community working together for the betterment of all. On visits with CR Sun Tours, Dona Nery kindly offers private workshops where you can try your hand at painting and enjoy some quality time with her.

Arenal’s Secret Trails

These are a few of the lesser-known trails in the popular destination of Arenal. They are true gems for hikers, birdwatchers, and nature enthusiasts alike.

Arenal Observatory Lodge Trails and Hanging Bridges

Even if you’re staying somewhere else, CR Sun Tours has access to the extensive trail system at the Arenal Observatory Lodge (just 30 minutes from the town of La Fortuna). This is the only lodge inside Arenal National Park, boasting over 15 miles of private trails in the tropical foothills of the rainforest and home to an extraordinarily long list of wildlife. Unique to this area are two private suspension/canopy bridges, an impressive canopy tower, a new volcano visitor center with information from the Smithsonian and data from the National University.

Bogarin Trails

These trails are just a surprising 10-minute walk from the church in La Fortuna. The terrain is flat, wildlife is prolific when there aren’t too many hikers and the trails have a rich history. Today, Bogarin Trails is an oasis of life for animals and tropical birds.

About GASTRONOMIC TIPS: Isn’t food one of the best ways to connect with a certain place and culture? In the case of Costa Rica, you can enjoy traditional homemade cuisine with extraordinary flavors, always served with a warm welcome.

On the way to Monteverde, you can share a meal and a little sweet treat with Doña Flory Araya Pérez and Don Luis Emilio Arias. Just an hour and a half from San Jose, you’ll find yourself in a lush tropical rainforest near the famous La Paz Waterfall. On weekends, local visitors from San Ramón, San José and other cities make the trip to Flory’s place for a tasty and welcoming Costa Rican meal and for the high-quality products that Don Emilio makes in his famous Los Hermanos Arias trapiche (a traditional old mill), where he’s been producing traditional sweets from sugar cane juice for the last 30 years.

After enjoying your traditional meal and a tasty treat from the trapiche, we suggest you take a fresh cup of coffee for stroll through the gardens that are home to an assortment of bird feeders, or perhaps take a walk on the nature trail in the forest reservation.

Costa Rica continues to welcome all international travelers as long as they meet the country’s visa and COVID-19 requirements. A coronavirus test is not required to enter the country.

As of now, you just have to complete the electronic epidemiological HEALTH PASS form, available here and submit it 48 hours before your flight. At the end of the health form, a QR code is generated which must be presented when checking in at the airport and entering Costa Rica. You also need to have Traveler’s Medical Insurance – international or purchased online from an authorized Costa Rican insurance company.

CR Sun Tours follows strict protocols for the safety of our visitors based on recommendations from the Costa Rica Ministry of Health, the Costa Rica Tourist Board and the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), as well as other reliable sources. You can learn more about the protocols they follow here.