Travel_Writings_files/Costa Rica Pg4 Senior Times May 2016 (1)

For the Love
of Travel
Aaron Leventhal
Costa Rica Adventure
Pura Vida
Nestled between Nicaragua
and Panama on the centralAmerican isthmus, Costa
Rica is a small, democratic,
and peaceful country, with
a level of social development
that always surprises first
time visitors and belies its
definition as a third-world
nation.
- Insight Guides Costa Rica
A tiny country of 5 million, about the size of West
Virginia, Costa Rica possesses extraordinary natural
beauty, a tropical climate,
hospitable residents (Ticos)
and a sophisticated ecotourism industry. For the past
decade, on several occasions
I have escaped Ohio’s cold
and gloomy overcast winter
days for extended stays in
Manuel Antonio, located
along the Central Pacific
coast.
Often referred to as the
country’s French Riviera,
Manuel Antonio has recently emerged as a popular international vacation
destination. Little wonder.
Slightly off the beaten path,
the region is covered with
thick rainforest jungle vegetation, rocky hillsides with
towering cliffs and pristine
white sandy beaches that
descend to the edge of the
Pacific’s warm, clear waters.
I have been impressed
with the entrepreneurial
spirit and managerial skills
demonstrated by both
Manuel Antonio’s native
Tico population and its international residents. They
own and operate numerous
boutique hotels, restaurants,
cantinas, pubs, and clubs, as
rental is not necessary since
public buses are plentiful
and taxi fares do not exceed
$10 between Quepos and
the national park.
Costa Rica’s mantra is
pura vida – the pure life. Nowhere is this more evident
in tropical, carefree Manuel
Antonio.
WHAT TO DO
• Manuel Antonio National
Park
The park is the crown
jewel of the region. At 1,600
acres, it is the country’s second smallest national park
and its most popular. It features well-marked hiking
trails through the dense
tropical rainforest and a
secluded white sandy beach,
and is home to hundreds
Island Mangrove Estuary,
Planet Dolphin Catamaran tours featuring sailing
and snorkeling, white water
river rafting, canopy zip
lining, horseback-riding,
kayaking and hikes through
Manuel Antonio National
Park. All trips include delicious homemade lunches
or snacks.
• Boating
A host of private charter
companies located at Que-
and sandals appropriate anywhere at any time.
Resident and tourist favorites include Raphael’s
Terrazas for classic Tico fare,
sushi and live Latin music, and Emilio’s Café with
Cuban-inspired dishes and
live bands on the weekends.
Up a rocky road, Ronny’s
Place (or Restaurante Mirador Mi Lugar) draws a loyal
following for its food, outdoor dining and spectacular
Mono Azul hotel is a short drive away from Manuel
Antonio National Park and Quepos.
Travel writer Aaron Leventhal prepares for a whitewater
river rafting adventure tour with Los Tucanes.
well as chic shops and art
galleries sprinkled along a
four-mile, narrow, winding
country road that stretches
from the town of Quepos to
Manuel Antonio National
Park. Visitors are welcomed
by everyone regardless of
race, religion, nationality or
sexual preference.
Put aside at least a week
to explore the charms of
this tropical paradise. Quepos, crammed with shops
and dining options and a
downtown marina filled
with restaurants and yachts
docked at its harbor, is safe
to visit day and night. A
of species of wildlife and
exotic birds. The park is best
explored with a licensed
naturalist guide that can be
found at the park entrance.
They have a knack for spotting the Howler, Capuchin
and the endangered Titi
(squirrel) monkeys, iguanas,
sloths and pelicans and for
identifying exotic tropical
trees and plants. The park is
open Tuesday-Sunday with
a $16 admission. Nearby
is the free public beach of
Playa Espadilla. www.manuelantoniopark.com
• Rancho Los Tucanes
Tours (rancholostucanes.
com)
This highly respected nature and adventure tour
company, established in
1993, is family owned and
operated. Certified guides
provide informative and
entertaining commentary
on all tours. Offerings include boating in the Damas
pos’ Marina Pez Villa conducts ocean, lake, and river
fishing tours. Sportsfishing
is legendary in the warm
waters along the Pacific
coastline. You can reel in
Marlin, Sailfish, Dorado,
and Dolphin fish aboard
full- and half-day charters
staffed by a capable captain
and crew and equipped with
fishing gear, food and beverage. Snorkeling and whale
and dolphin watches also
are popular.
DINING AND
ENTERTAINMENT
Dozens of restaurants,
cantinas, pubs, and clubs,
most with outdoor patios,
are located along Manuel
Antonio’s rocky ridges with
spectacular views of the
Pacific below. There are
no fast-food joints or sterile franchises here. Dining
establishments are mostly
locally owned and managed. Many serve traditional
Costa Rican cuisine with
specialties including grilled
chicken, fresh fish and seafood, steaks, plantains and
black beans and rice. Full
dinners with appetizers,
entrees, sides and desserts
range from $25-$30 (including tax and gratuity). Dress
is casual with t-shirts, shorts,
sunsets. I also recommend
El Lagarto, specializing in
BBQ, and Bara Roja, with an
active bar scene. In Quepos,
it’s Dos Locos for Mexican
fare, L’Angolo for Italian
specialties and Z Gastro Bar
at the marina for seafood
and live Bossa Nova sounds.
WHERE TO STAY
Manuel Antonio lodgings
range from family-owned
inns and cosmopolitan resort hotels to condominium
and vacation home rentals.
For convenient accessibility
to beaches, dining and entertainment, it’s best to stay
along the main road linking
Quepos to the national park.
• Mono Azul is a cozy inn
ideal for budget-minded
senior vacationers. Owned
and managed by American
couple Paige and John, the
hotel has charming guest
rooms with AC, cable TV
and patios; lush tropical
surroundings; two swimming pools; and the popular
Rainforest Restaurant. www.
hotelmonoazul.com
• Karahe Beach Hotel is an
intimate, gated, renowned
resort hotel only minutes
away from the national park
entrance. It has been expertly managed and owned
by a Costa Rican family for
more than 30 years. Rooms
face an exquisite tropical
garden and Pacific Ocean
beach. Its excellent Canto
del Mar Restaurante is near
a spacious swimming pool
with comfortable patio furnishings. It’s pricey, but well
worth it for travelers seeking privacy and total relaxation. A short stroll down
the beach from Karahe are
several operators offering
parasailing, jet skis, snorkeling and sunset cruises.
You never have to leave the
resort for a perfect holiday
getaway. www.karahe.com
• Manuel Antonio Estates,
with apartment and house
rentals, is within easy walking distance of downtown
Quepos. Amenities include
AC, fully-equipped kitchens, linens, towels, twice
weekly maid service, WiFi
and a refreshing freshwater swimming pool. www.
manuelantonioestates.com
On the premises is Raindrop Spa, under the direction of Founder Martha
Chinchilla Sanchez, a massage therapist and yoga instructor. Surrounded by
enchanting tropical gardens,
a team of experienced, certified professionals provide
a wide variety of massages
and treatments. www.raindropspa.com
Returning to the San Jose
Airport for a flight back to
Columbus, I suggest a few
days stay along the way at
Los Lagos Spa and Resort
near Lake Arenal and the
dormant Volcano National
Park. In a valley surrounded by majestic mountains,
the hotel features natural,
therapeutic hot spring pools,
hiking trails, an excellent
restaurant surrounded by
tropical foliage and easy
access to the village of La
Fortuna, which is filled with
restaurants and numerous
stores for last-minute shopping. www.hotelloslago.com
GENERAL INFORMATION
A passport is required.
The food and water is clean
and safe. ATMs are everywhere. Colones are the
official currency, but U.S.
dollars are accepted everywhere. Economical shuttle
service from the San Jose
Airport to Manuel Antonio
(approximately a three-hour
drive) is offered twice daily,
and bus service also is available. Costa Rica’s language is
Spanish, however English is
widely spoken in this savvy,
world-class, eco-friendly
tropical paradise.
For more information go
to www.govisitcostarica.com
Photos by Beth Ervin Leventhal.
Travel writer and tour director Aaron Leventhal has
organized a trip to Manuel
Antonio and Los Lagos Resort and Spa for February
2017. For more information
go to www.leventhaltravel.
com or call 614-506-9666.
4-SENIOR TIMES - MAY 2016