The population in Limon Costa Rica is small compared to other cities in the country. They come from very diverse ethnic background with the early settlers being the Afro Caribbean folks who helped o build the railway tracks around the city. There are also a sizeable number of Hispanics and Asian immigrants who were attracted to the port business here and the port continues to provide a livelihood to many of the locals till today. Aside from the port, tourism is becoming a major source of income for the people here. With the pristine beaches, charming old building architecture, lush greenery, majestic mountains and romantic settings, it’s hardly surprising that many people choose to come here for their holidays.

There is nothing short of things to do in Puerto Limon and the Limon region. There’s the famed Tortuguero National Park where you and your partner can spend the day taking the guided tour to visit one of the most diverse and unique habitats in the region. It consists of among others beaches, swamps, rainforest and lagoons. The beaches of the park are also homes to the endangered sea turtles such as the Leatherbacks, Green and Hawksbill which is the main attraction of the park. The rainforest is delightfully filled with a variety of animals such as birds, jaguars and the unique sloth which is synonymous with the Central America rainforest. After spending a day of hiking in the rainforest, there is no better way to rest that tired feet at the spotless, white sandy beaches. If lounging around on the beach is not your idea of relaxation, there are the other activities that you can try such as snorkeling, scuba diving and of course surfing which is becoming a popular sport on this part of the Caribbean coast.

The other thing that you must do in Puerto Limon is to visit the Municipal Market or Mercado Municipal in Spanish. It is one of the largest and liveliest outdoor markets in the region and the perfect place to sample the many types of Costa Rica food and fresh tropical tropical fruits sold by the street vendors here. Some of the street vendors have been in business for decades. If you happen to drop by on the second week of October, you shouldn’t miss the annual Carnaval or Carnival which is the largest outdoor event in the city. The celebration is filled with the locals wearing colorful traditional costumes, display of colors, musicians, street performers and party revelers swaying away to the beat of the wonderful reggae and calypso music. Basically this is the only time that you can see Limon being turned into a boisterous and loud city.

The only thing which is a drawback here is that not many high quality hotels are available. However for those handful few, they have good service and value for money especially if you have a tight budget. One of them is Maribu Caribe hotel which is located on the Caribbean coast near the town of Portete in the Limon region. The hotel consists of African designed bungalows with some of them having a full view of the Atlantic Ocean. The rates are very reasonable and it starts as low as USD25 per night.

The other popular hotel is Hotel Playa Westfalia which is also located on the Caribbean shore with the great view of the ocean. Some of their guests have sworn that this is the best hotel in the province. The service and warmth of the hotel staff is well known and they are very prompt to attend to every need and requirement of their guests. The rooms are well constructed and equipped with comfortable beds and spacious bathrooms. The average rates is around USD80-90 per night but it is a small price to pay for a comfortable night sleep and wonderful service.

Nosara can be considered as a small town of village as there are not many commercial areas in the town, only a few restaurants and convenient stores scattered all the over the town. The sparse development and slow pace of life here is perfect especially if you are looking for a quite and serene place to stay on your holiday,

Getting to here is pretty easy, you can either drive which will take about 5.5 hours from San Jose or take a flight. Unless you really want to see the country and enjoy the scenic views, I would suggest that you take a flight from either San Jose or Liberia. The flight will only take you about 45 minutes. This leaves you with plenty of time to do all the fun things here.

Although the development here is slow but the little town does boast of a couple of marvelous hotels to cater for the growing number of tourist. Among them is the Harbor Reef Lodge, a hotel surrounded by lush tropical vegetation and a great place to relax and unwind. The hotel also provides houses for rent besides having rooms and suites. Rates are quite affordable which is in the range of USD20 to 38 per night for the rooms. Next is Harmony Hotel and like its namesake, the owners designed the place to co-exist with its natural surroundings in perfect harmony. A quaint and beautiful place to stay in plus the landscape is simply out of this world. Rates starts from USD75 all to way to 105 for a house. If you really want to save, you can opt for a rent house which is gaining popularity among the tourist to this beach town. Contact one of the local real agents here to make the necessary arrangement.

Nosara Costa Rica is also an excellent place for surfing and other water sports. The most popular beach here among surfers is Playa Guiones. The waves here are not too big and they are pretty safe for even novice or beginners. And if you need any help, there are quite a number of surfing schools around which are more than willing to show you the tricks of the trade. Fishing is also another popular activity due to the the natural ecosystem of the coastal waters which is perfect for fish like marlin, tuna, sailfish, Dorado, snapper and rooster fish to thrive here. Besides these, you should also try kayaking or boating on the rivers as well as snorkeling at the nearby off shore reef.

The pristine beaches here make it a perfect place to take long walks especially in the evening when you can catch the gorgeous sun set. And if you prefer not to walk, try horse riding on the beach which is a popular activity here.

One of this area’s main attractions is the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge where thousands of endangered Pacific Olive Ridley sea turtles show up yearly to nest. Thousands of turtles invade the shoreline during peak season.

You simply cannot leave this place without visiting the Ostionale National Wildlife Reserve which is located about 45 minutes to the north of Nosara. The center of attraction at the reserve is the presence of thousands of turtles (happening at least once a month especially during rainy season) laying their eggs on the beach. It’s really an awesome sight to watch.

A Costa Rica bird watching trip is a dream come true for many nature lovers, even if you are not really one, spending some time alone with our spouse in the natural surroundings of the rain forest will do a lot of good for your relationship. Costa Rica rainforest with its diverse and unspoiled habitat boasts of having close to 900 species of birds and many of them can only be found in Costa Rica or the Central America region.

The best way to go bird watching is to stay overnight in one of the forest lodges and you will probably need a guide preferably bi-lingual one so that he or she can describe to you about the different species of birds that you will expect to see in different parts of the rainforest. A typical itinerary for bird watchers will be to take a hike early in the morning together with your guide to one of the bird watching towers in the forest. The watch tower comes in 2 decks (lower and upper) and the upper deck would give you a tree top view and it’s great for spotting kiskadees, toucans, vireos and many others. The most famous species of birds in Costa Rica is non other then the famed Resplendent Quetzal which can be found in the Monteverde Cloud Forest. The male Quetzal has beautiful emerald green feathers with a striking Mohawk and red underbelly and breast. Watching birds at the tower can be time consuming but a rewarding experience and this usually takes a few hours to fully cover the many different species of birds there. From there, the guide will usually take you to one of the homes in the forest where they serve authentic Costa Rican food which you do not want to miss. After the sumptuous lunch, you would usually head to the river or wetlands where you would see the water birds such as Petrels, jaegers, gulls, egrets, herons, ibis and maybe even the elusive osprey if you’re lucky.

Apart from Hacienda Baru, there’re many other wonderful places in Costa Rica for bird watching or birding for short. At the top of the list is the Carara National Park which is about 2 hours away from San Jose. This is a great place to watch the colourful macaws in full flight. However you need to be there early in the morning because that’s when the macaws arrive. Next on the list if the La Selva Biological station where it’s home to almost 300 odd species of birds. In order to get to La Selva, you would normally go through the city of Puerto Viejo which is just a few miles away.

Another great place for birding is the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge which is known to be a major nesting place for aquatic birds. The Jabira storks which is one of the largest of its kind can be found here. If you are interested in birding along the coast to look for migratory birds in flight, there’s no better place to do this than Aviarios del Caribe which is about 3 hours drive from San Jose. For the less adventurous, you can visit Wilson Botanical Garden which is home to thousands of plants, flowers and of course birds (more than 300 species to be more precise) with hummingbirds and tanagers being the most common species found here. At the end of your holiday here if there is one memory that you want to keep forever is the picture of the beautiful and diverse wild life that you encountered on your bird watching trip in the country.

Tamarindo Costa Rica has a lot to offer, with its unspoiled, pristine beaches, fantastic water sports, active night life, luxury hotels and giant turtles which arrive every year to lay their eggs on the beach. Tamarindo Costa Rica is accessible by air and road with several flights daily and multiple bus trips from San Jose. If you need more flexibility, get a rented car from San Jose and driving to Tamarindo is a breeze with its well established highway. In addition, you can also bypass San Jose and fly directly to the nearest international airport at Liberia, Guanacaste which is just 45 minutes away from Tamarindo. Temperatures in the beach town range from 80-100 degrees all year round with the hot and dry season running from November to April. The rainy season starts from May to October but it normally only rains in the evening with the day being sunny and partly cloudy on most days.

Tamarindo Beach with its white fine sands and stretching over 2.5 miles long is a popular place among visitors to the town. Tamarindo Beach and the nearby Playa Grande and Playa Langosta form part of the beautiful cape Velas. The area is a great place for scuba diving and snorkeling due to the nearby coral reef and its abundance of sea creatures such as sailfish and manta rays. If you are a first time diver and needs help, there won’t be short of diving schools and operators on Tamarindo beach who are able to help you. The one thing that you definitely do not want to miss is the giant leatherback turtles laying their eggs on the beach which can be witnessed at the Las Baulas National Park during the night time. Another special tour is bird watching where there are many diverse species of birds as well other mammals in the forest.

There are plenty of different types of accommodation available in Tamarindo with anything from the luxury hotels, service condominiums, and private beach house to budget bed and breakfast. This will depend on the budget that you have although many honeymoon couples will prefer to stay at the beachfront Tamarindo hotels. Among the popular Tamarindo hotels on the famous beach is non other than Capitan Suiza hotel. The hotel is highly recommended among honeymoon couples as it boasts of a beautifully landscaped tropical garden that enclaves the stunning swimming pool, the food is excellent and most of all the rates which range from USD53 to USD150 are considered to be affordable. Next on the list is Tamarindo Diria resort which is located at the heart of Tamarindo beach. With a natural surroundings which is a stone throw away from the national park, Diria is a popular choice for people who prefer waking up to the sound of birds singing and monkeys swinging among the trees. With the extremely affordable rate which is below USD60 per night, this is certainly a value for money place to stay for your Costa Rica holidays. If you prefer a luxury hotel to stay in, I would suggest JW Marriott Guanacaste. The hotel offers a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean coupled with luxurious furnishings of the guest rooms, modern facilities and excellent service from the staff ensure that all their guests have an enjoyable stay at the hotel.

For the water sports lovers such as surfing and scuba diving, the Barcelo Playa Langosta hotel is highly recommended. If you prefer a more secluded romantic getaway on the hill, the el Jardin del Eden hotel fits the description. The small luxury hotel on top of the hill is pretty popular among honeymoon couples who prefer a bit more privacy and time to themselves. However if you are planning a longer stay say around 3 weeks or more or need a bigger space than a typical hotel guest room, it’s recommended that you get a rented place from the many rentals in town. Depending on your budget, duration and space needed, there are many beach condominiums, beach house as well luxury villas to choose from. Most of the rentals come with great facilities and private pools to help you relax and enjoy your time with family and friends.

Traveling to Samara will take about 4 hours if you driving from San Jose but if you are in a hurry, you can take the flight (which operates daily) from San Jose which only takes about 40 minutes and cost you around USD100 one way. The long Samara beach is a great place for honeymoon couples to spend private moments either by taking a leisurely stroll, horse back riding and even taking a swim in the ocean as the waters are safe for swimming, to top it up, enjoy the magnificent sunset as you end the day together with your spouse or partner. Although Samara Costa Rica is famous for its fishing and farming industries but in the recent years, tourism and real estate have been developing fairly quickly as more and more foreigners are buying up the land in the area either for development or building their holiday home.

Samara Costa Rica is a “fully equipped” tourist spot where it has a full range of restaurants, pubs, clubs and last but not least world class accommodation at the fraction of the price that you would pay else where. Leading the way is Hotel Giada with room rates starting from as low as USD20 per night for a standard room is definitely value for money and within most people’s budget. Hotel Giada is designed with a tropical paradise theme and conveniently situated on the main road to Samara beach. The hotel has proper tourist facilities such as 2 swimming pools, Jacuzzis, restaurants and the rooms are cozy and well equipped. Hotel staffs are generally helpful and multi-lingual with English, Spanish and Italian being the main languages that they know.

At Las Brisas del Pacifico, Samara Beach will delight you with the bungalows surrounded by flowers and the cooling shadow of the large almond trees. Don’t be afraid if you hear a deep howl or grunts over your roof. It is probably a troop of howler monkeys hanging around your bungalow. Las Brisas del Pacifico has bungalows on the upper part of the hotel’s property that offer breathtaking views of Samara Beach. The 2 swimming pools invite you to float around on a hot Costa Rican sunny day. Sip on your favorite tropical drink while you enjoy the refreshing pool. At Las Brisas del Pacifico Hotel you can dine at the International cuisine restaurant and take in a mesmerizing sunset while you enjoy a glass of wine. You and your mate can enjoy a truly romantic evening surrounded by the sun’s last gleams while you taste exquisite dishes of typical and international cuisine.

Another great place to stay in Samara is the Hotel Las Brisas del Pacifico, quite a mouthful especially if you don’t speak Spanish so I just call it Las Brisas. The hotel is located right on Samara beach offers bungalow styled accommodation set amidst lush garden and greenery. The hotel is a great place to just relax, unwind and enjoy the Costa Rican sun. Las Brisas also offers easy accessibility to the beach and great rates which range from USD28 to USD32.

Hideaway hotel is another affordable hotel that is highly recommended especially for couples. The hotel is quaint and cozy as there are only 12 rooms available and it’s surrounded with beautiful and lush gardens and tropical plants and flowers. Service is personalized to your requirements, staffs are bi-lingual and the rates are affordable starting from USD32 per night.

There are plenty of things to do throughout the day depending on your budget and interest. Top of the list is sports fishing where you can try your luck on landing the “big one” out in the open sea. Go on one of the chartered boats usually with the other tourist or anglers unless you are rich enough to charter one exclusively for yourself. There are plenty of fish in Pacific waters such as rooster fish, marlin, tuna and many more. The surrounding area is famous for turtle nesting and you can visit them at the nearby Playa Camaronal and Ostional Olive Ridley. For the nature lovers you can hop to the national parks in the area such as Barra Honda and Palo Verde. Other than these, you can also go kayaking on the Ora river, dive at the nearby coral reefs or visit Isla Chora.

Depending on the time that you have but a good guide if you have the time to spare is to plan your trip between 9 months to 1 year in advance. Start by listing down what you want in your honeymoon e.g. places that you want to see in Costa Rica etc. Next decide on the time of the year for your honeymoon to take place either directly right after your wedding or later. Although Costa Rica is a sunny through out the year but it doesn’t hurt to check out the weather when your honeymoon takes place. Work out a budget and determine how much you intend to spend. Do proper research of Costa Rica. Although English is widely spoken, it’s always an advantage to learn Spanish which is the official language of Costa Rica. Furthermore if you can speak the local language, it helps to get a good deal when it comes to shopping.

After you have done the initial planning above, the next step will be to work out the details. This is usually done between 6-9 months before your honeymoon. Start making airline reservations, consider the time schedule, food, seat assignment and luggage policy. For additional precaution, it’s advisable for you and your partner to buy travel insurance. Next will be to decide on your lodging, list down the types of hotels and resorts that are available and choose your rooms depending on your budget as well as the amenities or facilities that you want. Also the location is important for example Tamarindo beach is a popular place with honeymooners so if you intent to go there, look for a hotel that’s near to that beach. Besides that you may want to plan your transportation which included airport transfers, car rental etc and make sure that you keep all these information organized and easy to find. If you haven’t had proper vaccinations for traveling to tropical places, please make plans to do so. Persons traveling to Costa Rica from some countries in South America and Sub-Saharan Africa must provide evidence of a valid yellow fever vaccination prior to entry. The South American countries include Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela.

Now that you’re getting closer to your trip, please ensure that your travel documents e.g. passport is renewed and the name on your passport and tickets match. If you’re an American citizen, visa is not required to travel to Costa Rica but you’ll need a return flight ticket otherwise they will not let you in. Costa Rican authorities generally permit U.S. citizens to stay up to ninety days; to stay beyond the period granted, travelers must submit an application for an extension to the Office of Temporary Permits in the Costa Rican Department of Immigration. Start booking for the tickets for your excursions while in Costa Rica, shows or any other dinner reservations. It’s also a good time to ensure that you have the proper luggage for the trip. You’ll also want to make house and pet sitting arrangements. Also get the appropriate clothing for the trip and that shouldn’t be much a problem as Costa Rica is a tropical place, so just make sure you wear thin and loose clothing to keep cool and sun block is a must.

About 1-2 months before your honeymoon, make arrangements for your mails and packages to be sent to your friends and relatives place while you’re on your honeymoon. Find out what kind of adaptors and voltage converters that are needed. The adapters and voltage used in Costa Rica are the same as in the US. So if you’re not from the following countries (Bahamas, Barbados, Barbuda, Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guam, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Micronesia, Montserrat, Nicaragua, Palau, Puerto Rico, Saba and Saba (St.Eustatius), Taiwan, Trinidad, Tobago, Turks/Caicos Islands, United States of America, Venezuela, and Virgin Islands)., please get an adapter converter for your trip. As it gets closer to the day of your honeymoon, most people tend to overlook or forget the need to confirm their travel reservations which include hotel, air, excursions, dinners etc. So please remember to do so. Also equally important is to double check your bank accounts and credit cards to ensure that you have ample cash or spending limits to minimize any embarrassing moments during your honeymoon where you run into problems paying either for your hotel or a meal.

Now for the final fortnight countdown to your Costa Rica honeymoon. Time to start packing and pick up all your tickets from your travel agent. Purchase travelers checks and exchange your money to the foreign currency. The currency in Costa Rica is Colon but US dollar is long known as the 2nd currency in Costa Rica however most of the local traders there prefer to use the local currency. Please remember that you’re on a romantic trip with your new spouse so please remember to prepare for romantic gestures such as candle light dinner on the beach. Sexy clothing is a must especially in sunny and hot weather of Costa Rica and finally please enjoy your honeymoon and time together with your partner.