The fun roads of Costa Rica with Serendipity Adventures

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Marianela Argüello L.

No matter how good or bad the roads of Costa Rica are, Serendipity Adventures takes the challenge to use them for all types of adventures. In this country with seven provinces and 81 counties there are so many complicated, dusty, muddy and stony roads. These are the roads we love…and, we even love to go across rivers!

Do you want to know why?? Well, the answer is simple, we always make sure to have a lot of fun even with the most difficult and deteriorated roads… We don’t see them as a problem. We see them as an opportunity…

Just a few days ago,  a group of Serendipity people (office staff, guides, and our families) were getting out of an exploratory river trip on a new section of the Pacuare river, we faced challenges to get the people and equipment out via a truly miserable dirt road.

This could have been viewed as a frustrating disaster for the drivers, river guides and the rest of Serendipity’s people. Quite the opposite! It turned into a great adventure and the most memorable challenge for all the participants during this exploration.

The road was stony, curvy and sloping. It had big holes and today’s rain made it muddy…Our solution was to work as a team, women and men, river guides, office staff and drivers. All of us were involved in getting the vehicles, trailer, people and equipment out to the main road.

We jumped on the cars to get some movement. We used the 4X4 system. We took out ropes and pulled equipment. We used the winch of Rosita -one of our beloved beefy Land Cruisers- to anchor on to trees and another 4×4 that was located in front. That helped  to pull the car.

It took us almost two extra hours to finally reach pavement, but time was nothing compared to all the fun, joy, excitement and adrenaline we felt… A completely unexpected adventure, thanks to this muddy road…

This is just one example of what Serendipity Adventures does in the off roads of Costa Rica. We truly think gravel and dirt roads are a blessing for adventurous people, and the perfect excuse to enjoy to the fullest. Our remarkable, yet still primitive, country.

Serendipity does horseback riding through farms, mountains and rivers. ATV adventures on country trails. Mountain biking trails passing through forest, small towns, slopes of active volcanoes and near national parks. All of these are activities we guarantee are better with us just because we’re using the less frequented, less maintained pathways of Costa Rica.

We invite you to come for your Costa Rica vacation with Serendipity Adventures, and let’s all have fun on the roads of Costa Rica…

 

 

Some facts about the roads of Costa Rica

The country has 7.789 km of national roads. Near 5.055,17 km are paved roads, 2.692,07 km are gravel roads and 38,9 km are dirt roads. These roads are maintained by Conavi (National Council of Roads of Costa Rica).
Approximately 28.500 km are county roads maintained by each of the 81 counties of Costa Rica..
Source: Conavi and La Nación newspaper

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More than mountains, Costa Rica has amazing volcanoes

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Marianela Argüello L.

The Turrialba volcano was sleeping for many years -just like a bear during hibernation.  But in 2001 the volcanic activity started to take place in one of the three craters atop this high mountain.

This was the beginning of a story that gets new chapters every single day. On January 20th, a new cloud of ashes appeared in the blue sky and all the people around the town of Turrialba enjoyed the spectacle as the cloud was getting bigger, including us working in Serendipity’s offices on the slopes of this volcano.…

We took our cameras -as many people did– to get pictures  of this natural  phenomenon, and we decided to share with all of you some interesting information about the volcanoes of Costa Rica.

Costa Rica doesn’t have 10, nor 50, nor 100 volcanoes…The number is surprisingly higher, reaching approximately 350, all of them sheltered in a territory of Costa Rica’s 589.000 km2 . This includes the land surface (51,100 km2, about the size of West Virginia)  and sea surface, which is nine times as big as the part above the ocean floor (and is about the size of the United States), according to Guillermo Alvarado, a costarrican geologist and vulcanologist.

This huge number of volcanoes is one of the reasons why Costa Rica is unique in so many different ways, and another motive why you could consider a Costa Rica vacation.  Costa Rica was built from lava formations, responsible for the peculiar topography and vast biodiversity.

An interesting fact is that most of the 350 volcanoes of our country are under the Pacific Ocean, in a volcanic mountain range called Coco. However, some of the more beautiful and touristic volcanoes are distributed on the Central Volcanic Mountain Range, as the Poas volcano (8,870 feet above sea level (ft. msl)), the Irazu volcano (11,256 ft. msl) and the Turrialba volcano (10,915 ft. msl).

Another famous volcano located in the Guanacaste Volcanic Mountain Range is the Arenal, with a height of 5,477 ft. msl. This volcano has been active since the eruption of 1968, but its activity has been decreasing since 2010. This long-term volcanic activity placed the Arenal as one of the ten most active volcanoes of the whole world.

Currently and according to the information gathered in Costa Rica, in the last 400 years there are five active volcanoes, as the Rincon de la Vieja, Arenal, Poas, Irazu and Turrialba. The oldest volcano in the country is the Rincon de la Vieja -which name means old woman’s corner- almost one and a half million years old. The rest of our volcanoes have only one million years, as was pointed out by Alvarado.

Similar to people, volcanoes have temper. Volcanoes breathe through their mouths -the craters-. Their skin is the ground and their blood is the magma. The palpitation of the heart are the frequent earthquakes that sometimes can be felt by people and animals, and the magma chamber is the heart.

Finally, when you come to Costa Rica for your vacations, just think! Approximately every 25 km. there is a volcano. Very close right? Only a 25 km. distance separates one volcano from the next one… Ahh!! and volcanoes can fall asleep, from a few years, to many, many centuries…If they don’t wake up after 400 years, it means they are extinct…

The opportunity to experience active volcanoes as the Arenal or Turrialba, or do adventure activities on their slopes, is another very good reason to come for your Costa Rica vacation with Serendipity Adventures.

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An oath to excellence: Costa Rica’s Educational System

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Maria Batista

“Whatever helps to shape the human being—to make the individual what he is, or hinder him from being what he is not—is part of his education”. John Stuart Mill

Through the wise words of John Stuart Mill, I inspire my self today, to write about something that makes me very proud. To invest in quality education is something that my country has decided to do, since the very beginning, and not only quality education but education for all.

An educated society is the motor of a successful country, liberation of the mind allows the individual to grow, appreciating life in a whole new way and providing itself with numerous opportunities. Knowledge, whether is ancestral or provided by “formal” school, is the key that opens doors.

Having said that, qualified professionals serve a government in the way that fertile soils serve an economy… A highly educated country is more attractive to foreign investment, and it also promotes social mobility.

In Costa Rica, the educational system is centered on the ideas of fully developing the human personality, creating competent citizens, who are aware of their responsibilities, their rights and fundamental freedoms. Citizens that are committed to justice and democracy.

Our school programs, aside from the mandatory curriculum in sciences and arts, contain a series of crosscurricular topics, such as environmental education, moral values, intercultural tolerance and others. From preschool education to secondary education, schooling is mandatory by law (until 9th grade), and financed by the State.

In public schools, infrastructure, equipment, faculty members, registration fees, the feeding of the children are free for parents.  School uniforms, study materials, and transportation are covered by the families.

Another wonderful thing about Costa Rica’s educational system, is the scholarship program. For families of low and medium socio economical income, there is a system that provides them with a subsidy that helps them put their child through school. Sometimes, this subsidy even helps them cover for other complementary supplies like computers, encyclopedias, dictionaries, lab equipment that provide the kids with even more learning resources.

The scholarship program maintains through university (families have to apply each year and the State conducts a study about  their socio economical condition every year as well). This makes higher education accessible for all, no matter where they come from.

For parents that work full time, the State has also created a special institution called CEN SINAE, which is an early childhood care and education center. These places are focused on nutrition  and health and they work similar to a day care. They receive kids from ages 1 to 7 and they are supervised by the Ministry of Health.

In Costa Rica, elementary school is divided in six grades plus preschool. Secondary education is divided in 5 grades and sometimes 6 (Technical schools), and for higher education, minor degrees are achieved in four years and post grades are from 1 to 5 or 6 years. There is no middle school. Now a days you have the opportunity of choosing between high schools that emphasize in humanities, or science and technology, technical specialties such as mechanic, artistic schools, language schools etc

For students with special circumstances, such as having to work or take care of children, or live in a very remote area, there is a subdivision of the system called “Open Education” which is very flexible and adapts to all kinds of schedules. There’s tutors, workshops and different resources that are specially created to suit the necessities of this particular population.

And just like that I could continue to describe in detail every single program and institution, but what I really want to emphasize is the logic in which the system works. We are a small country that is still in “development”, our poverty percentage is about 24.2% and our GDP income  is only US$ 40.297 billion,. In 2010,  inflation was 5.6% , and public debt of 42% BUT we have still managed to stand out among the countries of our region, having high rates   on literacy, human development, life expectancy, social security and even happiness. Why you say? Because we have invested in education, well, and there are NO military expenses…

There are many things to be done, and yes, the system has flaws, but, in my personal opinion, in Costa Rica we are privileged to have such an educational system that allows EVERYONE to study; poor, rich, from the rural areas or the city, from a different country, different race, with disabilities… And not only study, but receive quality education.

Costa Ricans are competent professionals in the real world, and we can compete and be measured, on the same level, with other professionals trained, elsewhere.

So come visit us and get to know us… we are not only the happiest nation in the world, but we are also smart :)

Students_with_school_uniform

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Costa Rica and the Human Rights Tradition

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Maria Batista

Over the years, Costa Rica has been recognized as a country of peace, respect and tolerance. We are considered to be regional leaders in the promotion and respect of human rights. We are home to thousands of non governmental organizations who develop regional and international projects and programs, we host regional offices for mostly all of the United Nation’s organs, and we are also home of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

Although some may say that we owe this reputation to a recent foreign policy strategy, there have been long historic and political processes that have led us into the country that we are right now. Let’s take a look at the history…

By the beginning of the 1800’s, Costa Rica was one the poorest and farthest provinces of the Spanish Empire in the Americas. Our commercial and political bonds with Spain were getting weaker each day, and we managed to stay away from mayor commotion and interaction, as the capital of our province was in Guatemala. As the Spaniards ceased to gain interest in the region, independence ideals started to emerge in the Central American region.

In 1821, after almost 300 years of colonialism in the region, Spanish occupation ended in the Americas and independence was granted to Costa Rica. This news resulted in a brief internal struggle between Cartago’s conservatives pushing for Spanish monarchy rule and a more liberal, federalist movement in San José. After a brief civil war, Costa Rica declared itself a state in the Federal Republic of Central America, and the capital was moved to the liberal center of the nation, San José. For the next few years, Costa Rica struggled within its new community. While repressive elitists vied for power, Costa Rica avoided institutional rule and maintained a relatively classless society.

Consequently, from all of the confusion and internal conflicts, emerged the framework of democratic institutions that would help resolve social conflict through reform and are what, still today, shapes our pacific idiosyncrasy and political ideology.

In those early years, a group of visionary politicians influenced considerably the course of our political system and social development in general. One of them was Juan Mora Fernandez, our first head of State. His progressive, liberal leadership helped Costa Rica to develop independently of its neighboring countries, a trend that would forever set it apart from other developing nations in the area. Fernández fortified the emergent country’s infrastructure: he built roads, established schools, and distributed land grants to anyone willing to plant coffee, the most profitable export crop at that time.

Later on, in the 1990′s, we had a rise of NGO’s working in the country and by this time we were pioneers in the protection of human rights. We were taking actions such as ratification of international conventions and declarations (thus acquiring international commitments), we were reforming our domestic laws to secure and improve social development, and we were increasing our budget in education.

All of these economical actions and the relative political stability had a direct effect on cultural behavior, which over the time, became to be known as pacific and educated.

Now a days, we actively participate in the Inter-American System for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, we have grown next to the jurisdictional doctrine and now we have a voice when it comes to alternative resolution of conflicts, all over the world.

But there is still much to do in Costa Rica. We are truly proud of our democratic culture, but we also understand that human rights are more than just laws, and that we are not exempt from international political and economical context nor globalization.

From a very holistic point of view, human rights are a state of mind and they need to be approached from different angles, having as a central pillar the quality of our education. An education for peace that empowers people raises awareness and prepares for action. An active civil society.

In Costa Rica we are free and we leave in peace,  and it is all of our responsibility to maintain it like this for many years.

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The night of the Faroles- Viva la Patria!

Posted on September 19, 2011 by Maria Batista

It is 6:00 pm on September 14th, and we are singing to remember. The streets are covered with bright lights and thousands of children who are holding lanterns in their hands. The blue, red and white shines while patriotic anthems are played in the back. There is a crowd of people parading each and every town  Costa Rica, and a general sense of joy is felt in the air.

What is it that we are celebrating? you may say… We are celebrating freedom!

Costa Rican girl with typical dress

One hundred and ninety years ago, on a September 14th, a woman called Maria Dolores Bedoya rushed through the streets of Guatemala, holding a lantern in her hand. Her goal was to gather as many people as possible, to stand in front of the town council and demand freedom. While the main leaders of the region where meeting with the Spanish Governor in Central America, the people were screaming “Viva la Patria, Viva la Libertad”. Thousands of voices who were letting the Spaniards know, we no longer want to be repressed and we demand independence.

That night of commotion , resulted in the signing of the Independence Act, the next morning, on September 15th 1821. And thus, in the most pacific way you can imagine, we became independent from Spain.

Even though we did not receive the notice in Costa Rica, until October 13th of that same year, as a tradition and a symbolic representation of the acts carried by Bedoya, we celebrate the night of the “faroles” on September 14th, and our independence on September 15, just like the entire Central American region.

As a country that does not have an army, we celebrate with lots of school children, who proudly carry big flags, and march on the streets. No military, no guns or war tanks, no fires.

The families decorate their homes with flags and bright lanterns, and public buildings, streets and schools are also decorated. We celebrate assemblies, perform reenactments, and sing patriotic anthems. It is indeed a very happy time in Costa Rica.

Preschool students waiting for the paradeElementary School celebrating independence

These independence celebrations, that take place throughout the whole country, make the environment cheery and proud. It is a remembrance of our idiosyncrasy. We are pacific people, but we love our country and our sovereignty, and we defend it!

Even 190 years later, we fervently stand to guard our relatively new nation, our home.

Visiting Costa Rica in September,  is a wonderful way to understand our culture and learn about our traditions and pacific idiosyncrasy . Contact us and participate in our independence celebrations, and you will feel the patriotism and excitement in the air.

As your Costa Rican experts, we can lead you into a true cultural immersion, combined with adventure travel and fun vacations.

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Manuel Antonio National Park- Forbes Magazine Favorite

Posted on September 1, 2011 by Maria Batista

This morning, our Serendipity Adventure Family learned that Forbes Magazine has named Manuel Antonio National Park as one of the most beautiful parks in the world. This, of course, makes us Costa Ricans very proud, and it puts (once again) Costa Rica on the map as one of the most extraordinary destinations in the world.

Manuel Antonio has always been appreciated by the Costa Ricans, long before it started to grow in to one of the most important and most frequented tourist attractions of the country. The tropical rain forest next to the white sandy beaches, the capuchin and squirrel monkeys, sloths, iguanas, exotic birds and even snakes makes it unique and breath taking. Being a part of such exclusive list and being paralleled to parks like Yosemite and Serengeti, gives  Costa Rica a special place in the world traveler’s bucket list. 

Manuel Antonio National Park is located in the central Pacific coast of the country, just south of Quepos, about 132 km from San Jose. In here you will find primary forest, secondary forest, mangrove swamps, lagoons and beach vegetation. There are about 109 species of mammals and 104 of birds. The National Park includes 12 little isles in which you can spot dolphins and some times migrating  whales.

If you wish to experience Manuel Antonio National Park, serendipity style, just give us a call, and we will take care of it for you.



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The Three Princes of Serendip

Posted on August 31, 2011 by Maria Batista

“In ancient times there existed in the country of Serendippo, in the Far East, a great and powerful king by the name of Giaffer. He had three sons who were very dear to him. And being a good father and very concerned about their education, he decided that he had to leave them endowed not only with great power, but also with all kinds of virtues of which princes are particularly in need…”

As you may have heard, this is the introduction of a famous Persian fairy tale that introduces the word Serendipity for the first time. The Three Princes of Serendip describes the discoveries and adventures of three princes who were “always making discoveries by accidents and sagacity, of things that they were not in quest for.”

This fairy tale, that was written  by Amir Khusrau in 1302, has been translated and referenced by many authors throughout history. The first references in the western world came from the English author Horace Walpole. Horace wrote letters that described the adventures of these princes, and his impressions on the story. While giving these opinions, Horace repeatedly used the word Serendipity to express his feelings saying phrases like: “This discovery, indeed, is almost of that kind, which I call Serendipity, a very expressive word”

Serendipity might not be a word that comes up in your head right away, but when you hear about it , it intrigues you. Is almost like an invitation to a new challenge.

Being described as one of the hardest words to define, Serendipity can be understood as “the faculty of making discoveries by accident”. Just like the three princes said, Serendipity is the joy of an epic revelation.

And this is exactly what we are all about! In Serendipity Adventures , we accompany you on an intrepid quest that will free your spirit . Whether  it is the rain forest, thewhite water rafting, the hot air ballooning, or simply a majestic sunrise on top of a hill, we assure you, our trips are a mind blowing experience in which you will encounter several serendipitous moments.

Come visit us in Costa Rica and indulge your self and your family with an exclusive adventure vacations!

Care to experience the true meaning of Serendipity? Contact us now.
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Serendipity and people with disabilities: A day of Canyoning

Posted on August 30, 2011 by RhondaNeuhaus

Wednesday, August 17th I was fortunate to spend the day with Serendipity Adventures and their terrific staff.  I joined guides Jonathan, Pablo and Sardar and office staff Maria, Silvia and Charlotte for this adventure. This canyoning trip to the Hobby Farm in Turrialba complemented perfectly my visit in Costa Rica, which had included rock climbing, river rafting and paragliding.   On this day I was to climb, maneuver via rapels down waterways and through a hidden canyon!  It was a terrific day with laughter, fun and new friends – and most of all fun!

Serendipity's team ready for adventure

Serendipity aims at customizing their trips for individual families and small groups. I was invited to participate on this day to experience the Serendipity adventure and to offer any information I can to the staff about adapting and/or expanding their programs for people with disabilities, as I have been a bilateral amputee, wearing two artificial legs since birth. I was excited by this invitation both for the adventure – but also for the opportunity to educate and open up more opportunities for people with disabilities to enjoy this country that I love.  I was excited at the true interst the Serendipity staff showed in learning about greater inclusion and expanding in this direction.

We arrived at the farm, a typical Costa Rican farm with rolling green hills, poro trees marking the natural fence between the cattle and the dirt road.  We parked the car and walked down a muddy road, passing two horses who make the property their home, to the entry to the canyon.  We were given our safety lesson, how to lower ourselves with the rope and how to break, how to keep our legs wide and apart and how to descend down the cliffs.  Once the lesson was completed, down we went!  The guides led the way, and I followed.

Adventure Guide Jonathan fixing the equipment

The first drop was a short one which gave us the opportunity to practice our skills and, for some, to get rid of our nerves. I wasn’t nervous for this one. I’ve rock climbed and this was fun!  The next drop, was a much longer, narrower and enclosed drop was even more exciting and challenging; it was this steep drop that took us into the heart of the canyon.  It was also here where we learned how to protect ourselves from falling rock (and only once later had to utilize this knowledge!) Once at the bottom, I was in awe of the secondary forest, large rocks with algae growing on them, butterflies and beautiful trees that surrounded me.  I greatly enjoyed sitting as each member of our group joined me.

Serendipity staff Sardar and Rhonda Neuhaus

The next leg of the trip was the best – and, for me, where the adrenaline began to flow.  We were to rappel down a beautiful waterfall. I began my prep work to cover my leg.  When doing anything where my legs will get wet, I cover them with large garbage bags to minimize their submersion.  I got harnessed in and began to descend, with the water spraying throughout.  The chilly water falling on me was exhilarating!  As I neared the bottom, Sardar, was waiting to support me on his back to the rocks, instead of fully entering the water as would normally happen (to keep my legs dry).  This adaptation was perfect and I was transported to dry land easily, without getting my legs wet. We had a nice cup of hot cocoa and some snacks with the waterfall as our backdrop.

Rhonda Neuhaus

Another drop, including a uniquely added zip line over another waterfall, completed the adventure.  During the whole trip, there were walks between the descents where there were rocks to climb, and much of it quite slippery- but we made our way!  As we walked out of the canyon back into the sunlight and expanse of the Hobby Farm, I realized how tired but satisfied I was.  We took off our gear and waited for the car to arrive. Looking back toward the small slit in the earth that is the canyon, I was surprised that I would never have guessed that such beauty was there just looking at the farm. I love the beauty of the earth!

Back at Serendipity headquarters, the team and I ate lunch and talked.  We discussed different types of disabilities and things that they can keep in mind in adapting their adventures for people with physical, intellectual/developmental disabilities or who are blind or Deaf—and how often not much needs to be changed.  We discussed international disability rights and how Costa Rica is a ratifying country to the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD) – and how people with disabilities can of course canyon, kayak, raft, balloon or enjoy any Serendipity adventure. I was impressed by the staff’s desire to work with anyone who would like the Serendipity experience and that they will continue to reach out to others with differing disabilities to learn how to best adapt their adventures.  I welcome their vision of working with their hotels and other partners to discuss greater accessibility and inclusive tourism.

Rhonda and Alex in the warehouse

The canyoning trip was excellent- the beauty, the physical exertion- however equaling that was the company itself. I greatly enjoyed the Serendipity team. I enjoyed our conversations, our laughter, and their true interest in wanting to learn more about me, about the rights of people with disabilities and how to create greater access for people with disabilities in their adventures.  They taught me more about rappelling and offered me an arm or shoulder to lean on when needed (quite literally). I am hopeful that more people with disabilities and their families will explore the beauty of Costa Rica!

Rhonda is guaranteed toughProtecting the legs

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Serendipity and the Rural Communities: San Rafael

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Maria Batista

At Serendipity Adventures we have great love and respect for the communities in which we operate. Over the time, we have developed a constant interaction that has allowed us to work together, learn together and grow together.

Most of our adventures take place in remarkable rural areas of Costa Rica, that aside from their lush and diverse natural resources, are home to small towns. These small towns are rich in culture, color and hard working people.  Despite the lower socio economical condition of the towns, the people, will always greet you with a smile on their face, and welcome you into their homes.

Being aware of this situation, we have made great efforts to work with these local communities and help them grow with us. We have donated resources, time and labor to social projects and events that have benefit schools, organizations such as orphanages, and other communal development groups.

Just last weekend, in San Rafael (Turrialba), where we have our main offices, we participated in the community’s “turno”. A turno is a small Feria organized with the purpose of raising money for a social cause and creating recreational activities for the families. In this occasion the local Community Development Association, invited a professional soccer team for a friendly match with the local soccer team. Along with the soccer game, traditional food was shared and sold, and there was a dance with Karaoke… A Sunday devoted to the family.

The goal was to raise money to restore the community’s lounge , which is used for multiple public events and for  the elementary school.

As part of our collaboration we built a big bench for the soccer game, we lend our hydro cleaning machines and other kitchen related supplies like coolers.

These are some of the dishes that were sold: “Cajetas de zanahoria”, which is a carrot candy, made with sugar cane juice , carrot, and orange. Also they had “pozol”, which is a corn based soup with pork and vegetables.

In San Rafael, we also donated the playground for the kinder garden, and the paint for the church, as well as a small bus stop.

In this same community, in March, we received for the second time, a group of young enthusiasts from the University of San Diego in California. They combined their adventure trip with a very noble community service. With the help of Serendipity Adventures they worked with the children of the local Elementary School, donated sport equipment, and did some restoring of the infrastructure. In addition, they collected some gifts and spent  a great deal of their time in the orphanage in Turrialba.

These are some kids enjoying their new Tether Ball game:

In here you can see one of the USD students with a baby  at the orphanage:

Continue reading →

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Behind the scenery of Guanacaste

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Maria Batista

When booking your Costa Rican vacation, you might find that Guanacaste is one of the most popular destinations for tourists. Here you can find luxurious beaches, exotic forests, and very rich biodiversity. However, there is a lot more that this beautiful Savannah can offer. Guanacaste has a very distinctive culture that sets it apart from the rest of the country. Everything from the cuisine, the way of speaking, and the legends and traditions, makes it a very enchanting place. So much that you might want to stay for life.

In the month of July Costa Ricans celebrate the annexation of this province to our country. After our independence from Spain in 1821, Guanacaste was a province of Nicaragua, our northern neighbor. During that time, there were some political and economical issues in the region. This made it a very unstable and dangerous area. In 1825, Guanacastecos decided, of their own free will, to peacefully join the Costa Rican state.

We certainly gained a lot more than just land! No other region in the country displays its culture as openly as they do here. Life revolves around the horse and cattle ranches.  Sabaneros, similar to the cowboys in North America, are a common sight. Some people have even called Guanacaste “Costa Rica’s Wild West.”   For example, in some small towns, nothing is cheered more than the corridas de toros (a kind of bullfight) and topes, (the region’s colorful horse parades), in which the Guanacastecos show groomed horses and their fancy footwork.

Also, especially during July, typical dances are displayed in parks and plazas, along with cimarronas (a small band that plays the accordion, trumpet, bass drum, and cymbals).  Ethnic foods like picadillos (a mix of chopped vegetables with meat) , tamales, chorriadas (a big corn tortilla),and vigoron (pork meat, yuca, tortillas, cabbage salad) are sold at these events.

Aside from the food and the dances, there is a vast selection of bombas.  Bombas are basically rhymes with a little comedy and romance, much like the limericks in the English language. Bombas were traditionally made for the “Don Juan” men who wanted to approach their ladies in a creative way, but slowly they became a tradition throughout the whole country as well as a symbol of the Guanacaste culture.

They go something like this:

“Quiero ser perla fina
de tus pulidos aretes
para darme una vueltita
y morderte los cachetes.
uyuyuy bajura…”

Another tradition that makes this place spectacular is the development of pre-colombian pottery. This thousand year old practice was traditionally carried out by the women of the Chorotega tribe. At that time, the Chorotegas needed to create solutions for their every day needs in the kitchen, storing foods, and feeding their people. Despite the process of creating pottery that took many days from the moment it was molded until the actual finished piece, the women were able to organize their time and take care of their other obligations in the community. Today, men carry out the pottery traditions of their ancestors, which they learned from their grandmothers and mothers. A day trip to the town of Guaitil will allow you to watch the process and purchase traditional pottery.

The beauty of a sunset at the beach, the lushness of the nature around you, and the distinct culture of people that are happy to meet you and talk until the cows literally come home will definitely leave you with an experience  to remember. . This inspiring place awaits you!

Come to Guanacaste and enrich your life with the wonders and mysteries of this culture. Let our experts guide you and make your trip to Costa Rica  a life lasting memory.

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