3 Unique Experiences in Costa Rica

A popular tourist destination, Costa Rica is rich in bio-diversity and natural beauty. Host to up to 2 million visitors a year, it is one of the hottest adventure tourism locations in Latin America. Despite its popularity, the country is able to offer the tourist a peaceful and laid back experience. Its beaches are calm, endless and empty, the atmosphere borders on lazy and the lodgings are cozy and secluded…perfect combination for a relaxed holiday. But for the adventure junkie, it’s a different story. Active travelers can surf, hike, river raft, go kayaking, snorkel and spot Costa Rica’s exotic wildlife for starters. If this is not enough action, you have the option of climbing an active volcano as well! Apart from this regular indulgences on the itinerary, here are a few off the block activities that might not be on the top of every Costa Rica travel guide’s list but would definitely make for a unique experience:

VISIT THE SLOTH SANCTUARY

Strange looking and not exactly cuddly, sloth bears seem to have found an ardent fan following in the form of the Avarios del Caribe sanctuary. This place has the most interesting story; a regular bed and breakfast type of resort till 1992, the proprietors were given an injured three-toed sloth to nurse back to health. Deciding that the hotel needed added attractions, they started accepting and taking care of other sloths that were handed over for rehabilitation. Soon word got around and as the number of animals increased, so did the facilities for them. Now the B&B is a full-blown sloth sanctuary with a clinic, kitchen, laundry, nursery and a quarantine centre. The sanctuary offers daily tours, a small bed and breakfast as well as boat and bird watching tours on their property. All sloth bear enthusiasts head to Costa Rica!

VISIT A LOCAL VILLAGE

To really know a place, it is important to be introduced to its culture, its roots. In the case of Costa Rica, this would mean having the Costa Rica vacation guide digress from the usual adventure sports path into a local village. Typically villagers are a friendly lot, and happily give you a guided tour of their village. If you’re lucky, you’ll probably be invited into one of their homes and be offered a meal. If you’re really lucky then an enthusiastic villager might even show you how to make pure chocolate out of a cocoa seed!

Visit a Vanilla Farm

Costa Rica is a good place to grow a variety of things, but the weather is particularly conducive for cocoa plantations, cinnamon and vanilla farming. An interesting place to visit is the Villa Vanilla Spice Farm which specializes in vanilla farming along with other spices like Ceylon cinnamon, cocoa, peppers, ginger, red turmeric, allspice and cardamom. The two and a half hour tour allows you to see, smell and tastes a host of tropical spices. Villa Vanilla is a great place to go if you’re traveling with kids, they offer a number of educative activities plus stays in cabins for volunteers. It is a very informative trip, which a visitor can top off by stocking up on the mouth-watering merchandise.

This small nation can be best described as an invaluable refuge for nature. A haven of peace, Costa Ricans have set aside one quarter of their land as national parks and protected areas. Eco tourists are encouraged and rewarded with unparalleled botanical and animal marvels. So go ahead and experience a holiday like no other.