Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [0]
MATTHEW D FIRESTONE
Coordinating Author
Península de Osa (Click here) is truly a stunning landform, but there is a whole different world lying offshore beneath the surface of the shallow seas. Down here, maritime life of every shape, color and size dashes and darts across your field of vision. Suddenly you hopelessly wish that the remaining oxygen in your tank didn’t limit your time in the underwater world.
CEŚAR G SORIANO After weeks of sweltering under the infamous Guanacaste heat, it was time to cool off. So I took the day off for a bit of diving in Sámara (Click here), a beautiful beach town whose flora and fauna are equally impressive on land as they are beneath the waves. ¡Pura vida!
CAROLINA A MIRANDA On this trip I got to explore the absolutely idyllic (and often overlooked) Central Valley. At El Silencio (Click here) in Bajos del Toro I planted a tree – with name tag! – in memory of my father and father-in-law. My plan is to go back in a year to see how it’s doing.
For full author biographies Click here.
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Costa Rica Highlights
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MONTEVERDE CLOUD FOREST
MANUEL ANTONIO
LA FORTUNA AREA
MONTEZUMA
PARQUE NACIONAL CORCOVADO
JACÓ
SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN
TORTUGUERO
DOMINICAL
LLANOS DE CORTÉS
PAVONES
CERRO CHIRRIPÓ
SAN JOSÉ
COFFEE PLANTATIONS OF THE CENTRAL VALLEY
CAÑO NEGRO
THE FORESTS OF PARQUE NACIONAL BRAULIO CARRILLO
GUAYABO
THE SARAPIQUÍ VALLEY
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Few travel destinations have the vast spectrum of stunning landscapes and exotic wildlife offered by Costa Rica, a tiny Central American country lodged between two great oceans. Of course, what Costa Rica lacks in size, it more than makes up for in biodiversity. In one day you can watch the sunrise over the Caribbean, and the sunset over the Pacific. Or spend the morning trekking through the highland cloud forests, and wind down in the afternoon with a cup of shade-grown brew on an organic coffee plantation. This incredible complement of landscapes is also inhabited by some of the planet’s most charismatic species, including the scarlet macaw and squirrel monkey in the canopy above, and the jaguar and tapir on the forest floor.
LUKE HUNTER
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MONTEVERDE CLOUD FOREST
This iconic cloud forest was first settled by a community of Quakers who sought to protect their invaluable watershed. Home to such rare fauna as the resplendent quetzal, which is the Maya bird of paradise, Monteverde (Click here) is partly responsible for Costa Rica’s international fame as an ecotourism hot spot.
Matthew D Firestone, Lonely Planet Author, USA
CHRISTOPHER BAKER
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MANUEL ANTONIO
One of the country’s original ecotourism destinations, Manuel Antonio (Click here) practically put Costa Rica on the map for international jet-setters. While the secret has long been let out, capuchin monkeys bounding across a tropical beach remain an arresting sight.
Matthew D Firestone, Lonely Planet Author, USA
COREY WISE
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LA FORTUNA AREA
In the shadow of Arenal (Click here), one of the most active volcanoes in the world, there’s something for everybody including luxurious hotels, romantic restaurants and Tabacón Hot Springs (Click here), man’s recreation of the Garden of Eden.
César G Soriano, Lonely Planet Author, USA
COREY WISE
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MONTEZUMA
A laid-back, budget beach town (Click here) with a hippie vibe (locals call it ‘Montefuma’), beautiful beaches, a chill atmosphere and great restaurants. It’s the perfect base for exploring the southern part of the Península de Nicoya.
César G Soriano, Lonely Planet Author, USA
JOHNNY HAGLUND
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PARQUE NACIONAL CORCOVADO
Costa Rica’s ultimate outdoor experience is anything but a walk in the park. With the proper gear, ample supplies and a healthy appetite for adventure, Corcovado (Click here) is where you can leave behind the tourist crowds and lose yourself in the wilds.
Matthew D Firestone, Lonely Planet Author, USA