Museums of Costa Rica

Costa Rica has many interesting museums, especially in San Jose. Tourist could visit The Golden Museum, located in the Plaza de la Cultura, along with other Museum of the Central Bank, such as the Numismatic Museum and the Art Gallery. There are other museums about the history of the country, such as the Museo Nacional de Costa Rica, the Jade Museum (Museo de Jade), and the Children Museum (Museo de los Niños). On the other hand, there are many art museums and importan galleries, such as the Costa Rican Art Museum, among others.

The Museo del Jade, which real name is Museo del Jade “Marco Fidel Tristán Castro” is an archaeological museum located in San José, Costa Rica. The Museum was founded in 1977 by Fidel Tristán Castro, who was the first president of the INS, that is why the Museum has his name. The museum has a vast collection of pre-Columbian artifacts, such as stone tables (metates), ceramics, ceremonial heads, adzes, and other decorative pieces from 500 BC to 800AD. The Jade room of the museum also displays beautiful translucent jade pendants and other incredible archeological pieces.

The Museo de los Niños (Children’s Museum), is located at the Centro Costarricense de la Ciencia y la Cultura complex in the capital of San José. It contains great interactive displays educating children in various topics from Astronomy, natural planet and ecology to science, human life and communications. Children walk through 39 rooms learning and interacting to discover new interesting information. Visitors can experience a simulated earthquake, make music by dancing on the floor, or see themselves in weird mirrors.

Costa Rica’s most important historical museum was before an army barracks, which was in use while the historical fighting, the civil war of 1948. The National Museum was created by the end of the XIX century, following a liberal project of “order and progress”, trying to save the cultural part of the city. In 1887, former president Mr. Bernardo Soto, created the Museum as a public establishment to deposit, classify, and study natural and artistic products found around the country. Even now, visitors could see hundreds of bullet holes on the turrets at its corners, as they approach the building. The now Museum is a traditional Spanish-style courtyard building, which hosts many displays on Costa Rican history and culture from pre-Columbian times to the present.

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Hiking in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a beautiful mountainous country which many natural jewels. There are many trails in all of the national parks for all physical conditions, as well as in almost any natural area, even around the capital city. However, local information is sometimes very limited and sometimes guides are much needed.

There are various travel agencies and tour operators that offer hiking tours in most touristic places, and guides, maps and some equipment are included, making it easier to get to know the country from this perspective. Hiking tours could last from 1 hour to 10 days with camping included, depending on what you want and how much you want to get to know the country this way.

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The 3 most visited beaches in Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Guanacaste has many beautiful beaches, some are very known, others not so much. Among the three most visited beaches in Guanacaste province are:

1. TAMARINDO BEACH

Playa Tamarindo is located on the Pacific Coast, it is one of the most touristic beaches in the Guanacaste area. The area has a lot to offer besides its crystal clear ocean, exquisite nature and stunning sunsets. Go surfing, fishing, visit a spa, rent a car, stay at a friendly bed and breakfast, luxurious hotel, the options are endless. It has a wide range of accommodations such as hotels, bed and breakfasts, beach house rentals, condominiums; activities such as fishing, diving, sailing, surfing, horseback riding.

2. SAMARA BEACH

Playa Samara is one of the top touristic sites for Tico to enjoy their vacations. The beach with shallow waters are protected by a coral reef, and it has beutiful pale sand beach. It is ideal for tranquil swimming, and snorkeling, especially in the Matapalo area, just 2 km along the Samara Beach. Visitors can also go to an small island called Chora Island, using kayaks to see the wide variety of marine birds. There are many different types of hotels and cabins, and many different tours of the area.

3. CONCHAL BEACH

Playa Conchal is situated in the North West side of the Guanacaste Province. It is considered by many to be one of the most exotic beaches on the Costa Rican Pacific side. Its name comes from its white sand created by millions of crushed shells. Playa Conchal, a 4 kilometer wide beach, is just 2 km from Playa Brasilito or 10 minutes walk. This beach is ideal from swimming and snorkeling because of its clear waters and fantastic marine life; it is know two have the clearest waters of the Pacific side of the country. Among the activities that take place in the area are deep sea fishing, kayaking, scuba diving, snorkeling, hiking, canopy, spa treatments, golf, visiting the estuary, etc.

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Top 5 white water rafting rivers of Costa Rica

Costa Rica has many beautiful rivers where White Water Rafting could be practiced. Among those rivers are:

Pacuare River: Located in the Limon Province, it is one of the top rivers in Costa Rica, and according to National Geographic it is also one of the top ten most scenic rivers in the world for white water rafting. The river is class III and IV.

Sarapiquí Rivers: Located in the Heredia Province, next to La Selva Biological Station, the Sarapiquí River offers the best wildlife viewing opportunities. The Sarapiqui’s rapids are moderate class II and III.

Reventazon River: The Reventazon River is located in the Caribbean region of Costa Rica. The river is class III and IV.

Orosi River: The Orosi River, also called Rio Grande de Orosi, is located near the Cordillera de Talamanca. The river runs rapids class II and III.

Chirripó River: Chirripó River, which offers mainly Class IV white water.

Visit Costa Rica and enjoy the wonderful rivers the country has to offer. To plan your vacations and find all the information you nead, please visit Costa Rica Online Map.

Link: White Water Rafting in Costa Rica

Costa Rica ranked 3th by the Global Competitiveness Report

In the Global Competitiveness report of the period 2008-2009, Costa Rica was ranked number three, under Chile with the first place followed by Panama. Mexico was ranked 4th of all Latin American countries. The Executive Opinion Survey (EOS), an annual survey made by the World Economic Forum, was also conducted this year over 134 economies. The Global Competitiveness report evaluates the economies of each country building a detailed economic profile. As for the whole world, The United States of America is ranking first followed by Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden and Singapore.

Costa Rica keeps growing and its economy keeps getting stronger. It is a wonderful place to spend vacations and enjoy all the country has to offer. To visit Costa Rica please check the site www.costaricaonlinemap.com.

Link: Visit Costa Rica

Jaguars: The endangered felins of Costa Rica

In Costa Rica Jaguars can be found around coastals mangroves, lowland savannas, wet and dry lands, and forests located under 100 mts of elevation. Jaguars are rarely seen in daylight, they hunt at night, and they are very good swimmers.  It is a beautiful carnivor animal, the largest of Costa Rica mammals and now endangered species.

It has been under enormous preassure beacuse of its beautiful pelt, its reputation as a stock killer and its vulnerability to be hunt. The jaguar is now rare except in some large reserves such as Tortuguero, Santa Rosa, Corcovado and Rio Macho National Parks, and lower parts of the Cordillera Talamanca.

Link: Visit Costa Rica

Fourth Summit of the Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace

In order to promote a culture of peace in different nations, Costa Rica will host the Fourth Summit of the Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace “Building Bridges for Peace”, which will take place from 17 to 21 September. With this model, Costa Rica joins Nepal and the Solomon Islands to be the third country worldwide to establish a governmental infrastructure for peace and the first to do it without the existence of an armed conflict.

Representatives of government and different ministries will be part in the opening ceremony to be held at the National Auditorium of the Museum of Children, on Thursday 17 September at 7 pm. The opening and closing ceremonies are free and entrance to all public!

Link: Visit Costa Rica

II Internacional Festival “San Jose Puro Cuento”

The II Internacional Festival “San Jose Puro Cuento” will take place on Tuesday, September 15th, 2009 at 7:00 pm until Sunday, September 20th, 2009 at 2:00 pm. There will be international storytellers from Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia and Costa Rica and free performances in all events.

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The race “Corre por mí”

The race “Corre por mí” is an effort to raise money to help people with cancer. This race was born in 2008 when Brooks and Arteimagen join forces to make a career for a great cause of raising funds for cancer.

In the United States, Brooks launched a clothing collection with the theme of “Pink Ribbon” and for this reason it was decided to dedicate the event specifically to breast cancer. Dr. Anna Gabriela Ross Foundation joins the group organizer and the decision that the funds will be spent on a campaign of mammograms. It will take place on October 10, 2009, at 9:00 a.m

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III Congress of Tourism Education 2009

The III Congress of Tourism Education 2009 will be held on November 3 and 4, in the Research Center of the University of Costa Rica in San Jose. The congress is aimed at teachers, deans of tourism, coordinators of touristic companies, tourism professionals, hotels and restaurants, government agencies and nongovernmental providers, researchers, entrepreneurs and students in related careers.

For more information contact congreso@coeducatur.com or on the website www.coeducatur.com, the phones are (506) 2280-5375.

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