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[Guanacaste] [Puntarenas] [Jaco Beach] [Tambor] [Caribbean Coast/Limon]
[Arenal] [Monteverde] [Manuel Antonio]
(click one to read about it or scroll down):
"We offer other destinations in Costa Rica, just ask us"
Treasure Vacations also offers:
ESCORTED ECO-SAFARI TOURS CITY TOURS, VOLCANO TOURS
RAINFOREST TOURS & WHITEWATER RIVER RAFTING TOURS.
Welcome to Costa Rica! From this small Central American country, springs forth a diversity found in no other place in the world. Sun-drenched smiles, warm hospitality, unforgettable sights sounds and adventures await those who discover this relatively unknown vacation destination. A wealth of natural beauty is the treasure Costa Rica offers.
Costa Rica was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1502, when he landed near Puerto Limón on the Atlantic shore. He was greeted by indigenous people decked out in gold ornaments. Believing he had discovered a land of vast wealth, he named it "Costa Rica", which means "Rich Coast".
Twelve bio-zones, thousands of plants, flowers and butterflies will draw you towards this country's great natural beauty. This land of mountain ranges, exotic wildlife, rainforests, lowland jungles, dramatic pacific coastline and tranquil Caribbean beaches make Costa Rica a perfect destination for nonstop adventure.
Costa Rica is bordered to the north by
Nicaragua and to the south by Panama. The country is made up of seven provinces: San Jose, Cartago, Alajeula, Heredia, Guanacaste, Punta Arenas & Limon.
In this jeweled microcosm the size of West Virginia, visitors can explore cloud forest, rain forest, volcanoes, tropical dry forest, jungle lagoons, mangrove estuaries, and pristine beaches. More of Costa Rica's land is protected in natural parks, 
biological preserves and wildlife sanctuaries than any other nation.
The country's relatively small size (23,000 square miles) has definite advantages, bringing alive an eco-experience that will stay with you forever.
Costa Rica is easy to visit and combining a few areas is a great way to get to know this country better!
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GUANACASTE [Back to Top of Page]
The Guanacaste region stretches from the western edge of Lake Arenal out to the Pacific coast, encompassing the Nicoya Peninsula, all the way up to the Nicaraguan border. This region tends to be a little drier than other areas of Costa Rica, with a wide variety of flora and fauna in its many National Parks.
In the north, the mega-parks of Santa Rosa and Guanacaste protect delicate forest systems and provide a migration corridor for highland animals moving on to greener pastures in the wet season
. In the south, prehistoric limestone foundations make for an interesting landscape, and at Barra Honda, some breathtaking cave formations sought by spelunkers from around the globe. At the southern edge of the Nicoya Peninsula, rocky beaches dotted with waterfalls and tide pools welcome visitors who want more than just a hammock on the beach.
For those interested in more than beaches and crystal waters, there are the tropical and humid premontane transition forests that characterize the Santa Rosa National Park with it's extensive savannas and Rincon de la Vieja National Park. Before arriving at it's 
exciting fumaroles - known as "Las Pailas" - you can walk through thousands of trees, and contemplate a huge diversity of birds and butterflies as well as lush vegetation. Fascinating mud cones of different sizes and shapes continually bubble before your eyes.
On some parts of the coast there are beaches where Leatherback and other sea turtles come to lay their eggs.
With a drier, more arid climate than other parts of the country, this area offers a wealth of water sports; surfing, world-class sport fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving, etc.
Guanacaste Hotels & Resorts
Melia Playa Conchal Beach & Golf Resort 
Punta Islita Hotel
Jardin Del Eden
Flamingo All-Suites
Occidental Papagayo (All-inclusive) 
Barcelo Playa Langosta Resort & Casino (All-inclusive)
Blue Bay Club Papagayo (All-inclusive)
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PUNTARENAS [Back to Top of Page]
Puntarenas is the largest province . The principal attractions are on the Pacific coast itself. The islands located in the Gulf of Nicoya are within the boundaries of this province as well as part of the Tilaran and Talamanca Mountain Ranges.
It was once considered the honeymoon capital of Costa Rica.
The Central Pacific's largest city, Puntarenas City 
sits on a long, narrow peninsula in the Gulf of Nicoya. For years, it was the country's principal port, and though a newer port in nearby Caldera now handles cargo and Puntarenas the cruise ships, a large fishing fleet still anchors in the estuary behind town.
Being the country’s most important fishing port, Puntarenas is the perfect place to enjoy fresh seafood, be it camarones al ajillo (shrimp scampi), pescado entero (a whole fried fish), or 
ceviche de corvina (bits of fresh fish marinate in lime juice with onions, peppers and spices).
Within a half-hour of the port, tropical jungles give up their secrets to the casual observer. Trees flash with color as macaws, toucans, and parakeets take flight and howler monkeys scream in the distance. In the capital city of San José, you'll find museums, theaters and a selection of handmade wood crafts.
The closest beach resort to San Jose, Puntarenas features striking and unusual black sand beaches. A great starting point for day trips to the Monteverde Cloud forest or the Gulf of Nicoya.
Puntarenas Hotels & Resorts
Marriott Los Suenos 
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JACO BEACH [Back to Top of Page]
Jacó Beach A large tourist center in Garabito Canton. A straight 2.5 mile long beach with open sea, strong surf and yellowish gray sand throuthout. On both ends there are rocky promentories with heavy vegetation mixed with buidings. Ideal for sunning, bathing, hiking, beach games and water sports.
One of Costa Rica's most visited surf towns located approximately two hours from San José (140 Km). It host a wide range of tourist attractions, surf shops, ding repair facilities, hotels, cabins, campgrounds and restaurants. Jacó Beach itself is a fun beach break, and home to some of Costa Rica's best surfers.
Small native style hotels, restaurants with local flair and low key entertainment are all part of the Jaco Beach experience. The area is an ideal base for exploring the Carara Biological Reserve.
Jaco Beach Hotels & Resorts
Hotel Villa Caletas
Marriott Beach & Golf Resort
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TAMBOR [Back to Top of Page]
Tambor is very exotic and very popular with its natural beauty and wildlife. It is a place where you can experience wonderful wildlife. Monkeys in the trees, beautiful birds flying over you and iguanas running through the grass. Streams flow down from the mountains to meet the sea amidst exuberant vegetation along the beach.
Tambor is a very small fishing village located in the north Puntarenas Province. on the Southern end of the Nicoya peninsula. Put on the map by the first all-inclusive hotel to be built in the country (see below).
The beach has dark sand which is located in a loop 
with very low tides. The beach area is about a mile long and is great for bathing and fishing. Whales are sometimes sighted in the bay in Tambor, hence the name Bahía Ballena (Whale Bay). You can play all day in the warm Pacific water of Tambor; its a perfect place to get off the beaten path and onto the beach!
Tambor Hotels & Resorts
Barcelo Playa Tambor (All-inclusive)
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CARIBBEAN COAST/LIMON [Back to Top of Page]
Experience the Caribbean as it was, and as it should be...pristine beaches, waving palm trees and small quaint hotels.
The Caribbean Coast offers a beautiful National Park called Cahuita. A perfect place to film pirate movies. This Caribbean park was created to protect an important coral reef. The reef is perfect for snorkeling since much of it is shallow water near the coast 
The park is a good place, too, for wildlife like the Rufous Kingfisher, or low swooping Swainson and Keel-billed Toucans. Other birds include the Central American Curacao and large groups of nesting parrots. Cahuita's freshwater rivers and estuaries are also good places to spot caimans and herons. Snakes are commonly seen along the trail. And Red Land Crabs and bright blue Fiddler Crabs-the latter with oversized 
claws-inhabit the shores. You’ll find Howler and Capuchin monkeys, sloths, toucans, parakeets and many lizards.
The port city of Limon is Caribbean flavor all the way. When Christopher Columbus discovered Costa Rica in 1502 ,it was the coastline of Limon that inspired him to name it the "Rich Coast" Limon has become an important area for Snook and Tarpon fishing enthusiasts.
Both Cahuita and the Limon province of Costa Rica, have a special flavor to them. The Caribbean area offers a natural and cultural
environment that is completely different from the rest of the country. Coconut trees leaning towards the ocean, spectacular reefs, the sounds of Bob Marley and Alpha Blondie, and tourists wearing dreadlocks and Birkenstocks abound in this area. Even if you're not the Rasta type, you shouldn't miss out on the natural beauty of the forest and reefs .
Caribbean Coast/Limon Hotels & Resorts
Hotel Punta Cocles - Limon
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Arenal [Back to Top of Page]
The Arenal Volcano is one of the most spectacular views in Costa Rica . One of the most consistently active volcanos in the world, this powerful, colorful mountain erupts with tremendous force several times per day.
Since 1968, it has maintained nearly constant activity that ranges from soundless explosions with large mushroom-shaped clouds of ash overhead, to booming explosions that send hot rocks nearly a kilometer into the air, to pyroclastic explosions highlighted by the rush and flow of lava and gases down the side of the volcano.
From the 600-meter elevation, where visitors are allowed to approach atop a lava flow from the 1968 eruption, Arenal rises another 1,000 meters (3,000 feet) to its 1,633-meter (5,000 foot) summit, and although the peak is still three kilometers away, it is definitely "in your face!"
The Arenal region consists of the area directly beneath the volcano near the town of Fortuna and the Lake Arenal area.
Arenal Hotels & Resorts
Arenal Lodge
Tabacon Resort & Spa
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Monteverde
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This kingdom in the clouds, the Monteverde Cloud Forest is home to more than 100 species of mammals including 5 species of cats, over 400 species of birds including 30 kinds of hummingbirds, tens of thousands of insect species and 2,500 species of plants.
This is a bird watching and hiking paradise. The area is acclaimed as one of the most outstanding wildlife refuges in the world.
A walk through the cloud forest of Monteverde can be an eerie experience. As the high clouds creep through the twisted trees and hanging vines around you, strange sounds fill the air. Strong winds and the added weight of water-laden epiphytes often cause branches to fall to the ground. This reduces the height of the cloud forest canopy and adds to the forest's gnarled appearance. Falling branches also create light gaps, allowing the growth of light tolerant plants and producing a constant mosaic of succession. A perfect place for hiking, and bird watching, 
Take the SkyTrek and feel like Tarzan for a day. Sky Trek is a must when touring the Cloud Forest..Sky Trek is a canopy adventure with a system of trails, suspension bridges, and zip lines that offers visitors the opportunity to observe, and appreciate tropical vegetation from different vantage points.
Monteverde Hotels & Resorts
Hotel El Sapo Dorado
Monteverde Lodge & Gardens
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Manuel Antonio [Back to Top of Page]
In southern Puntarenas
, Manuel Antonio National Park is a 20 minute flight from San Jose. It is one of the smallest of Costa Rica's national parks. It is a 716-acre seaside park, characterized by a lush jungle filled with fascinating plant and animal life. The waters here are quite clear. Situated far from noise of the city, the only sound that might disturb the visitors here is the chattering of the monkeys.
With its idyllic beaches, excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, relative ease of access, and good surrounding infrastructure, this is one of the country's most visited parks. Part of the park's scenic beauty 
is provided by Cathedral Point, a 72 meter-high point of land that is covered by rain forest. The point was formerly an island just off the mainland, but ocean currents caused the deposition of sand between the two until eventually they were connected, forming a geological feature known as a tombolo. The park's two most frequented beaches, Manuel Antonio and Espadilla Sur, are the sandy arcs on either side of the narrow strip of land that joins Cathedral Point with the mainland.
Manuel Antonio Hotels and Resorts
Hotel Parador
Villas Si Como No
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Standard Vacations Available |
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Deluxe Vacations Available |
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Luxury Vacations Available |
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Especially recommended for Honeymoons & Weddings |