Monteverde, which obviously means "Green Mountain", is located in the western part of Costa Rica, straddling the Continental Divide. The area is best known for the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve, but there are a number of reserves, including the Santa Elena and Children's Eternal Rain Forest. The Children's Eternal Rain Forest was actually purchased by children's donations from all over the world.

The clouds form from the warm, moist Caribbean trade winds that cool off as they climb the mountains reaching around 5-6000 feet, where the moisture then condenses and thick, low lying clouds are formed. Hence, the name of Cloud Forest. It is a place of stunning natural beauty. There are eight distinct ecological zones here, which makes the climate as diverse as the flora and fauna of the region.

In the early 50's of the last century, a group of Quakers came to Costa Rica seeking to build a peaceful community. They developed a commodity that they could bring to market in the form of cheese. The cheese factory has been in production since 1954.

They decided to protect the watershed upon the mountain by setting aside 1,335 acres above their homes. After the discovery of the golden toad, now believed to be extinct, the area caught the attention of scientists. In the 60's the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve was born. It now encompasses around 26,000 acres. It is a place, not to be missed, if you are traveling to Costa Rica.

If you are staying at a resort, you may not need to learn Spanish on your vacation. But, what if you go on a more adventurous trip. Maybe, a little off the beaten path. Or perhaps you want to buy a vacation home in Central or South America or even, Spain. Learning Spanish would be of great value to you and make life easier and safer.

Or even if you never leave the U.S., (if that is where you are from) learning Spanish could be a good idea. In our area of Eastern Tennessee, we went from almost zero Spanish speaking people to about 1 in 4, in just the last 10 to 12 years. So, obviously it would be to your advantage to learn to communicate in Spanish.

So, if you want to...

feel more comfortable and confident around Spanish speaking people,

be able to read books, magazines and web sites written in Spanish,

be able to watch and understand Spanish movies,

be able to write to and email Spanish speaking people,

or you simply want to become exceptional at Spanish for any other reason...

The Rocket Spanish package will help you achieve your goals.

Click Here To Start An Adventure In Spanish!

If you are thinking about having a Costa Rica honeymoon chances are you're the kind of couple who loves nature, isn't afraid of a little (or a lot) of adventure, and wants a honeymoon experience filled with a little culture, outdoor activity, and good ole pampering. You certainly aren't looking for the same old tired vacations!

Costa Rica really does have it all. It's a beautiful country with so many beautiful places to see and exciting things to do. In a one week holiday you can lounge on a white sand beach, visit an active volcano, play with monkeys in the jungle, enjoy some of the best coffee in the world, and get a luxurious massage. You can sleep beneath the trees one night and then the next day beneath some of the finest fabrics in the world. Costa Rica is a marvelous country to explore. Start now!

Tamarindo:

The beach town of Tamarindo is considered to have one of Costa Rica's most incredible Bays on the Pacific Coast. It's a lively location that offers little secret paths offering solitude. This location has low humidity all year long and always has warm waters for swimming.

Manual Antonio National Park:

This park boasts three beautiful white sad beaches and is connected to a forest that is home to several Monkey species. There are many guided tours to take you through the forest safely and offer a higher chance of spotting a monkey. Another fantastic thing about this area is the vista looking over the Pacific which is beautiful at any time of the day, regardless of weather!

Arenal Volcano National Park:

The time to visit is definitely at night! Nearby attractions and activities include swimming in Arenal beach, the Tabacón Resort Hot Springs, fishing, and beginner windsurfing.

Sarchi and the Coffee Towns:

If you're really into to art, culture and history...or just LOVE coffee a trip into Sarchi would be a great experience. This area is filled with interesting and friendly people exciting to share their stories with visitors.

Irazu Volcano National Park:

The last serious eruption happened in 1963, the same day John F. Kennedy arrived in Costa Rica! This powerful volcano still spits out steam and smoke, but, visiting is considered safe. The sulfur-laden water surrounded by the rugged rocky cliff face is an incredible reminder of the power of nature.

When to Visit

Surfing:

If you want to do some surfing the waves on the Caribbean side are fantastic from November to May. On the coast of Tamarindo, the waves are larger and faster in June and July.

Great Beach Weather:

If you want pleasant weather November to April is considered the warm dry period in Costa Rica.

Saving Money:

If saving money is important visit in later October and early May.

Where to Stay on your Costa Rica Honeymoon

The Four Seasons is actually very grand and impressive in Costa Rica. It is located on Peninsula Papagayo, a backpackers haven turned 5-star getaway. With 14 miles of beaches, bluffs, and unspoiled land, along with 31 separate beaches of every color sand this is the ideal location for a romantic and secluded Costa Rica Honeymoon.

The Paradisus Playa Conchal is small, cozy and very luxurious all-inclusive resort in Guanacaste along the North Pacific shore near Tamarindo Bay. This area is both the most visited and least populated parts of Costa Rica. It is known for excellent beaches and accessible diving.

Jungle Getaways are also a very fun option. You can book through a tour provider, but, if you want to be independent the popular and safe jungle accommodations include the Playa Nicuessa Rainforest Lodge and The Trapp Family Country Inn.

http://www.kiss-honeymoon-and-wedding-ideas.com/costaricahoneymoon

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susanna_Miles

The biologist, Jay Savage, discovered the Golden Toad, which is actually not golden at all, but, a brilliant neon orange, in the 1960's. This was high up in the Cloud Forest of Monteverde, apparently the only place on earth where it could be found.

Unfortunately, the golden toad is believed to be extinct now. Raphael Bolaños, manager of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve said that "in 1985 a swarm of about 1,000 was observed, but just two years later, very few could be found."

The golden toad was not the only frog or toad that has disappeared. There have been more than 20 species of amphibians that have disappeared in the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Dr. Alan Pounds, who studies these things, notes that "extreme patterns of daily precipitation... immediately preceded the collapse and disappearance of many amphibian populations, including the endemic golden toad.

Anyone who hears about Central America might automatically think of countries like Panama and Nicaragua. After gathering some information on Costa Rica I discovered that this country is located between these two other well-known Central American destinations. This was really appealing because I like the idea of having the option of going to a couple different countries on the once-in-a-lifetime getaway.

This isn't a small country, either. The information on Costa Rica I received boasted three hundred thousand people living in its capital. The capital, San Jose is a well-known city that is a real draw for many tourists. There are a lot of good reasons for its popularity according to the information on Costa Rica I have.

If you love the idea of being in the heart of nature while still having every amenity that you could ever want at your fingertips, then Costa Rica is a great destination for you. There is little wonder why so many people choose to call this country home. Information on Costa Rica will also provide you some insight into the natural landscape.

The mountains and volcanoes that inhabit this country are truly breathtaking. I haven't even seen them in person yet and I am in awe just from the pictures in the information on Costa Rica that I found. The vision of the landscape is beautiful I can only imagine what it will be like in person.

Hopefully, I won't have to imagine too much longer. The information on Costa Rica that I received includes some important details about health issues that many of us overlook when planning vacations. Many countries in South America require vaccinations. However, Costa Rica is not among these countries.

Hepatitis is another major concern when visiting this region of the globe. Fortunately, the information on Costa Rica also noted that occurrences of this infection are very rare in this country. Just knowing that I don't have to worry about getting sick during this adventure is very appealing.

There are too many benefits to choosing this destination for your Central American trip. Gather some more information on Costa Rica to discover more benefits of this destination.

We can't do anything about the falling dollar, but as far as the accommodations goes, the travel club I have joined didn't have any Hot Weeks specials ($298 a week) but, the regular travel club price is only $599-$699, which is a bargain for what you are getting. Here is a little blurb from the travel club site:
"On the "Coast of Riches", the resort sits as an oasis amidst a magnificent tropical setting
A resort community, Pueblo Real stretches across 300 acres, alongside a protected mangrove and wildlife sanctuary.

Enjoy dining on the onsite or the floating restaurant, where fresh fish is served.
Deep-sea fishing and river fishing provide anglers plenty of netting action
Nearby Manuel Antonio Park is a breathtaking area featuring some of the most magnificent wildlife around
Water sports are readily available nearby, and excellent tours can be arranged on site."

Here is another place that sounds terrific:

"The Resort is located at Salinas Bay, La Coyotera Beach, northwest side of Guanacaste province, this part of the country is known for it's beautiful beaches and ecological protected areas
Surrounded by the National Parks of Santa Rosa and Rincón de la Vieja Volcano, we are a fabulous option for those who love the peace of nature and the beautiful pictures of the beach, we are the perfect combination between modern architecture and the most exuberant vegetation."

These are just 2 of the 7 different resorts that are found on the travel club site in Costa Rico.

Check out the movie on this site and see if there isn't something for you here: Global Resorts Network, make sure you wait for it to load and then click on Play Movie.

If you want to see the best of Costa Rica nature, travel to the Monteverde cloud forest. The Moneteverde rain forest has more than 100 species of mammals. There are 5 different species of cats, over 500 different kinds of birds, and thousands of insects and plants that you won't see anywhere else in the world. The most thrilling experience in a trip to Costa Rica would be a sky tour over the canopy of the rain forest. The Children's Rain forest offers great bird watching opportunities and you may get to see the sloth.

A Costa Rica nature travel tour is the choice of many tourists who want to get a close-up look of the flora and fauns of this beautiful country in Central America. They book a tour through one of the many companies online and off, that make all the reservations and have guides for all the tours. When you book this type of tour, you only have to take care of making the flight reservations to and from the nearest airport with flights going into San Jose, Costa Rica. The cost of the tour includes all your accommodation sin Costa Rica and the transportation while you are there. It can also be an all-inclusive, in which all meals and drinks are included as well.

If you want to do things on your own, you can fly to Costa Rica and book individual Costa Rica nature travel tours from your base in San Jose. There are many one and two day excursions available by contacting one of the many tour group companies located within the city. If you to travel to Costa Rica during the tourist season - May to November, you should make your reservations in advance because this is a busy time of year. In the off-season, it is easier to get guides because there are not as many tourists, but you will have to contend with periods of rain each day because this is the wet season.




For lots of information on Costa Rica nature tours and related topics, visit About Costa Rica Travel at www.aboutcostaricatravel.com

If you're thinking of buying a second home, then you should consider buying property in Costa Rica - as prices are currently still inexpensive, but are rising rapidly.

By buying property in Costa Rica, you'll be able to take advantage of a real estate boom that's set to continue for many years to come.

Let's look at why buying a property in Costa Rica is such a good investment:

Property Prices in Costa Rica are rising

Investors that purchased a $30,000 property 15 years ago, now find that their property is worth as much as $750,000.

Another example of the Costa Rica property boom is the Marriot Corporation, which built the Los Suenos Resort, pre selling fifty condominiums of 2000 square feet for $250,000.

The following year, Marriot sold another fifty at $350,000. This year's upper end units are being sold for as much as $450,000 to $850,000!

The biggest change in property in Costa Rica during the past decade is that prices have dramatically increased as Costa Rica has attracted more foreign buyers - and prices have doubled, or tripled, from 10 years ago.

Property in Costa Rica is Inexpensive

Despite these huge property price rises, Costa Rican real estate is still cheap compared to countries such as the US. A lovely three bedroom property can be purchased for as little as $60,000, and prices for beachfront properties cost up to 75% less than in US states such as Florida and Arizona.

Property prices in Costa Rica will continue to increase in value over the coming years, but there's another way to ensure that your properties value exceeds what is already an excellent average growth rate - and here we need to look at location:

The Importance of Location

When buying property in Costa Rica, you need to look at the infrastructure - which can improve an area's value.

Here are examples of three infrastructure changes that will increase property prices in adjacent areas:

A New Freeway: Scheduled to be completed shortly, which will link the largest metropolitan cities to the Pacific Coast, thereby generating an increased flow of traffic and fueling buying interest in adjacent areas.

A New Marina: The largest marina in Costa Rica,is due to be completed soon in the Town of Quepos.

A New Airport: A new international airport is planned for the town of Orotina in the near future.

When buying property in Costa Rica, being in ahead of the crowd - before an important part of the infrastructure is completed, will enable perceptive buyers to take advantage of price rises after the infrastructure is completed.

If you're buying property in Costa Rica, (or anywhere else for that matter) then you need to consider location before buying.

Buying Property is Easy

Where else in the world can foreigners come to a country which has a stable democracy, no military, a government that encourages investors with no restrictions, and where foreigners are entitled to the same ownership rights as Costa Rican citizens?

Throw in low costs and no capital gains tax, and its no wonder foreign buyers are looking at Costa Rica. Buying property is Costa Rica is easy - and that's one of the major attractions.

A Demand Driven Market

Buying property in Costa Rica will continue to be a sound investment, as foreign buyers look for an affordable place to live with a great lifestyle.

Costa Rica is beautiful, and has a great climate with no weather extremes, a low cost of living, no serious crime and an infrastructure that is on par with many industrialized nations.

Buying property in Costa Rica offers a slice of paradise at a cost anyone can afford - and as more buyers invest, prices will rise.

Big Rewards for Savvy Investors!

We're still at the start of a boom in property prices in Costa Rica, and now's an ideal time to get in on the action. Buying property in Costa Rica is a solid investment, which looks set to reward savvy investors with great capital gains in the near future.

Buying property in Costa Rica can change your financial future, and if you're thinking of investing in property, there is no better market to get involved in.

FREE Guide! - The Secrets of Building Wealth in Real Estate and Land. How to invest in land with low risk for long term capital growth. Visit our website and grab your free report now!
http://www.CostaRicaLandLots.com/free-wealth-report.php