Situated northeast of the city of Alajuela in beautiful Costa Rica, Santa Barbara de Heredia is known for its thriving agricultural industry. The town is surrounded by extensive herb farms and photogenic coffee plantations. The Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Plantation, a Spanish-style eco-centre, is an excellent location for tastings, white water rafting, and many other activities - within the gorgeous setting of lush valleys and rolling hills. Visitors can also enjoy an array of adventure activities in the town and its surroundings including horse riding, hiking along a network of scenic trails, and nature walks to magnificent waterfalls. Don’t miss the opportunity to take a day trip to the nearby Braulio Carrillo National Park to view the jaw-dropping Barva Volcano.
Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula lies between the Pacific Ocean and Golfo Dulce in the country’s southwest. One of the most biodiverse regions in the world, it is home to an extraordinary variety of wildlife, from monkeys and tapirs to colourful tropical birds, reptiles and amphibians. Corcovado National Park protects vast tracts of rainforest, wetlands and coastline, offering visitors opportunities to explore its rich ecosystems on guided walks. Along the coast, beaches and surf breaks invite exploration, while the waters around Isla del Caño attract divers and snorkellers with their coral reefs and abundant marine life. Dolphins and whales can also be spotted in the surrounding waters. Puerto Jiménez, the peninsula’s principal town, serves as a convenient base for excursions, with restaurants, shops and accommodation. For a glimpse into the region’s pre-Columbian past, the Finca 6 Archaeological Site features ancient settlement remains and remarkable stone spheres associated with the Diquís culture.
Resting in the remote volcanic mountains to the north of Costa Rica’s Central Valley, the tiny town of Bajos del Toro makes an ideal getaway for nature lovers, hikers and bird enthusiasts. The town sits at the foot of the towering Poas Volcano and is surrounded by a number of protected wilderness areas including the Poas Volcano National Park, Juan Castro Blanco National Park, and the Bosque de Paz Rain/Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. The climate in this area is typically wet which allows for wonderfully lush vegetation as well as beautiful waterfalls, streams and pools. This spectacular natural environment provides ample opportunity for outdoor adventure including: trout fishing, horse riding, river rafting, mountain biking, hiking rugged mountain trails, or whizzing through the forest canopy on a zipline tour. Don’t miss the impressive Cataratas del Toro Waterfall, which drops 300-feet into an extinct volcanic crater.
