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 the Golfo Dulce in the southwestern region of the country. This virtually untouched corner of the world contains almost half of Costa Rica’s wildlife species, offering nature lovers the chance to see exotic animals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians in the enthralling rainforest of the Corcovado National Park. The surrounding turquoise waters invite visitors to surf, snorkel, and fish, while white sandy beaches are perfect for sunbathing. Two highly-acclaimed dive sites off Isla del Caño are inhabited with manta rays, hammerhead sharks, and more. Puerto Jimenez, the rustic but comfortable main town on the peninsula, provides for all shopping and eating out needs. History-lovers should make sure to visit the fascinating Sitio Arqueológico Finca 6, filled with pre-Colombian artifacts.
Naranjo is a tiny agricultural town resting at the base of the Espírito Santo Hills in Costa Rica’s lush Central Valley. With more than two hundred years of coffee cultivation under its belt, the town has become a coffee lovers’ mecca. It has ever-increasing numbers of visitors touring the area’s coffee plantations, sampling some of the world's finest coffees, and learning about the local brew. Other popular activities include discovering the lush tropical landscape via a canopy tour or a jungle hike. Don’t miss the chance to explore the nearby Juan Castro Blanco National Park, which is known for its orchid flowers and quetzal birds and Poás Volcano National Park, which features a remarkable crater lake filled with smoke billowing from fumaroles.
