Christmas in Costa Rica

Costa Ricans have some great traditions as a culture, almost always in some ways does it involve family. Most of the holidays in the country focus on spending time with loved ones & eating!

Christmas is no exception, one the great reasons for spending it here in this beautiful country!

With many years of being here and witnessing the amazing closeness families share this time of year with great food and fun stories, no exceptio

n to the Christmas tradition are these three delicious holiday food items:

The number one, BBQ during the month of December the neighborhoods smell delicious every night, most families are gathered around the BBQ outside eating sausages, meat & salads. The grill is kept warm and a constant sharing of stories, jokes and togetherness that is so important in today’s day and age with families.

Next on the list are Chicharrones or Pork Cracklings, these tasty treats are commonly cooked (fried) right around Christmas eve, usually make from pork however you can chicharron anything, fish, meat, chicken…Served with a slice of lemon and usually a cold beer!

The last is one of my favorite Christmas traditions here in Costa Rica, the Tamale, originally a recipe provided by the indigenous culture here, made with corn flower, vegetables, meat and wrapped in a banana leaf, this is a meal in itself!

The creation of the tamale is a process, with the whole family takin

g part, the women of the house does the bulk of work making the paste from the corn flour, then each vegetable is added as a decoration for the paste, add a piece of pork or chicken and wrap.

The cooking of the tamale is usually done by the men in house, over an open fire for 2 hours.

But the end result is a delicious meal!

Christmas time in this beautiful country provides families with the chance to celebrated togetherness and definitely an aspect of the culture work observing!

For more information please contact us at: verolizvacations@gmail.com

Pura Vida!

Rural Tourism-Mariposas del Pacuare

Recently, we visited our friends at Mariposas del Pacuare in El Tigre near the Pacuare river.

First let us introduce you to them!

Mario Achoy created this magical place starting 3 years ago with the help from Rafael Gallo and Rios Tropicales, since 2009 he has been working on his lush garden!

This family project started with the purchase of the land and the slow shaping of the tropical gardens into the paradise we find today.

Mario Achoy’s passion for butterflies is obvious as he explains to guests the importance of their life cycle and their importance in the earth’s life cycle. The care he has for the butterfly houses (completely clean screens and flowering plants!) emphasize the importance of the project to the Achoy family.

Mario has carefully selected the plants that we can find in their gardens, Sangrillo trees for the

production of the Morpho butterfly, various flowering plants such as verbaine, labios de novia, lantana and cecropia trees for the toucans!

The main area of the garden has a great lookout platform for spotting the exotic morphos.

The lunch that they serve is amazing, the cook is from the local area & makes a delicious costarrican lunch served fresh cold fruit juice, a great meal!

This little butterfly garden is a family project and guests feel a part of it when they visit.

When you enter the garden rolls up hills to their rancho / restaurant.

Here after the tour the guests can receive lunch and coffee all while overlooking the endless amount of tropical rainforest around the Pacuare river.

The sound of singing birds and insects makes for a peaceful afternoon.

Thank you to Mario for the wonderful visit and we hope that more people visit this special garden.

For more information contact us at: verolizvacations@gmail.com o visit our facebook page!

A Tamarindo Treasure-Capitan Suizo

The lazy beach town of Tamarindo is known for its beautiful sunsets, immaculate beaches and surf! But there is a hidden gem in this town, a place that surrounds you in tropical nature, delicious food and a friendly warm atmosphere.

It’s called Capitan Suizo, a memeber of Small Distinctive Hotels (www.distinctivehotels.com )

Located just outside of the lazy beach town, Capitan Suizo is an oasis.

The hotel includes private bungalows with an open concept design, the wooden treasures that adorn the rooms give and warmth and at the same time exotic atmosphere.

You can also choose the stay in standard rooms with the option of having air conditioning or fans.

This allows the hotel to actively minimize their and the guests impact of the environment.

Their staff is friendly and their dedication to the conservation of wildlife is endless.

On the many occasions that we have visited this beautiful boutique hotel, the staff is always actively participating in assisting wounded wildlife, from sloths to money and squ

irrels they take turns playing mother to the wounded animal until they can turn them over to a veterinary facility!

The restaurant overlook the beach, serving typical costarican dishes as well as some European dishes guests can try a bit of everything, their “batidos” are an excellent option also we recommend the fresh salads!

A stroll on the beach before diner is must, the sunsets are ama

zing here, the perfect end to a perfect afternoon! They have confortable lounges located in front of the ocean along for guests, it is almost impossible to get up to leave!

A treasure of a place getaway!

Weekend at Barcelo Langosta Beach

All inclusive are not normally the first choice we pick here at Veroliz Vacations, when we are looking to take vacations ourselves. But we thought it was worth a try to check out one of the "smaller" all inclusive hotels in Costa Rica.

Many of our friends recommend it and clients having nothing but positive comments after their stay, so we thought we would check it out!

The road to the hotel is killer a 4x4 vehicle is a must! But once you up to the entrance of the hotel the vacations begins.. As you enter reception the porters greet you and the receptionists although super busy still smile when they greet you!

The rooms are spacious and tastefully decorated; the balconies face either the ocean or gardens. The food was good, for an all inclusive, the buffet offers Costarrican dishes as well as international fare, guests can have the options of rice & beans or sushi and other delights!

The public areas are beautiful and there are plenty of areas for children to play that is just not the pool! ( giante chess board and wooden park).

Easy access to the beach is always a plus on the west coast; some of the most memorable sunsets ever can be seen in Langosta & Tamarindo. Certified with 4 leaves in sustainable tourism and in good practices with their water management, an important aspect considering the nesting turtles on the nearby beaches!

With excellente night shows, great music and bands during the day there are a ton of things to do at the Barcelo Langosta!

All in all a very relaxing weekend with great service, food and memeorable sunsets.

For more information on Barcelo Langosta beach contact us at: verolizvacations@gmail.com .

World Rafting Championships 2011-Pacaure River, Costa Rica

The Pacuare River is one of the best rivers for rafting in the world.

In October Turrialba had the honor of hosting the World Rafting Championships on the Pacuare river for the 3rd time!

The competition was fierce with teams from Japan, Brazil, France, Mexico, Canada, England and the Czech Repulic. There were a total of 32 teams competing in the World title in down river, head to head and sloalom.


Costa Rica’s women’s team lead by Carol Vargas put on an excellent show, winning the Head to Head competition!

Although access was a little tricky to get to the competition (tractors and cattle cars there to provide some easy) but the descent to the river and the areas of competitions was long and difficult. When it rained the vehicles could not get up or down; the fans and spectators had to do the 3 hour walk!

But once at the center of the competition, you forgot the walk and become wrapped up in the emotions shared by the international teams. There was an excellent vibe in the air as the teams descended down the river in the various competitions.

Fans and visitors got to be front row as there was ample room for everyone to be seated at the edge of the water to cheer their team on. Argentina had a huge flag and great sportsmanship.

No matter who was winning or loosing the atmosphere at Pacuare made teams, fans & the press take great appreciation for such an important river for Turrialba, rafting & the world at the Rafting Championships 2011!

For more information on rafting and white water adventures in Costa Rica contact us at: verolizvacations@gmail.com

Vacation countdown..Making the most of sunmer fun!

Summer, the two months that everyone at one point in our lives that was involved in a countdown at one time. A countdown till freedom for some, a countdown to an escape for others & a countdown to unforgettable moments!

The countdown is on and the days are approaching, are you prepared?
The list can go on and on of activities, places to visit and must do's.
What seems like two months (two whole months!) can go by in the blink of an eye!
It is important to make the most of what seems to be the little time you have.. family vacations, personal escapes or a chance to cross of some stuff from the bucket list.

Here at Veroliz Vacations we have a whole list of amazing escapes that Costa Rica has to offer to our friends enjoy the sweet moments of vacations!
From family vacations to getting some much needed R & R (rest & relaxation) there is a list of offers waiting for you and your loved ones in this small bio diverse country.

You can contact us for more details regards offers or specials that are offered to vacationers.

Here is a quick list of the top activities in Costa Rica:
-white water rafting
-visit the many National Parks
-volcano hikes
-snorkeling
-hot springs
-canopy or canyoning

Whether you are planing a trip to Costa Rica or not, its important to make the little time that is left for family & friends count!
Contact us at Veroliz Vacations for info at verolizvacations@gmail.com and we will be more than happy to help plan your next adventure.

Escaping to Rural Costa Rica

Rural Costa Rica has just as many fascinating activities as any beach!

One of the best cultural vacations that you can find is visiting off the beaten path in Costa Rica. Between coffee , sugar cane & other types plantations, there is bird watching, trekking, visiting nature reserves, finding hidden waterfalls and swimming holes as well as mountain biking or horseback riding.

Recently on a trip taken into the Nicoya Peninsula we had the chance to visit the rural west of Costa Rica. The sun beat high on us in what is the summer time in Costa Rica, the dirt roads were dusty, the small creeks were dry but the greeting from the people in the area was warm & friendly!

Of the many things witnessed during our experience there was the kindness and humbleness that the people of these exceptional communities showed towards us. There simple life that somehow got lost in San Jose, Libreria, Puntarenas & Limón.

It’s like going back in time to a place where people still wake up at 4am and go to bed at 8pm because their time is spent in the fields with cattle, corn, beans & rice other than spent in front of the computer & on the phone at the office. Their evenings are filled with storytelling, remembering old times and watching the children play with fireflies or count the endless starry night.

Women care for the home and the children and their time is spent between washing (which is a lot harder with all the dust), cooking meals & looking after the animals all of which is done with a patience and love like none other.

While there, we got to observe cooking over open fire (the food was delicious!) as well stone ovens, feeding chickens & watching the men tend the fields, life may seem simpler but in a society where technology is growing, you can only wonder what will happen to the traditions of Costa Rica.

Before it is lost a visit to these types of areas are a must, you can still experience the rural farm life in areas such as Sitio Mata of Turrialba, Caimital of Nicoya, Buenos Aires of Puntarenas and others.

For more information visit our site: www.verolizvacations.com