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

Sundays in Costa Rica: Soccer

It was a normal Sunday, a day to relax, be with family and especially here in Costa Rica to watch soccer. Most of the families in our area have small children and the when you take a drive through the area, every soccer field is full. The shouting can be heard blocks away as goals are being made, adults cheering on their sons and

daughters who are running on the field in the hot tropical sun.

Soccer or football as they call it in Costa Rica, has found its way into every home on Sundays, there is no escaping it. We spent the last Sunday watching soccer in Platanillo a small rural town out of Turrialba. The children were playing on a very muddy field, all seemed very happy to be getting their white soccer uniforms dirty. The parents on the sidelines cheering them on and giving them guidance most are in their first year of playing on an actual team that does not consist of their older brothers!

It’s fun to watch them play, some running back and forth not sure what they are doing; others just running wherever the ball happens to be ; all in good fun. Their parents eager to see goals made, other players defeated, the kids just seem to be having fun.

After the game the children get food and still continue play amongst their own team, they don’t tire.

What did come next was a surprise, the adults came to play after the children and it seemed the whole town comes out to see these games. It was amazing to see the town converge on the soccer field at noonday. The children come running hoping to play again before the adults take over the filed for what we are sure is a fierce and serious game.

Though most is for fun, afterall Sunday is the day off here in Costa Rica but soccer is just as important as relaxing in Costa Rica.

Independence Day in Costa Rica- Freedom, family & fun

The 15^th of September 1821 was an important date not only in the history of Costa Rica, but also for most of the countries in Central America.

It was the day they became free from Spain. Back then Spain ruled Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua & Costa Rica, the central government was then located in Guatemala, on the 14^th of September 1821 Guatemala received the news that Spain would grant independence to these

counties. The news was relayed through Central America and Costa Rica only found out a month later since the information was transmitted by foot crossing Central America.

Nowadays on the 14^th of September is observed a day of passing of the torch, a symbol use

d during the relay of information in 1821, now it is a tradition that the torch is relayed across the country usually carried by students or important members of the local communities.

The 15^th of September is when the party starts.

It is observed as a holiday, visitors to the country will notice most shops are closed and the communities across the country celebrate with parades, typical dancing and lots of food!

It’s an amazing experience to see the school

children participating in marching bands, the girls are elegantly dressed in typical Costarrican dresses, the boys are dressed as typical farm workers complete with hat and old fashioned

sandals and dances of back then are repeated and taught in the months coming up to the important date. You will see children from age 3 to 21 practicing the routine of their ancestors.

It’s a time for families to get together, the mornings are spent at parades and activities in the community and the afternoon are spent with family.

The magic of this day is the importance that is instilled in the children to remember where they came from and why the celebrations are so important. A holiday that everyone observes and it brings out the best of the culture found here in Costa Rica.

Exploring Samara: Surfers & Mangroves

It has been almost 6 years since we have visited the sleepy town of Samara, the last time we were there, the town has very small and had no basic services for its visitors. There were no banks, there was no internet and phone service was limited.

Now it’s a completely different story.

The place has a huge tourism industry; the town now has many hotels and restaurants. We were very surprised to see that the place with so many visitors and we are in the low season!

The beaches were beautiful and perfect for surfing, in the late morning it has a place for the beach bums and many people come to relax, soak up the sun and enjoy playing in the waves. And in the afternoon & early evening it’s a whole new group that comes onto the beach, the tide comes up and the surfers come out to play.

At 5pm the beach is full of surf boards and beyond the breaks there are many sitting waiting for the perfect wave. Many places along the beach offer surfing lessons, board rentals and kayak tours.

How Samara has grown! This sleepy town has been visited for many looking a beach with very little visitors, something you can’t find very much anymore here in Costa Rica has turned into a haven for surfers.

However, there is another part of Samara that has always attracted visitors and is suffering

under the development of the area: the mangroves. For those who are not familiar with mangroves they are a special area where rivers are made up of salt water, a special habitat which many visit by kayak or small boat tours. We recommend that you take the time to take a kayak trip or in Samara they offer horseback riding tours that visit the areas briefly.

But its worth a visit to see the intricate root system the plants in the area have and their ability to withstand the salinity of the water.

Next time you visit the west coast be sure to stop in Samara!

Learning Sustainable Tourism: Workshop with the Fundación Neotropica

Recently, we had the excellent opportunity to visit the Caribbean coast to the small rural community of Cocles, here the Fundación Neotropica gave an interesting presentation on how local companies in Costa Rica can minimize their ecological footprint while running their operations around the country. The workshop was called “Menos huella, mas sostenibilidad” or in English: Less footprints, more sustainability. This workshop is to take place in many of the tourism destingation here in Costa Rica, including: the central valley, La Fortuna, Sarapiqui, Tambor & Manuel Antonio.

It was a very interesting workshop which brought up many of the plights on the companies in rural areas of Costa Rica from recycling programs to how to keep a beach clean. The hotels, restaurants and tour operators have been hard at work trying to create awareness amongst their clients however, many told a story of demanding clients that must have certain commodities in order to be able to visit a beach town. What commodities are clients asking for? Here are some examples: air conditioning, swimming pools & less humidity.

We at Veroliz Vacations have a different experience, since we are in a larger town and our municipality does recycle. What do we ask? As a possible client not only for us but for all the small and large business around Costa Rica, make it aware to the places you visit, restaurants, hotels & tour operators that you appreciate their efforts and if you have any suggestions let them know. Also, should you be in a location where they are not putting forward environmental awareness or helping

in the protection of the flora & fauna of Costa Rica is that a place you want to visit?

Here in Costa Rica we have many NGO’s that are trying to implement the importance of safe environmental practices and workshops that inform businesses of better practices that can be implemented in their operations.

With your help we can create awareness and contribute to the protection of the exact reason thousands come to Costa Rica in the first place, the natural beauty of its flora & fauna.

Should you wish to look for more information visit the web page of Fundación Neotropica www.neotropica.org and see what other projects they have going on in Costa Rica.

Exploring Orosi: Thermal Baths and Nature

Costa Rica is a beautiful country with many volcanoes.

Since being part of the Pacific Fire Ring Circle, the volcanic formations found in Costa Rica can be dated back over 65 million years.

Nowadays only 100 or so show actual volcanic activity, while only five are acutally classified as "active" volcanoes.

The most visited volcano is the Poas located just o

utside of San José, for the best panoramic view we recommend a visit to the Irazú volcano, while the most famous o

f the volcanoes here has to be the Arenal volcano, with the city of La Fortuna exploding with tourism thanks to this natural wonder.

But one of the volcanoes which has been recently making headlines is the Turrialba volcano.

Standing an impressive 3,340m (10,958 ft) above sea level, this magestic volcano has just woken up over the last few years and in January 2010 had a small eruption sending ash over the areas outside of Cartago and San José.

But volcanoes are not all dangerous when active, one of the best parts of an active volcano is the heat and with the Turrialba / Orosi area so rich in rivers, there has to be hot springs!

We decided to take a side trip to the Orosi valley another beautiful destination here in Costa Rica often overlooked due to its location.

The small town of Orosi has been a place where the towns folk grow coffee, sugar cane & have a small niche for tourism.

Only recently is the town receiving more fame for the tourism activities and the outdoor adventure you can find in the area.

There are ATV adventures, rafting, visit to the Tapanti National Park (the road is rough!) located outside the town but worth the visit for the abundance in species of birds.

But another great reason to visit the town other than the delicious food is the natural hot springs.

They are not easy to find and driving directions are necesary, available from locals and local business's but the place is a natural beauty.

There are public pools in Orosi that also have hot spring water, one of the better places is called Los Pati

os on the main road heading out of Orosi.

But we were able to find the natural ones, beside a nice cold flowing river, small pools with amazingly warm water.

Most people find the pools busy on holidays and weekend, as locals do take advantage of the natural pools but is a very relaxing atmosphere and who wouldn't like to be surrounding by nature, relaxing in a hot spring!

We invite you to enjoy the area that few tourists visit, but offers amazing views, great nature and pleasant people.

Looking for somewhere to eat while in Orosi, we recommend Restaurante Coto, the food was delicious, casados are piled with amazing local treats and hit the spot after the hiking the swiming we did that day.

The service is very friendly and the location give a great view of the town and the rolling hills around it!

Want to stay the night in Orosi, we recommend Orosi Lodge, this intimate little lodge offers 6 rooms beautifuly decorated with a small balcony overlooking

the area and the volcanoes with organic coffee in the rooms, another option is the Tetey Lodge located just south of the colonia church, this lodge is offers comfort and the family atmosphere makes you feel at home.

Orosi valley is definately a gem and worth a visit even if just for the day.