Costa Rica

by Rachowiecki, Rob; Thompson, John

• ISBN13: 9780864427601
• ISBN10: 0864427603
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-05-01
• Publisher: Lonely Planet

Summary

This winner of the Lowell Thomas travel journalism award contains valuable information on exploring the country's lush rain forests, volcanoes and sandy beaches, with tips on outfitters, tours, and other services. Includes a colorful 36-page section on exotic birds and wildlife. 54 maps.

Table of Contents

Introduction	13	(2)
Facts About Costa Rica	15	(22)
History	15	(4)
Geography	19	(1)
Geology	20	(1)
Climate	20	(1)
Ecology & Environment	21	(2)
Flora & Fauna	23	(4)
National Parks & Protected Areas	27	(2)
Government & Politics	29	(1)
Economy	29	(1)
Population & People	30	(1)
Education	31	(1)
Arts	31	(2)
Society & Conduct	33	(2)
Religion	35	(1)
Language	36	(1)
Facts for the Visitor	37	(46)
Highlights	37	(1)
Planning	38	(2)
Tourist Offices	40	(1)
Visas & Documents	41	(2)
Customs	43	(1)
Money	43	(1)
Embassies & Consulates	44	(4)
Post & Communications	48	(1)
Internet Resources	49	(1)
Books	50	(2)
Newspapers & Magazines	52	(1)
Radio & TV	53	(1)
Photography & Video	53	(1)
Time	54	(1)
Electricity	54	(1)
Weights & Measures	54	(1)
Laundry	54	(1)
Health	54	(7)
Women Travelers	61	(1)
Gay & Lesbian Travelers	62	(1)
Disabled Travelers	63	(1)
Senior Travelers	64	(1)
Travel with Children	64	(1)
Useful Organizations	64	(1)
Dangers & Annoyances	64	(2)
Emergency	66	(1)
Legal Matters	66	(1)
Business Hours	67	(1)
Public Holidays & Special Events	67	(1)
Activities	68	(8)
Language Courses	76	(1)
Work	76	(1)
Accommodations	76	(2)
Food	78	(2)
Drinks	80	(1)
Entertainment	80	(1)
Spectator Sports	81	(1)
Shopping	81	(2)
Getting There & Away	83	(14)
Air	83	(6)
Land	89	(4)
Sea	93	(1)
Organized Tours	93	(4)
Getting Around	97	(12)
Air	97	(2)
Bus	99	(1)
Train	100	(1)
Car & Motorcycle	100	(4)
Taxi	104	(1)
Bicycle	104	(1)
Hitchhiking	104	(1)
Boat	105	(1)
Local Transport	105	(1)
Organized Tours	106	(3)
San Jose	109	(57)
Orientation	109	(2)
Information	111	(7)
Things to See	118	(6)
Activities	124	(1)
Language Courses	124	(2)
Organized Tours	126	(1)
Places to Stay	126	(19)
Places to Eat	145	(7)
Entertainment	152	(5)
Spectator Sports	157	(1)
Shopping	157	(1)
Getting There & Away	158	(5)
Getting Around	163	(3)
Central Valley & Surrounding Highlands	166	(43)
Alajuela Area	167	(1)
Alajuela	167	(6)
Ojo de Agua	173	(1)
Butterfly Farm	174	(1)
West to Atenas	174	(1)
Northwest to Zarcero	175	(1)
Grecia	175	(1)
Sarchi	176	(1)
Palmares	177	(1)
San Ramon	177	(1)
San Ramon to La Tigra	178	(1)
Zarcero	179	(1)
Parque Nacional Juan Castro Blanco	179	(1)
Laguna Fraijanes Area	180	(1)
Parque Nacional Volcan Poas	180	(2)
Catarata La Paz	182	(1)
Heredia Area	183	(1)
Heredia	183	(3)
Around Heredia	186	(2)
Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo	188	(4)
Moravia	192	(1)
Coronado	193	(1)
Los Juncos	193	(1)
Rancho Redondo	193	(1)
Cartago Area	193	(1)
Cartago	193	(3)
Parque Nacional Volcan Irazu	196	(1)
Lankester Gardens	197	(1)
Rio Orosi Valley	198	(1)
Orosi	199	(1)
Parque Nacional Tapanti	200	(1)
Turrialba Area	201	(1)
Rio Reventazon	201	(1)
Turrialba	201	(3)
Around Turrialba	204	(1)
Monumento Nacional Guayabo	205	(1)
Volcan Turrialba	206	(1)
Rancho Naturalista	206	(1)
Rio Pacuare	207	(2)
Northwestern Costa Rica	209	(70)
Interamericana Norte	209	(3)
Refugio Nacional de Fauna Silvestre Penas Blancas	212	(1)
Reserva Biologica Isla de Los Pajaros	212	(1)
Monteverde & Santa Elena	212	(15)
Reserva Biologica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde	227	(5)
Reserva Santa Elena	232	(1)
Ecolodge San Luis & Biological Station	232	(1)
Juntas	233	(1)
Tempisque Ferry	234	(1)
Canas	234	(2)
Hacienda La Pacifica	236	(1)
River Trips	237	(1)
Las Pumas	237	(1)
Volcan Tenorio Area	237	(1)
Volcan Miravalles Area	238	(1)
Bagaces	239	(1)
Parque Nacional Palo Verde	239	(2)
Reserva Biologica Lomas Barbudal	241	(1)
Liberia	242	(5)
Parque Nacional Rincon de la Vieja	247	(3)
Parque Nacional Santa Rosa	250	(4)
Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Bahia Junquillal	254	(1)
Parque Nacional Guanacaste	255	(2)
Refugio Nacional de Fauna Silvestre Isla Bolanos	257	(1)
La Cruz	258	(1)
Bahia Salinas	259	(1)
Penas Blancas	259	(1)
Arenal Route	259	(1)
Ciudad Quesada (San Carlos)	260	(2)
Fortuna	262	(7)
Balneario Tabacon	269	(1)
Parque Nacional Volcan Arenal	269	(2)
Laguna de Arenal Area	271	(6)
Tilaran	277	(2)
Peninsula De Nicoya	279	(55)
Playa del Coco	280	(6)
Playa Hermosa	286	(1)
Playa Panama & the Papagayo Project	287	(1)
Nacascolo	288	(1)
Playa Ocotal	288	(1)
Accessing Beaches South of Playa Ocotal	289	(1)
Filadelfia	289	(1)
Playa Brasilito	289	(1)
Playa Conchal	290	(1)
Playa Flamingo	291	(1)
Bahia Potrero	292	(1)
Playa Pan de Azucar	293	(1)
Playa Tamarindo	293	(7)
Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas de Guanacaste	300	(2)
Playas Negra & Avellana	302	(1)
Playa Junquillal	302	(2)
Santa Cruz	304	(2)
Accessing Beaches South of Playa Junquillal	306	(1)
Nicoya	307	(2)
Parque Nacional Barra Honda	309	(1)
Puerto Humo	310	(1)
Tempisque Ferry	311	(1)
Playa Nosara	311	(3)
Refugio Nacional de Fauna Silvestre Ostional	314	(1)
Bahia Garza	315	(1)
Playa Samara	315	(4)
Playa Carrillo	319	(1)
Islita & Beyond	319	(2)
Southeast Corner	321	(1)
Playa Naranjo	321	(1)
Bahia Gigante	322	(1)
Islands near Bahia Gigante	322	(1)
Paquera	323	(1)
Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Curu	324	(1)
Playas Pochote & Tambor	324	(2)
Cobano	326	(1)
Montezuma	326	(5)
Mal Pais	331	(1)
Cabuya	332	(1)
Reserva Natural Absoluta Cabo Blanco	332	(2)
Northern Lowlands	334	(24)
Cano Negro Area	334	(1)
Muelle de San Carlos	334	(3)
San Rafael de Guatuso Area	337	(1)
Upala	337	(1)
Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Cano Negro	338	(2)
Los Chiles	340	(2)
La Laguna del Lagarto Lodge	342	(1)
San Jose to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui	343	(1)
Western Route	343	(2)
Eastern Route	345	(1)
Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui	346	(2)
West of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui	348	(4)
North of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui	352	(1)
South of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui	353	(5)
Caribbean Lowlands	358	(56)
San Jose to Puerto Limon	359	(1)
Guapiles & Environs	359	(3)
Guacimo	362	(1)
Siquirres	363	(1)
Puerto Limon	363	(5)
Around Puerto Limon	368	(2)
Northern Caribbean	370	(1)
Parismina	370	(2)
Parque Nacional Tortuguero	372	(2)
Tortuguero Area	374	(6)
Barra del Colorado Area	380	(6)
Southern Caribbean	385	(1)
Conselvatur	386	(1)
Aviarios del Caribe	386	(1)
Valle de La Estrella	387	(1)
Reserva Biologica Hitoy Cerere	387	(1)
Cahuita	387	(8)
Parque Nacional Cahuita	395	(3)
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca	398	(8)
East of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca	406	(3)
Manzanillo	409	(1)
Earth Connect	410	(1)
Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Gandoca-Manzanillo	411	(1)
Bribri	412	(1)
Sixaola	413	(1)
Southern Costa Rica	414	(27)
Ruta de los Santos	414	(1)
Genesis II	415	(1)
Finca del Eddie Serrano	416	(1)
San Gerardo de Dota	416	(2)
Cerro de la Muerte	418	(1)
Avalon Reserva Privada	419	(1)
San Isidro de El General	419	(5)
San Gerardo de Rivas	424	(1)
Parque Nacional Chirripo	425	(3)
Buenos Aires	428	(1)
Reserva Biologica Durika	428	(1)
Paso Real	428	(1)
Reserva Indigena Boruca	429	(1)
Palmar Norte & Palmar Sur	429	(2)
Palmar Norte to Neily	431	(1)
Neily	431	(2)
Paso Canoas	433	(2)
San Vito	435	(2)
Wilson Botanical Garden	437	(1)
Parque Internacional La Amistad	438	(3)
Peninsula De Osa & Golfo Dulce	441	(39)
To Corcovado via Bahia Drake	441	(1)
Sierpe	441	(3)
Bahia Drake (Drake Bay)	444	(4)
From Bahia Drake to Corcovado	448	(2)
Reserva Biologica Isla del Cano	450	(1)
Parque Nacional Corcovado	451	(5)
To Corcovado via Puerto Jimenez	456	(1)
From the Interamericana to Puerto Jimenez	456	(1)
Puerto Jimenez	456	(4)
South of Puerto Jimenez	460	(2)
Carate	462	(1)
Corcovado Lodge Tent Camp	463	(1)
Northern Golfo Dulce Area	464	(1)
Golfito	464	(7)
Playa Cacao	471	(1)
Refugio Nacional de Fauna Silvestre Golfito	471	(1)
North along the Golfo Dulce	472	(3)
Southern Golfo Dulce Area	475	(1)
Playa Zancudo	475	(2)
Pavones	477	(1)
Tiskita Jungle Lodge	478	(2)
Central Pacific Coast	480	(52)
Puntarenas	480	(7)
Esparza	487	(1)
San Mateo	487	(1)
Iguana Park	487	(1)
Playa Dona Ana	488	(1)
Mata de Limon	489	(1)
Southeast of Mata de Limon	489	(1)
Reserva Biologica Carara	489	(2)
Tarcoles Area	491	(1)
Punta Leona Area	492	(1)
Playa Herradura	493	(1)
Jaco Area	493	(9)
Jaco to Quepos	502	(1)
Quepos	503	(6)
Quepos to Manuel Antonio	509	(8)
Manuel Antonio	517	(2)
Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio	519	(2)
Manuel Antonio to Dominical	521	(1)
Hacienda Baru	522	(1)
Dominical	523	(3)
Southeast of Dominical	526	(2)
Uvita	528	(1)
Parque Nacional Marino Ballena	529	(1)
Southeast of Uvita	530	(2)
Language	532	(5)
Costa Rica Wildlife Guide	537	(36)
Glossary	573	(2)
Acknowledgments	575	(6)
Index	581