For the rugged, outdoorsy family who thrives on adrenaline and thrills, escape the hum-drum suburbs or the “urban jungle” and head for some real nature in Costa Rica. This small Central American country is jam-packed with some of the most exciting Costa Rica adventure tours for the active traveler. Is mountain climbing your thing? Spice up a typical climb with a trek up a lava-spewing volcano. Costa Rica is rich in volcanic activity, with 14 extinct and active volcanoes found in all corners of the country. Trails and intensity varies, but with a little bit of research you can find the volcano expedition that matches your family’s fitness level. Consider some of these popular and spectacular natural wonders for your next Costa Rica vacation.

Arenal Volcano National Park
Probably the most attractive volcano for Costa Rica tours, this active volcano puts on quite the show, spewing unlimited amounts of lava and ash usually several times a week, or even several times a day in some cases! Take in the natural fireworks from La Fortuna, the picturesque, modern town at Arenal’s base, or walk some of the short trails (3.4 km and 2 km) that wind through young secondary forest and older lava from previous eruptions. Located in the Northern Lowlands Region of Costa Rica, Arenal laid dormant but unexpectedly exploded in 1968, burying the town of Tabacón and its residents under hot lava and ash. The numerous Park Rangers ensure visitors’ safety on the grounds and close off any trails that may pose risk to Arenal’s spectators. The Park itself is primarily rainforest and is home to exotic birds, including Costa Rica’s infamous quetzal, and dozens of species of tropical flowers and fauna. If you’re lucky, on one of the trails your family will spot a jaguar, sloth, white-faced monkey, or boa constrictor—all indigenous to this area.

Poás Volcano National Park
Another excellent choice for a memorable family adventure is a trek up Poás Volcano, whose silhouette can be seen from almost anywhere in Costa Rica’s Central Valley. At the summit, you’ll have the chance to view what is reported to be the widest active crater in the world. Approximately 1.5 km in diameter, the crater is so clear that you can see 300-meters deep from the scenic overlook. This crater looks almost prehistoric as its lagoon spews boiling sulphurous gases in the middle of a dense tropical rainforest. A short 1.5-km trail leads you to the highest point in the Park–2708 meters above sea level–and to another crater called Botos Lagoon, which is filled with cold rain water. The Park offers interesting ecologically diversity, including areas of scarce vegetation, a stunted forest, a cloud forest, and an area of arrayans. A walk through the eerie-looking stunted forest is well worth the experience; your family is sure to be intrigued by sights of ferns and bonsai-like trees whose growth has been limited due to the volcano-induced acid rain that falls in this region.

Wildlife isn’t very abundant at these high elevations, but for the bird lovers in the family you will spot some of the more common species of hummingbirds, including the Fiery-throated Hummingbird, the Sooty-capped Bush-tanager, slaty flowerpiercer, Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush, and Black-and-yellow Silky-Flycatcher.

Remember that Arenal and Poás Volcano National Parks are just two of the many volcanoes your family can explore during their Costa Rica vacation. If you’re worried that some members of the family may not be able to make the hike up, guided horses are available at several locations so you can have the same experience without the excursion. You’re left with no reason not to book your group Costa Rica adventure tour today!

Costa Rica is known for its wild, scenic rivers, and whitewater rafting is one of the most popular adventure sports in the country. Rafting is the ideal way to experience a pure adrenaline rush while at the same time savoring all of the natural wonders the country has to offer. Float peacefully amid unexplored tropical wilderness and take in the lush, green surroundings, with only the songs of indigenous birds echoing in the background. Or tumble through the dense jungle alive with panthers, monkeys, and boas hanging from tree branches. Whether you’re experienced rafters or this is your family’s first time navigating white waters, you will find the perfect level of excitement during your Costa Rica vacation.

Your tour guides will provide you with helmets, life jackets, and security cords, as well as a first time education or a refresher on how to handle the boat and the rapids. All you need to bring is a swimsuit, sneakers (which will get wet), and some sunscreen. The waters are warm, ranging from approximately 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, but you may also want to pack an extra change of clothes for the end of your tour and a sweatshirt or light jacket in case you get cool if the wind kicks up when you’re wet.

The Rio Corobicí (Class II)

The Rio Corobicí is the perfect river for the inexperienced family to wet its toes. The float trip on calm waters offers superb wildlife viewing the entire way. The river flows through Guanacaste, Costa Rica’s northwest region, into the Gulf of Nicoya. It’s suitable for rafting year round.

Rio Pacuare (Class III-V)

Although not the calmest of rivers to navigate in spots, the Rio Pacure is considered one of the best whitewater rafting experiences in the country. The river runs through one of the most important protected areas in Costa Rica, spanning about 25,000 acres. The Pacure is quite accessible and provides some of the most spectacular scenery along the way. Your family will marvel at the Toucans, monkeys, and jaguars living in the vegetation-packed gorges. Seemingly endless waterfalls drop down from the cliffs above directly into the river. June and October are the best months to take on the Rio Pacuare and it’s a great addition to your Costa Rica adventure.

Rio Chirripó (Class III-V)

Recommended for whitewater experts only, the Rio Chirripó offers some of the most challenging rapids in the country. The massive volumes of water and giant waves will definitely get you and your family wet during the tour. The river is ideal for longer trips of two or four days. The best runs are available from late August through early November, at the peak of rainy season.

Rio Reventazón (Class II-V)
The Rio Reventazón flows through the Orossi Valley down the Atlantic slope, and into the Caribbean Sea. The various sections of the river offer something for the beginners as well as the experienced rafters. Mid-sections are surrounded by breath-taking tropical forest and waterfalls, while the most difficult sections require you to navigate around boulders and through gorges. The area receives constant rainfall so tours are available year round, with the best rapids in June and July.

Not only can whitewater rafting be an exciting part of your Costa Rica vacation but it also gives your whole family the opportunity to spend time together in a fun and absolutely stunning environment. This will be one of those unique family moments that everyone will remember for years to come.

Costa Rica is something of a mecca for sport fishing enthusiasts from around the world. Blessed with an abundance of coastline on the Caribbean and Pacific sides, as well as a large number of freshwater lakes and rivers, whatever your chosen bait, fishing Costa Rica is bound to grab you hook, line and sinker.

However it is the pursuit of the really large game, the world record breaking fish and the tantalizing opportunity that every angler dreams of – the “grand slam” - that really captures the imagination when it comes to a Costa Rica vacation and sport fishing. For the uninitiated amongst us, the Costa Rican “Grand Slam” consists of catching 3 different types of Billfish that are common in these waters. So that can be any three of; Blue Marlin, Black Marlin, Striped Marlin, Sailfish or Swordfish, and before you ask, yes, sports fishermen claim this prize all year round in Costa Rica.

It is in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean, which are abundant with nutrients, where marine life gets big as well as varied. Along with the three species of Marlin and the swordfish and sailfish, the warm blue waters here also contain Yellow Fin Tuna, Wahoo, Dorado (otherwise known as Dolphin fish or MahiMahi), Snapper and Rooster Fish as well as many, many more.

If size is really your interest then it is the female Blue Marlin that will be your quarry of choice. The legendary fish from the Hemingway novel, The Man and The Sea, this fish can reach over 1000lbs in weight and give even the most battle hardened Sports Angler a serious fight.

Costa Rica’s advanced ecological approach to its Marine life has resulted in a largely catch and release policy. We are sure that when you feel the power and see the majesty of the greatest creatures of our oceans, just the experience, a few photos and some incredible stories will be more than enough to take home with you, after all releasing a great animal back into its home can be just as rewarding as bringing it in.
When picking the perfect Costa Rica resort for your Sports Fishing adventure it is important to consider a number of things, quality of fishing charter service, likelihood of a catch and of course how you spend that downtime. After all you are going to need some rest if you plan on taking home the Slam.

Los Suenos resort is situation at the mouth of the Golfo Nicoya which is one of the premium Sports fishing locations in the whole of Costa Rica so a bite is almost guaranteed. With a 250 berth yacht marina and many excellent fishing charters operating from here you can take your pick of service with all bait and tackle included, a captain and mate, this guarantees that you and your buddies can concentrate on the serious business at hand and enjoy a great day out. With the 5 star resort on site you can be assured of a luxurious and well needed rest on your return, where you can have a Jacuzzi, massage or relax in the bar with a tumbler of whiskey and recount your stories of the day.

So what are you waiting for, book your trip, strap yourself into the fighting chair and see if your next cast could be a record breaker!

A vacation in Costa Rica can be many things; this beautiful country has something to offer everyone, from single travelers or groups of friends to tranquil family getaways. But something that all who visit this rich coast will experience is the incredible diversity of wildlife. Just sitting on the beach or in an open air restaurant can bring an encounter with an iguana or a short walk can uncover any one of the 14,000 species of butterfly that reside here. It is the incredible diversity of both fauna and flora that makes a Costa Rica vacation the perfect destination for animal lovers.

Despite its small size (Costa Rica makes up just 0.03% of the worlds terrestrial land mass) it is home to some 8% of the worlds known bird species, close to 5% of the world’s mammals and 3% of its amphibians and reptiles. On top of all this are hundreds of thousands of species of insects, incredible plant life and all manner of marine creatures. There is almost too much to see and do in just one trip, indeed it is possible to see turtles nesting, whales calving and monkeys playing in beach fronted jungle all in just one day.

Costa Rica owes much of its biodiversity to the fact that within its small borders it accommodates a great variety of ecological niches and of course to the government and peoples highly developed sense of environmental preservation. Costa Rica is home to some 26 national parks, including a number of Marine parks and these are spread across two coasts (the Pacific and Caribbean) and include Lowland Rainforest, Mountain Cloud Forest, Dry Forest and wetland mangroves. This incredible variation in habitat is what makes a Costa Rica Nature vacation a once in a lifetime experience and it is possible to get very up close to Costa Rica’s wildlife through guided nature walks, zip lines and canopy tours.

It is not just the land that provides wonders for nature enthusiasts, the two coasts of Costa Rica extend for 1,290 kilometers and are lined with beaches of varying color from sugar white to black offering nature lovers the possibility to see some of the world’s rarest turtles or to dive with Hammerhead sharks off the Islas del Coco (the location for the famous Jurassic Park). A morning stroll on any of the beaches of Costa Rica can bring sights of Pelicans, Frigate birds and Scarlet Macaws.

To maximize your enjoyment of your nature vacation in Costa Rica it is important to choose your base of exploration carefully, as without a helicopter it’s going to be impossible to see everything in one trip. The Los Sueños resort is ideally situated to allow visitors to maximize their trip. Based on the Central Pacific near the beach town of Jacó, visitors can easily get to some of the most popular parks and landmarks such as the Carara National Park, Tortuga Island, Manuel Antonio as well as the volcanoes of the central valley.

Welcome to the April Issue

Here at CR Luxury our mission is clear – to provide our clients with stellar service by always keeping the lines of communication open and that is why we are introducing our new monthly newsletter to keep you updated with our latest plans and special events within the Los Sueños community.   We’d love to hear from you, so if you have any questions you’d like to address feel free to contact us.  Remember we’re always here to help.

Do you know something we should know?  Do you know of any exciting events or changes that would benefit the Los Sueños community? Feel free to contact us with any information you’d like to share with fellow owners and we’ll make sure to include it in next month’s newsletter.

- Marcela & Sandra

April Events

Easter 2010

If you’re looking forward to celebrating Easter (March 28 - April 5) in Costa Rica there are a few things you should know before you arrive.   Most Costa Ricans are primarily Catholic and do tend to take this religious holiday seriously by attending mass and taking part in other religious events while others hit the beaches and opt for more of a sabbatical.  During this time you will find big crowds at the beaches and many other tourist destinations so you may want to plan ahead with our Diamond Concierge team.  Below, we’ve included some key information about what to expect during the Easter holiday season and how to make the proper arrangements.

If you are interested in attending mass in the Los Suenos Beach Club or the Jaco area please review our schedule below:

Mass  Hours:

April 1:

Herradura Church at 4pm

April 2:

Herradura Church at 5pm Mass
Jaco Hotel Tangieri: Religious Procession begins at 8:30am
Jaco Church: 3pm Mass

April 3:
Herradura Church: 5pm Mass

April 4:
Los Suenos Beach Club Fellowship: 8am (English Service)

Herradura Church: Mass 8am
Jaco Church: 10am & 7pm Mass

If you are interested in attending mass in any of the churches listed please keep in mind that they are held completely in Spanish.   Contact our Diamond Concierge team should you require transportation or directions.

No Alcohol Available During Easter
One more thing to keep in mind that beginning Thursday, April 1st at 12:01 am (midnight) until Saturday, April 3rd at 12:01 am no alcohol will served or available for purchase nationwide in Costa Rica.   If you’d like to make special arrangements before you arrive in Los Sueños, please contact our Diamond Concierge team and they will be happy to stock your condo accordingly.

Traffic
In and around San Jose traffic is very light during this time since many people generally leave town which in turn leaves the city to become a ghost town.   The Jaco area and surrounding beaches will generally be very crowded since it’s a popular destination among locals.   If you plan to leave the Los Suenos community during this time, we suggest you consult with our concierge team for advice on the best routes to take.  Also, if you’re traveling to the airport during Easter weekend, keep in mind that locals will be returning to San Jose which means that you may be sitting in traffic.   Make sure to plan ahead so you don’t miss your flight.

Easter Menu
If you’re looking for special Easter dishes, you’ll be sure to find plenty of suitable options within the Los Sueños restaurant community.   Guests can choose from fresh seafood dishes as well as many vegetarian options found in any of our four restaurants including Bambu, El Galeon, The Hook Up, The Terrace Lounge as well as Lanterna.   For detailed information about each restaurant and their menu you can go to the Los Sueños restaurant website at www.LSRestaurants.com

Everyone at CR Luxury would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your continued business and loyalty throughout the years. In our efforts to improve your experience with CR Luxury, we have been working on reorganizing and adding new members to the CR Luxury team as a method of improving our service.

You’ll also be happy to know that we have added a new Office Directory which will outline each of our departments as well as their contact information in case you should have any questions or concerns.   Remember that each member of our staff is here to help improve your experience so don’t hesitate to call and let us know how we can help. Click here to CR Office Directory)

New Additions to CR Luxury Team:

Maria-Liz Ramirez
Operations Manager
marializ@crluxury.com

Maria comes to us from the Philippines where her career in the Hotel/Tourism industry began. Since the late 80’s Maria has worked in five star hotels around the globe in countries such as Singapore, Sweden, Japan and Hong Kong to name a few.   She holds an M.A. in Business Management and years and years of tourism related training and service.   How did she end up in Costa Rica? She came to Costa Rica on vacation and never left.   It happens all the time!  In her spare time Maria-Liz loves to scuba dive and is actually trained as a rescue medic diver.   A great person to take along on a scuba diving trip!

Rodolfo Rodriguez Quiroz
Maintenance
maintenance@crluxury.com

Roldolfo was hired onto the CR Luxury team after having an impressive level of experience with maintenance and electro mechanics.   He has taken part in several national government projects and has an outstanding educational background to match.   On his off-time Rodolfo enjoys extreme sports and lots of good food.

Nini Pardo
Reservations Agent
nini@crluxury.com

Nini is a San Jose native with over 13 years experience working for multinational companies within the service industry.  Among her many talents include speaking three languages including Italian as well as always putting forth a positive attitude in her day to day life.   Oh! And she loves the beach!

Roberto Cespedes
Accounting Assistant
roberto@crluxury.com

Roberto is a transplant from San Jose who has worked within the tourism industry for the last nine years of his life.  He is an experienced surfer who has been hitting the waves since he was 15 years old and hopefully he’ll be nice enough to offer our staff here some lessons.  We are happy to have Roberto and he is a great addition to our accounting department.

In the News

A few weeks back we had a very special visit from newly elected Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla who stayed in our luxurious Villa La Joya.  During her time at Los Sueños, she was gracious enough to spend a little time with CR Luxury’s President Marcela Laborde as well as our new Operations Manager Maria-Liz Ramirez.  Read more about President Chinchilla’s Visit.

CR Blog
For those of you who haven’t had a chance to CR blog it’s a great resource for information about our tours, weddings, sport fishing events and Costa Rica overall.   We will be updating our blog daily with fresh articles, videos, interviews and testimonials so make sure you don’t miss out.

Here are a few excerpts from our blog you may enjoy:

Costa Rica Beaches in Half the Time
Are you packed and ready to start your Los Sueños luxury getaway?

Fishing Hotspots in Costa Rica
Avid fishermen will agree that there is no place quite like Costa Rica for sport fishing.

Destination Wedding Steeped in Cultural Tradition With a Spicy Latin Twist
Costa Rica is quickly becoming the #1 choice for destination weddings.

We hope you have been enjoying our April Newsletter so far! This section will offer you recommendations on restaurants, events, services etc. in and around the Herradura/Jaco area that we feel are worthwhile and that you shouldn’t live without.  For next month, we’d like to include some of your personal recommendations for restaurants or any other businesses that you’d like to rave about so please send your recommendations via e-mail at: liz@crluxury.com.

Also, this month we’d like to take time out to remind you that CR Luxury is also available to organize your next corporate retreat or event.   Our facilities include 8 state of the art meeting rooms, a 400 seat ballroom, high-speed internet as well as an attentive concierge team ready to assist you with your individual needs.

Last month, we welcomed Canadian marketing expert, Gerry Visca, who hosted a corporate retreat at Los Sueños and left us a nice message about his experience in the video below.

Click to see video.

To host your next corporate event, you can e-mail:  aura@crluxury.com

Owners! Join us on Facebook and Twitter

Social media is a great way to connect with CR Luxury and keep up with customer feedback as well as current events.   Make sure you join our Facebook and Twitter accounts to see what we’re up to and make sure to drop us a line.

Picture of Month

Our star Luxury Event Coordinator, Aura Mora, organized one of the most beautiful wedding events of the year, the Merlob-Valentiner Wedding.  This 250 guest event combined a joining of cultures in one of the most breathtaking wedding destinations, Costa Rica.  The bride, Katharina, was captured in this photo walking into the sunset as it draped the Los Suenos Resort.  What a beautiful shot!

To organize your wedding with CR Luxury please contact Aura at aura@crluxury.com.

Great news to all New Yorkers! It seems that American Airlines has extended their services to Costa Rica is now offering direct non-stop flights from New York to Costa Rica starting on April 6. New flights will depart five times a week, not including Fridays or Sundays, from New York’s JFK airport and fly directly to San Jose’s Juan Santamaria Airport .

Here is American Airlines new schedule from New York’s JFK:

From New York JFK to San Jose

Flights Depart at: 3:35pm and arrive at 7:15pm
Days: Daily Except Friday and Sunday

From San Jose to New York JFK

Flights Depart at: 8:35 a.m. and arrive at 3:40 p.m.
Days: Daily except Saturday and Monday

New Yorkers can now get to Costa Rica in almost half the time and enjoy the beautiful beaches, rainforests, wildlife and adventure that only this exotic country can offer.  It’s a great time to make your way to Costa Rica since the busy season is winding down and the Green Season begins.  What does that mean to you? Less crowds, lower rates and rich green surroundings.

Costa Rica is a great destination for risk takers who like to take part in white water rafting, zip lines, surfing or sports fishing but it can also be your haven for relaxation and peace.  Costa Rica can be whatever you make it out to be so whatever it is you’re looking for you’ll be sure to find it in Costa Rica.

Destination weddings have become the choice of many of today’s modern couples, and Costa Rica provides the perfect venue for the perfect wedding!  The vital element to such a wedding being truly successful is careful planning.  Many of the arrangements have to be made well in advance; longer maybe than even a traditional local wedding.

Even if you have friends or family in the country, it is probably a better idea to work with a wedding planner as well.  They know the laws, the weather, the geography, transportation and so many other elements that have to come together to make your special day a success.  A wedding professional will take care of arrangements at the Costa Rica end and will keep in close contact with you to be sure that you bring everything you need with you from home as well.  Since you and your guests will be staying at one of the many resort hotels, you may find that your hotel can plan all the details for you to make things really easy!

One of the most important aspects of your wedding is the legalities.  You most definitely want to be sure the legal requirements of both countries are met. A planner will inform you of everything you need, but here are a few of the basics. The legal documents you will need include passports of you and your witnesses.  On top of that you will need accurate legal names, birthdates, birthplaces, addresses, and marital status, as previous marriages must be recorded.  If you are divorced, a divorce decree must also be presented. As you can see, the legalities are something you want to be sure you get right!  Once all of that is in place, you can relax and start planning some of the more exciting details.

Many of the things you need for a Costa Rica wedding are the same as you would need at home.  Be sure to book an official, a photographer, a caterer and musicians

Costa Rica has some wedding traditions that are a little different but interesting, and fun to incorporate into your day.  One very romantic custom is the “Serenata”, which takes place the night before the wedding, at the location where the women are staying.  The bride and her bridesmaids remain inside the house and the groom and his friends serenade the girls outside the home with a Mariachi band.

The morning of the wedding, the lawyer and the couple meet to sign all the documents and in fact conclude the legal part of the marriage before the ceremony even takes place.  This doesn’t allow for the old traditional of the groom not seeing the bride before the wedding, so be prepared for that!  Following the ceremony, there is a reception and dance where the bride dances a first waltz with her father.

Other than these few differences, your special day will be much the same, except it will take place in a country full of natural beauty and a unique and very interesting culture.

If you are planning a vacation to Costa Rica, knowing and understanding the different regions may help you to ensure that no part of this intriguing country is overlooked.  Here is a brief description of each of the five main tourist areas of Costa Rica.

Northern Plains
The biggest attraction of this area is the Arenal Volcano which sits at 1633 meters and is in a state of constant activity.  If seeing a real volcano happens to be on your to do list, then this will most definitely be a stop to plan! The volcano sits in a national Park which provides safe trails for exploring the area.  This beautiful region also offers splendid canopy tours over the rain forest, gorgeous waterfalls, scenic horseback riding and thermal springs that provide a relaxing soak after a long day of activity. 

North Pacific
This is a fascinating area of the country where tourism and local culture come together to make for a variety of different activities.  There are numerous county fairs, bull mounts, which are similar to what we call a rodeo, and cattle herding demonstrations. Local cuisine and culture abound at these events are not to be missed on any Costa Rica holiday.  There is also plenty of history to be learned in this region along with typical tropical forest scenery and deep caverns that the adventurous can explore.

Central Valley
San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica is located in this region and as a result, much of the tourism centers here.  It also has the most consistent weather of the country with the average temperature staying at around 77 degrees. Five of the country’s largest museums are located here, offering visitors a variety of places to learn about the country’s interesting and progressive past.  The night life is hopping here as well, so if you want to dine and dance the night away, this is the place for you!

Caribbean
This is the area to visit if you’ve come to enjoy the sand and surf.  The black and white sand on the beaches is an awesome sight, and diving in the crystal clear waters is an experience of a lifetime.  Fishing is an ongoing activity where the big ones might include a Tarpon, Wahoo, or Barracuda!  The other “big ones” are the waves that draw surfers from all over the world.  One of the most famous waves in the world, “Salsa Brava” is located here and reaches heights of almost 40 feet.

South Pacific
By far the least developed region of the country, the South Pacific offers rain forest flora and fauna like no other region.  The area is made up of several national parks that work to conserve the natural beauty of the country, and the largest remaining swampland is also located here.  If getting to see the real rustic beauty of the country is your purpose for visiting Costa Rica, then planning a visit to this region is a must!

There are several coastal national parks in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, that preserve the beaches where sea turtles nest.  The oldest park in the region, Santa Rosa National Park, harbors two of these beaches, Naranjo and Nancite; nevertheless, they are difficult to reach because the roads are in very bad condition.

The road to Naranjo Beach is drivable only during the dry season, and with a four-wheel drive vehicle.  Nancite Beach is out of bounds due to the turtle nesting research programs that are in place there; you require a permit to access the beach.

Las Baulas Marine National Park is one of the latest national parks to be founded in Costa Rica.  Its main mission is to protect two other important nesting beaches for the Giant Leatherback Sea Turtle: Playa Grande (Big Beach) and Playa Langosta (Lobster Beach) located, the former to the north and the latter to the south, of Tamarindo Beach, and to preserve the offshore areas where these reptiles linger during the breeding season.  Luckily, these beaches are fairly easy to visit.

Leatherbacks are known as Baulas in Costa Rica, and they are the world’s largest sea turtle species, with an average of 350 kg. and a length of more than 1.5 meters.  It is an unforgettable experience to observe as one of these amazing creatures comes ashore during the night to carry on the ancient tradition of nesting in tropical sands.

The nesting season at Las Baulas National Park goes from October to February.  Every person who visits the beach at night has to be escorted by one of the certified local guides posted at the entrance of the beach.

When they are not reproducing, these giant turtles swim around many of the world’s oceans looking for their main food, jellyfish.

Ostional National Wildlife Refuge is located further south on the Guanacaste coastline, and was established to protect an important Pacific Ridley Sea Turtles nesting beach and the offshore area nearby.  When female turtles swamp the beach, numerous times per year, the event is called “arribadas” (arrivals), and it gives the impression of a rocky beach.

During low nesting season, the “arribadas” begin three or four nights after the full moon, however, at the peak of the season, this is, from July to November, and when more than 100,000 nests are made on one single “arribada”, there is no relation whatsoever with the moon phases or tide breaks.  In fact, no one knows what prompts this fascinating mass nesting.

Some scientists believe it is a survival strategy, since by laying so many eggs in just a few nights natural predators are not able to devour all of them, and many baby turtles will be able to survive the run down to the water if thousands of them are giving it a shot at the same time.

Nevertheless, natural predators are not the only hazard for the sea turtles’ eggs.  In the past, people from the region and even from San José would assault the nests for eggs due to the belief that these are an aphrodisiac, and they became very popular as snacks in bars and “cantinas”.

The Ostional National Wildlife Refuge was born out of the need to stop this massacre.  Since there was no financial aid to properly patrol the beach and the local people had to be supported, wildlife authorities proposed a new system at the time of declaring the refuge:

“Ostional residents, ONLY, are authorized to harvest a limited number of eggs during the first two nights of each nesting period.  These eggs can be sold only to bars with a license to serve turtle eggs”.

The idea behind this move was to turn the locals into a “police force” that would equally protect their own interests and the rest of the eggs, which are the ones with a better chance.  This system has been questioned, but it looks like it is giving good results.

It is not easy to reach Ostional beach.  You need a four-wheel drive vehicle, especially if you are going during the rainy season, when the mass nesting occurs, but it is easier to reach this beach than the only other one where this natural spectacle happens, Nancite Beach in Santa Rosa National Park.

Just like in one of those perfect stories written by Hemingway, you’re suddenly surrounded by silence, sitting in a rocking boat, a little far from the beach, and you can see the line of your rod going deep into the blue water, merging with the ocean. You think of the silence, and you could say you’ve been there for hours because the sight of the sea captivates you, but you’ve only been there for a couple of minutes. Neither you nor your partner talk, except for brief remarks when pointing to something in the horizon or ask the other person to pass the bottle of water. It doesn’t take long until you hear a breeze that ruffles your hair, and the line tightens and comes loose again, making you stand up and sit back. Suddenly, the line tightens again, but this time it does so with the strength of a big fish. A Sailfish? A Dorado?

While you try not to fight too much, and to gain control of the situation, you remember what the too-friendly guy you met at the airport told you: “That place has thousands of different sea species. You can find marlin, sails, dorado, wahoo, tuna, roosterfish, tarpon…” You wish you had paid more attention to him, but he was a little too annoying, and you didn’t want him to spoil the surprise for you –well, what you didn’t know is that some surprises can’t be spoiled, and neither can the excitement you’re feeling in your hands while you pull that angry line (or is it pulling you?). “Drop that camera and help me here,” you say to your partner.

The thing takes like half an hour. Maybe a little bit more. Finally, you pull with all your strength to pick it up and rest it on the boat’s surface. Exhausted, you sit and breathe while the fish shakes desperately. “It’s a sailfish”, your partner whispers.

A guy from an approaching boat (maybe a fishing guide hired by those tourists that are gazing at you) smiles and explains that, in fact, the fish is a big sailfish. They take some pictures and the guide waves his hand. “Welcome to Costa Rica!”, he shouts. You wave back, but you don’t stand up. You look at your partner removing the hook from the fish. The feeling is something that can’t be found in words. Maybe you’re just connected again to the silence of the view.

And to think that your fishing day has just begun.