Costa Rica Family Vacation

Lapa Rios Corcovado Costa Rica

Lapa Rios is considered to be one of the finest Eco-Resorts not only in Costa Rica but of all of the planet. What makes this place the perfect fit for a Costa Rica family vacation I guess I would say LOCATION, LOCACTION, LOCATION but I have to give credit to other parts of the hotel as well. Also it should be noted that Travel & Leisure has Lapa Rios as one of the top 500 Hotels on the Planet. There are quite a few hotels on the planet so thats not too bad.

We will start with the location though. First of all you fly into Costa Rica's Puerto Jimenez airport where you are met by a staff member of the hotel with a little cocktail Im sure. You are now on the Osa Peninsula which happens to be the most bio-diverse place on the planet (not a bad LOCATION for a eco-resort).

The location lends itself to amazing ocean views and all four species of Costa Rican monkeys without leaving your room. Did you get that all four species of Costa Rican monkeys w/o leaving your room. Now I did say that this hotel has great ocean views but be aware that you have to take a bit of a hike to get to the water. You can also be sure that you will see plenty of Scarlet Macaws during your stay.

I want you to know that we think this is one of Costa Rica's finest places and as a company we would like that every client would enjoy and atleast try an eco-adventure like staying at Lapa Rios. National Geographic as you can see to the left happens to think its one of the top 50 around and NatGeo has seen a few more than we have.  I really feel if your family gave it a try by the time you left it would be almost impossible to say you really missed the things mentioned below.

  Now some of the things you should know before you book what you think is a perfect piece of paradise (which is to us but to some w/o these little things it might be not the piece of paradise they were looking for.

  Here is the list of what Lapa Rios DOES NOT HAVE:

                   - No A/C

                   - No Phones

                   - No TV's

                                                     - No Internet (not even for staff)

                                                   - No ATM (think tips)

                   

This list above is what makes this place what it is. This is a real Gem of Costa Rica. It is one of the few places that does not have all these things, no beach access, and no night shows but you can still take your kids here on a Costa Rica family vacation and they will love it. There are activities to do in the area such as many different nature hikes and you will see more wildlife here than anywhere else in the country. Another great activity for the kids is the whale & dolphin trip or the kayaks. Do not expect to be doing super adrenaline pumping adventures like whitewater rafting Pacuare River. It is a good chance for them to get out into the water as the hotel is not right on the water as mentioned before.

Lapa Rios Costa Rica Negative Comments

• Up-hill walk to restaurant (not much we can do here) 
• there should be two hammocks for every bungalow (I heard they were working on this one)

Interesting Facts About Hotel:

• Dinner is ordered at Breakfast to not waste food in the evening
• 1,000 acre private reserve (Central America's last remaining lowland Tropical Rainforest)
• Lapa Rios has 5 leaves for CST (This is huge in Costa Rica and very respected in the Sustainable Tourism World)

Interested in Planning a Family Vacation to Costa Rica Contact:

The Costa Rican Resource

www.crrtravel.com or info@crrtravel.com

CR: +506 2266 1559  US: 352 694 3462

Hiking in Costa Rica

CRR Guides on a Family Hike

Everyone wants to come to Costa Rica and do the zipline, rafting, surf, canyoneering, sit at the beach, practice Spanish, and the list goes on. One thing I try to get all my groups even if it is just for 15 minutes is to walk into the rainforest. The feeling of being surrounded by some of the most bio-diverse places on the planet is amazing. What you have to do is make your way into the cloud-forest or rainforest but make sure it is a nice thick jungle. You then just stop and listen. You will be amazed at how many noises you hear. That right there what you are hearing is the differnce between hiking in the Grand Canyon and hiking in the Tropics. I know this might not be the big thrill everyone is looking for but it takes just a few minutes and its worth it.

Costa Rica's Best Hiking Spots

Image via WikipediaThere are hiking areas all over the country some with many tourist and some with not so many. It all depends on what kind of hike you are looking for. If you want to be amazed by seeing natural wonders than you probably want to take the hike to Chirripo, Arenal Volcano National Park, or Rio Celeste. If you want to be probably the only one around and surrounded by nature than you might want to try a National Park like Tapanti. Personally my favorite hikes happen at the higher elevations when you get up into the cloud-forest. Hiking around Cerro de la Muerte at the many birding lodges is like slugging a 12 pack of fresh air (which is a bit more healthier than other 12 packs out there). The Barva Volcano is a high altitude hike (high altitude for Costa Rica only around 8,000ft) which has very few visitors and great vegetation all around.

These are just a few areas of Costa Rica and a complete book could be written on hiking in Costa Rica. No matter what you come to Costa Rica to do make sure you spend atleast a few minutes to get yourself into nature and remember to just stay still and listen. You wont want to leave.

Plan Your Costa Rica Adventure:

The Costa Rican Resource

http://www.crrtravel.com/
info@crrtravel.com

CR: 506 2266 1559 US: 352 694 3462

Related Articles by CRRTravel

• Family Surf Classes Costa Rica
• Rafting Pacuare Costa Rica
• Arenal Volcano Hotels
• Costa Rica's Best Kept Secret

Costa Rica's Best Kept Secret

When you plan your Costa Rica Family Vacation if your up for a 2 hour hike and a night in the jungle this would be one of the places we would suggest. If you like the video just click the link below:

Costa Rica Adventures

   
          
      I WANT TO SLEEP BEHIND A WATERFALL IN COSTA RICA!!!!!!