Guanacaste and Monteverde are Unique Vacations in Extraordinary Times
As the world has begun to open up again, and the skies are filling with airplanes transporting eager wanderlust travelers to their favorite destinations or to new ones, the question is, where to go first? It is only natural that there is an urge to do things never done before, or see things unseen prior to these extraordinary times. Maybe, even a sense of making up for seemingly “lost” time, or to experience the big outdoors after indoors being such a part of our lives.
How does the fusion of amazing tropical beaches and misty cloud forests into one destination sound? This is Costa Rica, where Guanacaste and Monteverde offer unique vacations in extraordinary times!
From the ocean to the mountains in beautiful Costa Rica this is very easy! The contrasts of landscapes along the way and at each end of the journey are memorable. Why not make it just that much better by staying at two of the best vacation spots in Costa Rica, experiencing the cloud forest and the beaches of the Gulf of Papagayo?
Full of natural beauty, adventure opportunities, and great hotels to choose from, Monteverde and Guanacaste will fill your vacation days with fun under the sun and cloud forest canopies. Check out the Howler Monkeys by the beach or the Resplendent Quetzal resting on the mist-laden branches. Vacationing in Costa Rica is just one of those places that continues to amaze and entertain everyone who visits it.
The ocean of blue
One of the wonderful things about Guanacaste, the beach, and Papagayo Golden Palms Beachfront Hotel is that there is an international airport just 20 minutes away. All the major US airlines fly into this airport that was just recently awarded the best airport in Latin America and the Caribbean for quality of service by the Airports Council International.
Guanacaste is a destination in itself, thanks to the diversity of landscapes, ecosystems, and activities that visitors can enjoy while vacationing there. With a coastline dotted with beautiful white-sand beaches, world-renowned surfing hotspots, and a variety of water-based adventure activities, your days in Guanacaste are filled with sun, sand, and surf. And that is just along the stretch of coast that embraces the Nicoya Peninsula.
From the Papagayo Golden Palms Oceanfront Hotel, which sits on Panama Beach, enjoy leisurely days of lounging under the tree-lined beach, by the pristine pool, or out on the water. Kayaks and SUP are available for rent, opening up the Gulf of Papagayo, Costa Rica´s premium beach destination for exploration and sun-kissed adventures in the water.
Venture further afar for surfing in the Guanacaste hotspots, or for the fishing fans, a day trip to angle some sport fish in some of the best fishing waters. Your catch-of-the-day becomes tonight’s dinner at the Papagayo Golden Palms restaurant.
From ocean-kayaking to live volcanoes
For the less adventure-spirited but beach and water lovers alike, Guanacaste, Costa Rica is the perfect destination for relaxation under the warm, tropical sun, with a great book, a refreshing drink, and just taking in the beauty and serenity of the moment. The day is yours and how you fill it, is for you to decide!
Inland from the picturesque seaside of bays, gulfs, islands, inlets, peninsulas, and headlands, you will find wide, open savannas, rich, agricultural farmland, bustling, rural towns, and in the distance, the majestic Guanacaste Volcanic Mountain 0PPPQBl forest, tubing down a river, rappelling down into a canyon and a horseback ride through the range are just some of the great things to do in Guanacaste. All these fantastic adventure-filled activities can be enjoyed, and adrenaline levels pushed to their limits!
Adrenaline and adventure can also be found in the picturesque, mountaintop destination of Monteverde, but this is where the mystical and magical cloud forest can be found. This is a different beauty in nature.
The Mountain of Green
While in Guanacaste, you find the sun-laden, serenity of the beach, and the pristine blue ocean, in Monteverde, you will connect with the deep, lush greenness of the cloud forest and the pure mountain air. Monteverde is nature up close, and one of the most bio-rich destinations in Costa Rica.
Monteverde is a favorite destination for lovers of nature, birdwatching, adventure, hiking, spectacular sunsets, cozy, boutique, mountain hotels, and fresh country air. It is also just a few hours drive from Papagayo Golden Palms along the Pan American Highway and then up the newly paved road that winds up into the clouds above. Even the journey between Guanacaste and Monteverde is a beautiful drive.
Once you arrive at your verdant, mountaintop destination, choose from either the Hotel Heliconia, Jaguarundi Lodge, or the Hotel Ficus Sunset Suites as your comfortable base during your days of exploration and discovery on the green mountain or Monteverde as it translates Spanish.
While Hotel Heliconia resembles a Swiss Chalet with its beautiful, wood-accented features, Jaguarundi Lodge is immersed in the cloud forest and offers simple yet comfortable accommodation. Hotel Ficus Sunset Suites is a modern take on the traditional mountain lodges and boasts a fantastic restaurant and what could be one of the best views of the sunset in town.
Whatever your budget or accommodation preference may be, Heliconia, Jaguarundi, and Ficus Sunset Suites will fit your preferences. Now that you have your lodging figured out, where is the adventure in nature? Selvatura Adventure Park is where adventure is done best in Monteverde, and there is a package for everyone depending on how much or how little of an adrenaline rush you want.
From hiking to zip-lining
Monteverde is the birthplace of zip lining and Selvatura Adventure Park’s zip-lining adventure is the only one that is wholly within the cloud forest, making it a unique ride in the canopy in Monteverde. There are also some amazing suspension bridges that transport you to through the top of the cloud forest where most of the wildlife hangs out and about. This means you have bird-eye views of the wildlife action.
Monteverde is also a wonderful opportunity to explore the cloud forest from its dynamic and vibrant forest floor. This is the land of the hiking shoes where immersion into the depths of the cloudy, green forest is an unforgettable experience for all those who visit it. Monteverde has a number of private nature reserves, including Selvatura Adventure Park that protects the forest and its dwellers.
Birdwatching in Monteverde is a favorite activity for many visitors to the mountaintop. Migratory and endemic birds fill the cloud forest tree branches and the Monteverde skies with their songs and their colors. After a day of wildlife watching and nature exploration, sit back and enjoy the citrus-orange sunsets that light up the sky and extend to the horizon.
From the blues of the Guanacaste ocean to the greens of the Monteverde mountains, the blend of contrasts, landscapes, colors, and songs create an extraordinary time in the form of a vacation. Papagayo Golden Palms will show you the very best of both worlds in Costa Rica during your vacation. Make it memorable!