Costa Rica A Family Friendly Destination. Nature With No Additives

sOne of the best places in the world for a trip with children is Costa Rica. The main reason is that the destinations where nature is the protagonist are perfect for the little ones to enjoy, but the country has many other advantages: it is safe, comfortable and easy, qualities that help a lot in family trips.

We could say that Costa Rica is a “family friendly” country, but the reality is that it is “friendly” with everyone. Here the smile comes standard. The Ticos are calm, kind and smiling and seem to carry as a mantra the phrase “don’t worry be happy”. Children in Costa Rica are welcome everywhere and because of the personality of this town they always try to help you in what they can.

Nature and ecology

The contact with nature on this trip is constant. Paddles between mangroves in the jungle of Tortuguero, in Arenal Volcano you can bathe under a waterfall or in the hot springs heated directly by the heat of the volcano, on the road there are viewpoints on incredible landscapes … Children enjoy in any case: if they are small they value having spaces to run, play and discover, and if they are somewhat older they will learn the rich and varied fauna and flora of Costa Rica. In addition, Costa Rica transmits a series of ecological values put into practice (and not manual) difficult to find elsewhere on the planet. They live among volcanoes, jungles and rivers, and respect them with their times and their own personality. The visits are in authentic places, where the animals may be seen or not,  according to the luck that you have; neither invade nor annoy them.

The fauna is infinite. In Costa Rica the different species accompany you during the trip and become everyday: lazy, hummingbirds, monkeys, butterflies, tiny frogs, iguanas and even raccoons and coatis if you go to Guanacaste.

It is highly recommended to be accompanied by an expert guide on excursions, since the animals are in their habitat and although for our eyes they are difficult to find the guides discover them at first and help us see them, and they are also a source of information and unlimited conversation for children.

Living geology in the volcanoes

The orography of Costa Rica is part of its charm and touring it becomes a real geology class. The Arenal Volcano National Park is one of the most visited parks in the country as it offers a complete stay of activities and landscapes. To go with the children it is highly recommended the excursion to the Fortuna River waterfall, which after a walk along the paths of the tropical forest, where you can see different animals, you get to this sixty meter waterfall where it is possible to take a refreshing bath

And, of course, the essential activity in Arenal Volcano is a bath in the hot springs that heats the volcano itself. The complex is located at the Hotel Tabacon Grand Spa & Resort but can be accessed upon payment of the entrance even if you are not staying at the hotel. These natural hot springs are full of magical corners among the lush nature, also has a beautiful pool with a slide.

Arenal Volcano also allows numerous hiking trails to contemplate the volcano closely on the Path of the Tucanes, the Mirador 1968 or on the Paths of Silence. All contribute something special and different and allow you to contemplate a great variety of wildlife and lava formations.

Another of the essential visits, even if it is only at a stop on the road, is the Poas Volcano, located between tropical landscapes that take your breath away, allows an authentic kind of geology by allowing you to glimpse the active crater of the volcano from a viewpoint that is above of the same. Awesome for young and old.

Tortuguero: The turtle nesting

Touring the canals of the Tortuguero National Park on the boats that take you from the La Pavona pier to the hotels announces and the natural immersion to be carried out in this park. The hotels are small, located in the middle of the jungle, and there is nothing compared to waking up at five in the morning with the screams of howler monkeys. Already in the boats, birds, crocodiles and monkeys of various types are discovered, and it is worth living with the little ones the experience of kayaking these channels.

If you travel between July and October, one of the nights brings the main course of the stay: see the turtle nesting on the beach. The excursion itself is already an adventure: in the morning they confirm the turn and place of the beach that is your group’s turn, since visitors are distributed to try to be the least invasive at this delicate moment in the life of the turtles. It is accompanied by a guide who is the one who carries a flashlight; the others, without lights and dark colored dresses, so as not to scare the turtles. Once on the beach the show is impressive: what looks like rocks on the shore that are illuminated with the moon are actually turtles that progress little by little until they find a place to make the hole to spawn. At that time it is forbidden to approach, since if they notice your presence they return to the sea, but once they have made the hole and have begun to spawn there is no problem in watching closely, silently, as they lay the eggs and then cover them carefully before returning to the sea.

Adventure in Monteverde

As Arenal Volcano also offers the possibility of making the famous Costa Rican zip lines many skip the stop in the rainforest of Monteverde, but what brings this corner of jungle and constant humidity of Costa Rica is difficult to find elsewhere. This biological reserve is located at the Tilarán mountain range and offers two of the strengths of a trip to Costa Rica: the canopy (or zip lines) and the suspension bridges. The first provides adrenaline butt and is suitable for children from 4 years. The safety is absolute in the sixteen jumps, which go from one hundred meters to one kilometer, and it is not necessary to manipulate the hooks: the smallest are accompanied by a monitor, which is thrown with them on the longest and they are watched in a short where if they want they can throw themselves.

The walk through the suspension bridges (totally safe) gives an idea of the dimensions of this rainforest and offers incredible landscapes in height in addition to the possibility of walking through the jungle on a comfortable path for everyone. So regardless or your age Costa Rica seems to have it all, there is never a dull moment, and you will never run out of beautiful things to experience.