• Faith Glamping Dome Costa Rica offers futuristic geodesic domes placed in the middle of the forest, just a few meters from the beach in Playa Grande, Manzanillo.
• Eco-glamping stays are available in destinations including the southern Caribbean, Golfito, Providencia de Dota in the Los Santos region.

Amidst the dense forests of the southern Caribbean and just a few steps from the beach, a unique glamping experience awaits in a futuristic complex comprised of six geodesic domes. These visually stunning domes are created by the same group that makes habitation domes for Mars projects. A geodesic dome is a self-supporting structure that does not need columns or foundations and is highly resistant to inclement weather.

As the name suggests, “glamping” refers to camping with a glamorous touch, comfort in the middle of nature. The total immersion allows visitors to recharge during the new normal while observing public health protocols.

“The complex is made up of six domes, four of which are named for the elements: Water, Air, Fire and Earth, explains Andrea Sánchez, entrepreneur and owner of Faith Glamping Dome Costa Rica in Manzanillo, Puerto Viejo in Limón Province. “In the center, the largest dome is an homage to love, while the dome of harmony is in the highest point. This unparalleled experience offers visitors an immersion in the nature and a chance to connect with themselves and dive into the crystalline water of the Caribbean Sea.”

The project, Sánchez explained, is based on partnerships that support women in the Manzanillo community and provides a positive impact on nearby businesses and restaurants. The food served on site and the personal care products are provided by local businesses, as are the cleaning products used in the domes.

Futuristic domes in a forest by the sea

Creating the domes is a dream come true for Sánchez, who wanted to be an astronaut when she was a child and even wrote letters to Franklin Chang. At the age of 40, she visited NASA headquarters in Houston, Texas, which provided her with the inspiration for her project.

On her visit, she learned about geodesic domes, a technology used by NASA in the development of habitats to bring human life to mars. Following this first step, she was able to meet the company who provided the space agency with its geodesic dome. After that, her dream took off and has been going strong for the last four years.

The location of the project allows domestic and international tourists to visit the Gandoca-Manzanillo Conservation Area and to access the beaches of Playa Grande and Manzanillo, just a few minutes’ walk from the domes. The experience can be combined with yoga classes, meditation, relaxation therapies with forest sounds, a cacao tour, and other activities.

The project recently received a Tourism Declaration from the Costa Rican Tourism Board as a rural eco-glamping lodge. It has also obtained the Safe Travels seal of approval for its compliance with public health protocols.

“Glamping is considered to be a promising new alternative among customers who are interested in a personal experience of nature and low environmental impact,” says Gustavo Alvarado, Director of Tourism Management at the ICT. “In addition, it has a positive impact on the communities in which it is located, contributing to the preservation of built cultural heritage, as well as traditional values and living human heritage.”

According to ICT data, glamping projects with a Tourism Declaration can currently be found in destinations including the southern Caribbean, Golfito, Providencia de Dota in the Los Santos region.

For more information about Faith Glamping Dome Costa Rica, call 8723-0101 or 2750-0696 or visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/faithglampingdomecr

 

Did you know... That the crafts of Guaitil are made with iguana sand? That the church of San Blas is one of the country’s oldest? That Barra Honda has caverns that are 60 million years old? That you can enjoy a drink made from purple corn?

Santa Cruz and Nicoya, in Guanacaste, are places where traditions, history, rural life, faith and culture come together with exuberant natural surroundings, pristine beaches, adventure activities and the essence of Costa Rica.

We’ve collected a list of nine activities or places that you can’t miss when you visit the region during Holy Week or at any time of year.

1. Enjoy freshly made corn tortillas.
2. Visit the Catholic church of San Blas de Nicoya.
3. Attend a traditional bullriding event.
4. Enjoy the sea and the sunsets.
5. Go birdwatching in Palo Verde National Park.
6. Experience rural tourism.
7. Take the crafts of Guaitil and San Vicente home with you.
8. Participate in a marimba dance.
9. Watch the arrival of sea turtles in Ostional and Las Baulas.

You can also pay a visit to the Diriá and Barra Honda National Parks.

Here are just a few of the surprises that await in the region: 

• Ceramic crafts of Guaitil: Did you know that the age-old technique of iguana sand ceramics is still being practiced in Nicoya?

The region’s traditional techniques include Chorotega ceramics, practiced in Guaitil de Santa Cruz and San Vicente de Nicoya by the Chorotega indigenous people. The figures are made from pure clay using traditional techniques passed down through the generations.

Johnny Sánchez, a local artisan, told us that we can learn about how different pieces were through the generations at the Ecomuseo in San Vicente de Guaitil, Guanacaste, with pieces such as the comal, used for cooking tortillas, or an amphora made to hold chicha.

Sánchez, an artisan in the community of San Vicente, told us in detail about how the ceramics are made by pulverizing blocks of clay and mixing them with iguana sand – the sand where iguanas lay their eggs. Finally, the clay stomped on to gain its consistency. Later, the artisans shape the piece with their hands, starting from a ball and shaping it from within. They grow the form using rolls of clay, coloring it by hands as their ancestors did. Don Johnny also told us that the traditional designs that the artisans make are related to significant figures: the gecko sympolizes luck, the butterfly beauty, and the turtle fertility.

• Parish of San Blas: Did you know that the Parish of San Blas de Nicoya is the first church in the country?

According to Mario Rojas, a historian of Nicoya, this place is one of the four oldest churches in Costa Rica, and still holds religious ceremonies. The church is located inside the town’s plaza rather than in front of it, as is the more recent tradition. On this site, the Spaniards found a small hill where the indigenous people made sacrifices, and so placed a cross on the site, where the church now stands inside the plaza.

The Virgin of Guadalupe was brought here by Franciscan missionaries to introduce the Chorotega natives to Christianity. Little by little, they substituted the Chorotega Sun Festival with the Feast of the Virgin celebrated by the town’s Brotherhood of Guadalupe.

• Barra Honda National Park: Did you know that Barra Honda is one of the oldest sites in Costa Rica, with a system of caverns made from a reef that emerged from the sea 60 million years ago?

Barra Honda is the largest known cave system in the country. The geology of Cerro Barra Honda, a mountain 300 meters tall, shows that it was once a system of reefs that emerged from the sea due to a upswell in the tectonic plates some 60 million years ago.

These reef formations were shaped by blue and green algae that formed calcium deposits, as well as sponges, sea urchins and foramnifera, tiny marine protozoans with a calcareous shell. It is one of the many rounded limestone hills located in the province of Guanacaste.

The ICT recommends visiting the area with an authorized guide so that you can make the best of your visit to this awe-inspiring park. Remember to be a responsible tourist and follow public health advice: wash and sanitize your hands regularly, maintain a distance of 1.8 meters between households, use a mask, do not remove shells, plants or flowers from the area, and do not feed the animals.

• The regional cuisine: Did you know that Nicoya is home to a creole cuisine with age-old recipes fresh from the oven?

 In Pozo de Agua, Guanacaste, we experienced rural tourism in a community that has come together to welcome tourists and offer them the delights of the region’s traditional cooking alongside a variety of dishes for all tastes.

The cuisine of the community combines the regional culture with rural traditions and the expertise of generations past. The mix of customs and age-old traditions give Nicoyan cooking an identity all its own.

Diners and tourists searching for new flavors will have the chance to savor delectable dishes prepared over a wood fire or in a clay oven: rice and yellow corn, chicken with annatto, corn biscuits, freshly made tortillas and atol pujagua, a drink made with purple corn. The cooks even showed us how they prepare the clay oven they use to prepare the food. Enjoy this Holy Week surrounded by natural beauty, culture and delicious cuisine! For more information, call 8984-9694. 

Learn more about Santa Cruz, Nicoya and Tamarindo in this guide with surprising places to see, learn and enjoy as you travel within your bubble. Find out about tours, hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, information and a list of tourist guides at the following link: https://www.vamosaturistear.com/guiasturisticasculturales/

• The objective is to extend the weekend schedule in order to promote the reactivation of the local economy, which has been affected by the pandemic.

• The park will close on Tuesdays for maintenance work by the authorities of the Protected Wildlife Area.

• Tourists will be able to purchase tickets online through the SINAC Purchase and Reservation System beginning March 12.

• Authorities call for visitors to the National Park to behave responsibly and follow protocols.

San José. Beginning on April 1, Manuel Antonio National Park will be open on Mondays. The new schedule seeks to boost visits to the park and promote the reactivation of the local economy, which has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This announcement was made by the authorities of the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) and the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC), who invited local and international tourists to visit the country’s Protected Wildlife Areas. The measure comes following the passage of Law 9875, which transfers official holidays to the previous or following Monday in order to allow people to spend one more day in their destination.

“This is one more effort by the Government of the Republic that seeks to support economic reactivation in the coastal regions and promote responsible visits to the country’s National Parks and Protected Wildlife Areas,” explained the Minister of Environment and Energy, Andrea Meza Murillo.

The Minister of Tourism, Gustavo Segura, indicated that national parks are essential to tourism in the country. “Quepos is a top destination, and by opening Mondays, Manuel Antonio National Park – the country’s most visited – adds value by allowing visitors to extend their weekend stays, supporting the economic reactivation of the tourism sector.”

Maintenance work by employees of Manuel Antonio National Park will continue on Tuesdays, when the park will remain closed.

The Director of SINAC, Rafael Gutiérrez, also announced that the organization’s Purchase and Reservation System would allow tourists to book their tickets to the park as of March 12. “We have an ongoing commitment to society and the role of wildlife areas in supporting the local and national economy,” said Mr. Gutiérrez.

Luis Sánchez, Regional Director of the Central Pacific Conservation area, noted that the modified hours of operation of Manuel Antonio National Park are “justified from an environmental and social point of view; the park will be open on Mondays and closed Tuesdays beginning on April 1”.

Tickets to Manuel Antonio. When you purchase your ticket on www.sinac.go.cr or https://parques.coopealianza.fi.cr/, make sure that you have stored the ticket’s QR code on your phone, as this is required for you to enter the Protected Wildlife Area.

In addition, you will be able to purchase your tickets on the Purchase and Reservations System from SINAC at the following address: http://www.sinac.go.cr/ES/resvlinea/Paginas/default.aspx. Tickets are available for visits to Manuel Antonio National Park on or after April 8.

For visits prior to April 8, tickets can be purchased on the website of Coopealianza R.L.

When visiting the park, please follow all instructions from the National Park authorities. If you have any questions, please ask the park rangers. Remember to follow health protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 for a safe stay.

 

 

Bahía Ballena in Uvita might conjure up images of dolphins and whales (since ballena is the Spanish word for whale). Even so, the area offers a wealth of fauna to discover outside the whalewatching season.

What better way to enjoy the region’s unique attractions than with a certified tour guide who can show you the surroundings and explain what you’re seeing and the wonders that can be discovered? Their knowledge, professionalism and charisma give them everything they need to make your experience unforgettable.

Fernando Guerrero, a tour guide with 15 years of experience in the Osa Peninsula and over 10 years as a park ranger, explains that birdwatching is a significant tourist activity in this area. Guerrero notes that the region’s most iconic species is the fiery-billed aracari, known locally as the cusinga, though trogons, tanagers and many other species also call the area home. According to Guerrero, some 30-35 species can be seen in a 60-90 minute period when observing carefully and quietly.

The ICT recommends that you find a certified, knowledgeable tour guide to enjoy the wonderful variety of birds at any time of year and discover the natural marvels that our country has to offer. A tour operator with a Tourism Declaration will be able to provide high-quality service.

“Costa Rica, without a doubt, holds secret wonders around every corner,” notes Alberto López, General Manager of the ICT. “Although any trip through the country offers unforgettable experiences, a tour guide’s presence, experience, knowledge and keen senses provide their clients with positive memories and an up-close view of the species present in a given area.”

If you are interested in hiring a certified local guide, contact the Association of Guides of Bahía Ballena at 8827 8705.

When traveling, please follow the protocols and instructions of the Ministry of Health and stay within your bubble. Read more: https://www.facebook.com/PN.MarinoBallena