UNIVERSITIES

It is known as for the bright and also for not-so bright minds that if you are visiting a town where you can find universities, they are definitely worth checking out because. Here are some reasons:

It is a great idea and a great way to learn about local culture to see local students attend school and basically to see how their lives are.

In these places you will always find a lot of advertisement for upcoming events, concerts and fun stuffs. This means you will find out about many interesting events.

If you have a child, they get to run free without worrying about a car running them over! This is because Universities usually have big open areas.

Another great reason is the Cafeteria food! Who can say no to some good cafeteria food? And it is cheap as well!

Each and every educational facility houses beautiful gardens and interesting buildings. These are usually open to general public and can be a wealth of information. It doesn’t matter which language you speak in, the places are written in bold letters.

I guarantee you to have a stimulating day, full of activities and local culture. It doesn’t matter which language you speak in, the places are written in bold letters.

Marina K. Villatoro, the Travel Experta, lives in Central America – Costa Rica and Guatemala for the past decade. She’s traveled these parts extensively and now loves to organize vacations to these amazing parts of the world. Having first hand experience of all the places with her family, she can recommend the best options for you. Contact her for advice and to plan your perfect trip!

There are three popular volcanoes in Costa Rica that are visited most by tourists. Poas and Irazu are both active and have roads leading up to the lookout spots that allow a front row view into the mouth of these active craters. Irazu stands an incredibly 3432 meters high and is known as the highest volcano in Costa Rica.

Arenal on the other hand is spectacular. To know that you are standing so close to one of the most active volcanoes in the world is an incredible feeling. Arenal sat dormant from AD 1500 until it’s massive eruption in July of 1968, and has continued to produce ash columns, explosions and glowing red lava flows almost daily.

Have you ever thought about hiking through some of the densest forest in Central America? Corcovado National Park is known as the wildest rainforest in Costa Rica. Home to over 500 species of trees it’s sure to keep your attention and they also have camping facilities for those who can’t pull themselves away.

A great birding spot is Cano Negro, one of the least known locations. Not only is it home to some of the most amazing birds, it has been reported to be home to rare large mammals as well. Jaguars, Tapirs and Pumas have been reportedly seen and this can be attributed to the remoteness and lack of population in the area.

Tortuguero is known as the most important breeding location for the Green sea turtle. There are eight species of marine turtles reported world wide and six of those nest in Costa Rica. Of the six in Costa Rica, four make their nests in Tortuguero, which says a lot about this special place.

The national park in Tortuguero is struggling as of late with locals wanting to put a road right through the park. Tortuguero National Park is home to most of the wildlife you find in Costa Rica such as monkeys, birds, sloths and reptiles. You will find about half of the reptiles and bird population in Tortuguero, which could be at risk if the road gets through.

Before we run out of time, its important to mention all the incredible water activities Costa Rica is also famous for. Surfing, fishing, white water rafting are a few that come to mind. Manuel Antonio boasts itself as the most beautiful beach or world class Tarpon catch and release fishing in Barra del Colorado. Then there’s always the #3 ranked in the world, windsurfing at Lake Arenal and so much more.

But most of all, it’s the natural beauty that brings people to Costa Rica. The lush vegetative rich rain forest of Monteverde is the most visited spot for canopy tours in Costa Rica. Standing high above the forest floor on a suspension bridge or flying even higher through the sky attached to a cable, zipping from tree to tree, it all awaits you in beautiful Monteverde Costa Rica.

Visiting Costa Rica? Leslie J. Riannen Asks that you visit in style while staying Eco Friendly by choosing the only Green Costa Rica Car Rental Company. Mapache offers Car Rental in Liberia for its complete fleet of low emission cars. Visit their website to reserve safely and securely before your next trip.

Although you may not even have known it exists the leatherback sea turtle probably is the most amazing animal on the planet. It is one of only six remaining species of marine turtle, and uncounted eons in the past its forebears walked the earth on four legs. About a hundred ten million years ago, its legs and feet evolved into massive flippers and it began to populate the Seven Seas, or, more accurately, the sea, because the Seven Seas did not exist that long ago.

Mother Earth was a very different place way back then. The Himalayas of Tibet did not exist that long ago. Indeed, there would be no Himalayas for sixty five million more years. Antarctica was joined to Australia when the first leatherbacks took to the sea and would not uncouple from it for about thirty million more generations of these sea animals. South America remained near West Antarctica. Another eighty million years would pass before Antarctica would turn into the frigid continent we see. The South Atlantic Ocean was still forming. Indeed, not only were there no Seven Seas way back then, there were not seven continents, either.

They lived during the Age of Dinosaurs. Actually, they were here millions of years before the first dinosaur left its footprint. They were swimming the oceans 400,000 centuries before the awesome T Rex made its debut. Yes, you read it correctly, 400,000 centuries. This incredible species of animal outlived the dinosaurs and even survived the greatest mass extinction the world has ever experienced.

Perhaps you learned in science class that whales and dolphins were animals that used to be terrestrial but now are found in the ocean. But, porpoises and whales are mammals (whose closest relative is the hippopotamus) that did not exist until millions of years after the last dinosaur passed away. Sea turtles had already been swimming in the sea for fifty million years before these mighty mammalian leviathans first left land for the water.

Leatherbacks are big turtles weighing as much as a ton. This is not exaggerated because one, captured in Wales tipped the scales at 1,980 pounds. And, despite its size, this great creature survived the extraordinary and terrible mass extinction that brought about the destruction of the dinosaurs. For that reason alone it might be considered the most amazing animal on the globe. But, there is more.

Consider this: the world marveled, and properly so, at Michael Phelps’s 200 meter freestyle world swimming record. But, as fast as he covered that length, a huge leatherback, weighing about as much as the entire offensive line of a professional football team, would swim a thousand meters. In fact, this sea turtle is listed in the 1992 Guinness Book of World Records as the fastest reptile on earth!

This marine speed demon is also a marathoner of epic proportions and may migrate farther than any other creature alive today. One of these turtles was tracked by scientists migrating 13,000 miles.

Are you getting convinced this is the most amazing animal yet? Hold on, there is more. Besides being the world’s fastest reptile and maybe the world’s greatest long-distance marathon swimmer, it regularly does something Man has never accomplished. It can dive nearly 4,000 feet deep in the ocean. At that depth pressure approaches two thousand pounds per square inch. How much pressure is that? Well, it has been estimated that today’s best nuclear attack submarines would crush at about 2,400 feet. Even the world’s best technology and strongest metal and composite materials are no match for the diving ability of a one hundred million year old race of creatures we imagine primitive.

There is also another amazing fact. Except where Man has killed them off, leatherbacks swim all tropical and subtropical waters on earth. But, it is jaw-dropping that they have been seen as far north as the Arctic Circle and as far south as Africa’s Cape of Good Hope and even New Zealand where waters are as cold as 40 degrees fahrenheit. Yet, even though they are like all reptiles, cold blooded, they stay warm and comfortable because they can maintain a body temperature as much as 32 degrees higher than the surrounding water.

Disastrously, in literally the last three decades, this magnificent animal has been decimated in numbers and is in danger of extinction. In 1980, Mexico boasted two-thirds leatherbacks on earth. By 2005, its leatherback population had plummeted 99%, a catastrophe by any measure. In far off Malaysia, on beaches that once had 10,000 leatherback nests a year, there were two nestings in 2008. Never underestimate the power of Man’s stupidity, rapaciousness, and destructiveness. The Angels are surely weeping.

Today, more than 100 countries and hundreds of conservation groups are fighting to stem the decline of this magnificent being but it remains to be seen if this most ancient of all creatures can survive your generation and mine.

If you are considering a Costa Rica vacation, be sure to visit one of its world-famous sea turtle parks or reserves. Tortuguero National Parkis on its Caribbean coast and is home to the largest green sea turtle nesting on earth. Travel Costa Rica west to the Pacific and you’ll see the largest nesting invasion of olive ridley sea turtles on earth. Leatherbacks nest at many Costa Rica beaches.

Volunteering is something people have been doing for ages. With the economy falling more and more, those people are in greater need. With many places all over the country in need of volunteers, Costa Rica has become one of the rising countries on the list.

You can help in this part of the world by lending you assistance with preservation of the rich and exotic wonders trying to survive against ecological threats from today’s environment. Costa Rica has such a varying landscape of natural wonders like exotic flora and local fauna, it is in need of our help to preserve these great wonders.

There are also social problems such as poverty and lack of education. One of the most important would be the problem of malnutrition. By giving the Costa Ricans the tools they need to be self sufficient by growing and producing their own food products, we can help combat this growing crisis.

Volunteering here will give you an amazing opportunity to discover many of the different areas of Costa Rica. IN addition to being the helping hand that some only hope for. You can be the one changing the lives of so many in such a small way.

Safety is another reason to consider volunteering in Costa Rica. With the most important fact being that they do not have an army, they are also one of the safest countries in Latin America. Being a country lucky enough to have managed to continue to run without a dictatorship is truly remarkable.

I have learned through many years of volunteering here in this country, Costa Rican’s are typically to proud to ask for help. As a volunteer, you would be providing much needed assistance to those who are really in desperate need of help. The Costa Rican’s are great caregivers and strive to do the best they can, especially where their children are concerned.

Many of the volunteers who come to Costa Rica are coming to do service and also to take the opportunity to learn the language. There are many language schools for you to choose from if you would like to come early or extend your stay.

While you are on your mission of volunteering, Costa Rica is a land filled with beautiful landscapes, people and there is a need. Make Costa Rica the top of your list for places to check in to for your next trip abroad.

Just remember these simple facts before heading off to your next amazing experience. Costa Rica is safe and there are many agencies available for you to research. And most importantly, bring your kids. What better gift can you give them than the gift of giving back?

If you were asked to pick the place with the highest satisfaction of life and happiness, where would you choose? Hint: Disneyworld which brags it is the “happiest place on earth” did not make the finals (or the list for that matter). It is officially tiny Costa Rica, winner of the Happy Planet Index as the most satisfying place to live on the planet.

The Index measures three factors in 143 countries, encompassing 99 percent of the population on the planet: high life expectancy, high life satisfaction, and a low ecological footprint. Costa Rica came out on top by a large margin.

The Happy Planet Index asked three questions: 1. What is a person’s life expectancy ( premise: it is better to live longer than die young)? 2. While alive, how satisfied are people with the quality of their life (premise: living longer but miserably is not very satisfying)? 3. How much does a country cost the planet (premise: sustainable development is better than exhausting resources and has less effect on global warming) ?

Like me, you probably assume that the richest nations will come in towards the top but that is not the case. Despite its wealth and power, the United States sits at number 114. England does better but still only ranks 74th.

The difference between Costa Rica and the USA is striking. Costa Ricans live longer than Americans (health care is nationalized, nearly free, and universal in Costa Rica), report much higher levels of life satisfaction (they are very happy with their life), and yet have a carbon footprint which is less than a quarter the size of the States.

Costa Rica reached the top of the rankings for many reasons. The country does not just talk about sustainable development, it is committed to it. While the developed world and rising powers of China and India rely upon nonrenewable resources (think oil) for power while contributing to serious global pollution and global warming, an incredible 99% of Costa Rica’s energy is completely renewable and sustainable. As the States and other developed countries dither about how to address power needs, chase more and more resources to use up, and argue about the challenges of global warming, tiny Costa Rica has been taking action. Even as more and more of the world is being deforested, there are 20% more forested areas in Costa Rica than just 20 years ago. And, though there may be large oil deposits off its shores, the country has ignored its Siren Song and refuses to allow oil drilling. Also, it is the first, and so far the only, country to commit to being completely carbon neutral by 2021.

Costa Rica’s per capita income is only a fraction of that of the United States and other western countries but its ranking at number 1 in all the world is a model to emulate.

Situated off the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica along the shores of the Osa Peninsula, almost on the Panama border, you will find the Parque Nacional Corcovado (Corcovado National Park). This is a unique protected habitat and is the largest surviving forest on the Pacific Coast from Mexico to South America. There are eight different habitats to be found in the 42,000 hectares (100,000 acres) which form a tiny national park that remains for the most part unspoiled. Though teeny, it is one-of-a-kind. Literally.

When Christopher Columbus explored the Americas in 1502 he traveled the Caribbean from Mexico south to a land he called ‘Costa Rica’, the ‘rich coast’. The name stuck. Fabulous tropical forests covered the land from the Atlantic to the Pacific and there were so many sea turtles that sometimes mariners, lost in the fog, found land by listening to the sounds of tens of thousands of animals paddling towards nesting beaches. Unfortunately, the passage of 500 years has not been kind to either the forests or animals and today most of the primary forests from Mexico to South America have been cut down or burned. Fortunately, Costa Rica had the good sense to preserve Corcovado.

Columbus never saw Corcovado. The first Western explorer to see it was Sir Frances Drake (remember him? The sea captain who destroyed the Spanish Armada in 1588 and saved England from Spain) who landed just north of the Osa Peninsula in a beautiful place now named after him: Drake Bay. The bay serves as the gateway to Corcovado.

Corcovado is very tiny (not small, tiny), less than 160 square miles in size. That is about 20 miles long and 8 miles deep. Tiny. Even so, it is incredible. Described as ‘the most biologically intense place’ on earth by National Georgraphic, it is largely unspoiled and the single largest surviving rain forest situated on the Pacific Coast from Mexico to South America. The mangroves and other biodiverse areas of Corcovado protect an incredible array of plants and animals. There are 139 species of mammals, including the mighty jaguar, puma, ocelot, and three other kinds of wild cats. You will also find 400 different species of birds (the entire continent of Europe has 1000 species and the continental U.S. has 900) living in an area less than half the size of New York City! The largest remaining Central America population of scarlet macasws live here, along with 116 kinds of amphibians and reptiles. ‘Intense” is exactly right: 10% of all the different kinds of mammals in the whole of the Americas are found here—in a park less than 1/20th the size of Yellowstone National Park.

If you like frogs (and who does not?) then visiting this national park will be a rare treat. There are species of poison-arrow, glass, and re-eyed tree frogs which make this park their home. It is one of just a couple of places in Costa Rica to find squirrel monkeys, and visitors are able to watch fishing bats fish the rivers of the reserve at night. At one time you could also find the harpy eagle in Corcovado, however, it has not been see for a number of years and is believed to be extinct in the area.

The seemingly deserted beaches of the park provide a nesting ground for four species of sea turtle and because of the large tapir population jaguars and crocodiles also inhabit this area. They prefer to hunt around the edges of the Corcovado Lagoon and are often sighted. The footprints of this large carnivorous cat are often found in the mud trails which surround the lagoon.

Corcovado is one of the best tropical rainforests on earth. You will see why it is called the Amazon of Costa Rica because it is as impressive as any rain forest in Brazil, Indonesia, or Malaysia. Torrential rains fall in the area from April to December so the best time to visit is in the dry months from January to April.

On Costa Rica’s northern Pacific coast is Papagayo Peninsula. This coastal paradise has enchanting beaches and virgin rain forests, along with all the amenities and luxuries of a high-end beach resort hotel environment. Papagayo Peninsula is a beautiful location unlike any other you will find anywhere in Central America.

Guests are treated to the rich and vibrant tropical scenery that is truly spectacular. The inviting fragrances lure guests to explore the lush landscape, filled with brilliant tropical flowers. This backdrop is just the beginning of the incredible sights and wonders that are waiting to be experienced.

At Papagayo Peninsula, you will discover a slice of paradise that you may never have dreamed possible. 15 miles of unspoiled coastline and over 30 separate beaches that invite guests to leisurely explore and enjoy. Perfect water temperatures, crystal clear surf , and an immense blue sky create a pretty tantalizing temptation to immerse yourself and play in the sea.

Costa Rica is a place where you can indulge your desires as you relax in unabashed luxury both inside and outside your beach resort hotel. There are rainforest wonders to be discovered, zip line tours to thrill you and hundreds of secrets that await you. The Peninsula Papagayo is still a place of unimaginable enchantment and the vibrant colors and the warm, rich earthiness of the forests will fire the passion and dreams of your mind and spirit.

The Papagayo Peninsula is one of the most breathtaking settings in the world. It has everything you could hope for when you want to cover all the bases, from an abundance of natural beauty to elegant, and luxurious environments in any one of the high-end beach hotels. Marinas nearby host a fleet of boats that are available for sightseeing, charters and personal moonlight jaunts. Choosing Papagayo as your vacation destination is choosing to enter a world of unhurried, gracious elegance and total relaxation.