Travel Blog Costa Rica

The village of Orosi is located in one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful valleys. Approximately 40 kilometres from San Jose and 8 kilometres from Cartago it is quiet area where around 11,000 people live in this part of the Province of Cartago. Orosi is named after and indigenous chief whose Huetar tribe inhabited the area of Orosi before the arrival of the Spanish colonists. At a height of 1,00 metres above sea level the region has wonderful climate. The artificial lake Cachi is close by, where water sports like windsurfing and sport fishing are favourite. The Orosi region is also known for its thermal baths, originating from the volcanic activity of the mighty Irazu Volcano. The church of Orosi is declared a National Monument and is one of the biggest in the country. The church was founded by Franciscan monks, who came down the Talamanca mountains in 1562 after unsuccessfully trying to pacify the Indian tribes there. In Orosi their efforts were more successful, since they introduced the at that time progressive so called ‘new laws’ of the Spanish Crown, which prohibited the colonists to use the indigenous population as slaves and miners. The Franciscans lived and worked peacefully with the indigenous tribes for centuries, aided by its isolated location, since the Orosi region was covered with dense virgin rainforest. In 1734 the church of San Jose Orosi was built which has a beautiful must-see wooden altar. Today part of the old Franciscan convent of Orosi is the modest museum of religious artefacts which has a small but fine collection of magnificent silver objects, a collection of old books from the monk’s library, statues and some beautiful paintings. The church of Orosi has a well documented history of the missionary efforts during the centuries and for the ones interested in religious history there is a lot to discover. Orosi itself is a very quiet town. Accommodations can be found spread around in the valley and there are some very nice lodges. The near by Reventazon River has thrilling white water rafting tours for the more adventurous visitors.

No more than 40 kilometres away from Costa Rica’s Capital San Jose, 4 kilometres past the city of Cartago on the road to Paraiso and Turialba, the Lankester Botanical Gardens are located. Officially founded in 1973, but the history of the botanical garden goes back to the 40’s of the twentieth century, when the British amateur botanist Charles H. Lankester started to study and collect epiphytic plants, working together with renowned scientists at that time. His private farm turned into a botanical garden with a incredible scientific value and paradise for botanic enthusiasts. After his death the gardens were placed in the care of the University of Costa Rica with the help of the American Orchid Society and the Stanley Smith Horticultural trust. Today the Lankester Botanical Gardens offer a unique opportunity to admire the many treasures of the rainforest such as orchids, bromeliads, heliconias, palms, and bamboos. The Lankester Botanical Garden is famous for its wide collection of orchids, since 15,000 of the 28,000 species worldwide can be seen in its gardens. Bromeliads take advantage of the ideal climate in the Central Valley around Cartago and all of the 200 native species are on display. The collection of more then 100 species of endemic heliconias comes with a spectacle of humming birds pollinating the plants and other birds eating the fruits, turning the botanical garden into a paradise for bird watchers. Bamboo is not a native plant to Central America and was introduced from Asia where it had been in use for centuries as a robust construction material. The plant flourishes now in Costa Rica’s tropical climate and the Lankester Botanical hosts the biggest bamboo collection of the country. Palm trees are an icon for the tropics. The trees provide a number essential products, such as palm oil, fruits (like ‘pejibaye’), shoots (the delicious palm hearts), construction materials (wood for construction and leaves for roofing). The Lancaster Botanical Garden has a collection of tall palms and their specific undergrowth and some decorative species as well. When the botanical garden was founded 35 year ago the six hectare area was mainly a pasture with abandoned crops. The introduced plants and native plants have adapted well to the pre-moutain climate and formed a unique new secondary forest eco-system with a rich animal life. Scientifically the Lankester Botanical Garden plays an important role in stimulating botanical research and documentation and publishes its own scientific journal ‘Lankesteriana’, distributed to hundreds scientific institutions worldwide.

Parismina is not exactly a middle of the road destination in Costa Rica. Located on the Caribbean Coast of the Province of Limon, south of Tortuguero, Parismina is a small village where green and leatherback sea turtles come ashore to lay there eggs. From the four kinds, the green sea turtle is the most common in Parismina. You can reach the town of Parismina by bus from San Jose in the Central Valley. From the Gran Terminal Caribe downtown you have to take a bus to Siquirres, where you either can stay the night over, or transfer right away to Cano Blanco. Parismina is only reachable by boat, so you have to find a water taxi to bring you the last stretch from Cano Blanco. But also from other places you may be able to make arrangements to get there. Moin, close to the city of Limon and even from the southern towns of Cahuita and Puerto Viejo you can take a boat that brings you to Parismina. No flights available to Parismina, since they land in the more popular town of Tortuguero. It is said that the Rio Parismina Lodge uses chartered flights to fly in their guests from San Jose directly to Parismina. It’s a lodge specialized in snook and tarpon fishing arrangements. Parismina has everything that the backpacking tourist who is looking for a pure experience loves, no banks, stores or any other modern blessings. Parismina has some decent places to stay and for the one looking for more luxury the Parismina Lodge is a good option. On the other hand the possibilities for undisturbed bird watching, beautiful exploring tours on the canals that lead through the dense rainforest are plentiful. There are fishing trips to the beach and on the open sea or the Parismina River. Decent hotels and cabinas in Parismina provide you with comfortable lodging and there are some good places to eat and drink. You also have the option for home stays with a private room and all your meals included. It’s a good way to really know the local community and support it. Living from what the sea provides the fishing town of Parismina has gotten involved in the protection programs for the sea turtles who nest on the communities beaches. The village of Parismina used to live off the meat and eggs the sea turtles provided, but have made the turn-around to conservation. Local guides can take you on night tours to observe the sea turtles, still threatened by poachers mostly from outside the community.