central america - Blogs - Tripatini2024-03-28T20:18:14Zhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/central+americaDiscovering Guatemala's Second City, Quetzaltenango (aka Xela)https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/quetzaltenango-xela-guatemala2024-02-22T09:01:48.000Z2024-02-22T09:01:48.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><h6><em><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/harrydiaz/15611480090" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5614/15611480090_388d5a8a34_b.jpg?profile=RESIZE_1200x" alt="15611480090_388d5a8a34_b.jpg?profile=RESIZE_1200x" width="1024" /></a></em><em><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/harrydiaz/15611480090" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Harry D.</span></a></em></h6><p> You've of course heard of <a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/2014/05/tikal-greatest-of-ancient-mayan-cities/" target="_blank"><strong>Tikal</strong></a>, <a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/2014/01/antigua-guatemala/" target="_blank"><strong>Antigua</strong></a>, and <a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/2015/11/guatemala-city-attractions/" target="_blank"><strong>Guatemala City</strong></a>. But 2,330 metres (7,644 feet) up in the western highlands just two or so hours from the capital, this country’s second largest city (pop. around 225,000) is a dynamic, untouristy trove that not only has a lot to offer on its own terms but is also a great jumping off point for other attractions, including <a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/2016/02/guatemala-lake-atitlan/" target="_blank"><strong>Lake Atitlán</strong></a> and several of <strong>Guatemala</strong>'s <a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/2014/11/ecotourism-in-guatemala/" target="_blank">awesome ecotourism wonders</a>. </p><h6><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/12/L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Quetzaltenango-central-square-640x480.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/12/L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Quetzaltenango-central-square-640x480.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Quetzaltenango-central-square-640x480.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><em><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/guatemala-quetzaltenango-streets-in-historic-city-center-gm1060535630-283488513" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Elijah-Lovkoff</span></a></em></h6><p> Originally the pre-Columbian Mayan city of <strong>Xelajú</strong> (and still called that, or simply <strong>Xela</strong>, by many - especially the local <strong>K'iche' Mayans</strong>, though it was officially rechristened <strong> Quetzaltenango</strong> by the Spaniards thanks to the central-Mexican Nahuatl guides of its <em>conquistadores</em> in 1524) this is a cosmpolitan place whose historic centre is characterised by vibrant street life and mostly neoclassical architecture. The district's main hub is the oblong, 19th-century <strong>Parque Centro América</strong>, with its signature central rotunda and ringed by historic buildings including the 16th-century <strong>Espíritu Santo Cathedral, </strong>destroyed in an earthquake but its façade remaining (below; its neoclassical replacement, built in the 1990s, stands behind it); the 1812 city hall; the Italianate <strong>Pasaje Enríquez</strong>, home to several shops and restaurants; and the column-flanked <strong>Museum of Art and Natural History</strong>. </p><h6><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/12/L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Cathedral-Esp%C3%ADritu-Santo-fa%C3%A7ade-iStock-501819386-640x425.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/12/L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Cathedral-Esp%C3%ADritu-Santo-fa%C3%A7ade-iStock-501819386-640x425.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Cathedral-Esp%C3%ADritu-Santo-fa%C3%A7ade-iStock-501819386-640x425.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><em><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/white-big-church-beside-in-front-of-mountains-under-blue-gm501819386-81530245" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">attiarndt</span></a></em></h6><p>Other interesting museums include the <strong>Centro Intercultural</strong>, once the city train station, now home to a trio of options. One of them, appropriately, is the <strong>Museo del Ferrocarril de los Altos</strong>, devoted to the railway that linked Xela to the Pacific coast in the 1930s, while the <strong>Museo Ixkik'</strong> shows off Mayan weaving and traditional outfits and the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Escuela-y-Museo-de-Arte-de-Quetzaltenango-Guatemala-512151895602515/" target="_blank"><strong>Museo de Arte</strong></a> displays hundreds of works by Guatemala's leading modernist painters. Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Casa-NOJ/533507450065614" target="_blank"><strong>Casa No'j</strong></a>, in a handsome old townhouse, this year marks a decade of promoting Xela's art and culture. </p><h6><em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Templo_a_Minerva.JPG" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/Templo_a_Minerva.JPG/800px-Templo_a_Minerva.JPG?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="800px-Templo_a_Minerva.JPG?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a></em><em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Templo_a_Minerva.JPG" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Guiller Cupil</span></a></em></h6><p> Another curious landmark, now part of the city zoo, is a neoclassical pavillion called the <strong>Templo de Minerva</strong> (above) one of several built in Guatemala at the beginning of the 20th century to honour learning (Minerva being the classical Roman goddess of wisdom). And to get a great view over the city, surrounding plains, and volcanoes that surround them, head to the wooded hill <strong>Cerro Baúl</strong>, marked by an obelisk to the great Mayan warrior <strong>Tecún Umán</strong>. </p><h6><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/12/L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Quetzaltenango-Santiaguito-Volcano-iStock-1058105182-640x427.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/12/L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Quetzaltenango-Santiaguito-Volcano-iStock-1058105182-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Quetzaltenango-Santiaguito-Volcano-iStock-1058105182-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><em><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/santiaguito-volcano-eruption-gm1058105182-282783848" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">shayes17</span></a></em></h6><p>Speaking of volcanoes, there are eight near Xela, most of them visitable with various local tour operators. <strong>Santa María</strong> (40 minutes away) is one of the most popular, and nearby <strong>Santiaguito</strong> (above) one of the most active - still belching smoke and lava every day - while <strong>Atitlán</strong> and <strong>San Pedro</strong> are on the shores of Lake Atitlán, a three-hour drive. <strong>Chicabal</strong>, an hour away, has a lagoon in its caldera, while at the foot of <strong>Zunil</strong> (40 minutes) you can laze in the <strong>Fuentes Georginas</strong> geothermal pools (below),, whist <strong>Tajumulco</strong> (two hours 20 minutes) is <strong>Central America</strong>'s highest, at 4,220 metres (13,850 feet) - a truly spectacular climb, with several small villages at its foot. </p><h6><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/12/L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Quetzaltenango-Fuentes-Georginas-iStock-619502034-640x480.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2018/12/L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Quetzaltenango-Fuentes-Georginas-iStock-619502034-640x480.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="L2F-Dec-18-pic-Guatemala-Quetzaltenango-Fuentes-Georginas-iStock-619502034-640x480.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><em><a class="photographer" href="https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/man-relaxing-at-fuentes-georginas-hot-springs-in-quetzaltenango-guatemala-gm619502034-108033429" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Avi_Cohen_Nehemia</span></a></em></h6><p>All throughout, you'll be charmed by Xela's very local and untouristy vibe - although there's also a fair contingent of gringos in town, both expats and folks attending the myriad Spanish-language schools here. Another side of Guatemala well worth exploring!More info: <a href="https://visitguatemala.com/?lang=en" target="_blank">VisitGuatemala.com</a>. <br /> </p><p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BIyQkIJWFRw?si=37N0E92ULAKGOqQZ" width="750" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p><p> </p><p> </p></div>Panama: the Canal & the Capitalhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/panama-city-canal2023-11-24T15:30:07.000Z2023-11-24T15:30:07.000ZKeith Kelletthttps://tripatini.com/members/KeithKellett<div><p> </p>
<p><br /><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12300418674,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12300418674,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12300418674?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>We were up at silly o'clock for this trip ... but we caught the Bridge of the Americas at sunrise, and that's quite a sight.</p>
<p>It is written, somewhere, that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. That might be true for dates, job interviews and the like, but it doesn’t necessarily apply to places. We’ve visited a number of cities we weren’t too impressed with at first sight, but grew to like.</p>
<p>Panama City struck us as a warren of high rise: the guide said they weren't quite skyscrapers. He pointed out an ugly brown confection that was an attempt to ape Dubai's Burj al Arab ... by Donald Trump.</p>
<p>Our hotel was fairly comfortable and the food good. We needed to get an early night, for the cruise on the canal started really early. And, hopefully, that will give me a better impression of the place.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12300419455,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12300419455,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12300419455?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The <em>'Pacific Queen'</em> is a good sized ship carrying many passengers along the length of the canal. We didn't do the whole thing, but probably the best bit, though the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel locks and through the Gaillard Cut, to reach the highest point of the canal, where we disembarked and boarded a coach back to Panama City.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em> (Fun fact: The lowest ever toll paid to transit the canal was paid by American adventurer Richard Halliburton, who paid 36c to swim the length of the canal in 1928)</em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12300421872,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12300421872,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12300421872?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></em></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"> </p>
<p>What we saw was truly a marvel of engineering. We compared the locks with the Five Rise Locks at Shipley and the Caen Flight at Devizes ...and there was just no comparison. If you talk about canals to a British person, and they’ll probably imagine a scene of laid-back leisure, where nobody’s in a hurry. This is by no means the case on the Panama Canal. It’s all mainly business. Cargo ships, the occasional cruise ship, attended by the tugs flitting attentively about … and the locos, called ‘mules’ which haul the ships through the locks.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12300422281,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12300422281,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12300422281?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><em>(Another fun fact: The Caribbean end is WEST of the Pacific end! And, I’ll bet you just got out a map or an atlas to check!)</em></p>
<p>There are really three Panamas; the nasty concrete canyons we saw on the way in, and didn't like very much. We had to be driven through this, though, to get to <em>‘Viejo Panama'</em> ...the original city founded by pioneering Spanish settlers</p>
<p>Unfortunately, being on the west coast of Central America, they thought themselves safe from attack. So, they didn't think to build defensive walls, and were vulnerable to attack by pirates, culminating in the burning down of the city by Henry Morgan, which persuaded the surviving citizens to build elsewhere.</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12300423678,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12300423678,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12300423678?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p>So, all that remains are ruins. But, a land train conveys visitors to a museum on the site, which, with models, artefacts and paintings explains about the site very well.</p>
<p>After we’d seen what’s left of Old Panama, a drive to a viewpoint on the Causeway provided an opportunity to photograph the 'new' Panama which, from this distance, looked rather impressive. After all, a lot of business goes on here. I once heard it said (but haven’t been able to confirm) that, if every ship registered in Panama were to converge on the country, not even the entire length of the Canal would be able to accommodate them. And, that’s just one business!</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12300424291,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12300424291,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12300424291?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p></div>7 Ecotourism Stars of Hondurashttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/honduras-ecotourism-adventure-travel2023-10-21T09:35:47.000Z2023-10-21T09:35:47.000ZJorge Carlos Tejada Sobrinohttps://tripatini.com/members/JorgeCarlosTejadaSobrino<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12263184074,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12263184074,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12263184074?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Amanecer_en_el_Cerro_Las_Minas,_el_punto_mas_alto_de_Honduras.JPG" target="_blank">HermésLeonelVega</a></span><br /> <br /> <br /> Though <strong>Costa Rica</strong> is <strong>Central America</strong>´s (and perhaps all of Latin America´s) premier star when it comes to ecotourism, there´s also an undersung but incredibly rich trove of eco treasures to be explored next door in Honduras, with lush rainforests and stunning coastlines, among other things. On the marine side – exploring the richness of the world´s second largest coral reef, the <strong>Mesoamerican Barrier Reef</strong> – the islands of <strong><a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/diving-into-roatan-honduras?edited=1">Roatán</a></strong> and <strong>Utila</strong> are better known. But here are a few more that nature lovers should definitely keep in mind:</p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cN_CH6RjZnA?si=TMvvr2s2GyzPuFVJ" width="750" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><br /> Cayos Cochinos</strong></span><br /> <br /> The “Hog Cays” are a group of two small islands plus 23 even smaller islets –reachable by charter boat or catamaran group tour from Roatán – which form part of <strong>Cayos Cochinos Marine Reserve</strong>. They have barely more than a hundred people living here – a handful of fancy mansions of wealthy Hondurans plus a small village of <strong>Garífunas</strong> (Hondurans of Afro-Caribbean descent) – and they´re absolutely fantastic for snorkeling and scuba diving.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nBBp1k-ZxI8?si=ocKJv93giw7bv6pJ" width="750" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><br /> Celaque National Park</strong></span><br /> <br /> Way out west some three hours from <strong>San Pedro Sula</strong> (which I´ll henceforth call SPS), the city with the country´s largest airport, into which many visitors fly, this 141-square mile (366-sq.-kilometer) park of “cloud forest” (above and top, a type of cool, moist, and misty rainforest) is home to Honduras´ highest peak, <strong>Cerro Las Minas</strong> (9,416 feet/2,870 meters). Hiking to the summit is a challenging but rewarding experience (and one that taking two to three days), but you can also just go hiking, camping, and wildlife spotting amid its nine rivers, steep cliffs, and majestic waterfall. Species you´ll spot include monkeys, reptiles, exotic butterflies, and a huge diversity of birds (except you probably won´t catch a glimpse of the prized but elusive resplendent quetzal, nor of the park´s ocelots and pumas).</p>
<p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="https://wikitravel.org/en/File:Cusucopark.jpeg" target="_blank"><br /> </a><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12263186089,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12263186089,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12263186089?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://wikitravel.org/en/File:Cusucopark.jpeg" target="_blank">Juan Paz</a></em></span></p>
<p><a href="https://wikitravel.org/en/File:Cusucopark.jpeg"><br /> </a><strong><span style="font-size:14pt;">Cusuco National Park</span> </strong></p>
<p>Up 3,730 ft. (1,137m) in the northwestern <strong>Mentón Mountains</strong> just over an hour and a half northwest of San Pedro Sula, this very lightly visited, 90-sq.-mi. (234km²) spread is also mostly cloud forest, along with some deciduous, semi-arid pine, and rare “dwarf” forests. A number of guides and tour operators offer excursions out of SPS. Cosuco is famous for its incredible biodiversity, home to numerous armadillos as well as unique species like the Honduran emerald hummingbird, the endangered Cusuco salamander, and Baird´s tapir; there´s also a wealth of other opportunities for spotting more than 260 species of birds, including a higher-than-average chance of spotting the legendary resplendent quetzal. Hiking offers a chance to experience unspoiled natural beauty such as the <strong>Orion</strong>, <strong>Quetzal</strong>, and <strong>Toucan</strong> waterfalls. And check out those giant – and sometimes pretty colorful – mushrooms!</p>
<p><br /> <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6nVc4c5pBMs?si=zAJRlDJQy2r4hUca" width="750" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><br /> Lake Yojoa</strong></span></p>
<p>Located just over an hour south of SPS, the country´s largest lake (31 sq. mi./79 km²) is surrounded by picturesque villages and coffee farms (some open to visitors), and is especially known for its birdwatching. You can also take boat tours; go kayaking; and explore the lush surroundings including the nearby eco reserves <strong>Cerro Azul Meambar</strong> (aka <strong>Panacam</strong>), <strong>Montaña de Santa Barbara</strong>, and <strong>Los Naranjos</strong>, as well as and <strong>Pulhapanzak Waterfall</strong> and the <strong>Caves of Taulabé</strong>. Tourism infrastructure includes a visitor’s center with eco-lodge and a restaurant as well as a network of trails, along which you´ll find a platform that´s great for birdwatching.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fotograf%C3%ADa_Jard%C3%ADn_Bot%C3%A1nico_Lancetilla_tela_Atl%C3%A1ntida_derechos_reservados_Olman_Torres.jpg" target="_blank"><br /> </a><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12263193691,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12263193691,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12263193691?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fotograf%C3%ADa_Jard%C3%ADn_Bot%C3%A1nico_Lancetilla_tela_Atl%C3%A1ntida_derechos_reservados_Olman_Torres.jpg" target="_blank">OlmanTorres20</a></em></span></p>
<p><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fotograf%C3%ADa_Jard%C3%ADn_Bot%C3%A1nico_Lancetilla_tela_Atl%C3%A1ntida_derechos_reservados_Olman_Torres.jpg"><br /> </a><strong><span style="font-size:14pt;">Lancetilla Botanical Garden</span> </strong></p>
<p>Right near the resort are of <strong>Tela</strong> on the Caribbean coast (which lies an hour and a half from SPS), this spread established as an experimental plant station in 1925 is more akin to a small nature reserve; Honduras´ only botanical garden is one of the world´s largest at 6½ sq. mi. (17km²) and boasts an impressive 1,500 species of tropical plants and trees along with some 200 bird species. There are guided tours; a visitor center; a cafeteria, and cabins for overnighting. </p>
<p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12263194090,RESIZE_584x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12263194090,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12263194090?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Las-Marias-Moskitia-Honduras.jpg" target="_blank">Dpavon22</a></span></p>
<p><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Las-Marias-Moskitia-Honduras.jpg"><br /> </a><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>The Mosquito Coast (La Mosquitia)</strong></span><br /> <br /> This huge, remote region in the northeast – a three-hour flight from SPS if you don´t care to put yourself through a 20-hour drive – is named not after buzzing insects (though for sure there are plenty of those) but the local <strong>Miskito</strong> people. And it´s a biodiversity hotspot and home to the <strong>Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve</strong>, a 2,030-sq.-mi (5,250km²) <strong>UNESCO World Heritage Site</strong> which is one of Central America´s last untouched rainforests, serving up exciting jungle treks; river expeditions; kayaking on lagoons such as <strong>Brus</strong> and <strong>Iban</strong>; exploration of local cultures including Miskitos, Garífunas and several others; and of course another bonanza of birdwatching as well as spotting larger wildlife (for example, peccaries, giant anteaters, several species of monkey, and even the elusive puma).<br /> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12263195082,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12263195082,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12263195082?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pico-Bonito_(12122463094).jpg" target="_blank">Denis Fournier</a></em></span></p>
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pico_Bonito_National_Park#/media/File:Pico-Bonito_(12122463094).jpg"><br /> </a><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Pico Bonito National Park</strong></span><br /> <br /> Located in the <strong>Nombre de Dios Mountains</strong> a half hour from the town of <strong>La Ceiba</strong> (an eco-adventure-travel hub three hours from SPS), this 218-sq.-mi. (564km²) spread is the country´s best known national parks, a mix of cloud forest, pine forest, and dry tropical forest ranging from sea level up to 8,000 feet. It´s home to breathtaking waterfalls like <strong>El Bejuco</strong> and <strong>El Zacate</strong> as well as a diversity of wildlife including jaguars, ocelots, and a wide range of bird species. Visitors can hit the many hiking trails; go whitewater rafting on the <strong>Cangrejal River</strong>; take a cool zipline canopy tour; stay at the eco-conscious <strong><a href="https://www.hotelrio.info/">Hotel Río</a></strong>; and even visit a small chocolate factory.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For more information on the above as well as quite a few more ecotourism treasures, check out <strong><a href="https://honduras.travel/en/nature.php">Honduras.trave/nature</a></strong>.</p>
<p> </p></div>In Costa Rica, Finding Fortune in La Fortuna and Beyondhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/la-fortuna-costa-rica-ecotourism2023-10-18T14:53:12.000Z2023-10-18T14:53:12.000ZKeith Kelletthttps://tripatini.com/members/KeithKellett<div><p> </p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12259219891,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12259219891,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12259219891?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p>Reluctantly, we left Tortuguero, and, once more, cruised down the river to meet the coach that was to take us up into the hills to La Fortuna. On the way, at one place, we came across a level crossing sign. I thought Costa Rica had no railways? But here was a narrow gauge track, which didn't seem to have been used for some considerable time. Indeed, at one point, a bridge had disappeared completely, but the track remained. I found later that the railway had been used in former times to transport coffee to the port.</p>
<p>We stopped to stretch our legs at a fruit farm and market, where we could sample all kinds of fruit, both familiar and unfamiliar. It made me wonder if fruit, an important export from Costa Rica, is available in our shops and supermarkets … and, if not, why not?</p>
<p>Our accommodation is a cabin in an extensive complex, from which it is alleged there is a good view of Mount Arenal, but we never found it. We did have a view of the volcano on the way here, but not a very good one. Eric, the guide, said that, at this time of year, the mountain was usually obscured by cloud … and Mauricio, the driver, was hard put to find somewhere he could park the coach safely, but keep the number of intervening overhead cables to a minimum.</p>
<p>So, the attached picture isn’t very good … but it’s the only one I got this trip.</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12259220462,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12259220462,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12259220462?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p>At our hotel, they had an open-sided dining room with bird feeders outside, on which the staff would put fruit. The brightly coloured tropical birds are a refreshing change for the little brown birds we see in our garden at home. If you’re not into birding before you go to Costa Rica, the chances are you will be by the time you return. </p>
<p>I apologise if some of the pictures of the birds are slightly fuzzy. I was trying to eat my breakfast at the same time!</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12259220701,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12259220701,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12259220701?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p>Then it was on to the bus, for a longish ride to Los Chiles, where a boat awaited to take us on a cruise on another river, the Rio Frio. The wildlife we spotted was pretty well the same sort of stuff we saw at Tortuguero, with the addition of Colobus and Howler monkeys.</p>
<p>The latter were difficult to spot, and I fear photography wasn't very successful. But, we'd heard them all right; that morning … at 5am!! I did, however, get a better picture of an iguana, also a nice one of a cormorant.</p>
<p>Eric reached up from the boat, and plucked what looked like a seed pod from an overhanging branch. He stripped away the outer layer, much as you’d peel a banana, to reveal a beautiful red and white flower. It reminded me of one of those fibre-optic lamps you had back in the 70s … or maybe one of those floaty things in the film <em>Avatar.</em></p>
<p><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12259221689,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12259221689,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12259221689?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></em></p>
<p>I’m sure I wrote the name down somewhere, but when I got home, I couldn’t find it. But, not to worry; our tour group formed a WhatsApp group, and on it is someone who knows Eric, who quickly supplied the botanical name <em>Pachira Aquatica. </em></p>
<p>Further research revealed it’s known by many other names; the Malabar Chestnut, the French Peanut, the Guiana Chestnut, the Provision Tree and one or two others. But, there seems to be a much more common name. It’s supposed to have been coined when it became highly prized as a house plant, and much money was made … indeed, the first page of Google was devoted to people trying to sell me one … and fortunes were made.</p>
<p>So I was delighted to find that, contrary to the claims of our politicians … there IS a ‘Money Tree’!</p>
<p><em> </em>It chucked it down as we drove back to the hotel. Fortunately, the bus was waterproof! And, as we walked to the bar, we saw a huge iguana, just sitting beside the path. All that way to spend the morning peering into trees to find iguanas, and here was one in plain sight!</p>
<p> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12259222486,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12259222486,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12259222486?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
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<p> </p></div>12 Terrific Eco/Adventure Experiences in Costa Ricahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/costa-rica-ecotourism-nature-adventure2023-07-08T03:35:00.000Z2023-07-08T03:35:00.000ZNancy Ahujahttps://tripatini.com/members/NancyAhuja<div><p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12130786258,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12130786258,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12130786258?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewpaulson/32577363252" target="_blank">Matthew Paulsen</a></em></span></p>
<p> <br />
Beginning in the 1990s, this small Central American country essentially pioneered the ecotourism boom that has spread across the globe. Besides its vaunted Pacific and Caribbean beaches, packed into just 19,730 square miles - a good bit smaller than <strong>West Virginia</strong> and a bit over twice the size of <strong>Wales</strong> - <strong>Costa Rica</strong> boasts 29 national parks, 19 wildlife refuges, eight biological reserves, and an additional slew of protected areas. And here are a dozen of its most prized eco opportunities - some intimate, single attractions, and others more wide-ranging:</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.alturaswildlifesanctuary.org/" target="_blank">Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary</a></strong></span><br />
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Down on the lower Pacific coast near the town of <strong>Dominical</strong> (just over three hours southwest of capital <strong>San José</strong>), this non-profit is a highly successful refuge for more than 200 species of injured and orphaned wildlife including birds, monkeys, coatimundis, sloths. ocelots, tapirs, and more - a number of which are then released back into the wild when appropriate. On the entertaining and informative tour, the guides will explain how the operation works and even introduce you to some of the critters.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/in-costa-rica-arenal-adventure" target="_blank">Arenal/La Fortuna</a></strong></span></p>
<p>In the <strong>Central Valley</strong> some 2½ hours from San José, this is a great package of eco and adventure, centered on the town of La Fortuna and the nearby Arenal Volcano and lake. There's plenty of hiking and adventure activities, including whitewater rafting, mountain biking, ATV/dirt biking, horseback riding, and <strong>“canyoning”</strong> (which involves hiking, climbing, jumping, abseiling, and swimming). Top local attractions include the <strong>Catarata de la Fortuna</strong> (a 230-foot waterfall); the ten <strong>Venado Caves</strong>; a butterfly conservatory; <a href="https://costaricatravelblog.com/best-hanging-bridges-costa-rica/" target="_blank">hanging bridges</a> (above) which let you stroll through the rain forest canopy; several ziplines; and <strong>Arenal Bungee</strong> (off one of Central America’s highest bungee bridges, over the <strong>Colorado River</strong>). What's more, <strong>Lago Arenal</strong>, Costa Rica’s largest lake has excellent fishing, kayaking, and paddle boarding, but most especially windsurfing, kite surfing, and wakeboarding, and you can get get up close and personal with volcano tours (it's closely monitored, and hasn't erupted in many years). And don't forget a dip in the warm thermal waters, from placid pools to brisk waterfalls.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.blackstallionhills.com/en" target="_blank">Black Stallion Eco Park & Estates</a></strong></span><br />
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Horseback riding is at the core of this sprawling ranch outside the Pacific-coast resort town of <strong>Tamarindo</strong>, but you can also go ATV riding and ziplining on a nine-platform canopy tour. And at the end of it all you can indulge in a refreshing dip in the pool and dine on tasty barbecue.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.visitcostarica.com/en/costa-rica/where-to-go/protected-areas/tenorio-volcano-national-park" target="_blank">Celeste River/Tenorio Volcano National Park</a></strong></span> <br />
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Some two hours northwest of Arenal/La Fortuna, this eco-wonderland of rainforest and cloud forest covers 4,982 square miles), and one of its stars is the Celeste River, famous for its gorgeous blue color, a result of minerals including calcium carbonate and sulfur. Other highlights include the also blue Rio Celeste Waterfall, plunging 98 ft.; hot springs; hanging bridges; and spotting of wildlife including howler monkeys, agoutis, peccaries, tapirs, numerous birds, and even pumas. All of it's accessed by hiking, and the best way to get the most out of it is with a knowledgeable guide. Finally, if you're so inclined, you can overnight in the nearby town of <strong>Bijagua</strong>.</p>
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<p> <br />
<span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="http://www.visit.costarica.com/blog/1-000-little-waterfalls-steps-to-cerro-chato" target="_blank">Cerro Chato</a></strong></span><br />
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Quite near Arenal Volcano, this dormant volcano is isn't small, at it's 3,740 feet high, but it's dubbed "Flat Hill" in comparison to Arenal's 5,358. And it doesn't make for a an easy-peasy hike - the trail is fairly steep in parts and can get pretty muddy. But there it's incredibly atmospheric, through old-growth forest with ancient trees wrapped in fog, vines, and moss. Plus at the top you can take a dip in a fetching emerald-green lake some 1,800 feet around. One trail takes 2-3 hours and the other 4-5.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://www.guachipelin.com/adventure-tours/" target="_blank">Guachipelín Adventure</a></strong></span><br />
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A great day trip from Guanacaste coastal resort towns like <strong>Playa Conchal</strong>, <strong>Playa Flamingo</strong>, <strong>Playa Hermosa</strong>, and <strong>Tamarindo</strong>, the <strong>Rincón de la Vieja National Park</strong> centered around the volcano of the same name is home to all sorts of eco/adventure options, including this action-packed suites run out of the <strong><a href="https://www.guachipelin.com/rooms/" target="_blank">Hotel Hacienda Guachipelín</a></strong>, including horseback riding, whitewater river tubing, zip lining, waterfall canyoning,and volcanic mud baths. <br />
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<span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/manuel-antonio-costa-rica-ecotourism" target="_blank">Manuel Antonio National Park</a></strong></span><br />
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On the central Pacific coast four hours from San José and just up the hill from the town of <strong>Quepos</strong> (which by the way is especially known for its sport fishing), this half-century-old <a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/manuel-antonio-costa-rica-ecotourism" target="_blank">national park</a> is Costa Rica's smallest yet its most popular, a fetching mix of rain forest, beaches, and coral reefs. In addition to getting a guided tour to spot some of the many animal species here (109 of mammals, for example, and 184 of birds), you can also go swimming on the parks five beaches as well as snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, horseback riding, surfing, parasailing, ziplining, and catamaran cruises. There also are a number of restaurants at all price points here as well as nearby hotels and guesthouses for overnighting <br />
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<span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/monteverde-cloud-forest-costa-rica" target="_blank">Monteverde</a></strong></span><br />
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Up in the mountains some three hours south of of Arenal/La Fortuna and two from San José, this region is legendary for its "cloud forests" (above), a rare type of moist, high-altitude rain forest characterized by fog and low-lying cloud cover where plants actually grow on <em>top</em> of trees. There are also plenty of adventure activities here, including ziplining, hanging bridges, bungy jumping, and horseback riding. There's some culture and nightlife, too - based in and around the town of <strong>Santa Elena</strong> and the village of Monteverde, founded by U.S. Quakers in the 1950s - such as a dairy; attractions featuring frogs, snakes, hummingbirds, bats, butterflies, and orchids; a microbrewery visit; and coffee, chocolate, and sugarcane tours.<br />
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<span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://montezuma-costarica.com/" target="_blank">Montezuma</a></strong></span><br />
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At the southern tip of the Pacific coast's <strong>Nicoya Peninsula</strong>, a six-hour drive from San José (you can also hop a domestic flight to nearby <strong>Tambor</strong> airport), this barefoot beach village still has a bit of a hippie/backpacker vibe, along with fantastic white-sand beaches; the <a style="text-decoration:none;color:#3366cc;background:#ffffff none;font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;word-spacing:0px;white-space:normal;" title="Cabo Blanco Absolute Natural Reserve" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabo_Blanco_Absolute_Natural_Reserve">Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve</a> (the country's oldest); an iconic trio of scenic waterfalls (there's even a zipline which runs over them); and an exotic island. You'll also find a variety of inespensive and midrange lodging; dining from simple to to more upscale; and even a few spas and yoga/"wellness" retreats.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="http://www.natureobservatorio.com/" target="_blank">Nature Observatorio</a></strong></span><br />
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Back over on the Caribbean, in the village of <strong>Manzanillo</strong> near <strong>Puerto Viejo</strong>, this is the world's largest treehouse, two stories suspended with strong nylon straps from a huge sapodilla tree 82 feet off the ground, which allows scenic views of the <strong>Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Park</strong>. Friendly guides will help you spot types of birds, frogs, monkeys, and more. You can also book overnight stays (occupancy up to six).</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/osa-peninsula-costa-rica-wildlife-ecotourism" target="_blank">Osa Peninsula</a></strong></span><br />
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Jutting from the bottom of the Pacific coast, this large rainforested peninsula is one of the world's most biodiverse regions and feels "lost world" remote even by Costa Rica standards (though there are also several towns and villages with lodging and amenities for visitors, such as <strong>Puerto Jiménez</strong>). The main allures down here include <strong>Piedras Blancas National Park</strong>, <strong>Golfito National Wildlife Refuge</strong>, and especially <strong>Corcovado National Park</strong>. Some of the wildlife you'll find here includes all four species of Costa Rican monkeys (white-faced capuchin, howler, spider and squirrel), birds such as the toucan and the endangered scarlet macaw, white-nosed coatis, peccaries, collared anteaters, raccoons, wild cats like ocelots, and dozens of species of frogs, butterflies, snakes and lizards. Plus In the gulf of Golfo Dulce, you can see several kinds of dolphins, whales, sharks, sea turtles, and of course myriad tropical fish. There are plenty of jungle lodges and outfitters to make it all happen.</p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong><a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/put-tortuguero-on-your-costa-rica-bucket-list" target="_blank">Tortuguero</a></strong></span></p>
<p>Over on the upper Caribbean coast, this national park (above) and adjacent village can be reached only by boat or air, and for eco enthusiasts "Costa Rica's Amazon" lives up to the moniker, complete with a series of jungle lodges lining the canals leading in from the sea and offering various excursions to spot a variety of wildlife including monkeys, sloths, crocodiles, and caimans (there are even jaguars in here). Tortuguero's beaches, meanwhile, are known as the nesting and spawning grounds for four species of giant marine turtle, and supervised observation at the right times of year are an amazing experience.</p>
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<p> </p></div>Tortuguero, Costa Rica's Watery Eco-Enclavehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/tortuguero-costa-rica-ecotourism2023-02-13T14:06:52.000Z2023-02-13T14:06:52.000ZKeith Kelletthttps://tripatini.com/members/KeithKellett<div><p>We were up at silly o' clock in our hotel in San Jose, for our trip to Tortuguero. We just had time for a coffee and some pastries for breakfast, but were promised a much more substantial second breakfast en route. At Guapiles, we stopped for our first substantial meal in Costa Rica; scrambled eggs, corn hearts and fried plantain. Unusual, but very tasty. This was followed by a short walk through the woodland behind the restaurant.</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10965149057,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10965149057,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10965149057?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p>The Laguna Lodge, where we were staying, can only be reached by boat. But, this, although a fairly long ride, was just a transit trip. Anything we did see was a bonus. The wildlife safari is tomorrow. Nevertheless, I did get some good pictures of a baby crocodile and an Emerald Basilisk.</p>
<p>If you’re looking for somewhere to chill out ‘far from the madding crowd’, the Laguna Lodge, near Tortuguero, is probably the place you’re looking for. Unless, of course, you take the madding crowd with you!</p>
<p>You can’t get there by road, mainly because there aren’t any roads. But, shortly after our arrival, a Cessna Citation roared over at a very low level before disappearing over the trees. Since this was not immediately followed by an explosion and a plume of smoke, we assumed, correctly, it turned out, there was an airfield, or at least an airstrip nearby.</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10965205878,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10965205878,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10965205878?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p>We think the boat is a far better option; you see much more, We landed at a dock, at which were moored several boats, which would take us on our wildlife safaris, A short walk took us to the hotel reception, whose odd shape, looking like it had partially melted in the sun, reminded me of something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.</p>
<p>It was only after sitting on a tiled bench, I realised … Gaudi’s Park Guell, in Barcelona! I wonder if that had any influence on its design?</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10965256485,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10965256485,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10965256485?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
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<p>The accommodation is pleasant cabins, arranged in blocks of four in extensive grounds. The grounds, if you look carefully, can be a mini wildlife safari on its own. And, you don’t have to walk far to find yourself on the beach, by the Caribbean Sea … and realise that the Lodge is on a narrow strip of land between the river and the sea. We loved the wood and leather rocking chairs on the deck outside the cabin, and later in the tour, we visited the factory where they made them. Alas, our baggage allowance wouldn’t permit buying a couple and taking them home with us. .</p>
<p>Lunch at the hotel was the traditional Costa Rican dish of rice and beans <em>(gallo pinto)</em>, with pork and beef, after which we took a boat ride to the Sea Turtle Conservancy complex, where they gave us lots of information about sea turtles, but we didn't actually see any. It wasn’t the right season for them. We just walked along the beach to Tortuguero village, where there’s some really bright street art, illustrating the wildlife we haven’t seen so far. Here, we met the boat back to the hotel.</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10965457880,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10965457880,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10965457880?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p>The icing on the cake came at breakfast time the following morning. Who couldn’t love a place where they cook pancakes to order, before your eyes? Today was the day of the Canal Cruise. It's not just a canal, it's a whole network of waterways, some natural, others man made, for the purpose of floating logs to the sawmill, back in the lumbering days.</p>
<p>There are enough of them to ensure that, no matter how many boats set out on exploration, all can be absorbed. Many of them are overgrown and remote, which makes a haven for all kinds of wildlife.</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10965339289,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10965339289,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10965339289?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p>We saw:</p>
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<p style="text-align:center;">Tiger Heron</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Green Backed Heron</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">2 toed sloth</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Emerald Basilisk</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">3 toed sloth</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Frigate Bird</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Osprey</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Black River Turtle</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Boat Billed Heron</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">White Faced Capuchin Monkey</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Poison Dart Frog</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Caiman</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Little Blue Heron</p>
<p style="text-align:center;">Spectacled Caiman</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10965376061,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10965376061,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10965376061?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="640" /></a></p>
<p>Later in the afternoon, we had a guided walk. We never left the hotel grounds, but there was still plenty of birdlife. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quick enough with the camera to catch most of it. Especially macaws. We heard them frequently, but by the time we’d located them, and focussed the camera, they’d gone.</p>
<p>We left Tortuguero the following day, but I could happily have spent the whole two weeks here, However, as we found, Costa Rica has much more to offer.</p>
<p> </p></div>Monkey River, a Belize Adventure to Spot Howler Monkeys, Crocodiles, Exotic Birds, Manatees & Morehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/ecotourism-monkey-river-belize2021-12-03T00:25:00.000Z2021-12-03T00:25:00.000ZChabil Mar Resorthttps://tripatini.com/members/ChabilMarResort<div><h2 class="entry-title" style="text-align:left;"><a href="https://chabilmarvillas.com/?s=monkey+river" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009517500,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009517500?profile=original" width="750" /></a></h2>
<p>The quiet village of Monkey River in southern Belize is habitat to a plethora of flora and fauna, and as a result <a href="https://chabilmarvillas.com/?s=monkey+river" target="_blank">the nature tour conducted around here</a>has been rated one of the top in the country. Exotic <a href="https://chabilmarvillas.com/belize-vacation-packages/belize-birding-belize-birding-vacation.html" target="_blank">tropical birds</a>, butterflies, crocodiles, iguanas, and especially howler monkeys are just some of the wildlife that visitors will spot on this tour.</p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="https://chabilmarvillas.com/?s=monkey+river" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009519272,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009519272?profile=original" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><br />The tour will stop at various locations to give visitors an opportunity to explore the jungle on foot, keeping an eye out for snakes and spiders. Howler monkeys will make their presence known with their famous call, inviting children and adults to join in all the fun. Following well-marked paths, visitors can learn from their guides about the rich variety of medicinal plants, insects and animals that call the area home.</p>
<p style="text-align:left;">If you’re sensitive to the sun, be sure to be prepared by bringing and applying plenty of sunscreen, wearing loose clothing and/or wearing a hat. Due to the abundance of insects in the jungle, it is also recommended that visitors bring insect repellent and wear protective clothing for hiking through the jungle.</p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><br /><br /><a href="https://chabilmarvillas.com/?s=monkey+river" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009519661,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="710" alt="9009519661?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:left;">Not designed to be a high-adrenaline adventure, a cruise up the Monkey River is instead a way to relax and enjoy the unspoiled scenery while keeping one eye open for some of the many interesting animals, reptiles, birds and marine creatures that inhabit this unspoiled area.</p>
<p style="text-align:left;"><br />For more, see <a href="https://chabilmarvillas.com/10-interesting-things-about-monkey-river.html" target="_blank">10 Interesting Things About Monkey River</a>.</p>
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<p style="text-align:left;"> </p></div>Stranded by Hurricane Tomás in Costa Ricahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/stranded-by-hurricane-tomas-in-12010-11-06T19:00:00.000Z2010-11-06T19:00:00.000ZEd Wetschlerhttps://tripatini.com/members/EdWetschler<div><img width="300" style="float:right;" alt="" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008581656,original{{/staticFileLink}}" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Here's how bad Hurricane Tomás is: The outside world barely notices that</span> <strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Costa Rica</span></strong> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">has been hit – and hit hard – because Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and other countries are getting hit even harder. It's an eco disaster and a human disaster, and I can see it from the window.<br /></span>
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<p style="text-align:left;">I'm writing this from an office in <strong>Puerto Jiménez</strong>, in Costa Rica's <strong>Osa Peninsula</strong>, where they've been kind enough to let me crib some wi-fi waves. I'm stranded in this tiny, tumble-down Pacific Coast village. Just outside the front door, the street is a river, while raindrops the size of marbles pound the makeshift river, car tops, and the roof of the tiny office I'm in. Remember the drum solo in that old recording, <i>Wipe-out</i>? This is louder.</p>
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<p style="text-align:left;"><b>No Normal Rainy Season</b></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:0in;">Hurricane Tomás crept up on me. It rained like hell when I arrived at <a href="http://www.fincarosablanca.com/">Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Plantation and Inn</a> Halloween night, but I didn't think much about it. After all, it's supposed to rain here; it's rainy season. The downpour continued Monday and Tuesday, but I was mostly indoors at the <a href="http://www.planetpeoplepeace.com/">Second International Planet, Peace, and People Conference</a> near San Jose, Costa Rica, so I shrugged it off. Even when Finca Rosa Blanca's co-owner, Teri Osman Jampol, apologized for the lousy weather, I didn't get it.<br /></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:0in;">Understand, there is no lightning and no wind this far west of the eye; there is only rain, and it falls straight down, without punctuation, without end. So how could this be connected to a hurricane? But Thursday morning, when I tried to fly to Quepos for a stay at <a href="http://www.arenasdelmar.com/">Arenas del Mar Beach & Nature Resort</a>, all flights were cancelled. The Quepos tarmac was underwater. My cab bounced and splashed back to Finca Rosa Blanca, where I learned that 24 people had been killed in a mudslide on the hill we face from the restaurant. That number has since climbed to 30 people, and more are missing. This is not merely the rainy season, not just two-hour afternoon showers. This is the side effects (the side effects!) of a hurricane.<br /></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:0in;"><b>Stuck in Puerto Jiménez</b></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:0in;">There was a brief lull in the rain this morning, but planes still couldn't reach Quepos, so I flew through blinding clouds and rain to Puerto Jimenez, where I'm due to check into <a href="http://www.laparios.com/">Lapa Rios Rainforest Ecolodge</a> tomorrow. It's about ten miles from this town, but I still won't get there until tomorrow at the earliest, because the river has swallowed the roads, so I'm stuck here.</p>
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<p style="margin-bottom:0in;">But do we visitors from North America have any right to complain? Much worse things are happening in this beautiful country, including an entire neighborhood that was washed downhill near San Jose.</p></div>Save Some Time for El Salvador's Appealing Capital, San Salvadorhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/el-salvador-appealing-capital-san-salvador2020-01-24T00:10:24.000Z2020-01-24T00:10:24.000ZDavid Paul Appellhttps://tripatini.com/members/DavidPaulAppell16<div><p><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/Plaza-libertad-san-salvador.png/800px-Plaza-libertad-san-salvador.png" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/Plaza-libertad-san-salvador.png/800px-Plaza-libertad-san-salvador.png?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="800px-Plaza-libertad-san-salvador.png?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="800" /></a><em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plaza-libertad-san-salvador.png" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Idea SV</span></a></em></p>
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<p><strong>Central America</strong>'s smallest country (tinier than the US state of <strong>West Virginia</strong> and just a bit bigger than <strong>Wales</strong>) gets a bad, exagerrated rap because of gang violence that's limited to a handful of the capital's rougher neighborhoods. But in fact <a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/2014/02/travel-to-el-salvador-is-hot/" target="_blank"><strong>El Salvador</strong></a> does offer visitors a safe a varied menu of <a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/2015/02/surfing-el-salvador/" target="_blank">beaches (including some surprising surfing)</a>, <a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/2014/07/el-salvador-an-under-the-radar-nature-gem/" target="_blank">ecotourism</a>, adventure, charming colonial towns, and even several interesting <a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/2015/11/precolumbian-sites-of-el-salvador-and-the-pompeii-of-the-americas/" target="_blank">Mayan archaeological sites such as <strong>San Andrés</strong>, the "<strong>Pompeii of the Americas</strong>"</a> - and without the crowds you might encounter in some of its more touristed neighbors, such as <a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/2013/10/costa-rica-travel/" target="_blank"><strong>Costa Rica</strong></a>.</p>
<p>And will all of that to choose from, many visitors find themselves flying into the capital, then heading out to those beaches, rain forests, small towns, <a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/2017/12/volcanoes-el-salvador/" target="_blank">volcanoes</a>, and more (not unlike the situation in Costa Rica, actually). But if you do come to visit, capital <strong>San Salvador</strong> is definitely worth at least a couple of days of your time, as well, and it's very close to most of the rest of the country's attractions (30 to 40 minutes from the beaches, for example). Here's why.</p>
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<p><em><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/the-night-in-san-salvador-gm1166929738-321631939" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">kenysibrian</span></a></em></p>
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<p>This city of nearly 571,000 (metro area 2.4 million) in the <strong>Boquerón Volcano Valley</strong> is appealing, laid back, and low-slung; thanks to the region's record of seismic activity, the highest building in the historical city centre, for example, was kept to just 28 floors, though more recent constructions. And that historical centre - known, prosaically enough, as <strong>El Centro</strong> - got a facelift not long ago and is filled with interesting architecture, much of it dating from the early to mid-20th century.</p>
<p>A good example is the <strong>National Palace</strong> (above), finished in 1911 in Neoclassical style with some Renaissance and Gothic-Revival elements; once home to all three branches of the national government, these days it's open to visitors as well as housing salons for ceremonies and special events. A couple of blocks away on <strong>Plaza Morazán</strong>, Central America's oldest theatre, the <a href="http://centenarioteatronacional.cultura.gob.sv/" target="_blank"><strong>Teatro Nacional</strong></a>, is a small (seating just 650) but handsome neo-Renaissance gem dating from 1917 (you can have a peek inside or even take a guided tour for a nominal fee, albeit in Spanish).</p>
<p><br /> Just around the corner on <strong>Plaza Berrios</strong>, San Salvador's most iconic building, the blocky, whitewashed, yellow-trimmed Roman Catholic <strong>Metropolitan Cathedral</strong>, is of more recent vintage - rebuilt in the late 1950s in simple neo-Baroque style after an earthquake. A major draw inside is the tomb of beloved archbishop <strong>Óscar Romero</strong>, - canonized as a saint by <strong>Pope Francis</strong> in 2018 and considered an unofficial patron saint of El Salvador - murdered by rightwing assasins in 1980 in the first year of the country's terrible civil war (away from downtown at the <strong>Central American University</strong>, you can learn more about this towering figure at the <strong><a href="http://www.uca.edu.sv/cmr/" target="_blank">Centro Monseñor Romero</a></strong>).</p>
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<p><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Iglesia_el_Rosario_en_San_Salvador.JPG/800px-Iglesia_el_Rosario_en_San_Salvador.JPG" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Iglesia_el_Rosario_en_San_Salvador.JPG/800px-Iglesia_el_Rosario_en_San_Salvador.JPG?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="800px-Iglesia_el_Rosario_en_San_Salvador.JPG?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="800" /></a><em><a title="User:JoCeQuin93 (page does not exist)" href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:JoCeQuin93&action=edit&redlink=1"><span style="font-size:8pt;">José Quintanilla</span></a></em></p>
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<p>Another church well worth a visit is a modern masterpiece - perhaps Central America's most beautiful. Built in 1971 on <strong>Plaza La Libertad</strong> several blocks southeast of the cathedral, the concave, 78-foot-high (24-meter) concrete shell of the <strong>Iglesia El Rosario</strong> houses a striking, soaring interior (above) awash in the light of its stained-glass windows. It's also home to the tomb of the brothers <strong>Nicolás</strong>, <strong>Vicente</strong>, and <strong>Manuel Aguilar</strong>, heroes of the country's early-19th-century struggle for independence from Spain.</p>
<p><br /> For some great local color, just a couple of blocks southwest of the National Palace you'll find the <strong>Mercado Central</strong>, a classic Latin American covered market where locals come to shop for food, clothes, electronics, and household goods - along with some tasty prepared-food stalls and sit-down spots to enjoy local yummies such as <em>pupusas</em> (traditional flatbreads of pre-Columbian origin, stuffed with cheese, beans, beef, and other fillings). You might be able to score some local arts and crafts here, too, but you'll find a much wider selection a few minutes' drive farther west at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/mercadonacionaldeartesaniasdeelsalvador/about/?ref=page_internal" target="_blank"><strong>Mercado Nacional de Artesanías</strong></a>.</p>
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<p><a href="https://wikisivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Museo-marte-El-Salvador-1024x602.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://wikisivar.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Museo-marte-El-Salvador-1024x602.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="Museo-marte-El-Salvador-1024x602.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="https://wikisivar.com/museo-de-arte-marte/" target="_blank">wikisivar.com</a></em></span></p>
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<p>A bit farther west still out of the historical centre (and not far from the abovementioned Centro Monseñor Romero) in the <strong>Zona Rosa</strong> in the <strong>San Benito</strong> district, there are a also couple of good museums worth your time, starting with the 16-year-old <a href="https://www.marte.org.sv/" target="_blank"><strong>Museo de Arte de El Salvador</strong> (<strong>MARTE,</strong> above)</a>, whose collection reaches back to the 1870s and includes all the most prominent artists of the past and contemporary era. Just a short stroll south, meanwhile, the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/munaelsalvador/about/?ref=page_internal" target="_blank"><strong>National Anthropology Museum (MUNA)</strong></a> has exhibits on human settlements, agriculture, artisans, commerce and trade, religion, arts and communication (there's one another dedicated to Archbishop Romero - did I mention that Óscar is a Very Big Deal in this country?).</p>
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<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1vXqKAG3hjE?wmode=opaque" width="750" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
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<p><br /> There's also a quite hopping dining, shopping, and nightlife scene in some of the ritzier areas of the city, such as the Zona Rosa (home to many of San Salvador's hipper bars and clubs), and a few minutes north of it, <strong>Colonia Escalón</strong>. These neighborhoods are also home to many of the capital's better hotels.</p>
<p><br /> So if you're thinking of giving this under-the-radar country a try on an upcoming holiday, don't forget to save a couple of days for its underappreciated capital - you'll be glad you did!</p>
<p><br /> For more info, check out <a href="https://elsalvador.travel/en/" target="_blank">ElSalvador.travel</a>.</p>
<p> </p></div>Astonishing Sea-Turtle Spotting in Guatemalahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/astonishing-sea-turtle-spotting-in-guatemala2019-12-15T00:30:00.000Z2019-12-15T00:30:00.000ZMaría Joséhttps://tripatini.com/members/MariaJose<div><h6><em><br /> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevenzwerink/" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/7529338672_9d7efaee43_z.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="7529338672_9d7efaee43_z.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a></em><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a class="owner-name truncate no-outline" title="Ir a la galería de Steven Zwerink" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevenzwerink/">Steven Zwerink</a></em></span></h6>
<p><br /> <br /> Giant <strong>marine turtles</strong> are truly one of nature's most moving miracles throughout their life cycles - babies hatch from beach sands and endure a frantic rush to the ocean before being devoured by ravenous, swooping sea birds, growing up in the ocean, then the females instinctively finding their way by back thousands of kilometres to their birth beaches to lay eggs, thus keeping this amazing cycle in motion. And <a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/sea-turtle-watching-in-central-america" target="_blank"><strong>Central America</strong> is one of the world's premier regions to witness this eco-miracle</a> on both ends - both the hatching and the egg-laying.</p>
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<h6><em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Black-sand-beach.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><strong>DrStockPhoto.com</strong></span></a></em></h6>
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<p><br /> In <strong><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/5-must-see-tourist-destinations-in-guatemala" target="_blank">Guatemala</a></strong>, the action happens a roughly three-hour drive from capital <strong><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/culture-guatemala-city" target="_blank">Guatemala City</a></strong> (as well as lovely colonial <strong>Antigua</strong>) in the Pacific coast beach town of <strong>Monterrico</strong>, its fetching black-sand beaches (above) and kicky waves popular with surfers and swimmers but also known for its beachfront <strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Tortugario-Monterrico-CECON-USAC-1487630594814269/" target="_blank">Tortugario Monterrico</a></strong>, a 40-year-old, university-run facility devoted to the nurturing and protection of endangered olive ridley, leatherback, and green <strong>sea turtles</strong>., as well as alligators, crocodiles, and iguanas.</p>
<p>From June through December (peaking in August/September), the <em>tortugario</em>'s staff collect some 5,000 turtle eggs each year from the sands and incubate them, safe from poachers and wild animals who might dig them up, then once they start hatching in September through January, release the little critters safely into the Pacific.</p>
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<h6><a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/L2F-Oct-17-pic-Guatemala-Monterrico-Tortugario-640x360.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/L2F-Oct-17-pic-Guatemala-Monterrico-Tortugario-640x360.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="L2F-Oct-17-pic-Guatemala-Monterrico-Tortugario-640x360.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;">Tortugario Monterrico</span></h6>
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<p>There's a visitor centre here where besides educational exhibits you can see the various enclosures where the eggs (above) and live animals are kept, and you can observe and even participate in the release of the babies into the water. The term "life-changing experience" is way overused, but truly merited here.</p>
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<p>Other local activities include kayaking the atmospheric coastal mangroves, wildlife spotting, and participating in the life of a funky beach town. Apart from the cool beach scene, Monterrico is truly a gem of <a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/ecotourism-treasures-of-guatemala" target="_blank"><strong>Guatemala ecotourism</strong> offerings</a>.</p>
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<p>More info on Guatemala's Pacific coast: <a href="http://www.visitguatemala.com/en/discover/the-pacific-coast" target="_blank">VisitGuatemala.com</a>.</p>
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<p> </p></div>Honduras' Most Marvelous Placeshttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/honduras-attractions-travel-tourism-guide2019-09-24T06:19:07.000Z2019-09-24T06:19:07.000ZHelene Johnsonhttps://tripatini.com/members/HeleneJohnson<div><p><br /> <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/Cop%C3%A1n_Ballcourt.jpg/800px-Cop%C3%A1n_Ballcourt.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/Cop%C3%A1n_Ballcourt.jpg/800px-Cop%C3%A1n_Ballcourt.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="800px-Cop%C3%A1n_Ballcourt.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cop%C3%A1n_Ballcourt.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>Adalberto Hernandez Vega</em></span></a></p>
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<p><br /> Holidays in <strong><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/honduras-offers-highquality" target="_blank">Honduras</a></strong> are truly economical and holds a wide range of beautiful places to see and do, including Mayan ruins, jungle adventure and ecotourism, Caribbean isles, and lively towns and cities. Here are its top highlights:</p>
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<p><strong><span style="font-size:14pt;"><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/copan-honduras-mayan-ruins-for-your-bucket-list" target="_blank">Copán</a></span><br /> </strong></p>
<p><br /> Dating back to around 100 AD, the capital of a powerful dynasty during the Mayan Classical period, ruling much of the surrounding area, is one of the Mayan world's greatest archaeological sites (top) because though while it's far from the largest, it boasts a large number of sculptures and hieroglyphs, on temples, stelae, altars, and even the site’s single most important structure, the Hieroglyphic Stairway, Right alongside it, Copán Ruinas is a marvelous small town with lovely cobblestone streets, colorful buildings, abundant greenery, and hospitable Mayan locals. This definitely is one of my most loved vacation spots in the Americas. Inexpensive hotels are ample. In simple terms, it is really the sort of village you will just fall in love with and never want to leave.<br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10917585877,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10917585877,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="750" alt="10917585877?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Westbay2106.jpg" target="_blank">Westbrowncanada</a></em></span></p>
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<p><strong><span style="font-size:14pt;">The Bay Islands</span><br /> </strong></p>
<p><br /> The islands and cays astride the world's second largest barrier reef attract vacationers - and especially divers - more than anywhere else in Honduras. The best known island is <strong><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/diving-into-roatan-honduras" target="_blank">Roatán</a></strong>, with beautiful beaches, charming towns and villages, <strong>Garífuna</strong> culture (these are Afro-Hundurans descended from Caribbean immigrants), and a variety of hotels and resorts as well as budget-friendly inns and guesthouses. Even more budget friendly, the smaller island of <strong>Utila</strong> is considered one of thee world's top dive destinations, both for the advanced and for newbies (dive courses and PADI certification are a fabulous deal here). <strong>Guanaja</strong> is even smaller, more laid back and bucolic, with just several dozen cars over the entire island. Similar castaway charm can be found on the <strong>Cayos Cochinos</strong>, two larger islands and a smattering of tiny cays.<br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/caribbean-rythm-gm939113412-256784097"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CBb4R95EAoI?wmode=opaque" width="750" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="">
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<p><strong>Tela</strong></p>
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The stretch of coast near the eponymous city of just under 100,000 has been developed into an increasingly popular beach-resort destination with a wide variety of offerings and activities, but is also home to nature reserves as well as many Garifuna communities such as <strong>Triunfo de la Cruz</strong> and <strong>La Ensenada,</strong> where visitors can experience this singular culture.<br />
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<p><strong>La Ceiba</strong></p>
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About an hour and a half along the coast from Tela, Honduras' third largest city (pop. around 200,000) also has a lot to offer - in addition to its surrounding beaches and resorts, La Ceiba boasts great nightlife, and has even been officially declared "the entertainment capital of Honduras," Also nearby is a terrific assortment of eco and adventure options such as whitewater rafting, leading to its other official destination, "the ecotourism capital of Honduras." Ferries run between here and the Bay islands.</p>
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<p><strong>Omoa</strong></p>
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A bit over an hour north up the coast from Tela near the border with <strong>Guatemala</strong>, this fishing town is a picturesque, laid back place to hang out, go to the beach, and explore its historic 18th-century <strong>San Fernando Fort</strong> (above). <br />
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La Moskitia</strong></p>
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And speaking of ecotourism, the country's easternmost region, along the so-called <strong>Mosquito Coast</strong>, is largely lush tropical rainforest, pine savannah, and marshes, with Central America's largest wilderness area and inhabited by Miskitos and other tribal peoples. It's very much an undervisited destination, with accommodations and amenities that are fairly basic - but very rewarding for the adventurous.</p>
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San Pedro Sula</strong></p>
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Honduras commercial capital and second largest city (pop. 719,000) is both a gateway to Copán and the Bay Islands, and worth a day or so in its own right, as a dynamic and stylish spot, with good dining and nightlife. Highlights include its lively <strong>Parque Central</strong> (central square), <strong>Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle</strong>, and museum of anthropology. Though infamous for its gang violence, SPS is quite safe in the areas frequented by visitors.<br />
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<strong>Tegucigalpa</strong><br />
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Honduras' capital (pop. ) rarely gets much attention from travelers beyond those who fly in here, because <strong>Tegus</strong> (as Hondurans dub it) is sprawling, polluted, high-crime, and offers little in the way of sightseeing. But if you have a day to spare, there are a handful of notable spots worth checking out, such as its central <strong>Plaza Morazán</strong> with its elaborate Baroque cathedral (above), the <strong>Museum of National Identity</strong>, and the <strong>Garinagu Cultural Center</strong>, focusing on the Garífuna, with extensive exhibitions, handicrafts, and performances.<br />
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<p><strong>Comayagua</strong></p>
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Some just over an hour north of Tegus, on the highway to San Pedro Sula, Honduras' first capital is a city of around 152,000 known for Honduras' best preserved wealth of Spanish colonial architecture, including an early-18th-century cathedral with Central America's oldest clock - built in the Muslim-ruled part of Spain around 1100. There are also a couple of worthwhile museums here, of religious art and archaeology.</p>
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<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>Tela</strong></span><br /> <br /> The stretch of coast near the eponymous city of just under 100,000 has been developed into an increasingly popular beach-resort destination with a wide variety of offerings and activities, but is also home to nature reserves as well as many Garifuna communities such as <strong>Triunfo de la Cruz</strong> and <strong>La Ensenada</strong>, where visitors can experience this singular culture.<br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009363073,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009363073,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009363073?profile=original" width="750" /></a><a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/rafting-whitewater-challenge-action-661724/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>skeeze</em></span></a></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>La Ceiba</strong></span></p>
<p>About an hour and a half along the coast from Tela, Honduras' third largest city (pop. around 200,000) also has a lot to offer - in addition to its surrounding beaches and resorts, La Ceiba boasts great nightlife, and has even been officially declared "the entertainment capital of Honduras," Also nearby is a terrific assortment of eco and adventure options such as whitewater rafting, leading to its other official destination, "the ecotourism capital of Honduras." Ferries run between here and the Bay islands. <br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Exterior_Fuerte_de_Omoa_Honduras.jpg/800px-Exterior_Fuerte_de_Omoa_Honduras.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Exterior_Fuerte_de_Omoa_Honduras.jpg/800px-Exterior_Fuerte_de_Omoa_Honduras.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="800px-Exterior_Fuerte_de_Omoa_Honduras.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="800" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Exterior_Fuerte_de_Omoa_Honduras.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>Dennis Garcia</em></span></a><br /> <strong><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:14pt;"> Omoa</span></strong></p>
<p>A bit over an hour north up the coast from Tela near the border with <strong>Guatemala</strong>, this fishing town is a picturesque, laid back place to hang out, go to the beach, and explore its historic 18th-century <strong>San Fernando Fort</strong> (above).</p>
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<p><br /> <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Las-Marias-Moskitia-Honduras.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Las-Marias-Moskitia-Honduras.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="Las-Marias-Moskitia-Honduras.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Las-Marias-Moskitia-Honduras.jpg" target="_blank">Dpavon22</a></em></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:14pt;"><strong>La Moskitia</strong></span></p>
<p>And speaking of ecotourism, the country's easternmost region, along the so-called <strong>Mosquito Coast</strong>, is largely lush tropical rainforest, pine savannah, and marshes, with Central America's largest wilderness area and inhabited by <strong>Miskitos</strong> and other tribal peoples. It's very much an undervisited destination, with accommodations and amenities that are fairly basic - but very rewarding for the adventurous.</p>
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<p><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Panoramica_san_pedro_sula.jpg/800px-Panoramica_san_pedro_sula.jpg?" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Panoramica_san_pedro_sula.jpg/800px-Panoramica_san_pedro_sula.jpg?&profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="800px-Panoramica_san_pedro_sula.jpg?&profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Pedro_Sula#/media/File:Panoramica_san_pedro_sula.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>Gervaldez</em></span></a></p>
<p><strong><br /> <span style="font-size:14pt;">San Pedro Sula</span></strong></p>
<p>Honduras commercial capital and second largest city (pop. 719,000) is both a gateway to Copán and the Bay Islands, and worth a day or so in its own right, as a dynamic and stylish spot, with good dining and nightlife. Highlights include its lively <strong>Parque Central</strong> (central square), <strong>Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle</strong>, and museum of anthropology. Though infamous for its gang violence, SPS is quite safe in the areas frequented by visitors.</p>
<p><br /> <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/23_Teguc_Hauptpl.JPG/800px-23_Teguc_Hauptpl.JPG" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/23_Teguc_Hauptpl.JPG/800px-23_Teguc_Hauptpl.JPG?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="800px-23_Teguc_Hauptpl.JPG?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="800" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:23_Teguc_Hauptpl.JPG" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>Stzeugner</em></span></a><br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size:14pt;"> <strong>Tegucigalpa</strong></span></p>
<p><br /> Honduras' capital (pop. 1.6 million) rarely gets much attention from travelers beyond those who fly in here, because <strong>Tegus</strong> (as Hondurans dub it) is sprawling, polluted, high-crime, and offers little in the way of sightseeing. But if you have a day to spare, there are a handful of notable spots worth checking out, such as its central <strong>Plaza Morazán</strong> with its elaborate Baroque cathedral (above), the <strong>Museum of National Identity</strong>, and the <strong>Garinagu Cultural Center</strong>, focusing on the Garífuna, with extensive exhibitions, handicrafts, and performances.<br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Cathedral_Comayagua_Honduras.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Cathedral_Comayagua_Honduras.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="Cathedral_Comayagua_Honduras.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cathedral_Comayagua_Honduras.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>LeRoc</em></span></a></p>
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<p><strong><span style="font-size:14pt;">Comayagua</span><br /> <br /> </strong></p>
<p>Some just over an hour north of Tegus, on the highway to San Pedro Sula, Honduras' first capital is a city of around 152,000, known for Honduras' best preserved wealth of Spanish colonial architecture, including an early-18th-century cathedral with Central America's oldest clock - built in the Muslim-ruled part of Spain around 1100. There are also a couple of worthwhile museums here, of religious art and archaeology</p>
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<p> </p></div>Water Magic on Guatemala's Lake Atitlánhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/water-magic-on-guatemala-s-lake-atitlan2019-07-12T18:04:55.000Z2019-07-12T18:04:55.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p style="text-align:justify;"><a href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/lago-de-atitl%C3%A1n.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/lago-de-atitl%C3%A1n-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="lago-de-atitl%C3%A1n-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="750" /></a><br /> <span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>by José Alejandro Adamuz</em></span></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Central America</strong>'s largest and perhaps most diverse country has many dramatic spots that evoke a marked sense of place - the spectacular <strong>Mayan ruins</strong> of <strong>Tikal</strong>; the colonial splendour of <strong>Antigua</strong>; the castaway <strong>Caribbean</strong> vibe of <strong>Livingston</strong>; and much more. But <strong>Lake Atitlán</strong>, in the highlands a 2 1/2-hour drive north of <strong>Guatemala City</strong>, does that and more - it evokes something akin to an interior emotion and energy, a soaring of the soul, even a sense of the sublime.</p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;">Among those who know these things, Central America's deepest lake (340 metres/1,120 feet) is widely considered one of the world's loveliest lakes, as well as one of its most spiritual. There's evidence that there was once an island here that was a religious ceremonial centre in the pre-classical period of Mayan civilisation - called <strong>Samabaj</strong> after its recent local discoverer and dubbed by <em><strong>National Geographic</strong></em> "the <strong>Mayan Atlantis</strong>"; just being studied now, its secrets have yet to be completely unveiled.</p>
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<p>Above water, however, there's plenty to see, do, and all around experience. Part of Atitlán's charisma derives from its trio of perfectly conical volanoes rising lakeside: the eponymous Atitlán, <strong>Tolimán</strong>, and <strong>San Pedro</strong>, silvery blue and surrounded by towns and villages. <strong>Panajachel</strong> is the largest, while the others include <strong>San Pedro La Laguna</strong>, <strong>San Juan La Laguna</strong>, <strong>Santa Clara La Laguna</strong>, <strong>Santiago Atitlán</strong>, <strong>Santa Catarina</strong>, <strong>San Antonio</strong>, <strong>Santa Cruz la Laguna</strong>, <strong>Sololá</strong>, and <strong>San Marcos la Laguna</strong>.</p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10953595277,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10953595277,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="750" alt="10953595277?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mayan_%27Saint%27_Maxim%C3%B3n_with_offerings,_guarded_by_a_brotherhood_in_Santiago_Atitl%C3%A1n,_Guatemala.jpg" target="_blank">Ralf Steinberger</a></em></span></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;">It's this last which can be considered perhaps the most spiritual of Guatemala's currently populated towns, in a <strong>New-Age</strong> kind of way; hundreds of visitors come to experience the likes of <strong>yoga</strong>, <strong>tantric yoga</strong>, <strong>reiki</strong>, <strong>music therapy</strong>, and other alternative coolnesses, yet San Marcos still manages to remain a laid-back town. And it, along with the lake's main tourism hub Panajachel, can serve as an excellent base of operations, with plenty of accommodation and eating options.</p>
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<p>From both, water taxis and excursion boats leave for various other communities, particularly Santiago Atitlán to visit the church of <strong>Santiago Apóstol</strong> and discover the cult of <strong>Maximón</strong> (above, a modern Mayan/Catholic syncretic tradition); visit Sololá's untouristy Mayan market; hike up to <strong>La Nariz del Indio</strong> (Indian's Nose) peak, between Santa Clara and San Juan; hike up <strong>San Pedro Volcano</strong>; or simply relax (or meditate) on the shores of this 20-kilometre-long (12 1/2-mile) lake.</p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;">All of the above communities, by the way, are populated by Mayans, various ethnicities of the civilisation that built mighty Tikal and the other astonishing ancient cities of Central America and southern <strong>Mexico</strong>. And as such, they offer visitors a fascinating window into different aspects of the local culture that leave them deeply impressed. Another remarkable side of the <strong>Mundo Maya</strong> that's a must.</p>
<p> </p></div>Diving into Roatán, Hondurashttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/diving-into-roatan-honduras2019-04-19T04:47:44.000Z2019-04-19T04:47:44.000ZJosé Balidohttps://tripatini.com/members/JoseBalido<div><p><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2016/09/TBP-pic-Honduras-Roatan-West-End-Beach-Renee-Vititoe-shutterstock_171623777.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2016/09/TBP-pic-Honduras-Roatan-West-End-Beach-Renee-Vititoe-shutterstock_171623777-640x419.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" alt="TBP-pic-Honduras-Roatan-West-End-Beach-Renee-Vititoe-shutterstock_171623777-640x419.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-945844p1.html">Renee Vititoe</a></em></span></p>
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<p><br />Right astride the <strong>Caribbean</strong>'s largest barrier reef – also the world’s second largest after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef – this small island (just 83 square kilometres/32 sq. miles) off the coast of <strong>Honduras</strong> has become not only this country’s top visitor draw (outstripping the other main one, the impressive <strong>Mayan archaeological site</strong> <strong><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/2013/12/copan-honduras/" target="_blank">Copán</a></strong>) but also, unsurprisingly, a star among the world’s diving community.<!--more--></p>
<p>Actually the largest of seven <strong>Islas de la Bahía</strong> (<strong>Bay Islands</strong>), this onetime pirate hideout today has several towns and villages spread over its), the largest of which is <strong>Coxen Hole</strong> – with around a mere 5,000 permanent residents. Like other Caribbean coastal areas of <strong>Central America</strong>, there is a strong influence of <strong>Garifunas</strong> – <strong>Afro-Caribbean</strong> English speakers – intermixed with Hispanics from mainland Honduras.</p>
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<p><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2016/09/L2F-Sep-16-pic-Honduras-Roatan-Prince-Albert-wrech-diving-John-A.-Anderson-shutterstock_36278611.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2016/09/L2F-Sep-16-pic-Honduras-Roatan-Prince-Albert-wrech-diving-John-A.-Anderson-shutterstock_36278611-640x388.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" alt="L2F-Sep-16-pic-Honduras-Roatan-Prince-Albert-wrech-diving-John-A.-Anderson-shutterstock_36278611-640x388.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-67871p1.html">John A. Anderson</a></em>.</span><br /><br /></p>
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<p>Other cool little towns include <strong>West End</strong> (aka “the strip”, known for its variety of restaurants and bars), <strong>Dixon Cove</strong>, <strong>West Bay</strong> (perhaps the island’s best known stretch of paradisiacal beach), and <strong>French Harbour</strong>. Most of the vibe here is low-key, barefoot Caribbean, where it’s all about sun, sand, surf, partying – and, of course <strong>diving</strong>/<strong>snorkeling</strong>.</p>
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<p><br />Top dive highlights, for example, include “<strong>Mary’s Place</strong>”, with deep cracks full of colourful fish and coral overhangs; the wreck of the freighter <strong>Prince Albert</strong> (above); <strong>Cemetery Wall</strong>, starting at about 7.6 metres (25 feet); the <strong>Labyrinth</strong>, with towering formations and canyons, from 4.6 down to just over 18 m. (15-60 ft); and <strong>Shark Dive</strong>, the only spot where you can reliably see these toothy critters on a regular basis.</p>
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<p><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2016/09/L2F-Sep-16-pic-Honduras-Roatan-Garifunas-gary-yim-shutterstock_130173209.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2016/09/L2F-Sep-16-pic-Honduras-Roatan-Garifunas-gary-yim-shutterstock_130173209-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" alt="L2F-Sep-16-pic-Honduras-Roatan-Garifunas-gary-yim-shutterstock_130173209-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-287167p1.html">gary yim</a></em></span></p>
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<p>To go along with that, you also have many of the activities you would expect in an outdoors holiday destination – golf, ziplining, various water sports, deepwater fishing, and sailing. In addition, there are several interesting attractions worth visitors’ while. The eco-minded might want to stop in at the 16-hectare (40-acre) <strong>Carambola Gardens</strong> near <strong>Sandy Bay</strong>, on a forested mountain slope, where you can get a splendid eyeful (and guided tours of) the local flora and fauna. The <strong>Blue Harbor Tropical Arboretum</strong> is even larger (65 ha./160 acres), and throws in a hydroponics farms and obstacle course on which to challenge yourself. And the 5-ha. (12-acre) Archie’s <strong>Iguana Farm and Marine Park</strong> in <strong>French Cay</strong> specialises, obviously, in iguanas – some of which grow to up to four feet long – but you’ll also find monkeys, rescued sea turtles, and tarpon fish.</p>
<p>One particularly interesting aspect to pursue is exploring the culture of the local Garifunas (above), black people whose ancestors were from the English-speaking Caribbean and who are spread up and down much of Central America’s Caribbean coast. The village of <strong>Punta Gorda</strong> is perhaps the best place to meet them; learn about their culture; witness their music and drumming; and buy their crafts. You can visit on your own or through local tour operators such as <strong><a href="http://www.roatanculturetours.com/#_=_" target="_blank">Roatán Culture Tours</a>.</strong></p>
<p>More info: <a href="http://www.roatantravelguide.com/" target="_blank">RoatanTravelGuide.com</a>.</p>
<p>Best fares to San Pedro Sula <a href="http://www.iberia.com/gb/cheap-flights/San-Pedro-Sula/?utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=blogiberia&utm_source=utm_source=love2fly.home" target="_blank">from the UK</a>, <a href="http://www.iberia.com/es/cheap-flights/San-Pedro-Sula/?utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=blogiberia&utm_source=utm_source=love2fly.home" target="_blank">from Spain</a>.</p></div>Some Wicked Surf's Up in...El Salvador?https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/el-salvador-surfing2018-09-24T15:05:01.000Z2018-09-24T15:05:01.000ZMaría Joséhttps://tripatini.com/members/MariaJose<div><p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}11018882254,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}11018882254,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="750" alt="11018882254?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/elchurro/7238181916" target="_blank">René Mayorga</a></em></span></p>
<p><br /> Not too long ago, who would’ve predicted it? The Central American country of <strong><a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/2014/02/travel-to-el-salvador-is-hot/" target="_blank">El Salvador</a></strong>, once known mostly for being both poverty-stricken and war-torn, has become a surfing power of sorts, attracting millions of surfers to its Pacific beaches. <span id="more-7659"></span></p>
<p><br /> Despite its past trials and tribulations, both internal and external, this land just a tad smaller than New Jersey and a bit bigger than Wales has many of the key ingredients of a tropical paradise, including dramatic volcanoes and landscapes, unspoiled ecotourism opportunities, charming colonial towns – and fetching beaches. Now holidaymakers looking for the next cool thing are finally discovering El Salvador, and its waters and sands play a big part in that.</p>
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<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009305477,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009305477,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009305477?profile=original" width="737" height="491" /></a><em><span style="font-size:8pt;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sunvalleysurf/6080710277/sizes/z/" target="_blank">Sunvalley Surgf & Skate Shop</a></span></em><br /><br /> <br /> To get a sense of this turnaround, we can head to <strong>El Tunco</strong> (above and below), a coastal resort area just 38 kilometres (24 miles) from the capital, <strong>San Salvador</strong>. These days, a town and beach that was mostly for Salvadoran families has been evolving into one of those hip, young international beach towns common up and down the coasts of nearby Costa Rica, Panama, and Nicaragua, with a plethora of pubs, hostels, and shops where English and German are as common as Spanish.</p>
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<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009305698,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009305698,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009305698?profile=original" width="737" height="491" /></a><em><span style="font-size:8pt;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sunvalleysurf/6080710277/sizes/z/" target="_blank">Sunvalley Surgf & Skate Shop</a></span></em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Some 3,000 dudes and dudettes a year are drawn by some of the best waves in the Western Hemipshere – what one influential surfing website, <a href="http://www.surfline.com/travel/index.cfm?id=3253" target="_blank">Surfline.com</a>, describes as this coast’s “long, well-shaped point waves and thumping beachbreaks”, with some waves topping 3 metres (10 feet) in height. Water temperature, meanwhile, is a relatively balmy 27° Celsius (80° Fahrenheit) year round. Such is the area’s growing popularity that various other projects are in the works, including a five-star resort.</p>
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<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009306854,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009306854,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009306854?profile=original" width="737" height="491" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>David Paul Appell</em></span></p>
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<p>Other nearby beach areas where the surfing is equally, er, swell, include <strong>Las Flores</strong>, <strong>San Blas</strong> (above), <strong>El Sunzal</strong>, <strong>El Zonte</strong> (top), and <strong>Las Tunas</strong>. People even hang ten right in the bay in the largest local town, <strong>La Libertad</strong>, where illuminated night surfing is also a thing.<br /> </p>
<p>And it goes without saying that these beaches aren’t great just for surfers, but for anyone who appreciates some nice wave action.</p>
<p><br /> Check out some of said action in the video below.</p>
<p><em><br /> More information: <a href="http://www.elsalvador.travel/impresionante/">ElSalvador.travel</a>.</em></p>
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<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GxXSdY-oL8s?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>
<p><em><br /> <br /><span style="font-size:8pt;"><br /></span></em></p>
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<p> </p></div>In Costa Rica, Arenal = Adventurehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/in-costa-rica-arenal-adventure2018-05-03T11:30:00.000Z2018-05-03T11:30:00.000ZDavid Paul Appellhttps://tripatini.com/members/DavidPaulAppell16<div><p><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12129947663,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12129947663,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12129947663?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/image-photo/glimpse-arenal-volcano-jungle-costa-rica-170744237" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Robert Cicchetti</span></a></em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><br /> Since the 1980s, <strong>Costa Rica</strong> has of course made a huge name for itself as not only a beach but also ecotourism and soft-adventure destination. And it’s especially this last that has become a specialty of a region of <strong>Alajuela</strong> province in the country’s <strong>Central Valley</strong>, about a couple of hours north of capital <strong>San José</strong>, called <strong>Arenal</strong>. For adrenaline and the great outdoors, it doesn’t get much better.<span id="more-18319"></span></p>
<p><br /> The area takes its name from an active volcano and the lake beneath it. At 5,358 feet) (1,633 metres) high, <strong>Volcán Arenal</strong> was dormant until 1968, then erupted and destroyed the nearby town of <strong>Tabacón</strong>. For decades afterward, its active lava flows became both a tourist attraction and a focus of scientific study (visible at night for miles around). Today there are a number of hiking trails, as well as lodges such as the <strong>Arenal Observatory Lodge</strong>.</p>
<p><br /> Below the volcano to the west is <strong>Lago Arenal</strong>, Costa Rica’s largest lake (33 square mi./85 sq. kms), with excellent <strong>fishing</strong>, <strong>kayaking</strong>, and <strong>paddle boarding</strong>, but most especially <strong>windsurfing</strong>, <strong>kite surfing</strong>, and <strong>wakeboarding</strong> during the windier months of November through April. The area around the lake, meanwhile, has tons of <strong>hiking</strong>, <strong>biking</strong>, <strong>birdwatching</strong>, and <strong>horseback-riding</strong> opportunities</p>
<p>.<br /> <br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12129948283,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12129948283,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12129948283?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><em><a href="https://caribeshuttle.rezdy.com/6778/canyoning-rappelling-arenal" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Caribe Shuttle</span></a></em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Downslope to the east of the volcano is the town where most of the visitors to the area base themselves. With a bit over 8,000 permanent residents, <strong>La Fortuna</strong> named “Fortune” for the fertile lands surrounding it, not because it was spared by the volcano, is a typically funky small Central American tourist town – not particularly beautiful per se but nonetheless with an appealing, somewhat backpacker-ish vibe and plenty of lodging, dining, and nightlife options.</p>
<p><br /> It’s also the hub of an eco and adventure travel industry that’s big on <strong>whitewater rafting</strong>, <strong>mountain biking</strong>, <strong>ATV/dirt biking</strong>, horseback riding, and “<strong>canyoning</strong>” (which involves hiking, climbing, jumping, abseiling, and swimming). Top local attractions include the <strong>Catarata de la Fortuna</strong> (a 230-ft./70-m waterfall); the way cool <strong>Venado Caves</strong> (ten of them, about an hour outside town); the <strong>Butterfly Conservatory</strong> (off the southern shore of the lake); <strong>Místico Park Hanging Bridges</strong> (letting you walk through the rain forest canopy); several ziplines; and <strong>Arenal Bungee</strong> (off one of Central America’s highest bungee bridges, over the Colorado River).</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12129951058,RESIZE_1200x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12129951058,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12129951058?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://www.tabacon.com/gallery/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa</em></span></a></p>
<p> <br />But one of my own favorite things to do here lies just out of town up the hill toward the volcano and lake, where several establishments have taken advantage of the geothermal hot springs spawned by the volcano to create resorts where visitors can splash around the warm waters. They each have a different feel to them. <strong>Baldi</strong>, for example, is a little more commercial-feeling, complete with bars, water slides, and party music, while those at <strong>The Springs Resort</strong> are lower key and more naturalistically landscaped. My favourite of these, however, are the pair of hot springs parks owned by the area’s most sophisticated resort, <strong>Tabacón</strong>. Both gorgeously designed and landscaped, one is fairly simple while the other is quite elaborate, with all sorts of exotic nooks and crannies as well as restaurants and swim-up bars.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>More information: <a href="http://www.arenal.net/" target="_blank">Arenal.net</a>, <a href="http://www.fortunawelcome.com/" target="_blank">FortunaWelcome.com.</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p></div>6 Fun Water Adventures in Guanacaste, Costa Ricahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/6-fun-water-adventures-in-guanacaste-costa-rica2017-09-12T15:32:32.000Z2017-09-12T15:32:32.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><strong style="font-size:12pt;"> </strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008840057,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008840057,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008840057?profile=original" width="640" /></a></strong></p>
<p><br /> <strong><a href="http://www.guanacastetours.com/rio-negro-tubing-adventure/" target="_blank">Costa Rica Tubing Tours</a> on Rio Negro</strong><br /> <br /> There’s nothing like a day of exciting fun bouncing and splashing down a cool, crystal clear tropical river under the hot Guanacaste sun. On the Rio Negro (Black River) Tubing Adventure at Hacienda Guachipelin, you ride five kilometers (three miles) of class II and III rapids in special, individual river tube rafts that are designed with handles and protective bottoms. Guides are with you the whole time to ensure your safety.</p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://www.guanacastetours.com/waterfall-canyoning/" target="_blank"> </a></span></p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009193471,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009193471,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009193471?profile=original" width="266" /></a><br /> <strong><a href="http://www.guanacastetours.com/waterfall-canyoning/" target="_blank">Waterfall Canyoning</a></strong><br /> <br /> Another cool water adventure at Hacienda Guachipelin – one of the best places for Rincon de la Vieja tours – is waterfall canyoning. Rappel down a cascading waterfall and splash into the pool below. Then climb back up the rock wall and do it again, this time with a Tarzan-style swing!</p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://www.guanacastetours.com/corobici-river-float-tour/" target="_blank"> </a></span></p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008856501,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008856501,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008856501?profile=original" width="650" /></a><br /> <strong><a href="http://www.guanacastetours.com/corobici-river-float-tour/" target="_blank">Corobici River Float Tour</a></strong><br /> <br /> <br /> Want a water adventure in Costa Rica that is a little more relaxing? The gentle float tour down the Corobici River is just the ticket. While your guide rows the raft, you get to relax and enjoy the beautiful nature and interesting wildlife, including exotic tropical birds, monkeys, iguanas and other animals of the area. This is a great Guanacaste tour for families.</p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://www.guanacastetours.com/whitewater-rafting-tenorio-river/" target="_blank"> </a></span></p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009193682,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009193682,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009193682?profile=original" width="600" /></a><br /> <strong><a href="http://www.guanacastetours.com/whitewater-rafting-tenorio-river/" target="_blank">Whitewater Rafting Tenorio River</a></strong><br /> <br /> For an even bigger adventure, this Costa Rica whitewater rafting tour is a lot of fun and thrilling as you plunge through twists, turns and drops down eight miles of intense class III-IV4rapids. If that’s not enough, the beautiful scenery along the way will take your breath away.</p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://www.guanacastetours.com/snorkeling-in-guanacaste/" target="_blank"> </a></span></p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009194294,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009194294,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="750" alt="9009194294?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a><br /> <strong><a href="http://www.guanacastetours.com/snorkeling-in-guanacaste/" target="_blank">Snorkeling in Guanacaste</a></strong><br /> <br />Guanacaste’s weather is perfect for snorkeling and diving tours – hot and sunny! The Pacific Ocean along the this coast is full of marine life, and with almost always clear conditions, you can see a lot. Keep an eye out for big schools of jack fish, eagle rays, manta rays, sea turtles, dolphins and whales. Plus you don’t need a wetsuit in the tropical water.</p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://www.guanacastetours.com/marlin-del-rey-catamaran/" target="_blank"> </a></span></p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009194472,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009194472,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009194472?profile=original" width="600" /></a><br /> <strong><a href="http://www.guanacastetours.com/marlin-del-rey-catamaran/" target="_blank">Catamaran Sailing</a></strong><br /> <br /> Combine a snorkeling tour with sailing on a luxury catamaran along the Guanacaste coast by both Tamarindo and Coco Beach. Known as the Rolls Royce of day charter sailing catamarans in Costa Rica, these tours include lunch, an open bar, snorkeling, kayaking, fishing, and simply relaxing.</p>
<p> </p></div>León, Nicaragua's Most Venerable Cityhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/leon-nicaragua-s-most-venerable-city2017-08-22T23:52:20.000Z2017-08-22T23:52:20.000ZDavid Paul Appellhttps://tripatini.com/members/DavidPaulAppell16<div><p><em><span class="font-size-1"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12127354494,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12127354494,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12127354494?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Catedral_de_Le%C3%B3n_Nicaragua2.JPG" target="_blank">Elemaki</a></span> </em></p>
<p><br /> <br /> When it comes to tourism in <strong>Central America</strong>’s largest country, the city that tends to get most of the attention is Granada (while ironically, capital <strong>Managua</strong> is pretty much avoided by all but business people). But in many ways I find its traditional – and less tarted up for tourists/expats – rival <strong>Santiago de los Caballeros de León</strong>, even more fascinating, beginning with the fact that despite its somewhat lower contemporary profile among foreigners, <strong>Nicaragua</strong>'s second largest city (after Managua) is actually is actually home to the country’s oldest history, and indeed has always been considered its intellectual, cultural, and even emotional capital.<br /> <br /> <span id="more-13901"></span>Located just several miles in from the <strong>Pacific</strong> coast – a 90-minute drive northwest of Managua and some 2½ hours from Granada – much of León’s appeal is in fact similar to Granada’s, in the sense that it’s packed with wonderful colonial-era churches, civic buildings, townhouses, and monuments.</p>
<p>The obvious place to start is the central square, the <strong>Plaza Mayor</strong>, presided over by the Baroque-style <strong>Catedral de la Asunción de María</strong> (<strong>Mary’s Assumption Cathedral</strong>), finished in the early 19th century and burial place of a number of prominent Nicaraguans, including its best known literary figure, <strong>Rubén Dario</strong>; you can get some sweet city and volcano views from the rooftop here. Another particularly notable church of the many here of the many churches here, by virtue of being the oldest, is <strong>San Francisco</strong>, built in 1639, with some wonderful plateresque interior details and an especially lovely cloister.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em><span class="font-size-1"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12127356263,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12127356263,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="12127356263?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ruinas_leon_viejo36.jpg" target="_blank">Helmut Haefner</a></span></em><br /> <br /> <br /> Across the Plaza Mayor from the cathedral is the <strong>Museum of the Revolution</strong>, a fairly homespun collection of exhibits and memorabilia relating to the history surrounding the overthrow of the ruling <strong>Somoza</strong> dynasty in 1979 by the Sandinista rebels, who have been the ruling party almost in all the years since. León played a pivotal role in those events, and even though the way the revolution has turned out all these years later has disappointed most (i.e. turned into yet another dictatorship, albeit less oppressive than Somoza's), a visit here will help you understand the history that has shaped Nicaragua since the 1950s. </p>
<p>Other museums include the <strong>Museo Rubén Dario</strong>, in a pair of houses on <strong>Avenida Central</strong> down from the cathedral, and including a pretty good little collection of traditional and contemporary art; the <strong>Museum of Traditions and Legends</strong> (once an infamous prison and torture centre); and the <strong>Casa Salud DeBayle</strong>, a lovely restored colonial house now containing locally discovered <strong>pre-Columbian artifacts</strong>.</p>
<p><br /> Atmospheric as León is, two of the most fascinating area attractions lie outside the city. First, about a half hour east, is <strong>León Viejo</strong> (above), the ruins of the first attempt to found the city, in 1524. This town was abandoned after a 1610 earthquake, when everyone relocated to the site of the current city. These days, this <strong>UNESCO World Heritage Site</strong> does give you some truly fascinating insight into the life, times, and architecture of the earliest period of Spanish colonisation.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em><span class="font-size-1"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}12127357659,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}12127357659,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="750" alt="12127357659?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/bluesonicboy/6317097779/sizes/l" target="_blank">bluesonicboy</a></span></em><br /> <br /> <br /> Second is <strong>Cerro Negro</strong>, one of the prominent volcanoes which are a particular Nicaragua claim to fame. “<strong>Black Hill</strong>”, about a half hour’s drive out of town, has another special claim to fame, because though it’s just 1,312 feet (400 meters) high, the gravelly volcanic sand on one side makes a great place to board down. Yes, several local outfitters (such as Leon’s <a href="http://www.bigfootnicaragua.com" target="_blank">Bigfoot Hostel</a>, <a href="http://www.vapues.com" target="_blank">Va Pues Tours</a> and <a href="http://www.tierratour.com" target="_blank">Tierra Tours</a>) will drive you out, get you up top (takes about an hour to hike up – steepish in spots but not too strenuous if you’re in decent shape), and get you back down on a wooden board (I find that sitting is a both faster and more easily controllable experience than standing, so ask before you book).</p>
<p>Finally, if you want to head out to the coast for some sun ’n’ surf action, head 20 to 30 minutes out to the little fishing villages of <strong>Las Peñitas</strong> and <strong>Poneloya</strong>, where the waves are just grand, the sands are uncrowded, and there’s a cool little beach life. A truly great balance to a culture and adventure visit to historic León…</p>
<p><br /> More info: <a href="http://visitnicaragua.us/" target="_blank">VisitNicaragua.us</a>, <a href="http://www.vianica.com/" target="_blank">ViaNica.com</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em> </em></p></div>Another Great Granada - in Nicaraguahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/another-great-granada-in-nicaragua2016-10-17T21:51:40.000Z2016-10-17T21:51:40.000ZDavid Paul Appellhttps://tripatini.com/members/DavidPaulAppell16<div><p style="background:#ffffff;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;"><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2015/08/L2F-Jul-15-pic-LatAm-Nicaragua-Granada-elnavegante-shutterstock_88132639.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2015/08/L2F-Jul-15-pic-LatAm-Nicaragua-Granada-elnavegante-shutterstock_88132639.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="L2F-Jul-15-pic-LatAm-Nicaragua-Granada-elnavegante-shutterstock_88132639.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a></p>
<p style="background:#ffffff;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;"> </p>
<p style="background:#ffffff;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;">One of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong style="background:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;">Central America</strong>’s most atmospheric cities, named upon founding in 1524 after the original<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong style="background:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;">Granada</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>in southern<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong style="background:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;">Spain</strong>’s<strong style="background:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Andalusia<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>region, this city on the shores of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong style="background:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;">Lake Nicaragua</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(aka<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong style="background:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;">Lake Concibolca</strong>) in the west of <strong>Nicaragua<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>is the oldest on the the Americas’ continental mainland. About 40 minutes by road from capital <strong><a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/nicaragua-managua-travel-tourism-attractions" target="_blank">Managua</a></strong> and its airport, this Granada (pop. 1118,000) is also one of CentAm’s loveliest and most popular with visitors (quite on a par with its colonial sister capital <strong>Antigua</strong>, <strong>Guatemala</strong>).</p>
<p>And like Antigua, its main draw is an atmospheric collection of colonial and Victorian/Edwardian-era buildings, cobblestone streets, and squares which managed to survive or be rebuilt after the burning of the city by the forces of U.S. freebooter <strong>William Walker</strong>, who usurped the presidency of Nicaragua in 1856 and attempted to conquer all of Central America. Over the course of the past decade or so have been rescued from decades of shabbiness and neglect (thanks in part to help from the government of Spain) to delight visitors with all manner of tourist attractions, small lodgings (many of good quality under 150 and even 100 USD per night), and eating/drinking spots. In fact, so much so that this renaissance has turned the city into the main hub of Nicaragua tourism.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2015/08/L2F-Aug-15-pic-Nicaragua-Granada-Calle-La-Calzada-nimdok-Flickr.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2015/08/L2F-Aug-15-pic-Nicaragua-Granada-Calle-La-Calzada-nimdok-Flickr.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="L2F-Aug-15-pic-Nicaragua-Granada-Calle-La-Calzada-nimdok-Flickr.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a></p>
<p>The epicenter of it all, as with most other colonial-era towns, is Granada’s oldest as most central plaza, the leafy <strong>Parque Central</strong>. In addition to being an open-air living room of sorts for many locals, it’s here you’ll also find vendors of crafts, nibbly bits, and shaved, flavored ices, as well as various gracious buildings ringing the entire square. Foremost among them is the <strong>cathedral</strong> – the current yellow-and-white, neoclassical-style incarnation of which was finished around 1915.</p>
<p><br /> Right next to the cathedral is another Old Town hub, a cobblestone street called <strong>Calle La Calzada</strong> (above), which slopes down to the lake shore. Especially at night, this becomes quite a lively stretch, and you’ll also find many of the local boutique hotels along here, such as <strong>Hotel Dario</strong>,<strong>Hotel Granada</strong>, <strong>Hotel La Pergola</strong>, and <strong>Hotel Patio del Malinche</strong> (another local favorite of mine is <strong>Casa Silas</strong>, a bed-and-breakfast with just two rooms but impeccably run by Nica/gringo couple Claudia and Rob on <strong>Calle La Concepción</strong> several blocks south of Parque Central).</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2015/08/L2F-Aug-15-pic-Nicaragua-Granada-Santo-Domingo-Convent-statues-happykatie-Flickr.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2015/08/L2F-Aug-15-pic-Nicaragua-Granada-Santo-Domingo-Convent-statues-happykatie-Flickr.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="L2F-Aug-15-pic-Nicaragua-Granada-Santo-Domingo-Convent-statues-happykatie-Flickr.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a></p>
<p><br /> Most historical landmarks tend to be churches and other religious structures, of which the most interesting includes the 18th-century <strong>Iglesia La Merced</strong> on <strong>Calle Real Xaltiva</strong>, considered by many the loveliest in the city and offering a great bird’s-eye view from the top of its belltower. Over on <strong>Calle Cervantes</strong>, the sky-blue <strong>Convento de San Francisco</strong> dates from 1585 and was rebuilt in 1868 after Walker and company had torched the city; here the feature attraction is a museum of religious art which also includes fascinating pre-Columbian statues carved from black basalt (above). The most important secular landmark in town is the<strong>Fuerte La Pólvora</strong> at the western end of the Calle Real Xaltiva, a low-slung, whitewashed fort built in 1748 that’s open for touring.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2015/08/L2F-Aug-15-pic-Nicaragua-Granada-Municipal-Market-Heimlich_el_centroamericano-Flickr.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2015/08/L2F-Aug-15-pic-Nicaragua-Granada-Municipal-Market-Heimlich_el_centroamericano-Flickr.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" alt="L2F-Aug-15-pic-Nicaragua-Granada-Municipal-Market-Heimlich_el_centroamericano-Flickr.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a> </p>
<p>And speaking of museums, there are a couple of other little ones lurking about here, as well. Just around the corner from Parque Central on <strong>Calle Atravesada</strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mimuseo.granada" target="_blank">Mi Museo</a></strong> is pretty unassuming from the outside but contains an actually fairly impressive private collection of pottery and other pro-Columbian artifacts dating as far back as 2000 BC. Just up the street, the <strong><a href="https://www.chocomuseo.com/nicaragua/granada/" target="_blank">ChocoMuseo</a></strong> housed in a five-storey townhouse not only has displays on the history of cacao and chocolate in the Americas but also a factory, hands-on workshops, spa treatments, and café with choco drinks and desserts. As the locals say, <em>yumi, yumi </em>(yum)!<br /><br /> Other worthwhile stops include the cheerfully chaotic <strong>municipal market</strong> (above) on Calle Atravesada south of Parque Central, and at the end of Calle La Calzada, the lakefront park, where you can also catch a scenic boat cruise through the <em>isletas</em> (islands) out on the lake.</p>
<p><br /><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2015/08/L2F-Aug-15-pic-Nicaragua-Granada-Mombacho-Volcano-Sergio-Melendez-Wikipedia-Flickr.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/ltf/2015/08/L2F-Aug-15-pic-Nicaragua-Granada-Mombacho-Volcano-Sergio-Melendez-Wikipedia-Flickr.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="760" alt="L2F-Aug-15-pic-Nicaragua-Granada-Mombacho-Volcano-Sergio-Melendez-Wikipedia-Flickr.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a></p>
<p><br /> Finally, slightly farther afield outside the city, do try to reserve time for a day trip to <strong>Mombacho Volcano</strong> one of several exciting Nicaraguan volcanoes you can visit. This one is part of a nature reserve some seven miles (10 kilometers) south of town. You can get to the top via 4×4 or hiking for the singular experience of a cloud forest environment and to cop some pretty cool views out over Granada and the surrounding countryside. There are also zipline adventures and coffee farm tour up here, and you can overnight comfotably at rustic <strong>Mombacho Lodge</strong> halfway up.</p>
<p><em><br /> More information: <a href="http://www.finditgranada.com/" target="_blank">FindItGranada.com</a>, <a href="http://visitnicaragua.us/see-do/regions/#Granada" target="_blank">VisitNicaragua.us</a>.</em></p>
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<p><span class="font-size-1"><em>photos | <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-88132639/stock-photo-granada-cathedral-and-lake-nicaragua-on-the-background-nicaragua.html?src=XVZjn9Gg9slbaORkpJZlhw-1-16" target="_blank">elnavegante</a>, <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/nimdok/6943842585/sizes/z/" target="_blank">nimdok</a>, <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/happykatie/8859524870/sizes/z/" target="_blank">happykaity</a>, <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66055760@N06/6379681509/sizes/z/" target="_blank">Heimlich_el_centroamericano</a>, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:VolcanMombacho.JPG" target="_blank">sergio melendez</a> </em></span></p>
<p style="background:#ffffff;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;"> </p>
<p style="background:#ffffff;margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;border:0px;text-align:justify;color:#333333;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;clear:both;font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;word-spacing:0px;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;"> </p></div>New Year's Eve in Spain/Latin America: The Twelve Grapes of Fortunehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/new-year-s-eve-in-spain-latin-america-the-twelve-grapes-of-fortun2013-12-30T15:05:38.000Z2013-12-30T15:05:38.000ZDavid Paul Appellhttps://tripatini.com/members/DavidPaulAppell16<div><p><em><span style="font-size:6pt;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10915004701,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10915004701,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" width="750" alt="10915004701?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a><a href="https://flickr.com/photos/chrisoakley/8355711364/in/photolist-BnZgJq-2316oyu-2mUuSyh-4iGJ6k-aMGZ68-2i7QwFQ-b8McsD-96sxXH-dJncT3-CZDz5Q-84aBG-2cpN7mu-96w9SJ-2mTyZrq-5Pg4Vc-96vo5j-wXTJm-fbpk-7zMSgr-7suWsq-qkfAYb-dGfWLq-byRuYn-b5rL5n-jgZeJa-96aFZU-9QJjmf-DoVuij-7t1tph-2knen6G-4hsWd2-iPxN7U-7rRiFV-4hk31K-4hCUis-62ccUv-bnCFwi-6aB4Ci-5PGh2N-4up8kx-5PC1w8-2gcDpiL-4hoePX-7ssocJ-7t6iNa-4jq4PE-wzfPP-7suWsA" target="_blank">Chris Oakley</a></span></em></p>
<p><a href="http://passportto.iberostar.com/2011/12/the-twelve-grapes-of-fortune-for-2012/the-12-new-years-grapes/"><br /> </a> If you find should yourself spending New Year’s Eve in a Spanish-speaking country, you may notice that the locals have an interesting tradition of their own for this special night. As the big moment nears, participants will suspend clusters of grapes over their mouths (or have a loose handful of them) and eat one with each clock strike of midnight. These are <em>“las doce uvas de la suerte”</em> (the twelve grapes of fortune), which of course is what everyone wishes themselves and others for the coming year - one grape for each month of the year, and each chime of the clock leading up to midnight.<br /> <br /> This colorful – and tasty – tradition dates back to the end of the 19th century in Spain. Personally, I would recommend they be seedless – makes it a little easier. And as you can also imagine, most people can’t get them all down by the last stroke of the clock, so you end up with everyone standing around with mouths stuffed full of grapes and trying not to laugh or choke. Here’s a fun video of how it was done one year at a party in Granada, Spain.</p>
<p><em>¡Feliz año nuevo!<br /> <br /><br /> <br /> </em></p>
<center><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/H85XwGQOZcQ?wmode=opaque" width="640" height="480" frameborder="0"></iframe></center></div>Medical Tourism in Costa Ricahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/medical-tourism-in-costa-rica2012-09-04T12:30:00.000Z2012-09-04T12:30:00.000ZDanny Solano Alvarezhttps://tripatini.com/members/DannySolanoAlvarez<div><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="https://www.clinicabiblica.com/images/noticias/hcb-msalud-0320.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://www.clinicabiblica.com/images/noticias/hcb-msalud-0320.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" alt="hcb-msalud-0320.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a>Clínica Bíblica</em></span><br /><strong><br /><br />Costa Rica</strong> has a longstanding tradition of attracting holidaymakers around the world. Most of them have a craving for green, relaxing and adventure. However, people have recently discovered the undeniable fact that <strong>it has also become much more </strong>than an ecotourism destination.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">This country is nowadays a location where you can find proficient consultants than can provide you with high quality medical care at a small portion of cost than other places (e.g. United States, Canada and Europe). Year after year one can see the increasing number of tourist who comes here to get health services. Whilst in the developed countries there is a rise in medical care costs and a decrease in the medical coverage, the concept of travel and surgery has skyrocketed. In Costa Rica you can find <a title="Health tourism" href="http://www.valledoradotours.cr/en/what-to-do/health-tourism.html" target="_blank">excellent tour operators</a> that can give you a hand with finding the best facilities and surgeons.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">One important thing to highlight is that, in this case, good price doesn’t mean bad service. The ticos have an excellent reputation linked to the professionalism of their <strong>well-trained physicians and inexpensive procedures</strong>. Being well informed about the merits of your medical tourism destination options is the key to choosing the best location in which to be treated. You must consider many factors: the number of procedures performed by the staff; the number of English speakers in the team; the place where you will stay; sightseeing and comfort of your companions; the transit time; and the atmosphere of your recovery; etc.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Costa Rica’s geographical proximity to the US and Canada and relative inexpensive cost of elective surgeries plus its ecotourism opportunities has made the <strong>medical tourism a growing industry</strong>. Cosmetic surgery in Costa Rica can be at one third or one fifth of the cost of the same procedure overseas. All of this can be reached in an average four-hour flight.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Even though you can get different procedures in this Central America country, it is known for reconstructive and cosmetic surgeries. The most recognised are <strong>face lifts, tummy tucks and "smart lipo</strong>."</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">One important factor in someone’s recovery process is scenery and in that respect Costa Rica is just plain tops, a tropical paradise. In fact you can’t make yourself an idea of how wonderful it looks like unless you see it yourself. That is why we invite you to visit our country and have a look by yourself. You will feel better by just <strong>breathing the local air</strong>!</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><br /> <em>by Andrés</em></p>
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