Information from the Costa Rica Golf Guide (www.golfebooks.com)

       Index

           Introduction Costa Rica: An Uncut Gem By Dale Leatherman
           Costa Rica Course Guide
                      - Meliá Cariari Country Club
                      - Playa Conchal Garra de León Golf Course
                      - REVEALING THE SECRETS OF THE: Parque Valle del Sol
                      - Los Sueños Marriott Ocean and Golf Resort
                      - Hacienda Pinilla
                      - Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo
           Costa Rica Hotels & Resorts
                      - Meliá Cariari Conference Center & Golf Resort
                      - Paradisus Playa Conchal Beach & Golf Resort
                      - Tabacon Hot Springs Resort
                      - Los Suenos Marriott Ocean and Golf Resort
                      - Flamingo Marina Resort
                      - Hotel Villa Caletas
                      - Hotel Club Del Mar Resort & Condominiums
                      - Private Home Rentals - Flamingo Beach and Playa Grande
           Course Reviews
                      - What's Next? Costa Rica!
                      - Costa Rica: A Quiet
                      - A True Costa Rica Escape at Hacienda Pinilla Golf Course
           Transportation
           FAQ
 

Introduction Costa Rica: An Uncut Gem By Dale Leatherman
Costa Rica is a nugget of land about the size of West Virginia wedged between Nicaragua and Panama in Central America. Bound by the Caribbean on the east and the Pacific on the west, it is a naturalist's wonderland. In this small country, a dozen climactic zones range from lofty cloud forests to steamy rainforests
and dry savannahs. You can drive through several in a day, along with a 20-degree temperature change. More than a quarter of the small country is devoted to national parks, providing sanctuaries for 850 species of birds, 1,200 species of orchids, and countless animals.
Though its neighbors seem prone to violence and political unrest, Costa Ricans are peaceful, having ditched the idea of a national army years ago. Funds earmarked for military were channeled into education instead - and the country has a high standard of literacy to show for it.
Most Costa Ricans live simply, but they believe life is good. And they say so constantly: "Pura vida!" Though the Spanish expression literally means "pure life," Costa Ricans use it for everything that deserves a positive reaction. They share their joy with tourists and the visitors catch on quickly. After each hair-raising rapid on the world-class Pacuare River, rafters slap paddles with their guides and yell "pura vida" into the wilderness. Sliding along a cable high in the rainforest canopy, they howl "pura vida!" When a volcano spews fire into the night sky, witnesses gasp "pura vida!"
With miles of deserted beaches and acres of undeveloped land, Costa Rica is a plum ripe for the plucking - a fact not lost on Americans who have visited there. Investors have been pouring money into luxury resorts and planned communities for years. And many ex-pat Americans have embraced the "good life," Costa Rican style, such as Landy Blank and his wife Susan. The couple own and operate Costa Rica Golf Adventures and a golf shop in the Melia Cariari Resort, and supply clothing and equipment to golf shops all over the country. Through their touring company the Blanks share their enthusiasm for the country, arranging custom-made golf, luxury and
adventure trips for countless visitors.
"As a golf destination, Costa Rica is on the verge of a boom like Mexico has experienced," says Landy. Five
new courses have opened in as many years, and more are in the works. "It's the next hot spot to watch. The
combination of world-class courses, friendly people and the country's rare natural beauty is unbeatable. It's one of the few places in the world where you can play a golf course by a major architect in the mornng, swing through the canopy of a rainforest in the afternoon, and watch an active volcano erupt at night."
The best way to experience Costa Rican golf is on a road trip from resort to resort, so that you can see the country and meet the people. Be forewarned, driving is part of the adventure, because many roads are narrow and filled with potholes. But it's not an country you want to hurry through anyway. The roadsides are dotted with small, open-air restaurants where you can enjoy tasty fresh fish, locally harvested palm hearts and cold beer for $3-$4US. Carvings and other fine crafts found in shops and roadside stands in the countryside are much cheaper than at the resorts.

Costa Rica Course Guide

Melia Cariari Country Club, San Jose
Since most international flights land in the capital city of San Jose, this is the perfect place to start a golf/adventure trip. More than 25 years ago George and Tom Fazio transformed a portion of a former coffee plantation into what was considered the best course in Central America until the recent advent of new tracks. It is a beautifully landscaped loop of tight, tree-lined fairways that rise and fall dramatically and seldom offer a level lie. Letting the fairways take their natural toll, Tom Fazio saved his bunkering for near the greens, which are large but fast and often crowned. Cariari was the site of the 2002 Costa Rica Open, which drew competitors from all over the world and sent many home chagrined. The course is the centerpiece of a 220-room resort with a plethora of amenities, including several distinctive restaurants and a large casino.

Parque Valle del Sol
Located a short drive from San Jose, the "Valley of the Sun" course is a recent Tracy May redesign of a track started by an American in the 1970s. The revival of the golf course has revived the surrounding residential development, too, and there's a lot of housing construction going on. Fortunately, most of the windows are out of range, because strong, gusting winds can make playing here a game of chance for the first-time visitor. On windy days, the 13 water hazards become quite diabolical. The coup de grace comes on the final hole, a 630-yard uphill trek to a green blocked by a spreading tree. On the rare calm day, the course is a pussycat, and one can only hope that the foliage will quickly mature into windbreaks.

Paradisus Playa Conchal Resort. Guanacaste
The Garre de Leon ("Lion's Paw") course is Latin America's first Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, a fact that becomes abundantly clear early on as a zoo's allotment of colorful birds and animals dart, swoop, dash or simply sit and watch the passing procession of golfers. They have plenty of places to hide from errant shots, for the fairways are lined with dense, flowering foliage.
Through this delicate environment (and with careful oversight from the naturalists) Robert Trent Jones Jr. routed wide fairways studded with vast sand bunkers, reedy lagoons and several ravines choked with vegetation. The greens are generous, but often tiered or sculpted into tricky fall lines. The 7,080-yard track is located on high ground, with views of the Pacific Ocean, distant mountains and the red tile roofs of the resort.
The all-inclusive luxury resort is located on a beautiful 1.5-mile stretch of beach. The 300 guestrooms are mini-suites with elevated sleeping areas and private balconies. At the center of the sprawling complex is an enormous freeform pool with waterfalls, rock outcroppings and shady alcoves for lounging. Five open-air restaurants serve a variety of cuisines.

Hacienda Pinella, Guanacaste
Not far from Paradisus Playa Conchal, an upscale resort community is taking shape on a 5,000-acre beachfront
cattle farm. A day-trip to this place is a must, to play the 7,500-yard course designed by Mike Young. The course is groomed to perfection for the handful of players from hotels in Tamarindo or Playa Conchal, so you'll have plenty of time to savor the experience and the marvelous Tif Eagle greens, the only ones in Central America.
The site is relatively flat, but Young created depth and challenge with invisible pot bunkers and tall stands of high grasses. The greens repel boarders, so the cautious run-up is a must. Like Valle del Sol, this course is blasted by 30 to 50mph winds, and is much meeker on the rare quiet day. Evening brings out the shadows and the promise of a beautiful sunset over the beach near the fourteenth hole.

Los Suenos Marriott Ocean and Golf Resort
Here's a perfect example of American infatuation with Costa Rica - and the vision and funds to act on it. Six years ago, the scenario at Herradura Bay southwest of San Jose was much like Hacienda Pinella - a cattle farm and an American with a dream (Los Suenos is Spanish for dream). But California developer Bill Royster has established a luxurious golf resort and worldclass marina, and completed three elegant residential communities - with more to come. The resort's 6,700-yard Ted Robinson Jr. design has a unique and often dramatic setting - a combination of a narrow river valley inhabited by howler monkeys and a pretty oceanside plain.

Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo
Scheduled to open in late 2003, this luxury resort occupies a sandy peninsula, with great private beaches on both sides and a panoramic view of two bays. The course is an Arnold Palmer design. Stay tuned for a complete course review.
When You Go Costa Rica Golf Adventures, Landy Blank and General Manager Dave Stokem, (877) 258-2688
or (888) 261-6645 or visit www.golfcr.com. Costa Rica's oldest and largest golf tour company.
The international airport in San Jose is about a 3-hour flight from Miami, Atlanta, Houston or Dallas. Continental's non-stop flight from Newark is 4 hours.

Meliá Cariari Country Club
The Cariari, long considered to be the best course in Central America, is a natural to play when arriving in Costa Rica. Situated on land that was once a coffee plantation, the Cariari was designed by golf course architect George Fazio and built by his now famous nephew, Tom Fazio. This par 71 course measures 6,590 yards from the Championship tees, but plays much longer.
The course is heavily wooded, the fairways are narrow with few fairway bunkers, and the greens tend to be on the large side with sand traps throughout. The greens are Bermuda and roll fast and true. The course record is
held jointly by Raymond Floyd and Costa Ricans Álvaro Ortiz and Mario Pérez. The Cariari was the site of the
Friendship Cup in 1979 & 1980. These PGA sponsored events were won by Larry Zeigler (2 under) and Raymond Floyd (9 under). Rental clubs available.
Tees Yards Rating Slope
Blue 6590 71.9 132
White 6078 70.5 129
Gold 5720 69.4 127
Red 5366 72.5 126

Playa Conchal Garra de León Golf Course
Garra de León Golf Course is an ocean course with a desire to replace the Cariari Country Club as the number one golf course in Central America. No expense was spared to create a course on par with the spectacular resort it surrounds. Beautiful vistas, sweeping fairways, large undulating greens, mucha agua - - simply put, a big golf course. This Robert Trent Jones, II golf course at the Meliá Playa Conchal Beach & Golf Resort was built over a period of four years and was well worth the wait. What I truly admire about this project is the attention to detail. Although newly opened, Garra de León Golf Course feels as though it has been here for years. When I mentioned to a friend of mine what a tremendous course it will be once it has matured, he reminded me that in Costa Rica’s tropical climate, things mature over a long weekend.
I had a great time playing with the course pro, James McAfee, and playing from the tips allowed me to see the entire golf course. Believe me, I saw the entire course! In the future, I will be playing this course from the blues (6,593 yards) and the whites (6,045 yards). This is what I call a BIG golf course. It contrasts with the narrow fairways and tall trees of the Cariari Country Club course and the rocky steep elevations of the back nine at Rancho Las Colinas. The golfer who visits Costa Rica now has the pleasure of playing three championship golf courses, each with a distinct style.
Rental clubs are available.
Tees Yards Rating Slope
Gold 7080 74.2 134
Blue 6624 71.9 130
White 6082 69.3 125
Red 5446 71.4 120

Parque Valle del Sol (REVEALING THE SECRETS OF THE: Parque Valle Sol)
Avid golfers in San José have been eagerly awaiting the opening of the new Parque Valle del Sol. The course is located fifteen minutes from San José near the town of Santa Ana, and is part of a golf course community being
developed by the Brazilian company Habitasul. The property and golf course were initially developed by a North American in the late seventies. The course was never opened to the public and the owner and his friends were the only ones to play there. (Sort of a poor man's Steve Wynn with his exclusive Saddle Creek course in Las Vegas.) With this in mind, it is not difficult to understand why the "gringo" ran out of money before the project was completed and returned north a wiser but poorer individual. The development became the property of a local bank in 1989. And Habitasul purchased the development in 1992.
In 1994, Habitasul brought in golf course architect Tracy May to re-design and build a new course. The results achieved by May are an outstanding 18 hole championship golf course. May, with the assistance of the on-site construction supervisor Mark Dinan, has designed the layout to be challenging and fair under most conditions, and downright tough when the winds come swirling down from the surrounding mountains. The layout is diverse and requires the use of all the clubs in your bag. The rolling hills, mature trees that were part of the original course and the surrounding mountains create a great setting for golf.
Tees Yards Front Back
Black 6913 3364 3388
Gold 6083 3016 3067
White 5476 3016 2779
Red 4826 2366 2463
 

Los Sueños Marriott Ocean and Golf Resort
Costa Rica's Newest Gem The new golf course in Costa Rica, Los Sueños, is all that we had expected from a Ted Robinson Jr. designed course. Having designed over a hundred courses around the world including Shiloe, the site of the 1998 PGA Championship, Ted has given us a course that few in the world can match for natural beauty and challenging golf. It is not uncommon for the guests of the Los Sueños Marriott to wrest their eyes away from the challenge of the golf course and just gaze up at one of the most picturesque settings on earth, a dense canopy of exotic plants, trees, and wildlife. Bordered by the Pacific Ocean on one side and rainforest on the other makes it a difficult task to concentrate on your golf game. If that isn't enough to distract you then there are a number of old magnificent trees that always seem to be between you and the area of the golf course you'd like to get to.
"It makes you think, it makes you play, it makes you drive the ball, it makes you position the ball. It's a shot makers test of golf. It's a beautiful site and the type of course I'd enjoy experiencing every day of my life." Philip Krick,Jr. PGA, Director of Golf
Following is a brief Hole-By-Hole description of the course.
As a general rule the Par 5's were not reachable in two from the tips but it may be possible from the regular tees. The challenge wasn't so much the distance of the holes but rather the doglegs and the position of many of the trees I mentioned earlier. The Par 3's were all between 172 and 190 with wind being the greatest factor.
I couldn't help but notice that the wind was either into our face or a crosswind, not once did we hit with the wind at our backs. One more factor to consider when playing Los Sueños is the rough which consists mostly of Mani (peanut) ground cover. This ground cover is about four inches high, is attractive with it's yellow flowers, loosely packed, but, it is very difficult to find your ball. You can play out of it if you do find your ball.
You'll enjoy this golf course and it's definitely worth taking more than one shot at. Los Sueños has come up with an idea that I think works very well for all the golfers on the course. They have what you would call a forecaddie that accompanies each group. The term "guide" is appropriate in this case as so much is to be seen besides the break of a putt. The charge for their services is entirely up to you, pay them whatever you feel their contribution to your golfing experience was worth Tees Course Rating Slope Yardage
Gold 73.4 140 6707
Blue 71.6 138 6305
White 69.7 133 5911
Red 71.6 129 5533
 

Hacienda Pinilla
Hacienda Pinilla, located on Costa Rica's North Pacific Coast is just a short drive from Melia Playa Conchal's
Garra de León Golf Course. This newly created 18 hole championship links style layout was completed in February of 2001. Mike Young designed the course on what used to be a working cattle ranch and is now part of a 5,000 acre megadevelopment. The course is a coastal layout with wide, open fairways and the prevailing winds come into play on just about every hole. The bump and run is recommended for most approach shots as the greens are hard and fast. A truly distinguishing characteristic of Hacienda Pinilla is the many well-placed pot bunkers that are cleverly placed around most greens. It is challenging, and will reward conservative play more often than not. Carts are mandatory.
Tees Front Back Yardage
Black 3605 3669 7274
Blue 3317 3400 6717
White 3160 3232 6392
Red 2824 2930 5754

Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo
About an hour North of Garra de Leon on the Papagayo Peninsula you'll find the new Four Seasons Resort and their incredibly beautiful Arnold Palmer golf course. This resort is situated on the point of the peninsula and the hotel itself is situated on a strip of land with sandy beaches on both sides of the property. Going in the other two directions you head up to hillsides that are as high as a thousand feet and with spectacular views of the Pacific. This land was chosen for the golf course because of these views and also the natural elevation changes that occur and create holes that are unforgettable.
The Palmer team did a wonderful job taking advantage of what they were given and I doubt that
they have ever had a better piece of land to work with. My playing partner was Javier Urbina, the on site manager for the Palmer team. Javier and I did play through a foursome and the players mentioned to us that they thought it was the most beautiful golf course they had ever played. They didn't know who Javier was but the comments certainly made his day!
The front side of the golf course is set up with three Par 3's, 4's , and 5's and the back is the traditional setup. The first hole is a very fair Par 5 that lets you get over the first hole nerves without putting up a big number. From there you simply play the course: a combination of great views, elevation changes with interesting holes, wind that is always present but not a major factor the day I played, greens that roll true and will be running about a 9 or 10 on the stimp meter, and rough that is still forgiving but will get tougher as time goes by. Playing the course at the Four Seasons can only be accomplished by staying at the resort and this makes it the most expensive round in Costa Rica. But an overnight at the hotel with an afternoon round upon check-in and then followed by a round in the morning is a good option. Due to fact that they don't allow outside play you can count on a course that is not packed and allows for plenty of time to take photos and simply enjoy the beauty that surrounds you.
 

Costa Rica Hotels & Resorts
Costa Rica is blessed with an amazing number of great hotel properties. Due to the many different activities that encourage people from all over the world to visit this beautiful and diverse country, the demand for locations in remote and unusual spots is tremendous. In choosing our locations we took into consideration all the factors that we considered paramount for a great Costa Rica golf vacation. These golf hotel resorts are within the proximity of the golf courses, are comfortable, offers personalized services, and have staff members who understands the needs of the golf traveler. The hotels we use for our non-golf excursions were chosen for many of the same reasons and also for their excellence in the area that you will be visiting. Your experience at this group of Costa Rica hotel resorts will be first class and be an important part of a unforgettable golf vacation.
• Meliá Cariari Conference Center & Golf Resort
• Paradisus Playa Conchal Beach & Golf Resort
• Tabacon Hot Springs Resort
• Los Suenos Marriott Ocean and Golf Resort
• Flamingo Marina Resort
• Hotel Villa Caletas
• Hotel Club Del Mar Resort & Condominiums
• Private Home Rentals - Flamingo Beach and Playa Grande

Meliá Cariari Conference
Center & Golf Resort
The premier resort in the Central Valley - located ten minutes from the capital, San José, and the Juan Santamaria International Airport. Situated on 134 acres of lavishly landscaped grounds, this resort offers a singular serene and relaxed ambiance. Among its amenities are a casino, lounge, restaurants, room service, pool, and access to the facilities at the adjacent Cariari Country Club (golf course, Olympic pool, tennis courts, spa). The resort offers 220 rooms including 24 suites. All have handsomely appointed furnishings, interesting fabric designs, and warm woodwork. With 11 conference or banquet rooms and a business center, this is an ideal venue for conventions, seminars, or incentive meetings.
International cuisine is served in the elegant Los Vitrales restaurant. The Las Tejas Coffee Shop is where guests enjoy Costa Rica specialties as well an extensive daily breakfast buffet. Late night snacks and full course meals are available through 24 hour room service.
The staff and management of the Meliá Cariari Conference Center & Golf Resort are friendly, courteous, and always willing to accommodate your every need to insure your stay with them is both relaxing and memorable

Paradisus Playa, Conchal Beach & Golf Resort
Paradisus Playa Conchal is a 5 star - all inclusive - all suite - luxury resort nestled on Costa Rica's most beautiful north Pacific beach cove and that is all that separates this luxurious resort from the Pacific Ocean. In addition, Paradisus Playa Conchal Beach & Golf Resort is surrounded by Garra de León Golf Course, which in turn is surrounded by 2000 acres of tropical dry forest whose inhabitants include red macaws, toucans and howler monkeys.
Created by renowned Spanish architect Alvaro Saenz, the resort resembles a modern tropical village with walkways, fountains, lakes and exuberant botanical gardens. The guest rooms are situated in 39 two-story private bungalows, each containing 8 suites. They include central a/c, color satellite TV, mini bar, living and dining area, wet bar, and spacious bathrooms with a separate dressing area.
On the pristine landscaped grounds you will find an expansive free form pool, four lighted tennis courts, health club and water sports, shopping arcade, plus a casino and discotheque. Of course, their is also Robert Trent Jones II 's ecologically consistent golf creation, the Garra de León Golf Course. Greens fees include unlimited use of the practice range, carts with stocked coolers, tees, yardage books and towels for course use.
Paradisus Playa Conchal offers a variety of dining and drinking options and all the food and beverages are included in the price. The day begins with an colossal breakfast buffet featuring just about anything and everything imaginable for the foundation meal of the day. Lunch features a poolside buffet highlighted by an assortment of seafood offerings and desserts. Other options include the 19th Hole Restaurant for North American style fare. A poolside fast food restaurant serves burgers, fries, hot dogs, nachos and roast chicken from noon through the dinner hours. Dinner is a gourmet's delight with a choice of four restaurants offering cuisine ranging from Italian to Oriental fusion - grilled steaks and seafood to an international buffet. Imported liquors and wines are served in the restaurants and bars along with locally produced libations. Should the munchies strike in the middle of the night, no problem, room service is a 24 hour affair. The mini bar in your suite will be refilled daily with water, sodas and beer.
Paradisus Playa Conchal offers the most sophisticated and impressive meeting facilities in Costa Rica. The resort was designed to offer an extensive variety of outside function areas including state of the art technology in the conference center. The conference center is situated on a hilltop with a breathtaking view of the Pacific and is capable of accommodating groups ranging in size from 20 to 500 in a theater setting.
 

Tabacon Hot Springs Resort
At the foot of Arenal Volcano, Tabacon Hot Springs Resort offers an unbeatable combination of rooms with spectacular volcano views and the rejuvenating thermal waters of their hot springs spa. All rooms have telephone, Satellite TV, and air conditioning. The spa offers a multitude of thermal pools scattered throughout lavishly landscaped grounds. Massages and mud facials are available by appointment. The main pool features a swimup bar and water slide. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served at the spa restaurant.
The Arenal Volcano and the surrounding Tropical Rain Forest provide the perfect setting for a unique place unparalleled in the World: Tabacon Resort, where you can enjoy an unforgettable, relaxing experience.
The healing power of its' thermo mineral waters, and the deep cleaning characteristics of volcanic mud and clay are the perfect complement to it's therapeutic messages. This perfect combination helps enhance your stay and lets you leave feeling relaxed and younger.
From the heart of the volcano spring fountains of thermo mineral water which form the Tabacon River, running at a soothing 39 degree Celsius (102 F), forming cascades and natural pools through exotic tropical gardens, and flowing into our pools, to guarantee an unforgettable sensation. Tabacon Lodge features rooms especially designed to offer maximum comfort and rest, inspired by the natural surroundings and the overwhelming view of the Arenal Volcano.

Los Suenos Marriott Ocean and Golf Resort
The Marriott's newest Costa Rican property is nestled between warm Pacific waters and a rainforest teaming with wildlife and offers unrivalled service and facilities in a truly unique and exciting location.
This resort combines world-class amenities and activities with an array of natural wonders located at its very doorstep. Ideal for those who wish to combine luxurious comfort with a little adventure.
Located in a 1,000 acre rainforest, amenities in addition to an 18 hole Ted Robinson designed golf course include, a driving range, a host of waterfront activities, comprehensive Health Club and Spa Center, lighted tennis courts, horizon swimming pool with swim-up bar, choice of 6 diverse restaurants and lounges, casino and entertainment center and a variety of unique locations for theme parties. They range from beach front to poolside to an elegant ballroom.
The golf course is surrounded by lush rainforest and borders on a secluded Pacific cove. Designed so that guests are able to enjoy the sights and sounds of the rainforest without disrupting the natural habitat they are traveling through, the course is landscaped to include exotic native plants, banana trees and orchids. Over 150 species of birds, as well as monkeys and other wildlife have been identified on the grounds. At this "naturally challenging" course, the typical caddie has been replaced with a "Golf Guide" who has had months of extensive training including daily classes with a local biologist. They are local Costa Ricans who are fluent in both English and Spanish and as knowledgeable about the game of golf as they are of the natural wonders that surround them.

Flamingo Marina Resort
The Flamingo Marina Resort, located in Flamingo Beach, overlooks Costa Rica's only marina. At the foot of the property the hotel has it's own small beach and is also only 300 meters from one of the country’s finest white sand beaches. In addition to its close proximity to both Garra de León Golf Course and Rancho Las Colinas Golf & Country Club, the Flamingo Marina Resort is only a 15 minute boat trip to the best diving spot in Costa Rica, the Catalina Islands. Rodale magazine listed these islands as a Top Ten Destination Dive.
The Flamingo Marina Resort offers superior accommodations that range from double rooms to 5 person apartments that include telephone, satellite TV, air conditioning, and refrigerators. The hotel also has two swimming pools, tennis courts, a poolside bar, and restaurant. The restaurant specializes in local cuisine with fresh fish daily. The Monkey Bar is a favorite spot in Flamingo Beach and their Happy Hour is a daily event.
Attentive management and a friendly staff will make you feel at home in this unpretentious resort.

Hotel Villa Caletas
Located on the Central Pacific Coast, this luxurious hotel has been built around a tropical Victorian mansion. It is set in the rainforest on a cliff 1150 feet above the Pacific Ocean. On the hotel grounds are lush gardens, a private pebble beach, a unique pool overlooking the Pacific, a bar and 2 gourmet restaurants. The concept is a combination of a mountain and a seaside resort. A 360 degree panorama offers views of the deep blue Pacific ocean, islands in the Gulf of Nicoya, lush tropical vegetation, the crescent beaches of Jaco, Herradura, and Punta Leona as well as the mountains. The sunset views are spectacular.
Another truly unique feature of Villa Caletas is the 150 seat Greek style amphitheater. Eight Doric columns give form to the amphitheater which has a spectacular vista of the Gulf of Nicoya and nearby areas. This is a wonderful place for special events like concerts and ceremonies. While enjoying the peace and tranquility of the lovely setting, you have the choice of a variety of accommodations. Eight standard rooms offer 2 twins or a queen size bed, telephones, mini bars, hairdryers, coffee makers, cable television, private bath, ceiling fans and air conditioning. Fifteen Villas, 4 Junior Suites and 1 Master Suite, all with queen size beds, also have private terraces with ocean or mountain views and a living room with a sofa bed. The Suites each have their own private swimming pool and the Master Suite has its own private garden.
Located only minutes from the Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort, this is an alternative place to stay while enjoying the Los Sueños Golf Course.

Hotel Club Del Mar Resort & Condominiums
This charming family run boutique style beach hotel offers a moderately priced option on the Central Pacific Coast. All rooms and villas have been furnished by award winning interior decorators. Well suited for single and double travelers as well as small to medium sized groups. Ideal for families. Accommodations range from double rooms to one and two bedroom condos sleeping up to 6 people. All have air conditioning, cable television and telephones. The condos have fully equipped kitchens and stack washers and dryers. The only thing separating guests from the beach and Pacific Ocean is the swimming pool and tropical gardens. An open air bar and restaurant overlook the pool.

Private Home Rentals - Flamingo
Beach and Playa Grande
Flamingo Beach is one of the most exclusive beach areas in Costa Rica. Playa Grande is a protected turtle nesting beach with some of Costa Rica's best surfing. These two locations are dotted with exclusive homes and condominiums along white sand beach frontage or with breathtaking Pacific Ocean views. All rentals are convenient to both Rancho Las Colinas and Garra de León Golf Course. Rental rates range from $600.00 to $6,000.00 per week and some are available on a daily or monthly basis.

 

Course Reviews

What's Next? Costa Rica! By Landy Blank
Hawaii...Cabo San Lucas...Pebble Beach...Myrtle Beach... Imagine a golf vacation at these popular golf destinations before they were discovered by the golf traveler. This will give you an idea of the golf vacation that awaits you in Costa Rica. You will re-discover "no-hassle" tee times and the enjoyment of playing unhurried rounds of golf on courses designed by well known golf architects George Fazio, Robert Trent Jones, Jr., Ted Robinson, Jr., Mike Young and Tracy May. Here you will find all the ingredients for a great golf vacation and the added bonus of experiencing the scenic beauty and natural attractions of Costa Rica.
The BIG question? WHERE DO WE PLAY NEXT? My guess is that like all golfers you have a hard time choosing the destination for your upcoming golf adventure. There are dozens of great golf destinations and picking the right one is never an easy decision. While many destinations have much to offer, I believe few can match Costa Rica for overall quality, cost, and safety. The Costa Rica experience combines great golf, new and exciting non-golfing adventures, and the chance to meet and interact with the warm and friendly people of this charming country. What is truly remarkable is that all of this is set in one of the world’s most beautiful and ecologically diverse locations.
Following is a brief description of the most popular 18 hole courses in Costa Rica. The courses offer all types of terrain and playing conditions but all are a fair test of golf.

Cariari Country Club
San Jose
Course Architect: George Fazio
Par 71
Cariari Country Club is where George Fazio routed a typically thoughtful and challenging Fazio layout. Mature, it opened in 1974, and elegantly traditional, the par 71 Cariari course plays longer than its 6,590 yards. Heavily treed, with amazing cacti and exotic native plants and stately palms as accents, the premium is on accuracy off the tee. The par fours are especially
strong; the fives reachable only with precise shots. One of the full staff of caddies will help, especially on the greens.
Helpful Hint- Local golfers are very friendly and enjoy meeting and playing with visitors. Many lasting friendships have originated from a starter joining a single with a local threesome; so don’t worry about going solo. The hospitality and friendliness of the Costa Rican people is well documented, and this is especially true with golfers.

Garra de Léon
Playa Conchal, Guanacaste
Course Architect: Robert Trent Jones II
Par 72
The golf flagship in the west is the Paradisus Playa Conchal Beach & Golf Resort. Designed by Robert Trent Jones II, Conchal stretches to a mighty 7,033 yards from the back markers. Not only does Conchal challenge golfers with its length, it also confronts them with constant elevation changes.
Sometimes subtle and sometimes dramatic (e.g., the 100-foot drop from the tee box to the fairway on the 435-yard, par-4 12th hole), the elevation shifts play an integral part of every club selection you make.
Architect’s Comment - "It was great fun to work in an ecological wonderland," Jones says. "The feeling is that you come into that valley, and you're in a sanctuary."
 

Hacienda Pinilla
Playa Langosta, Guanacaste
Course Architect: Mike Young
Par 72
The Hacienda Pinilla golf course is a 7,500-yard Mike Young design. This golf course is groomed to perfection with head-high grasses rustling in the wind or with the movement of unseen animals, so that playing here has the feel of an African safari. Architect’s Comment - “While we haven’t sacrificed any pleasures or challenges for you, every effort has been made to keep human impact on the land to a minimum. I hope you enjoy playing it as much as I enjoyed creating it”
 

La Iguana
Playa Herradura
Course Architect: Ted Robinson Jr.
Par 72
La iguana is a 6,700-yard Ted Robinson Jr. design with a unique and dramatic setting at the Los Suenos Marriott. The front nine plunges into the shadow of the rainforest along a narrow river valley. From the hills there is an occasional chorus of howler monkeys and mature trees near the stream are perversely placed. For instance, the second hole requires a long iron shot either over or under two trees guarding the green.
"It makes you think, it makes you play, it makes you drive the ball, it makes you position the ball. It's a shot makers test of golf. It's a beautiful site and the type of course I'd enjoy experiencing every day of my life." Philip Krick,Jr. PGA, Director of Golf
Helpful Hint - The saying “trees are 90% air” does not apply to dense tropical rainforest trees.
The “woods” here take the expression tree lined fairways to another level. Keeping it in play and in the fairway will certainly reward your score and lost ball percentage.

Parque Valle del Sol
San Jose
Course Architect: Tracey May
Par 72
In 1994 Parque Valle del Sol brought in golf course architect Tracy May to re-design and build a new course. The results achieved by May are an outstanding 18-hole championship golf course. May, with the assistance of the on-site construction supervisor Mark Dinan, has designed the layout to be challenging and fair under most conditions, and downright tough when the winds come swirling down from the surrounding mountains. The layout is diverse and requires the use of all the clubs in your bag. The rolling hills, mature trees that were part of the original course and the surrounding mountains create a great setting for golf.
Don’t miss the opportunity to discover golf in Costa Rica before the rest of the golfing world. When you do decide to visit Costa Rica take advantage of a local golf tour operator who is familiar with local tournaments and course conditions. The oldest company specializing in golf tours is Costa Rica Golf Adventures. Their e-mail address is golf@centralamerica.com and their website is www.golfcr.com
About the author: Landy Blank and his wife Susan have been full time residents of Costa Rica for seven years. Landy is the author of numerous articles relating to golf in Costa Rica and is also the principle importer of golf products in Costa Rica. You can find him and Susan at their Pro Shop at the Cariari Country Club.
 

Costa Rica: A Quiet Piece of Paradise Staff Report
PHOENIX, AZ– For all the political and civil unrest in Central America over the past 20 years, a golf trip to this volatile region may sound about as enticing as mountain climbing in Afghanistan.
That is, unless your destination is the diminutive, exotic, tropical, affordable, and most importantly, neutral, country of Costa Rica. Major golf destination? Probably not, what with six golf courses in the lineup and a couple more in the works. But major is overrated, don’t you think?
If there is an untapped golf retreat of the Western Hemisphere, it's Costa Rica. The exchange rate will have you living like a king, the scenary is unmatched, and the country’s small sampling of golf courses goes beyond respectable. Moreover, Costa Ricans – Ticos as they refer to themselves – dote over American tourists, and not once during your visit will you feel out of place, uncomfortable, or in the least bit intimidated. Unless its standing on the first tee of one of Costa Rica’s oceanside layouts.

The Golf Courses
Golf is a relatively new endeavor in Costa Rica, where eco-tourism has reigned supreme for years. If you want to play the course where it all began almost 29 years ago, head to Meliá Cariari in San José and tee it up at the George Fazio-designed Melia Cariari Country Club.

Melia Cariari Country Club is a par 71 layout, and was the first 18-hole facility to open in this bucolic country. The course is sits on an old coffee plantation, and is a shot-makers delight with its tight, tree-lined fairways. The course, built on hilly terrain, plays to just over 6,500 yards from the tips, but is still well respected as one of Costa Rica’s most challenging tracts. By law, Costa Rica is required to set aside one quarter of its land mass for nature preserves and National Parks – American environmentalists drool as the prospect. As you can imagine, the country’s beautiful, sometimes rugged coastline is a target of a great deal of this legislation. Robert Trent Jones Jr., known for his ability to craft memorable courses within the context of strict environmental laws, was hired by the Spanish hotel chain Meliá to build a 650-acre seaside resort and golf course along the Pacific Coast in Guanacaste Providence.

Paradisus Playa Conchal Beach & Golf Resort was the project that emerged from the commission, and it may be the only golf course in the world that can claim monkeys in play. That’s right, monkeys. Jones was not permitted to hack down any of the properties Banyan trees, which are, incidentally, home to the indigenous Howler Monkey. If you think sinking a 10-foot putt to win a skin in front of three playing partners is nerve-racking, try draining a long roll in from of Cocoa the monkey.

The course was built over a period of four years and according to many writers and players, is well positioned to become the best layout in the country. At just over 6,500 yards from the blue tees, Paradisus Playa is not particularly long, but the humidity of Costa Rica keeps distance in check by taking five to ten yards off each club.

If you want to shape shots and carve out doglegs, then Melia Cariari Country Club is your bag. If you enjoy a wide-open golf course that is as receptive to a driver as the locals are to “touristas,” then Paradisus Playa will be more to your liking.
Far be it from golf course architect Ron Garl to be left out of the Costa Rica golf fray. Garl, born and raised in Florida, is no stranger to warm weather and big game fishing, and Costa Rica has the best of both worlds.
Garl put his stamp on the Costa Rica golf scene with his design at Royal Pacific. The front nine at Royal Pacific is relatively flat and quite scoreable. A number of the holes on the walk out follow a river that borders the western edge of the course.

If you didn’t get enough of the Howler Monkeys at Paradisus Playa Conchal Beach & Golf Resort, you’ll get your fill here. The back nine plays through steeper geography and overall, is significantly tighter than the front.
Ted Robinson Jr. doesn’t get the hype of a RTJ Jr. in the golf course design world, but the guy can flat out build a golf course. Robinson designed Shiloe, site of the 1998 PGA Championship, and with Los Suenos (the dreams), he has given Costa Rica yet another new track it can be quite proud of. Los Suenos is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on one side and rainforest on the other. If you can honestly keep you mind on scoring, more power to you. The course is also endowed with
a number of old, majestic trees that are not afraid to come into play. Los Suenos is one of the few courses you’ll find that offers forecaddies – guides that help you manage you golf game based on their knowledge of the course. In typical Costa Rican fashion, they are paid according to their helpfulness on the course.

Stay & Play
The Los Suenos Marriott sports a beachfront hotel, marina, yacht club, the championship golf course, and the beach. The setting is unrivaled anywhere in the country. For more information or reservations, call the U.S. number at 877-258-2688.
Travel Tips
Don't forget some rain gear. Costa Rica is tropical, after all, and sunny days can turn to stormy weather faster than a par turns to bogey on a tough par 4.
 

Costa Rica: Garra de Leon Course
By John Eckberg, Staff Writer
BRASILITO, COSTA RICA (July 8, 2002) -- The Garra de Leon course on the Northwest coast of Costa Rica looks the picture of a sleepy paradise on most mid-June mornings. The fairways and greens are an exotic emerald nearly beyond belief. The course is practically free of golfers - some resort visitors say they can stay a full week and not see a foursome on it - though the sculpted bunkers, traps and quiet lakes with grazing shore birds beckon in a quiet way. Not far away, a noisy troop of howler monkeys offers a disconcerting rumble through the forest adjoining the back nine, and they do it just about every morning with their strange, wild calls that echo across the course and out to the sea.
Consistently ranked as a top 100 golf resort in the world, the luxurious Paradisus Playa Conchal All Suite Beach & Golf Resort on the Pacific Coast of northwest Costa Rica brings a defining border of beach, hibiscus, palm, red brick pathways and stucco villas to this golf course.

All You Can Eat
When the sun hits the horizon, everything stops only to resume a few minutes later, after photos. Though the staff fusses over customers, it is more Joe' s Diner than five-star fashionable. The entertainment is Spanish Karaoke sung by one or two locals inside near a little gift shop. The music wafts outside to the terrace dining area and the presumed antics of the owner, or maybe he's the restaurant captain, can be hilarious. Hard work on the golf course and on the beach calls for plenty of good food. Luckily, meals in any of the resort's six restaurants are splendid, with themes ranging from Asian to Italian, and the food beyond the resort's doors is worth checking out as well. Breakfast is fabulous with fresh and assorted fruits, made-to-order eggs, a variety of French toast batters and, of course, plantains, a local favorite.
As for lunch, avocado gazpacho with crab and fried plantains served at the Caracola near the pool will not disappoint. Also try the seafood quiche with a mint-scented watermelon salad, the fish and chips or tuna salad with fennel on a crusty baguette. While tourists come to this resort as part of a travel package and therefore stay onsite for fun, food and drink, some do venture out of the gated acreage and into the nearby fishing village of Brasilito. It is little more than a bus stop village beside the sea but there is something there that should not be missed:
A sunset dinner at the restaurant Camaron Dorado (literally Golden Shrimp) is more an event than a meal. Waiters come to tables with hair flowers for the women and girls, followed by a bowl of hibiscus and rose water filled with floating blossoms. Diners dip their fingers in it before diving into the great seafood appetizers. Bowls are coming and going all night long. They are seemingly everywhere.

The course was designed in the classic tradition of the game by Robert Trent Jones II, and is today something of an ecological treasure as it snakes from the sea to the hills of an old teak ranch and then back to the sea again, finishing with a bending par 5 that arcs like a lion's claw to the last pin.
"There is better golf here than any course I have ever played in North Carolina," says Canadian Glenn Knight, who is visiting for a week and plays everyday, despite it being the beginning of the rainy season. "It's all about target golf here.
"The fairways are forgiving and it's a quick play because basically there are two cuts all over: the fairway cut and the rough cut. The rough is not so long, either, that you can't find your ball or hit it cleanly once you find it. Still, you've got to be straight."
While golfers seem rare in some seasons, the same cannot be said for the iguanas. Iguanas haunt tees. They are near sand traps, on fairways, in the rough. They sprint away from carts.
Some lizards are said to walk on water when they cut across the lake at No. 18 like an errand grip-and-ripper on a hole that rewards bravado with an eagle.
Who assigns these iguana-guys to guard each hole anyhow? Whoever he is, he's doing a fabulous job. They are spread out that way throughout the course: about one to every other hole. Or does it only seem that way?
During this round, assistant Golf Pro Elenilson Calix takes a poke at a Titlest on No. 4. It is a tight swing: sudden and explosive and usually sweet and sure. But the ball ducks off slightly to the left, and Calix - he goes by his last name - shrugs after it has gone awry because that is what he does when balls float off on an untoward trajectory.
It is not even a very big shrug on this par five because the hole is long at 585 uphill yards and there is always time to recover. "Bajo," he says to anybody who can understand him and then: "Bueno fallar." Translation, please? Bajo means low, he says, and bueno fallar, well, that's a nice miss.
Off the Course: Costa Rica's Other Treasures

The sunsets are sometimes honey-hued and the mornings here are cool and loud with exotic birds. But it's the pool at Paradisus Playa Conchal that is, perhaps, the highlight for most families that come to this resort on the Pacific coast.
Brochures promise that it is the largest pool in Central America, and it offers a little bit of everything. There is swimming, basketball, and volleyball for the active pool-goer, while others can relax amid the tiki surroundings and enjoy the swim-up bar, reggae players, or simply get lost in the pool's nooks and crannies.
The splendid golf and beautiful pool are far from the only things to do at the resort. The flyer spells it all out: from ATV runs to horseback riding, snorkeling to scuba-diving, kayaks to boogieboards and wave runners.
The ATV rental takes you through undeveloped beachfront land where a small troop of howler monkeys will get plenty upset at the sound of the engines. Crabs crawl everywhere on the jungle floor. It is scuttling with them. The trip ends at a funky little cantina-boat club at the far end of the beach.
Horseback might be one of the best ways to see the forest here. The animals were friendly and had personalities of their own. One animal, in fact, wouldn't go into the water, for fear of the waves As compelling as the resort's amenities, the golf, and the ocean may be, a trip to Costa Rica would not be complete without a few adventurous daytrips, as much as a hassle they may seem.
For instance, a 50-minute drive to nearby Santa Cruz and then 12 kilometers more takes you to Guaitil, the center of a pottery manufacturing in the region. The brown, Chorotega-style plates and bowls are in earth-tones and from a tradition dating to pre-Columbian times: monkey themes and leaf designs in steps and wave patterns.
Enroute, Santa Cruz is one of those towns with sidewalks that are inexplicably crowded in the middle of a weekday. Find a reason to buy something in town and take the translation cheater book.
Snag a bottle or 12 of Salsa Lizano, a cumin-flavored vegetable sauce that goes great on chicken and pork and is always poured on beans and rice. That will allow you to experience a little bit of Costa Rica when you return home.
Four swings later Calix cards the par with that bueno fallar but a memory now - just like the seaside view of the Brasilito village in the distance from the back edge of this green. Calix is then off in his cart. He pauses only to snap up his rain cover before heading for the spreading boughs of the nearby spreading Guanacaste tree.

It was steaming hot out on the course on this morning but it is cooler here in the shade - barely out of the rain that is just beginning to get serious. It is sure to come on June days in this Latin land. Morning or maybe the evening but it never seems to last. Just now it is coming down in raindrops the size of golf balls. A guy could really get drenched.
This one won't be around for long, says Brad Lloyd, the executive chef at the resort, a Canadian from Calgary who finds time to golf at least once a week and is as familiar with the lay-out as any man alive. When he is not lamenting bogeys, Lloyd is supervising the 40-60 chefs who fill the resort's six restaurants, depending upon the season, and wishing he was out on this course. The shower from the seaside brings rain to the iguanas, howlers, golfer and parrots alike. (That too is probably a pretty good order of intelligence on this morning or on any morning). Because the storm came from the sea, Lloyd said, it will not stick around for long. He's been in Costa Rica for nine years now and has a good feel for rain that falls all day and showers that last only a while.
Within minutes the rain is gone, the heat is back and a game is again rolling through an exotic world of roseate spoonbills and panama parrots.
Tee Yardage Rating Slope
Gold 7,080 74.2 134
Blue 6,624 71.9 130
White 6,082 69.3 125
Red 5,446 71.4 120 Par: 72

A True Costa Rica Escape at Hacienda Pinilla Golf Course
By John Eckberg, Staff Writer
TAMARINDO, Costa Rica (Sept. 8, 2002) -- Somewhere in the world a more remote and scenic golf course probably beckons players, but until that course is found on that semi-deserted isle or spit of peninsula, Hacienda Pinilla holds the title. For now, this course in the arid Nicoya Peninsula in the Guanacaste of Costa Rica and about a half-hour's drive from the fishing and tourist village of Tamarindo, exists in its own world. It is tucked into 2,500 undeveloped acres - about four square miles,that for now, are about as far from the cares of any real world as a golfer can get.
Surrounded by those hundreds of acres of undeveloped Costa Rican grassland and forest, Hacienda Pinilla remains a golf course that is as yet undiscovered by the international golfing community despite having two seasons of play since opening in 2000.
Designed by Mike Young, builder of many tracks throughout the southern United States, the course has two distinct sides. The ocean nine has three holes with great ocean views, the waves dying with a whimper or crashing, depending upon the wind, onto a shore not more than a halfwedge from the pin.
Other holes on this half of the course show extreme concern for the environment with broad waste areas left untouched for wildlife with plenty of the dramatic and spreading Matapalo trees, trees that look like they are right out of Lord of the Rings because of the way spreading vines work their way up into the tree's branches.
The holes on the ranch side of this 7,500 yard par 72 course are also brushed by ocean breezes - gentle at times, but for weeks on end, they can also be fierce with a tsunami bite that has 60 mph of power. And everywhere are those exceedingly swift and strange green parrots. The strange call of howler monkeys haunts the ranch nine where there are wide-open views of a rich landscape. How can there not be monkeys calling through the morning? A recent inventory for habitat purposes revealed 30 colonies of them, so expect to see some climbing or howling through the trees on or near the course. While the rich emerald tones of the course is in distinct contrast with the burnt brown hills from April through June, at other times of the year, the course and surrounding land is a lush and vibrant green because it rains at least once a day.
Bunkers have steep cut sides, like a walled sand bunker in Scotland, and the fairways are thick with turf that slow the roll in the lush season and bring a big roll in the dry season.

"It is the most beautiful golf course in Costa Rica and even Central America," says Steve Parlee, PGA golf professional. "We have Tif Eagle greens, and we can cut the greens very, very close and they roll really, really true." True and fast. The bunkers have steep sides and the Scottish angular flair of some will cast a shadow across the green and bring a sharp contrast to holes. "We wanted to give the golfer a shadow," said architect Michael Young of Watkinsville, GA. "And we didn't want to always be buying new sand every year so we put in heavy duty drainage in the floor." The most important quality of this course is never seen by the golfer. Because it is in Costa Rica, the course was designed and constructed with enough drainage to shed a huge volume of water. "And I wanted it to fit the land," Young said.
For instance, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 last year, some 33 inches of rain fell. "We can get that in a day, too," Young said. Awesome storms do not matter. Within one day after that November deluge last year, golfers were playing. A day later, carts were rolling. Many golf course designers and builders will talk about how a parcel of land was meant to have a golf course
built on it - how natural knolls were just waiting to become greens, creeks were but a few rocks away from becoming a stunning waterfall and long loping creek valleys were only in hibernation until scraped into fairways and bunkers.
It's almost always true at most new courses but it is definitely true at Hacienda Pinilla, says course superintendent Jay Miller. He helped build four courses throughout Florida before coming here in the late 1990s to oversee development and maintenance of the course and he knows about golf course construction that is minimalist and construction that is not.
This course is assuredly minimalist. Half the fairways were lush when the crew stripped and hand-sprigged the turf to the other holes. Finish sculpting, when it occurred at all, happened near the greens because the rest of the course flows natural and true.
Atlanta developer and owner Pat Pattillo conceived of the course here in the late 1990s and there are hopes that it will lure hotels and other tourism initives over the next 30 years - with an appeal to European, Canadian and South and North American golfers and travelers. Golf is not the only reason Miller came south and is not the reason most travel to Tamarindo. Surfing is always an allure. Swells off-shore from the near Playa Avellana can hit 18 feet and stretch away in a pipeline. Locals call it Little Hawaii for a reason. Miller has a house near that beach - even a dog who surfs.
And judging by the toughness of some holes, the improbable nature of surfing must be on the mind of many golfers who come here thinking they can man-handle this course with long irons.

Parlee cautions that wind comes into play in the early months of the year. "If the wind is in your face on the first hole, then the next six holes will be downwind," he says. "The course will play easier if you are standing on that first tee and the wind is in your face." Expect big wind in January, February and March.
Surrounding commercial and real estate development is sure to come to Hacienda Pinilla in the years ahead. But that development is likely to be tempered with an appreciation for what has already transpired here.
It is still a wild place. Young says he saw a family of big cats a few years back and that they still sometimes prowl. It is extremely rare, but you might see a black panthers here: both in the middle of the day, as well as in the evening. "It's beautiful here," says Parlee. "We don't ever want to interfere with that."

Hacienda Pinilla Golf Course
Tees Yards Rating Slope
Black 7,274 74.7 128
Blue 6,717 71.9 122
White 6,392 70.4 120
Red 5,430 72.8 122
Par - 72 Practice range, greens and lessons are available
 

Transportation
Costa Rica is over seven hours from New York, but only an hour and half from Miami, and is served by several major U.S. carriers. Continental makes departures from Houston, Montreal and Toronto; Delta from Atlanta; and United from Houston, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Additionally, Air Canada flies out of Montreal, while Iberia, LTU and Grupo Taca fly from Miami. Alamo, Adobe, and Europcar are the car rental agencies that will be available upon your arrival. And for those looking to get to the areas not as easily accessible via a rental car, there are many day and multi-day tours available for spots all over the region.

FAQ

1.Where is Costa Rica?
Costa Rica is located in Central America between Nicaragua and Panama. It has two coastlines, the Pacific and the Caribbean, with a few volcanoes and a rain forest packed with monkeys in between. The capital, San Jose, is home to a quarter of a million people. One of the country’s key features is its undulated landscape. La Meseta Central is the highest plateau and it runs down the middle of the country. Surrounding this plateau are several mountain ranges as expansive and as high as any throughout Central America.

2. Do I need any special documents once I get there?
All U.S. and Canadian citizens will need a passport valid for six months and a pre-paid ticket out of Costa Rica. Tourists may remain in the country without a visa for up to 90 days.

3. Will I suffer from any jet lag?
Well, that of course depends on what part of the world you are traveling from, but Costa Rica is in the US Central Standard time zone, and it does not observe daylight savings time.

4. What type of weather should I expect?
The temperature is fairly constant in Costa Rica throughout the year. The highs usually range in the mid 80s, while the lows are in the mid 60s. May to November is the rainy season, and is usually characterized by sunny mornings, with bouts of warm afternoon rain to follow.

5. What is the official language and currency?
The official language is Spanish while the official currency is the Costa Rican Colon. You will find that – like many international locations – many people speak some English, but brushing up on a little Spanish prior to your trip may be a good idea.

6 What kind of taxes will I pay when I am in Costa Rica?

There is a departure tax at the Airport of US$ 26 for all non-Costa Rica citizens upon leaving the country.

How much should I tip?
Tipping is not necessary at restaurants as 10 percent is automatically charged to your bill, but kicking it up to 15 or 20 percent depending on the service is of course appreciated. It is also standard to tip tour and taxi guides.

7. Besides golf, what are some worthwhile activities?
One of the more outlandish activities popular among Costa Rican tourists is bungee jumping. A frequented venue is the Old Bridge over the Colorado, home to a 300 foot drop. Surfing on either of the country’s coasts is also a popular past time. Finally, visiting the Costa Rica’s many national parks and volcano ranges are other solid tourist options.