Christmas vacation in Costa Rica. It was so nice to escape the cold and break out the short pants again.

This was my second trip to Costa Rica. It’s such a beautiful country. Traveling there at Christmas is an excellent time. The weather was perfect and we saw very little rain. If you do go, don’t just sit at the beach in an all-inclusive resort. Get out and see the wonders of nature the country has to offer.

Dates: December 18-30, 2013
Tour Operator: Overseas Adventure Travel

Trip Itinerary

San Jose

San Jose

The “original” Victoria’s Secret – San Jose

San Jose – This statue must bring luck

The Colors of Costa Rica

Golden Orb Spider

The Colors of Costa Rica

Iguana

Crocodile

Green Heron

Crocodile spotting cruise in Puntarenas

Iguana

Yellow headed Caracara

Kingfisher

The Colors of Costa Rica

Sunset in Puntarenas

Iguana

View from our lunch stop

Capuchin Monkey

Capuchin Monkey

Baby Racoon

Manuel Antonio National Park

Capuchin Monkey

Manuel Antonio National Park

Manuel Antonio National Park

Long-horned beetle – Big ‘ol bug!

Sunset

Black shouldered Kite

Scarlett Macaw

Guanacaste

Sunset

Howler Monkey

At the Hotel

White Throated Magpie Jay

Guanacaste

Howler Monkey

Sunset

Sunset

Great Curassow

Great Curassow

Parakeet

Toucan

Howler Monkey

Howler Monkey

Who knew? A German Bakery

Lake Arenal

Orchids

The Colors of Costa Rica

Santa in La Fortuna

Roadside Hawk

Iguana

The Colors of Costa Rica

Iguana

Black Crowned Night Heron

Rio Frio

Caimen

Basilisks Lizard

Anhinga (Snake Bird)

Iguana

White Hawk

Palm

The Colors of Costa Rica

Visit to an Organic Farm

The Colors of Costa Rica

Toucan

The Colors of Costa Rica

Great Keskadee Flycatcher

Can you see the sloth?

There it is.

Fan Palm

Slaty-tailed Trogon

Sloth

Day in the Life – Visit to a local school

Adorable

My little helper at the school

The Colors of Costa Rica

Empanada lessons

Our Empanadas

Francisco (Chico’s) family who hosted a few of us for lunch.

The Colors of Costa Rica

Violacious Trogon

Little Drummer Boy – At a Christmas festival in a small town we drove through

Praying Mantis

Whitewater Rafting

Sloth

Sloth

Golden Honeycreeper (male)

Laughing Falcon…hahaha!

Golden Honeycreeper (male)

Loading the luggage

Hanging Bridges

Tirimbina Biological Reserve

Walking Palm

Hog-nosed Viper

Golden Honeycreeper (female)

Our Awesome Guide, Liza Mora

Bat lecture at Tirimbina Biological Reserve

Bat lecture at Tirimbina Biological Reserve

Waterfall

One of our Hotels

Coati

Coati

Hummingbird

Beautiful Waterfall

Coffee Beans