Arenas del Mar Beach and Nature Resort

Where does our trash go in Manuel Antonio?

2012-05-27T10:08:00.000-07:00

Every year thousands of holidaymakers spend their vacation in the Manuel Antonio area, which creates a huge amount of trash. But do they ever wonder what happens to their old plastic bottles, glass and whatever else they throw in the trashcan? We went to the Anita dump, just outside of Quepos, to investigate.

Upon arrival, it was immediately clear that Anita isn´t like a dump you might see in the USA or Europe. People simply drive up to the trash pile and offload their waste, which is then sorted by hand by the staff working there.

It was encouraging to see that, despite the limited resources, a lot of the trash is being recycled. The image below shows the different types of glass, which are first separated and then crushed before being sent away to be recycled.

Plastic bottles are also separated from the main trash pile and then taken away in large canvas bags to be recycled. They first have to be emptied, then crushed to make sure that as many as possible can fit into the bags.

In spite of the efforts being made, there is still room for improvement. We were told that all of the plastic bottles in the below image will be sent to the ocean to be used as buoys. Inevitably, many of them will simply break and float away to join the rest of the huge amount of plastic floating in the Pacific.

In the upcoming weeks Arenas del Mar will be working together with the Anita dump to devise alternative methods of waste disposal - it´s all part of the hotel´s initiative to reduce, reuse and recycle trash.

A boutique hotel near Manuel Antonio National Park, Arenas del Mar is Costa Rica's first resort to be awarded with the “Five Sustainability Leaf Award” and “Five Star Award".

Football games in Costa Rica

2012-05-25T09:50:00.000-07:00

Football is everything in this country: men play it, women play it, children play it and pretty much everyone watches it. I recently had the chance to join a group of staff from Arenas del Mar to go and watch my first ever live game of professional football in Costa Rica. It was an important match between two of the top teams in the country: Deportivo Saprissa and Municipal Pérez Zeledón. The first thing that struck me was how early we had to enter the stadium in Pérez Zeledón – approximately two hours before the game started. Apparently it is impossible to reserve a seat and they fill up fast.

An hour before the game and the stadium was already packed

Another interesting difference was that you are not allowed to take any sort of food or beverage container into the stadium. I therefore had to devour my chalupa (a popular take-away food in Costa Rica) and pour my bottle of coca-cola into a plastic bag before entering.

A new and interesting way to transport your drink of choice!

Difference number 3: Unlike in England – where they sell meat pies, potato chips and the quintessential cup of English tea in the stadiums – in Costa Rica they sell fresh mango and burritos. Delicious!

As soon as the players ran on to the pitch everyone started throwing toilet paper everywhere. I guess this must be some sort of ritual to welcome the teams…

And then the action started. The level of play wasn’t quite like what I’m used to seeing in the UK, but the passion of the spectators was just the same. This game meant a lot, which was clear to see in the fans’ reactions.

Perhaps the biggest reaction of the crowd, however, was not the result of the players on the pitch, but rather the cheerleaders at half-time and the girls giving away free gifts! The male spectators in the crowd became rather excited at the thought of getting a free gift – or was it because of the person giving away the gifts?

After a close-fought game, Pérez Zeledón managed to hold on to a 1-0 lead and retain their position at the top of the Costa Rican Primera Division. A great end to a great evening, at least for the Pérez fans, which included me J.

A boutique hotel near Manuel Antonio National Park, Arenas del Mar is Costa Rica's first resort to be awarded with the “Five Sustainability Leaf Award” and “Five Star Award".

Football Games with the Arenas del Mar Team

2012-05-23T09:58:00.000-07:00

Shortly after arriving at Arenas del Mar, I was asked if I would like to play football with a few of the staff working at the hotel. I hadn´t played for a while, but it sounded like fun and so I accepted. I didn´t realise that "playing football with a few of the staff" actually meant playing a fast-paced 90 minute game against a team of teenagers on a rock-hard and uneven pitch!

The pre-game team talk

After buying some new football boots, which gave me some nice new blisters, I managed to hold out for about 60 minutes of the game. The Costa Ricans play frantic and aggressive football, which suited my English style of play. However, my fitness level just isn´t what it used to be and i´m not used to playing in humid weather, hence my need to take a break before the end of the game!

Geoffrey, the hotel minibus driver and first choice goalkeeper, watching the action in the other team’s penalty box.

The final result was 4-5 to the teenagers. We were winning until shortly before the end of the game and were unlucky to lose.

After the match we headed to a local restaurant to eat a Costa Rican favourite - Chicharrón.

Served with fresh limes and yam, the Chicharrón was absolutely delicious – just what we needed after a hard game of football. It’s no wonder that, 2 minutes after taking the above photo, the entire plate had been devoured!

A beachfront and rainforest resort, Arenas del Mar offers vacations, activities and tours for families and couples alike.

Beach Cleanup at Arenas del Mar

2012-05-21T13:15:00.000-07:00

Once a month a group of staff from Arenas del Mar heads to the beach early in the morning. But their purpose isn’t to take a dip in the ocean or to simply relax and admire the incredible scenery. Instead, their task is to collect as much trash as possible, starting at the south end of Espadilla beach and working their way back towards the hotel. I recently joined one of the groups to help out. It was clear that this ongoing project is important to everyone at the hotel. Staff from almost every department, including the General Manager Fabian Palma, took part. Everyone was given a plastic bag and a rubber glove and we set to work just before 8am.

he south end of Espadilla beach has a lot of nearby bars, take-away restaurants and a supermarket - all of which generate trash. It was surprising and sad to see how much of it ends up on the beach. The main items we found included cigarette ends, drinking straws and plastic bags.

However, by working together we were able to clear the majority of these objects, which made the beach look a lot better. Upon arrival at the hotel everyone was given a light breakfast of pastries and fresh juice - a nice end to a productive morning!

Arenas del Mar is a luxury Beachfront hotel near Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica.

Collecting trash to prevent Dengue fever

2012-05-19T13:14:00.001-07:00

As part of a local campaign to prevent dengue fever in the area, staff from Arenas del Mar took part in a recent two-day clean up of the local village La Inmaculada. The aim was to collect any old washing machines, buckets, sinks and other containers in which rainwater can collect and provide the perfect place for the female Aedes aegypti mosquito, the main type that transmits the Dengue fever virus, to lay her eggs.

Most types of mosquito will lay their eggs in any type of water. However, Aedes aegypti mosquitoes will only lay their eggs in clean water, hence the need to remove any items in populated areas that can collect rainwater.

I took part in the second day of this campaign. We set off early at 7:30am and arrived in the village just before 8am. We were soon met by a large truck that would be taking away all the trash we hoped to collect.

Our first task was to drive around the village, inform people about the campaign and ask them to leave any old containers on the street so that the truck could collect them. I had the chance to practice my Spanish by calling out to people about the campaign - much to the amusement of the rest of the team. It turned out I´d been asking people to leave their bulls (toros) on the street instead of their old pots (tarros). I learn new things every day!

Above photo: Rodbin, the Bellboy Manager at Arenas del Mar, spreading the word about the campaign.

The local residents were very grateful for our help and there were soon piles of old buckets, pots and the occasional washing machine standing in the street waiting to be collected. Within a few hours the back of the lorry was already half full – the campaign was working and everyone was happy.

One local resident asked us to help him clear some old building materials that were in his front yard. Many people in the village don’t have cars, which makes it difficult for them to transport their waste to the local dump. The campaign team were more than happy to help – the only problem was that the road was too steep and narrow for the truck to drive down. We therefore collected the largest pieces using the pickup truck and then carried the smaller pieces individually. It was impressive to see the teamwork of the hotel staff and workers from the local municipality to get the job done efficiently, and very satisfying to see the huge smile on the resident’s face.

After all the hard work we were rewarded with some food and cold drinks – all of which were provided by the hotel.

A boutique hotel near Manuel Antonio National Park, Arenas del Mar is Costa Rica's first resort to be awarded with the “Five Sustainability Leaf Award” and “Five Star Award".

Beach volleyball, socializing and the pura vida feeling

2012-05-12T09:20:00.001-07:00

For the next couple of months, we will have an intern learning about sustainability at Arenas del Mar. We will be posting his blogs of what he learns and his experiences at the hotel.

By Chris Milnes

I feel extremely lucky to be here, given that it is the only 5* hotel in Costa Rica to also have been awarded 5 sustainability leaves under the Costa Rican Certificate for Sustainable Tourism programme. The following blog posts will detail my experiences whilst here and the sustainability efforts being made by the hotel.

On the last Sunday in March, the staff at Arenas del Mar were all invited to an afternoon of volleyball on the nearby Espadilla beach. It was a great opportunity for employees from different departments to come together and socialize in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Some of the hotel guests came along to play as well, which made for a really fun afternoon.

Those who didn’t feel like playing could simply come and relax and help themselves to some of the complimentary healthy snacks and drinks provided by the hotel, which included fresh fruit and juices. I was really impressed by the sense of community at the hotel - the staff are like a big happy family. There is a definite emphasis on working hard and exceeding expectations, but at the same time taking time to relax and enjoy the amazing surroundings. I’m really starting to understand and appreciate the “pura vida” or “pure life” approach to living that the Costa Ricans have.

After some really fun games of volleyball, a football (or soccer ball for those of you from the US and Canada) suddenly appeared on the beach. Within no time four sticks had been stuck into the sand to make goals and a game had started. As I took the following photo, I wondered to myself, is this the most beautiful football pitch in the world? I’ll let you decide for yourselves...

Arenas del Mar is a luxury Beachfront hotel near Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica.

New "Pine Tree" in Manuel Antonio

2012-04-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

A new sight in Manuel Antonio near Arenas del Mar! A cell phone tower was recently constructed and disguised as a "pine tree".

A boutique hotel near Manuel Antonio National Park, Arenas del Mar is Costa Rica's first resort to be awarded with the “Five Sustainability Leaf Award” and “Five Star Award".

EcoSalsa CD Contest Part 2!

2012-04-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

We're giving away another EcoSalsa CD to the first person to comment and correctly name our sister hotel based on the clues below!

Here are the clues:

This hotel is set in the beautiful Turrialba Valley
It has beautiful gardens, an orchid greenhouse and a stone labyrinth
You can tour the plantations and learn about macadamia nuts, coffee and sugar cane

Arenas del Mar is a luxury Beachfront hotel near the Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica.

EcoSalsa CD Contest

2012-04-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

We're playing a game this week with our sister hotels, managed by Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality! Just be the first person to comment and correctly name the hotel we're featuring below and you'll win an EcoSalsa CD! Here are a few hints and photos to help you:

This hotel opened only 2 years ago in January 2010
It is located on a private island on one of Central America's largest lakes
The island has 9 private casitas, a yoga deck, pool, bar and open air restaurant as well as a vista point and spa
There is much to do in the area: kayaking, hiking, birdwatching, walking around the local town, and even looking into a volcano crater!

A boutique hotel near Manuel Antonio National Park, Arenas del Mar is Costa Rica's first resort to be awarded with the “Five Sustainability Leaf Award” and “Five Star Award".

Green Season Specials at Arenas del Mar

2012-03-31T12:29:00.000-07:00

Our 2012 green season is about to start...and now is the time to plan your stay with us as we're offering several specials at Arenas del Mar! Whether you're on your honeymoon, taking the family on summer vacation or just wanting to getaway, we can help you create an exceptional and unforgettable trip to Costa Rica. Email us at info@arenasdelmar.com to make your reservation!

Honeymoon & Romantic Escape

April 20th - December 14th, 2012

Stay five nights - pay for four and choose between a private dinner for two or a couple's massage or a guided tour of Manuel Antonio National Park for two.

Preferred Family Promotion

April 20th - December 14th, 2012

Stay five nights - pay for four and your kids (12 and below) stay and eat for free.
*Sharing the room with parents and ordering from children's menu.

Green Season Special

April 20th - June 15th & November 27th - December 14th, 2012

Stay four nights - pay for three and enjoy a complementary Hanging Bridges & Waterfall tour.

Special Value Offer

August 26th - November 19th, 2012

Stay three nights - pay for two.

A beachfront and rainforest resort, Arenas del Mar offers activities for travelers of all ages.

Giving Back to Our Local Schools

2012-03-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

Arenas Del Mar supports Manuel Antonio Schools

Recently, we invited five artists to design an ecological mural for one of the schools in Manuel Antonio. The children chose which design to use and under the direction of the artists, helped paint it. It was a fun day for all involved. Arenas del Mar supported this effort by providing the paint and helped coordinate the day's activities.

A boutique hotel near Manuel Antonio National Park, Arenas del Mar is Costa Rica's first and only prestigious property to be awarded with the “Five Sustainability Leaf Award” and “Five Star Award".

Supporting our Local Community

2012-03-12T12:21:00.002-07:00

Arenas del Mar helped sponsor the recent opening ceremony of the Football Cup by Adobe Rent a Car. The money collected from ticket sales benefitted the St. Francis Nursing Home. Our very own sustainability coordinator, Piero, is the fourth from the left!

Chips and Dips Recipes!

2012-02-17T09:50:00.000-08:00

Our guests often tell us how much they enjoy the freshly made chips and dips at Arenas del Mar. Here are a few recipes for you to try out for yourself. Be sure to share a photo of your creation on our Facebook page!!

Jalapeño and Cilantro Dip

250 g cream cheese
250 g sour cream
75 g jalapeño
10 g fresh cilantro

Finely chop the jalapeno with fresh cilantro, mix together the cream cheese and sour cream, salt, pepper to taste

Mushroom garlic Dip

250 g cream cheese
250 g sour cream
150 g mushroom
5 g garlic

Cook the mushroom and garlic, then chop finely, mix with the cream cheese and sour cream, salt, pepper to taste

Chips:

To make chips, yuca (cassava) tiquisqui (cocoyam) platano verde (green plantain) papa (potato):

Do the same procedure for all tubers:
Slicing very thin, then put in hot vegetable oil lowered one by one, leave it until crisp, salt to taste

Hammocks at Playitas

2012-02-14T09:39:00.000-08:00

There is a new Costa Rican attraction at Arenas del Mar...hammocks hanging from the trees on our famous Playitas beach. The hammocks are located in one of the most beautiful and secluded locations of our property. Now guests can enjoy a sangria, reading their favorite book or even just taking a siesta under the shade of the trees, listening to the sounds of the waves nearby.

Recent Guest's Adventures!

2012-02-09T11:31:00.000-08:00

A guest blog fom one of our recent guests! Read all about their experiences at Arenas del Mar! Thank you Lisa for sharing your stories and photos with us!

My husband and I are not the typical middle aged New York travelers. According to all of our family and friends we are 'crazy'. Our idea of a vacation is not sitting on a beach sipping pina coladas. We like to occupy every moment with an adventure - whether it's searching Florida lakes for alligators or lifting rocks in the Nevada desert looking for rattlesnakes - it's always an adventure. Someday maybe we'll have our own TV show - 'The misadventures of the middle aged travelers'.

Costa Rica is an adventure and Arenas Del Mar was our destination. I mean it doesn't have to be an adventure, you can keep yourself occupied just by sitting on the beach with an umbrella drink, watching the monkeys and listening to the ocean or you can do what we do - look for moments that you will remember for a lifetime. And we will remember every moment of this trip for a lifetime. We were there in late September 2011 - the 'green season' - meaning the 'rainy' season. It doesn't rain all day every day it usually only rains in the afternoon so take your tours as early as possible.

Upon arrival we were driven up to the reception area and were greeted with a cold refreshment and smiling faces. Then we were taken to our Ocean View PremiumSuite which was our own little paradise - if you can swing it - book it - you won't regret it - there's nothing like sitting on your deck in your private jacuzzi listening to the ocean waves. And the beds, you won't want to get out of them in the morning. They also give you a mini fridge which they stock daily with refreshments and 'tico' snacks - but don't forget to lock it up because the monkeys know how to open them.

We stayed at this resort for 4 nights - which was not long enough - we didn't want to leave. The staff was friendly, the food was delicious, the grounds are beaming with wildlife, the room spectacular. We felt like royalty.

Take advantage of every minute - Book a couples massage at the spa to relax you after a day of hiking - Go down to the beach in the afternoon to watch the monkeys - Ask the staff to show you the sloths that are out every morning - Get room service at least one night - Take the Manual Antonio National Park Tour - explore the landscaping - you will not regret staying here.

We rented an SUV which was a good choice - even though it was quite expensive - as it enabled us to explore the area. The ride from the airport is a little rough but it was worth it. Also - invest in a good camera for your trip - you will be glad you did and if you have a telescope bring it (although you will always find Ersel around the property with his telescope for your viewing pleasure).

Also - bring rain ponchos - and remember to bring them on your adventures - don't be like my husband and I who went on a rainforest adventure by ourselves without out them. We got caught in a wild thunderstorm 2 miles into our 4 mile walk - I mean where do you run for shelter in the middle of a rainforest during a thunderstorm? The answer is nowhere - you just run - hoping to come to the end of the trail. The paths became streams and the trees that surrounded us became lightning rods. I kept telling my husband that if we didn't survive this our friends and family would say 'Well, they die doing what they loved'. It wasn't so funny then but we can laugh about it now. When we finally got to the end of the trail we were a bit disappointed that there weren't people applauding us for surviving. Oh - and at that moment it stopped raining - of course. We were soaked to the bone - but we survived without being washed down the mountain or bitten by snakes. Would I do it again? Sure, I'll skip the lightning though.

We will remember every moment of this trip for a lifetime - so much so that we are coming back in September 2012 to 'finish' our trip - although I don't think this beautiful paradise could ever be finished. There are so many places to see - and so many places to re-visit. Arenas del Mar being one of them - I am so looking forward to our return.

-Lisa

Interested in being a guest blogger and sharing your experiences at Arenas del Mar with others? Email socialmarketing@cayugaonline.com for more information!

What do the Hotel Employees Eat?

2011-12-30T10:00:00.000-08:00

I started out in the hospitality industry at the very bottom, in a fast food franchise. I would leave every shift at Subway with a sandwich in hand. To this day, I have never eaten another Subway sandwich since I quit in junior year of high school. Not that I don’t like them, trust me, just like everyone else, I think the bread baking in the oven smell is amazing whenever I walk by a Subway. I don’t know, I just never really felt like I really wanted a Subway sandwich since then. Then I ended up working in a Japanese restaurant where family meal (the industry term for the meal eaten by employees at the end of the night with everybody) was so amazing and I gained 5 pounds working there. Eventually, I started working in hotels and this is where the variably employee dining became huge. I have worked in some hotels where the employee dining is pretty decent and if you make friends with the chefs, they’ll even make you personalized grilled cheeses and tuna melts when you’re craving one. I’ve also worked in other hotels where you’ll look at the mystery meat that’s probably been sitting there since the morning and you wonder if your starving stomach is worth trying whatever that thing is.

Although many people reading this may have found it interesting to see my week in the restaurants, many probably didn’t think about what I ate in employee dining after. So, I thought I’d give a glimpse into what is served at Petatillo, the employee dining “restaurant.” I was actually really excited and curious about eating here because as amazing as being able to eat in the restaurants at Arenas Del Mar for a week, I really wanted to try some real traditional Costa Rican food that local people would eat on a daily basis, so this definitely has given that opportunity to try that.

All of the food here is cooked by Carmen, who I have deemed my “fake mom” while I’m here. One constant at every meal is rice, beans, and iced tea or some kind of fruit juice. There is sometimes some salad as well. But the variety of the main part of the meal goes from fried fish, to soup, to some type of meat, to noodles. A lot of the meat is cooked in a curry-like sauce that is delicious or something in something similar to a mix between BBQ and teriyaki sauce. One of my favorites was the noodles, while the soup and fried fish were a bit more different. The one thing similar though is that they’re all very tasty. Although this is definitely not what I eat a home, it has that “home” taste simply because it’s home-cooked! But, I’ll just let the pictures do the talking!

Dinner Extras

2011-12-29T10:00:00.000-08:00

The last part from my little three-part bit about the chef’s compliments here at Arenas Del Mar. So for dinner, there is always two choices of bread: whole wheat and another option. It ranges from white bread, to sundried tomatoes, to olive bread, to spice bread, to capers bread, to some others I can’t even remember. But it’s always quite tasty and they always give you a pat of herbed butter to go along with it. Yum. I apologize for no pictures, but I always ate my bread too quickly and just always forgot to take a picture of it. But hey, it’s bread, everybody’s seen bread before.

Additionally, there is always a little amuse-bouche of sorts. Usually it is some sort of chip with a dip on top. For example, it could be a fried tortilla chip with some chutney on top, toasted chips with a scallion and chives dip, or baked chips with a watermelon and mango salsa, or a toasted plantain with black bean and fresh pico de gallo, and on the last night, it was even sushi rice topped with a bit of tuna, avocado, and sesame seeds. It was always a little treat to look forward to and perfectly triggers your stomach to start craving your dinner!

Lunch Extras at Playitas

2011-12-28T10:00:00.000-08:00

As a continuation from yesterday’s post, I am going to talk a bit about the chef’s compliments given at lunch every day in Playitas Restaurant at Arenas del Mar. This is definitely one of my favorite parts about lunch as well. After you order, the waiter will bring over the “chips of the day.” Sometimes it’s potato chips, yuca chips, or plantain chips. They’re always freshly fried as they’re still warm and still have just a bit of oil on them. These chips are always good plain, but they always have a house made dip as well. Sometimes it’s roasted red peppers, garlic, or mushroom. I can’t remember them all, but let me tell you, they were good. I always wanted to ask for more chips to finish the dip! It was always just enough to get me hungry and really look forward to my real lunch!

Breakfast Extras

2011-12-27T10:00:00.000-08:00

While I covered all the meals that I ate here at Arenas del Mar's two restaurants, I didn’t mention much about some of my favorite parts of the meal: the compliments of the chef. For breakfast, other than whatever you ordered, you would also receive fruit juice, coffee or tea, and a plate of fresh fruit consisting of a sample of star fruit, pineapple, papaya, watermelon, and some others. I love fruit so this was definitely always one of my favorites.

Another thing they also serve you at breakfast is an assorted baked goods and pastries platter consisting of three different things. Some of them would be sweet like banana bread, cinnamon sticks, mango strudel, marble bread, banana nut muffin, almond cookies, cinnamon buns, and caramel cake. The others would be savory like croissants, cheese breads, spice breads, and cheese sticks. Man, these were definitely one of my favorite parts of breakfast as I’d guess what they would bring me each morning before I had even gotten the main part of my meal. Quite a little treat each morning!

Ocean Breeze Rooms

2011-12-20T10:00:00.000-08:00

For the past week, I’ve been staying in a Ocean Breeze Superior Room in Building Two (there are seven buildings total.) For all of those people out there like me who like to check their email all the time, no worries because there is free wifi in all of the rooms. Another bonus for people whose cell phones don’t work down in Costa Rica is that there is free international calling as well!

One of the best things about the room is the shower. I was a bit confused at first when I walked into the bathroom and didn’t see a shower door or curtain. But I understood after I took my first shower. The shower is SOOOO big that there is no way water will splash outside! I’m 5’5” and I even laid down in it to test how big it is. (I still had a couple of extra inches with my feet against one side!) I also liked using the eco-friendly shampoo, conditioner, and body wash provided in the various dispensers. No need to worry about wasting the last little bit in those disposable little bottles.

Another great thing about the room is the patio/deck area. This area is outfitted with cushioned chairs that are great for curling up with a book or just sitting out there and thinking or enjoying a drink. Especially since the weather is not too hot or cold in Costa Rica right now, it is very nice to just sit outside.

The best part about the room though is simply the location of Arenas Del Mar. You know those things that people buy that imitates the sound of rain or ocean/waves to help them sleep? Yeah, it’s like that, except it’s actually the Pacific Ocean! I can literally hear the ocean from my room!

Animal Encounters and the Tico Bar

2011-12-16T10:00:00.000-08:00

Teresa's experiences with animals and the minibar...

Encounters with nature here are pretty common. There are the bugs flying around, the mini Godzilla-like reptiles crawling on the ground, and obviously monkeys and sloths flying in the trees. I hear the monkeys in the trees and saw them from afar, but I never thought I would get really close to them.

I had gone to bed really early last night (early for me is before 1 am, really early is before midnight. What can I say, college habits. Also, I’m still young enough to function on less than 8 hours of sleep and then recover by sleeping in on the weekends.) but heard what I thought were the guests next door coming back in. I get it, this is a vacation spot and a lot of people honeymoon here. Maybe they had a little too much to drink at the bar tonight. But a minute later, they were still really loudly talking by my door. I had no idea what they were saying though since it was really muffled and I was already asleep and was only half conscious. Another minute later, they only seemed to get louder and I was becoming pretty awake at this point from the noise. Trust me, it’s not that easy to wake me up. And in my half-awake, half-asleep state, I realize that it’s too loud to be from the next room. So, I suddenly jump up because I’m freaked out someone’s in my room. I suddenly see some movement through the glass sliding door to the patio/deck area and I realize, “Holy crap. There are monkeys raiding my mini fridge!” (At least I assume it’s monkeys; I didn’t get a good look at them since it was dark!)

This brings me to one of my favorite amenities: the Tico Bar, a complimentary “mini bar.” It’s not a true mini bar per se as it doesn’t have alcohol, but Arenas Del Mar provides a variety of Costa Rican snacks for you to taste. One of my favorite things to do when I go travel is just to stop at a convenience store and look at the different types of chocolate bars, potato chips, and sodas they have, so I really appreciate this. But back to the story, I had forgotten to lock the cabinet holding the fridge and the monkeys were so smart and knew where the mini fridge was that they had opened the fridge and making a bunch of noise screaming at each other! Oh god. Thank goodness I didn’t have anything in the fridge other than a couple of tea packet, which they tore open and threw all over the patio/deck area. But for a good two minutes, I sat upright in my bed, scared to move because in my bewildered “just woken up” state, I couldn’t remember if I had locked the glass door or not and was afraid the monkeys wouldn’t be placated by my empty fridge and would try to come inside the room. I never would have considered monkeys animals I’m afraid of, but I sure do now! Thankfully, they got bored with my empty fridge pretty fast and left, but boy, let’s just say it wasn’t easy to fall back asleep after that little incident!

Catamaran Tour

2011-12-13T10:00:00.000-08:00

I have to admit, I didn’t know what a catamaran was until I signed up for this tour. Yacht, cruise, and sailboat just about covered my knowledge of all things boating. So with my newfound knowledge, I was excited to go on this tour!

We left Arenas del Mar in the mid-afternoon and went to the marina in Quepos with the hopes that if the weather was good, we would be able to see the sunset. I honestly wasn’t quite sure what the tour was about. Was it just to go on a boat ride (which was perfectly fine with me!) or was it to go see some animals (which was also great with me!) With some beverages and fresh fruit prepared on board, we were off. We rode off for a while and the breeze and the ocean air was perfect to relax and just stare out onto the horizon. It was absolutely gorgeous and so very calming. There were a lot of birds flying really, really close to the boat. Honestly, I felt like if I stuck out my hand, I could have touched them!

Then after a while, I heard one of the crew members start shouting, there were dolphins! At first they were a bit off in the distance and you could only see them rising together with their fin popping out, but the captain of the boat went off in their direction and then they were right below the catamaran! It was amazing, but they disappeared after a while.

After another refreshment of some cookies and crackers, we had our next exciting sighting, humpback whales. It was just like in the movies where the whale jumps out and splashes back down, except there were two whales! I’m assuming a mama whale and a baby whale since one was much bigger. It was amazing. The captain just kept following them for a long while and it was honestly unreal seeing a huge humpback whale jump out or see it spray through its breathing hole or just to see a bit of its huge back pop up. Originally, the tour included snorkeling, but the captain decided to follow the whales for a while and skip out on snorkeling since we wouldn’t be able to see much since it was dark and it’s not every day that a whale sighting happens!

After that, the crew docked the catamaran for a dinner of tuna pasta salad, a make-your-own-sandwich line, salad, fresh fruit, and some cookies. Although it was a bit cloudy so there wasn’t a real “sunset” per say, there were streaks of bright pink and orange peeking out from behind the dark clouds. Then an unexpected surprise was when one of the crew members who was Jamaican came out dressed as Bob Marley and started playing a banjo. We were all given some instruments such as a tambourine and played along as he sang. A perfect way to end the evening!

White Water Rafting – Savegre River

2011-12-10T15:20:00.000-08:00

White water rafting on the Savegre River was just what I needed to shake things up! I got up early and they drove us to their office first to have some breakfast of rice & beans, scrambled eggs, and some fresh fruit. Also delicious! We picked up some people there and then got started on our journey to the Savegre River which was about 45 minutes away from Arenas Del Mar. The road there passes amazing scenery such as plantations, waterfalls, and small villages.

We finally arrived at the river and got outfitted in life jackets, helmets, and paddles and were off. There is one guide who goes ahead in a kayak to photograph the best moments when you get splashed. On this day, there were three boats total with the majority of them being a bachelor party from San Diego. What a great idea visiting Costa Rica with some buddies to celebrate a boys-only week! If I don’t say so myself, our boat was definitely the best. The bachelor boys seemed to have some trouble with synchronizing. Some of them fell out of their boats (maybe on purpose at some points!) and one accidentally got hit in the face with a paddle. Don’t worry, it is perfectly safe and the guides go over safety precautions and procedures, you know, boys will be boys! Our boat had no issues whatsoever and the only time I went over is at a relaxed spot in the river where the guide said we could jump in if we wanted. There were a lot of great rapids where we got completely soaked. The guides would tell us their funny names such as “The Widower” or “Bienvenidos!” The Savegre River is level II-III rafting, so it was the perfect amount of excitement. Also, one advantage of going during the green season is that with the large amount of rain in the previous weeks, the river was at a perfect level right now! We stopped at a waterfall to swim around for a bit and then eat lunch. Lunch was a delicious spread of tuna pasta, rice and beans, vegetables, and fresh pico de gallo. Yum! Afterwards, there were a couple more rapids and then back to the van to dry off!

Overall, white water rafting is definitely a tour you can’t miss! No matter if you’re looking for some family fun or to spice things up during a romantic getaway, white water rafting will do the trick!

The Canopy Tour!

2011-12-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

Our intern, Teresa's, next tour was the Canopy Zip-line Tour with Canopy Safari... I had heard Costa Rica is famous for these zip-line tours so I was pretty excited! Words honestly can’t describe how incredible this tour was, but I’ll try. The tour company picked us up and made a couple of other stops at some hotels and we were off! We arrived and were greeted with some fresh fruit and coffee. Perfect because I only woke up with just enough time to brush my teeth. Before we started on the main activities, our guide took us around their butterfly farm and also showed us some snakes!

Then we got outfitted in our harnesses, helmets, and other gear and were off. They gave us all the safety information we needed to know, but honestly, with all the harnesses and safety measures, I wasn’t scared at all. All I have to say is I’m definitely zip-lining sometime again. It was so amazingly fun! Our guides showed us how we could go across: holding onto the strap with our hands, hands free, or even upside down! I definitely had some fun there and zipped around upside down like Spiderman! But not only did the tour have 10 zip-lines, it also had 2 rappels down, 1 “Tarzan Swing,” and 1 suspension bridge. There was definitely a trust factor in that tiny piece of metal connecting you to the rope, especially during the rappel down, but overall, it was very exciting and entertaining, even for people with a fear of heights (me!) The guides would goof around with you and pretend they didn’t know you were coming down the zip-line and “forget” to catch you until the last minute or there would be guides on either side of the “Tarzan Swing” pushing you back and forth! The only thing I seemed to miss out on was the memo to bring an extra change of clothing. It was raining the whole time we were there, but that just added another layer of excitement to the whole trip. I didn’t even mind I was getting completely soaked, but the warm lunch of arroz con pollo (rice with chicken), beans, and fried plantains was exactly what my body was craving after all of that fun. Like I said before, you honestly can’t describe this tour to somebody in words, you just have to trust me when I say this is definitely something you cannot miss while at Arenas Del Mar!

Our Interns Experience at Manuel Antonio Park

2011-12-02T10:00:00.000-08:00

I went on the Manuel Antonio National Park Tour and honestly, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. There’s free access to part of Espadilla Beach, which is within walking distance from the hotel, but then part of the beach is in the National Park, which requires a ticket to get in. A small part of me was definitely questioning how good the tour would be since I thought maybe you could see everything inside the national park outside for free.

Thank goodness we had our very knowledgeable guide, Ersel. The main thing about guides is that they seem to have a special radar for the animals that I would have never spotted if it weren’t for them. Also, he had an awesome binocular/telescope that was able to zoom in super clearly on animals that were high up in trees. Half the time I would see the animal through the lens, then I wouldn’t be able to find it afterwards with my naked eyes. (Hm, maybe he was just showing us photographs!) Not only that, but the guide showed us how to put our camera up to his lens so we could take a picture through the binocular/telescope! I never knew you could do that. Pretty cool!

Honestly, Ersel would suddenly stop in the middle of the trail and set up the lens and suddenly we were staring up at a sloth or an iguana or some special bird! Not only did the guide pick out big animals from far away, but he was also able to spot some tiny ones that I would have just stepped on. At one point, he picked up a millipede and taught us the difference between them and centipedes (millipedes have four legs per section of their body while centipedes only have two.) Additionally, he pointed out a termite nest to us and taught us that if we were ever lost in a rain forest, termites were edible and healthy since its 80% protein. Then he asked if wanted to taste one. I was a bit apprehensive, but I said yes. Not the best tasting thing ever, obviously, but it had a bit of a minty taste. It wasn’t so much that it tasted bad, but the thought that I had a termite in me made me feel a bit itchy all over! Another highlight was when he showed us a lizard and then let it bite him on the ear. The lizard hung onto to his earlobe so it looked like an earring. Quite funny!

We got a 30 minute break at Espadilla Beach where we all went in for a quick swim in the Pacific Ocean. I usually don’t like swimming in the ocean because I hate that sticky feeling from salty water after you get out, but it looked so inviting I had to run in. It was a lot of fun after walking around for over an hour or so.

At the exit, we all stopped for a refreshing coconut. Considering how expensive coconut water is in back home (oh celebrity detox diets…), it was fun to get a fresh one and have the guy use a machete to chop it open right in front of you and all for just $2! We finished the tour with the cutest site of a momma sloth with its baby just outside of the hotel entrance. Then back at the hotel, we rested and cooled off with some fresh fruit juice, fruit slices, and the best chips and salsa ever!