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14
Jan
2011
Relax in Rio Negro hot springs
Zelmira & Camilla at Rio Negro hot springs
When staying at Hacienda Guachipelin you should make sure that you have time to visit Rio Negro hot springs. You find this calm and relaxing place just a short drive away from the hotel. A well marked trail leads you down to the five thermal pools. These pools are filled with natural water from the volcanic hot springs. When I went to the springs the first time I didn’t know what to expect and I was surprised when I saw how it’s all set up. You get to enjoy these pools in a beautiful and calm environment. The only sound you hear is the streaming from the river Rio Negro. First you get to three of the pools and then you have to cross a small hanging bridge to reach the other two. All of the pools have different temperatures so you just have to choose what temperature you prefer. The best part about this place is that even though many people visit these hot springs, it’s never crowded.
I prefer to visit the hot springs in the afternoon, it’s a great way to finish an active day of hiking, horse riding or other activities.
5
Jan
2011
Vamos a la playa
Puerto Carrillo beach
Before I came to Costa Rica I didn’t know much about the country. One of the things I did know was that Costa Rica has a lot of beautiful beaches. Now when I am here I know that there are so many nice beaches it is actually hard to choose which one to go too.
My favorite beach so far is Playa Conchal. This beach is special because most of the sand is covered by small white shells. That is also what the name of this beach means in spanish, shell. Because of the shells the visibility of the water is very clear. Another nice beach I have been to is Puerto Carrillo. The day I went there we had some really big waves to play in. Before we left the beach we also enjoyed one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen.
Closer to Liberia you find Hermosa Beach, this beach is a little bit more crowded. Here you can go on a banana boat, rent a jet ski, do snorkeling and there are a lot of restaurants close by.
In my country it’s only possible to be on the beach a couple of weeks every year so I am enjoying every second in the sun. So far I have seen the beaches on the pacific side of Costa Rica, now I am looking forward to see what the Carribean side has to offer.
24
Dec
2010
Free fall into La Victoria
Hacienda Guachipelin Canyoning
If you’re looking for adrenaline this is what you should spend your time doing, I can guarantee you that you won’t be disappointed. How does it feel to get thrown into a streaming waterfall or make a five meter fall straight into a wild river? After going canyoning you will know.
I did this tour together with three guys from Belgium after a safety briefing we were ready to get started. Our first challenge was to wire ourselves down in to the canyon and then let go at the end. We had to choose if we wanted a long rope or a short rope, in case we chose the short rope we would make a five meter fall straight in to the river. We all went for the long one. When we reached the water we had to swim across the river, which was tougher then it sounds because of the strong current.
Then we had to climb back up the rock wall with water pouring straight on to us. When you do this it doesn’t hurt to be a little stubborn. I am telling you my arms felt like spaghetti when I reached the top. This tour is not only a great experience it also gives you good exercise. Finally, we had to wire ourselves down the rope again. This time we all choose the short one and I’m glad we did, the free fall in to the river was so much fun.
We continued further down the river and reached the 35 meter high Victoria waterfall. At this time I had no clue that I was about to be thrown into it.
When I finally stood there on the edge of the cliff next to the waterfall I wasn’t so cocky, I was pretty scared to be honest. Now I‘m happy that I did it, this is definitely one of the best adventures I have ever experienced. This is also by far the coolest way to enjoy the Victoria Waterfall.
14
Dec
2010
Hike to the crater
On the way to the crater
Rincon de la vieja volcano is one of several active volcanoes in Costa Rica. This volcano reaches more than 6000 feet above sea level and it’s the third most active volcano in the country.
The first time I tried to hike up this volcano there was a storm that prevented us from going to the top. This second time we were determined to reach the crater. I did this hike together with Mel, a friendly guy from the UK and our guide Oscar. We started our hike early in the morning to make sure that we had enough time. The trail is well marked and easy to follow and because it’s in the National park you have a good chance of spotting some wildlife. On our way up we saw some spider monkeys, tapirs and many birds.
I would be lying if I said it was easy, this hike is no joke. It takes a lot of energy to get to the top. The trail is eight kilometers long and when you get to the final two kilometers it gets really steep. The amazing views you get on a clear day makes it all worth it though. From here you can see the Pacific Ocean and all the way to the Caribbean Sea. We reached the top but our goal was the crater so we had to keep walking further, now on a very narrow trail. By this time a cloud covered the top of the volcano so the weather changed quickly, from sunny to wet. The view of the crater was majestic even though it was cloudy, with its bright blue almost turquoise color. It was definitely bigger than I thought and we could see some activity. We stopped for lunch and then it was time to head back down. We ended up back at the car tired, happy and proud that we got to experience this highlight of Guanacaste.
14
Dec
2010
Weather Report
Guanacaste is known as the sunny side of Costa Rica. This area has the best weather in the country and specially from November, when the drought season starts. But even when the rainy season starts, from June to November, the weather is still nice and warm and the rain showers only last for 1 or 2 hours for the most part, showing the warm tropical sun for the rest of the day. This is no coincidence, since Costa Rica is located 8 degrees north of the equator and bathed by the warm Pacific Ocean waters on the west and by the Caribbean waters on the east. Being a tropical country, Costa Rica has only 2 seasons, Dry and Green.
The expected temperature in Guanacaste for this month is a low of 67 and a maximum of 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Guanacaste is now very close to major US cities since major airlines have direct flights from cities like Dallas, Houston, Atlanta among others, and cities like Los Angeles are conected to Liberia International (LIR) through EL Salvador.
There is so much to offer in Guanacaste, that 1 week is not enough. There are white sand beaches, great fishing, golf, adventure tours, scuba diving, active volcanoes and much more. Another important thing is that there are accommodations for all budgets.
Come to Hacienda Guachipelin to enjoy the great weather and the best adventure. Send us an email to reserve+guachipelin.com for more information.
warm weather
6
Dec
2010
Paint yourself in volcanic mud at Simbiosis Spa
Me, Becky & Tony at Simbiosis Spa
I was invited to join Becky and Tony, a very friendly couple from the United States, to Simbiosis Spa. This spa is located only a couple of minutes up the road from the hotel. After a day full of activity it feels really nice to end it in this quiet and relaxing place.
We started with a couple of minutes in the sauna and as a Swede I am used to that. I didn’t think that it would be that nice because of the warm temperature outside but I was wrong. It was really nice and amazingly relaxing for my body. This is done to open up the pores of the skin. The next thing for us to enjoy was the volcanic mud, which we painted on our bodies. We shared a lot of laughs during that time, from head to toe covered in mud. When the mud is completely dried, you wash it off in the outdoor showers. Last but not least, we went to the thermal pool and sat in the hot water talking until it started to get dark outside and we decided it was time to go.
All three of us agreed that this was a good ending to an active day. Next time I will add a full body massage to my treatment and it will be perfect.
3
Dec
2010
Challenge the rapids of Rio Negro in a tube
White water tubing Rio Negro
I did white water rafting in Australia, now it was about time to try white water tubing in Costa Rica. The difference between rafting and tubing is that when you go rafting you’re in a boat and you are together with others, when you go tubing your alone in your tube. One of the girls on the tour described her tube as a “huge dunkin doughnut in camouflage” and that’s actually a pretty good description.
This tour starts at the foot of the great Victoria Waterfall. We were a big group of people doing this tour together and the saying “the more, the merrier” is really true in this case. First the guide gave us some information about the safety. Among other things, he told us that they would be there to rescue us if we would go in to the water. We were ready to start challenging the rapids of the river. One by one we went in to the river and once you’re in all you have to do is hold on to your tube and enjoy the ride, especially when going backwards. There are several big rapids on this trip and even though those are the funniest parts it’s also nice when you get to the slower parts and you have time to enjoy the nature around you.
This is an activity that I can recommend for everyone, young and old. You just have to prepare yourself to get wet. I managed to stay above water the whole way but still my clothes got completely soaked in water. I believe I was smiling all the way down the river.
24
Nov
2010
An early morning with the cows
Camilla milking the cows
Hacienda Guachipelin is not only a hotel, it’s also a working ranch and a home to many animals. There are 12 cows living here together with their baby cows and they provide the hotel with all the milk that is needed. They also use it the milk to produce the cheese that I am completely addicted to. The guests can enjoy both the milk and the cheese in the hotel restaurant, talk about real local produced products.
These cows have to be milked every morning and as a guest you can try this experience. Just the fact that you have to get up early in the morning and before everyone else makes this special.
I didn’t know what to expect when I went to the stable at half past five in the morning. When I got there I was met by three men with three big smiles on their faces. I was wondering what time they got up this morning because they had already finished milking a couple of the cows and they seemed so full of energy. One of the guys showed me how to milk the cow and to my surprise it was easier than I thought. On the other hand it was much harder work then I thought and I was tired after only a few minutes. I let the guys continue in a much higher speed and I thought it was nice to just watch them work.
One of the guys handed me a cup of milk with some kind of flavor in it, it almost tasted like cinnamon. Having in mind that it was made here, it was probably the best milk I’ve ever tasted and it was a good beginning of a new day at the Hacienda.
20
Nov
2010
Enjoy the beauty of the nature on the back of a horse
Horseback riding at Hacienda Guachipelin
I am not very good with horses and that’s because I don’t have any experience. I can count the times I’ve been on the back of a horse on one hand. I like horses and I think that they are beautiful animals but at the same time I’m scared that they will hurt me. What I’m trying to say is that if I can go horseback riding here, anyone can. These horses are very friendly and I think it’s amazing how some animals can calm you down just by being there.
You can choose where you want the horses to take you, maybe up to the spa for a mud bath, to the adventure tours for a thrilling adventure or just take an hour outside to enjoy the nature. Sometimes the destination is not the most important thing. When I went horseback riding I enjoyed the company of the other people on the tour, the nice views of the volcano, the open landscape and the quietness around us.
The horses give me a feeling of calm and freedom. They are not stressed, not thinking about tomorrow, they just are.
19
Nov
2010
Bull Riding with the Sabaneros
Bull riding at the rodeo
- Bull fighting at the rodeo
When someone says bull riding I automatically think of a mechanic bull. Of course they are not riding any mechanic bulls around here, they ride the real ones. We have some real life cowboys working here at Hacienda Guachipelin, the only difference is that around here they are called sabaneros instead of cowboys.
When we got to the rodeo I could hear the sound of the marimba playing and the sabaneros were getting ready to start the show. All the people in the audience seemed excited and I was one of them. With the rodeo made from wood it almost felt like we travelled back in time for a while. The sabaneros were riding their horses, throwing their lasso and making a special sound that only they can do. A couple of guys did the bull riding but they didn’t last long on the back of that bull. The one that managed to stay the longest was actually a girl and I was so impressed by her because she was so brave. They also did some kind of bull fighting and I was so happy when they told me that no animals get hurt during these shows.
I’m not sure what makes this so special. Maybe it’s the fact that I have never seen anything like it or maybe it’s because of the happiness you feel from the music and the sabaneros. Maybe it’s both. I am glad that I got the opportunity to see this because it’s really something special that you don’t find in many places.
Hasta la próxima, Camilla