Costa Rica

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Riding Horses in Monteverde

Marvin is Monteverde's resident cowboy. He says he's been riding horses since he was still in his mom's belly. When he's not giving tours, he's training his prize horse Gladiator. I got to spend the day with Marvin, riding through dusty back streets of Monteverde and watching Gladiator perform tricks back at Marvin's ranch.

By Ryan Van Velzer | Jun 15, 2013

Exploring the Night in Monteverde

As the sun set over the Nicoya Gulf, a white-nosed coati inspected a small puddle probing the water with its tongue. The coati, a cousin of the raccoon with a long nose and bushy tail, wandered past with the curiosity of a puppy searching for scraps.

By Ryan Van Velzer | May 23, 2013

A Morning in the Canopy with SkyTrek

The anticipation builds as you ascend more than 4,000 feet above Arenal in Sky Adventure's gondolas. Below you, Lake Arenal spreads out over the horizon while Arenal volcano looms above. From the observation platform at the top, you'll have incredible views of Arenal's peak and your first look at SkyTrek's zip lines.

By Ryan Van Velzer | May 16, 2013

All Blog Posts

Riding Horses in Monteverde

Marvin is Monteverde's resident cowboy. He says he's been riding horses since he was still in his mom's belly. When he's not giving tours, he's ...
Exploring the Night in Monteverde

As the sun set over the Nicoya Gulf, a white-nosed coati inspected a small puddle probing the water with its tongue. The coati, a cousin of the ...
A Morning in the Canopy with SkyTrek

The anticipation builds as you ascend more than 4,000 feet above Arenal in Sky Adventure's gondolas. Below you, Lake Arenal spreads out over the ...
Day Adventure: Zip lines, Rappelling and Tubing

It's not where you go… it's the zip lines you take to get there. No trip to Arenal is complete without a fast-paced, high thrill adventure. Here's an ...
Cowboys and Horseback Rides

Alex wore a blue plaid button down shirt tucked into his jeans, a baseball cap and black canvas shoes with spurs. For the last 18 years, he's worked ...
Selva Leona Waterfall Hike: Part 2

We dismounted our horses in a small clearing around low forest shrub and windswept trees. Nixon Villalobos, one of my guides, led the horses to an ...
Selva Leona Waterfall Hike: Part 1

The Villalobos family has lived the last 80 years on a ranch between Lake Arenal and Montverde. Their 250 acres seep into centuries old primary ...
Zen and the Art of Stand Up Paddling

Gently rocking side to side while standing on the water's surface is an odd feeling at first, like walking on thin ice. It doesn't take long to get ...
Peñas Blancas Safari Float

Now, the idea of floating down a river in an inflatable rubber raft searching for sloths, monkeys and iguanas in a river shared with crocodiles may ...
Mountain Biking at Lake Arenal

There's a simple joy that comes with riding mountain bikes in the countryside; the bike's wheels rolling over the pebbles on a dirt road, the wet ...