"The Museum has gone through many stages, many changes and renovations. Even the way in celebrating the creation has changed. Today we want to do with a party with music, dance, acrobatics suitable for all age groups", said Wendy Segura, the press department of the National Museum.

The achievements can be mentioned the receipt of the country’s history in historical archaeological field, being a large research center, such as the construction of a national herbarium, collection of fossils, birds, eggs, mammals, among others.

In contrast, the challenges to meet their 125 years of creation are the creation of projects with a limited budget, adapt laws passed to protect the archaeological and historical sites and continue rescuing ancestral stories. A travel advice is that you take a few minutes and stop by this place, so you can check part of the huge history this place has.

Since the very first years, the Museum focused on scientific investigation, education, exhibition, and defense of the Costa Rica culture and natural heritage. Figures such as Anastasio Alfaro, Enrique Pittier, Pablo Biolley, Jose Castulo Zeledon, Adolfo Tonduz, Maria Fernandez de Tinoco, and Jose Fidel Tristan were crucial in the beginnings of the institution.

On a saturday afternoon, the ticos approached the Plaza de la Democracia where they carried out the activities to commemorate the museum.

Pre- Columbian animals descending from the walls, music, games and more were part of the celebration of 125 years of the National Museum.

The celebration is aimed at the reflection of those who went before us and left other ways of seeing the world.

After 30 years of absence, the shark returned to this place and soon became the top predator of the reef.

The first to notice their presence were the tourists who come to the island to dive.

"People were a little frightened by the presence of tiger shark because the features it has (it can reach more than seven meters)", he said Geiner Golfín, administrator of the national park.

"However, the food is so abundant in the waters is unlikely to attack a person on the island. The human being is not in the diet of sharks. Rather, they are quite shy. In the dives, I saw them pass five meters as if one did not exist", said Steven Alvarado, ranger and professional diver.

Tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) move in the northwest of the island. Often in Wafer bays, Weston and Chatham, on the islet Manuelita and the tips Mary and Ulloa. The Cocos Island is a National park which doesn’t have  eco hotels or any hotels, but there are plenty of ways to go there without staying.

Randall Arauz, a researcher at the organization Pretoma, marks placed five sharks in January 2011. "There were three females and two males. Females were larger than males. The largest measured 4.20 meters", said Arauz.

Although it lacks a population census, Arauz suspect there could be about ten tigers in the island. Most of them are young males and females; seen one of these beautiful creatures will give you the best costa rica travel vacations.

"What we’re seeing is that they stay around the island. Some are out of the 12-mile protected area, but always return and reside here", said Arauz.

"They might be using the island as a nursery as they grow and prepare to migrate," he added.

"When we began research on Cocos Island, we saw a lot of blacktip sharks in the bay and watch now costs us a lot", said Ilena Zanella, a researcher at the Shark Mission organization.

Starting in Puntarenas and Caldera, you will find many Costa Rica hotels for all budgets and preferences. If you continue traveling southeast, you will find other places like Carara National Park, Tarcoles River, Punta Leona, Herradura, Jacó, Hermosa, Quepos and the popular  Manuel Antonio National Park, with its dense green vegetation and many bird species that make it a must for Costa Rica birding tours.

The town, called Manuel Antonio, has a huge number of hotels, restaurants and Costa Rica luxury resorts with breath taking views of the Pacific Ocean. It is a crowded place and can be expensive, but the experience is worth it. You can also stay at Quepos, 5 miles away, a touristic, fishing town with its own landing strip, hotels and burgeoning nightlife.

Another popular town is Jaco, visited by many local and foreign tourists, 75 minutes away from San Jose and perfect for adventure travel, along with its neighbor town Playa Hermosa, which hosts an annual surf contest. Near Jaco, you will find Herradura and Punta Leona, two of the most beautiful beaches in the Central Pacific.

Another great place to visit in this region is Puntarenas city, a portuary town with great local sea food.

A more laid back vibe can be found at Dominical, 1 hour southeast of Quepos, great for experienced surfers and with excellent beach hotels. There are many secluded beaches, like Uvita, perfect for relaxing or just taking the sun.

The Reserve was created 30 years ago with the object of protecting the vast flora and fauna of the area, and it covers 300 hectare of primary and secondary forests. Being the natural habitat of 330 species of native and migratory birds, Punta Leona is recognized as an ideal place for birding tours. Some of these species are the Red Macaw, fly trappers, toucans, woodpeckers and owls.

Punta Leona is great for vacations, and it offers three hiking sections with easy access. Since the wildlife is very rich, animals like raccoons, white-faced monkeys, anteaters, iguanas, spider monkeys and several species of butterflies can be watched.

The white-sand beach near the Reserve won the Blue Flag award for ecological sustainability, and even though there is a Costa Rica hotel in the area, Punta Leona keeps the natural atmosphere and vibe that will charm tourists.

Punta Leona is close to the Manuel Antonio National Park and the Carara National Park, making it part of a great eco tour in the Central Pacific. It is located one hour from San Jose, using the Highway 27 and passing by Tarcoles.

It is a few miles north of Herradura and Jaco, two of the most popular beaches in Costa Rica, which also have many Costa Rica luxury resorts and services, restaurants and bars. The weather in Punta Leona is hot and humid during all the year, although moisture is not as high as in the South Pacific.

There are many lodging options in these two places, even with Costa Rica luxury resorts. Hotels have highly trained touristic guides with knowledge of hiking, trailing and bird watching for Costa Rica birding tours. One of the most impressive activities is watching whales and dolphins, and you also can enjoy the beach and the sun if you want to relax. Costa Rica travel agencies offer many adventure tours and activities.

Many tourists choose to stay at Drake Bay, a wonderful place discovered by Sir Francis Drake. It is a perfect spot for scuba diving and snorkeling, and from there, you can take a one-day tour to Isla del Caño and one of the best Costa Rica diving tours, or try kayaking and sports fishing. There is a night tour about night wildlife in the forest. As in the rest of the Peninsula, it is the natural habitat of many endangered species like the Scarlet Macaw, the Harpy Eagle, the Puma and the Jaguar.

Another great part of the Peninsula is Corcovado National Park, the largest rain forest in Central America and one of the highest in the world. Use a tourist guide when exploring the park, due to many species of snakes and animals living there which could be dangerous. The beauty of Corcovado is astonishing, and you will enjoy it. You can get to Corcovado by taking a boat in Puerto Jimenez.

Drake Bay is named after Sir Francis Drake, who landed in the area in the XVII century. As the rest of the Pacific Coast beaches, San Josecito is perfect for water activities such as swimming, scuba diving and snorkeling in the coral reef, due to the warm, clear waters. Other activities to practice are kayaking and horseback riding for the adventurers; and walking, sunbathing or just relaxing at the laid-back beach. Costa Rica tour operators offer guided tours through the place.

San Josecito is located a few miles north of San Pedrillo, another beach …

To get to Playa San Josecito, you need to take a domestic flight to Drake Bay, departing from the Juan Santamaría International Airport, and drive to San Josecito… You can also take a boat from Dominical or Drake Bay, which will let you have amazing views of the forest, Cono Island and the Pacific Ocean, so take your camera with you.

I truly recommend visiting San Josecito during the dry season here in Costa Rica… approximately from December to April; so you can live the San Josecito’s experience to its fullest.

The weather in San Josecito is hot and humid, so drink water during all day and bring sun blocker with you.

Uvita is part of the Marino Ballena National Park, and it is located 10 miles south of Dominical. Uvita is a 2- mile long beach filled with white sand and clear waters, making it perfect for swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving. There are many other activities like water sports, kayaking, horse back riding to the estuaries and mangroves, walking through the beach or to the mountains or just taking the sun. Due to its status of protected area, hunting or fishing are banned in the park.

If you are coming from San Jose, you have several ways to get to Uvita, and the most popular is driving through the Costanera highway, which will take around 5 hours providing great landscapes of the Pacific Ocean and going through popular places like Herradura, Jaco and Quepos.

The second route is to use the Inter American Highway and make a detour in Perez Zeledon, taking you through the mountains in Cerro de la Muerte. The third option is to fly from San Jose to Palmar Sur, which is 45-minute flight to Palmar Sur, located south of Ojochal.

In Uvita, you will find cheap Costa Rica hotels and cabins. There are many restaurants, bars and small restaurants (Sodas) offering food at cheap prices, which will accommodate to any Costa Rica budget vacation. The weather in Uvita is similar to the rest of the Southern Pacific area, warm and humid during all year, with heavy rains in the rainy season (May to mid-December).

Before Tortuga, I’ve been to some of the most popular beaches in Costa Rica like Jaco and Manuel Antonio in the Central Pacific, and now I’m enjoying the Southern Pacific with places like  Matapalo, a great surfing spots, Isla del Caño, one of the best Costa Rica diving tours, and the Marino Ballena National Park.

Tortuga is famous for its wildlife and breath taking landscapes of the Pacific Ocean, surrounded by high peaks, deep green rain forests and blue, pristine waters. Activities to take part of, are swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, surfing, sports fishing, kayaking, horse back riding and walking. Marine life that can be seen includes whales, dolphins, rays and turtles.

Other tourist attractions near Tortuga are the Nauyaca Waterfalls, comprised of several waterfalls; the Terraba River, a mid-size river with a lot of mangroves, and the Costa Rica birding tours to see over 400 species living in the area. There is a foundation in Tortuga that is dedicated to the preservation of endangered turtle species, working with the community and volunteering visitors.

If you are coming from San Jose you can either drive through the Costanera highway, which will take around 5 hours providing great landscapes of the Pacific Ocean, or use the Inter American Highway and make a detour in Perez Zeledon, taking you through the mountains in Cerro de la Muerte. The third option is to fly from San Jose to Palmar Sur, which is 45-minute flight to Palmar Sur, located south of Tortuga and Ojochal.

You can stay in Ojochal, where you will find cheap Costa Rica hotels and cabins, and there are  international food restaurants, bars and Sodas offering food at cheap prices. The weather in Tortuga beach is similar to the rest of the Southern Pacific area, warm and humid during all year, with heavy rains in the rainy season (May to mid-December).

It’s relatively close to the Central Pacific Area (within 1 hour) including Quepos and Manuel Antonio where my Costa Rica travel vacation is developing. In the Southern Pacific Matapalo, you will find great surfing spots and the best Costa Rica diving tours in Isla del Caño.

Tortuga Abajo is located 19 miles south from the popular Dominical Beach. You can get there driving or taking a bus from San José. If you want to drive, you can use the Costanera highway that goes along the Pacific Ocean, providing you with great landscapes.

You can also use the Inter American Highway and make a detour in Perez Zeledon, a route that will take you through the Cerro de la Muerte. And your third option is to fly from San Jose to Palmar Sur, which is 45-minute flight to Palmar Sur, located south of Tortuga and Ojochal.

Once you are in Tortuga Abajo, you can start scouting for many places to visit in the southern area, and I recommend starting in Ojochal. It is a small town with a typical Costarican coast experience and great views of the Pacific Ocean from the mountains, which can be either reached by walking or horse back riding.

After this great start, you will find a lot of places to visit, like the Corcovado National Park, Isla del Caño, Matapalo, Pavones, Marino Ballena, and many beaches with pristine waters that are perfect for swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, surfing, sports fishing, kayaking or just sun bathing. Sight seeing includes estuaries, mangroves, Costa Rica birding tours and marine life that can be seen includes whales, dolphins, rays and endangered species of sea turtles.

If you stay in Ojochal, you will find cheap Costa Rica hotels and cabins, international food restaurants, bars and Sodas offering food at cheap prices. The weather in Tortuga Abajo is similar to the rest of the Southern Pacific area, warm and humid during all year, with heavy rains in the rainy season (May to mid-December).

Ojochal is located 30 minutes south of Dominical, and tourists coming from San Jose have several ways to get there. Driving over the Costanera highway will take around 5 hours, and will provide with great landscapes of the Pacific Ocean, going through popular places like Herradura, Jaco, Hermosa, Quepos and Dominical.

Another option is to use the Inter American Highway and take a detour in Perez Zeledon, which is a route that will take you through the mountains in Cerro de la Muerte. The third option is to fly from San Jose to Palmar Sur, which is 45-minute flight to Palmar Sur, located south of Ojochal.

Ojochal has several beaches where tourists can relax and practice activities. Ventanas Beach is very popular, having water coves in its north and south extremes, Tortuga Beach, which is accessible only during low tides, Piñuela, with a small reef near the shore line, Ballena Beach, perfect for Costa Rica surfing trips, and Uvita, which has a beautiful beach with clear blue waters.

Other activities to practice in Ojochal are ATV tours, canopy in the rain forest, zip lines, Costa Rica birding tours, taking advantage of more than 450 bird species, and you can also visit the mangroves. Ojochal can also serve you as a “hub” for the rest of tourist attractions in the southern Pacific, such as Corcovado or Marino Ballena.

There are Costa Rica hotels in Ojochal, and the weather in Ojochal is similar to Golfito, warm and humid during all year, with heavy rains in the rainy season (May to mid-December).