9 Day Costa Rica Itinerary

Itinerary from our Costa Rica trip in Aug. We used a small privately owned and locally run tour company specializing in private family vacations called Tico Tom Tours(http://www.Ticotomtours.com). The folks were really nice and friendly. They gifted each of us a custom trip journal. When we left CR, it felt as if we were leaving family behind. I will write a more detailed travelogue in the next few days, but in brief, our trip was adventure filled, and wonderful. Our kids had an amazing time with various adventures. We definately recommend Tico Tom Tours for your trip to CR.

Day 1: Arrive in Alajuela. Travel north via private car to Arenal Volcano. Stay in Arenal
Day 2: Ziplining in Arenal. Other activities included hiking and Lunch at La Fortuna Falls. Dinner and soaking at Tabacon Hotsprings. Amazing experience.
Day 3: On route to central valley, we went whitewater rafting in Sarapaqui River. Mostly Class 2 rapids perfect for families with young children. Overnight at Xandari Resort.
Day 4: Visit to Poas Volcano and hiking in LaPaz waterfalls.
Day 5: Drive south towards the pacific beach, an area called Dominical. Stayed at a private inn called Necochea.
Day 6: Rappel down Baru Falls. Relax in the eve.
Day 7: Spent day whale watching, on the beach, and exploring the local town.
Day 8: Spent day at the beach and late afternoon drive back to San Jose. Walked around the tourist district in San Jose and a relaxing dinner in the city.
Day 9: Spent morning shopping for trinkets and Fly home.

Thematic (theme based) Tourism

How often have you heard yourself say “I need a vacation from my vacation”. While planning trips, most people schedule a lot of activities to do, a lot of places to see, they want to get to all the "must see" places, to all the artifacts in all the museums. The trip begins to feels more like a marathon as opposed to a vacation. As a consequence both the trip planning and the trip itself become overwhelming.

As I posted in one of my earlier blogs, I am a big proponent of theme based vacations. If you travel with a theme, I really feel, that it increases the chances of you having a better time. The hard part is figuring out a theme, a focus or a special niche for your trip.

The first step is determining your travelling companions. Second step is determining what you all enjoy the most, or what you all want to see or do on that particular trip. Most of the time its this second step that is the hardest part. Different people inevitably want to do different things. Once your theme is determined, rest is easy. Schedule your activities around this central theme and whatever does not fit the theme is superfluous. If you find yourself with extra time on your trip...well… did you read my post on serendipity. As I say..the best memories are often the ones you cannot plan. So if you do find some extra time on your hands, go discover something, go off the beaten path, make a special memory.

Some suggested themes:

• Aboriginal tourism (also Tribal tourism and Native American tourism)
• Adventure tourism (usually outdoors)
• All Boys trips (often fishing, motorbiking)
• Ancient History Tourism (e.g. travel to Pharaoh Egypt, Mayan ruins, Andes etc.)
• Architecture tourism
• Backpack tourism (or Backpacking )
• Battlefield tourism
• Beach tourism
• Business tourism (or Business travel)
• Celebrity tourism
• Community Based tourism (or Community Supported tourism)
• Cruise tourism
• Culinary tourism
• Disaster tourism
• Nature Ecotourism (or Eco-tourism)
• Educational tourism
  Ethnic tourism
• Event tourism (or Special Event tourism)
• Extreme tourism (extreme sports)
• Geopark Tourism or Geo tourism (geology-based includes volcanoes, hot springs)
• Girlfriend Getaway (all female trip)
• Group Travel
• Golf tourism
• Grief tourism (related to Thana-tourism)
• Heritage tourism
• Historical tourism
• Honeymoon
• Incentive travel (gift vacations for employees)
• Island tourism
• Medical tourism (Health or Wellness Tourism)
• Museum tourism
• Meetings, Conventions, Conferences and Exhibitions
• Nightlife tourism (also Entertainment tourism)
• Pre historic tourism (trip to pre historic sites, also ancient history tourism)
• Photo Tourism (Photography tourism)
• Religious tourism ( Pilgrimage)
• Reunion tourism
• Genealogy related tourism
• Rural tourism
• Second Home tourism (to a Vacation property)
• Sex tourism
• Shopping tourism
• Space tourism
• Sports tourism (pursue a specific sport including marathons, triathlons, etc.)
• Sun, Sand and Surf tourism
• Thanatourism (death related tourism)
• Urban tourism
• Visit Friends, Family and Relatives
• Vinyard Tourism
• Volunteer tourism (or Volunteer travel)
• Walking vacations (or Walking trips)
• War tourism
• Water / SCUBA tourism
• Winter (Sports) tourism

Gangtok and Darjeeling (Part II)

The drive to Darjeeling was lush, and heavenly. The local farmers had set up roadside stalls every few hundred yards loaded with fresh produce. My father, who was travelling with us, was in absolute heaven. He would stop our car every few kilometers and stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables from these farmers. Instead of munching on chips and crackers we drove around in the car, munching on carrots and cucumbers and any other fresh vegetable my father could get his hands on laced with chaat masala (spice powder) and lemon juice.
The city of Darjeeling was much more of a tourist center and bigger than Gangtok. The area is surrounded by glorious tea estates, the neat rows of tea plants covering the entire hills giving a very majestic feel.

The tea gardens are a sight to cherish. Being in Darjeeling, you realize how aptly the area was coined as “Queen of the Hills” by the British. We used our car for a day’s worth of sightseeing which included Tensing Mountaineering Institute, Pagoda, Zoo, Tibetan Refugee Center and a few other focal points. Within the town itself, we walked just about everywhere. The walk to Chowrastha, and from there up the hill to the Mahakal Temple makes for a nice walk.

For people who want to experience an Indian monsoon, Darjeeling is a perfect place to be. I loved curling up with a book, sipping chai and munching on pakodas, quaint tea sandwiches and indian-chinese noodles. And when the rain let up, we would go out for nice walking tours within the city. All Indians who grew up in India will know exactly what I am talking about. I think you have to be an Indian at heart to cherish the monsoon. For all others, without a nice book or a large group of friends to keep the entertainment going, the constant rain can get very tiring as it did for my kids.

For anyone planning a future visit to Darjeeling and Gangtok, my advice, go to Darjeeling first and then to Gangtok. A visit to a tea plantation is a must especially if you like to drink tea. Only a few tea plantations are open to public. If you are planning to buy Darjeeling tea, go to any large retailer in town and smell the various tea leaves, ask the retailer to explain the various harvesting seasons and their influence on the flavor, sample the one you like the most and then buy.