Back door of Casa Marrakech Playa Langosta Costa Rica

I think it is remarkable that a beachfront home in Costa Rica, designed by a Costa Rican architect, would be constructed with Middle Eastern or North African ambiance. It looks authentic to me, and the palm trees are native to both climates. This house looks like it belongs in a desert oasis, however, rather than the lush green vegetation of a Costa Rican beach.

Casa Marrakech at Playa Langosta Costa Rica

This is a private home called Casa Marrakech (at Playa Langosta Costa Rica). It is 10,000 sq. ft. (929 sq. m.), with 5 bedrooms and 5 1/2 bathrooms.

It was designed by Abraham Valenzuela, the same architect who designed both of our condo buildings. He is also an accomplished rock musician, and lead singer and lead guitarist of the band Las Tortugas. Here is the band's website.

This house is available to rent, and celebrities have stayed here.

Top Ten Costa Rica Yoga Hotels

If there is one place in the world where you can get to experience yoga in the best environment is Costa Rica. It is no secret that yoga is ardently practiced in Costa Rica. They are practically one and the same! I was craving a vacation so bad and I desperately needed a break from my daily routine of work and family. So together with a few friends we set out to explore this tropical land. Here are the top 10 Costa Rica yoga hotels. Well, we did not get to stay in all of them but they are worth giving a try.

Being a true yoga enthusiast, it had always been my dream to visit this beautiful land and experience the magic of it all. There is no denying that Costa Rica is blessed with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. There is an array of fantastic beaches on either coast. The beaches range from dark sand to white sand; pebble beaches to rocky beaches and shores. It also boasts some of the best yoga hotels as I found out while planning for my getaway.

If you are planning a yoga retreat, it is important to find out if the hotel you will be staying at offers yoga. This will be convenient to you and you will also be able to take advantage of discounts and offers available to the hotel guests. The top 10 Costa Rica yoga hotel are as below.

Pura Vida spa and yoga retreat is aptly referred to as the Garden of Eden. It is 100% committed to wellness as its name suggests: ‘pure life’. It offers yoga facilities and world class yoga instructors. You are bound to leave feeling rested and rejuvenated. The second top yoga hotel in Costa Rica is the Tango Mar. It is a dream comes true for anyone who craves a beachfront vacation and you get to practice yoga overlooking the sea in utter serenity!

Anamaya yoga retreat center located in Montezuma is another must visit place for anyone who is crazy about yoga. The fact that it is located next to Montezuma falls, one of Costa Rica’s most popular waterfalls, is reason enough to check it out. You are also bound to enjoy all the adventures you set out on there such as jumping into the deep pool and admiring the rainforest.

Luna lodge is sure to get you all excited due to its excellent yoga retreat centers where the yoga classes are held. Fifth is the Pranamar ocean front where even beginners in yoga can get to learn and experience the benefits of yoga.

The Samasati is a one of a kind hotel overlooking the Caribbean that is perfect for yoga. It has very high standards of sustainable living. Horizon Ocean view hotel and yoga center is another excellent yoga hotel in Costa Rica. Its white sands of the amazing Santa Teresa beach will definitely entice you.

Hotel Amatierra will have you leave all your stress behind as you practice yoga in an open air pavilion that overlooks the mountains as exotic birds fly above you. The RipJack inn is also worth checking out as it does offer yoga too. Last, but not least is the Ylang Ylang beach resort that will offer you quite the yoga adventure.

The above are the top 10 Costa Rica yoga hotels. I got to experience some of them first hand and they are truly spectacular. So give them a try and have a fun filled yoga vacation!

Islamic Architecture in Playa Langosta, Tamarindo

The front entrance to the building. The scene of the roof line made this building look like a mosque, but it is not. There is no mosque anywhere near Tamarindo. There is a mosque in the capitol of San Jose, but that is more than 4 hours away. It is only during the past few years that a Catholic Church has been built in Tamarindo.

I will tell you more about this building in the days ahead.

Tamarindo Costa Rica Hotels

Tamarindo Costa Rica Hotels: Tamarindo has a wide selection of hotels. From First Class Hotels and apartments to the hostel for independent travelers. Beautiful villas you can rent that are located directly on the wide beach of Playa Tamarindo. Are you traveling alone, in pairs or in a group you will find for everyone the right.

Tamarindo Costa Rica Hotels – The range of prices
The range of prices for the rooms in the hotels and villas is great. Stay at the hostel for example § 15 per night sharing a room with other people. Or rent a villa on the beach for several thousand U.S. dollars a week.? There are very nice comfortable hotels that are not located directly on the beach but near the beach.

Whichever hotel you choose, you need less than 10 minutes to walk to the beach. These Tamarindo Costa Rica Hotels are much cheaper.

Tamarindo Costa Rica Hotels – Special offers
Look at the websites of the hotels, where you often find special offers and promotions for a special price. Even in high season. Find out more directly in the Tamarindo Costa Rica Hotels have a shuttle service to and from the airport. The shuttle service is usually free.

In Tamarindo Costa Rica there is a maximum of two hotels, which make all inclusive offers. So you have the opportunity to discover many good restaurants in Tamarindo. Also for a longer stay in Tamarindo, most hotels have special offers. Who wants to enjoy the climate in Tamarindo long periods of time, can a 2 room apartment in one of the residences for rent. You must look exactly, because the price differences are enormous. In Tamarindo, there are well-furnished apartments from 450 US dollars up to 1500 US dollars and more.

JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort Tamarindo Costa Rica

The J.W. Marriott Guanacaste Resort. This is an aerial view of it taken by my younger son several years ago when he took a gyrocopter flight over Tamarindo.

We can walk down the beach from Tamarindo to the location of this resort, if it is low tide across the mouth of the Langosta Estuary. It is about 20 minutes to drive inland and around the estuary and surrounding rural communities.

We have never stayed here, of course, since we have condos nearby, but we have stayed at other J.W. Marriott Hotels and they are very nice. The fact that Marriott would make the investment to build a resort of this quality and size very close to Tamarindo I think is a good thing, as it places sort of an international corporate seal of approval on our local area.

Best Restaurants in Tamarindo Costa Rica

The Tamarindo Costa Rica dining places offer you one thing for every palate and every budget a bit. While in the 1st area for each and every vacationer must try one of many standard neighborhood cuisines available. Costarican meal you take in while in the “Sodas”: small dining places that offer local meals very inexpensive and very good. Try out Gallo Pinto in the morning: rice mixed with black beans to a number of aspect dishes is served as fried chicken eggs, platanos or tortillas. For dinner, recommends Casado: rice, salad, beans and option of chicken breast, sea food or meats.

It really is typically served with the soda no liquor. Costa Rica includes a license for offering beer to get bought or leased. These licenses are for problems in Tamarindo Costa Rica really expensive.
Talking of alcohol: Inside the week ahead of Easter time, Semana Santa, is nowhere for 2 days offered liquor. There exists a regulation within the prohibition of offering alcohol on as of late. The legislation applies not only to Tamarindo Costa Rica but will also eating places, food markets and outlets. Would you want to consume on those days on holiday getaway so just like a glass of alcoholic beverages or wine, get one just before.

Of the fifty restaurants in Tamarindo numerous lie straight on the extensive sandy beach front. Feast under the palm bushes accompanied by the smooth murmur of the surf of the Pacific. The following you’ll find Italian eating places, the dining places of the lodges around beach and of course also delivers Tamarindo restaurants while in the luxury course. Who loves the American and Mexican cuisine is their funds. And quickly foodstuff enthusiasts will not be dissatisfied. Acknowledged rapidly foodstuff chains like Pizza Hut and Subway are located the following. Who doesn’t want to skip McDonalds, ought to head to Liberia.

The prices differ, but for each and every finances to discover the proper restaurant. Imperial and Pilsen beer from Costa Rica expenses 1000-1500 colones. In many dining establishments will likely be extra to your invoice volume the service tax of 10%. Consideration also with payment by credit score card is at times billed an additional price. You can shell out income in U.S. Dollars or Colones.

Papagayo golf course near Tamarindo Costa Rica

The golf course at Papagayo, about 30 miles (48 km) north of Tamarindo, to offer a contrast to the photo more typical Costa Rican scene I will show tomorrow.

The Papagayo peninsula, anchored by a Tour Seasons Resort, is like a slice of Hawaii in Costa Rica. It is an elegant place to visit and to have a luxurious resort experience, but it is not the real Costa Rica.

Condos at the Tamarindo Preserve

This photo shows one of the condo buildings at The Tamarindo Preserve. I showed part of the site in yesterday's photo. This photo shows that the buildings are low rise and will fortunately not change the skyline of the point between Tamarindo and Playa Langosta. Some trees have also been preserved, although this used to be a dense forest before the land was cleared and graded for condos.

I was away for three weeks in Asia until yesterday, so I have not been able to respond to comments that people left on my site, as I had pre-loaded my posts and photos.

Tamarindo beach at low tide

I love the glassy surface of Tamarindo beach at low tide, as shown in this photo. Tamarindo beach is different than the beaches of Southern California, Hawaii, or the East Coast with which I was familiar from living in those locations.

On most beaches, the slope is too great and the water recedes too quickly to get watery reflections in the water. As you can see in this photo, Tamarindo beach is so gradual in slope that the coutours of Cabo Velas across the bay is reflected in the glistening sheen of the ocean water remaining on the sand.

Imagine this same location at high tide. You could wade all the way out on this beach to the spot where the waves are breaking, and still be in water below your waist.

Waves on Langosta beach

The surf rolls relentlessly into Langosta beach. The waves break on the shore after breaking a little off shore, which produces a constant sound of the sea.

Beautiful Sunset View from Langosta Beach

Usually by mid-afternoon my wife and I will look to se if there are any clouds and we start a dialogue about what type of sunset we think there swill be aht evening. Even days when the sunset is below average, it still rarely disappoints. I took this photo from our Langosta beach condo.

Wall of a Beachfront Home

I liked the color and pattern of the vines climbing the wall in this photo. I don't know why, but in Latin America people seem to select deeper and bolder colors for walls and houses. I, for one, am glad that they do. It adds to the beauty and distinctive character of the locale.

Behind this wall was one of the beachfront homes in Playa Langosta.

The Solitary Sailboat at Tamarindo Estuary

The solitary sailboat in this photo was parked, or I guess I should say anchored, just off the beach at the mouth of the Tamarindo estuary. The estuary flowing to the sea is the water in the foreground.

I don't know if the people in this sailboat are locals’ folks who were just out to enjoy the day, or whether they stopped for a rest while on a longer journey. I do know that they picked a delightful place to stop and enjoy the beach

Tamarindo Countryside

This photo is another pastoral scene of the countryside near Tamarindo, taken last summer, which explains the cloudy skies, as we are in the dry season now.

This was across the road from the location where the cattle were crossing the road in the photos I showed a few days ago.

Costa Rica plants about 5 - 7 million trees per year to make up for the fact that pasture land such as what you see here has replaced what used to be forests. The country is on track to become the world's first carbon neutral country in about 10 years, as more than 25% of the land is set aside for parks and nature preserves, the highest percentage of any country.