Pilgrims from the Democratic Republic of the Congo will not be issued visas by Saudi Arabia amid fears Ebola could spread during next month’s Hajj pilgrimage.DPeople from sub-Saharan Africa make up about 10 percent of the more than two million annual pilgrims to the holy city of Mecca.
A statement from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said: The granting of arrivals visas for people entering from DRC has been stopped, to conserve the well-being of pilgrims.
The suspension comes after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the Ebola outbreak in Congo’s eastern North Kivu and Ituri provinces a public health emergency of international concern.
However, despite this, WHO has said no countries should place restrictions on travel or trade because of Ebola and it has called on governments not to panic in response to the decision by Riyadh.
Around three percent of Congo’s population is Muslim, while people from sub-Saharan Africa make up about 10 percent of the more than two million annual pilgrims to the holy city of Mecca.
In 2014, Saudi Arabia cancelled more than 7,000 visas for pilgrims from Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia during the last Ebola outbreak, which claimed the lives of more than 11,000 people.
The epidemic has killed over 1,700 people since it emerged last October, according to the health ministry in Congo.
Tourism Observer
Tourism, Travel, Hospitality, Conservation: News,Stories And Experiences From Allover The World
Showing posts with label Liberia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Liberia. Show all posts
Saturday, 3 August 2019
Monday, 12 March 2018
LIBERIA: More Tourists Visiting Liberia
However such potential has not been harnessed, leaving the sector underdeveloped, with many tourism sites left in ruins.
The reason for this, according to pundits, is the result of poor infrastructure, including roads to make tourism sites accessible, technological advancement, and the inability of the Liberian government in making concerted efforts to develop the sector.
Despite these challenges, a number of people like Rudolph and Lisa Antoune of Libassa Ecolodge, and Chiquita Johnson of West Tourism Management, are making some improvements.
With their different intervention strategy to promote the sector through branding, Liberia’s tourism industry appears to be attracting tourists, both domestically and intentionally.
Chiquita Johnson of West Tourism Management–a boutique tour operator company that highlights unique and memorable experiences in African destinations.
This with a special focus on luxury, responsible tourism, and investor relations said the company got involved in order to protect and promote positive images about the country.
Thereby enticing a variety of tourists to see what Liberia really is, unlike the negative image of the country that is being shown on the web and in the media.
Ms. Johnson added the country is gradually becoming a hotspot for foreign tourists.
We are getting there and will soon get there. Currently, Liberia already is a tourist hotspot.
Our company alone served about 130 tourists last year by providing them with unique tourism in the country. We expect the number to double this year.
And the fact that our brand does a stellar job in showcasing Liberia positively, this is a big help in spreading the word through these individuals and their platforms of how ripe Liberia is for tourism.
The increase in tourists comes from the fact the traditional culture, abundant wildlife, and beautiful beaches across the country have been hugely promoted of to sell the positive image of the country instead of the old narrative that Liberia is poor, corrupt, and disease-ridden country,Chiquita said.
Just like Chiquita Johnson, other key players in the sector are Rudolph and Lisa Antoune, owner of the country’s first Ecolodge resort, Libassa Ecolodge.
According to Anish Robinson, the resort front office manager, Rudolph and Lisa Antoune got involved into tourism to help bring economy growth to the country, carving a better image instead of the country’s postwar reflection.
The resort was built to showcase the country’s rich Eco-tourism to the world and the beauties of Liberia, most especially to those who want to enjoy nature.
Since then, the resort has vigorous branded country rich tourism potentials, including frequently mentioned promotions of the sector in foreign media like France 24, has encouraged a good number of foreign tourists to visit Liberia.
This show Liberia is gradually becoming a hotspot for tourists, as they come in search of unique and authentic experiences which the country offers, Anish Robinson said.
The resort plays a vital role in conservation of the environment, highlighting cultural and heritage attractions while creating opportunities for small businesses and employment.
Meanwhile, a worker who begged anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on behalf of the Bureau of tourism at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) explained that from their data Liberia is becoming a hotspot for tourists.
Last year alone, from data gathered we noticed that a little over 400 foreign tourists visited the country, the source said. We have actually seen an increase in domestic and foreign tourists.
This is a good sign and many thanks to our partners in the sector. They are actually investing a lot of resources to brand and market the tourism industry and without them, I don’t think tourists would have been coming to the country.
However, regardless of success, there still remain major challenges, which experts say is needed to be addressed or the gains made will be reversed.
There have been calls to make the bureau of tourism an autonomous agency separate from MICAT.
This is intended to train qualified staff to manage the tourism sector.
Tourism Observer
Tuesday, 25 April 2017
COSTA RICA: Guanacaste
Guanacaste is a province of Costa Rica located in the northwestern region of the country, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. it borders Nicaragua to the north. To the east there is the Alajuela Province, and to the southeast is the Puntarenas Province.
It is the most sparsely populated of all the provinces of Costa Rica. The province covers an area of 10,141 km2 (3,915 sq mi) and as of 2010, had a population of 354,154.
Guanacaste covers the majority of the territory of Northern Pacific region, whose climatic conditions of a season with no rainfall, warmness and blue sky has been created the Tropical Dry Forest, a forest of plants and animals adapted to the drought from December to May. This is the habitat of the Howler Monkey, the Black Iguana, the White-throated Magpie-Jay and the Turquoise-browed Motmot.
As this region is covered by dry tropical forest, this makes it quite popular among tourists looking to escape the humidity found in most of Central America. There are many all inclusive resorts in this area, served by one of Costa Rica's two international airports in Liberia.
Guanacaste's capital is Liberia. Other important cities include Cañas and Nicoya.
The province is named for the guanacaste tree, also known as the ear pod tree, which is the national tree of Costa Rica.
Before the Spanish arrived, this territory was inhabited by Chorotega Indians from the towns of Zapati, Nacaome, Paro, Cangel, Nicopasaya, Pocosí, Diriá, Papagayo, Namiapí and Orosi. The Corobicies lived on the eastern shore of the Gulf of Nicoya and the Nahuas or Aztecan in the zone of Bagaces.
The first church was built out of grass in Nicoya in the 17th Century.
In the 18th Century some neighbors of Rivas established their houses and cattle farms in the northern part of the Nicoya Peninsula at crossroads that connected the towns of Bagaces, Nicoya and Rivas. The place was baptized after a famous Guanacaste tree that grows in the neighborhood.
In 1824-25 the territory of Guanacaste was annexed to Costa Rica. In 1836 the town of Guanacaste was declared capital of Guanacaste province. In 1854 the town of Guanacaste was renamed Liberia.
The province is bounded on the east by a group of green-swathed volcanoes forming the Cordillera de Guanacaste (which features Orosi, Rincón de la Vieja, Miravalles and Tenorio volcanoes) and the Cordillera de Tilarán.
The rivers that tumble out of these steep mountains flow down to rolling flatlands, forming a vast alluvial plain drained by the Rio Tempisque, which empties through swampy wetlands into de Golfo de Nicoya. The Rio Tempisque defines one side of the horsehead-shaped Península de Nicoya enclosing the gulf to the west.
Guanacaste's climate and culture are unique among Costa Rican provinces. The province experiences little rain and consistent heat from November to April, resulting in ubiquitous tropical dry forests as a natural adaption to the dry season conditions. Tourists seek out this dry heat during the North American winter to enjoy the Guanacastecan beaches.
Irrigation of the agricultural land is necessary during the long dry period.
From May to October, the climate is similar to that of San José, consisting of showers daily and moderate temperatures. Guanacaste is, however, considerably warmer than other provinces in the country located in higher elevations.
Tourism
Tourism spreads across Guanacaste's 5,921 sq. miles and more than 400 miles of coast line. Main attractions of tourists include water, land, mountains, volcanos, and coastal ecosystems. The two main commercial areas Santa Cruz and Liberia with five surrounding tourism development centers: Papagayo, El Coco, Flamingo, Conchal, and Tamarindo.
Liberia is central to the five locations and is complete with an airport.Animal rehab center, Centro de Rescate Las Pumas, is located in the heart of Area de Conservación Guanacaste World Heritage Site
Cities Of Guanacaste.
Playas del Coco
Abangares
Liberia — Guanacaste's main city, home to the international airport
Nicoya
Nosara
Paraiso
Tamarindo
Brasilito
Potrero
Sámara
Playa Carrillo
Playa Grande
Bijagua
Nandayure
Other destinations
Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park, Volcano National Park, 17 km north of Liberia
Parque Santa Rosa, almost in Nicaragua on the west side of the Panamerican Highway
Tenorio Volcano National Park
Enter Guanacaste
With the opening of the new international airport at Liberia (LIR) in Guanacaste, you can now fly from many US gateways including Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami directly to Guanacaste. From there you can drive or fly to all Pacific beach cities in a few hours.
To access Guanacaste's beaches from San Jose, a ferry can be taken from Puntarenas, a hot coastal town with about 40,000 inhabittants, to the other side of the Golfo de Nicoya. From there, a long ride on poorly paved roads can take you to any number of great beaches.
However, skipping the ferry and instead taking the Puente de la Amistad or "Bridge of the Friendship" is probably preferable. It's about four hours to most Guanacaste beaches from San Jose by car a little bit more by bus.
Touring
Many tourists like Tamarindo, Coco, Samara and Carrillo beaches. Samara is the home of a lively beach scene while Carrillo is a more family oriented community and home to one of the most beautiful resorts in the world, Las Ventanas del Mar.
Other fantastic beaches are: Cuajiniquil, Ocotal, Pan de Azucar, Potrero, Flamingo, Brasilito, Conchal, Langosta, Avellana, Junquillal, Manzanillo, Ostinal, Nosara amongst many more.
Don't go to Samara, Tamarindo, Coco or Carrillo just because those are most visited by tourists. You will get the most beautiful beaches and nature where you are not surrounded by hundreds of other tourists.
Try some of the other beaches as well. The beach resort and residential community Hacienda Pinilla, located along three miles of Pacific coastline, boasts six beaches: Playa Mansita; Playa Bonita; Playa Bajo Grande; Playa Robalo; Playa Avellanas; and Playa Langosta, a beach awarded the Blue Flag for the beauty and purity of the water and the superior services offered.
Guanacaste offers so much more than Beaches, like National parks (everything from wetlands to savannahs to volcanoes) and not to forget a Fantastic view.
Although Coco Beach is "touristy" location, you shouldn't write it off so quickly. You can get some great fishing boats that do not charge insane prices like many other places. This is a fisherman town. You can get a boat to take you out fishing for $50 per person for 6 hours.
It's also a fun party town and a great place to scout out a condo or home for retirement. There is a large community of retirees that live in Coco from all over the world. There are other secret beaches around Coco that are isolated 80% of the time and offer white sand beach and turquoise colored water.
Tamarindo is similar but the difference is that it's been created to emulate the US, hence the nickname, "Tamagringo". But beside that, it's a great place to party and learn to surf. Playa Avellanas and Langosta are great for surfing as well as Negra, but more for the experienced.
To visit any of these places, especially if you're flying into LIR, a great service to use for getting around is [www.lartransportes.com LAR Transportes]. These guys have great deals without the whole middle man scheme. They will get you the right info in a timely manner.
This region offers a wide variety of activities, such as world class surfing and sport fishing along with volcano tours and horse country. It is famous for its fine and vibrant fiestas.
Guanacaste is a tropical desert and you will see a great change of seasons here from the hot and dry to the wet and windy. It makes this part of Costa Rica so desirable with tourists and expats alike.
Guanacaste has everything an adventurous traveler would want to do while on vacation. There are beaches, volcanoes, cloud forests, jungles, rivers, and waterfalls, where you can participate in a vast assortment of adventure and activities: whitewater rafting, canopy/zip line tours, horseback riding, deep sea fishing, crocodile tours, snorkeling, scuba diving, ATV/motorcycle/off-road tours, mountain biking, rock climbing, turtle nesting tours, sailing, volcano tours, tubing, horseback riding, canyoneering, trekking, surfing lessons and surf tours.
One of the top attractions is Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park, famous for its abundant volcanic activity and diverse wild life. Sportfishing in Costa Rica is legendary, and many fishing charters operate from ports in the Guanacaste, like Playa Flamingo, Playa Coco and Playa Tamarindo. Naturally fed hot springs relax and invite.
And world-class golf has arrived in Guanacaste as well, with the arrival of the Four Seasons, Paradisus Playa Conchal and Hacienda Pinilla resorts, just to name a few. Scuba dive the Catalina Islands or snorkel Playa Conchal and see the abundance of sea life that Costa Rica has to offer.
Guanacaste's beaches are famous as surfing destinations and have been since Playa Negra was highlighted in the movie Endless Summer II. The surf breaks in Playa Negra and Tamarindo in northwest Guanacaste have made that area a magnet for visitors and investors alike. Despite the region's wild popularity, there is still plenty of surf spot for you to discover.
Guided surf tours are available for anyone looking to explore the Guanacaste waves. The Guanacaste Province has a variety of surfing spots for all levels of ability, from beginner to pro. The long peeling point breaks, peaky beach breaks and hollow reef breaks and consistent swell make this area of Costa Rica a surfer's paradise.
There are a number of golf courses and services throughout the region.
Four Seasons Costa Rica, Pagapayo Peninsula, Guanacaste,40 minutes from Liberia Airport Golf Course that was named in the top 50 in the world. Check out the impressive ocean views from the back nine.
Reserva Conchal, Playa Conchal, Guancaste,Just before Brasilito in Guancaste.
Hacienda Pinilla, Hacienda Pinilla resort, Guanacaste,15 minutes from the Tamarindo intersection.
Tee Times Costa Rica Golf Day Tours,Hotel Pickup service from any Guanacaste hotel to Hacienda Pinilla and Reserva Conchal courses. Tee Time booking service, day tours to Guanacaste area golf courses and golf packages.
Pura Vida Golf Events,Golf Tournaments in Guanacaste's best golf courses.Golf events in Guancaste's best golf courses. One or two day events with a prize ceremony in a Catamaran.
Food
Gallo Pinto or spotted rooster is the national dish of rice and beans. You haven't visited Costa Rica till you've had it with breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Drinks
Local cervezas (beers) are Imperial and Pilsen. Both are worth a try! There is also Rock Ice (regular, lemon and ginseng) and Bavaria (regular, dark and light).
Safety
A "safe" area, but don't leave anything valuable in your car. Obey all speed limits posted. Fines can be as much as a 1000 dollars.
Outing
Just south of Guanacaste along the Pacific Coast is the surfers paradise of the Nicoya Peninsula.
Population
Most of the population descends from a mix of Chorotega natives and Spaniards, with a significant African admixture as a result of a large number of slaves working the land during the colonial period. As in Nicaragua and elsewhere in Costa Rica, Usted is the form of address used by Guanacastecans upon initial meetings and typically among adults.
The vos verb-form is used mainly when adults address children, especially their own, and occasionally between adults who are family members or good friends.
The Chorotega culture and the Spanish culture have successfully integrated; among the main cultural elements are their music, literature (folklore), musical instruments, bullfighting, and religious events.
Typical Costa Rican ox-drawn carts carry wood during an annual festival in Nicoya, Guanacaste.
Tourism in Costa Rica
The province has an economic and cultural heritage based on beef cattle ranching. Most of the area is covered by small patches of forest, scattered trees and large pastures of coarse grasses where Brahman cattle and related breeds graze. Historically, the main source of income of Guanacaste was cattle ranching.
Cattle ranching is declining in Guanacaste due to an international drop in the demand for beef. Many pastures are naturally reverting to dry forest or are being converted to tree plantations.
The other agricultural products of relative importance in the province are sugar cane and cotton, and since the late 1980s, with the creation of a large-scale irrigation program,the water comes from Lake Arenal after passing through several power generating stations, rice has become a prominent crop.
For the past two decades tourism has emerged as the new and growing activity in the local economy. The combination of beaches like Playas del Coco, Playa Tamarindo, and the sunny dry season that coincides with the winter months in northern latitudes have made tourism a key economic activity.
A lot of tourists are also attracted by the abundance of natural beauty. The Province has no less than seven national parks like Santa Rosa, Guanacaste and Rincon de la Vieja National Park.
Guanacaste is subdivided into eleven cantons. The cantons and capitals are:
Liberia (Liberia)
Nicoya (Nicoya)
Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz)
Bagaces (Bagaces)
Carrillo (Filadelfia)
Cañas (Cañas)
Abangares (Las Juntas)
Tilarán (Tilarán)
Nandayure (Carmona)
La Cruz (La Cruz)
Hojancha (Hojancha)
A major portion of the peninsula of Nicoya is now under the jurisdiction of the province of Puntarenas. This may change in the future, as there is constant debate over the remapping of the area.
It is the most sparsely populated of all the provinces of Costa Rica. The province covers an area of 10,141 km2 (3,915 sq mi) and as of 2010, had a population of 354,154.
Guanacaste covers the majority of the territory of Northern Pacific region, whose climatic conditions of a season with no rainfall, warmness and blue sky has been created the Tropical Dry Forest, a forest of plants and animals adapted to the drought from December to May. This is the habitat of the Howler Monkey, the Black Iguana, the White-throated Magpie-Jay and the Turquoise-browed Motmot.
As this region is covered by dry tropical forest, this makes it quite popular among tourists looking to escape the humidity found in most of Central America. There are many all inclusive resorts in this area, served by one of Costa Rica's two international airports in Liberia.
Guanacaste's capital is Liberia. Other important cities include Cañas and Nicoya.
The province is named for the guanacaste tree, also known as the ear pod tree, which is the national tree of Costa Rica.
Before the Spanish arrived, this territory was inhabited by Chorotega Indians from the towns of Zapati, Nacaome, Paro, Cangel, Nicopasaya, Pocosí, Diriá, Papagayo, Namiapí and Orosi. The Corobicies lived on the eastern shore of the Gulf of Nicoya and the Nahuas or Aztecan in the zone of Bagaces.
The first church was built out of grass in Nicoya in the 17th Century.
In the 18th Century some neighbors of Rivas established their houses and cattle farms in the northern part of the Nicoya Peninsula at crossroads that connected the towns of Bagaces, Nicoya and Rivas. The place was baptized after a famous Guanacaste tree that grows in the neighborhood.
In 1824-25 the territory of Guanacaste was annexed to Costa Rica. In 1836 the town of Guanacaste was declared capital of Guanacaste province. In 1854 the town of Guanacaste was renamed Liberia.
The province is bounded on the east by a group of green-swathed volcanoes forming the Cordillera de Guanacaste (which features Orosi, Rincón de la Vieja, Miravalles and Tenorio volcanoes) and the Cordillera de Tilarán.
The rivers that tumble out of these steep mountains flow down to rolling flatlands, forming a vast alluvial plain drained by the Rio Tempisque, which empties through swampy wetlands into de Golfo de Nicoya. The Rio Tempisque defines one side of the horsehead-shaped Península de Nicoya enclosing the gulf to the west.
Guanacaste's climate and culture are unique among Costa Rican provinces. The province experiences little rain and consistent heat from November to April, resulting in ubiquitous tropical dry forests as a natural adaption to the dry season conditions. Tourists seek out this dry heat during the North American winter to enjoy the Guanacastecan beaches.
Irrigation of the agricultural land is necessary during the long dry period.
From May to October, the climate is similar to that of San José, consisting of showers daily and moderate temperatures. Guanacaste is, however, considerably warmer than other provinces in the country located in higher elevations.
Tourism
Tourism spreads across Guanacaste's 5,921 sq. miles and more than 400 miles of coast line. Main attractions of tourists include water, land, mountains, volcanos, and coastal ecosystems. The two main commercial areas Santa Cruz and Liberia with five surrounding tourism development centers: Papagayo, El Coco, Flamingo, Conchal, and Tamarindo.
Liberia is central to the five locations and is complete with an airport.Animal rehab center, Centro de Rescate Las Pumas, is located in the heart of Area de Conservación Guanacaste World Heritage Site
Cities Of Guanacaste.
Playas del Coco
Abangares
Liberia — Guanacaste's main city, home to the international airport
Nicoya
Nosara
Paraiso
Tamarindo
Brasilito
Potrero
Sámara
Playa Carrillo
Playa Grande
Bijagua
Nandayure
Other destinations
Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park, Volcano National Park, 17 km north of Liberia
Parque Santa Rosa, almost in Nicaragua on the west side of the Panamerican Highway
Tenorio Volcano National Park
Enter Guanacaste
With the opening of the new international airport at Liberia (LIR) in Guanacaste, you can now fly from many US gateways including Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami directly to Guanacaste. From there you can drive or fly to all Pacific beach cities in a few hours.
To access Guanacaste's beaches from San Jose, a ferry can be taken from Puntarenas, a hot coastal town with about 40,000 inhabittants, to the other side of the Golfo de Nicoya. From there, a long ride on poorly paved roads can take you to any number of great beaches.
However, skipping the ferry and instead taking the Puente de la Amistad or "Bridge of the Friendship" is probably preferable. It's about four hours to most Guanacaste beaches from San Jose by car a little bit more by bus.
Touring
Many tourists like Tamarindo, Coco, Samara and Carrillo beaches. Samara is the home of a lively beach scene while Carrillo is a more family oriented community and home to one of the most beautiful resorts in the world, Las Ventanas del Mar.
Other fantastic beaches are: Cuajiniquil, Ocotal, Pan de Azucar, Potrero, Flamingo, Brasilito, Conchal, Langosta, Avellana, Junquillal, Manzanillo, Ostinal, Nosara amongst many more.
Don't go to Samara, Tamarindo, Coco or Carrillo just because those are most visited by tourists. You will get the most beautiful beaches and nature where you are not surrounded by hundreds of other tourists.
Try some of the other beaches as well. The beach resort and residential community Hacienda Pinilla, located along three miles of Pacific coastline, boasts six beaches: Playa Mansita; Playa Bonita; Playa Bajo Grande; Playa Robalo; Playa Avellanas; and Playa Langosta, a beach awarded the Blue Flag for the beauty and purity of the water and the superior services offered.
Guanacaste offers so much more than Beaches, like National parks (everything from wetlands to savannahs to volcanoes) and not to forget a Fantastic view.
Although Coco Beach is "touristy" location, you shouldn't write it off so quickly. You can get some great fishing boats that do not charge insane prices like many other places. This is a fisherman town. You can get a boat to take you out fishing for $50 per person for 6 hours.
It's also a fun party town and a great place to scout out a condo or home for retirement. There is a large community of retirees that live in Coco from all over the world. There are other secret beaches around Coco that are isolated 80% of the time and offer white sand beach and turquoise colored water.
Tamarindo is similar but the difference is that it's been created to emulate the US, hence the nickname, "Tamagringo". But beside that, it's a great place to party and learn to surf. Playa Avellanas and Langosta are great for surfing as well as Negra, but more for the experienced.
To visit any of these places, especially if you're flying into LIR, a great service to use for getting around is [www.lartransportes.com LAR Transportes]. These guys have great deals without the whole middle man scheme. They will get you the right info in a timely manner.
This region offers a wide variety of activities, such as world class surfing and sport fishing along with volcano tours and horse country. It is famous for its fine and vibrant fiestas.
Guanacaste is a tropical desert and you will see a great change of seasons here from the hot and dry to the wet and windy. It makes this part of Costa Rica so desirable with tourists and expats alike.
Guanacaste has everything an adventurous traveler would want to do while on vacation. There are beaches, volcanoes, cloud forests, jungles, rivers, and waterfalls, where you can participate in a vast assortment of adventure and activities: whitewater rafting, canopy/zip line tours, horseback riding, deep sea fishing, crocodile tours, snorkeling, scuba diving, ATV/motorcycle/off-road tours, mountain biking, rock climbing, turtle nesting tours, sailing, volcano tours, tubing, horseback riding, canyoneering, trekking, surfing lessons and surf tours.
One of the top attractions is Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park, famous for its abundant volcanic activity and diverse wild life. Sportfishing in Costa Rica is legendary, and many fishing charters operate from ports in the Guanacaste, like Playa Flamingo, Playa Coco and Playa Tamarindo. Naturally fed hot springs relax and invite.
And world-class golf has arrived in Guanacaste as well, with the arrival of the Four Seasons, Paradisus Playa Conchal and Hacienda Pinilla resorts, just to name a few. Scuba dive the Catalina Islands or snorkel Playa Conchal and see the abundance of sea life that Costa Rica has to offer.
Guanacaste's beaches are famous as surfing destinations and have been since Playa Negra was highlighted in the movie Endless Summer II. The surf breaks in Playa Negra and Tamarindo in northwest Guanacaste have made that area a magnet for visitors and investors alike. Despite the region's wild popularity, there is still plenty of surf spot for you to discover.
Guided surf tours are available for anyone looking to explore the Guanacaste waves. The Guanacaste Province has a variety of surfing spots for all levels of ability, from beginner to pro. The long peeling point breaks, peaky beach breaks and hollow reef breaks and consistent swell make this area of Costa Rica a surfer's paradise.
There are a number of golf courses and services throughout the region.
Four Seasons Costa Rica, Pagapayo Peninsula, Guanacaste,40 minutes from Liberia Airport Golf Course that was named in the top 50 in the world. Check out the impressive ocean views from the back nine.
Reserva Conchal, Playa Conchal, Guancaste,Just before Brasilito in Guancaste.
Hacienda Pinilla, Hacienda Pinilla resort, Guanacaste,15 minutes from the Tamarindo intersection.
Tee Times Costa Rica Golf Day Tours,Hotel Pickup service from any Guanacaste hotel to Hacienda Pinilla and Reserva Conchal courses. Tee Time booking service, day tours to Guanacaste area golf courses and golf packages.
Pura Vida Golf Events,Golf Tournaments in Guanacaste's best golf courses.Golf events in Guancaste's best golf courses. One or two day events with a prize ceremony in a Catamaran.
Food
Gallo Pinto or spotted rooster is the national dish of rice and beans. You haven't visited Costa Rica till you've had it with breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Drinks
Local cervezas (beers) are Imperial and Pilsen. Both are worth a try! There is also Rock Ice (regular, lemon and ginseng) and Bavaria (regular, dark and light).
Safety
A "safe" area, but don't leave anything valuable in your car. Obey all speed limits posted. Fines can be as much as a 1000 dollars.
Outing
Just south of Guanacaste along the Pacific Coast is the surfers paradise of the Nicoya Peninsula.
Population
Most of the population descends from a mix of Chorotega natives and Spaniards, with a significant African admixture as a result of a large number of slaves working the land during the colonial period. As in Nicaragua and elsewhere in Costa Rica, Usted is the form of address used by Guanacastecans upon initial meetings and typically among adults.
The vos verb-form is used mainly when adults address children, especially their own, and occasionally between adults who are family members or good friends.
The Chorotega culture and the Spanish culture have successfully integrated; among the main cultural elements are their music, literature (folklore), musical instruments, bullfighting, and religious events.
Typical Costa Rican ox-drawn carts carry wood during an annual festival in Nicoya, Guanacaste.
Tourism in Costa Rica
The province has an economic and cultural heritage based on beef cattle ranching. Most of the area is covered by small patches of forest, scattered trees and large pastures of coarse grasses where Brahman cattle and related breeds graze. Historically, the main source of income of Guanacaste was cattle ranching.
Cattle ranching is declining in Guanacaste due to an international drop in the demand for beef. Many pastures are naturally reverting to dry forest or are being converted to tree plantations.
The other agricultural products of relative importance in the province are sugar cane and cotton, and since the late 1980s, with the creation of a large-scale irrigation program,the water comes from Lake Arenal after passing through several power generating stations, rice has become a prominent crop.
For the past two decades tourism has emerged as the new and growing activity in the local economy. The combination of beaches like Playas del Coco, Playa Tamarindo, and the sunny dry season that coincides with the winter months in northern latitudes have made tourism a key economic activity.
A lot of tourists are also attracted by the abundance of natural beauty. The Province has no less than seven national parks like Santa Rosa, Guanacaste and Rincon de la Vieja National Park.
Guanacaste is subdivided into eleven cantons. The cantons and capitals are:
Liberia (Liberia)
Nicoya (Nicoya)
Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz)
Bagaces (Bagaces)
Carrillo (Filadelfia)
Cañas (Cañas)
Abangares (Las Juntas)
Tilarán (Tilarán)
Nandayure (Carmona)
La Cruz (La Cruz)
Hojancha (Hojancha)
A major portion of the peninsula of Nicoya is now under the jurisdiction of the province of Puntarenas. This may change in the future, as there is constant debate over the remapping of the area.
Wednesday, 27 April 2016
EQUATORIAL GUINEA: Equatorial Guinea Promising Tourist Destination
Imagine a holiday on which you could explore pristine rainforest buzzing with rare wildlife, doze on idyllic beaches where crystalline waters lap sands soaked in history, and admire unique colonial architecture frozen in time?
Of all the places that might come to mind – Bali, Thailand, the Caribbean perhaps – the small central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, by some accounts the world’s sixth-least visited country, would probably be among the last.
One of Africa’s most closed countries offers just such lures, however, and has become the latest seeking to boost tourism, an increasingly important sector that is moving beyond the cliches of safari parks and skint backpackers.
The added bonus is that you would have the place largely to yourself. Until recently it was cut off from the world by decades of dictatorship.
Best known for a botched coup attempt by Mark Thatcher and the mercenary Simon Mann, and the profligacy of the Obiang family which has ruled since independence in 1968, the country is also home to plenty of hidden gems to lure intrepid travellers.
“There’s an incredible sort of mini Dubai being built in the middle of the jungle, and on the other hand it’s a paradise if you’re into animals – western lowland gorillas, forest elephants and a sea wildlife unique to the area.”
Africa’s only Spanish-speaking country also stands out in other ways. Its islands became an intense slaving and trade hub where European powers and people from Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia all left their mark.
“In Corisco Island, for example, there are Spanish missionary ruins, French architecture and bottles of German gin from the 1800s untouched on the sand,” Scafidi said. “In most countries you’d have crowds of organised tour groups exploiting it, but here it’s just you and the locals.”
Tourist dollars also provide a means for many impoverished locals to benefit directly, he added.
A population of less than a million and lucrative oil and gas fields mean annual per capita GDP stands at around $22,300 (£14,500) – roughly the same as Portugal - but more than three-quarters of the country’s inhabitants live below the poverty line.
Petrodollars have funded impressive construction projects, including the “mini Dubai” near the president’s birthplace. Alongside a new cathedral, plans are apace for an opera house and a new presidential palace. Scafidi describes Equatorial Guinea’s infrastructure as fantastic.
The journey that led to Scafidi’s guidebook began in 2012, when he took time off teaching in Luanda to do an overland trip that took in the countries along Africa’s Atlantic coast from Angola to Cameroon. Like many others, he had to endure the country’s notorious bureaucracy to get a visa. The government has said policies implemented this year have simplified the process as it tries to diversify the economy away from oil.
One of those to benefit is Jim Louth, who runs Undiscovered Destinations, one of the two UK outfits offering package holidays in Equatorial Guinea (the other is Native Eye). Officials have quickly approved visas for tourists travelling with his company, and two maiden trips starting this month soon filled up.
“Most tourists will only think of Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa, those sort of places, but the rest of Africa is just as fascinating,” said Louth, whose company also runs trips to destinations such as Nigeria, Chad and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Louth also points to the issue of perceptions. The Ebola outbreak in West Africa led to a number of phone calls from worried clients earlier this year. Despite the fact that it only seriously affected three countries, the outbreak caused a drop-off in visitor numbers thousands of miles away, such as Kenya and Tanzania. “I had people asking me, can I still go to Ethiopia?” Louth said. “People need to be more informed. It’s a huge continent.”
“There’s always an emphasis on a certain type of tourism in Africa, either high-end safaris or backpackers going to Africa to slum it,” said Ruby Audi, a Ghanaian who launched the Hip Africa website to combat such stereotypes.
Meanwhile countries such as Equatorial Guinea remain well off the tourist trail. People don’t go because no one knows it’s there. If people knew about it, they’d go.
Of all the places that might come to mind – Bali, Thailand, the Caribbean perhaps – the small central African nation of Equatorial Guinea, by some accounts the world’s sixth-least visited country, would probably be among the last.
One of Africa’s most closed countries offers just such lures, however, and has become the latest seeking to boost tourism, an increasingly important sector that is moving beyond the cliches of safari parks and skint backpackers.
The added bonus is that you would have the place largely to yourself. Until recently it was cut off from the world by decades of dictatorship.
Best known for a botched coup attempt by Mark Thatcher and the mercenary Simon Mann, and the profligacy of the Obiang family which has ruled since independence in 1968, the country is also home to plenty of hidden gems to lure intrepid travellers.
“There’s an incredible sort of mini Dubai being built in the middle of the jungle, and on the other hand it’s a paradise if you’re into animals – western lowland gorillas, forest elephants and a sea wildlife unique to the area.”
Africa’s only Spanish-speaking country also stands out in other ways. Its islands became an intense slaving and trade hub where European powers and people from Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia all left their mark.
“In Corisco Island, for example, there are Spanish missionary ruins, French architecture and bottles of German gin from the 1800s untouched on the sand,” Scafidi said. “In most countries you’d have crowds of organised tour groups exploiting it, but here it’s just you and the locals.”
Tourist dollars also provide a means for many impoverished locals to benefit directly, he added.
A population of less than a million and lucrative oil and gas fields mean annual per capita GDP stands at around $22,300 (£14,500) – roughly the same as Portugal - but more than three-quarters of the country’s inhabitants live below the poverty line.
Petrodollars have funded impressive construction projects, including the “mini Dubai” near the president’s birthplace. Alongside a new cathedral, plans are apace for an opera house and a new presidential palace. Scafidi describes Equatorial Guinea’s infrastructure as fantastic.
The journey that led to Scafidi’s guidebook began in 2012, when he took time off teaching in Luanda to do an overland trip that took in the countries along Africa’s Atlantic coast from Angola to Cameroon. Like many others, he had to endure the country’s notorious bureaucracy to get a visa. The government has said policies implemented this year have simplified the process as it tries to diversify the economy away from oil.
One of those to benefit is Jim Louth, who runs Undiscovered Destinations, one of the two UK outfits offering package holidays in Equatorial Guinea (the other is Native Eye). Officials have quickly approved visas for tourists travelling with his company, and two maiden trips starting this month soon filled up.
“Most tourists will only think of Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa, those sort of places, but the rest of Africa is just as fascinating,” said Louth, whose company also runs trips to destinations such as Nigeria, Chad and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Louth also points to the issue of perceptions. The Ebola outbreak in West Africa led to a number of phone calls from worried clients earlier this year. Despite the fact that it only seriously affected three countries, the outbreak caused a drop-off in visitor numbers thousands of miles away, such as Kenya and Tanzania. “I had people asking me, can I still go to Ethiopia?” Louth said. “People need to be more informed. It’s a huge continent.”
“There’s always an emphasis on a certain type of tourism in Africa, either high-end safaris or backpackers going to Africa to slum it,” said Ruby Audi, a Ghanaian who launched the Hip Africa website to combat such stereotypes.
Meanwhile countries such as Equatorial Guinea remain well off the tourist trail. People don’t go because no one knows it’s there. If people knew about it, they’d go.
Saturday, 12 March 2016
USA: Alaska Airlines Unveils Brand Change
Alaska Airlines has unveiled its first major identity change in over 25 years. The news broke in a moment in which the carrier remains independent, turning profits and ranking in the top of best on-time performance in the U.S. as the first 737-800 (N563AS, MSN 35180 / LN 2090) was repainted and shared with about 2,000 employees on hand for a company event held in Seattle. Heavily rumored for some time, Alaska endeavored to keep the new look a surprise by flying the plane into Sea-Tac last night in the cover of darkness.
“Our company has a unique personality and a vibrant spirit that our Eskimo has personified for almost half a century,” said Alaska Airlines CEO Brad Tilden. “We believe our refreshed look reflects the warm relationships our employees have built with our customers, and makes us stand out in a compelling and consistent way as we expand into new markets, build loyalty and attract new customers.”
For the most part, the plane is similar to in the past. The tail got the biggest upgrade, going from just white to a nice dark blue background that we had seen in past years on the inverse AlaskaAir.com plane, N548AS before it was repainted in standard livery. A smiling Eskimo survived to see another plane while the carrier decided to take some lessons on its university planes, running blue and green stripes up the tail while leaving the nose all white.
Finally, on the front of the plane the carrier updated its logo for the second time in two years, this time going for more of a flat and bold standard font and no longer using the rough edges on the letters.
Employees were excited to see the new standard scheme get unveiled as this is the first time since 1991 that a totally new livery new has adorned an Alaska Airlines jet. This is the eighth standard livery for the carrier who launched all the way back in 1932 as McGee Airways and began offering flights out of Anchorage Alaska.
According to the airline, the brand change will also tell the story of the iconic Eskimo face that has been featured on its plane’s tail for 43 years. That iconic logo is an illustration of a real person, Chester Seveck, a reindeer herder and a Eskimo dancer who greeted deplaning tourists at Kotzebue (OTZ) for years. When first introduced, Chester’s expression was more of a frown, but this was quickly changed to a more cheerful smile. Back in 1988, the airline explored replacing the face of Chester with a new insignia. At the end, those plans were shelved after the outcry of Alaskans and customers as well.
“When I see that face, I feel proud. I feel like I’m home,” says Sallee Baltierra, a concierge in Alaska’s Anchorage Board Room airport lounge. “I love to see that Eskimo on the tail in other cities that we fly to, from Liberia, Costa Rica to Nashville, Tennessee. It makes me feel like there’s a little piece of home there waiting for me.”
Today the carrier offers flights to 111 destinations across the US, Mexico, Canada and new daily flights to Costa Rica. We don’t have any word yet on when the first Horizon Air Q400 will come out of the paint shop in the new livery but certainly can’t wait to see it. In addition to the newly painted plane, starting tomorrow travelers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport will see a more welcoming lobby and 41 newly branded gates.
“Our refreshed brand really is an evolution, not a revolution, of Alaska Airlines,” said Sangita Woerner, the airline’s vice president of marketing. “Our goal was to reflect the soul of our company, which is known for its genuine, caring service and top-notch performance. It’s now time to show up to our customers in a bigger, brighter way.”
Alaska Airlines will take delivery of four new 737-900ER’s in the new livery, in total 40 of the airlines 147 planes will be in the new scheme by the end of 2016. The first Q400 will also be expected to rollout later this year in the new colors.
“Our company has a unique personality and a vibrant spirit that our Eskimo has personified for almost half a century,” said Alaska Airlines CEO Brad Tilden. “We believe our refreshed look reflects the warm relationships our employees have built with our customers, and makes us stand out in a compelling and consistent way as we expand into new markets, build loyalty and attract new customers.”
For the most part, the plane is similar to in the past. The tail got the biggest upgrade, going from just white to a nice dark blue background that we had seen in past years on the inverse AlaskaAir.com plane, N548AS before it was repainted in standard livery. A smiling Eskimo survived to see another plane while the carrier decided to take some lessons on its university planes, running blue and green stripes up the tail while leaving the nose all white.
Employees were excited to see the new standard scheme get unveiled as this is the first time since 1991 that a totally new livery new has adorned an Alaska Airlines jet. This is the eighth standard livery for the carrier who launched all the way back in 1932 as McGee Airways and began offering flights out of Anchorage Alaska.
According to the airline, the brand change will also tell the story of the iconic Eskimo face that has been featured on its plane’s tail for 43 years. That iconic logo is an illustration of a real person, Chester Seveck, a reindeer herder and a Eskimo dancer who greeted deplaning tourists at Kotzebue (OTZ) for years. When first introduced, Chester’s expression was more of a frown, but this was quickly changed to a more cheerful smile. Back in 1988, the airline explored replacing the face of Chester with a new insignia. At the end, those plans were shelved after the outcry of Alaskans and customers as well.
“When I see that face, I feel proud. I feel like I’m home,” says Sallee Baltierra, a concierge in Alaska’s Anchorage Board Room airport lounge. “I love to see that Eskimo on the tail in other cities that we fly to, from Liberia, Costa Rica to Nashville, Tennessee. It makes me feel like there’s a little piece of home there waiting for me.”
Today the carrier offers flights to 111 destinations across the US, Mexico, Canada and new daily flights to Costa Rica. We don’t have any word yet on when the first Horizon Air Q400 will come out of the paint shop in the new livery but certainly can’t wait to see it. In addition to the newly painted plane, starting tomorrow travelers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport will see a more welcoming lobby and 41 newly branded gates.
“Our refreshed brand really is an evolution, not a revolution, of Alaska Airlines,” said Sangita Woerner, the airline’s vice president of marketing. “Our goal was to reflect the soul of our company, which is known for its genuine, caring service and top-notch performance. It’s now time to show up to our customers in a bigger, brighter way.”
Alaska Airlines will take delivery of four new 737-900ER’s in the new livery, in total 40 of the airlines 147 planes will be in the new scheme by the end of 2016. The first Q400 will also be expected to rollout later this year in the new colors.
Monday, 9 November 2015
USA: Alaska Airlines Flys To Costa Rica
New route celebrations were held at both ends of Alaska Airlines’ new route from Los Angeles to San José in Costa Rica. This four times weekly service was started the day before another destination in the country, namely Liberia, was served and again operated from the Californian airport.
Alaska Airlines started its first flights into Costa Rica, with four times weekly services from Los Angeles (LAX) to both Liberia (LIR) and San José (SJO). The former 4,228-kilometre sector began on 1 November, while 4,379-kilometre services to the Costa Rican capital began the day before.
Delta Air Lines is the incumbent on both sectors, flying daily to San José and thrice-weekly to Liberia from the Californian airport. Both routes are operated by the airline’s 737-700 fleet.
“As the most popular Central American tourist destination for US travellers, Costa Rica is one of the best places in the Western Hemisphere for adventure tourism,” said John Kirby, Alaska Airlines’ VP of Capacity Planning.
“With the addition of Costa Rica, Alaska offers up to 80 peak season weekly departures from Southern California to Latin America, more than any other airline.” Vote for Los Angeles Airport’s route launch cake.
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