Their full name is black crowned Central American squirrel Monkeys and can be found in the tropics.

Here are some truths about them:

1. Unlike the other New World monkeys, their tail is not used for climbing, but as a kind of “balancing pole” and as a tool.

2. Squirrel monkey’s fur is short and close. Its color is olive at the shoulders and yellowish orange on its back and extremities. Their throat and the ears are white and their mouths are black. Their head is orange or reddish-orange in color, with a black cap.

3. Squirrel monkeys love eating fruits and insects. Occasionally they also eat nuts, buds, eggs and small vertebrates.

4. Squirrel monkeys are very small. They only grow up to 25 to 35 cm, plus a 35 to 42 cm tail.

5. They live about 15 years old in the wild and about 20 years in captivity.

6. Their movements in the branches are extremely speedy.

7. They live together in multi-male/multi-female groups with up to 500 members. These large groups can, however, occasionally break into smaller troops.

8. By 1983, the Central American squirrel monkey had already declined drastically by deforestation. Currently, deforestation and habitat fragmentation due to agriculture and tourism development are still the major causes of decline. Insecticide spraying, the pet trade and electrocution from electric power lines have also negatively affected these monkeys.

9. Squirrel monkeys spread urine on the bottoms of the hands and feet. So other monkeys can smell this as it marks the territory.

Don’t miss all the other interesting articles about Traveling in Costa Rica here!

Oh My God…The trip was incredible… from where should I start? Let me start by thanking you first!. Everything right from the car rental to hotels to the tour bookings went absolutely flawless.. We never had any problem with anything.. We liked all the hotels.. Especially the cabin at Monteverde.. We both enjoined sugarcane juice at their farm.. They were really lovely people..

People everywhere were very friendly and helpful. The scenery was spectacular all throughout..and you are absolutely right.. the drive from Arenal to Monteverde is one to remember for life!!! absolutely gorgeous!
We liked the local food…hogged onto the breakfast every day…

Being originally from India, we could relate to so many things there… Right from the climate to vegetation to people… People there were mistaking us for “tico-tica”!!

We enjoyed Selvatura canopy tour and even the cruise.

We also loved the waterfall at La Fortuna.. It was fun swimming there!

We spent a lot of time on Manuel Antonio beach… and yes it was better to have a hotel close to the beach!! It definitely was convenient that way.

So all in all, I am very happy and can not believe that I am back already!!

Mukta Phatak, USA

Other great Costa Rica hotels with Hilton

Last week I wrote about a great hotel in Arenal but as I said there are many great hotels in the area and here is another one. Hotel el Silenio del Campo is a beautiful hotel that consists of a series of cabins spread out along beautiful gardens.

My experience in this place was great. The staff is very helpful and friendly. The restaurant has a good ambiance and the food is very tasty. The room’s decoration is inviting and warm, but most importantly they are clean.

This gets even better because within the property you will find hot springs. This is a perfect place to hang out and relax as you watch the beautiful Arenal volcano.

Contact me for great discounts for a spectacular stay in Hotel Silencio del Campo!

Here’s what people have to say about them and if you don’t believe them, I dare you to try it!

We booked this hotel after reading the reviews in Trip advisor. We stayed here for 3 nights and loved this place. Front desk personnel are very helpful in suggesting things to do, places to go and with the bookings. We had to leave the hotel pretty early to drive to San Jose airport and the front desk had arranged for our breakfast and delivered it to our room.

The food at the restaurant is great. Dinner menu is limited but they have a fast-food menu that had good options. We loved the hot spring within the property its very convenient. The rooms are nice and big.

And

This is an excellent choice for nearly any travel style. Somehow, El Silencio del Campo has figured out how to merge the natural Costa Ricanoutdoors with the clean, quiet, and spacious but cozy feel of a modern resort. The on-site hot springs are a wonderful place to relax after a long day of adventure and there are several other hot springs nearby. The staff was incredibly pleasant and personable. They answered all my wife and my questions (we had a lot) and helped us select the best activities for our vacation.

They also pass the “true test” of a great hotel… my wife continues to talk about it even weeks later!

Check out more Spotlight Recommendations here!

The best way to get to know the local culture from the country or town you’re visiting is not to go with a big tour group. It would be better to get a local, private guide. That’s because they will know more about what goes on in the town. Also big transportation companies usually don’t have staff from the specific town you are in. That means they won’t know as much about the area as a local one.

Another thing that will help you get a better experience is to shop at small grocery stores, pharmacies and outdoor markets. In them you will not only meet the locals but you will also get inexpensive souvenirs. Finally make friends with the hotel’s staff, they can give you lots of information about what the locals like to do for fun.

Get more Weekly Travel Tips here for a safe trip!

I believe most of us have heard about sloths, but do we really know their best kept secrets?

1. Sloths are extremely slow-moving mammals. Actually they are the world’s slowest mammal, so sedentary that algae grow on its furry coat.

2. Their hair is grayish brown but, at times they look grey-green in color because of the tiny camouflaging algae that grows all over their coats.

3. Sloths are omnivores. They may eat insects, small reptiles, and birds, but their most common food consists mostly of buds, tender shoots, and leaves.

4. Altogether, sloths’ bodies usually are anywhere between 50 and 60 cm long. They also have stubby tails, usually 6–7 cm long. These guys’ weight can be 8.75 pounds.

5. The average amount of years a sloth lives is 20 years. Although there have been 40 year old sloths.

6. Most people used to think that sloths slept 18 hours a day. But a recent study indicated that sloths sleep just under 10 hours a day.

7. They go to the ground to urinate and defecate about once a week, digging a hole and covering it afterwards. They go to the same spot each time and are vulnerable to predation while doing so.

8. Mothers also give birth to their babies upside down. Infant sloths normally cling to their mother’s fur.

9. Females normally bear one baby every year. But sometimes sloths’ low level of movement actually keeps females from finding males for longer than one year. They also mate while hanging.

10. They have an extra neck vertebra that allows them to turn their heads 270 degrees.

Don’t miss all the other interesting articles about Traveling in Costa Rica here!

I don’t even have the words to describe how absolutely beautiful Costa Rica is!! When we arrived the van was there to pick us up to take us to our rental car. They didn’t have a Hundai Tuscon left so they upgraded us at no cost to a larger Santa Fe, which was brand new and wonderful.

The Arenal Paraiso was great. The area with the hot springs was pretty awesome. We definitely relaxed there and at the swim up bar after our adventures. We saw so much cool wildlife as well…sloths right by the pool, birds, it was pretty crazy. The grounds were beautiful and the view of Arenal Volcano during the day was great as well.

Whitewater rafting was AWESOME….definitely my favorite activity of the trip. Desafio picked us up on time and all of the guides were really informative and incredibly nice. None of us fell out of the boat which was a plus. The lunch afterwards was delicious as well.

Wednesday came too soon and it was time for us to go home. I was really upset to be leaving…I felt like there was so much more to see and do! Costa Rica is just SUCH a beautiful place…all the people were very friendly and helpful. The weather was amazing the whole way through.

So overall everything about our trip was wonderful. All of the areas you suggested were great, all of the tours were wonderful, and I can’t thank you enough for helping us plan our trip! We are already thinking about when to come back or where we should take our next adventure. Again, we really really really appreciate your help in giving us one of the most amazing vacations. Thanks again!!!!!!!!!!!

Kristina and Mike, USA

In Costa Rica there is this beautiful volcano called Arenal. It is permanently active and gives great shows almost every night. So why not spend some time in the area at a safe distance.

Many hotels have been established in the area because of its natural attraction but for my taste Arenal Nayara Hotel & Gardens is one of the best. The rooms have great views and most of them have a porch with an amazingly beautiful view of the volcano. In the porch you will find a private jacuzzi. The rooms are also very comfortable but above all clean.

About the staff what I can say is that they are always willing to help and checking that everything is okay without intruding. The food is also delicious and the size of the dishes is nice.

I highly recommend this place it is great. So give it a try.

Contact mefor great discounts for a spectacular stay in Arenal Nayara!

Here’s what people have to say about them and if you don’t believe them, I dare you to try it!

This hotel was outstanding. Each “room” is a free-standing casita with incredible landscaping. The rooms have an Asian-type layout and did not feel crowded or cramped. There are soaking jet tubs on the porches with landscaping that allows you to see out, but not others to see in. The staff was wonderful and welcoming. One of the best hotels I have ever stayed in.

And

Arenal Nayara is the by far the best resort I’ve ever visited. We stayed here for the first half of our week-long honeymoon and in hindsight, would’ve stayed longer. The food was delicious, staff top-notch and the accommodations spectacular, not to mention the fabulous view of the Arenal Volcano. We also opted for hot stone massages which took place in a private, open air villa. The outdoor shower and hot tub on the private deck made our stay romantic and relaxing. I would definitely stay at this resort again!

Check out more Spotlight Recommendations here!

As crazy as it may seem this week’s tip is about enjoying foreign food. When we travel to a different country we tend to look for what is familiar like Mc Donald’s. In this case the advice would be to try the local dishes and not comparing them to the ones at home. Instead enjoy every new flavor. 

I know that some dishes might look a bit weird but you will be pleasantly surprised in most of the cases.

Get more Weekly Travel Tips here for a safe trip!

Not many of us know about the silky anteater. This is your chance to get to know them:

1. Silky anteaters are the smallest anteater species in the world. They have a total length ranging from 3.6 to 4.5 cm and usually weighing less than 0.88 pounds.

2. They have a dense and soft golden brown fur, short snout, partially prehensile tail and two enlarged claws in each fore paw.

3. The Silky Anteater is a slow moving animal and feeds mainly on ants, between 100 and 8000 a day. Sometimes it can also feed on other insects, such as termites and small beetles.

4. Silky anteaters do not have very long lives. The average is of 2 years.

5. It is a nocturnal, arboreal and solitary animal. During the day they typically sleep curled up in a ball in some tree branch.

6. Although they are rarely seen in the forest, it is said that they can be found more easily when they are foraging on lianas at night.

7. A female silky anteater gives birth to a single young that is usually placed inside a nest of dead leaves built in tree holes.

8. Silky anteater numbers are relatively stable, but they are being negatively affected by how fast their habitat is being destructed.

9. Because they rarely descend from trees, they obtain their water from licking moisture, such as dew or rainwater, from leaves.

10. Silky anteaters can be found in lowland rain forests with continuous canopy where they can move to different places without the need to descend from trees.

Don’t miss all the other interesting articles about Traveling in Costa Rica here!

We came back from Costa Rica yesterday and I can not say enough how grateful I am to you for the help with travel planning.

Our hotels were in the best possible spots close to attractions, very friendly staff, shuttles/connections were prompt and extremely convenient, weather cooperated nicely (only one rain during late night, did you arrange this too?

Our trip was a total (worry-free) blast!

I am definitely referring all my friends to you as they hear my travel stories.

Thank you so much!

Martha Turin, USA