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Costa Rica Travels and the Indigenous Communities

Costa Rica is a region which had the indigenous culture of the Mayan here, also the Inka, and the  Aztec have supposedly lived here before. The Native people of Costa Rica are totally influenced by the Mesoamerican tribes from the central part of America and South America. . Most of the indigenous communities had a chief called “cacique”. After the arrival of the Spanish, the tribes went back to the mountains so that they could be away from slavery and the taxation that was laid by the Spaniards.

The Costa Rica culture did not have many artifacts behind. So you can find a lot of ornaments and pottery still. The stone spheres here are also very famous in the Terraba River zone around the Palmar region. the spheres here weight up to 15 tons .

The indigenous tribes of Costa Rica have died mostly due to the diseases that the tribes were affected with. Today only some 64000 indigenous people are found inhabiting the Costa Rica region. They live in the remotest mountainous regions and are a thing of rarity today.

There have been many studies on the Bribri and Cabecares group and there have been research to link them to the same ethnicity. These tribes share the same belief as Sibo as the Supreme power. Many parts of the Bribri tribe dwell in the lowland region of the Cordillera de Talamanca. These isolate regions in the Cordillera mountains are influenced by the present day progress and so the Bribri have gone to the background these days.

The Bribri are an indigenous tribe who live in the Talamanca Canton zone. Speaking the Bribri language is still preserved. They live in the mountainous regions and the Southern islands of Costa Rica and also the northern Panama. The social structure of the Bribri is categorized into clans which are an extended family. The clan in Bribri is matrilineal and they give women a very important place in the social community of the Bribris. They are people who can inherit land and also prepare the sacred cacao. This is a special drink that is needed for all the rituals for the community. Men’s role include the ‘awa’ or shaman. The oko is the only person who is allowed to touch what remains of the dead.

Cacao is very important in the southern part of Costa Rica and also in the northern panamas. The cacao tree is supposed to be  woman who Sibu or god transformed into a tree. The branches of  cacao are never used to burn and is used in special occasions and ceremonies. Today the Bribri women’s associations produce a lot of hand made chocolate which gives them their livelihood.

Chirripo is another locale that is found on the southern Atlantic coast in the province of Limon. Then there are the Ujjaras from Buenos Aires and the China Kicha who are also part of the indigenous community. their cultural identity is very distinct and the original Cabecar language is still a part of the spoken language in the region. The Cabecares have preserved many of their traditions and customs and their ties with the clans and families are very secure.

The main occupation of these indigenous communities is agriculture and fishing. Bird hunting is also a favourite. They mainly cultivate bananas, cocoa and coffee. Their activities include basket weaving, and manufacture of musical instruments with natural fibre and other materials with natural pigments. Boats and rafts used by indigenous communities are still seen here.

Thus while on those Costa Rica travels, enjoy the pleasures of knowing the customs and traditions of the indigenous communities who are a part of this lovely land of the past.

Enjoy the Costa Rica Eco Trail

Come to the land of beautiful pleasures and get to see the best of trails and treks in this part of the world. Come to Costa Rica which is filled with the most fascinating experiences and the most exciting adventures in this part of the world. Costa Rica lodges are normally ranked by the way they get eco conscious.

It is important that while you are here you should be so good that you should be aware where the crater lies and where the potholes are. Make sure you have a vehicle that can absorb all the gravel and dirt on the roads. These roads could be treacherous and could sometimes lead you to believe that you are almost on a smooth road when there is suddenly a bump and thus your trails in Costa Rica should be really very cautious and careful.

There are rental cars available here so make use of any of them and set upon your trail to this part of the world. On the first ay you would really enjoy the sights of the Tirimbina Rainforest Centre which is a lovely natural region filled with the best pleasures of flora and fauna. There is an elevated bridge here and from here one can see the bright red dart frogs, the butterfly traps and the white faced bats.

On the second day you would be on the canopy tour. From Tirimbina it would be a drive of around five hours over the mediocre roads to Monteverde There are routes which are created such that you can rappel in the company of a capuchin monkey. Also go to the Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort where you have the pleasures of spring water that is heated from the Volcan Adrenal nearby.

Then the third to the sixth day you would go to the Tortuguero National Park and be ready for a full day’s drive. There would be around eight hours when you would go from the mist covered Cordillera de Guanacaste to Limon. Here you would love to count the eggs and tag the green sea turtles such that around 3,000 nests can be laid in one night.

On the seventh and the eight day you would be in the Pacuare Jungle Lodge which has a thatch roof and also an eco base that is candle lit and which is tucked into the base of the Cordillera. Here you would run a stretch of around 20miles and reach the River Pacuare. This can be reached from the Turrialba town. Then raft through a canyon that is fifty foot high which is not wider than a small logging road. It is more earth friendly.

Costa Rica thus takes you around the beautiful regions and lovely locales which are so much a part of this region. It is very interesting to see the beauty of the surroundings and the charm of the regions and one needs to just join the trails and treks here and enjoy the adventure of this place. With the facilities of lodges here, it is surely a heavenly experience to be here in this land of utmost thrills. So experience the best of travel delights here in this part of America and feels closer to Nature here. The Costa Rica Road Trail only ensures that you get to know how best Mother Nature has its ways of encouraging the tourist for more.

Travel Expeditions in the Palmar Sur

Visit Costa Rica and experience the pleasures of being in Palmar Sur which is a great land here in this beautiful region. This is a tiny river town and is the place which is famous for the granite stone spheres that date back to the pre Columbina period. A town that has an airport nearby makes tours here very convenient. So those who come here get to  visit the Osa Peninsula, the Drake Bay, and the Corcovado national park are all bound to get enchanted in this mystical land. Situated in the southern Pacific region, one gets the best sights of the Palmar Sur in the province of Puntarenas.

This is located some 270 km from San Jose which is the capital city of this place. Palmar sur is a lovely land on the banks of the River Sierpe in the valley of Diquis. This is just around six hours drive from San Jose. It is ideal to catch a domestic flight from the airport at Juan Santamarina, which takes around 40 minutes to reach.

Situated on the delta of the River Sierpe, it is a greatly important river port and has some of the best swamps of mangroves here in this part of the world. One is certainly enchanted by the varied biodiversity here and the wildlife here is also an immensely popular attraction. The town thus gives the tourists an ideal way of spending the day. So before you head for the journey across Costa Rica make sure you do visit this beautiful city Palmar Sur.

Experience the beauty of the landscape here and see how best the riverside restaurants cater to the needs of the travellers and how well the stone spheres here provide real tourist value. The granite stones here give a lot to take back and as you go down the journey lane you would be enthralled by a history of thousand years back. The largest stones here weight around 13,000 kg and there are smaller stones that also add to the attraction here. there is something greatly mysterious about this place and this is because of their spherical shape.

The River Terraba separates Palmar Norte from Palmar Sur and this is the only region incidentally which is worth visiting. With the water taxis or the water boats here providing the added interesting factor, the tourists love to bask in the surroundings of the Sierpe and take the ride from Drake Bay to Sierpe. There is a beautiful church here and it is a place where the locals normally meet every afternoon.

Palmar Sur is the gateway to heaven. Come here on the runway and you would surely visit this place again. This is a greatly heavenly region filled with the best facets of pure life. You would find yourself in a place that could be the most biologically intense region of Earth. This is where you would get solitude and adventure mixed the right way and where you would get the ultimate travel thrills.

There are many facilities of lodging, adventure and many more. So come here and see this extraordinarily beautiful locale and bask in the simple delights that this lovely paradise offers to the tourist. It seems as if the southern region of the Pacific comes alive here in Costa Rica. So Palmar Sur the heaven here in the southern pacific is a greatly luscious green rainforest zone, that gives the greatest ambience and also the best eco adventures ever had in this part of the world. It is an unforgettable experience here and so this small inland town which is a great heaven for all those tourists coming here surely evokes a great sense of tourist delights and travel pleasures.

All those adventure seekers who have this thrilling river journey to the Peninsula surely go back with cherished memories and love this picturesque locale in this part of Costa Rica. The port is greatly used by all the lodges in the Oza Peninsula and so all the tours here provide ultimate ecstasy and the perfect travel experience.

The River Sierpe is surely a great place for fantastic exploration and adventure and add to it the sailing trips that are had here on the Drake Bay, pacific Ocean, and the Isla Del Biological Reserve make visits here greatly enchanting.

Thus the lovely land of Palmar Sur surely is a fascinating place to visit in Costa Rica.

Indigenous Group in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a place that has a great indigenous culture like the Inca, Aztec, Mayan and other civilizations. The natives here were totally influenced by the Mesoamerican tribes from the Central American region and also by the culture from South America. Today this part of South America is known by the name of Colombia. Most of the indigenous groups were ruled by a cacique who was the chief here. When the people from Spain came here, there were many tribes who went back to the mountains so that they could avoid taxation and slavery.

Costa Rica culture does not have many artifacts and most of them are simple ornaments and pottery. The most important ones are the stone spheres that were discovered in the southern part of the country. These spheres weigh around 15 tons and it is still not sure how these were manufactured and then transported and for what they were made. But it was certain that these belonged to the indigenous communities here.

The indigenous group of Costa Rica declined because of the diseases and today there are only around 64000 indigenous people who are found living in the area around Costa Rica and they are found mostly living in the remote regions of the mountains.

The indigenous groups in Costa Rica are Gutatusos, Chorotegas, Cabecares, Bribri, Huetares, Terrabas, Guaymies, and the Borucas. If you are interested you could go on those tours around the indigenous communities areas in Costa Rica.

So you can go in those tours and visit the indigenous Cabecare, Bribri, Boruca in Costa Rica and enjoy the pleasures of being in this lovely land. The indigenous people are today facing a lot of loss of area and these communities are affected by the changing politics, economy and culture that take place in the world today. There are many traditional practices that are not in use now and today it is a forgotten culture and many efforts are being made to learn their culture and languages in local schools but to reach that level of cultural independence, there is a long way to go.

Thus the Costa Rica region is one of the most homogenous countries in this part of Latin America as regards race. When the Spaniards arrived here, they didn’t get to se the native empires that they saw in Peru or Mexico. But they did find a lot of tribes that were very diverse culturally. Costa Rica is thus a land that is a link between South America and North America. The tribes were then called senorios and the Spanish people did not try to colonize the entire country thus the tribes remained unaffected then. The fact that the Indian population was less here and due to the European diseases the tribe faced a lot of diminishing popularity.

So if you visit Costa Rica it would really be difficult to actually spot a truly indigenous person. These indigenous people are hidden and live on reserves and are found in secluded regions here. They are also found living in the hills and in conditions that are quite shocking yet they are surviving.

One can take a boat to go and visit these places of indigenous communities and they are mostly in the Panamian border. This is a place where the indigenous people are still uncertain whether to call themselves Tico or Costa Rican. The Bribri are found to live here and they also have their own craft tradition.

There is the Kekoldi indigenous reserve where there are tours organized and there are explanations of how the village people use the plants and animals found here. There are many mythological tales that pertain to the Bribri. The people who are found on the southern Pacific region of Costa Rica and they are seen to have a lot of traditions dating back to ages, and also are popular for the Annual Fiesta de los Diablitos and the annual Fiesta which are celebrated in the Boruca village annually in December.

Indigenous groups and communities are thus a part of the region of Costa Rica. Tours to this part of the world are really worthwhile. Enjoy them.

Light Blue River Travels and Tour Delights in Costa Rica

Blue River is a paradise in this part of Costa Rica and looks resplendent in the rainforest region, and is a pleasure to see. It is just around an hours drive from Liberia and is situated near the volcano in the national park, Rincon de la Vieja. Those who live near the beaches at Guanacaste or who travel through Liberia, these natural wonders like the Light Blue River are greatly attractive and the Blue River Resort and Hot Springs is a place that is open for all the excursions held in the daytime. It is also very comfortable for hotel cabin stays.

If one wants to get into the Light Blue River Resort then he would get to see the four huge natural mineral hot springs which are lovely green pools and also a bullet water slide, a fresh water pool, a gym, a spa, a butterfly farm, a sauna and an iguana centre. There are delicious snacks available here so get the best at the Tiki Bar. If you want you can also book the entire package well in advance and the package is also inclusive of a spa treatment, meals and also excursions in and around this region.

There is something spectacular about this natural wonder here so get the best sights of the private waterfalls and the lovely blue volcanic rivers Rio Penjamos and the Rio Celeste which is reached either by car or on horseback. There entire area is really a treat for the eye and is a 26 acres lovely park area which runs along the blue volcanic river. There are lovely mineral water waterfalls and pools and slides at Penjamos. Tourists get to see their dream homes in these naturally wonderful regions and such opportunities are what make a tour around this place a fascinating journey to paradise. The Blue River attracts all the nature lovers and enthusiastic travellers. This is one Costa Rica travel that you would always cherish. There are many who come here just for the sake of enjoying the adventurous feeling in being here.

With the best kind of accommodation facilities in the Blue River Resort, obviously travels here are not going to go without proper comfort. With the rapelling waterfalls, hiking up the Rincon de la Vieja, bird watching experiences, and thrilling eco excursions this is one place you should put on the must see list in the Costa Rica travels. Then there are the pleasures of horse back riding here, lazy river and the lovely Negro tours around the canyon which provide ideal tour delights

The two rivers here share the mineral qualities of the Rio Celeste and also have a typical colour. The total picture of the rivers flowing down is very appealing and the whole proposition of having an eco adventure in this land gives the greatest facilities of rapelling and swimming, The beautiful hot springs here are a great sight for all those who come to this part of the world. with the kind of hot rock formations which form a flow of clear natural water coming from below the ground, this is indeed a sight to see and a great source of pleasure to all water lovers. These pools have a great mineral content and also the best healing properties. Blue River has some great natural hot springs which makes the pools totally chemically free and thus the rivers’ springs get the greenish tinge. The mineral water and its beautiful sights is what makes this a natural wonder and tourists coming here bask in the pleasures of these sights.

Let your travel spirits wander through this region of pleasurable sights and enjoy also the spa facilities which are so much a part of tours here. With the naturally occurring slides and the most marvelous sights of the waterfalls the tours here to this land of the Blue River is a lovely experience in itself.

The natural wonders of the light Blue River are something to be experienced in this part of Costa Rica.

Isla Calero Island Pleasures and Travel Attractions

Come to the Central part of America and enjoy the travel pleasures in this part of the world. Come to Costa Rica which is a great region bordered by Panama in the south eastern part and Nicaragua on the northern side, the west being bordered by Pacific Ocean, and the Caribbean sea to the eastern side. Costa Rica meaning the “Rich Coast” is the only country in Latin America which has the best of world’s democracies. Costa Rica has always been in the top Latin American countries in the aspect of the Human Development Index. With beautiful sights and the greatest verdant stretches no wonder that it is the greenest country in the entire world.

Islands in Costa Rica are a mainstay of this lovely region and the pristine locale is totally covered with the most ideal travel destination. The Isla Calero is the biggest Costa Rica Island and this lying along the River San Juan is an area that marks the border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. So come to these island pleasures in this land of pleasures and so when you find this land ensconced between Rio Colorado and San Juan. The Caribbean Sea is also lying in the nearby areas. The whole island has an area spanning 151.6 square kilometers.

Isla Calero is a natural preserve with great ecological systems and has great scenic delights to the tourist coming here in this land of pleasurable excitement. In the year 2010, in the month of November, the northern edge of Isla Calero which is an ecological preserve became the point of contention, because of a dispute and due to the absolutely detailed media coverage when there were lot of soldiers from Nicaragua who occupied this land. Most of the island of Isla Calero is found within the undisputed territory of the beautiful land of Costa Rica. .

Costa Rica thus has this island with the best sights of river pleasures and tourists coming here to this land of adventure and thrill gives the greatest island pleasures which is a great delight for all the travellers coming to this part of the world.

In spite of a lot of political turmoil, this is one land that has been through a lot of ups and downs and yet is a great tour destination.

Sea kayaking in Costa Rica travels

Who wouldn’t like to visit a place full of adventure, travel and excitement? Who wouldn’t want to be ensconced in the best of greenery and natural ambience? Visit this land of intriguing experiences and greatest escapades and find yourself in the adventurous pursuits in this land of Costa Rica.

Sea kayaking in Costa Rica is one of the favoured adventure sports. Imagine yourself paddling in the crystal clear waters, and also indulging in a little bit of snorkeling, and you are sure to be in the lovely white sand beaches of Costa Rica. Catch the sight of the playful monkeys here and also the lovely huge pelicans.

There are adventure trips to Tortuguero where you could have the best thrills ever. Come to this national park here and enjoy the lovely sights of the natural surroundings in the kayaks that are provided to enjoy the rainforest system here. There are kayak trips which give you a chance to help to conserve sea turtles.

Enjoying the water sports here is a tourist’s delight so for the greater part of the tour experience the feel of the cool waters in the tropical beauty of the Pacific. Paddle in these wasters and allow yourself to be overtaken by this ocean ambience and watch the sea turtles here while you sea kayak and also snorkel here in this lovely paradise of blue waters and beautiful surroundings.

There are tours which start from the Monteverde Cloud forest Reserve where you can stay at private lodges and where there are researches done on the three watttled Bellbird. Go to the Nicoya Peninsula and enjoy this five day camping tour with paddling thrills in the Pacific. Enjoy the white sand beaches and the turquoise water of the Pacific here and just bask yourself in the glory of sea kayaking thrills. This adventure activity is something that all the tourists come here for so just get enveloped in this land of pleasure.

Then you have the Las Brisas del Pacifico where you have 3 days kayaking and two nights of camping. Choose the right days and then go to this true paradise for sea kayaking. This is the Reserva Curu lying on the Nicoya Peninsula. This is the place where the kayaking adventures start so just enjoy this amazing feeling of being in this watery heaven. Go on those coastal explorations and enjoy the beauty of the Gulf of Nicoya. This would be a three day kayak expedition that would take you to the centre of the “dry coast” and give you an opportunity to enjoy the marine life here as also the terrestrial wild beauties. Immerse yourself in this tropical Eden and come back with cherished sea kayaking memories.

Another ideal kayaking destination is the Las Islas del Golfo where you get a chance of having five days kayaking and four nights of camping. A perfect haven for sea kayaking lovers and an ideal locale in this part of the world. Enjoy the sights of dawn and dusk here and set yourself free in this land of absolute adventure and thrill.

Then you have the El Espiritu del mar where you can go 5 days yoga with sea kayaking and four nights of camping. Kayaking in the absolutely heavenly waters of the Pacific Ocean in itself a peaceful and serene experience.. So there are yoga sessions that are held before and after a day of paddling.

Culture of Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a place which has the best kinds of travel delights and the most fascinating kinds of tour delights. Come here and enjoy the pleasures of being in a land of utmost tour ecstasies and the most interesting of travel experiences.

The Costa Ricans are called Ticos and they are mostly a population with a lot of minority groups. The major part of the Costa Rica region is all descendants who have a Spanish origin. Most of the families here have originated from the other parts of the world like Central America, Asia, Africa, Europe etc.

Many fair skinned inhabitants used to inhabit this land in the Central Valley. Then the lowlands were inhabited by the Mestizos which is a mix of Indigenous blood and European culture. The coast of the Caribbean are from the region of Africa and many of the Talamanca Mountain Range is completely dominated by the tribes.

With warmth and a lot of hospitality the people in Costa Rica come across as very hospitable people. In fact, visitors find the ticos very helpful, friendly and polite. It is easy to befriend them and the basic friendly nature of the people is what makes a visit to the region of Costa Rica very interesting. With a lot of inclination towards making it a family atmosphere and people here normally practise Roman Catholicism. Besides this you also get religions like Islam, Protestantism, Judaism etc.

There are regions here which have a racial diversity here and this is seen from the local and the noble class. The noble class comes out of the coffee growing owner’s .The country developed sometime in the 19th and the 20th century and that was the time these landowners progressed a lot.

Costa Rica also has its own way of celebrating events and festivals. The International Arts Festival is the biggest Costa Rica Festival. It is held in the city of San Jose every year in the month of March. The festival has many features like dance, music, theater, drama and many art shows. Participants across the world come here and take part in it. There are many more cultural affairs here and these included the South Caribbean Music Festival in February, and the Monteverde Music Festival which is celebrated in the same month.

The Costa Rica Culture is totally influenced by the Spanish way of life and only Cordillera de Talamanca and Limon is excluded from the this pattern of living. Spanish is the official language here and the other native languages like Bribri are spoken here too the first foreign language is English and is also the language that stands second in being taught. Then the other languages that are spoken here are Chinese, Italian, German and French.

Costa Rica has some typical terms so Pura Vida is a common term used here. Pura means pure and Vida means life. So Pura Vida means pure life. It is normally used as a form of greeting or as a kind of farewell sometimes. It is known all over Costa Rica and has been used by the people here since long.

There is the Church of Jesus Christs of Latter-day Saints here which has around 35,000 members. There is a temple insane Jose that is visited by all from Panama and Costa Rica. Then there is the Lutheran Church which has around 5000 members and 30 communities existing here. Then the Jewish Zionist Centre has around 2,500 Orthodox Jews and more than 300 reformed Jews.

Costa Rica also has the Baha’I Scientology, the neopaganism, Jehovah’s witness, Taoism and Rastafari, which are the other religions followed. Education is of great importance in Costa Rica and this is the main reason that the entire country is literate. There are many universities and colleges of importance here and the country flourishes in the way education is imparted.

With dance, arts, music and painting also forming a major part of the culture here, Costa Rica is a place which has a very interesting blend of the cultural diversity and the social awareness which makes it a delightful land to visit.

El Carmen Travel tours and attractions

In the district of San Jose Canton in the beautiful surroundings of Costa Rica lies a land, which has great tourist pleasures. El Carmen, ensconced in the lovely ambience of Costa Rica is this land which beckons the tourists to come for more. Amongst the four administrative units that make up the city of San Jose this is a lightly populated region and is the mainstay of many who come to this part of the world.

So while here get enchanted by the lovely districts and the beautiful areas here. Surrounded by the Goicoechea Canton in the north, the Montes de Oca Canton in the east, this is a place that has Merced District in the west and the Catedral District in the south.

With around 4000 and more inhabitants this is a lovely region in this part of Costa Rica. With the neighbourhood of barrios forming a great part of the place it has Barrio Amon and the Barrio ARanjuez to its credit. Then there is the El Carmen, Barrio La California, Barrio Otaya and Barrio Escalante as part of the place. There are many buildings, interesting monuments, important institutions and beautiful examples of great architecture and lovely culture.

The Asamblea legislative De Costa Rica is one place to visit and this is the national congress building,you have the Hospital Calderon Guardia which is amongst the three main hospitals in this country. Then go the Biblioteca Nacional de Costa Rica which is another important library in this part of the world. The Instituto Nacional de Seguros de Costa Rica is a greatly popular and historical monopolic enterprise controlled by the government and is mainly a centre of insurance business.

The Legislative Assembly is a unicameral branch of the Costa Rica Government. It is situated in the San Jose city and is in the El Carmen District of the San Jose Canton. It has around 57 deputies called diputados, and these are elected mainly by the provinces for a term of four years. There is a constitutional amendment pertaining to the year 1949 which does not allows deputies from serving for more than two terms. There is a deputy who would run for a seat in the Assembly after he sits out a term.

Playa Carmen is another lovely spot in this part of Costa Rica. This is accessible from Puntarenas in Pacquera and you would travel towards north and reach this place. Very popular for its vegetation this is a lovely place for surfing and has the ideal views of the clear water. With the waves lashing at the shore this is also a great surfing spot. Water sports are very popular here, and tourists come here and bask in the pleasures of the greatest water activities here.

Situated between Santa Teresa and Malpais Playa Carmen is a lovely beach with white sands. There are moderate waves thus making it a beach lover’s paradise. Then there are many neighbouring beaches which can be toured easily. In fact the Carmen beach has been given the “Blue Flag” which means that the environmental standards here are very safe.

Besides surfing, one can also enjoy kayaking, swimming, deep sea fishing, canopy tours and also explore the lovely wildlife of this region which is so enchanting and mesmerizing. There are the lovely sights of the tropical dry rainforests inland around and the fact that the Cabo Blanco absolute Reserve is here makes it a great destination for hiking.

Accommodation on this beach is not a problem and the Carmen beach thus becomes a very important locale to be in if you come to Carmen in Costa Rica.

Accessible by ferry, plane and road, Playa Carmen is the ideal way to end a tour to El Carmen. The nearest airport is the Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport and the Juan Santamaria Airport is also another option.

With interesting locales and lovely sights, El Carmen is certainly a land to be in , and a fun locale to spend a vacation on.

Las Mercedes Archaeological Pleasures

Come to Costa Rica and try out the archaeological pleasures in this part of the Caribbean slopes of this fascinating land. Visit the region between the alluvial plain and the base of the Turrialba volcano and get the best travel pleasures here. With the best architectural elegance and the most enchanting platforms, come here and enjoy the beautiful sights of the terraces and the beautiful retaining walls which are so much a part of the travel experience here. With the paved roads and the funerary areas, this is a lovely place to be in.

Situated at around 90 metres above the sea level in the district of Mercedes, in the province of Limon in the Guacimo Canton, this is a lovely zone situated between the Parismina and the Dos Novillos Rivers. These two are the tributaries of the river Reventazon. The Dos Novillos River is around 700 m to the southeast and the Parismina is around 2.5 kilometers to the northeastern part of this region.

Las Mercedes this has 3 large complexes. This spans around 25 hectares and is a lovely place with its 7 platforms, 6 retaining walls, and 2 plazas along with 7 walls and 1 ramp and 4 funerary areas. This is the place where the two roads also meet.

It has been seen that this region was occupied sometime in the 1500s and the construction here started sometime in the 1000AD. The Las Mercedes had people living here even during the time the Spanish arrived here. There has been proof in the form of glass beads belonging to Europe, that have been found here during archaeological excavations which show the advent of the Europeans here in ancient times. So it shows that the inhabitants of Las Mercedes and the Spanish might have had trade relations.

There are around 15 platforms in Las Mercedes. Out of these, three are situated on a main platform called the Hartman Platform. This platform is around 6 metres tall with a diameter of around 30 metres. This was initially excavated and it was C.V. Hartman who took out two figurines. They were the 1,85m stone figurines. These figurines can be found at the museum of Ethnography in Sweden.

Platform 12 has been studied deeply and has been found to be 1 metre tall with a diameter of around 28 metres. This platform has around 7 metres wide with a causeway which is around 30 metres. This causeway connects the stone terrace. Then you have the Platform 9 which has also been studied at length. This is actually two platforms in the shape of eight. There is a circular path whit a diameter of around 25 m, and an oblong part which measures around 22 by 20 metres. Then there is another platform R4 which has an irregular shape and is like a peanut. Ricardo Vasquez is another archaeologist who helped in these experiments. The platforms were not circular and were covered with conical shaped huts which are made out of organic material that have over a period of time decomposed.

Las Mercedes is the place where there are two paved roads – the Pocora Causeway and the Iroquois Causeway and they are headed towareds the main site. The width of these roads are around 8 metres and 5 metres respectively. These roads run perpendicular to the drainage system. The Pocora Causeway has a lot of data but the Iroquois Causeway is still under the focus of the archaeological experts. It has also undergone a lot of destruction over so many years. The Iroquois Causeway is stone paved and has always been tested and been under the subject of the other experts. This causeway extended till the Iroquois settlement.

The Las Mercedes a discovery of the 18th century is thus a great fascination for all those who want to experience something special in their travels.