Skip to main content

Tag: Palmar sur

More Info on Costa Rican Mystery Spheres

Written by Costa Rica Las Villas on . Posted in Costa Rica education, Costa Rica history, Costa Rica tourism, Osa Peninsula, Village San Buenas.

Original: http://www.ticotimes.net/daily_paid/dailynewsarchive/2010_08/081810.htm#story5

Ifigenia Quintanilla will shine some light on one of Costa Rica’s oddest mysteries Wednesday.

In the 1940s, hundreds of pre-Columbian stone spheres were discovered throughout the Southern region of Costa Rica and in the north of Panama. The creation of these almost perfectly round spheres and their purpose remains a mystery to archaeologists.

Quintanilla, a Costa Rican archaeologist who has studied the mysterious monoliths for 17 years, will explain what researchers know about these artifacts and what makes them so impressive at 3 p.m. on Wednesday at the Hotel Casa Roland in Rohrmoser, in western San José. The presentation is sponsored by the Costa Rican Association of Tourism Professionals (Acoprot).

“We have known about the existence of the spheres for many years,” said Patricia Duar, executive director of Acoprot. “But very few of us really know why they are there or their meaning.”

Quintanilla is one of the most knowledgeable experts on these stones. She’s researched for them for two decades and even wrote a book on the mystery called “Esferas Precolombinas de Costa Rica” (Pre-Columbian spheres of Costa Rica ).

The spheres can be as small several centimeters in diameter to massive 15-ton boulders. But all of them have an uncanny spherical shape. Some of the spheres have symbols sculpted on them.

Costa Rica stone sphere
Brent W. "tries" to push an ancient sphere in Palmar Sur's Central Park

In March, Costa Rica presented a bid to have the spheres included by th e United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on the list of World Heritage sites. Cultural or natural sites or monuments can make the list if UNESCO deems them to have “outstanding universal value,” according to the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (TT, March 15 ).

To reserve a seat at the conference send an e-mail to Mónica Monge at[email protected] or call Acoprot at 2280-5375. Admission is free.

What: Ifigenia Quintanilla on the Mystery of Costa Rica’s pre-Colombian stone spheres
Where: Hotel Casa Roland, Rohmoser
When: 3 p.m.
Cost: Free

NOTE from Nick Halverson

Costa Rica stone sphere
Nick H. at Osa Municipality Building

These spheres are found throughout the entire southern pacific region of Costa Rica – especially in Palmar Sur. Palmar Sur’s “Central Park” has approximately 30 of the spheres – all at least one meter in diameter. It is not unusual to see these spheres in front of homes and restaurants in  Uvita, Ojochal, San Isidro del General and Palmar Sur/Palmar Norte.

The closest spheres to residents of The Village of San Buenas is at the municipality building in Cortez. Simply take a right at the fork in the road at the hospital turn off. Go straight approximately 2 km and the Osa Municipality building will be on your right.

Nature Air named an overall winner in Condé Nast Traveler World Savers Awards

Written by Costa Rica Las Villas on . Posted in Costa Rica development, Costa Rica real estate, Costa Rica tourism.

We always recommend that clients fly from San Jose to Palmar Sur regional airport when visiting The Village of San Buenas for the first time. Nature Air recently received an international award from Conde Nast Traveler magazine. Nature Air has daily flights to and from San Jose (Pavas) and Palmar Sur.

The Costa Rica-based airline was acknowledged for comprehensive efforts to compensate for its carbon emissions and social initiatives to promote education and the general welfare in the regions they operate. Nature Air received award from Conde Naste Travler

“Our efforts are aimed at raising the standard of living in the destinations we fly to, while offering an exceptional experience to our passengers” said Alex Khajavi, Founder and CEO of Nature Air. “Awards like World Savers help confirm that we are on the right track, and strengthen a growing community of socially responsible industry pioneers that are on the same path.”
Nature Air offsets 100 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions by subsidizing reforestation and conservation of tropical forests in Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. Nature Air purchases carbon credits from the government’s National Forestry Financing Fund (FONAFIFO), run by the Ministry of the Environment (MINAET). In addition, Nature Air fuels all ground equipment and vehicles with bio-diesel (a mix of recycled vegetable and cooking oils), collected from airline employees and local restaurants. It’s estimated this biodegradable fuel will reduce roughly 560 tons of CO2 emissions per year.nature air logo
Nature Air also funds a social and educational initiative called the Nature Kids Foundation. Nature Kids aims to provide English education to the communities Nature Air serves. The program has developed two schools, one in Santa Ana and the other in Drake Bay, with the goal of expanding to the rest of the airline’s main destinations. Nature Kids’ students range from elementary age to adults. They learn practical English skills for educational advancement and application in the tourism industry, which dominates regional economies where the schools are located.While some members of the tourism industry have battled tough economic times, Nature Air has continued to grow through eco-friendly cost-cutting strategies. Nature Air continues to invest in its sustainable tourism programs and has increased profits by 22% since 2003.

Alex Khajavi has been invited to speak on a guest panel at the 2010 CNT World Savers Congress on Oct. 20 in Singapore along with representatives from fellow winners: Abercrombie & Kent, Royal Caribbean, Grand Hyatt, and the small Costa Rican hotel chain Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality. He, along with other honorees of the World Savers, will introduce to the heads of the tourism industry – collectively the world’s largest industry at $7 trillion in revenue this year – a range of resources to help them implement more effective and sustainable programs.

Nature Air is the world’s first certified carbon neutral airline and the fastest growing regional airline in Central America. Since its inception in 2000, NatureAir has grown from flying 18,000 passengers annually to more than 140,000 in 2008. Nature Air offers charted flights and 74 daily scheduled flights to 17 destinations in Costa Rica and Panama.

About the Condé Nast Traveler World Savers Awards

The Condé Nast Traveler World Savers Awards are awarded annually to travel companies from around the world for their leadership in social responsibility in the areas of cultural and environmental preservation, education, wildlife conservation, poverty alleviation and health initiatives . An independent panel of 22 judges, leaders from the travel industry and non-governmental organizations, rated airlines, small hotel chains, large hotel chains, city hotels, small lodges and resorts, large lodges and resorts, tour operators and cruiselines against their peers.

New Palmar Sur Airport

Written by Costa Rica Las Villas on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Palmar Sur regional airport now has a new terminal. The old blue one is no longer being used.

Nature Air and Sansa both have daily flights in/out of Palmar Sur, located in Costa Rica’s Osa peninsula.