Villa Temenos Costa Rica

29/01/2026

23/01/2026

What's YOUR favorite brand of coffee in Costa Rica?
Everyday Costa Rican Favorites (what you’ll see in most homes & sodas). .

Café 1820 – Probably the most common coffee in Costa Rican kitchens; smooth, dependable, comforting.

Café Rey – Similar to 1820, slightly bolder; very traditional.

Café Volio – A long-standing family brand, easy-drinking and familiar.

Café Montaña – Budget-friendly and widely available.

Café Naranjo – Mild, pleasant, and often found outside tourist areas.

🌱 Gourmet & Well-Known Brands

Café Britt – Costa Rica’s most famous export coffee; lots of varieties and gift options.

Doka Estate – Single-estate coffee with a clean, classic profile.

La Minita – Premium Tarrazú coffee, elegant and balanced.

Don Mayo – Smooth, refined, and popular among coffee lovers who want something special.

🏔️ Cooperatives & Regional Coffees (very “local Costa Rica”)

Coopedota – Award-winning cooperative from the highlands.

Coopetarrazú – Strong Tarrazú character; rich and bright.

Café Orosi – Grown in a lush valley, smooth and aromatic.

Café Tres Ríos – Bright acidity, classic high-altitude flavor.

☕ Specialty & Farm-Direct (found at farmers markets or tours)

Peaberry (Caracolillo) – Not a brand, but a prized bean type you’ll see sold farm-direct.

Single-estate micro-lots – Often labeled by farm name rather than brand.

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11/01/2026

The OSA peninsula makes a great pre, post or day trip and easy to reach from Villa Temenos.

15/12/2025

The blue morpho butterfly is one of Costa Rica’s most magical little treasures, and seeing one glide through the rainforest is a moment people never forget.

With wings that flash an electric, metallic blue, the blue morpho looks almost unreal as it floats along rivers, jungle paths, and forest edges. When sunlight hits those wings, they glow like living sapphires. Interestingly, when the butterfly closes its wings, the brilliant blue disappears, revealing a brown underside with eye-like spots that help it blend into the forest and stay safe from predators. It’s nature’s version of a disappearing act.

Blue morphos are most commonly found in Costa Rica’s lowland rainforests and humid tropical areas. Places like Manuel Antonio, the Osa Peninsula, Sarapiquí, Tortuguero, and the Caribbean lowlands are famous for sightings. They tend to fly slowly and gracefully, often near streams or along sunny forest trails, almost as if they know people are watching.

These butterflies feed on the juices of fermenting fruit rather than flower nectar, so you’ll often spot them near fallen fruit on the forest floor. Their caterpillars, however, are very different—small, reddish-brown, and covered in tiny hairs, quietly munching on leaves while preparing for one of nature’s most beautiful transformations.

In Costa Rica, the blue morpho has become a symbol of transformation, hope, and the surprises that appear when you slow down and pay attention. One moment the forest seems calm and green… and the next, a flash of blue reminds you that magic is real and often shows up when you least expect it.

That feeling—of awe, calm, and joy all at once—is pure Pura Vida.

24/03/2025

Interesting & Fun Costa Rica Wildlife Moments from Monkeys to Crocodiles!
https://youtu.be/sRqo1VNlWuM
By Vincent Losasso

How wildlife behaves depends on the circumstances of the interaction. Everybody wants to go for a hike and see wild animals with their very own eyes in the habitat that they live in. To some degree, this is perfectly possible. There are some species that you stand almost no chance of seeing and others that you have a much higher probability of catching a glimpse of in nature. A glimpse is mostly likely what you’re going to get. Most wildlife interactions in person consist of the person feeling a little excited jolt in their heart and thinking, ‘Oooh! It’s a (whatever the species is)!’, and then that animal sees the person and thinks, ‘Run!’. That is to say, the animal behavior you are most likely to witness is an animal being startled by your presence.
Seeing something like an ocelot bolt away from you in fear is a perfectly wonderful turn of events. Beggers can’t be choosey. I’ll take any ocelot interaction I can get but sometimes seeing something other than a fear response would be nice. Enter the magic of camera traps. These little boxes sit soundlessly in the environment, recording wild animals acting perfectly naturally in their environment. At least, that’s the idea. The dirty little secret of camera trapping is that the cameras do not blend perfectly into the background. Instead of perfectly natural behavior, the cameras often record mostly perfectly natural behavior with a little pinch of ‘Hey what’s this box doing here?’ mixed in.

Many species, from little doves to giant Baird’s tapirs, take notice of the camera traps. They are responding to some combination of factors such as the shape of the camera looking unnatural, it has a funny smell, either the plastic or my hands touching it the last time I reviewed the camera, and at night, many of the cameras I use glow red to increase the video quality. Sometimes, their reaction is just a second glance toward the camera; sometimes, it’s much more. Here are a few species that have taken it upon themselves to interact with my camera traps.

White-faced Monkeys
This should probably come as little surprise. They’re intelligent and have tiny people's hands that they happily use to manipulate my cameras. There is one big positive and one big negative to these monkeys messing with my cameras. The negative is that they push, pull, and jump on the cameras enough to break or spin them around so they’re recording four square inches of the forest floor. The positive, there is nothing cuter than a video of a white-faced monkey grabbing a camera and cocking its head inquisitively at the lens.
Coyotes
Coyotes mess with my cameras in particular circumstances. I’ve only recorded them pulling on my cameras attached to a tree with a cloth strap. Camera traps can be placed on trees in two different manners, pulled tightly to the tree with a cloth strap or screwed into the tree with a metal camera mount. I’ve never recorded a coyote messing with a camera on a camera mount, but there’s something irresistible about cameras tethered to the tree with cloth straps. Several times, I’ve recorded coyotes running by and then returning to the camera for a quick tug-of-war with a camera strap.
Big Cats
A few times, some of Costa Rica’s top feline predators decided they didn’t like how my cameras looked at them. Twice, I’ve recorded pumas getting right up to the camera and hissing. Both incidents occurred at night, so I think they reacted to the camera’s lights. Just last week, I recorded a jaguar interacting with a camera for the first time. It approached the camera, gave it a sniff, and then smacked it around until it was facing the ground.

Crocodiles
The interactions between American crocodiles and my cameras have been my biggest surprise. I guess I just assumed the large reptiles weren’t sophisticated enough to take any notice of the cameras. That does not seem to be the case. Twice now, I’ve recorded videos of crocodiles biting my cameras. The first time, the croc approached, took a bite of the camera, knocked it over, and gave a little triumphant hiss.
The second time, the crocodile gently took the camera in its jaws and spun it around without damaging it. These animal’s interactions with the cameras prove that camera traps aren’t exactly the proverbial fly on the wall, observing everything without being noticed. While I don’t love that the end result of these interactions is frequently cameras facing the wrong direction, diligently recording nothing of use for several days or weeks, it is interesting to know that a wide range of species are attuned to their environment to the degree that even a little plastic box on a tree doesn’t go unnoticed. Take a look at the video below and appreciate a few species ‘taking interest’ in my camera traps

Wildlife takes notice of camera traps in Costa Rica

12/12/2024

It's a total monkey fest when the White Faced Capuchins swing by! This is the time of year when they're hanging around daily!

07/07/2024

Can never get enough of these beautiful creatures!

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04/07/2024

An amazingly beautiful and unique country. 17 Facts You May Not Know About Costa Rica:

1. Costa Rica's forests are home to an astounding array of creatures, including the world's tiniest squirrel species, the aptly named "pygmy squirrel," which measures just a few inches in length.
2. The decision to abolish the army in 1948 was not only a move towards peace but also stemmed from a unique circumstance: after a brief civil war, the victorious side opted to invest in education and healthcare instead of maintaining military forces.
3. While many know about Costa Rica's active volcanoes, few realize that the country also hosts one of the world's few accessible underwater volcanic vents, known as "Black Smoke" or "Black Smokers," found off its Pacific coast.
4. Costa Rica boasts an intriguing legend surrounding the Blue Morpho butterfly: some indigenous communities believe that encountering a Blue Morpho brings good luck and symbolizes a visit from departed loved ones.
5. Beyond its reputation for relaxation, "Pura Vida" is also a philosophy deeply ingrained in Costa Rican culture, encouraging individuals to embrace life's simple pleasures and prioritize happiness over material wealth.
6. In the highlands of Costa Rica, where coffee is cultivated, there exists a tradition known as "La Fiesta del Tigre," or "The Festival of the Tiger," where locals dress in elaborate costumes to celebrate the coffee harvest.
7. Costa Rica's commitment to ecotourism extends to innovative initiatives such as "sustainable surfing," where surfers are encouraged to protect coastal ecosystems and minimize their environmental impact.
8. One of Costa Rica's hidden gems for wildlife enthusiasts is the chance to witness the annual "massive moth migration," where millions of moths undertake a synchronized journey across the country's forests.
9. In addition to its renowned Pacific whale watching, Costa Rica offers a unique experience on its Caribbean coast: the chance to spot the elusive West Indian Manatee, one of the world's rarest marine mammals.
10. While many are familiar with Costa Rica's stunning waterfalls, few know about the "Cave of Wonders," a hidden cave behind the La Fortuna Waterfall believed by locals to hold mystical properties.
11. Costa Rica's commitment to conservation extends to its urban areas, where innovative projects such as vertical gardens and rooftop forests are transforming cityscapes into thriving ecosystems.
12. Hidden within Costa Rica's dense rainforests are ancient petroglyphs, some dating back thousands of years, offering clues to the country's pre-Columbian civilizations and their connection to nature.
13. Costa Rica's hummingbird diversity extends beyond the colorful species commonly seen by tourists; it also includes the secretive "Sapphire-throated hummingbird," known for its iridescent plumage and elusive nature.
14. Costa Rica's quest for carbon neutrality is not limited to energy; the country is also pioneering sustainable transportation initiatives, including the development of electric-powered "eco-buses" in urban centers.
15. While the oxcart tradition is celebrated, few know about the "Festival of Oxen," an annual event in rural communities where elaborately decorated oxcarts are paraded through the streets in a colorful spectacle.
16. Within the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve lies a hidden wonder: the "Enchanted Tree," a centuries-old strangler fig believed by locals to possess mystical powers and serve as a guardian of the forest.
17. Costa Rica's longevity secrets extend beyond diet and lifestyle; some communities attribute their longevity to the healing properties of indigenous plants, which are used in traditional medicines passed down through generations.

17/06/2024

Costa Rica Wildlife: Meet the Central American Spider Monkey!
Some animals seem perfectly designed for their environments. Dolphins’ streamlined bodies appear excellently adapted to slipping through the waves just as magnificent frigatebirds’ long wings make it look as though they could fly forever. The same could be said for today’s featured creature, the Central American spider monkey. They move through the treetops with such grace and ease, it’s almost as though their bodies were designed for it. Spoiler alert! That’s because they are.

Central American spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) are also known as black-handed spider monkeys and Geoffroy’s spider monkey. The scientific name and one of the common names include Geoffroy as a reference to an old-timey French naturalist whose name you can find attached to several species of wild creatures. The Spanish names that I’ve come across in Costa Rica are mono araña and mono colorado.

These monkeys spend the majority of their time in the upper levels of the forest. Much of the time they spend up there is in search of something to eat. Though they eat things like flowers, bark, insects, and honey, the large majority of their diet is made up of fruit. They are the most frugivorous (fruit eating) of Costa Rica’s four species of monkey, with fruit making up between seventy to eighty percent of their diet.

The problem with relying on fruit as a major food source is that there is often a ton of distance between one fruiting tree and another, requiring a lot of movement. Central American spider monkeys have physical and social adaptations to just this sort of lifestyle. Physically, their arms and tails are designed to swing them through the forest canopy with ease. Their arms are long and powerful, and their hands have long fingers and lack a thumb, giving them a hook shape that allows them to swing from one branch to another.

Their long prehensile tail has a leathery pad on the underside at the tip that aids in gripping branches and allows the tail to function like another arm. Socially, they have adapted to their sporadically located food by breaking up their large groups of 20 to 40 individuals into smaller ones, allowing them to spread out and more efficiently locate fruit trees.

Central American spider monkeys are my favorite species of monkey. I think they are generally awesome looking. I like the way they move through the treetops. And I love how upset they get when they see me walking below them on the forest floor, aggressively shaking branches and yelling at me.

I worked closely with two female spider monkeys during my time at a wildlife rehabilitation and release center. Every morning they would greet me with a squeaking noise and a kissy face which I happily returned. I often fed them by placing small pieces of fruit in a sort of disc-shaped puzzle where they would have to rotate a disc with a small hole in it to line it up properly with the food recipient below. It was a more interesting way for them to feed themselves as compared to an open bowl of food, and they excelled at it.

About the Author
Vincent Losasso, founder of Guanacaste Wildlife Monitoring, is a biologist who works with camera traps throughout Costa Rica. Learn more about his projects on facebook or instagram. You can also email him at: [email protected]

Camera trap videos of Central American spider monkeys in Costa Rica

09/06/2024

Southwest Airlines Inaugurates Direct Route from Orlando to San Jose!

Southwest Airlines inaugurates a new daily direct route between Costa Rica and Orlando, offering convenient non-stop flights

08/06/2024

It’s whale season! These beautiful giants swim in the bay below Villa Temenos and all along the southern coast. Dominical Information is your personal concierge service when you stay at Villa Temenos!

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