SANTARENA PLAZA

Conservation at Work | Native Costa Rican Animals in the Las Catalinas Nature Reserve

10 February, 2020
In early July, motion-activated cameras were placed all across the 1000-acre tropical dry forest reserve at Las Catalinas, with the purpose of tracking native Costa Rican animals that live in the area. This project is part of a partnership with Guanacaste Wildlife Monitoring (GWM), a local...
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CVENT Ranks Guanacaste As A Top Meeting Destination

10 December, 2019
Cvent announced today that Guanacaste has been ranked number 11 on Cvent’s annual list of the Top 25 Meeting Destinations in Caribbean and Latin America for 2019. Cvent, a market-leading meetings, events, and hospitality technology provider, hosts one of the world’s largest venue sourcing networks...
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Breath work and Meditation for sports and recreation in Las Catalinas

29 November, 2019
Meditation can take many forms. Some of the most informal practices include breath work or finding a meditative state during physical activity like running or working out. It’s also possible to find meditation in the arts or music, athletes like surfers, skiers, and mountain bikers often find...
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The Most Common Costa Rican Birds in Las Catalinas

28 November, 2019
Las Catalinas is home to many species of Costa Rican birds, which include the pericos (parakeets) that make their homes here in dry season, the rabihorcado (frigatebirds) that are often spotted offshore, the grandes kiskadees (great kiskadees) whose bright yellow plumage marks a striking sight, and...
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The Hiking Trails at Las Catalinas

28 November, 2019
In addition the 42km of single track mountain biking trails in Las Catalinas, which cover much of the tropical dry forest reserve and function as multi-use trails for both hiking and biking, there are also five trails in town that are dedicated exclusively to hiking.
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The Health and Wellbeing Benefits of Fresh Air

28 November, 2019
The appreciation for fresh air is something ingrained deeply into many cultures and groups. Surfers, mountaineers, skiers, long distance hikers, any adventure sportsmen list fresh air as one of the best health benefits of their activity. Cultures from all climates value walks in fresh air, or...
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Pura Vida Ride, A Local Costa Rican Bike Shop

28 November, 2019
Mountain bikes come in many shapes in sizes with many different components, and keeping each in top condition helps make riding a joy. A carefully tuned suspension, well-adjusted shock absorbers, responsive and powerful brakes, well-oiled gear shifters, and perfectly-inflated tires can make climbs...
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Paddle Board Yoga in Las Catalinas

28 November, 2019
Paddle board yoga is an activity that combines two sports that happen often into one.
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LaPula Shop and Studio as a Platform for Emerging Contemporary Artists in Costa Rica

15 November, 2019
LaPula Shop and Studio was founded by Ivan and Mhairi, two longtime friends of Las Catalinas, out of a passion for design and art, as a non static and welcoming space that is part shop, part living room and part office.
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Diving with Bull Sharks at Islas Murciélago

15 November, 2019
Isla Murciélago is located just off the North Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, in Guanacaste’s Santa Rosa National Park. This protected marine area is home to much of Guanacaste’s marine life, including many species of ray, an intersection of reef and open ocean fish, and the tortuga golfina (Olive...
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The Walkability Score in Las Catalinas

15 November, 2019
The world is coming around to walkability, with many urban areas looking to walkable solutions as a new direction from high-traffic, car-heavy design. Organizations like Toronto-based Sidewalk Labs are researching clean mass transport and mobility that’s pedestrian and bike friendly. Cities like...
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Becoming a PADI Certified Diver in Costa Rica

04 November, 2019
ConnectOcean Expeditions is a PADI certified diving school and Marine Ecology Center that offers an Open Water Certification Course with access to some of the best diving experiences in Costa Rica and education about the conservation of the country's vibrant aquatic ecosystem. For travelers looking...
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Wellbeing Retreats in Las Catalinas

24 October, 2019
Since the opening of the hotel, Santarena has hosted events like XPT’s Waterman Experience in June, the Culinary Institute of America’s Costa Rican visit, as well as a mix of dinners, celebrations, weddings, retreats, meetings, yoga sessions, wine tastings, and more.
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An Adventure Worth The Ride: Night Mountain Biking in Costa Rica

22 October, 2019
Passionate biker Jason Abernathy from Pura Vida Ride lives on two wheels. A competitive road racer back in his twenties, he now rides a Trek Pro Caliber 9.8 SL cross-country race bike and prefers long gravel rides and the sport of MTB in Costa Rica. Jason is enthusiastic to share his love of the...
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The Doors at Santarena

09 October, 2019
When towns are built to be walkable and to the scale of people, they change fundamentally. Brought within sight and touch to passersby, pedestrian street-facing facades in walkable towns allow for thoughtful detail and design so that simple elements like doors add character to the street. Shops,...
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