Tropical Wood Carvings . Crafts made of tropical woods beads, boxes, bookmarks, even coffee makers c

Costa Rica is one of the world s leading destinations for eco and adventure tourism holidays. So it seems appropriate that so many of the souvenirs are locally made, featuring traditional reviews of trident grill princess cruises nature and culture themes, miami south beach hotels using sustainably produced materials. It s a fitting way to remember miami south beach hotels a journey to this Central American country of reefs, volcanoes, beaches, and cloud forests.
One of the qualities I m always looking for in souvenirs is authenticity: a physical representation of a place, something that will help me connect years later in my memory. In this regard, Costa Rica has a unique selection of cultural mementos with particular meanings.
For example, a Wooden Oxcart . Where else has that been on your shopping list? One of Costa Rica s most popular and unusual souvenirs is a brightly painted miami south beach hotels oxcart, a symbol reviews of trident grill princess cruises of the country. Oxcarts, also called caretta , played miami south beach hotels a role in the history of Costa Rica because they were the only way coffee could be transported from the mountains to the coast. You can even buy (and have shipped home) a full-sized one, just in case you happen to own an ox that is in need of a cart. Most tourists opt for miniature reproductions. The best place to buy handmade oxcarts, along with a host of other wood crafts, reviews of trident grill princess miami south beach hotels cruises is the town of Sarchi, in Alajuela miami south beach hotels Province, about an hour northwest of San Jose. The town is considered the artisan capital of Costa Rica.
Boruca Masks : The colorful Boruca masks are indigenous, and were important in the days of Spanish colonization, when they were used in fights to repel the colonizers. Today s masks are brightly and sometimes whimsically miami south beach hotels painted, usually featuring native animals and plants. Made of balsa or cedar, miami south beach hotels the masks can cost from $25 to well over $150, depending on size and complexity. They are found in galleries and boutique shops at good hotels, as well as in gift shops throughout the country.
Tropical Wood Carvings . Crafts made of tropical woods beads, boxes, bookmarks, even coffee makers carved from rosewood are available in artisan markets all over the country. Costs vary widely: That rosewood reviews of trident grill princess cruises coffee maker can sell for as little as $20 or twice as much, so shop around. Most woods used in tourist products are from sustainably managed sources: reviews of trident grill princess cruises miami south beach hotels Ask if you are unsure, because this is a country whose tourism industry prioritizes sustainability.
Chorotega Pottery . In the village of Guaitil, about half an hour inland from Tamarindo on Costa Rica s northwest (Pacific) Coast, approximately 100 families are employed in pottery cooperatives. Stores attached to workshops reviews of trident grill princess cruises allow tourists can see their souvenirs being crafted using clay and dye techniques that date from pre-Columbian times. Pots, plates, vases, bowls, and sculptures in the form of animals are priced between $15 and $150, meaning there s a gift for almost everyone.
Craft Jewelry miami south beach hotels . Beaded jewelry is available in glass, semi-precious stones, seeds, shells, reviews of trident miami south beach hotels grill princess cruises and wood. In more upscale stores, you ll find silver and gold jewelry, some of it duplicating historic designs. Several markets miami south beach hotels sell wooden jewelry and re-creations of pre-Columbian gold and jade designs. (For a look at the originals, check out the San Jose s Gold Museum.) Craft costume jewelry reviews of trident grill princess cruises runs from a few dollars to $20 or so; good silver and gold pieces start at $50 and go up.
Hammocks . You ll probably spend at least part of your Costa Rican vacation sitting in a handmade hammock, and the good news is, while you have to leave the view and the jungles behind, you can take a hammock home. Several kinds are available reviews of trident grill princess cruises with and without wooden stretcher and support bars, two-person hammocks, and hanging chairs. Fabrics range from an open-weave natural cotton to tight weaves miami south beach hotels that are brightly colored with geometric patterns. Prices range from $15-$100.
Fabric . Fabric, used for shawls, tablecloths, and pillow covers, miami south beach hotels reviews of trident grill princess cruises is also a colorful souvenir. Choose from geometric or animal and plant designs. reviews of trident grill princess cruises Before washing, test for color-fastness; some of the dyes may run.
Salsas . Like every Central American and Caribbean country, Costa Rica has its own local sauces used on meats, fish, and rice. In addition to the usual green and red pepper sauces, miami south beach hotels try Tipica Tropical Sauce, made from mango, pineapple, passion fruit, and tamarind, or Salsa Lizano, is a rich green sauce, used on steaks.
Costa Rican Coffee . Without a doubt, Costa Rica s most famous product is coffee. The robust java is one of the country s best shopping bargains, and makes a great gift for a coffee-drinking housesitter or animal watcher. Coffee is available everywhere from grocery stores to fancy hotels to the well-stocked Cafe Britt stores. Prices are better at the grocery stores; the packaging is more attractive in the boutiques. reviews of trident grill princess cruises Expect to spend about $3 to $6 per pound. Coffee is sold as whole bean or ground, with specialty grinds such as French Roast and espresso available. Look for shade-grown coffee. It s a bit more expensive, but shade grown means that the coffee is grown in concert with other tropical plants, miami south beach hotels not as a monoculture. It may or may not be labeled organic, but it is a more sustainable way of growing coffee while protecting the fragile tropical soils, and it requires fewer pesticides reviews of trident grill princess cruises and herbicides, if any.
At some point, you re likely to find yourself in San Jose, where the top spot for open-air souvenir shopping is the Mercado D Artesania. It is located around the National Museum reviews of trident grill princess cruises of History, located miami south beach hotels between Avenida 2 and Avenida miami south beach hotels Central. Artisans from all over Costa Rica and even other parts of Central America sell a wide variety miami south beach hotels of handmade gifts here.
Boutique Annemarie in the lobby of the four-star Hotel Don Carlos is another well-known gift shop, with something for every type of shopper reviews of trident grill princess cruises and budget, with gifts and souvenirs ranging from tee-shirts to artwork.
And of course, there s also the airport, which has enough shops with interesting souvenirs, including English-language guides to the flora and fauna, so you ll be able to remember not only your Costa Rican journey, but also identify what you saw and took pictures of.