Costa Rica Mangoes Are Ripe for the Pickin’
It’s Mango Madness time in Costa Rica.
During a four-month stretch from March through June each year, delicious mangoes are fully in season in this Central American tropical paradise.
Mangoes are so abundant, in fact, that you can pick them right off the trees at many of our YouGetHere luxury vacation villas. Ripe, succulent mangoes at your fingertips on demand. If you’re a superfan of the sweet fruit, these are the months you’ll want to circle on the calendar as you plan your well-earned Costa Rican getaway.
Visitors can, of course, purchase mangoes all year long at local supermarkets and fruit stands, but the March-through-June window is primetime for any true mango enthusiast, when a pound of mangoes can cost as little as 50 cents from a local vendor.
Mango vs Manga
In Costa Rica there are two types of mangoes. Mangas are the larger, round fruit with smooth, red, yellow and/or green skin. They are usually about the size of a bocce ball, and are best when the skin is only slightly squishy. Mangoes are smaller, approximately tennis-ball size, with tougher skin and insides that are more threadlike than a manga.
Both mangas and mangoes are rich in antioxidants that are beneficial in reducing stress and helping combat obesity. The fruit’s fiber content has been proven to assist with constipation and diarrhea issues as well. There is also scientific evidence available that suggests mangoes, packed with vitamins A, C, E and K and potassium, offer health benefits for the heart, hair, skin and eyes.
In addition to the health qualities, mangoes are a very versatile fruit. A quick Google search produces dozens of recipes for mangoes, including but not limited to mango salsa, mango ice cream, mango lassi, mango margaritas, mango chicken salad, mango chutney and mango mousse. On and on it goes! Are you feeling hungry yet?
Mangoes are just one of many amazing fruits you’ll encounter while grocery shopping in Costa Rica.
Some fruits may look familiar to you — standard bananas, apples, oranges — while others such as maracuya, mangosteens and mamon chinos could be completely foreign to your palette. Our suggestion is to try them all when you’re here visiting. You might discover the greatest fruit you’ve ever tasted (for us that would be mangosteens, which are just perfect).
In addition to the ongoing Mango Madness, the period from mid-April through June is a wonderful time to venture down to the Dominical area. With Easter in the rear-view mirror, the holiday crowds have thinned out. Beaches are empty, restaurants and bars have quieted down, the surf is up and the afternoon rain remains mild. If peace is what you crave, the time is now.
When you’re ready to start planning your Costa Rica vacation, drop us an email at [email protected] and we’ll be happy to assist you with finding an amazing vacation villa for your stay. We promise there will be plenty of delicious mangoes available when you arrive in town. It’s a real sweet deal.
