Central American Gem: Costa Rica

Things do change in an fast-paced world, but not so much in this part of the world. Back in 2007 we decided to embark on our first-ever bus tour through the Republic of Costa Rica. It is a very interesting country:

• It borders both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea;
• It is wedged between Panama and Nicaragua but has no military;
• It has a highly educated workforce and most people speak English as they spend 6.6% of their budget on Education (compared to 4.4% globally).
• It has an incredible biodiversity with both rain and cloud forests.
• In 2016, 98.1% of its electricity was generated from green resources such as hydro, solar, geothermal and biomass – making it the ‘greenest’ country in the world.

With around 5.9 million people, Costa Rica is a stable democracy after a failed military coupe in 1949. San Jose is the capital wedged in a long and fertile valley. The whole country side is divided into small holdings where farmers are protected with fair market pricing for goods. Roughly a quarter of the country is made up of protected jungle. It is a paradise for beach/surf lovers and volcano enthusiasts!

We used Caravan Tours (www.caravan.com) and was impressed with the quality of the bus, excellent tour director, driver and boutique hotels. Most days included both breakfast and lunch and to this day, you can get packages for about $1,000 per person for a week (airfare excluded). Tourism is a very large part of their GDP and therefore excellent value for money.

Divided into six ‘tourist’ regions, we were fortunate to spend time in all of them. Now-a-days it is difficult to get to the South Pacific area due to the dangers of sea turtle poachers and difficulty in transportation through the jungles (by river only).

Tortuguero (Pacific Coast)

Heading west from San Jose,  you travel through the rain forest. Do not miss the opportunity to take a cable car ride at starts at the bottom of the jungle and back on top of the canopy for a birds-eye view of the forest. Then you hit the town of Guapiles where you can hop on a long boat for a three-hour trek through the jungles and tributaries of the Rio Tortuguero river. Along the way screeching monkeys and colorful Toucans greet you as miles and miles of water (and crocodiles/caymans) pass you by. Ending at a beautiful wooden resort in Cano Blanco, making the trek well worth it.

Cloud Forest (Monteverde)

Unlike a rain forest, a cloud forest is almost constantly covered in fog. Due to high altitudes and low-level clouds, mist is almost always present and sunshine a premium. Therefore the cloud forest is mostly covered in moss and hosts a diversity of wildlife. Imagine 420 different species of orchids and ferns as a start. The ant moles can go as deep as three stories from which no one cannot escape. To get there, head north from San Jose and remember to take a raincoat. You will get wet.

Poas Volcano

There are six active volcanoes in Costa Rica. No joke. Drive north through the Alajuela area from San Jose for an hour or so and you will be winding up mountainous terrain to the Poas Volcano National Park. The crater of this volcano is over a mile across and 1,050 feet deep. Two small lakes at the bottom formed when the crater filled with rainwater – one highly volatile and the other inert. In the lower crater the pH level is almost zero, making the liquid acidic and toxic with remarkable colors. The park features well-marked paths with excellent viewing areas. Conditions changes quickly, stay put and you will see all of it at some point.

Arenal Volcano

At 5,437 feet, the Arenal volcano looms large, and ominous, over the pastured land that surrounds it. While currently ‘resting’, it is the country’s most active volcano for the past 43 years with major and minor eruptions. In 1968 an eruption destroyed 3 villages and killed 87 people. Since 2010, seismic activity decrease dramatically and no activity is visible. We were lucky to see a plume almost daily.

Thanks to the Arenal Volcano’s geothermal activity, there is a number of natural hot springs throughout the area. Warm, soothing water in various degrees offer visitors an ideal way to relax.

Costa Rica offered a lot. Make sure to visit the famous coffee plantation or a banana processing plant. Always expect good service and friendly faces. For real waves and surfing, head over to the Caribbean side and spend at least a day at the beautiful National Manuel Antonio Park. Pristine beaches, good shade and lots of fun!

Final word: Add this country to your list. Keep to bottled water at hand. Although salads are crinkling fresh, it is still washed with tap water. Be careful of the travel stomach!