Costa Rica.
Nothing Is Closer To Paradise.
Eric W. Robinson - Adventure Inn Hotel

| Introduction | Costa Rica Vacation | Caribbean Coast | Pacific Coast |
| History | Everything Grows | The Ticos | Ex Patriots | Oldest Profession |
| Staying Safe | Ecotourism Vs Poverty | Government Responsibility |
| Fixable Problems | Closer to Paradise |

COSTA RICA VACATION PLEASURE

A Costa Rica vacation is unlike other south sea destinations where physical hedonistic pursuits are the only activity, though the country can answer those needs with flying colors. Many Costa Rican vacations limit time at any of the hundreds of pristine beaches on two warm oceans, to experience the wonders found within the country. Try tramping through some of the densest virgin rainforest on the planet, or hike to the top of a Mount Chirripo, nearly four kilometers above sea level through the chilly cloud forests, and on a clear day see both oceans at the same time. Some even volunteer to participate in various eco projects, including establishing and maintaining rainforest trails, digging at an archaeological site, or protecting nesting marine turtles.

Most visitors staying with us prefer to travel at an easier pace. There are several major tours in Costa Rica to choose from. The most popular is an organized one-day tour called the Highlights "Four in One" Rainforest tour. It is run by several companies out of San Jose taking guests on a learning adventure through ten different climatic zones. They bus up the coffee and ornamental flower laden interior mountains, through a cloud forest to peer into the smoldering 2707 meter high Poas Volcano. Later they descend the Central Cordillera Mountain Range to a butterfly and hummingbird refuge leading to the beautiful rainforest Waterfall Garden Park. Descending farther and skirting Braulio Carillo National Forest, they pass small villages, pineapple, banana, heart of palm and sugar cane plantations to the warm humid Sarapiqui River basin for a covered boat ride. Here they see giant green and orange iguanas basking in the sun, howler and white faced monkeys, sloths, egrets, herons, toucans, vultures and even the occasional crocodile or cayman.

One Costa Rica volcano tour takes tourists to the base of cone-shaped Arenal, where they hear the angry giant Arenal rumble, and on a sunny day see several plumes of smoke and ash explode off its peak. Many hot springs seeping from the volcano have been turned into popular tourist attractions, mazes of soothing hot water streams, waterfalls, cataracts and slides, all done in gorgeous park-like settings with a view of Arenal Volcano as it puts on an awesome show. On a starry night you can see huge boulders of brilliant orange lava bouncing and crashing down the sides of Arenal, exploding into hundreds of pieces.

There are cruise boats and a catamaran ride through the historic pirate islands near the Pacific Port of Puntarenas, or world class Costa Rica white-water rafting on a warm thirty kilometer stretch of the Pacuare River where Steven Spielberg produced "Congo". After some accidents a few years ago, Costa Rica canopy tours have new safety regulations permitting tourists to zigzag down the side of a mountain high above the rainforest. Unfortunately most the animals advertised that you will see have been scared away long ago, but it is still a thrill. There are tours to ancient Christian ruins in the Orosi Valley, hands-on coffee finca tours, bicycle tours, butterfly farms and even a city tour.

Costa Rica travel has two seasons. The dry summer (verano) season is from December to May with many cloudless days and star-filled nights including views of the Southern Cross constellation. Coinciding with the winter in the northern hemisphere, this is the most popular season for visitors. You may be surprised how brown the landscape sometimes appears when flying into San Jose in April but after one or two downpours in May, everything is rapidly transformed into soothing green carpet. The green or rainy winter (invierno) season is a bit of a misnomer as the temperature hovers in the mid 70s year round in the Mesita Central. The mornings are partially sunny with scattered cumulus clouds, covering over completely by noon, darkening by mid-afternoon with a major downpour often accentuated with a heart jolting lightning storm. Rivers race down the steep pitched gorges and roads washing away the last day's litter. By early evening it has tapered off to a light rain for an hour or two, and clearing by bedtime. It is a pleasant and alluring time of year with the popular tourist areas less crowded, and everything is so fresh and lush.

Costa Rica, making up 0.01 percent of the planets landmass, and being at the cross-roads of two continents, is said to have an amazing five or six percent of earth's biodiversity. You will actually see the most wildlife along the Pacific and northwest (towards Nicaragua) where the vegetation is more sparse and open, and cattle ranches have prospered. As you go south and east in Costa Rica towards Panama, the more lush and tropical the rainforests become. It is comforting to know here that the dense flora and diverse fauna are vigorously growing without necessarily having to be seen. Forget the Tarzan stunts, you can barely walk ten feet into the tropical bush, let alone swing on long vines through wide open spaces. Some public parks have trails cut, and guides are often recommended for their knowledge, protection and ability to find their way out.

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