It’s pretty darn astonishing, really – it’s such a teeny country (I mean, not even the size of West Virginia), and yet crammed with a wide and savory plethora of tourism treats from dirt-cheap to hyper-luxe. Many of these involve eco-tourism, of course, on which Costa Rica has built its name and its fortune in these past few years (even now, they can still more or less get away with their tourism slogan, “No Artificial Ingredients”).
That includes lush mountains, live volcanoes, teeming rain and “cloud” forests, eco-lodges, excellent snorkeling/scuba, windsurfing and whitewater rafting — all shot through with some of the planet’s most impressive biodiversity, from nesting giant sea turtles to humpback whales, and pumas to 900 species of birds, including the semi-mythical quetzal.
Add to that seemingly endless miles of Pacific and Caribbean beaches from Robinson Crusoe specials to hyperdeveloped, and with a variety of scenes (a key one of said scenes belongs to surfers drawn to some of the world’s gnarliest waves). Add a dash of multiculturalism – the country’s mostly Spanish-speaking Latino but you’ll also find lilting-English-speaking blacks powering a Rasta vibe on the Caribbean coast, and other areas where you can visit Amerindian tribes that predate the conquistadors or the cheesemaking descendants of Quakers from Alabama.
Plus you’ll even find a spot of history, surprisingly good dining, and some bodacious nightlife in the Central Valley, particularly in the national capital, the otherwise unlovely San José.
Other notes: It’s relatively inexpensive to get around, whether by air or by road, though I do have a couple o’ caveats for would-be drivers (see 10 Strategies). Prostitution is legal. And if you have any interest in learning or brushing up on your espanol, Costa Rica boasts one of the highest concentration of language schools I’ve ever seen. All in all — in a (sometimes tiresomely) ubiquitous – Costa Rican phrase, “pura vida!” Way cool!
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