Costa Rica Connoisseur

Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica

In recent years, I have traveled to my favorite destination, Costa Rica, three times. Due to my many adventures across this beautiful country, I have fallen in love with it. 

My numerous trips have taken me to many areas of the country, from near the northern border with Nicaragua to the southern border with Panama. 

My favorite location is Monteverde, where the cloud forest is at. Home to over 2% of the world’s biodiversity, many scientists come here for research. Hiking with a guide, you may see monkeys, birds, insects, snakes, and spiders on your way to the Continental Divide. For adventurers, you can zip line, cross suspension bridges, or ride a sky tram. For those less adventurous or families, you can take a night hike, tour a coffee/chocolate/sugar cane farm, or visit a butterfly farm, frog pond, or hummingbird garden. With an elevation of 4,662’ above sea level, you’ll find a cooler, more comfortable climate. 

La Fortuna is another area with a lot to do for various activity levels. Home to Arenal Volcano, the country’s best-known volcano, with a peak reaching 5,437’. The top rejuvenating experience is to visit one of the many hot springs. The volcano heats the water and is full of minerals from the earth. There is also hiking, rappelling, waterfalls, hanging bridges, horseback riding, river rafting, kayaking, windsurfing, and more. 

For unique wildlife viewing, Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean side offers an opportunity to view the Green Sea, hawksbill (July to October), and leatherback (February to April) turtles nesting on the beach. In the Osa Peninsula in the south, you can see dolphins year-round and humpback whales in August, September, January, and February. Both locations are tropical forests with abundant rain, hot temperatures, and humid conditions. When I say humid, I mean HUMID! 

Other beautiful locations are San Jose, with its architecture, museums, and history; the Guanacaste area, with its Pacific beaches and surfing; Jaco, with its proximity to national parks like Carara and Manuel Antonio; and Sarapiqui, for whitewater rafting and farm visits. 

To fully appreciate the country’s uniqueness, I highly recommend doing activities involving the locals. They are a warm and welcoming population, with 92% speaking English. They love to share their knowledge of their homeland with visitors. Take a cooking class with a family, tour one of the many farms, and be sure to hire a guide at any of the parks. 

Costa Rica is a breathtakingly beautiful country. I specialize in creating custom-made, unique itineraries based on your interests. See why Costa Rica is a life-changing destination that will touch your soul. Pura Vida!