Costa Rica is the hidden paradise of Central America; squeezed between some of Central America's troubled countries, Costa Rica is a country of unique wildlife and plants, spectacular scenery and friendly locals. Visitors to Costa Rica can see live volcanoes, zip line through rain forests, turtle watch, whale watch, surf the waves or simply hang out in the bar with the local Ticos--usually within an inexpensive budget.
Wows and Woes
Costa Rica does not have a strip of high-rise, multimillion-dollar complexes along its beaches; beaches are mostly uncrowded. The country is covered in lush, green scenery with brightly colored flowers and wildlife, some of which are unique to Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is green because of the tropical rains the country receives in the rainy season (May to November); add rain to Costa Rica's basic roads, some of which are no more than dirt roads, including parts of the main Carretera Interamerica, and travel between places is often rough and slow.
Insider Tips
Although a lot of hotels offer day trips with tour guides, you will need a rental car to tour the country. As Costa Rica is relatively small, driving the whole country is a reasonable possibility. However, as roads are often rough and there is a distinct lack of sign posts, bring your sense of adventure, a good map and a knowledge of basic Spanish--useful when asking directions from the locals.
Bottom Line
Bring a sense of adventure to enjoy zip lining in Costa Rica.
The spectacular scenery, wildlife, adventure activities and friendly locals more than compensate for the rough conditions of the roads in Costa Rica.
Author's Most Memorable Moment
Monkeys are a common sight in Costa Rica.
Although I am not really an "action adventure" girl, I took a guided day trip involving zip lining, horse riding and water tubing down the mountainside of the rain forests of Costa Rica, enjoying every single minute. The day was completed by seeing a monkey at very close range--it literally fell out of the tree in front of us which, according to our tour guide, was a common occurrence in Costa Rica.
