Interline Adventures....

COSTA RICA:

ECOTOURISM MAKES THIS ENTIRE COUNTRY

A PERFECT PLACE TO GO IN THE NEXT 30 YEARS

As I travel through middle-age, I have to admit I’ve gone a bit soft when it comes to travel. Those adventurous days in the outdoors of some exotic land, followed by nights camping out, are generally a thing of the past. I still like adventurous days. However, at night, I definitely like the creature comforts of creative cooking, a hot shower, and a warm bed. I want to see more and do more in less time, but I don’t want to really rough it in the process.

That’s why Costa Rica is, except for the U.S., my favorite country. You can rough it in one of the most beautiful places in the world, while still enjoying all of the basic creature comforts in a country that knows how to treat tourists.

More than 25% of this Central American country is protected by some means of land conservation, including more than 10% being part of the national park system. Can you imagine that in the U.S.?

There are many things that made Costa Rica special to me during the last 30 years and that will continue to make it important to me and other travelers in the next 30 years. Most of these things are outdoors.

Just half the size of Kentucky, Costa Rica claims an unbelievable variety of landscapes, including Atlantic and Pacific beaches, soaring mountains, active volcanoes, and tropical rainforests. Within this environment, the numerous and varied species of wildlife are incredible, including exotic birds in their natural habitat (including my favorites, rainbow-like macaws), many types of monkeys, huge sloths, sea turtles, and many others. There are between 500,000 and one million total species of flora and fauna in Costa Rica, including 50,000 different types of insects and more than 2,000 different orchids.

As can be expected with this wealth of natural assets, ecotourism is alive and well in Costa Rica. Many small operators host visiting hikers, campers, birdwatchers, whitewater rafters, scuba divers, surfers, and more.

Though tourism continues to grow quickly, as word spreads of this country’s wonders, a large majority of accommodations options feature less than 50 rooms (and many have just a few). In this day of cookie-cutter tourism, a Costa Rica trip typically comes with a very personal and local touch.

Sandwiched between Nicaragua and Panama, where civil unrest can become an unpleasant part of any vacation, Costa Rica is one of the most peaceful places on earth. In fact, they don’t even have an army anymore. Maybe that’s why Costa Ricans are among the friendliest people I’ve ever met on the road.

Most trips to Costa Rica start out in the capital city of San Jose. Though it’s a typically crowded and crazy major city, I like to spend a few days roaming the streets, visiting some excellent museums, relearning my tourist Spanish, and possibly catching a performance in the Teatro Nacional, the country’s center of culture.

One of the many things I like about San Jose is that you know you’re in a foreign country. There isn’t a McDonalds or American tourist in this city.

Outside the capital, you can go in any direction and quickly be surrounded by some of the most stunning scenery in the world. Whether you want sandy beaches or mountains that stretch to the horizon, you can get there quickly from San Jose. Personal highlights include Guanacaste National Park for hiking, Poa’s (accent on ‘a’) Volcano for peering into an active volcano, Manuel Antonio for beaches and jungles, and whitewater rafting on the Reventazo’n (accent on ‘o’) or Pacuare, but that’s just the beginning of a list that will take a lifetime to finish.

Ecotourism reigns in Costa Rica and many feel the growth is happening too quickly. But I am confident that government officials have a good plan for continued growth, while protecting the company’s natural assets for generations to come.