Overview
On this trip, I didn’t visit historical sites. Beautiful natural scenery fills every part of Costa Rica . From rainforest-covered mountains to the beaches of the Pacific Coast, Costa Ricans live in paradise. They express this in their national slogan, Pura Vida. The literal translation of “Pure Life” does little to aid understanding; “Good Life” or “Clean Life” is closer. Costa Rica believes in taking care of their people. Money normally used for the military instead goes to education in Costa Rica, since the country disbanded its army in 1946. At the same time, they also care about the environment. The country pioneered the concept of eco-tourism. Today you will find resorts of all sizes and budgets that use sustainable practices. With all that and a low crime rate, what more does a country need for tourists?
Natural Areas of Costa Rica
With over two million acres (13% of the total area of the country) in national Parks, it is hard not to visit one when you visit. The list of protected areas we visited on our tour is like a who’s who of Costa Rican protected areas. Monteverde Cloud Forest, Arenal Volcano National Park, The Rio Frio, Manuel Antonio Park, and The Tarcoles River. Just listing these sites is not enough to appreciate Costa Rica’s beauty. Look at the articles I have on my tour. I am constantly uploading new content. Check back often, or sign up for a weekly email with the updates
The Amazing People of Costa Rica
I visited Costa Rica as part of an Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) tour. One of the guiding principles of OAT is the people-to-people opportunities we get during the tour. There are two types: a home-hosted meal and a visit to a local organization supported by the Grand Circle Foundation. Set up by the founder of OAT’s parent company, the tours’ proceeds help small local organizations thrive. We had a home meal and met the local organizations all on the same day. We first visited a rural school, Liceo Rural de Juanilama. The school is K12. The students entertained us, showing off projects they made from recycled materials and performing a traditional dance that invited us to participate. Then we received a tour of the school. amazing to me that several of the classrooms are little more than metal roofs over some half-wall built of concrete block.
After leaving the school, we rode our bus to a woman named Mari’s house in the village near the school. Mari organized the Women’s Association of Juanilama. It provides help for women by teaching them to make money and other support services. Cooking a traditional meal, enthusiastic tour participants worked with the local association to make it a success enjoyed by all.
The most fun and interesting event of my whole trip to Costa Rica was helping a woman fry plantains. She spoke no English, and I speak only two or three words of Spanish. My new friend kept telling me that the pan was “caliente,” or hot, and that I should watch so I wouldn’t get burned. Unbeknownst to her, I had two decades in food service in my youth, and I have burn-proof fingers. While the rest of our tour group joined most of the Ladies’ Association, I helped my new friend wash dishes.
Conclusion
Costa Rica is a beautiful country, with interesting and amazing people, low crime, tourism infrastructure, and many other reasons it should be on your bucket list. I have several articles on Costa Rica here.
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