Central America

A few years ago I would have answered this question with a sound YES, but after my latest trip to Costa Rica at the end of 2018, I feel a little bit more wary about wholeheartedly recommending Costa Rica as a travel destination – especially to a solo female traveler – than I would have when I visited Costa Rica for the first time, as part of a Central America backpacking trip in 2011, and then again for a two-month housesit in a seaside villa in 2012.

The first time I visited Costa Rica, I entered the country overland from Nicaragua, having just traveled through Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. I had sketchy moments in all of those countries, including gunshots outside the hotel I was locked up in in Honduras’ capital Tegucigalpa, an attempted bag slashing in Guatemala, and a being told to put my guidebook away in San Salvador, to not clearly out myself as a tourist.

Back then, arriving in Costa Rica after traveling through several poor and politically unstable countries felt like arriving in North America. Just a few miles south of the border we were able to drink the tap water again, there were hot showers, ATMs abound, and American hotel and restaurant chains including Hard Rock Café and Taco Bell. While I had always felt a little tense and ‘on guard’ while traveling through Costa Rica’s neighboring countries to the north, this tension immediately eased and I started to let my guard down. Costa Rica felt so much safer than the rest of Central America!

When I revisited the country a couple of months ago for a 3-week road trip I didn’t feel as safe, however. I was already more vigilant and aware of my surroundings, and I had bought travel insurance before the trip. My pre-trip research had led me to several Tripadvisor forum threats and articles about tourists getting their rental cars broken in, armed robberies, tourists raped and two female tourists were raped and murdered just a few months before my visit. In January 2018, an entire tourist bus was robbed at gunpoint on the Caribbean Coast – something that you usually only hear happening in Guatemala or Nicaragua. There had been enough incidents in Costa Rica recently for the UK to publish a travel advisory.

And as my Costa Rica trip was coming to an end, news of a female tourist that had gone missing slowly broke. As I returned to the U.S., I watched the story of the missing girl unfold, which eventually turned into the horrible news of the third female tourist murdered in Costa Rica in 2018. It was her last night in the country, and she was supposed to fly back to Florida the next day, spending only one night by herself in an Airbnb after vacationing with her sister-in-law. She wasn’t even a solo traveler, just one night by herself after a girls trip that should’ve been her birthday trip, just as this was my birthday trip, too.

Is Costa Rica becoming too dangerous for female travelers? asked The Costa Rica Star a few days ago, stating that all of the female travelers who were killed while vacationing in Costa Rica “were seasoned, well-traveled females, who nonetheless wound up as victims of murderers and predators.”

I know that a lot of travelers, especially female travelers, will now rethink their travel plans to Costa Rica, which is why I wanted to talk about my own experiences traveling Costa Rica and how safe I felt there, and also share some safety travel tips for Costa Rica with you.

It is difficult for me to say ‘Go to Costa Rica anyway!’ or ‘Stay away from Costa Rica’. Because I myself have traveled to several countries or cities where other travelers had bad experiences, but I personally had a great time. In Ecuador I went to a beach town where two female travelers from Argentina had been murdered the year before. I visited to Koh Tao, which had made news for several tourist murders. I traveled to Colombia on my own after reading a fellow female traveler’s horror story of getting robbed at gunpoint. And that trip turned out to be one of my best trips of all time.

While I feel that the murders in Costa Rica are still isolated cases (they were not connected to another), I don’t think they should be completely left out of the picture when planning a trip to Costa Rica – no matter if it’s solo, on a girls trip or with a boyfriend. I strongly recommend to take safety precautions if you are planning to travel by yourself, look through travel forums on TripAdvisor or Lonely Planet to find the most recent safety information.

Before sharing some safety tips, I wanted to point out that you should take into consideration that crime is not the only safety issue in Costa Rica – there are a number of non-crime related safety issues in Costa Rica, that you should consider, too:

Natural hazards

VOLCANO ERUPTION: Costa Rica is home to five active volcanoes and over 200 dormant volcanic structures, and volcanic eruptions are a common occurrence. It is rare that people die during an eruption, but it has happened, and an eruption can effect your trip and the places you’re able to visit.

EARTHQUAKES: Costa Rica is also sitting on the edge of the Pacific Rim’s Ring Of Fire which means earthquakes are common. I myself have experienced several earthquakes in Costa Rica, which is not a pleasant experience, and again, can affect your trip if roads and other infrastructure are damaged during an earthquake.

MONSOON RAIN: Monsoon rains are quite intense in Costa Rica, and in 2018 they led to several fatalities involving tourists. A newly-wed man who was on his honeymoon with his wife was swept away and died when the couple got caught in a flash flood, and four Americans, part of a 13-people bachelor weekend, drowned when they went rafting in a river that turned into a deadly torrent after heavy rains.

Monsoon rains can also affect your trip if they cause travel delays, landslides that cause road closures, and limited activities, so make sure to check the weather for the month you’re planning to visit. July – October are usually the rainiest months, but this year, it rained well into November, which made driving during our road trip dangerous at times.

Crocodiles

Believe it or not, but Costa Rica takes the #3 spot in the ranking of countries where tourists are likely to be attacked / bitten by a crocodile, according to a nature guide I took a tour with on this last trip. We encountered crocodiles in several locations, including a close encounter in the swamps of Cahuita National Park. There has been a growing number of crocodiles in recent year, so don’t underestimate their speed and how close you can get to them. Crocodile sightings on popular surf beaches have also increased.

Safety in Costa Rica

Looking at the bigger picture, I think that natural hazards are much more prevalent than crime, especially murder and rape, and tourist-targeted crimes in general, but be aware that petty theft and pickpocketing are not uncommon in Costa Rica.

Here are some safety tips for Costa Rica:

Safety tips for Costa Rica

Avoid carrying lots of cash

Since pickpocketing can happen, especially when you take buses around the country or in San Jose, I’d advice you to not carry around too much cash, and while traveling in between cities, have it in a safe place on your body (I am using both a money belt and pickpocket-proof tanktops with hidden pockets). Have your cash in several places, not just one.

Debit / Credit Cards

Costa Rica has become much more receptive to card payments since my last visit – take advantage of that and don’t carry around hundreds of dollars in cash. If you lose your debit or credit card, you can cancel them quickly, but if you lose $500 in cash, you won’t get them back.

Valuables

This should go without saying, but don’t flash your valuables. An iPhone, a tablet or an expensive digital camera are very attractive to a lot of people, especially those living in small beach towns without access to the newest gadgets or the funds to buy them. Don’t leave your valuables out of sight when you’re at the beach, and have your backpack always on you when you travel on buses, don’t ever put them in the overhead compartment.

Thieves are very clever and if you are approached by someone and something feels off, it might be a spiel to distract you so that they can get to your valuables.

Taxis

There are plenty of unofficial taxis in Costa Rica – if you do take taxis, make sure that you take an official taxi (including the airport!). Taxi robberies have occurred in Costa Rica.

Rental Car Theft

Car break-ins are anything but uncommon in Costa Rica, so make sure to never leave any valuables in your car, even when you’re leaving the car only for a short while. If you are in transit and stop for a meal somewhere along the way, I recommend covering your suitcases or using a manned car park.

Travel Insurance

After having our beach bungalow broken into in Colombia a couple of years ago, I have become much more diligent about buying travel insurance. Better safe than sorry. Make sure to take down serial numbers of all the electronics you’re bringing to Costa Rica (tablet, camera, phone, etc) – most insurance companies require the serial numbers if you file a claim.

Adventure Travel Activities

Since Costa Rica is known as an adventure travel destination, make sure that the insurance package you purchase covers the activities you’re planning to do. After carefully reading the small print of the insurance company I usually use, WorldNomads, I noticed that ziplining, snorkeling, tubing and white water rafting were covered under their Standard package, but diving and abseiling were only covered in the more expensive Explorer package. Check beforehand if you need additional coverage for the activities you’re planning to do.

Safety tips for solo female travelers in Costa Rica

Trust your instincts

First and foremost, always follow your instincts. If something feels off, you are most likely right about it. The sad thing is that Stefanie, the girl that was murdered in Costa Rica last month, knew something wasn’t right and texted her friend that the place she was staying at felt sketchy – but it was too late. If you feel uncomfortable in a hostel or Airbnb, leave. That goes especially for remote bungalows and cabins.

Inform people of your whereabouts

I have to admit that I am particularly bad with this when I travel alone – I visited a remote village in the Amazon, a 2-hour boat ride away from the closest town, and without any internet or cell phone network, without telling anyone, and jumped on the back of a motorcycle with a stranger not once but twice in the Philippines – without telling anyone. I’ve gotten better with informing people where I am and what activities I’m doing, and I have also started using my cell phones location services – see below.

Use your smartphone’s location services

This is a great way for people to locate you should you go missing or get hurt during a hike, unable to move. Most people dislike these services and don’t want the  tech companies that use location services, but for safety reasons while traveling alone they can be useful, and my family is always relieved when they can spot me on the map somewhere. The New York Times published a useful article last year when and when not to use location services on your smartphone.

Know basic self defense moves

If you do travel alone, it doesn’t hurt knowing some basic self defense moves, and be it something basic like how to use your key as a weapon, in case of an attack. It is sad that we live in a world where we always have to be alert, and even though I find that most people are good, I can’t deny that there are bad people in the world and again – better safe than sorry. If you cannot afford a self-defense class, check out these videos on Youtube:  

• 5 Self-Defense Moves Every Woman Should Know
• Simple Self Defense Moves You Should Know

Airbnb vs Hotel / Hostel

Considering that the last girl murdered in Costa Rica was staying in an Airbnb – and in a seemingly safe one, in a gated apartment complex with a security guard (who turned out to be a sexual predator / her killer), I’m a bit cautious about recommending Airbnb’s to solo travelers right now, even though I myself stayed in one (an easily accessible beach bungalow without security guard, cameras, etc) and had no problems whatsoever. If you do prefer vacation rentals over hotels, just make sure to read the description and reviews carefully and only book a place that you feel 100% comfortable with. And if you get there and things don’t look as expected or / and you’re feeling uneasy – don’t be afraid to leave early. Remember that hotels and hostels do have the advantage of having a receptionist / staff around, which might give you more piece of mind than the solitude that comes with an Airbnb.

Do your research

A quick Google search is the first thing I always do when I travel somewhere – and even just putting ‘Costa Rica’ into the search box and clicking on the ‘NEWS’ tab will show you recent events in Costa Rica. Many things like crocodile attacks or earthquakes don’t make international news, and even the most recent murder, which made news in the U.S. because the girl was a U.S. citizen, wasn’t reported in Europe. If you google the specific place you’re planning to visit, you’ll get more detailed news about that town, and I also recommend reading forums like Tripadvisor’s for the latest travel news. When I traveled around Colombia, where I felt a little uneasy in the beginning, I also always talked to other solo travelers, asking them about their experiences and how safe they felt on buses, etc.

Be cautious when venturing off the beaten path

If you are like me, you want to get off the beaten path, but if you are a solo traveler, keep in mind that safety is a bigger issue than it is for solo male travelers. If you are planning to visit lesser popular places such as Tortuguero (where one female tourist was murdered in 2018) or the Osa Peninsula, try to find another traveler to team up with. If you feel confident traveling alone, remember to inform someone of your plans.

Don’t visit the beach alone at night

…and also not with someone you just met. The female traveler who was killed in Santa Teresa, a popular surf spot on the Pacific coast, was walking the beach with another female traveler when the women were attacked by two men (the other girl was able to escape).

In Puerto Viejo, the main tourist hot spot on the Caribbean coast, we were offered drugs on a daily basis, and some of the guys who tried to sell us drugs seemed rather sketchy. In December 2018, a male photographer was murdered at night on the beach in Puerto Viejo when he got up early to photograph the sunrise.

Is it safe to travel in Costa Rica?

So, would I say it is safe to travel in Costa Rica? I still think that Costa Rica is still the safest country in Central America, and I don’t think you should be put off by the recent murders, which are, as I mentioned before, still isolated cases. It is important, however, to be aware of the fact that crime and yes, even murder, do exist in Costa Rica, and to always be on guard.

I personally was more afraid of the natural hazards that I listed, but because I was aware of the recent tourist murders, I was much more aware of my surroundings when I went for solo runs on the beach (the Spanish girl murdered in August 2018 in Tortuguero was killed while out on a run) or when I stayed in a beach bungalow without a proper gate.

That said: Did I have an amazing vacation? Absolutely. Would I go back to Costa Rica? In a heartbeat!

Remember that nearly 3 million people travel to Costa Rica every year, and the number of tourists affected by crime or accidents is diminutive, considering how many travelers the country welcomes every year.

Tourism is a huge part of Costa Rica’s economy, so the government does as much as possible to keep the country and especially foreign visitors safe. There’s an entire section of the police dedicated to tourists, and after the recent tourist murders, police presence was increased in popular tourist destinations.

Further reading

Here are some great articles and websites I found while I was researching for this article:

• Stay Safe in Costa Rica | WikiTravel
• Travel Advisory | U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica
• Costa Rica 2018 Crime & Safety Report
• Tourist’s killing shakes Costa Rica’s reputation as a safe travel destination | CNN

If you’ve been to the big name tourist destinations south of the US border, it’s time to discover Belize. Hmmm… heard the name but aren’t sure where it is? Well, it’s in the northeast corner of Central America, tucked right under Mexico and east of Guatemala, with 240 miles of gorgeous coastline on the Caribbean. It’s been nearly 40 years since the former British Honduras gained its independence, but  – bonus! — English is still the official language.

As part of the Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot, Belize has jungles, wildlife reserves, and vast forests of old-growth hardwoods. With the lowest population density in Central America and most of its land undeveloped, it’s wild enough to be fascinating and tame enough to be welcoming.

Whether you’re down for a tropical escape from winter weather or up for some serious adventuring, you’ll find it in Belize.

1.The Laid-Back Caribbean Vibe

Tropical breezes, lilting accents, and music ranging from the African-inspired sounds of Punta to the calypso beat of the Belizean Kriol’s Brukdown and the transporting ancient melodies of Maya music played on marimbas. What more could you want from a Caribbean vacation that takes you away from the day to day grind?

You can start your trip with an easy packing job, too, because the weather is always warm, yet comfortable, at a yearly average of 84◦ F, and while the tropics are notably humid, February through May is Belize’s dry season, with only occasional, short and mild bursts of rain.

2.The Culture

The Mayas about 3500 years ago were the first people to establish settlements in Belize. Christopher Columbus and his crew in 1502 were the first Europeans to arrive on its shores, but the Spanish conquistadors bypassed it, and it wasn’t until more than one hundred years later that the British founded a settlement there and later made it a crown colony.

In today’s Belize, traditions and customs are rich and varied, representing the cultures of the original Maya, as well as Mestizo, Kriol, Garifuna descendants of the African immigrants, and more recent East Indian, Mennonite, Arab, and Chinese arrivals who have added to the friendly and diverse mix.

While it’s the only English-speaking country in Central America, you’ll also hear Kriol, Spanish, and a number of unique Maya and regional dialects.

Belizean food reflects its cultural diversity as well. Rice and beans cooked in coconut milk is pretty much the national dish, served with beef, chicken, pork, fish, lobster, or shrimp. You’ll also find delicious ceviche, tamales, slow-roasted pork known as Cochinita Pibil, Johnny cakes, and the savory soup called Escabeche. Ice creams made from native fruit will make you forget your diet entirely.

3.The Beaches

It’s no surprise that there are many wonderful beaches along Belize’s long coast. Among the most fun is Placencia, Belize, with a lively nightlife, beachfront reggae bars serving potent cashew wine and ice cold indigenous Belikin beer, plus shops offering a wide variety of native crafts and works of art. Beach cruisers and golf carts are the way to get around, and you can spend your days relaxing on the sand or playing beach volleyball, kite surfing, paddle boarding, snorkeling, diving, or heading out for deep sea fishing. You can also take a kayak through the lagoon where crocodiles, amazing birds, and exotic animals live among the dense thickets of mangrove trees.

4.The Coral Reef

The Belize Barrier Reef spans 185 miles of the country’s coastline and is the largest and most intact reef system in the Northern Hemisphere. It comprises seven marine reserves, over 400 cayes or islands, and three atolls, with crystalline blue waters and over five hundred species of fish swimming within its over one hundred varieties of coral. It has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its significant habitats and natural development, and is a paradise for snorkeling and scuba diving.

5.The Rainforest

To head off the beaten path and see the rainforest up close is an experience not to be missed, particularly in that ecosystem’s current endangered state around the world. The southernmost half of Belize is covered by dense jungle, much of it unexplored and under government protection to preserve the habitats of the jaguars, pumas, ocelots, tapirs, howler monkeys, and other creatures who make it their home.

Over 500 species of birds soar through the vines and you can catch sight of Belize’s national bird, the fruit-loop keel-billed toucan, as well as neon-green-painted parrots, rare agami herons, macaws, snowy egrets, and jabiru storks, the largest flying bird in the Americas. You’ll also be delighted by the rainforest’s 4,000 species of tropical flowers, including 250 varieties of exquisite orchids.

Every traveler has different reasons to visit Central America – for some, it’s the outstanding wildlife in places like Guatemala and Costa Rica, for others it’s the stunning beaches, and some simply enjoy to soak up small town life in the many Spanish-colonial towns throughout Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Panama. One reason I was drawn to the region was the rich Mayan history and culture. As a history buff, I was always fascinated by the Mayan calendar, their hieroglyphs, and their pyramid-temples. Visiting some of their biggest cities in Mesoamerica was and still is a highlight of all of my travels.If you, like me, are fascinated by the Mayan culture, here are three Mayan sites that you can’t miss on a trip to Central America:

Tikal, Guatemala

Tikal with its spectacular jungle setting and its palaces, ceremonial platforms, ball courts, temples and vast plazas is easily the most striking Mayan site. The two highest steep-sided temples, each rising over 144 feet (44 meters) into the sky – higher than the surrounding jungle trees! – are a sight that you won’t forget anytime soon.
The ruin site comprises of 400 hectares, making it one of the largest Mayan sites in Mesoamerica, and many of its monuments have well preserved decorated surfaces, such as stone carvings, hieroglyphic inscriptions and mural paintings. These paintings depict the dynastic history of Tikal but also its relationships with other Mayan cities, such as Copan in Honduras or Calakmul in Mexico.

Chichen Itza, Mexico

It is hard to pick a single Mayan site in Mexico – the Mayan Riviera is called that for a reason, and there are plenty of Mayan ruins to visit: Coba, Tulum, or Chichen Itza are just a few examples of the well-preserved Mayan empire in Mexico, but Chichen Itza is the one that held the most magnificence for the Mayans.The city holds history of nearly 1,000 years, and has some of the most significant structures in Mayan history. The Warriors’ Temple, the circular observatory known as El Caracol, the step pyramid El Castillo which forms the centerpiece of the Mayan site. The columned arcades of Chichen Itza, the pyramids and temples, the ball court (which is the largest one known in Mesoamerica) all make the sacred city a Seventh Wonder Of The World, but it is also the fact that the 365-day calendar is prevalent here in the stone steps of El Castillo, and how twice a year, on the spring and the fall equinoxes, a shadow in the shape of a serpent falls on the pyramid, making this an astonishing spectacle to see this ‘snake’ descend the steps as the sun sets.

Copan, Honduras

Copan used to be the political, civil and religious center of the Copan Valley, and the population here dates back to 1500 BC. The complex consists of the Acropolis and several plazas, like the Ceremonial Plaza with its remarkable stadium, the Hieroglyphic Stairway Plaza with more than 1,800 hieroglyphs (which is considered one of the most outstanding structures in the Mayan culture, and the longest Mayan inscription), ball courts and temples.
The city was reigned by a dynasty of 16 rulers who made Copan one of the most important Mayan cities during the Classic Maya Period. Despite being such an important Mayan site, it sees much less visitors than the Mayan ruins in Mexico, which makes it even more special – in some parts you’ll have the site entirely to yourself!

How to visit Central America’s Mayan sites

Since Central America is pretty compact, it is easy to visit the sites independently, and use public transportation to get from one country to the next.

If you are planning your trip from the UK, check out Thomson’s Central American cruises, which do not only offer great value for money, but also a few days to take in Central America’s gorgeous beaches and getting from place to place in the most comfortable way. Thomson even has a cruise dedicated to Mayan sites, the Mayan Treasures cruise.If you’re traveling independently, you’ll need to plan in some more time to see the Mayan sites, but with some clever planning, you can fit in Chichen Itza, Tulum, Coba (Mexico), Caracol (Belize), Tikal (Guatemala) and Copan (Honduras) into a 2-week trip.

Costa Rica is the one country in Central America that simply has it all: tropical beaches, extraordinary wildlife, a diversity of landscapes ranging from rain forests and cloud forests to active volcanoes and rolling hills, and more adventure activities than any other country in the region.

I often get the question which places people shouldn’t skip on a visit to Costa Rica, but recently I was asked what my top choices for thrill-seeking activities were and I noticed that I’ve never shared my picks for the best adventures in Costa Rica – so without further ado, here are the five adventures you shouldn’t miss in Costa Rica:

White-water rafting on the Pacuare and Reventazon Rivers

Most people don’t know this, but Costa Rica is a fantastic place for white water rafting, with class III and IV rapids, causing Frommer’s to name Costa Rica one of the ‘Top Ten Whitewater River Destinations in the world’. The World Rafting Championship even took place here! The Pacuare, Sarapiqui and Reventazon River are the biggest white water rafting destination, but with countless other rivers in the country, there are many possibilities for rafting in places like Arenal, Jaco and San Jose. And not only the rapids are spectacular, but also the beautiful tropical scenery you pass on the river: Depending on which river you’re rafting on, you’ll see mountains, wildlife, rainforests, pineapple and yucca fields – and no matter where you’ll raft, it will be an unforgettable experience with splashing waves, wild rapids and a great thrill. A trip on the longest river in the country, the Pacuare, can take up to two days, but shorter 10 mile trips are also possible, for example on the Sarapiqui River near Arenal.

Hiking an active volcano

Costa Rica is known for its large number of volcanoes: the tiny country is home to 61 dormant and extinct volcanoes and six active ones. The most active one over the past fifty years was Arenal, but it has been resting since 2010. Most of Costa Rica’s volcanoes are caldera volcanoes, which means the craters are filled with bright green or turquoise waters rising steam, which makes for a breathtaking sight and makes volcano climbing so popular here. The best ones to climb are:

• Irazú with its majestic 11,000 feet (3,800 meter) summit, from where you can see both the Pacific and the Caribbean on clear days, and its emerald-green crater lake. The lake can transform color, and sometimes it appears crimson-red!

• Poás, which has been pretty active in recent years, even causing the national park in the Central Highlands to close temporarily, and which has a fantastic lookout point above the crater with its bubbling sulfuric pool, which is 1 miles wide and 1,000 feet (300 meters) deep, making it one of the largest volcano craters in the world. At 8,885 feet (2,708 meters), Poás is one of the country’s largest volcanoes.

Ziplining in Monteverde’s cloud forest

You can zipline in several places around the country, but my personal favorite ziplining spot is Monteverde with its lush green cloud forests. Nestled high in the mountains, Monteverde’s climate is a bit cooler than the rest of the country, but also causes a much more diverse flora and fauna and animal life, especially bird life. There are several ziplining companies here, but the Selvatura Adventure Park offers the most comprehensive canopy tour, including tree-top walkways, hanging bridges, a breathtaking one-kilometer long zipline and a heart-stopping Tarzan Swing. The park’s walkways and platforms are built right into the cloud forest, and you can zip through the cloud forest on 15 cables, enjoying the nature around you from a variety of different angles and vantage points.

Surfing in Nosara

The tiny surf town of Nosara on Costa Rica’s Atlantic coast is, despite its small size, one of the most popular surf spots in the entire world. The surf break here are outstanding, and Playa Guiones, the town’s main surf beach with its 4 miles stretch of sand, is filled with surfers year-round. The long breaks here make it a great spot for both experienced surfers and beginners. The more daring surfers enjoy the more remote Playa Nosara, a black sand beach just north of town, with giant barrels created by shallow reef breaks. For newbie surfers, there are a number of surf schools in town, and the small number of tourists here create a much bigger relaxed community feel than some of the bigger surf towns in the country. The beaches are beautiful, and it’s one of the places in Costa Rica where the beach meets the jungle, meaning that you’ll see monkeys jumping through the trees on a regular basis but might also see sloths and other mammals.

An ATV tour in Guanacaste

ATVing is highly popular in Costa Rica, with many locals cruising around on these little four-wheelers, and they are simply the best way to explore beaches, mountains, rain forests and other off-road terrain. The best place to experience Costa Rica’s tropical landscapes on an ATV is Guanacaste, where you find several ATV tours, for example in Jaco. They usually include ocean view points over the Pacific, colorful little villages, rain forests with a myriad of wildlife, waterfalls and watermelon plantations, all while whizzing around on the ATV, combining the thrill of the off-roading with a scenic tour of the country.

Have you been to Costa Rica? What’s your favorite thrill-seeking experience?

 

Internationally renowned for its commitment to eco-tourism, Costa Rica is a true Central American paradise and one of our favorite travel destinations. With the exception of hardcore urbanites, Costa Rica has something to satisfy just about every kind of traveler. Over the years we have covered several such Tico hotspots, but as we get asked so often about this, we thought this destination guide of some top adventure picks could help focus outdoor and adventure tourists on the right Costa Rican vacation.

Arenal Volcano

It’s not difficult to see why this volcano is one of Costa Rica’s most-visited attractions. Towering above the lush forests near the little town La Fortuna, Arenal is a perfect example of nature at its most majestic. When the volcano does erupt, the bright orange rivers of lava spurting out the top and streaking down all sides is an unparalleled experience. There is plenty of hiking and trekking to be done in the area, plus waterfalls and incredibly relaxing hot springs to visit. After some long hikes, we soaked our tight muscles for a day at the best in town, the Tabacon Hot Springs resort, and left entirely relaxed.

Cartago

This town just outside of the capital, San Jose, is nestled near the base of the sky-high Irazu Volcano, Visitors can marvel at the teal blue water in the crater, but also from the top you can see both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans on a clear day. Cartago itself is most famous for its stunning Basilica de Nuestra Semora de Los Angeles, a massive, ornate church which thousands of pilgrims flock to each year. The church is home to ‘La Negrita’, a black Madonna steeped in folklore and legend.

Tortuga Island

Looking for a something a touch more relaxed? Kick back in the tropical paradise of Tortuga Island. Perched in the Gulf of Nicoya, this archipelago boasts powdery beaches and glittering azure waters. Tortuga Island is also an ideal spot for snorkeling and kayaking. You can easily combine a trip out to Tortuga Island with a Nicoya vacation with stops in Montezuma, Santa Teresa and up to our personal favorite beach, Samara Beach.

Manuel Antonio National Park

Combining beach and forest into one breathtaking destination, Manuel Antonio National Park is among Costa Rica’s most beautiful natural wonders. Although this is easily one of the most heavily touristed of Costa Rica’s destinations, there is just something about Manuel Antonio that makes us truly love it here. You can hike through the park’s trails and get up close and personal with monkeys, sloths and iguanas (and some very grabby raccoons!), or simply unwind near the coral-fringed bay, which, despite reminding us of a busy beach on Spain’s Costa del Sol, was still one of the most relaxing spots to hang out for the day.

Tortuguero National Park

If you prefer jungle to beach, head out to the exotic wonderland of Tortuguero National Park in the Limon province. The biological diversity here is, even by Costa Rican standards, incredible. There are eleven different habitats – beaches, swamps, lagoons, mangroves, etc, with specific wildlife living in each one. Bring a rain jacket (and galoshes, and lots of dry socks). This region gets hit with over 250 inch (640cm) of rain each year! The lush forests, winding rivers, spectacular waterfalls make it so worth it, and you might even see a few green sea turtles wandering the black-sand shores.

Sarapiqui Canopy

An easy day trip from San Jose, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui’s tropical rainforest is loaded with ways for a quick wildlife and adventure fix. You can explore the area on a two-hour riverboat trip and watch toucans, monkeys and crocodiles in their natural habitats, and/or catch a few thrills with a specially designed treetop-jumping experience.

Costa Rica is an easy, safe destination to travel through, whether you prefer independent buses or arranging local flights and car hires through companies like American Express Travel. While we always prefer to hit the road and take our chances, American Express travelers are privy to many members-only rewards and perks that make it even easier, and possibly cheaper to explore Costa Rica.

We reflected on 1000 days of travel yesterday, and today we’re looking back at the best and the worst moments of the last 100 days in Costa Rica, Argentina and Chile (including food!) and we give travel recommendations for Buenos Aires and Santiago for your next visit to these South American capitals.

Top travel moments

Spending our 1,000th day at a rooftop pool party in Santiago

We had plenty of moments in the last 100 days we could add, but there was something so perfect about watching the sunset on the top of GEN hotel, where everyone from the Dakar rally are now staying. We met locals and fellow foreigners, drank champagne and had an exquisite evening.

Assimilating to life in Buenos Aires

It was hard to choose just one moment, but as you can see from our post 33 Things We Love about Buenos Aires we jumped right into life in the city. We made a lot of friends, toured the sights, explored neighborhoods, ate at loads of different restaurants and soaked up as much of the unique culture as possible.

Favorite places

Buenos Aires, Argentina

It’s been a long time since we felt so strongly about a place, so it should come as no surprise that, even if we visited 20 cities in the last 100 days, Buenos Aires would still sit comfortably right on top.

Arenal, Costa Rica

In between our housesit in Costa Rica and our flight to Buenos Aires, we fit in a nice holiday in the La Fortuna area of Costa Rica, also known as Arenal after the looming volcano seen from just about everywhere in town. With the exception of an extended stay on the Osa Peninsula, we thought we knew Costa Rica backwards and forwards, but it turns out we absolutely loved the entire area here, with its massive waterfalls, great hiking in the national park, laid-back mountain vibe, and of course, our splurge at the Tabacon hot springs.

Most disappointing place(s)

Nosara, Costa Rica

Ah, well, you can’t love everywhere, and Nosara Beach just doesn’t quite do it for us. This is a surfer’s paradise, with consistent left-breaking waves, but for relaxation the beaches here leave much to be desired. It was also low season while we were here, so many of the restaurants were closed, but this is also one of those spots where the presence of gringo expats (we lived in what is honestly called the ‘American Sector’) has driven up prices so that value for money is hard to come by here. That said, we still had an amazing time here, enjoyed some of the most beautiful sunsets we have ever seen, long walks on the beach with our dog, and last but not least our own infinity pool.

Worst travel moments

The Toxic Cloud

That’s right. Completely unbeknownst to us, a fire in the port of Buenos Aires released toxic pesticides into the air for over two hours one morning and because we did not watch the news, I sat with the window open, working away in the living room, curious about the putrid smell but focused on editing the final draft of Break Free. The result – some pretty hefty skin irritation that looked and itched like chicken pox and lasted for three weeks.

Top travel mishaps

No travel mishaps in the last 100 days! Let’s see if we can make it through another 100 days without any mishaps.

Top food moments

Pizza in Buenos Aires

The pizzas in Buenos Aires are not only our top food moment of the last 100 days, but one of the last 1000 days!

Travel recommendations

Take a free walking tour

If you are subscribed to our newsletter, you already know that we have become big fans of free walking tours recently. Although the tours are free, the guides work for tips, which makes them eager to impress you with expansive knowledge and enthusiastic conversation. We usually avoid big tour groups, but in Buenos Aires we decided to explore our neighborhood with BA Free Tours, and even though we had seen many of the places already, it was well worth it to learn such in-depth details of Argentinian culture and the story behind places in the ‘hood. We even went on a second tour of the main sights through BA Free Tours as well.

Here in Santiago, we opted for a tour of two neighborhoods that are further away from the tourist trail, Barrio Yungay and Barrio Brazil, and we got to know places we would have never found on our own, including the incredible Peluqueria Francesa, an old-fashioned barber shop with a French restaurant next door.

We were excited to discover that there are great free tours now worldwide: For Europe and beyond, check out Sandeman’s in London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Amsterdam, Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Prague, Paris, Madrid, Jerusalem, Copenhagen and soon Brussels and Tel Aviv. Free Tours by Foot offers free walking tours in New York, Boston, New Orleans, Charleston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., but there are other independent companies in most cities. 

If you enjoyed this, check out our previous Tops and Flops:

Our Tops and Flops of 900 days of travel: Mexico and Costa Rica
Our Tops and Flops of 800 days of travel: Cambodia, Singapore, India, USA and Mexico
Our Tops and Flops of 700 days of travel: Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia
Our Tops and Flops of 600 days of travel: United States, Thailand, Laos
Our Tops and Flops of 500 days of travel: Portugal, Canada, USA
Our Tops and Flops of 400 days of travel: Panama, Germany, Italy, Spain
Our Tops and Flops of 300 days of travel: Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica
Our Tops and Flops of 200 days of travel: Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and El Salvador
Our Tops and Flops of 100 days of travel: Las Vegas, California, Arizona, Mexico

This year will go down in history as the year of the beach for the two of us!

All those days in the office before we started traveling long-term, our thoughts would drift to what it would be like to live on the beach and wake up to the crashing of waves on the shore, the sound of seagulls and being barefoot through the sand. Well in 2012 we certainly got our wish in a year that saw us living over five months on the beach. We spend longer stints in Mexico and Costa Rica, and took trips to the sandy shores of Singapore, Malaysia, India and our number one spot that often gets overlooked by its famous neighbor Thailand.

Read on for our five favorite beach experiences of 2012:

5. Varkala, India

While we didn’t see what all the hype was about on the beaches of Goa and Kerala, we did fall for the cliffs of Varkala, about an hour north of Trivandrum in the far south of India. What the laid-back village lacks in culture is easily made up for by walking the paths along the gorgeous cliffs, looking out over the wide beaches below. There are plenty of hotels and restaurants for every traveler’s budget, and the sunsets here were breathtaking.

4. Samara, Costa Rica

Long-time readers will know that Samara has been a favorite beach of ours since we first ended up there on whim back in 2011. This October we were lucky enough to return for a few days and were excited to find that this Costa Rican beach hasn’t lost any of its charm. Although the waves of  Samara are perfect for newbie surfers, the long stretch of sandy beach feels empty even in the high season, with restaurants and hotels well hidden behind the palm trees that line the shore. In a country so popular with international tourists, Samara is one of the few secret spots that combines a great selection of accommodation and relatively few tourists.

3. Langkawi, Malaysia

We had never even heard of Langkawi, an island off the Malaysian coast in the Andaman Sea, but somehow we found ourselves promising a Canadian expat we would go there when she so passionately insisted we visit the favorite part of her adopted country. We ended up spending a week there, and Cenang Beach was by far our favorite beach on the island. Powdery, soft white sand, clear and shallow water, palm trees and incredible sunsets. This is really the perfect vacation island for travelers from near and far.

2. Mahahual, Mexico

Odds are, you have never heard of Mahahual, unless maybe you have taken a short Caribbean cruise. A popular cruise port once or twice a week in high season, Mahahual is otherwise a small, relaxed fishing town on the Yucatan peninsula with incredibly warm, turquoise water. This was the closest place from the remote beach house we housesat this past summer, and we found every excuse to make the trip. Making sure not to be there on ‘cruise ship day’ we would lay in the rows of empty sun chairs lined up along the beach, working on our tans and sipping cool Mexican beer. Heaven on Earth!

1. Otres Beach and Koh Rong, Cambodia

Cambodia takes the crown for our favorite beach in 2012! There are actually TWO beaches here that tie for first: Otres Beach, on the mainland, and Long Beach on the little known island of Koh Rong. Just a quick tuk-tuk ride from the popular beach town of Sihanoukville, a trip to Otres Beach means avoiding the touts selling tourist trinkets, and focusing on what is important: relaxing in your sun chair with a cool coconut, staring out at sea. The few restaurants and bars here are of better quality than in town and somehow it feels like the sunsets are, too!

For those of you who are serious about your deserted beaches, Koh Rong’s Long Beach was an amazing experience. The small island two hours off the coast of Sihanoukville only has a handful of guest houses and not much to offer in the way of diversion, but with the seven mile stretch of crystal clear water on the other side of the island, we could have cared less. We were particularly unimpressed with the side of the island where the port is and even considered leaving a day early, until we were told about a path that leads over to the other side of the island. It is an hour-long hike across an entirely untamed islands, which included much tripping, a bit of falling, profuse sweating, more swearing and a 75m descent straight down by clinging to a rope that mysteriously appears the minute you need it to finish the way down. Walking out into the clearest water we have ever seen, however, made the hike entirely worth it. Of course, we found out later you can rent a boat, round-trip, for $25 to take you and ten of your closest friends from the port on a 15-minute ride around to the otherwise deserted Long Beach. But we preferred working hard to reach our absolute favorite beach of 2012!

Now we want to know from you – what is the best beach you visited in 2012? Better yet where is your favorite beach in the world?

Through the security gate and up the winding driveway, past prehistoric looking flowers and exotic grasses, we knew we were too early. 11am is not exactly a polite time to check in to a hotel – just after breakfast, guests checking out, rooms being cleaned. Before we were dazzled by the gorgeous gardens, we only wanted to drop off our bags and head back down to hike the base of the volcano in the Arenal National Park. Entering the lobby, we were dazzled immediately by the staff as well.

Greeted with refreshing cold towels to freshen up before filling out the check-in forms, a waiter then appeared with a small blended fruit drink for both of us. After waiting ten minutes sunk into one of several comfortable couches in the lobby, our bags were loaded onto a golf cart, and we were whisked away across the spacious property, following narrow little paths winding around lush, tropical plants and colorful cottages.

Mountain Paradise Lodge is exactly as the name suggests. Thirty or so cottages are spread out throughout this Costa Rican Eden, and our massive  room makes up half of one such cottage set fairly far back on the property. Our back patio has a Jacuzzi and two rocking chairs to watch nature pass by. Just on the fringe of the national park, the hotel property is alive with songs and sights of hundreds of incredible birds – from the flittering hummingbirds chasing each other around the bushes to giant turkey-like black birds with bright yellow beaks that casually crossed over our back yard. Called Great Currassows, these birds brought guests out of several nearby cottages, as none of us even knew creatures like this existed until that moment.

Back inside the room, we were almost tempted to stay in and blow off our hike…we could have made ourselves coffee in the little machine on the table, sprawl out on either the king or the queen beds in the room and watch a little something on the flat screen TV above the patio door…or we could have just hung out under the waterfall in the bathroom.

Yes, our giant bathroom, really more of a wet room, has a waterfall shower, complete with rocks and flowers around the sides. Next to it is also a stand-up Jacuzzi shower with several jets and nozzles to massage the entire body as you shower. There is a small toilet room, a sink, white fuzzy towels and all different levels of lighting to choose from in the bathroom, which is larger than several hotel rooms we have stayed in on our travels.

As luxurious as our room feels, however, we are also tempted to spend the day down in the pool area. Mountain Paradise Lodge has a large, heated pool with a swim-up bar where guests of all ages mingle day and night. There is also a small whirlpool set behind a waterfall for guests looking for a bit more privacy in the pool, plus either sun chairs or hammocks to relax in a covered area behind the pool.

We actually made it past the pool and back into the car for a long hike at the volcano and a trip to the giant La Fortuna waterfall that day, and came home that first night so tired we could only sleep like babies in that comfortable king bed.

Both mornings we ate at the generous breakfast buffet, which is included in the room rate. There is an omelet station for made-to-order eggs, classic Costa Rica dishes like Gallo Pinto, plus fresh tropical fruits, yogurts, cold cuts and cheese for sandwiches, toast and jam, plus small brownies and cupcakes, fresh juices and bottomless coffee. The large restaurant, just off the pool area and across from the lobby building, is also open for lunch and dinner, but we found it a little overpriced, even considering the perfect vistas of Volcano Arenal from almost any table.

Every member of staff we met was friendly and helpful and the waiters were always up for a chat with the guests over breakfast.

Stand-out feature: The beautiful grounds

Mountain Paradise Hotel is truly appropriately named. Sure, we loved having our own private waterfall, and our own Jacuzzi, and the heated swimming pool area…but just walking down to breakfast along the paths past exotic plants spotting blue morpho butterflies bigger than the hundreds of hummingbirds in the trees is better than most jungle hikes we’ve been on – in Costa Rica or otherwise.

Room for improvement: The Wi-Fi

It is easy to assume that almost all guests are here on vacation, so the fact that the wi-fi in the cottages is patchy is not a major issue. Not everyone is a digital nomad like we are. However, in the mornings and evenings  as we sat working on a couch in the sitting area in the back of the restaurant, there were several guests also seated near the Wi-Fi router, checking emails on their smart phones and a few on their laptops, too.  A full strong signal in each of the rooms is the only detail missing in this mountain paradise.

Overall

On our last day in the area, we took a little drive to find the best view of the volcano to take some photos. When we returned, we realized that the greatest views of Arenal were right there at the hotel.

There are a number of hotels along the road between the volcano and La Fortuna, and some appear very grand while others seem comfortable, cute and quaint. They are probably all great places to stay, but from the minute we checked in to our hotel, we could have cared less about the others.

We honestly feel like Mountain Paradise is the perfect hotel in the La Fortuna/Arenal area. We appreciate the amount of luxury included in the affordable room rate, which makes this paradise more accessible than other more ’exclusive’ resorts nearby.

Location: Del centro de la Fortuna, 7KM camino al volcan Arenal, Fortuna, Alajuela Costa Rica
Price: Starting at $150 for a double room including breakfast in high season / $110 in low season
LGBT Friendly: Yes
Digital Nomad Friendly:  Passable wi-fi in reception, patchy in the rooms.
Amenities: Heated swimming pool with swim-up bar, complimentary breakfast buffet, restaurant, Jacuzzi or private pool in the room, waterfall shower, free wi-fi, free shuttle service to La Fortuna, tour and transportation booking service, free parking
Website: http://hotelmountainparadise.com/

During our visit in 2011, we focused on Costa Rica’s beaches, visiting Montezuma, Playa del Coco, Samara, Santa Teresa, Manuel Antonio, Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, Punta Uva, and Manzanillo. Our trip to the Monteverde Cloud Forest was our one trip into the mountains, and yet, not 100kms from Monteverde was La Fortuna and its famous Arenal Volcano. Luckily this time Dani pushed for us to visit the area. What we discovered is that Arenal is a perfect Costa Rican escape.

What you can’t miss: Arenal volcano

Arriving under the cover of night, we had no idea of the massive volcano looming over the town. While sussing out tour options at a local travel agency, a dreaded, bearded Argentine flirting with the tour guide told us that it would be impossible for us to miss Arenal in the morning, and he was not just boasting in front of his girl. He was right. The volcano is the focal point of the area, from the town of La Fortuna across to the national park, and it is the inspiration for the name of nearly every hotel and restaurant in the area.

There are complaints that the town of La Fortuna is ‘too touristy’ but it almost has to be. In 1968, after lying dormant for hundreds of years, Arenal unexpectedly exploded and decimated the small town of Tabacón. For years after that first eruption there were several explosions – some major, some minor – that left the volcano glowing red with lava. Although recent years have seen no activity or signs of it, the warning signs around town about the possibility of life-threatening volcanic activity should be taken fairly seriously.

When the girl in the tour agency heard we had a car, she encouraged us to visit the sights in town independently instead of signing up for a tour. Thankful for her tip, we combined a morning hike in the national park at the base of the volcano 15kms outside of town with an afternoon trip to the incredible La Fortuna waterfall. Colorful toucans and other wild birds soared overhead as we descended over 400 steps into a ravine to the base of the massive waterfall. The pounding water was intense, but the resulting river was lazy, cool and perfect for swimming on a hot day. As we were there later in the day it was too chilly, though by the time we clambered back up those 400 steps we would have appreciated a quick swim. The imposing, mystical volcano, the powerful, pounding waterfall and hundreds of shades of green trees flooded us with an overwhelming sense of the natural splendor Costa Rica has to offer more than anywhere we had visited in the country before.

What you must not miss: Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort

After a day of hiking and climbing we couldn’t wait to spend the next day relaxing submerged in the steaming hot pools. Because of the geothermal activity of this volcanic region, La Fortuna is rife with options for hot springs, but the absolute best place to experience this is the Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort. Also a five star hotel, Tabacón is consistently listed as one of the best spa properties in the world, and often listed as one of the top ten hot springs in the world. Readers of Travel + Leisure voted is the #4 Hotel Spa in Latin America 2011.

There is no question as to why this is. Tapping into streaming water from the Tabacón river, there are five natural mineral pools ranging from 25-38 degrees Celcius (71-100 F), with a river rushing through the center of the property. Each of the pools and their steamy offshoots along winding pathways are set in lush gardens so that many areas feel semi-private, others downright hidden. The Shangri-La adults only area is incredibly relaxing, with chairs and plush beds spread throughout and meditational music playing just loud enough to hear over the rapids. We dipped in pool after pool and then massaged our shoulders under gorgeous waterfalls looking out at the Costa Rican rainforest, with Blue Morpho butterflies and what look like dinosaurs but are most likely only lizards sunbathe nearby.

In addition to the restaurant, pool area and three bars (one of which is a swim-up bar) is the Grand Spa, the true showcase piece of the Tabacón resort. Clients here have an even higher level of seclusion and connection to nature with open-air treatment rooms set among gardens. Treatments include volcanic mud wraps, coconut skin exfoliation, meditation trails, even a traditional temezcal area where guests can experience an ancient Indian steam treatment process.

No matter how you spend your Spa day, when you get here you will want to stay for a long, long time, so make sure to go ahead and pay the full $95 per person, which gets you unlimited time in the hot springs plus a set lunch and buffet dinner (its $85 for lunch or dinner only, or $65 just for the Hot Springs). Guests of the hotel receive one complimentary Spa treatment, otherwise all Grand Spa activities are charged separately.

Tips for traveling to the La Fortuna / Arenal Volcano area

Rent a car

We rented a car and drove over from Samara Beach, meaning we spent the afternoon meandering the road around Lake Arenal, a magical sight that reminded us of the lochs of Scotland more than the primary rainforest that lay just ahead of us.

Once in the La Fortuna area, the town is fairly compact, but sites, restaurants and hotels are spread out along the road, which couldn’t be easier to navigate. Renting the car made the trip to Arenal as easy, comfortable and relaxing as possible. Luckily, we were able to drop off the car near the airport without any additional drop-off fees as well.

Create exactly the trip that you want

Because tourism in this region is well established, visitors here can choose from a full five-star holiday to bare bones basic backpacker hostels and everything in between. For us this meant we were able to travel exactly the way we prefer – choosing to visit sites independently and eating in the many local ‘sodas’, or Costa Rican restaurants, while staying in the excellent four-star Mountain Paradise Lodge and splurging on the spa day at Tabacón. For those looking for a full tour package or budget travelers looking for hostels and other budget travel ideas, this part of Costa Rica offers options for every budget.

After eight weeks, it was finally time to say goodbye to Costa Rica yesterday. We spent our last few days in La Fortuna, one of the very few places in Costa Rica that both of us had not been to yet. We could not have chosen a better location to spend our last days in Central America – La Fortuna exceeded every expectation. We hiked to one of the country’s most famous waterfalls, also named La Fortuna, spent a day at the 5* Tabacon Hot Springs whose thermal pools are heated by the nearby volcano Arenal and took a road trip along the stunning Lake Arenal.

We hiked in the Volcano Arenal National Park, saw animals we couldn’t name and were amazed by the diversity of flowers in this region of Costa Rica. And we were not the only ones who were attracted by the flowers. Hundreds of hummingbirds buzzed everywhere around us, even right outside our cottage at the gorgeous Mountain Paradise Hotel. This hotel blew us away (stay tuned for a Hotel Tip about our time there). We had clear views of the volcano from everywhere on the property, and it turned out that our very own front porch was the perfect place to watch the hummingbirds and tons of other wildlife. There could not have been a better ending to our time in Costa Rica!