Costa rica

We’ve spotted ‘exotic’ wildlife throughout Central America, but nothing like what we saw once we got to Costa Rica – check out our Wild Costa Rica photos!

Montezuma is easily one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful beaches, but my love affair effectively ended after spending three days there in February 2011. The Damn the Man attitude has been cast aside by the hippies who grew up, got jobs, and put Montezuma on the tourist map.

Costa Rica is the gem in Central America’s tourism crown: lush, green jungles, wild animals, breathtaking beaches and a well-developed infrastructure make a trip to Costa Rica as easy as it can be adventurous, suitable for many different types of visitors. The level of development, however, has also raised prices on goods and services, hotel rates and transportation to a level that most budget travelers (falsely) believe to be out of their range.

Being on the road every day of the year means we stay at countless hotels along the way. For all the run-of-the-mill spots, there are the absolute gems which tick all the boxes. This week’s Hotel Tip: Casa Valeria in Samara Beach, Costa Rica.

This weekly series focuses on budget hotel gems we discover while on the road. This week: Art Hostel Costa Linda in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.

Costa Rica has over 26 national parks. Two of them combine lush, green jungle, wild animals and sandy beaches: Manuel Antonio on the Pacific coast and and Cahuita on the Caribbean. Most travelers don’t have time to hop from coast to coast, so read on for a closer look at both to find which might be the right fit for you.

This weekly series focuses on budget hotel gems we discover while on the road. This week: Cabinas Atlantic Surf in Cahuita, Costa Rica.

Even though we are ‘meh’ about San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital, we found some amazing street art while we were walking around the city – have a look.

These thirty three things are just a start – there were so many positive aspects of our time in Costa Rica, we could easily list thirty three more! Feel free to share your favs here, too!

Seeing a turtle arribada, the mass nesting phenomenon of the olive ridley sea turtles, in Ostional, a small beach in Costa Rica, was an unforgettable experience!