Costa Rica

So I realized that this was my senior year of college and I never went anywhere for Spring Break. This had to change. However, I was not interested in the steriotypical Cabo or Fort Lauderdale Spring Break most college kids flock to. Instead I chose to go backpack Costa Rica for 2 weeks with a friend of mine, trying to cover as much ground as possible.

Costa Rica is a country full of natural wonders that will amaze anyone. The rugged landscape is home to same many animals including monkies, iguanas, frogs and sloths which are all normally seen throughout the country. The terrain itself is as incredible as the animals that inhabit the lands, from the dry deserts to the north to the vast lush rainforests to the south.

To start the trip off, we headed to Fortuna, a small friendly town that lies at the base of Arenal, the most active volcano in Costa Rica (Costa Rica has over 200 volcanoes, 50 of them are active). Here you can go on canopy ziplines, rainforest treks, rafting and rappeling down waterfalls. If you like outdoor adventure this is definately a place that should be on your list.

Next we went on a jeep-boat-jeep trip that took 5 hours and landed us in Monteverde, a eco-preserve that is home to the Cloud Rainforest, lying high in the mountains of Costa Rica. This is a small little mountain town which was beautiful however, the beach was calling to us. So now we were on to Dominical, 6 hours south of where we were.

Dominical is a surfers haven, a small town of about 300, and has the rocky beaches that are encountered as soon as you trek out from the trees. Meet the locals as well as many of the Costa Rican National Surfing Team at Tortilla Flats, the only bar/restaurant/hotel on the beach. However, be careful in Dominical, for you will get to know everyone, and start to feel like you're at home. There is nothing wrong with this of course, but the town does have a tendency to suck people in. We went for a day and ended up staying 4. We met others who had come for a few days and been there months!

There is so much more to share but those are just some of the highlights. All I can say, is that if you are interested in visiting Costa Rica at all--DO IT!!! Go now, for at the rate that we Amreican's are developing the country for luxury vacation homes for retirees, the beautiful country side is diminshing quickly. However, if the ruggedness doesn't appeal to you, wait a few years and check it out when its developed.

On a side note, if surfing in Central America interests you, check out the "Go with a Pro" an all inclusive Surf Camp in El Salvador offered by Billabong and Adventure Out!