Lonely Planet writers compiled a list of the best places to travel in your 20s. Not surprisingly, Costa Rica is on the list! (At least I am not surprised, because I nominated it and I wrote the entry.) Indeed, I…
Costa Rica on a Budget
Traveling in Costa Rica on a budget? It’s easy to experience sticker shock when checking into eco-lodges and renting vehicles and booking tours in Costa Rica. Indeed, it is the most expensive country in Central America, thanks to a booming economy and…
How to get around Costa Rica
Costa Rica packs a world of adventure into a relatively small area. Limited infrastructure means that getting around can be a challenge, but it’s also one reason that Costa Rica is the wild and wonderful place that it is. Do…
Things to know before you go to Costa Rica
Originally written for LonelyPlanet.com but they took it down, so now you can read the whole thing here! On a recent trip to Costa Rica, on a hike in the remote forests of Volcán Tenorio National Park, the sky unexpectedly opened up,…
NEW Lonely Planet guidebooks to Costa Rica
After writing guidebooks for 20 years, it can be anticlimactic to receive the final products–sometimes as much as a year after completing the research and writing. There have been times that my author copies languished in the box for weeks,…
Belize vs Costa Rica
This was a fun one to write. My colleague and I go head to head, debating which is a better travel destination, Belize vs Costa Rica? At any time of year, Central America astounds with its gorgeous beaches, exciting hikes, ancient ruins…
Playa Hermosa
Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica – Along the northern stretch of the Nicoya peninsula, Playa Hermosa is a tiny little village with a gorgeous crescent of sand fronting the Pacific blue. Here, we spent our final days lounging on the beach,…
Río Celeste
Río Celeste, Costa Rica – We spent the first half of our week in the Río Celeste region, tucked into a valley between the Tenorio and Miravalles volcanoes. The region is famous for its namesake river – another true blue…
Rare Wildlife Sighting
Bijagua, Costa Rica – A rare wildlife sighting! The elusive 12-year-old boy! (Two of them!) We debated about whether or not the twins should join me on this trip to Costa Rica. They did not have (much) time off from…
Curubandé de Liberia
Curubandé de Liberia, Costa Rica – Many travelers pass through but few stop in Curubandé de Liberia, a little village in northwestern Costa Rica. This is the gateway to Rincón de la Vieja national park. Most visitors barrel right through, on…