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…
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…
On a recent trip to Costa Rica, on a hike in the remote forests of Volcán Tenorio National Park, the sky unexpectedly opened up, dumping buckets of rain on my 12-year-old twins and me. We were completely soaked, despite our rain gear. …
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,…
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, 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, 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…
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, 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…
Monteverde, Costa Rica – It’s such a joy to be back in Monteverde, one of my favorite places in Costa Rica. Monteverde always manage to thrill me with its misty mountain majesty, and impress me with its community dedication to…