Travelogue from Costa Rica: Experience Costa Rica with our travel expert

In 2015, Neil got to see Costa Rica’s beauty with his own eyes. Read about his experiences here. 

Costa Rica truly is an amazing country offering everything from volcanoes, lakes, waterfalls, tropical rainforest and amazing wildlife to be found.

My recent tour to Costa Rica really opened my eyes to the vast range of beauty and adventure to be found whilst travelling this Central American land.

The adventure started when touching down in San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital city. Filled with Spanish colonial architecture, bustling streets and iconic landmarks such as the National Theatre of Costa Rica, San Jose was the perfect start for me to really a get a taste of a “Tico’s” way of life.

My first sample of a Costa Rican style breakfast was also something to savor. Eating the traditional Costa Rican dish of “Gallo Pinto” (rice and beans) at this time of day left me feeling very full for a good few hours afterwards! After finishing the hearty breakfast, it was an early transfer to Tortuguero passing through the stunning Braulio Carillo National Park, which features dense rainforest, tumbling waterfalls, towering volcanoes and rushing rivers all to be seen along the way.

Arriving at the harbor to board the boat to the lodge in Tortuguero, really filled me with the sense that a special adventure was about to begin. The boat journeys along the narrow canals of the rainforest allowed me to see some amazing wildlife during my two night stay here. I was fortunate enough to see different species of monkey, sloth, crocodile, caiman, turtle and many more. The stay here was really one of the highlights of my tour and I could certainly have stayed a few more days if time permitted!

A visit to the local Tortuguero village really is a rare and unique experience and if you are feeling brave enough, I would highly recommend the “night walk” arranged from the lodge, which gives you the opportunity to venture out into the rainforest in the late evening to spot anything from snakes, bats, large ants and some rather big insects!

Out of the boat and back onto dry land I was off on road trip to the impressive town of La Fortuna, home of the towering Arenal volcano. Staying close to the Arenal National Park entrance, I was able to trek through the park and take in the sight of this huge volcano. I was fortunate enough to have a day of low cloud cover giving me some amazing picture opportunities. An evening visit to the local hot springs for some bathing and delicious dinner, really topped off my stay here and I was ready to move on to Monteverde.

The small town of Monteverde, as with most of Costa Rica, has a strong focus on ecotourism. This place is full of adventure and my first day here included a “tree top hike” through the rainforest which exposed me to all kinds of plants and animals. So many activities to choose from in this place and my choice activity for day two was zip-lining. Certainly not for the faint hearted, but one of the most thrilling and exciting experiences of my life.

What better way to wind down than a beach holiday to reflect on my adventure, in one of the most popular conservation and beach areas of Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio. Manuel Antonio National Park is a small National Park in the Central Pacific Conservation Area located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, just south of the city of Quepos, Puntarenas. My base here was perfectly centered to enjoy not only the beautiful beaches here, but also the splendor of the National Park, among the world’s 12 most beautiful national parks.

Costa Rica really does have something for everyone, from wildlife lovers to historians and beach lovers to adrenaline rush seeks.

A true adventure with memories I will cherish for a lifetime.

TourCompass – From tourist to traveller