Why a trip to Costa Rica is worth it
Costa Rica had been a long-held dream of mine, and in the end it exceeded every expectation. For two weeks my partner and I traveled from the dream beaches of Santa Teresa through the species-rich Manuel Antonio National Park to the Caribbean flair of Puerto Viejo, and each region won me over in its own way.
Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse countries on earth and is considered a pioneer of ecotourism in Central America. On a relatively small area, cloud forests, active volcanoes, Pacific and Caribbean coastlines and sprawling national parks alternate with each other, I've rarely experienced a country where so many different landscapes meet in such a small space.
The country has no standing military and has instead invested in nature conservation for decades, more than a quarter of its land area is protected. For travelers that means a dense, well-developed natural backdrop with comparatively stable tourist infrastructure.
