kaci

Hey Tengoodo-

So, of course it all depends on your style of travel, but I can tell you about a few things that were "must sees" when I was there. Costa Rica is well known for the great surf and incredible beaches, but not all beaches are equal. I would head for Quepos. It is located on the southwest coast and has a lot. It is just about 2 hours south of San Jose, which is where you will likely land if you fly. You can make Quepos a sort of headquarters to explore the towns up and down if you like, or just stay there. You will meet tons of locals and usually some fellow travelers and it is just really beautiful. Quepos is also only about an hour away (by Costa Rican bus) from Puntarenas, which has a great nightlife scene, in my opinion one of the best in the country. Local surfers and travelers are happy to teach folks a traditional salsa and there is plenty of modern music too. The downtown area is happening pretty much all week. Hanging out in the Puntarenas/Quepos areas is definitely a must see. Side note: my friends and I rented motor bikes and went adventuring out onto the trails on our own and found some incredible swimming holes, met some of the best people, and took pictures of gorgeous waterfalls. If you have the time, I would recommend a little off-road adventuring.

The other "must see" area I would recommend is the Monteverde Rainforest. You will not be dissapointed! You can take a zip-line tour (grab on to a zip line and fly above the rainforest- way cool) or a canopy tour (see my other post) or just hike on your own through some set trails. There are butterfly farms and, best of all (in my opinion), natural spas! For what will seem like an incredibly small amount of money, you can spend time in Monteverde getting a massage, taking a mud bath or hanging out in natural mineral water. It is the perfect place to spend a day or two if you've been playing hard during your travels and want to relax. Or, if you've been relaxing during your travels and want to relax more. :)

One other side note- I think you will of course want to spend time in San Jose just to check it out, but personally it was not my favorite city. Its worth seeing just to learn more about the country, and of course you will likely be landing in the San Jose airport. All this talk about Costa Rica is making me jealous- have a great time and happy travels!!