In A Winter Funk? Time For Your Costa Rica Vacation

[I:http://cheaptravelblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/VictorCKrumm4.jpg] Is the world getting you down, Bucko? Are you feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders? World passing you by? A Costa Rica vacation may be just what the doctor ordered. Consider:

1. Airfares have not been this low in years. The world economic downturn has come to Costa Rica. Tourism in Costa Rica is down by at least 15% this year, presenting great bargains to a frugal, informed traveler . Want luxury at an affordable price? The Hilton Papagayo Resort is offering rooms as low as $160.00 a night. Seniors can get an extra discount. More budget-conscious folks who travel Costa Rica can rent very nice Costa Rica hostels (some with private rooms) for about $12.00. Travel Tip: For the best bargains, visit between May and mid-November and avoid the holiday periods. Bonus Tip: always ask the hotel, resort, or hostel if there is a discount for cash (”effectivo” in Spanish).

2. With nearly 800 miles of coastline visit some of the exquisite Costa Rica beaches. Black, brown, and white sand beaches, sea shell beaches, rugged rock-strewn beaches. Hike off of Drake Bay, named after Sir Francis Drake, who visited the southern Costa Rica Pacific coast a decade before destroying the mighty Spanish Armada and saving England in 1588. You can even walk the same Caribbean beach where Columbus named Costa Rica 600 years ago.

3. Take romantic walks or just be lazy. Be sure to bring your surfboard because some of the best surfing in the world is found here. Most beaches are completely free but if you prefer to visit a very popular national beach park called Manuel Antonio, there will be a small entry fee. Wherever you are, though, you can frolic on the same Costa Rica beaches enjoyed by stars like Mel Gibson and Britney Spears.

4. Consider becoming an ecotourist. Check out Ostional National Preserve on the popular Pacific Gold Coast, where thousands of olive ridley sea turtles come ashore in massive nestings, called “arribadas”, perhaps the largest spectacle of its kind in the world. Arribadas occur every month but the biggest (sometimes involving hundreds of thousands of turtles) typically are when the moon is in its last quarter during the months of July to November. Or, head over to the Caribbean coast and tour Tortuguero National Park, the world’s largest green sea turtle preserve.

5. Costa Rica has been called the “Switzerland of Latin America.” This mountainous little country has nearly as many kinds of birds as in the entire continental U.S., nearly 1000 in all. You can hike every inch of the continent of Africa without seeing as many species of butterflies as there are in Costa Rica. Twenty Percent of all animal and plant species on earth are found in this country.

6. You can hike the tallest mountain in Central America, Mt. Chirripo. Voted one of Costa Rica’s Seven Natural Wonders, hikers start at its tropical forest base and, if they have the stamina, end at its cold alpine summit. Bring a backpack with warm clothes as you climb this beauty to a little night time shelter overlooking remnant glacial lakes carved from ancient glaciers. You will need a permit and reservation but the cost is very modest and when you reach the top you may be reminded of the mighty Andes. Plan on a day up, overnight, and a day back.

About the writer: Victor Krumm writes from sunny Escazu. Visit his popularwebsite about Costa Rica Vacationsand if you are an adventurous man, woman, or couple be sure to check out Costa Rica Nightlife. Grab a totally unique version of this article from the Uber Article Directory