Pristine beaches. Tropical rainforests. Friendly locals. Monkeys swinging from tree to tree. there is much more to Costa Rica than these things. But let’s focus on them for now.
Costa Rica is truly blessed on two counts. It is located on the tropical Central American peninsula, where abundant life has taken hold. It is also blessed to not be, as is the case with some of the neighbors, racked by violence and bloodshed. One of the major factors people cite when speaking of the anomaly of peacefulness that is Costa Rica in an otherwise violent region is the lack of a standing army. But this in itself is only part of the story. The money that would go to feeding, clothing, and arming a force of men has instead been funneled toward providing a basic education to the populace. And this has resulted in people who are less prone to shed blood.
This does not mean that Costa Rica has developed an infrastructure like Switzerland or the Nordic countries. But this has been somewhat intentional. While (North) Americans in general and Californians in particular are always marching toward “progress”, Costa Ricans follow the wisdom of a local saying; “Bad roads, good people”. It means if a place is isolated and difficult to get in and out of, the tour bus-types (and criminals who prey upon them) will stay away and only the adventurous will come. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Osa peninsula.
Although there are some international flights to Liberia in the north, most Costa Rican adventures commence and terminate in San José. The capital city is not a crime-ridden wasteland, but it is also not an inviting place, in comparison to what awaits in the countryside. Flights from abroad land at Juan Santamaria International Airport. Most domestic and charter flights depart from Tobias Bolanos airport in nearby Pavas. Natureair, which claims to be the world’s only carbon neutral airline, operates flights all over the country in De Haviland Twin Otters and Cessna 208 aircraft. For people not fluent in aeronautical jargon, these are small, loud propeller driven aircraft, capable of landing on remote airstrips. And that makes up for the lack of peanuts and a soda.
Puerto Jimenez, like San Jose, is a port of entry. It has a bit of an outpost feel, not a scary place, but not somewhere you would spend a lot of time wandering around photographing. The best thing about this town is you can go into the jungle from here!
The roads that bring good people sometimes appear to be little more than a dried-out riverbed, and may sometimes cross over or through real rivers. This is especially true in the wet season, from about May to November.
Heading south on one such “road” brings us to Cabo Matapalo. This cape region takes it’s name from the Matapalo, or Strangler Fig, a parasitic plant form which, yes, slowly drains the life from trees as it decends their trunks. Indeed, almost every tree in the jungle is host to a plethora of other life forms. The rain forest is truly alive.
The choices for lodging are varied. There is the very upscale Lapa Rios, and the more down to earth Encanta la Vida, as well as Bosque del Cabo and several others. Bananas, coconuts, and custard apples grow in abundance. Howler and Spider Monkeys swing from vine to vine overhead. Brightly colored Macaws and Toucans cross the horizon. In fact, at night these majestic creatures continue to make noise impervious to your desire to sleep. Ripe fruits fall from the trees with a loud “thud”. And creepy crawlies like spiders and scorpions, crawl creepily. The real jungle can be just as scary as the urban variety. And twice as loud!
Indeed, for all the romance connected with the rainforest in cities like San Francisco, it is worth noting that it can be a foreboding, scary, dangerous place. Sure, there are predatory creatures, like panthers or ocelots, but you are unlikely to see them, much less be harmed by them. The true danger comes from fire and flesh-eating ants, spiky thorny bushes, plants, and trees, and assorted intestinal troublemakers, coupled with a notable lack of medical facilities. But such maladies rarely befall good people!
There are also incredible sunsets, beautiful beaches, fascinating flora and fauna and pure, clean, clear air. Something we breathe in every moment of every day, wherever we are (ok, except while swimming), may not seem like such a luxury. But once you’ve had a taste of the air here, you understand why Costa Ricans use the expression “Pura Vida”!
Although there are no direct flights between San Francisco area airports and San José, there are several 1-stop options via Phoenix, LA, San Salvador, and Mexico City. Prices start around U$830 from SFO. Natureair's prices vary wildly. Charter flights are also available.
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