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A trip to Costa Rica will make you one of the happiest people on Earth
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A recent survey from The New Economics Foundation, a British independent think tank, ranked Costa Rica as the happiest place on Earth. Using a formula that considers environmental impact it is no wonder Costa Rica topped the list. This ecologically diverse nation houses 6% of the world’s animal and plant life and has protected a quarter of its land mass as natural parks and habitats.
The Central American nation has grown in popularity over the past decade and provides visitors a variety of unique experiences while maintaining a focus on eco-friendly travel. Sandwiched between Nicaragua and Panama the country is only the size of Colorado. The small size allows visitors to create their perfect itinerary visiting different regions and seeing many of the nation’s highlights all in one trip. Visitors can see rainforest, rivers, mountains, beaches, and volcanoes all while enjoying the beauty this country has to offer.
San Jose, in the Central Valley region, is the entry point for most visitors and can be the home base for day trips to rainforests and historical sites. Some options include a visit to Cartago, the oldest settlement in Costa Rica, Irazu Volcano National Park, and Braulio Cariollo National Parks. Farther from San Jose, an hour and a half drive, the popular Arenal Volcano Park offers visitors plenty of lodging choices, amazing views of one of the world’s most active volcanoes, and natural hot springs. Those staying near the edge of Lake Arenal will enjoy nightly shows provided by the rumblings and spewing of the Arenal volcano. Visitors often combine a trip to the park with a stop in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. The reserve is home to a wide range of plant and animal species and allows visitors to get an up close look at the country’s wildlife with guided tours provided on several limited access trails. The area also offers a variety of active options such as zip-line tours, waterfall rapelling, and kiteboarding.
Costa Rica is also home to some of the world’s best beaches with coasts on both the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Several beaches play host to seasonal turtle migrations when they come home to nest and give birth to hundreds of eggs. Visitors can attend guided tours to view the nests or witness the turtles arrive or depart the beaches depending on time of year. Even when the turtles are not calling the area home visitors can enjoy relaxing days sunning or participating in watersports including snorkeling, diving, and fishing.
The small size of the country is by no means a representation of what Costa Rica has to offer visitors. This is a very small sampling of what there is to see and do with new options developing daily. You can experience it all or just relax at a secluded lodge or beach. With an eco-friendly reputation and community-based tourism focused on improving the lives of locals, travelers can feel good about a trip to Costa Rica and will certainly leave here feeling like one of the happiest people on Earth.
For more info: Ashley is an Independent Travel Consultant and can be reached at ashley@indigojourneys.com or www.indigojourneystoo.com.
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