Costa Rica: Tips for an Exotic Trip

But there are some things you should know.

Any trip to an exotic land requires a healthy amount of planning and preparation. For instance, a visit to Costa Rica for an American includes a lengthy search for the necessary inoculations. Because the country is divided into eclectic areas...there are cities, rain forests, extensive waterfront beaches, and long stretches of primitive space...health concerns range from minimal to "maybe I better stay outta there." Malaria, typhoid fever, hepatitis A and B, and a host of other illnesses and diseases are waiting for you depending on where you visit in Costa Rica and how long you plan to stay. Some inoculations are recommended to be taken six months in advance.

And, of course, traveling abroad is replete with the necessary but annoyingly complex system of security that includes the standard quasi-strip searches, as well as Customs and Immigration procedures sometimes led by people you wouldn't let carry your groceries to the car.

But beyond these issues, there are key areas of interest you will need to consider before booking your tickets.

Areas to Stay - Costa Rica is a country of five million people, we were told by a helpful guide en route to one of many rain forests. A full 40% of those people are retired Americans and Europeans. That's two of the five million! Based on a several-day stay near the capital of the country, San Jose, it's safe to declare that a lion's share of the two million Americans and Europeans have found their way to the coast, where the beaches are glorious. They are most certainly not in and around San Jose, where squalor would serve as a compliment. The city of San Jose does have its landmarks. The National Theater is an outstanding historical space conjuring visions of Ford Theater at the time of Lincoln's Assassination. Gran Hotel Costa Rica is also a fixture of opulence in midtown San Jose. But as a rule, head west to Jaco and surrounding beach communities for exquisite resorts.

Trip Timing - Here's what the climate offers in the months between May and October. You wake to generally clear skies. The air temperature warms quickly, but not oppressively. By 11:00 am, you notice the clouds building and thickening over the surrounding mountains. Approximately 11:30 am, the clouds have begun to spread, and a gentle rumble of thunder emerges from the distance. By 12:00 noon or 12:30 pm, it's raining, it's pouring and the old man is incessantly snoring. It's one long thunderstorm from then to 9:00 pm when you peel your clothes off. Suffice to say, stay away from May...and the six months thereafter.

Accommodations - As one might expect, there are all levels of accommodations from which to select. As mentioned, some resorts near the west coast of Costa Rica are without equal anywhere in Central America. A few days stay in the Ramada Inn of Heredia, immediately outside San Jose, included an adventure and some misgivings. A late dinner in the lobby bar was interrupted by the sight of a rat the size of neighboring Nicaragua, perched comfortably on a chair as if awaiting a menu, a soft drink, and a bowl of plantain chips. And while the pool was generously-sized, the advertised swim-up bar was closed for the six-month rainy season. The temperature of the water was cold enough to preserve venison for several months.

Language Preparation - Despite the visitation of many American business travelers and vacationers, a surprising amount of people in the service industry do not speak English, so prepare by brushing up on your Spanish. It is indeed wise to avoid saying "Caliente" to the women as an off-hand remark, and "Buenos Aires," apparently does not mean "Good Morning."

Special Side Trips - There is one tour nobody who visits Costa Rica should miss. The Tropical Rain Forest, which consumes so much of Costa Rica, is worth every penny and every bit of planning and preparation. One tour consists of an Aerial Tram ride through the density and incredible quiet and peace of the rain forest. As you slowly drift above this great natural, unfettered wonder, you understand what our planet might have looked like before we trampled a good portion of it.

With the exception of the many criminals who compel homeowners to surround their homes in barbed wire, and cover their windows with iron bars, Costa Rica does offer a well-meaning, sincere population generally happy to accept you into their country. And it is fascinating to pass homes featuring calves on lawns, and chickens roaming free in the streets. It is nothing short of a memorable experience...but one you should be prepared to undergo.