The must see place to visit in Costa Rica is the Arenal Volcano; an active volcano with spectacular lava flows set in a lush tropical rainforest.   So, I was excited when we left Ecoplaya in Costa Rica’s dry Guancaste Province for Arenal.   Arenal embodies the typical vision of Costa Rica with...

See and hear the volcanic activity of Rincon de la Vieja National Park: And hear the sounds of the jungle:

“You damn dirty apes, where the hell are you? I can hear your barks, now show yourselves!” I shouted in the middle of the Rincon de la Vieja National Park. When you look at the travel brochures and books for Costa Rica you always see photos of cute monkeys. Okay, so we came to Costa Rica, now where...

If you find yourself in the far northwest corner of Costa Rica in the Guanacaste Province and need something to do, as we did, the guide books will tell you to go check out Santa Rosa National Park. So, we did. Costa Rica does not currently have a military, but they have battled invading armies. And...

We have been to zero star zombie hotels; a creepy hotel that is basically dead and so run down that it is kept alive by some sort of unnatural means and just needs that one last proverbial bullet through its brain to finish it off. We have been to 5 star plastic resorts; a luxurious oasis in a foreign...

Let me just say that I have a fear of heights. Not the type of fear that makes you ball up into a fetal position crying for your mommy, but a fear none the less. Maybe fear is the wrong word. Men are not supposed to fear anything, so let’s just say that I have a serious respect for the affects of gravity...

Upon waking from a brief nap and still feeling the effects of a long sleepless flight from the night before, I didn’t want to do anything but go back to sleep. I am not the most pleasant person to be around when sleep deprived and according to my daughter I sound like, “Rar, Rar, Rar” when in that...

After a long sleepless red eye flight we landed in Costa Rica’s capital, San Jose. San Jose is a big crowded city with your usual big city entertainment, drugs, prostitutes, and debauchery. Since we were visiting Costa Rica for other purposes, mainly an educational family vacation, we went straight...

Choosing between having our 6-year old daughter learn about the Costa Rican rainforest by watching episodes of Dora the Explorer on TV, or to experience it in person was an easy one. Let’s go to Costa Rica! With our airline tickets purchased, various lodgings and a 4-wheel drive rental car reserved,...