A canopy walkway peeking through the trees at Arenal
To me, this photo epitomizes real Costa Rica. I say “real” because in the last few years there has been an influx of both tourists and ex-pats who have undeniably left their mark on both the landscape and culture. There is no escaping the fact that in the large tourist areas, it’s as easy to get a Big Mac now as a traditional gallo pinto.
With an established infrastructure, friendly locals, some very chi-chi hotels and an array of adventurous pastimes, Costa Rica’s popularity is, of course, understandable. Being able to hop into a hire car and head off on a whim is obviously very tempting. Supping a rum-laced cocktail in your own private Jacuzzi, watching incandescent lava trails snake down Arenal volcano, is positively irresistible.
And that’s even before you’ve had your fourth drenching of the week on the way to work, umbrella akimbo, rushing for the number 28 bus.
But in spite of all that, the frills and creature comfort are not really what Costa Rica is about, at its heart. Head off the tourist trail and you are in a world of wildlife-rich jungle, rolling hillsides dotted with bubbling mud pots and cloudforests straight from a Peter Jackson film.
Even at Arenal, where the famous volcano has prompted a smattering of new hotels to cope with rising visitor numbers, it is possible to find some peace. This photo was taken from the Hanging Bridges, a series of discreet canopy walkways hidden between the trees.
Behind me was an equally stunning view across the valley to the mighty volcano, smoking moodily in the afternoon light. The only noise was the occasional squawk of a toucan, or a belch from the volcano itself.
So, perhaps one of the best things about Costa Rica is that you can have both. Spend the day rafting down a jungle river, then enjoy a freshly prepared, three-course meal by candlelight at a remote lodge huddled between the trees.
Or explore the forested trails of Corcovado – the “most biologically intense place on earth” according to National Geographic, before picking up a pot of freshly caught shrimp from a beachside soda in Dominical and settling down on the golden sands.
Even if you do get caught in a downpour (Costa Rica is green for a reason, you know), it will certainly be more palatable with that rum cocktail to hand.
You can experience both sides of Costa Rica on our Costa Rica Self drive holiday.
Read about our Costa Rica holidays or read our guide to Costa Rica.