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Costa Rica: Jewel That Lone Travelers and Families Can Treasure

This Central American jewel, Costa Rica, has many charms, including forests, beaches and wildlife.

Is waking up to the howling of howler monkeys any way to start a vacation? Absolutely. Especially if you're traveling in Central America's outback.

During the past ten decades, Costa Rica has been saved for surfers and the occasional angler. But now it has become an increasingly popular tourist destination for people and families from all walks of life.

Take, for example, Katherine Gaston, a recent graduate of the University of Florida's pharmaceutical school. This summer, Gaston traveled solo through Costa Rica.

"I love Latin culture," she says. "The people, the music, the warm tropical weather and pounding thunderstorms. It's romantic. I also wanted to travel to Spanish-speaking countries to improve my language skills."

Gaston didn't hesitate to travel alone.

"Costa Rica is an extremely easy country to travel through. The people are very friendly, the lifestyle is very relaxed and open, and there are many budget hostels and hotels, making it nice for long-term travel," she says.

"Meeting cool people with common interests is super easy. Of course, all the beautiful forests, beaches and wildlife is a major motivating force."

Gaston's enthusiasm doesn't mean she's reckless.

"As a solo female traveler, I have to be especially cautious, and, although it can be annoying, I have learned to be aware and alert but not fearful and distrustful." she says. "Having a balance between these things can be challenging."

Surfers Jay and Susan Rieckmann of Winter Park were traveling through Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula with their 4 1/2 -year old son, Noah, when I caught up with them. This was just one of their many trips to Costa Rica.

"Generally the length of our trips is 8-10 days . . . a pretty typical American vacation," Jay says. "Costa Rica is really a great family trip. Noah has been here five times, and he loves it! Costa Rica is generally safe to travel, has a stable government and is quite tourist-friendly. In addition, medical and food is not much of an issue in Costa Rica, so in the case of an emergency we feel quite comfortable. There's so much for our little boy to see, experience and learn from -- we really can't go wrong. This is a great way for Noah to get his feet wet with experiencing different cultures."

There are plenty of ways to get one's feet wet while in Costa Rica. You can choose from whitewater rafting, hiking through rain forest, fishing or surfing.

Surfing is becoming a national pastime among the younger Ticos, as native Costa Ricans are known. There are also surf camps and schools taking root up and down the entire Pacific coast. While the surf can be quite powerful, it's usually not difficult to find a wave that breaks gently on a sandy beach. All you need to do is go to a local surf shop to get this type of information. You can inexpensively rent a surfboard at many of these shops, but the deposit is usually more than $500. Remember, you should be a good swimmer to attempt surfing.

Jay Rieckmann has a couple tips for those traveling to Costa Rica: "Travel light, be an ambassador and travel with open eyes and mind."

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