costa rica

So, Costa Rica. It's probably the vast majority of the world's most recognized and favorite place to go on vacation in Central America. It has for a long time been the center of Latin American tourism for the US, and that has come with, in my opinion a very heavy cost. Now before I get into what I am about to say, Costa Rica is an undeniably beautiful place. The people are amazingly kind. the scenery beautiful. It has amazing waves and beaches. Beautiful jungles and some of the best waterfalls in the Western hemisphere. But I do not like Costa Rica. Not at all.  Costa Rica to me is the poster child for over-tourism and the whitewashing that occurs when places have been so frequented by people and families of wealth going somewhere for a week-long vacation. Things here are extraordinarily expensive. They, — especially in the most popular tourist places like Santa Teresa, rival prices in New York City and London. Which is pretty ridiculous considering the people behind the kitchen doors are being paid about 10% of the people from the other aforementioned cities. Luxury, Instagram clout, and over-bohemianized beauty has taken ahold of a lot of places in Costa Rica that I am sure, about 10 or 15 — maybe even 20 years ago, were similar to the surfing paradises you can find in the neighboring countries today.  Now I will repeat again, Costa Rica is beautiful, and the people are amazing. If you are going on a vacation for a week and you want to be comfortable and you have no budget, then Costa Rica might be for you. English is abundant, it's easy to travel around. It's generally safe. There are hotels that will provide you western comforts, and the food doesn't feel foreign whatsoever. So if that's what you're are looking for, Costa Rica is going to be perfect. I recommend it to friends all the time who are just looking to go somewhere super-nice for a week, relax, and see a beautiful place, on no budget. It really is perfect for that. But that's not really who the contents of this website are directed towards.  If you are backpacking and on a budget, I would recommend spending as little time as you can in Costa Rica. It's expensive, it will deplete your budget quickly, and most of all there are just places in the bordering country that will bring more culture, reality, and a collection of more interesting travelers. So spend the time that you have in another place.  With all this being said, Costa Rica has not been fully overrun. Many of the popular places are more reminiscent of your Instagram 'explore' feed than the small beach towns they once were. But that doesn't mean the entire country is like that. I had the fortune to drive through the country, which means I went to a lot of places that were harder to get to. A few places that I went to in Costa Rica were stunning and amazing. — Worth visiting, but they are also the places that lie off-the-beaten-path and less in the keen eyes of the plane traveling vacationers. Places like Puerto Viejo, Pavones, and Domincal. If you do want to spend serious time in Costa Rica, take a look at this list and try and go somewhere you haven't heard of. In other words, avoid Santa Teresa. But, if you are just looking for something fun, nice, and comfortable (albeit expensive for a week), Santa Teresa may just be perfect for you. You will maybe notice a few notable omissions, Tamarindo and Jaco. Avoid them. Don't go.  The majority of the photos from the Costa Rica section are not my own. I didn't spend enough time here, and did not find it interesting enough to take photos.