Jonathan Hiltz takes a bird’s eye view of Costa Rica at 10,000 feet and suggests the Central American country should be on your bucket list.
There is something truly poetic about the country of Costa Rica.
Perhaps it’s the cornucopia of multicoloured beaches that lay across the nation with incredible abundance, or the five active volcanoes that smoulder a tableaux of thick clouds, tickling the green hillsides sitting adjacent to them. It could even be the bountiful rainforests teeming with over 500,000 species of animals, or the 34,000 different types of insects that join them in tandem.
If you’re hankering to see this incredible slice of Central America, Costa Rica can be witnessed in many ways, but none as profoundly as from 10,000 feet in the air.
There’s a domestic airline in the country called Sansa that uses a fleet of Cessna Grand Caravans to criss-cross their way across the nation to over 13 destinations. From the vantage point of one of their aircraft, the breath-taking diversity of Costa Rica can be enjoyed at length.
Do You Know the Way to San Jose?
Unsurprisingly, the main hub for the airline is almost right next to San Jose, in the city of Alajuela. San Jose is the capital of Costa Rica and considered the metropolitan core of the country.
If you’re flying into the international airport and need to stay the night before hopping on your Sansa flight, there are many great options to choose from. One such hotel is the excellent Courtyard by Marriott, which is less than a five-minute drive from the terminal. They have regular shuttle service, excellent beds, a fabulous buffet breakfast, pool and various other amenities that make it worth the stay.
Surf’s Up
One of the incredible destinations available to people that fly within the country is the bustling town of Tamarindo. This impressive area boasts unbelievable surfing, sailing, fishing, land tours, and various other outdoor activities. Tamarindo is also known for its diverse array of restaurants and international food options, partially due to the myriad of people from different countries who have chosen to live there.
The town is also surrounded by many other beach areas and fascinating places of interest. A great way to get around the Guanacaste region, where Tamarindo is located, is using a company called Tamarindo Transfers and Tours. They are inexpensive and have an excellent fleet of vehicles to get you where you need to go.
Caribbean Getaway
One of the wonderful things about Costa Rica is that it borders not just the Pacific Ocean, but also the Caribbean Sea as well. This is a major addition to the abundant cultural diversity that already exists in the country.
Puerto Limon is the major city on the Caribbean coast and the region with the largest Afro-Costa Rican community. Many passing cruise ships dock here as tourists enjoy the local offerings and cuisine. As well, every year the area is home to the Limon Carnival week, where visitors and locals alike can celebrate the culture, sights, and food.
Welcome to the Jungle
Even though local towns and small cities dot the landscape as a series of architectural markers while you fly above it all, the most prominent view from 10,000 feet is the vegetation. There is no doubt that Costa Rica has a plethora of lush foliage that covers the country like a big green blanket. Within these dense rainforests live the thousands of aforementioned animals and insects that all exist together within the balance of nature.
If Costa Rica isn’t on your bucket list, we humbly suggest that it should be.
Flying might not be the greenest way to travel but once there you wll discover that Costa Rica is leading the way in sustainable tourism. And you can always offset your travel with Trees4Travel or Tomorrow’s Air.
For more information on Costa Rica
Visit: www.visitcostarica.com/uk
