Destination of the Month: Costa Rica

Why Costa Rica?

April 22nd 2010 marks the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day! To celebrate the occasion, we’re naming Costa Rica our Destination of the Month.
As a country that has dedicated over a quarter of its land to national park and biological preserve, it should come as no surprise that the UN World Tourism Organization considers Costa Rica to be the role model for sustainable tourism in Latin America.

BikeHike Costa Rica Trips

Coast to Coast Adventure (15 days)

Activities: Hiking, Mountain Biking, Whitewater Rating
Trip Rating: Challenging

Ultimate Adventure Medley (10 days)
Activities: Hiking, Kayaking, Mountain Biking, Whitewater Rafting, Zip-lining
Trip Rating: Moderate

Turtles and Trails (9 days)
Activities: Hiking, Mountain Biking, Whitewater Rafting, Zip-lining, Volunteering
Trip Rating: Moderate

Women Only – Adventure for the Soul (9 days)Activities: Hiking, Horseback Riding, Kayaking, Mountain Biking, Whitewater Rafting, Yoga, Zip-lining
Trip Rating: Moderate

A Costa Rican Adventure (8 days)
Activities: Hiking, Horseback Riding, Whitewater Rafting
Trip Rating: Easy

Family Adventure Playground (9 days)
Activities: Hiking, Mountain Biking, Whitewater Rafting, Zip-lining
Trip Rating: Easy

Highlights of Costa Rica

Arenal Volcano
Arenal Volcano is one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world. Its red molten lava makes for a spectacular view on a clear night, especially when soaking in a nearby hot spring after a day of hiking along the beautiful trails surrounding the area.

Pacuare River
Rafting along the Pacuare River is an activity you don’t want to miss in Costa Rica! Its 108 km length is divided into approximately 16 sections, and has a range of rapids from Class II to V. This is one of the most thrilling rafting adventures you’ll ever experience.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
It’s not called a cloud forest for nothing; the name originates from the fact that this rain forest sits high above the clouds. Monteverde Cloud Forest is home to approximately 100 species of mammals, 490 species of butterflies, 400 species of birds, 120 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 2,500 species of plants. You won’t know what to look at first while hiking or zip-lining through this jungle of life.

Costa Rican Beaches
Costa Rica boasts a coastline stretching over 1,800 km making it one of the best places to visit if you love (really) long walks on the beach. You won’t be the only one enjoying the coastal views though, as some of these beaches are frequented by leatherback and green sea turtles making their annual migration to lay their eggs.

Interesting Factoids

• In Spanish, “Costa Rica” literally means “rich coast.”
• At 7am every morning, every Costa Rican radio station will play the national anthem.
• In case you ever get lost, note that almost all Catholic churches in the country face West.
• Costa Rica has one of the highest life expectancies in the world (77 years).
• A soda isn’t a fizzy beverage in Costa Rica, it’s a small informal restaurant that serves simple traditional dishes.
• There are approximately 52 species of hummingbirds in the country, most of which live in the rain forests.
• In 2009, Costa Rica was ranked first on the Happy Planet Index – an index measuring life satisfaction, life expectancy at birth, and ecological footprint per capita.
• Over 25% of the country is dedicated as national park and biological preserve.
• In the Western Hemisphere, Costa Rica is the only country without an army or military of any kind.

News: Travel with Trish

In a world where more and more customer service lines are operated by automated pre-recorded responses, it’s hard to fathom the idea that the owner and founder of a well-established travel company would take the time to personally take your phone call and guide you on your escape from the rat race. But, that’s exactly what Trish Sare, Owner and Founder of BikeHike Adventures Inc. is doing!

In April of this year, Trish will be guiding two of BikeHike's most popular Central American adventures:

Rumble in the Jungle – Panama (10 days) April 15 - 24, 2010
This is the ultimate adventure for the adrenaline junkie. In 10 days, you’ll traverse the country from Pacific to Atlantic on your own sweat and steam. You’ll bike along twisted trails in deep fertile valleys, hike and zip-line through lush rainforests teeming with exotic wildlife, bounce down thumping rapids on a frothy world class river, snorkel in translucent seas filled with tropical marine life, and sea kayak amongst twisted mangroves and coral reefs.

Turtles and Trails – Costa Rica (9 days) April 24 - May 2, 2010
This trip is an even combination of adventure, ecotourism and voluntourism. The 9 day adventure begins with whitewater rafting down the Pacuare River, biking, hiking, zip-lining and relaxation in the steamy hot springs of the Arenal Volcano region. After heading East to the Caribbean, you’ll be assisting researchers patrolling the beaches where Leatherback and Green sea turtles lay their eggs. Only 1 in 1000 hatchlings survive to adulthood, so your work patrolling, gathering and relocating these eggs has huge implications for the survival of these species. You’ll come home feeling energized and full of great karma!

If you're thinking about joining Trish on an adventure, call (1 888 805 0061 toll free in North America) or e-mail us (info@bikehike.com) asap! Whenever Trish guides a trip, it sells out *fast*.

Anny Chih