Costa Rica is the most beautiful and interesting country I’ve visited in Latin America.  After a recent trip to the nation’s capital, San Jose, and the trendy beach town of Jaco, I am already checking flights for a return visit.  I was astonished by the landscape, the beaches, and the people and in just five days became my favorite vacation destination in the Western Hemisphere.

The excitement sets in as soon as you land and take in the gorgeous countryside.  A scenic drive through the mountains on my way to Jaco allowed me to see the high peaks, valleys and rivers that run through Costa Rica.  Our driver even made a stop at the Tarcoles River where we saw fifteen-foot gators from the bridge!

The beach was my first stop when we arrived in Jaco and I was in heaven when I saw the beautiful beach surrounded by mountains with twenty-foot swells rolling in.  I immediately went to the nearest surf shop and picked up a surf board to shred and had one of my best runs ever.  I laid on the beach for the rest of the day and enjoyed the ambience.

It wasn’t long before I started meeting people in the area.  Local “Ticos” and fellow travelers were all very friendly and my group and I ended up partying with some awesome people.  We partied in Jaco and back in San Jose and had a blast checking out all the clubs and bars, and the fact that all of the girls loved us because we were from the U.S. definitely made the trip a tad more interesting.

I loved my trip to Costa Rica so much that I can’t wait to go back and explore the country some more.  Costa Rica is a place where you can escape from the every day grind and experience a mysterious and beautiful land.