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All I know of Costa Rica is that there's a national park/preserve on the Osa Peninsula that's supposed to have an amazing diversity of habitats. Ray Mears did a show there, so did Stroud and that English hack.
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Costa Rica??
- Thread starter denverco
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Brian Jones
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Crime-wise, CS is still safer than Miami. As 1Tracker said, it's the hardened denizens of other regional countries more torn by conflict that are rougher. I loved CS. My friend and I rented a 4-wheel drive pickup once and drove up and down the west coast looking for waves and wind. We pitched tents on the beach, sometimes just a fire under the night skies. A blast.
Another alternative is Belize. Even safer than CS, except more recently some attempted carjackings in the south central region. However, the country is safe and stable, and as for English speaking, since it was colonized by the British, many locals speak the Queen's English. Much easier to communicate and navigate around. The rain forests -- I think -- are even more amazing than CS. Plus, when you're done trekking through the rainforests, you can hop a 15 minute puddlejumper flight from Belize City over to the island of Ambergris Kaye, and stay in a luxury air-conditioned hut at Ramon's Village. We went from primitive jungle living to caribbean luxury in an afternoon! Plus, the trade winds constantly blow onshore on the Kaye, and it blows away the humidity. I was there in May - great time of year just after the rainy season. One of the highlights for me was diving on the Blue Hole and seeing bull sharks swim around below my fins at 134 feet. My dive partner was a girl from Oregon. I saw about a 10-12 ft bull shark swimming about 5 feet below her, so I tapped her on the shoulder -- with my underwater camera ready -- and pointed down. She flinched, and I got a shot of her legs and fins at top of the frame in mid-flinch, and the shark below full-on. It's funny because you can tell she's freaked just by the posiyion of her legs.
Another alternative is Belize. Even safer than CS, except more recently some attempted carjackings in the south central region. However, the country is safe and stable, and as for English speaking, since it was colonized by the British, many locals speak the Queen's English. Much easier to communicate and navigate around. The rain forests -- I think -- are even more amazing than CS. Plus, when you're done trekking through the rainforests, you can hop a 15 minute puddlejumper flight from Belize City over to the island of Ambergris Kaye, and stay in a luxury air-conditioned hut at Ramon's Village. We went from primitive jungle living to caribbean luxury in an afternoon! Plus, the trade winds constantly blow onshore on the Kaye, and it blows away the humidity. I was there in May - great time of year just after the rainy season. One of the highlights for me was diving on the Blue Hole and seeing bull sharks swim around below my fins at 134 feet. My dive partner was a girl from Oregon. I saw about a 10-12 ft bull shark swimming about 5 feet below her, so I tapped her on the shoulder -- with my underwater camera ready -- and pointed down. She flinched, and I got a shot of her legs and fins at top of the frame in mid-flinch, and the shark below full-on. It's funny because you can tell she's freaked just by the posiyion of her legs.
I've never been to Belize, but based on what I've heard it's much higher in crime than CR. Likewise the Caribbean coast of CR is much higher in crime than the rest, and there's been some infamous murder robberies of tourist there. More drugs too. There is a cultural reason for this that I won't go into. When I was in Limon, the main Caribbean city in CR there was young guys just "hangin out" watching me (and more importantly my backpack) constantly. I felt very uncomfortable there. Not that it's undoable. Just worse IMO. We did stay at a decent resort with my family on the Caribbean side of CR and it was fine, but near the larger towns there was notable presence of more scum than elsewhere in CR.
A friend of mine and his wife described the capital city of Belize by saying "we had to run into the shops to seek refuge from the thieves". After that and a few more similar accounts, I lost my desire to visit Belize.
Beisde, Belize was a disease ridden swamp. I suspect that's how the Brits got it. That no one wanted it. I like the mountains, so I think Costa Rica would be a better bet.
A friend of mine and his wife described the capital city of Belize by saying "we had to run into the shops to seek refuge from the thieves". After that and a few more similar accounts, I lost my desire to visit Belize.
Beisde, Belize was a disease ridden swamp. I suspect that's how the Brits got it. That no one wanted it. I like the mountains, so I think Costa Rica would be a better bet.
There is/had been a significant outbreak of Dengue Fever down in Central America of recent. You should be up to date on all your shots, enough to make your dog fear you IME. If you're traveling on the cheap it is a MUCH different experience than travelling in style spending the coin. You need to have some travel experience outside of the USA before you go 'slummin abroad' IME, coming from one who's 'slummed it' before! Staying in a resort, and NEAR a resort are 2 totally different experiences.
Offshore Belize is nice, as is the West/Pacific coast of CR; everywhere else you take your chances. The only reality is what is happening to you at the time and place where you find yourself abroad. SA is under rated for foreign travel by Americans abroad, and the reason so many find themselves in deep shiite!
Offshore Belize is nice, as is the West/Pacific coast of CR; everywhere else you take your chances. The only reality is what is happening to you at the time and place where you find yourself abroad. SA is under rated for foreign travel by Americans abroad, and the reason so many find themselves in deep shiite!