Costa Rica

I've just returned from my first visit to Costa Rica; this is a wonderful destination with lot's to do for most anyone. Delta has daily flights from Atlanta to the country's capital San Jose, as well as Liberia which lies in the Guancaste region and only a 3.5 hour flight. I stayed @ the Paradisus in Playa Conchal (http://www.paradisusplayaconchal.travel/) which is a 45 minute ride from Liberia and located in the north on the Pacific side of the country. The Paradisus is an all-inclusive resort that has eight restaurants and is situated directly on a very nice beach. The resort is made up of 406 rooms, that are in bungalows that contain eight rooms. There are basically two different service qualities. There is the general, which is good enough, and there is a Royal Service quality. In general there isn't much difference in the room qualities or appointments, however you are given a few more luxuries and service amenities. Candidly, I didn't see the value in the 30-40% premium charged for this. The resort has a Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed golf course that is very well done. Green fees inclusive of cart run around $160-$75, which is reasonable for the caliber it represents. The grounds are well landscaped and filled with interesting plants. There is also an abundance of non-domesticated animals that roam the property freely. From Monkeys to Iguanas the diversity of the fauna adds a nice twist to this eco-friendly destination.

One thing that is fairly unique for an all-inclusive is how few people are around during the day. Generally, visitors to AI resorts spend most of their time in the resorts taking advantage of the ever-abundant food and drink. Refreshingly, most people are out on adventures most days, which is the primary allure to the destination. There is so much to do, from hiking to sport-fishing to zip-lining through rain-forest canopies it's an adventurers paradise. The fishing is phenomenal, for less than $800 you can charter a 34-foot boat fully equipped with fishing gear, bait, soft drinks, waters, beer, sandwiches and fresh fruit for up to five people. I would suggest booking this before you go, as the hotel charges a premium for buying through them. Fishing is good year round and different bill-fish species are generally available year round.

All the people I encountered were more than friendly and many go out of their way to make sure you are happy in their country. English is spoken in most places, but it doesn't hurt to know a bit of Espanol or carry a phrase book with you. I really enjoyed the food, and the dollar still goes a long way, not to mention it is accepted everywhere even though they do have their own currency. I highly recommend Costa Rica and I look forward to visiting again. Putman Travel has many pre-packaged or customizable packages to Costa Rica. Visit www.putman.com or call 1-800-6-Putman to speak with one of our agents.

Pura Vida!