Have You Already Been to Hawaii?

When you read these words- pineapple, palm trees, surfing, fish tacos, sea turtles, coconuts, lava rocks, humpback whales- what comes to mind?  Perhaps you may think, Hawaii.  Those things are also what Costa Rica is made of.  Throw in sloths, bananas, hummingbirds, coffee, monkeys, rainforest, birds of paradise, volcanoes and you haven’t even scratched the surface!

Many travel to Hawaii for family vacations, weddings or honeymoons.  It offers the conveniences of North America wrapped up in a beautiful package.  Costa Rica is an exotic version of Hawaii.  It is only a 3 or 4 hour flight from Texas or Miami, making it a reasonable option for that yearly escape from the cold, or for that retirement dream home.  While it is not an island, it is a foreign country, giving off a sense of excitement for those who want to venture outside their comfort zone.

The list of activities is endless, surfing, zip-ling, horseback riding, canyoning, ATV tours, bird watching, snorkeling, scuba diving, hiking and so on.  The diverse wildlife is breath taking, and no doubt, seeing monkeys Tarzan from tree to tree will bring a smile to your face every time.  The flora is colorful, think birds of paradise and orchids, and fragrant, imagine ginger and lavender.  The landscape encompasses volcanoes and cloud forests to miles of sandy beaches and rivers, all topped off with radiant sunsets.  Then there are the beaches, which can be best described with one word, uncrowded.  Numerous beaches dot the two coastlines of Costa Rica, these are what truly make up the “rich coast”.

Maybe you have thought, ‘wow Hawaii would be a nice place to retire full time’.  Have you considered Costa Rica? If you are looking for simple living away from the hustle and bustle, with comfortable mountain climates within a 10 minute drive to the beach, Costa Rica can give you that.

The language barrier may seem intimidating, but rest assured, you can get by without speaking a word of Spanish.  It is amazing how far hand gestures will get you.  Although, your experience and relationships are only enriched if you even just put forth the effort to speak the language.

For those who are looking for organic, eco friendly living, more and more eco conscience individuals are relocating here and thus contributing to the “one with nature” movement.  While those who have been here for years, whether native or foreigner, are proud to fight in order to maintain the essence of Costa Rica.  While inflation as affected Costa Rica, a budget conscious life can be lived.   Then again, if you can afford to visit Hawaii, you can afford to visit Costa Rica.  And when people have relocated from Hawaii for the surfing and lifestyle of Costa Rica; that in itself says something!

If you are unfamiliar with all that Costa Rica has to offer, or have just started considering it as your next vacation or retirement move, take the dive and fly on down!  How can you go wrong with lounging on the beach, fresh smoothie in hand, listening to the calm ocean waves?

by Zoe Longworth