|
The Pure Life of Costa Rica |
|
|
|
By Alix Strauss
Over the last few years, Costa Rica, in particular Papagayo, has become one of the most talked-about places to visit in Central and Latin America. Hotels like the Four Seasons, the Ritz-Carlton and the Mandarin Oriental (not to mention a handful of other high-enders, plus condos, residential villas and smaller hotels) just can’t be built quickly enough. Former America Online chairman Steve Case is investing $800-million (U.S.) to build a resort called "Cacique". Homes purchased six months ago are being sold at twice the price.
 Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica And yet it’s Costa Rica’s status as an eco-destination, with all the associated green adventures, that makes a visit unique. Smaller in size than Nova Scotia, the country has come a long way from being exclusively supported by exporting sugar, coffee, bananas and pineapples. Newly added direct flights from Toronto into Liberia, and the fact that the airport is only 45 minutes from Papagayo, make it an accessible must-see for the sophisticated and savvy traveler interested in eco-tourism and a level of biodiversity found few other places on Earth. About 25 per cent of the country is protected parkland, and unspoiled and untouched rain forests provide a home for thousands of different life forms, including almost 900 bird, 205 mammal, 220 reptile, 160 amphibian and over 9,000 plant species. It’s a menagerie of massive proportions.
 This excerpt is from the Autumn 2008 issue of NUVO (www.nuvomagazine.com). Copies are available at Chapters, Indigo or Maison de la France locations across Canada. To subscribe, call 1-877-205-NUVO or click here.
|
