Costa Rica & Panama - Nature's showcase

Costa Rica is a wonder. This tiny piece of land could be Nature’s lab to fill the rest of the world. Its mere 51 000 km² is home to 5% of our planet’s biodiversity with 25% of the territory occupied by reserves and natural parks.

Ecotourism means everything and nothing. Most of the time absolutely nothing. You can hit a so-called ecotourism resort, and witness the owners cutting the wings of a parrot, so that they can enjoy the bird walking the floor without flying away. Costa Rica however makes a point on preserving its treasure, and the absence of military spending is all the more so put into the mission. If you simply cut down a protected tree in your own garden, you have to replant 10 of the same species.

Strongest mitigant: the outrageous cost of travelling. The country has become an easy couple-of-weeks adventure vacation hit from the US, and the prices have been sky-rocketing. This is, to no extent, a backpack budget destination. It still remains a not-to-be-missed.

My journey there started as Brazil ended, on a dance-floor. Absolute blast and honor meeting Christof again, and discovering a fresh foreign scene, soft in the heart, hardcore on the way.
As Frauke met me few days later, we escaped the Semana Santa crowd (holiday week before Easter, when zillions of Ticos and travellers alike hit the coast) on the paradise Bastimentos Island, on the Caribbean coast of Panama. This hidden enclave is a gathering of all paradise islands clichés.

After smooth riding from one deserted beach to another, the journey back to Costa Rica was a perfect cruise into some of the many countries marvels, from volcanoes climbing to mountain hiking.

Warm warm warm thank yous to Christof (Absolum), Dany (Menog), Tamiris, Ganeisha, Ensi, Carlos, Piloy, Anthony and all the Ticos Beataddicts gang for welcoming me as family.

You can get a glimpse of the ride right here:

1- As an album
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefworldtour/sets/72157621106819722/

2 - As a slideshow
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefworldtour/sets/72157621106819722/show/