Costa Rica is one of the best kept secrets vacation places in Central America. Once you visit, you are hooked...Makes Mexico look like a dump... Costa Rica is very safe also... The airfare has gotten expensive since the airlines have doubled their fares.. but the trip is well worth it

Rafannon, I agree with you, but we liked Belize and Panama better than Costa Rica. I think because our Costa Rica trip consisted of the Caribbean side vs. the Pacific side. We went to Cahuita, which is near the Panamanian border on the Caribbean side, and only a boat's ride away from Bocas del Toro, Panama (which is a fun party town, but I still much prefer the Pacific side). We then stayed in La Fortuna at Tabacon hot springs, and there was luxury! I don't understand why people all want to go to Mexico or Hawaii, when Central America offers everything they want, the people are nicer, and it is much cheaper! and less touristy! (ok, so maybe have everyone stick with Mexico and Hawaii... leave Central America for me!! hehe).

A veteran expat just this year told me " what gets wet in the Osa, stays wet" but those who make the effort to visit these resort areas are greatly rewarded

I haven't been to Costa Rica, but I loved Belize. Unspoiled, beautiful, and cheap. Why worry about the drug cartels in Mexico when you can have this instead??

Great article, Kristin! We visited the Osa Peninsula a couple years back and it was simply amazing. Much more enjoyable than Belize or Mexico. The rain forest, the nature, the wildlife, etc. Simply amazing. We spent several days in Osa, then traveled north to the Arenal volcano and up to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. One of the most enjoyable and memorable trips in our lifetime, as we've been traveling the world yearly since the 80's. Thanks for writing a great article that brought those memories flooding back.

Snakes and crocodiles ? Sorry. I'll stick to snow capped mountains.