Blogger Lisa Walton of The Dame tells us how reading the latest edition of National Geographic gave her a serious case of wanderlust...
My subscription to National Geographic magazine is a constant source of wanderlust - so you'll forgive me when I whoop and holler at the good news that British Airways is now flying direct to Costa Rica's San Jose end of April. If you didn't already know, getting to Costa Rica from England was a very long and involved journey with a number of stops via America to get there.
National Geographic collected a list of the top 16 places to visit in 2016 and I for one am hell-bent on catching that direct flight to Costa Rica - placed number two on the list. I'm so glad I'm subscribed to National Geographic magazine because I'm afraid to think I may not have found out about this wonderful news otherwise!
I've long had a 'Top Five Places I Want To See Before I Die' list and Costa Rica has been sitting there, long neglected because of the mess of a journey to get there. Now that BA are flying direct later in the year, there is no excuse not to pack my flip flops, sunnies and camera and head to their perfect surfing beaches, rejuvenating yoga classes and abundance of tropical wildlife! Pura Vida indeed!
There are so many ways to enjoy Costa Rica. You can book yourself on a learn-to-surf holiday, a yoga and meditation retreat, learn or improve your photography or Spanish, and even volunteer on a permaculture homestead. Whether you want to climb volcanoes or surf lazy longboard waves (yes to both of those thanks!), something tells me a trip to the land of toucans and rainforests would be unforgettable. I'm pretty sure I'd never want to leave!
With two oceans to choose from, Pacific or Caribbean, you're spoilt for choice - just be sure to check out what the weather's like on both coasts so that you can pick the best time to travel. Some travel to the Pacific side in the rainy season (April to mid-November) because it usually rains only at night, which helps keep the dust down from the roads. Also be sure to plan carefully if you intend to go during Easter, as most of the country shuts down during Holy Week.
Now I'm off to brush up on my Spanish... ciao!
