COSTA RICA here I come. One week from now, I will be returning to Costa Rica, a destination that I have already visited 7 times. Traveling far and wide, I have been very fortunate to explore most of this small mountainous country of only 19,700 square miles. Blessed with an abundance of natural beauty - from the lush tropical rainforests, wild jungles and towering volcanoes of the interior to beaches of every hue and color along both Costa Rica’s famed Pacific Coast and her less traveled (but more exotic) Caribbean Coast - Costa Rica is one of the premier travel destinations for natural history enthusiasts.

I admit that I am sort of traveler who avoids the tourist traps and the most commercialized resort areas. Every time I visit a destination (Costa Rica included), I make an effort to explore some new places-off the beaten track - which haven’t been overrun by the tourist crowd. On three of my trips, I have even rented a car so I could drive around the countryside at my own pace. That in itself is quite a feat considering the terrible condition of the roads of Costa Rica’s rural interior – many of the roads need resurfacing and often deteriorate into a rough-hewn dirt track. Of course, the roads in Costa Rica are world famous for her potholes of various sizes and shapes.

On my upcoming trip to Costa Rica, I will be traveling to three relatively untouristed locales – Turrialba Valley/Guayabo, Orosi Valley and Ostional Beach along Costa Rica’s North Pacific Coast. While these places receive their share of daytrippers and of travelers just passing through, they are still relatively off the beaten track - just the way I like it!

Turrialba and Orosi Valley are located about 90 minutes-2 hours southeast of San Jose. Turrialba is primarily known as the starting point for many of Costa Rica’s popular river rafting expeditions and Guayabo, which is located in Turrialba Valley, is Costa Rica’s largest archaeological site. Guayabo pales in comparison to the world class ruins of the Maya who flourished in Belize, Guatemala and Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula. Towering over the verdant green landscape is Turrialba Volcano.

The quiet village of Ostional is located about 5 miles north of Nosara, a popular beach resort in Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula. The neighboring Ostional Wildlife Refuge is one of the most important nesting sites of the Olive Ridley Turtles

P.S. I will be blogging daily from Costa Rica, March 25-April 10. If you would like to follow my adventure, I suggest that you subscribe to my RSS feed.