For some of you who are supporters of the environment there’s a tour just for you that you can book through some travel agencies who offer environmental tours for those who are looking to enhance their experience with an educated filled itinerary of places that are protected and are in danger due to urban sprawl and pollution. College and graduate students who are studying the environment and are looking for an educated vacation will certainly find themselves on a group tour of like-minded people who are concerned with the environment. Science tours, eco-tours, and eco-tourism is now becoming a more prominent thing among the supporters of the environmental community and those who have visited Costa Rican waters know they are some of the most beautiful in the world.

Many who value and appreciate the environment come down to take part in boating expeditions and visiting wildlife reserves to go on safaris and getting an educated filled week on things they usually wouldn’t learn in a science class.

Many travel agents today do have student tours which are done at certain times of the year so it’s inexpensive to go and you can either fly or take a boat out on the ocean for a week to catch a few rays and to just chill out with others like you who came to learn about the environment for a week. It’s a matter of doing your research to find the best group deals around. Usually most excursions like this are about 5-7 days long and you leave from one place and you begin the tour and then conclude back where your starting point is at.

Costa Rica offers a lot of breathtaking views of wildlife and if you like to dive to go look at fish that can be added to a tour for a nominal fee per person. Those who like to dive will have some really breath taking photos if they have an underwater camera. The pictures can be used for research on how the waters and the fish of the world look like and can provide a visual record of how beautiful Costa Rican waters really are from down below.

Very few people get a chance to dive down and look at some of the most unique fish around and to take back pictures to show people how clean and clear the water really is. Tours such as this are usually beneficial for those who are studying ecology and the environment to get a general feel of their field of study in the form of a vacation while learning about the world at the same time. Tours like these are ideal to take during the summer months because usually it’s a lot less hectic since not all college students are able to afford the $2500+ price tag for 7-15 days.

It’s ideal to go with an experienced travel company because when you’re dealing with college students it’s necessary to give them solid information on security and where and where not to hang out in town and to stick together as a group. Student tours like this are good for those who are getting their degrees in Environmental studies, Ecology, Biology, and any other science that studies animals and plants since some colleges and universities will give credit to students when they take excursions like this as a part of their coursework.

The average Costa Rican is usually laid back and friendly and Americans are treated with respect and shown hospitality and are almost well liked. Aside from the current social standards of today, Costa Rica has soured relations with the United States in terms of some it’s social policies. Such as the Tradado de Libre Comercio which is a trading agreement that stipulates, that the United States only trades with specific places.

Yet Costa Ricans consider the United States a friend and ally and acknowledges the contributions made by Americans, through various things and tourism is what makes up the bulk of their gross national product is the number of Americans who visit Costa Rica annually and contribute to the country’s economic growth. Costa Ricans also have their opinions of certain cultures mainly American and European cultures, where some people are not ideal about using deodorant or conducting some kind of hygiene will be looked down on by native Costa Ricans. And that’s why Americans should visit with a clean and fresh appearance since they are pretty hardnosed about those who don’t partake in bathing or washing.

Most of the time Costa Ricans actually are some of the most well-rounded, friendly people around. They love those who share the same values as they do which makes them really good to get along with. Usually, most Costa Ricans are pretty open to anyone no matter what color you are which makes them a versatile kind of people to associate yourself with. Much of their structural system has been tailored more and more like Americans and Europeans since they live identically, but yet the country is more known for its scenic beauty and the friendly people. According to reports written ever since the advancement of technology it’s become a symbol of the people in Costa Rica since their attitude is more like they want to be up there with the rest of the world who own cell phones and other devices and partaking in the same things and virtually becoming a melting pot in a lot of ways with the ethnicities that are making up the bulk of the country’s population.

Most of the time many different ethnic groups have pretty much harmonized together and racism isn’t really a huge issue in Costa Rica. Versus some areas of the world that aren’t really accepting of other ethnic groups outside of their own social and racial circles. It’s always wise for potential tourists to do a lot of reading on the culture and the people before visiting. So that you can do a comparison to what you read to what you were exposed to, so that it gives you some idea of how Costa Ricans are towards those outside of their inner circle.

Tour companies usually tell you that the people are very open to non Costa Ricans and others and because everything is identical to American southern hospitality, you’ll be right at home since tradition and family values are the most important things to a native Costa Rican.

After my girlfriend and I took a look at the various locations and the entertainment provided we made a decision. It seemed the best thing to do was to do a 10-day trip. We thought that 5 days on the coast and 5 days inland around San Jose and Monteverde would give us a nice visit and allow us to see a wide area of the country.

I got on the phone and called a local travel agent and had a little talk. I learned quite a bit. You can book your own flight because these days there aren’t many tour discounts. That is becoming a thing of the past. But with tours you have it made easy for you. You are picked up and directed to the different restaurants and entertainment available to you.

September, October, and November are the rainy and hurricane season. Prime season is January, February, March, and April. You will pay top dollar for these times of year. It seems there is a small window in the beginning of December and again for the month of May for you to get good rates.

When I talked to the travel agent she said she had been to Costa Rica a couple of years ago. She said that the traffic in San Jose was miserable. I am from Seattle and I hate traffic. It seems I can never get away from it. When I said that I had issues with traffic I was told that I could fly into Liberia Airport the other side of the island and avoid the capital all together.

It seemed to me that spending one day in the capital would be sufficient. I wanted to spend the rest of my 5 days inland at Monteverde and visit the Arenal volcano. So I decided that I would fly in from Houston Airport to Liberia Airport on the coast of Costa Rica spend my 5 days there, and then I would fly out of the San Jose airport back home.

I was still unsure of when I would be able to actually take this trip but I did ask the travel agent to give me some sample rates for flights. She gave me Wednesday thru Thursday bookings because she said that you get better rates booking that way instead of weekend to weekend. It allows the hotels to maximize their occupancy. You might keep that factoid in mind when asking the boss for time off.

The agent gave me sample prices for flights. For the high season of January, February, March, April, the plane fare on Continental and Delta were $655.00 per person. In the off-season the plane fare was $502.00 so at least there is a choice.

The first thing I have to do is get a passport and that has worried me. With all the changes brought about by 911 I know it is nowhere near as easy as it used to be to get a passport. I had heard that it can take you up to a year to get one. I asked the travel agent about this and she said that things were running much smoother and it was taking a little more than 12 weeks to get your passport.

When planning your trip, consider your comfort. The Caribbean side of the island can be more humid, especially in the summer months.