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When traveling in Costa Rica, you must make it a point to visit Monteverde. The town is tucked away high in the mountains and the views are incredible. Monteverde offers a variety of tours of things to see and do.

A tour that offers many thrills and chills is zip lining over the canopy. The staff will clip you onto the cable and send you flying across 600 meters of open space, you’ll be extremely high and will be able to see the canopy from above. Now, that is a great combination.

If you are avoiding adrenaline, try the suspended bridges. You can go to Selvatura and see the canopy in another very personal way. Up at Selvatura you can also experience the hummingbird garden. It is truly incredible something to be that close.

Costa Rica is known for having a lot of bio-diversity and every area of the country is different. Be sure to hike one of the two reserves in Monteverde. If you’ve got a good eye or ear you might see and hear toucans or monkeys.

If you want to learn about the forest while hiking, you can hire a guide for a private tour. With this option you will have a better chance at seeing animals. The guides are trained to know all about the cloud forest life.

In Santa Elena, which is one kilometer from Monteverde, there is a Frog Pond Exhibit. They have the famous Red Eyed Tree Frog and Poison Dart Frog. Inside, there are 28 different species of frogs.

For those who enjoy everything outdoors, try horseback riding with the company La Estrella. You can spend an hour, an afternoon or the day riding through the forest. The trails wind along the tops of the mountains. Be sure to watch the sunset over the Gulf of Nicoya.

After you have spent the day enjoying the tours, be sure to spoil yourself at one of the fine restaurants. Don Juan and Morphos are great choices and if you are looking for the local place, go to Donde Henry. As for desert, Stellas Bakery is where its at.

And the place to lay your head is a place literally in the trees. Hidden Canopy Tree House Hotel has four tree houses available. Treat yourself to their waterfall showers and be sure to catch the sunset on the patio.

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She waited 500 yards offshore in the tropical warm eastern Pacific ocean off Ostional Beach. Only fifteen the olive ridley sea turtle was in a small land that Christopher Columbus had named “Costa Rica”, the “rich coast” 500 years earlier.

The nearly daily afternoon rains of October had ended as the marine turtle waited expectantly. The moon was in its final quarter and, though she did not know why, it was having an effect on her.

A dozen meters away, a second olive ridley sea turtle joined her, followed by a dozen, then hundreds, thousands, and soon tens of thousands, all waiting quietly. For epochs the moon has silently passed its timeless phases that affect the world’s tides-and today it was bringing her ashore this night, just as it had led her forebears to ancestral nesting beaches for more than one hundred million years.

Nature is always magical. Just a few months ago, this turtle was living in the middle of the Pacific Ocean more than 2,500 miles away. And the multitude of sea turtles now alongside her were scattered over more than a million square miles of ocean.

Though food was plentiful far out in the Pacific, something was stirring inside her. She and hundreds of thousands like her felt the same need to return to Ostional Beach. They had to go back to where they had hatched.

Now, as she waited in the soft moonlight, she was ready. Over the thousands of miles she had swum she had been bred by several different males in the clear tropical waters because, somehow, they, too, were being affected by something unseen, a force primeval. It was something so compelling that it had been bringing her species back to the same Costa Rica beach since the days of dinosaurs.

In the tropical night this olive ridley sea turtle was waiting. She had somehow found to the very beach where she had hatched in 1995. We do not know how a Pacific marine turtle finds the exact beach where she started life. There are only a few nesting beaches on earth and they are not very big. Indeed Ostional Beach is only a few hundred meters in length. Now part of Costa Rica’s Ostional National Wildlife Refuge, it is without a doubt the most important olive ridley marine turtle nesting site on the planet. Wonderfully, in 1995, the year this turtle hatched, perhaps as many as 500,000 female olive pacific sea turtles had come ashore to nest here in huge waves. These massive invasions are called “arribadas.”

Unfortunately, our sea turtle’s mother will not join her to nest at Ostional this year even though for the last two decades, she had been part of massive Ostional arribadas several times every year. Not long ago, she drowned in an illegal shrimping net on her way back to the ancient nesting grounds. It was a needless waste since it could have been avoided by the simple use of an internationally required, but typically ignored, law requiring a turtle escape device. Thousands more were destroyed in what is politely called “incidental catch” by long line fishermen who refuse to use larger hooks that would prevent tragedy to this magnificent and ancient creature. And, no one knows how many thousands were killed awfully by eating carelessly discarded plastic bags. And, of course, there has been the ceaseless pillaging of nests: millions of eggs from just a few small, precious beaches.

Of course, the hundreds of thousands of olive ridleys just offshore know none of this. As we look out over the water in the pale moonlight, there are now so many that it almost seems one could walk on their backs for at least a mile. We stand in awe at the sheer magnitude of God’s creation. They don’t know or comprehend that they were on this planet long before there was a Tyrannosaurus Rex. They don’t know that we are waiting for them to come ashore so that when they lay their eggs on this tiny wildlife refuge, men, women, and children will legally raid their nests and take 1,000,000 eggs in return for protecting the rest of the clutches and preserving the species. They only know that this is where they are meant to be.

Then, though we do not know why, it happens. It is as though the same quiet voice that told them to come and provided flawless directions to a tiny sand beach thousands of miles away, the same silent command that demanded they wait offshore, now tells them it is time to come ashore. As quietly as they first appeared offshore, as silently as they gathered for days and weeks, their patience has been rewarded. They begin to come to the beach. A single olive ridley marine turtle is followed by a second, then another and another. Soon there are hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands—even more than that. All on a particular little beach. They come in increasing numbers all night. More arrive in the day. All day, day after day. It is the magnificent Ostional Arribada of Costa Rica. As timeless as the moon itself, it is the spectacular reaffirmation of life itself.

With the rise in tourism here in Costa Rica, canopy tours are also growing in popularity. An activity for any age, it’s definitely something you do not want to leave Costa Rica without having the experience. The canopy tour is a thrill of a lifetime with breathtaking views for the young and old.

With a variety of tour companies to choose from, you need to do your research to make sure you book your canopy tour that will provide you with the adventure you are in search of. If it is adventure you’re looking for, this is where you will find it. Once is definitely not enough!

Depending on what your extreme adventure idea is, you can bet that you will find it on a canopy tour. With a range of activities outlined along the way, you get to choose what works best for your perfect adrenaline rush! Choose your tour operator according to your “extreme”, or not, desire.

A Canopy tour consists of cables attached to trees which are surrounded by platforms throughout the forest. A guide at each end of the cable helps you clip your pulley, which is already attached to your harness, and off you go. Some of the tour operators take an extra precaution by clipping you to a safety cable while you are standing on the platform.

You job on this amazing adventure is to just relax and enjoy the ride. The hardest part about this experience will be deciding which canopy company to choose from. Age and weight restrictions do vary slightly from company to company so it’s best to check prior to booking.

There are canopy tours located in Herradura next to Jaco on the Central Pacific coast of Costa Rica and offers breathtaking views of the gulf of Nicoya and the Pacific Ocean. Prices are comparable among all the operators, starting around $40.00 per person for adults.

Whether you choose the eco-friendly theme park tour, the famous Original Canopy tour or a tropical park tour; we are certain you will find one to meet your needs. Horseback riding tours to your first canopy, premium full day adventure tours or just the Original Costa Rica canopy tour, it’s all here. Congo Trail Canopy is a favorite of a lot of tourists because it sits between Ocotal and Flamingo beaches; suggest you check it out!

If you plan on visiting the Monteverde or Santa Elena Cloud Forest, you will have an opportunity to experience the birds view on things. They do have suspension bridges for your amazing views from the treetops. Just enjoy a nice leisurely walk along the treetops taking in the beautiful views of the forest below.

As with any vacation, it’s best to always be prepared. When visiting Costa Rica remember that we are very close to the equator here and it’s best to bring lots of sunscreen. Bug spray is also suggested, you are experiencing a different climate and precautions are always suggested. Make this vacation an adventure in this beautiful scenic country, and enjoy!

Daniel Q. Floyd just got back from a Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Canopy Tour in Costa Rica. He is an enthusiast expert on Costa Rica Canopy Adventure Tours in Monteverde. With more than 8 years experience wondering around Costa Rica, he has learned what are the best locationsto go to.

Nowadays, the market for women’s travel is thriving, with statistics showing that women, more than any other single group, enjoy the pleasures of traveling. Perhaps it’s the result of having been confined to household chores for decades, or perhaps it’s simply due to women also being fed up at having to spend their life in a monotonous office environment day in and day out. Either way, more and more women are discovering the benefits and pleasures of traveling. After all, why shouldn’t women pack their bags and fly away? Whether they choose to explore remote areas of distant lands, or whether they choose to soak up the sun while lying on a beach in the Caribbean, women are letting their hair down, they’re leaving their chores behind, and they’re heading off into the great unknown. Yes that’s right, they’re realizing that there’s so much more to life than simply going to work each day.

Women-only travel has really taken off in the last 15 years, and it’s more popular than ever now. Stressed-out women who have been playing Supermom for years need a break, and realize this is a great way to do it. For at least a week, you really don’t have to take it any more! There are all kinds of women’s vacations you can pick from. What about ziplining in Costa Rica? Sailing a charter yacht in the Greek Islands? Exploring ancient Mayan Ruins in Belize? Or scuba diving in the Virgin Islands? So many fabulous options, and so little vacation time!

So, what is it about women-only travel that makes it so popular? Believe me, there are many reasons why more and more women are choosing women-only travel. For example, you get a break from the kids, you don’t have to deal with inquisitive neighbors and you don’t even have to put up with the incessant nagging of your husband. Have you ever noticed how much husbands can nag you, especially when they’re not getting their own way? Of course you love your husband and your kids but a short break from it all, more often than not leaves you feeling like a new person altogether. Best of all, because you get to meet other likeminded people, you get the chance to make new friends as well.

No, we certainly don’t hate men do we? Hey, I’m the first to admit that having your man close by is usually great but the problem is; go away on holiday together and in all likelihood you’ll both continue fulfilling the same roles as you’ve always done. You’ll find yourself being left with the dishes once again, or even preparing all the food. Fair enough, maybe your husband will be chopping firewood or getting the fire built but that?s exactly what you’re trying to get away from in the first place. On the other hand, when you go away on your own, you’re much more likely to try new things, not to mention the fact you’ll more than like be more adventurous as well.

Of course, competition and support also come into the equation because let’s say you want to learn how to sail. If you try when you’re with your husband, the chances are you’ll feel a little intimidated, especially if he can sail already. This happens when he keeps offering to help, or he keeps on telling you that you’re doing this wrong or that wrong. On the other hand, if you’re with a group of like minded women, you’ll have to learn to do things for yourself and that’s what it’s about; feeling good about yourself being able to learn something new.

Women’s travel tours also offer security, because traveling with a group is safer than traveling on your own. It’s not always easy for single women to travel. Your friends may be coupled up, or they may not have the same interests, budget, or schedule as you have. Women’s travel groups can solve these problems — it’s easier, safer, and a whole lot more fun than going on your own. You get a ready-made trip (just show up!), a group of women to socialize with and share the experience, a knowledgeable tour guide, and some ready-made camaraderie. It takes the work and worry out of planning your vacation, and going on it, too.

Finally, travel is good for the soul. The modern world is full of unhealthy stress, especially for women who try to do it all. YOu try, but it’s just impossible! A great vacation gives you back your sense of perspective, and your sense of fun, too. Travel can open your eyes and your heart, when you meet people whose life situation is very different from yours. It gives you time to connect with others, and to connect with your own inner spirit too. It makes you feel alive, radiant, and happy! Yes, there may be a big stack of e-mail waiting for you when you get home, but it’s worth it for that sense of joy and renewal.

You deserve a break, just as much as others do, and before you start feeling all guilty just remember, everybody needs to time to be alone. Right, you have no excuse so go ahead and book a tour now.

About the author: Deanna Keahey is founder of Adventurous Wench Women’s Travel, a company that specializes in women’s travel tours. Find active women only trips, from river rafting the Rio Grande, to glacier trekking in Patagonia.

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It began with Teddy Roosevelt and started at the Matterhorn. Today we call it eco tourism and what started as the germ of an idea on a cold, forlorn Swiss mountain now leads thousands of people each year to a tiny gem that Christopher Columbus named “Costa Rica” over 500 years ago.

About 20 years before he became one of America’s greatest presidents, Roosevelt, always the explorer, went to Europe to climb the famous Matterhorn Mountain in Switzerland. He was chagrined by what he encountered on the mountain or, more accurately, what he did not find.

The mountain was virtually barren. Where once there had been wilderness there were no longer goats, mountain sheep, bears, wolves, or other great animals.

Though “eco tourism” didn’t enter the language lexicon for nearly 100 more years, Theodore Roosevelt was the world’s first eco tourist and, I would say, the responsible for today’s eco tourism.

How do Roosevelt and the Matterhorn relate to Costa Rica eco tourism? Perhaps more than you might imagine. From his observations at the Matterhorn, Roosevelt realized that unless vast tracts of land were set aside, relentless exploitation would ultimately lead to disaster. So, when he became President and, despite the powerful robber barons and vested interests who fought him, he was the first to set aside wilderness and parks—an incredible 230,000,000 acres—an extraordinary achievement for America and singular accomplishment for the world.

Roosevelt’s bold vision led to an extraordinary discovery: common citizens would gladly pay money to visit nature. Sustained use of land through eco tourism had important economic consequences, perhaps more valuable than exploitation in many cases—in America.

But, America’s experience was one thing. It was wealthy and developed. Costa Rica was, seemingly, very different. Here was a place that in 1519 its Spanish Governor called “the poorest and most miserable Spanish colony in all Americas.” Four and a half centuries later, now independent and free, most of its forests had been cut or burned to make farm land. Big (American) business dominated its primary product, bananas, and the country was almost completely dependent upon the export of bananas, coffee, and other agricultural products for its economic life. United Fruit Company controlled the banana market and its relations with Costa Rica were often stormy, sometimes icy. Then, in the early 1970s, prices for coffee collapsed during a glut of the product on the world market. The country’s future looked bleak.

With challenge comes opportunity for the bold and thoughtful and, in an apparently unlikely alliance, conservationists and business interests argued in favor of setting aside resources for sustainable, rather than exploitative, development. For whatever reason, the government agreed to this rather bold experiment and, in just three decades, has now set aside nearly 25% of the country for parks and preserves. Roosevelt, ever the visionary, would applaud if still here.

In the span of just 30 years, the results have been stunning. While most countries were burning and cutting their forests, Costa Rica was reforesting. Today, there are 20% more forests than just 25 years ago. Birds and mammals are returning to places where they haven’t been seen for a generation or more. Costa Rica has enthusiastically embraced sustained development, rejecting the siren’s call of Big Oil by refusing off shore drilling for oil. Indeed almost 100% of its electricity now comes from renewable, non-polluting hydro-electric power and it is embarking on wind turbines for additional generation. Researchers from Columbia and Yale researchers now categorize it in the top 5 of all environmentally sensitive countries on the globe.

Costa Rica tourism and eco tourism have skyrocketed and the country has vaulted into the #1 position on the Happiest Place in the World Index. Turns out that Columbus was prescient when he named this place “the rich coast” or “Costa Rica” and the Spanish governor who derided it as “the poorest and most miserable Spanish colony in Americas” was dead wrong. Somewhere, Roosevelt smiles in triumph.

To close, we need to revisit the Swiss Matterhorn, the impetus behind Roosevelt’s sudden clarity that parks and preserves were essential to saving wildlife and Costa Rica’s wise extension of that idea leading to today’s incredibly successful Costa Rica eco tourism. Consider the irony here. Costa Rica is often called the “Switzerland” of the tropics but it learned from Swiss failures. Ironically, Switzerland has learned nothing. Costa Rica’s mountains are today filled with life and eco tourism helps fuel its economy. One of every five species of plants and animals on earth are found there. Meanwhile, the magnificent Matterhorn remains silent because its life was exploited and destroyed, not cherished and preserved.