1. Beaches

The only beaches that I have been to are in California, which I love going to, but they are not nearly as beautiful as the ones in Costa Rica. I was blown away by everything - the sand, trees, warm water, etc. Also, the locals in Quepos, Costa Rica are so friendly and willing to help you out if you're are learning to surf! They also have cheap beach chairs that you can lounge in, and a guy who will walk around and take food orders from anyone who wants food to be brought to them from the restaurant atop the beach. Also, I know I already said this, but the water is so warm and nice to swim in!

2. Food

Not only is the food really good, but it is also relatively cheap! You can get the traditional rice, beans, and chicken plate with a few sides and a drink for only about $5! You may think that since it is cheap that you won't get a lot of food, but they definitely load your plate up! Also, for those of you who are 18+, the drinks at Selinas (a hostile in Quepos) are really tasty and a good price too! If you ever get the chance to go there, order the Chile Guerro's; hands down the best drink I've ever had.

3. Culture

I was immediately immersed into the culture, with a lot of help from my little, and learned a lot of different things. Since it was my first time out of the country, I really enjoyed seeing and learning about the Costa Rican culture and the people. I found that the locals in Quepos are way more friendly than a lot of people in the U.S., and more outgoing and willing to make an effort to talk to you and make you feel welcome.

4. Recreation

There are so many fun things you can do in Costa Rica for a great price! My friends and I went ziplining through some thick trees right by the beach, for only $12! We also got to rent paddle boards and snorkels for about only $10 each because of the group deal they gave us - we got to rent them right on the beach, so we could immediately head into the water and have fun! About 10 minutes east of the main beach we went to, Manuel Antonio State Park was a great place to explore as well. The walkways we walked on were really nice, we met so many other tourists (including someone who went to the U of A), and saw the coolest animals. Waterfalls here are also beautiful places to visit where you can take amazing pictures, rope swing, climb, and so much more!

5. Wildlife

So last, but definitely not least, I have to tell you about the wildlife. I'm going to be a Vet. in the future, and I love animals so much. So, the amount of wildlife that I saw was absolutely amazing! While lounging on the beach, we were able to look up and not only see little monkeys scurrying around on the trees and observing the beachgoers, but we also got to see the cutest sloth sleeping high above us in the trees. For those amphibian lovers, there were also a lot of colorful, cool looking frogs. I also got to see a dolphin swimming around, which was a first for me!