Costa Rica’s “Original” Path of Progress

I knew it was beautiful. It’s a place I’ve flown over a bunch of times on my way to Nicaragua. Lush, mountainous jungle spills down to a coastline of quiet bays and pristine Pacific beaches. But I had never put boots on the ground in this part of northwestern Costa Rica until my trip last November. And boy had I underestimated just how stunning it is. A complex network of bays and points are fringed by beautiful sandy beaches, with lush, tropical vegetation spilling right up to the sand. I saw baby foxes, howler monkeys, colorful birds, and giant butterflies, all protected by a nature preserve…