If you are planning a trip at all this year, then maybe you should consider taking a fun-filled excursion to Costa Rica! In 2008 more than two million people decided to take that small step in visiting Costa Rica and that did not just happen by chance! Costa Rica is a tropical oasis with over half of its land mass protected by natural reserves! It has been deemed politically stable and economically prosperous making it a hot-spot for those business men and women looking for a good getaway from the hustle and bustle of North American culture.

Even with all of these facts stated, a person cant help but wonder what to do once you get off the plane. After you get off the plane, what you do depends on which direction you set off in! The trip from the West coast of Costa Rica to the East coast takes about three to four hours on land and only 45 minutes by air. But in that small distance a person could tour a coffee plantation, go rafting on the beautiful tropical rivers, or even climb a volcano! Taking a pit-stop in San Jose, the Costa Rican capital city, would be a must for any serious sightseer. Experiencing things like the National Symphony Orchestra, the Marriott Costa Rica, eyeballing the 1880 piece gold collection at the Gold Museum or even touring the National Museum that is built within the former Buenavista fortress.

But if big cities arent your thing, you could easily find some of the most relaxing, tropical hideaways in the area within a couple of hour from San Jose. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve would be the place to go in February to witness not only the mating habits of the beautiful Quetzal but also the 2,500 types of plants, the 399 other species of birds, and the 110 different kinds of mammals! Or you could visit the Arenal Volcano Nation Park for a hiking excursion, the Caribbean coast to visit the Tortuguero Lodge that is placed inside the exotic Tortuguero National Park, or even the Manuel Antonio National Park that is found on the Central Pacific Coastline. There really is something for everyone that can be found in Costa Rica!

Book your trip today at TropicalTravel.net!

In Riviera Maya and Cancun there have been countless, All-Inclusive resorts built on the beach front. Most of them built as close to the beach as the government allowed and then connected to the road with private drive-ways and made into beautiful beach hotels and resorts. But the only downside to all of these beautiful, All-Inclusive resorts being constructed is that the ecosystems in the Riviera Maya have been destroyed and polluted. For instance, there is a plant called the mangrove that grows on the coastlines of most tropical locations that help protect the coasts from erosion, surge storms, and tsunamis and they do this through their root systems that work to dissipate wave energy. This plant has largely been removed from the areas that the resorts have been built to make room for pools, hotels, and driveways.

But as always there is an exception to this enviromental incident caused by all of the construction and tourism. The Mayakoba Resort and the Tres Rios Hotel have been constructed without destrying the enviroment, and have actually been built in such a way that they have helped encourage the aquatic ecosystems found in the Riviera Maya! For instance, instead of removing all of the mangroves and underground rivers that are so vitally important to the ecosystem, the Mayakoba resort has simply uncovered some of these underground rivers and has used them as the center piece of the resort creating an atmosphere of being in the jungle instead of being on the beach. But never fear! The beach is still only a few minutes away, and is actually connected to the resort via the new uncovered river systems.

But in addition to the Mayakoba the Tres Rios hotel has also implemented a new, green design that was created to not only preserve but utilize the natural ecosystem of the Mexican beaches. The Tres Rios has been built on more than 400 piles of permeable rock so that the hotel has about 3 yards of clearance between the ground/lagoon and the hotel floor. This was done so that the rivers and plant life could live on without being disturbed. Both of these hotels have actually seen an increase in animal life since being built because of the aquatic ecosystems that have been created. These hotels also utilize multiple systems of using green energy and not letting things go to waste. For instance they sort all of the garbage before it is recycled and their water comes from the ocean and is distilled in a processing machine instead of using the ground wells and depleting resources.

For more information on booking a trip to the Riviera Maya or either of these hotels please contact us at tropicaltravel.net!