Q Where can I find a kayaking tour in Costa Rica? And how can I tell if these are legitimate companies?
Mimi Pollow
Alexandria
A With water from coast to coast and rivulets in between, you could easily spend your entire vacation paddling around Costa Rica. And while Cynthia Dunbar, manager of REI Adventures, concedes that Costa Rica is known more for its hiking, jungle expeditions and white-water rafting, she says there's no shortage of kayaking opportunities.
For example, the Caribbean side has warm, flat water and colorful reefs as well as the Tortuguero National Park, where you can kayak Rio Suerte. On the opposite side, the Pacific has cliffs, jungle nudging the coastline and a stronger tidal flow (but not wavy enough to pop you off your boat). In Manual Antonio National Park, you can glimpse monkeys and rainbow-colored birds overhead. Inland, the river tributaries slice through the jungle, home to snakes, small crocodiles and poisonous dart frogs. Though you can take a land break, Dunbar warns of "things along the shoreline -- stingy, jungle kinds of things."
When scouting out a kayak tour, look for companies affiliated with such travel associations as the American Society of Travel Agents (703-739-2782, http://www.astanet.com ), which lists a number of agents who specialize in adventure trips in Latin America. The Costa Rica Tourism Board (800-343-6332, http://www.visitcostarica.com ) also posts travel operators on its Web site that are approved by its tourism institute. Also check the trips run by established adventure companies, such as Gorp.com and REI Adventures, which has an eight-day Jungle and Seascape trip for $2,325 per person double (land only). Info: 800-622-2236, http://www.rei.com/adventures .
Before booking, ask the company if its instructors are certified and speak English, and inquire about the age and make of the equipment. Says Dunbar: "While Costa Rica's tourism infrastructure is quite good, you are in a new place and you want to be safe." So wear your life jacket and don't pet the monkeys.
I'd like to go somewhere warm for my 30th birthday. Unfortunately, it's Dec. 26, which is an expensive time to travel. Any suggestions for warm places that are budget-friendly?
