Things To Know Before You Go

Costa Rica is a wild nook of a country sandwiched between Nicaragua and Panama; it forms a key piece of the land bridge that separates North and South America. Covering only 0.03 percent of the world's surface, Costa Rica has approximately 6 percent of the world's biodiversity. Although slightly smaller than West Virginia, it has more species of mammals and birds than the continental United States and Canada combined.

Costa Rica has been called the cradle of eco-tourism. Its national park system, founded in the mid-1970s by Time magazine's "Conservation Men of the Century," Alvaro Ugalde and Mario Boza, now covers 25 percent of the country and has become a model for the developing world.

Costa Rica abolished its armed forces in 1948. The money saved by not having to support a standing military has allowed the country to achieve almost universal literacy and public health standards close to those in the United States.

One thing Costa Rica does not do well is roads; in fact, it is infamous for having one of the worst highway systems in Latin America. Light aircraft to any one of the country's more than 80 airstrips—some of which are literally pastures cleared of rocks and trees—is often the most efficient way to travel, and it is how Natalie Angier and our team traversed much of the country

Getting there: American Airlines, Continental, Delta, United, and Taca Group all fly to Costa Rica. Gateways are Miami, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, and Atlanta. Continental has a daily nonstop to San Jose, Costa Rica, from Newark, N.J. Check out Expedia for fares and schedules.

Where to stay: Costa Rica has hundreds of lodges for every taste, from decadent to very basic. Many are hard to get to and should be booked with transportation included. Costa Rica Hotels offers a good selection of hotels throughout the country, as does Expedia.

What to buy: Coffee! If you are only going to bring one thing home from Costa Rica, make it coffee, for which Costa Rica is rightly famous. Woodcrafts. While many of the Costa Rican crafts are not up to the standards of other Latin American countries that have large indigenous populations, such as Brazil or Ecuador, the quality of the wooden items can be extraordinary. These true works of art, such as hard woods carved into glass-thin polished bowls, are only found in the better stores, and they are not cheap, running from $35 to $150. Ask for assurances that the wood has been legally harvested or comes from trees that died of natural causes.

What to read: Among the best of the guidebooks are: Lonely Planet Costa Rica, by Rob Rachowiecki, and Moon Handbooks: Costa Rica, by Christopher P. Baker. There are also two must-bring wildlife guides for serious enthusiasts: A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica, by F. Gary Stiles and Alexander F. Skutch, and Field Guide to the Wildlife of Costa Rica, by Carrol L. Henderson. Martha Honey's book Ecotourism and Sustainable Development: Who Owns Paradise? gives an overview of the history of eco-tourism and looks at projects around the world, including some in Costa Rica. The Ticos: Culture and Social Change in Costa Rica, by Mavis Hiltunen Biesanz, Richard Biesanz, and Karen Zubris Biesanz is also worth reading.

What to watch (videos): Costa Rica Adventures with Señor Rico; Travel on the Edge.

Promotional considerations: The following hosted the "Well-Traveled" team:

Costa Rica Expeditions, the company that pioneered eco-tourism in Costa Rica, starting in 1978, supplied itinerary design, transportation, and naturalist guide services at cost. E-mail ; telephone (011 506) 257-0766.

Tortuga Lodge is the place to stay in Tortuguero. Justin Henderson called it "the Quintessential Eco-lodge" in Jungle Luxe. The lodge offers the plushest accommodations and the best food in Tortuguero, but what really sets it apart are the quiet, environmentally friendly electric motors used while navigating the waterways and the superior guides. E-mail ; telephone (011 506) 257-0766.

Monteverde Lodge is the best of the breed in Monteverde. Be sure to set aside a few hours to spend in the gardens. E-mail ; telephone (011 506) 257-0766.

Corcovado Lodge is the place for you if you enjoy truly wild, remote places with all the comforts of home—if your home is a 10-foot-square tent with an outdoor loo 20 yards away. E-mail ; telephone (011 506) 257-0766.

Grano de Oro, a 35-room Victorian mansion, is the place to stay in San Jose. If you really want to treat yourself, book the Vista de Oro Suite, with its breathtaking view of the Cordillera Central mountain range. Savvy locals will tell you that the kitchen, under French-trained chef Francis Canal, is the best in San Jose. E-mail ; telephone (011 506) 255-3322.

Finca Rosa Blanca is a very special private home in Costa Rica's coffee country. The architecture is as if "Gaudí and Frank Lloyd Wright had combined their talents and visions," according to Christopher Baker in the Costa Rica Handbook. The legendary dinners, hosted by owners Glen and Teri Jampol, are arguably as good as the dinner-table conversation, which is the best in Costa Rica. E-mail ; telephone (011 506) 269-9392.

Steve Aronson at Café Britt gave us a behind-the-scenes tour of his coffee plantation and the world of the international coffee trade. Café Britt will send fresh roasted coffee to your door in the States. E-mail ; telephone (800) 462-7488.

Eagle Creek supplied travel bags and accessories for the team.

Travel clothing provided by Ex Officio.