At first sight, Costa Rica appears almost too good to be true. The temptations and appeals of this tiny nation are so many that an estimated 30,000 U.S. citizens (more than one percent of Costa Rica's population) have moved here in recent years and now call Costa Rica home, attracted by financial incentives and a quality of life among the highest in the Western Hemisphere.

Pensionados and other Americans-in-residence seem to have known for quite some time what travelers are only just wising up to: Costa Rica is one of the world's best-kept travel secrets, as well as a great place to live. Travelers have neglected this exciting yet peaceful pro-Yankee nation primarily because of a muddled grasp of Central American geopolitics. While its neighbors have been racked by turmoil, Costa Rica has been blessed with a remarkable normalcy: few extremes of wealth and poverty, no standing army (the army disbanded itself following the 1948 coup d'état by which it gained power), and a proud history as Central America's most stable democracy (the 1990 elections were so trouble-free that crowd control at polling stations was handled in part by schoolchildren).

Ticos, as the friendly, warmhearted Costa Ricans are known, pride themselves on having more teachers than policemen, a higher male life expectancy than the U.S., an egalitarianism and strong commitment to peace and prosperity, and an education and social-welfare system which should be the envy of many developed nations. Even the smallest town is electrified, water most everywhere is potable, the roads are generally excellent, and the telecommunications system is the best in Latin America. In 1990, the United Nations ranked Costa Rica with the best human-development index among underdeveloped nations; in 1992 it was taken off the list of underdeveloped nations altogether. No wonder National Geographic called it the "land of the happy medium."

Despite its diminutive size (about the same size as Nova Scotia), Costa Rica offers more beauty and adventure per acre than any other country on earth. It is in fact a kind of micro continent unto itself. The diversity of terrain is remarkable, most of it as supremely beautiful as Mother Nature ever intended. Costa Rica is sculpted to show off the full potential of the tropics.

Though the history buff may be disappointed by the lack of pre-Columbian or colonial sites and structures, Costa Rica's varied ecosystems, particularly its tropical rainforests, are a naturalist's dream. Unlike many destinations, where man has driven the animals into the deepest backwater seclusion, Costa Rica's wildlife seems to love to put on a song and dance. Animals and birds are prolific and relatively easily seen. The pristine forests and jungles are full of arboreal sounds that are, according to one writer, "music to a weary ecotraveler's ears." You can almost feel the vegetation growing around you.

Scuba divers, fishermen, golfers, kayakers and whitewater rafters, hikers, surfers, honeymoon romantics, and every other breed of escape artist can find their nirvana in Costa Rica. The adventure travel industry has matured into one of the world's finest, under the supervision of experienced North American operators. About the only adventure activities not possible are those that involve snow skis or camels.

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