Costa Rica

Make Your Spring Break Count with an Alternative Trip to ...

kate napleton on Feb 11, 2009 3:21 PM PST

This recession thing can have you questioning a lot of your purchase, especially something seemingly extravagant, like a vacation. But you work hard for your money, and you deserve some time off! Get the best of both worlds by taking an Alternative Spring Break with United Planet. You'll be able to volunteer in an international community, with like-minded people from all over the world. Whether it's building a new school, cleaning up environmental waste and creating new trails, or simply communicating with others for a language immersion program, you're sure to grow in your experience - and hey, maybe still get a tan, too. You can also think of it as a positive endeavor for your body, because by avoiding the spring break party scene and keeping active, your body will definitely thank you. Check out my slideshow for some pictures from Alternative Spring Break in Costa Rica!

Tags : volunteer , vacations , vacation ideas , vacation idea , costa rica

Green Travel 101: The Lowdown on the Hot Travel Trend

meg donohue on Mar 13, 2008 8:16 AM PDT

Green travel, like all things green these days, is a huge trend right now--and it looks like interest will only grow in the upcoming years. A recent TripAdvisor survey found that 26% of respondents will be making eco-conscious travel decisions in 2008! So what sorts of choices does an eco-chic traveler make?

1. Green hotels! Before you book, ask your hotel what sustainability programs they have in place. Do they have key cards that control the thermostat and automatically turn off the electricity when you leave the room? Do they pay fair wages to employees? Give back to the local community? Protect the local ecosystem? Maybe the hotel was built using an energy-saving design or recycled/reclaimed materials?

Tags : travel , sri lanka , nicaragua , hiveslides , costa rica

Ride the Wave to Inner Peace at a Surf & Yoga Retreat

meg donohue on Jan 18, 2008 6:16 PM PST

Surfing and yoga. Yoga and surfing. Like all great pairings - peanut butter and jelly, espresso and skim milk, and TomKat come to mind - yoga and surfing make for one bizarrely perfect match. If the idea of a vacation spent learning how to ride the waves and tone up your wannabe-yogi bod sounds as heavenly to you as it does to me, you're in luck. I've om'd my way through a virtual world tour of surf and yoga retreats; without further ado, the top four finds€¦

Tags : yoga , vacation , surf , mexico , costa rica