President of Costa Rica Named One of Time Magazine’s “100 Rising Stars That Will Change the World”

Costa Rica has been leading the way for sustainable tourism for decades, starting with the formation of reserves and parks in the 1960s and 70s. They are now leading the world in their policies to address climate change. “Since becoming President in 2018, President Alvarado has established a bold path for Costa Rica, setting targets […]

Travelers Against Plastic

Detour is a member of Travelers Against Plastic, (TAP, https://www.travelersagainstplastic.org). Single use plastic is a problem everywhere in the world, but it is an especially large problem in major tourism destinations in developing countries, where waste disposal is limited and recycling is virtually nonexistent. We strongly discourage the use of disposable water bottles, even if offered […]

3 Ways to See Tons of Wildlife on a Rainforest Trip

You want to visit the rainforest to see monkeys, caimans, toucans, sloths, and capybaras up close, not just sit in a tree and itch mosquito bites.  So how do you maximize your chances of seeing pink river dolphins splashing in the river and macaws swooping in by the hundreds?  It’s actually not too hard as […]

5 of the best beaches in South America

South America has many fine beaches – and ones that can be far more unspoiled than those found in traditional European hot-spots. We have, however, concentrated on those accessible to Detour travelers, although we have also included an add-on for those who want to see the beach near Argentina’s capital. Detour offers many packages that allow […]

Costa Rica’s Weather and When to Go

Although Costa Rica is in the tropics, it actually contains a dozen micro-climates so there is always somewhere amazing to visit any month of the year. No matter the season or region though, the climate is overall quite mild and rain is always a possibility. Our guidelines below should help with trip planning and let […]

Rafting: Top 5 Costa Rican Rivers

Whitewater rafting the rivers of Costa Rica is an incredibly popular attraction for tourists and locals alike, but tourists can often miss some of the best stretches.  One of my main goals while in Costa Rica has been to explore these rivers as much as possible and help others find the stretch that’s right for […]

Weather in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a small country but its weather is huge in character: intense sun, torrential rains, and a weeks worth of weather packed into one day.  Positioned between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea and full of drastic elevation changes, the Costa Rican climate is anything but uniform, consistent or reliable.   When you […]

Flying into San Jose, Costa Rica

You have cleared airport security and boarded the plan.  You look at your ticket and it tells you that you are flying into the San Jose Internaional Airport (Juan Santamaria).  You assume that you will land in San Jose, Costa Rica.  Completely justified in your assumption, you a wrong. You will actually land in Alajuela, […]

The Rainforest Alliance Recommends Detour for Sustainable Travel in Latin America

Detour and the Rainforest Alliance have partnered for several years to promote sustainable tourism in South and Central America.  Detour is pleased to announce that the Rainforest Alliance has highlighted Detour as their “Recommended Link” on the Eco-Index:  http://www.eco-index.org/links/ecotourism.cfm. A service of the Rainforest Alliance, the Eco-Index (www.eco-index.org) is a bilingual database of more than […]

Pacuare River Obtains Ecological Blue Flag

Detour has received a great update from Aventuras Naturales in Costa Rica about their latest achievement in sustainability. Aventuras Naturales is a Costan Rican company which has received international recognition for its commitment to sustainable and responsible tourism: “We are very proud to announce that the Pacuare River recently received the highest rating from the […]

Pura Vida! A journey to Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula

The Osa Peninsula, home of Central America’s largest remaining chunk of old-growth coastal rainforest in Corcovado National Park, is not like the rest of Costa Rica. Here, trees grow bigger than resorts, amenities are primitive, and roads are few and boat docks even fewer. In the Osa, nature is in charge. My wife, Hayley, and […]