There’s a reason why Costa Rica is called “rich coast”. Spanish explorers found a land abundant with lush vegetation, animals and resources, much as the country is today. Our time in Costa Rica was mostly spent enjoying the biodiversity in the country- from the cloudforest of Monteverde to the jungle encroached beach of Manuel Antonio.

Costa Rica is a popular destination for travelers from all over the world. We met plenty of tourists from Europe, Israel and North America who had booked vacation rentals in Costa Rica for group trips for friends or family. We stayed with a friend of mine in Jaco, which gave us the space to decompress, relax and stop and smell the roses a bit. Standing in the jungle in Costa Rica, you feel the activity and life in the land, everything around you is growing, moving, and changing. At any other point on our journey this little guy would have hardly been noticed, but in Costa Rica we took the time to take a closer look at a caterpillar that by definition is in transition. The rich coast indeed.

IF YOU GO: Costa Rica is well known for its rich biodiversity and adventure activities. We caught this guy in Monteverde Cloud Forest, one of the most unique ecological zones we’ve ever experienced. Fortunately it is also the home to lots of zip lining courses, making it a great detour off the Panamerican highway. It is about 4 hours north of the capital and is perfect to enjoy alongside a visit to the nearby Arenal Volcano.