Day 19: How to travel like a girl

Posted on by stanleyobando

Each week so far of the Costa Rica Daily Boost has taken me somewhere unexpected – I end up on Friday somewhere I didn’t envision on Sunday. This week ended up becoming a deep dive into women in sports, literature and wellness, so as Thursday neared, my day to focus on explorations, I found myself wondering: is there a guide to women-owned tourism businesses in Costa Rica?

In starting to research this question – I’m sure there’s a lot out there – I instantly came across Her Report, an incredible project I’d never heard of. Founded by journalist AnneMarie Houlis, the site includes stories by and about women around the world, but also practical travel information for women (in their “Travel Like a Girl” section). They’ve even created guides to women-owned businesses in specific locations – including Santa Teresa, on Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula – check to see if they’ve got one for your favorite destinations.

I’ve written pretty recently about the dangers facing women travelers and the balancing act we must sometimes perform to preserve our sense of adventure and while also common sense precautions, so I’m thrilled to find a resource that seems to bridge that gap through information and peer-to-peer advice. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on Her Report.

Do you have women-owned businesses to recommend or great travel information sources created by women? As always, I’d love to hear from you.

http://www.herreport.org/travel-guide-santa-teresa/

I’m a writer in San José, Costa Rica, on a year-long quest to share daily posts on inspiring people, places and ideas from my adopted home as a kind of tonic during a rough time in the world. Sign up (top right of this page) to receive a little dose of inspiration every weekday in your mailbox; tell a friend; check out past posts; and please connect with me on Instagram or Facebook! You can also find me churning out small, square poems on any topic under the sun (here on the site, on Instagram or Twitter). 

Day 14: A travel hack that saves space AND gives back

Posted on by stanleyobando
rubber boots Costa Rica

When I asked an array of Costa Rican travel experts for their best advice last year, my favorite tip was a way to save precious suitcase space while also supporting local businesses and giving useful to someone who needs it. A triple boost, if you will.

The travel hack, which I’m paraphrasing from Pip Kelly of Casitas Tenorio in Bijagua (and one of last week’s Changemakers), was as follows: unless your Costa Rican trip will include some rigorous hiking, rubber boots, or botas de hule, will probably fit the bill much better than expensive, heavy hiking boots. What’s more, they’re pretty cheap and readily available around the country. So save that room in your suitcase, buy a pair upon arrival, splash around in some puddles and muddy trails – and at the end of your trip, simply donate them to your hotel, tour operator, or a local family. They will be put to good use, because every man, woman and child in Costa Rica needs to own botas de hule. It’s an essential.

Have you done something like this when traveling, in Costa Rica or elsewhere? Are there certain items you “forget on purpose” so you can buy them locally? Are there items you plan ahead to leave behind when you head home? I love this idea and would love to hear more.

I’m a writer in San José, Costa Rica, on a year-long quest to share daily posts on inspiring people, places and ideas from my adopted home as a kind of tonic during a rough time in the world. Sign up (top right of this page) to receive a little dose of inspiration every weekday in your mailbox; tell a friend; check out past posts; and please connect with me on Instagram or Facebook!