"Costa Rica, no rules."

"Costa Rica, no rules." Uhhhhhhh yeeeeaaaah. That isn't exactly what I wanted to hear as I was signing a safety waiver for a zip line tour of a rainforest canopy. I'd also really have liked to pretend I thought he was joking, but it had been a pretty long, fun week. Well, you only live once, right? These dudes were at least making us sign waivers, which had to show some level of professionalism. They also seemed to have a sense of humor, so I would probably die laughing...

(No joke, the monkeys were that close)

Well, I was most certainly not disappointed by the experience, and I clearly lived to tell the tale. My most succinct reaction: I think it is actually the closest I will ever get to being a monkey - well, a 5'8" monkey with no grace or coordination. The tour took us through the top of the rainforest canopy through a set of zip lines and platforms. Coordination wasn't even a requirement. Ha - I can still see one of the tiny little tour guides cringe as I came barreling toward the platform. I will admit that at one point I felt a twinge of vertigo, but that passed quickly as my carabiner was swiftly strapped into the next rope, and I was pushed down toward a platform I could roughly make out in the canopy of the next tree.

 

I would say if you are even the least bit adventurous, then it is an experience that should not be missed. Sure, you can absorb some of the nature from a hike or a horseback ride, but the perspective and view from the tippity top of a tree CANNOT be beat.

(I was apparently too scared to take a picture of anything except birds - boo me).

Tour providers are really easy to find. We stayed on the western coast near the town of Jaco (get surf town - that's another story), and we probably drove past over a dozen different signs for companies offering zip tours. If you are wary of safety, then I would recommend simply asking your hotel for recommendations, or going to any tourist gift shop will also have brochures.