Loving the Green Season

Last month's visit to the Flamingo Beach Resort & Spa reminded me why I love Costa Rica's "green season." Looking down over the lush countryside while flying into the Tamarindo airstrip, I was reminded just how many lovely shades of emerald are in evidence here. While the dry season months do offer a guarantee of blue skies and sunshine, during the green season even the arid Guanacaste countryside transforms into a magnificent and magical tropical rainforest. Now that the word "green" has become a synonym for sustainability and environment-friendly, it applies to Costa Rica even more! At my favorite vacation spot, the Flamingo Beach Resort, they're doing their part to go green by switching to energy-efficient lightbulbs, separating and recycling trash, and planting native trees. While it's true that the original builder obviously id not design it as an eco-resort, we love the efforts the management has recently made to naturalize the property with Palapa roofs, natural stone decking around the pool, waterfalls and verdant landscaping. The dazzling rainbow we saw arched across the sky as we walked the beach following the afternoon's typical tropical deluge is just one more of the many delights of the green season!