A weekend road trip on the Pan Americana—a highway spanning the Mexican border to Buenos Aires—led Paolo R. Reyes to the capital and coastlines of Costa Rica

POWER PLAYA
What do Giselle Bündchen and Mel Gibson have in common? They’ve both carved out million-dollar cribs in the sun-dappled playas of the Pacific Coast. National parks like Manuel Antonio (one of the 1,000 Places to See Before You Die) dot this ecologically rich coastline like green jewels. They’re also wonderful spots to ride some white-lipped waves.

STREET SMART
Situated in the mountainous belly of the Central Valley, downtown San Jose is a cross between Baguio and Intramuros (or Ermita, depending on the hour—but instead of askals and scantily-clad streetwalkers, you have iguanas, hummingbirds, and vendors peddling their dubious wares). The murals and sculptures (pictured) on its congested bulevardes are a sight to behold.

SPRING BREAK
Do a day trip to the hot spring suburb of Arenal, at the foot of a lava-spewing volcano. Soak your sore joints at Tabacón (pictured)—the only hot spring worth your 16,000 colónes. Other places, like Baldi Thermal, serve overpriced Imperial (the local brew) in a Euro-trashy pool bar that has Wham!’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” on  repeat.

CRASH AND BURN
If you have an AmEx card to abuse, park yourselves in the Los Sueños Resort (pictured ) in Playa Herradura, the indigenously-styled setting of Ridley Scott’s 1492: Conquest of Paradise. But if you’re short on colónes, head to hippie Montezuma—a cannabis-friendly beach village where you can rub elbows with Joaquin Phoenix (he owns the El Sano Banano hotel).

SQUARE DANCE  
The dusky, colonial complexion of Costa Rica’s capital reveals itself when you stand in the center of Plaza de la Cultura, in the shadow of the Grand Hotel and Teatro Nacional (pictured)—San Jose’s signature structures. On weekends, street entertainers—marimba bands, clowns, and jugglers—fill the square. But beware of the Third World’s favorite citizen: pickpockets.