Costa Rica

Much more than merely a tropical vacation destination, Costa Rica is the original eco-tourist mecca, where five percent of all Earth's species reside on only .01% of the planet's land mass. Plus, according to the Happy Planet Index, Costa Rica is the happiest place on Earth.

The country has an intense array of environmental attractions to tantalize your senses – majestic volcanoes, misty cloud forests, lush jungles, and hundreds of postcard-worthy beaches along two seductive, snaking coastlines. What more could you ask for?