The various forms of family travel: What is family to you?

Especially in these turbulent times, for many people family serves as an anker to provide stability and security that might be lacking in other areas of one´s life. Though when thinking about family, different definitions and relationships come to mind. Some of these constellations will be referred to in this blog and it will be explained what should be considered when travelling with a particular kind of family member.

Next to the parents it is often the siblings that are the closest to us and who always had our backs while growing up. Now that all have built their own life, some of us realized that spending time together has become rather rare and therefore even more special. A good way to cherish this is to travel with your brother and sister which has numerous benefits such as improving the relationship, sharing experiences, and creating new memories. This can bring us even closer to the person we share those moments with.

The same goes for a trip with the spouse when going on a couple trip. Life as a couple can be difficult after a while so having a break from the usual busy everyday life and routine is important for maintaining a healthy relationship. Couples should pick a destination and plan the trip together. During the trip they can reunite as a couple and remember what made them fall in love the first time by trying out new things together or just taking the time to have a romantic dinner by the sea or a relaxing day in the hot springs, for instance.

Then there are the single parents who face unique challenges when it comes to vacationing with their kids. While the overall goal is to spend quality time together as a family, you should be able to have some adult fun in the process, without having to worry about the children. The travel industry has recognized this growing segment of the population and as a result, more vacation options for single parents are becoming available.

Blended families (step families) might have to overcome some difficulties in the beginning and what can be better than going on a fun vacation altogether? If you want to have a successful family vacation with your new blended family in order to bond and get to know each other, you should remember a few things. Always keep it simple, all opinions matter so make sure to hear all members of the family and try to include all of them when you are planning your trip.

Juvenal's Favorite Spot

Our staff loves what they do and their home country! That is why all our guests have an amazing time when traveling with us.
That is why we believe that the memories of our guests are as important as the memories of our staff.

This is Juvenal's favorite spot. This is the place in Costa Rica that moves his heart:

" The southern area of ​​Costa Rica is full of magic and lush nature, it is definitely my favorite place. I have had great and unforgettable experiences in that great place, one of them was with a group of students from Niagara College, in the Sirena biological station where we stayed, we had to go to receive a talk about the protection of sea turtles in Sirena beach, and we decided to do the hike from the station. It was 12 kilometers and almost 3 hours walking on a beautiful trail, passing several streams and a forest full of life, and fresh aromas, we could observe different herds of howler monkeys, white-faced monkeys and squirrel monkeys, we could also count as 45 species of birds, 3 types of snakes and many reptiles. We arrived at Sirena beach and the talk about turtles was excellent. It was an unforgettable day for the students and me.

 On another occasion I received a

family on the Nicaraguan border, they were here for 3 weeks, we toured the entire country, visiting the most important places since they are owners of a Travel Agency ¨Trekaroo¨in the United States. They did this whole trip to get to know our country and promote Costa Rica as a family destination. With them I went to Nicuesa lodge, in the Osa Peninsula, a beautiful hotel, surrounded by thick nature and beautiful beaches, just to get there you have to take a boat in Golfito, on the way you will see dolphins swimming and playing in crystal clear waters and beautiful birds flying around you. I know that for them it was one of the most beautiful places they met throughout their tour of Latin America.

Well, what about Corcovado National Park? !!! For me it is one of the most beautiful and wild places in Costa Rica, there are several ways to get there, either by land or by boat, the trip is incredible. If you have to go by boat from Sierpe, the trip will be unforgettable since you must pass through extensive mangroves, where you will see many species of birds and beautiful landscapes. On the way you will pass near Drake Bay, a very colorful town, with forests and trails that will take you to beaches and landscapes that you can never forget. This beautiful place was discovered by Sir Francis Drake in the 16th century, he was the second person to circumnavigate the world, he was a slave trader and was considered a pirate by the Spanish, but for the English he was considered a hero and privateer, in addition to being knighted by Queen Elizabeth.

Corcovado National Park is considered by National Geographic as the most intense place in the world in terms of biodiversity.

Thanks to my work with Il Viaggio Travel, I have had the opportunity to do several walks in the park. San Pedrillo is one of the entrances to the park and also one of my favorite places for hiking. On one occasion and luckily we decided to return to the park entrance by the beach, and we managed to see in the distance a female jaguar and two cubs walking along the beach, in the opposite direction from us, that was a magical and unforgettable moment for everyone.

 Oh, and don't forget that it is also essential to visit Caño Island, a place with indescribable beauty and one of the most visited places in the area for diving and snorkeling.

 Corcovado is one of the most remote places in Costa Rica, but for its beauty it is worth visiting and so you can enjoy its natural magic.

Corcovado is my favorite place in Costa Rica and you already know why."

Author: Juvenal Acuña

IL VIAGGIO TRAVEL´s local expert, certified guide.