A surfing paradise, an ecotourism wonderland, a tropical beach destination and a real estate haven - Costa Rica is all of this and more. This tiny Central American country offers an amazing array of tourism possibilities, from adventure sports to relaxing beach holidays and from active volcanoes to rainforests and great birdwatching opportunities. No wonder Costa Rica receives almost two million foreign visitors annually.
Small but diverse country located in the Central American Isthmus between Nicaragua and Panama, Costa Rica has coastline along both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. This small Spanish-speaking country is a peaceful haven for activity and beach vacations, hosting a great diversity of landscapes, nature and interesting destinations, attracting a growing number of international visitors.
Amazing nature & beaches. Some of the most famous protected areas in Costa Rica include Manuel Antonio, Corcovado and Tortuguero National Parks and the Monteverde area with its famous cloud forest reserve. There are also impressive active volcanoes in Costa Rica such as Volcán Arenal, rivers excellent for whitewater rafting, lakes and spectacular beaches. The most popular beaches in Costa Rica can be found on the Pacific Ocean coast, especially in Nicoya Peninsula in Guanacaste province that also offers great surfing and many nature attractions. The Caribbean coast of Costa Rica also has nice Beaches. The small Pacific coast town of Jacó is a famous surfing and beach destination, and Tilarán area in Central Costa Rica offers some of the best windsurfing opportunities in the world.
Diverse activities. The capital of Costa Rica, San José in the highlands is home to cultural sights, nice shopping and nearby volcanoes. Costa Rica hosts many great places for kayaking and rafting, as well as excellent possibilities for sailing, scuba diving, snorkeling and many extreme sports. Costa Rica is known for some of the best sport fishing areas in the world. Fishing trips and charter boats are available on the coastal resorts. You can find great mountain biking routes in Costa Rica, especially near the volcanoes in the central highlands. Horse riding is popular especially in Monteverde and Guanacaste, and golf courses are available in Costa Rica.
How to get there. Costa Rica has two international airports located close to the capital San José and in Guanacaste province, both well connected with the rest of Latin America as well as the US. You can also travel to Costa Rica by bus from many other Central American countries or by boat from Bocas del Toro in Panama or San Carlos in Nicaragua.
Getting around. Costa Rica has an extensive bus network that is the main public transport form in the country.
Small but diverse country located in the Central American Isthmus between Nicaragua and Panama, Costa Rica has coastline along both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. This small Spanish-speaking country is a peaceful haven for activity and beach vacations, hosting a great diversity of landscapes, nature and interesting destinations, attracting a growing number of international visitors.
Tourism attractions in Costa Rica: Beaches, jungles & volcanoes, surfing, trekking & wildlife
Despite of its small size, Costa Rica offers a great amount of places to see and activities to do. Ecotourism is very popular here with many national parks and protected areas of Costa Rica being major tourist attractions. With more than 800 bird species – more than in the United States and Canada combined – greatest density of species in the world, and a total of 4 % of the whole world’s biodiversity, Costa Rica is famous for hosting plenty of amazing big and small creatures in its tropical forests. There is a multitude of animals such as sloths, monkeys, crocodiles and tapirs to be seen. Birdwatching in Costa Rica is a popular activity and is especially great in the southern part of the country.Amazing nature & beaches. Some of the most famous protected areas in Costa Rica include Manuel Antonio, Corcovado and Tortuguero National Parks and the Monteverde area with its famous cloud forest reserve. There are also impressive active volcanoes in Costa Rica such as Volcán Arenal, rivers excellent for whitewater rafting, lakes and spectacular beaches. The most popular beaches in Costa Rica can be found on the Pacific Ocean coast, especially in Nicoya Peninsula in Guanacaste province that also offers great surfing and many nature attractions. The Caribbean coast of Costa Rica also has nice Beaches. The small Pacific coast town of Jacó is a famous surfing and beach destination, and Tilarán area in Central Costa Rica offers some of the best windsurfing opportunities in the world.
Diverse activities. The capital of Costa Rica, San José in the highlands is home to cultural sights, nice shopping and nearby volcanoes. Costa Rica hosts many great places for kayaking and rafting, as well as excellent possibilities for sailing, scuba diving, snorkeling and many extreme sports. Costa Rica is known for some of the best sport fishing areas in the world. Fishing trips and charter boats are available on the coastal resorts. You can find great mountain biking routes in Costa Rica, especially near the volcanoes in the central highlands. Horse riding is popular especially in Monteverde and Guanacaste, and golf courses are available in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica travel tips and practical information
Costa Rica enjoys a tropical climate with a dry season generally between December and April, and a wet season from May to November. The temperatures in Costa Rica vary with altitude. The central highland areas have a cooler climate with an “eternal spring” while the coasts are hot around the year.How to get there. Costa Rica has two international airports located close to the capital San José and in Guanacaste province, both well connected with the rest of Latin America as well as the US. You can also travel to Costa Rica by bus from many other Central American countries or by boat from Bocas del Toro in Panama or San Carlos in Nicaragua.
Getting around. Costa Rica has an extensive bus network that is the main public transport form in the country.
Photo: alex-s, used under Creative Commons License (By 2.0)
There are also local ferries, domestic flights and tourist shuttle vans to all popular tourist destinations in Costa Rica. Inexpensive taxis are available in most places and can be hired also for longer trips to places with no bus transport. Car rental in Costa Rica is a good option available in San José and in all popular tourism destinations. However, road travel in the rural areas of Costa Rica can be challenging, especially during the rainy season. The capital San José is the hub for the domestic transportation in Costa Rica.
Hotels & services. You can find plenty of accommodation in Costa Rica located throughout the country, including hotels, apartment hotels, condos and cabanas, as well as cheap guesthouses, restaurants, surf shops and so on. English is spoken widely in Costa Rica, especially in the Caribbean coast.
Safety. With its large and growing tourism industry earning more money than growing bananas and coffee together, Costa Rica is the most visited country in Central America. The bad side of this development is the emerging sex tourism around the country. Costa Rica also has some problems with crime such as pick-pocketing and robberies. Visitors should exercise caution and keep an eye out for their valuables. Traffic in Costa Rica can also be dangerous, and driving at night is not recommended.
Short history of Costa Rica
The area of Costa Rica was originally inhabited by Mesoamerican and South American native cultures, with Nahuatl cultures in the northwest and Chibcha cultures in the south and Central Costa Rica. Christopher Columbus was the first European to visit Costa Rica in 1502, and the Spaniards conquered the area in the 1600s. Most of the native inhabitants died from diseases and mistreatment during this period. During the Spanish Colonial era Costa Rica was a poor, isolated backward area with minimal trade and contacts to the outside world.Independence. In 1821, Costa Rica was one of Spanish Central American provinces that declared independence from Spain and joined the federation of United Provinces of Central America. This federation disintegrated in 1838, and Costa Rica became an independent country. The country’s political development has been quite peaceful since the late 19th century, and Costa Rica has enjoyed more peace and stability and higher standards of living than other Latin American nations. Costa Rica has been the first country in the world to abolish its army.
hint See also these nearby destinations: Monteverde, San Jose, Jaco, Manuel Antonio, Guanacaste
