Costa Rica

Overview

Costa Rica has bewilderingly diverse culture, climates, flora, and fauna, and landscapes range from rainforests, to dry tropical and temperate forests, to volcanoes, to Caribbean and Pacific beaches, to high mountains, and marshy lowlands. Costa Rica is an exceptionally stable and peaceful country compared to the volatile region it's in, and is one of the world's top destinations for nature and ecotourism . Owing in part to its comparative wealth, it can be a bit more expensive than its northern neighbors in Central America.

Since the late 1980s, Costa Rica has been a popular nature travel destination, and its main competitive advantage is its well-established system of national parks and protected areas, covering almost 28% of the country's land area, the largest in the world as a percentage of the country's territory, and home to a rich variety of flora and fauna, in a country covering only 0.03% of the world's landmass, but containing about 5% of the world's biodiversity. The country also has plenty of world renowned beaches, in the Pacific Ocean and in the Caribbean Sea, within short travel distances between the coasts, and also several active volcanoes that can be visited safely.

Places to explore

Costa Rica is particularly well known for its natural attractions, many of which are in its national parks . Some of the more popular parks and natural attractions are listed below.

Sights and landscapes

Costa Rica is world famous for having an incredibly high level of biodiversity throughout its tropical forests (this covers what you may hear referred to as rain forests, cloud forests, and dry forests). There are tropical mammals such as monkeys, sloths, tapirs, and wild cats as well as an amazing assortment of insects and other animals. There are many, many birds (both migratory and resident).

With 25% of the country being national parks and protected areas, there are still many places you can go to see the abundant wildlife and lush vegetation of the country. Just like anywhere, the farther you get off the beaten path, the more likely you are to see a wide variety of flora and fauna.

There is such biodiversity in Costa Rica not only because it's a land bridge between North and South America, but also because the terrain is so varied and there are weather patterns moving in from both the Pacific and Atlantic/Caribbean. There are impressive volcanoes, mountain areas, rivers, lakes, and beaches all throughout the country. There are many beautiful beaches – most of the popular ones are on the Pacific side but the Caribbean has many excellent beaches as well.

Experiences

The Pacific coast's main beaches are located in the Central Pacific region, the Nicoya Peninsula , and in Guanacaste . Less-visited but no less beautiful beaches are located in the tropical rainforest of the southern Pacific coast near Corcovado National Park , or on the exotic eco-tourism paradise of the Caribbean side in Limón Province .

In an overview, the Caribbean region of Costa Rica stands out for its variety of aquatic ecosystems and its beautiful white and black sand beaches, providing an ideal setting for activities such as sport fishing, snorkeling, and sun bathing. The Pacific coast concentrates big tourist centers and its beaches are very popular for surfing; for example Esterillos, Jaco, Hermosa, Boca Barranca . In the Golfito region , surfers can find the famous "long lefthander wave" of Pavones.

There is a wide variety of exciting rafting trips offered in Costa Rica. For many years, the rafting Mecca of Costa Rica was Turrialba , a large town embedded in the mountains near the Reventazon and Pacuare Rivers, on the Caribbean slope of Costa Rica.

However, the Arenal Volcano area is now an increasingly-popular whitewater rafting destination with close access to the Sarapiqui and Toro Rivers, as well as the Class II-III Río Balsa which delight rafting enthusiasts in the Northern slopes of the country.

Culture and food

Costa Rican cuisine can be described as simple but wholesome. The spiciness often associated with Latin America has typically originated in Mexico; Costa Rican food is generally subtle, but, as the ingredients simmer in a large pot, the flavors are blended. If you don't like cilantro (coriander), learn to ask for it to be left out. The locals are unaware that it is a divisive issue to some foreigners!

Gallo pinto is a mixture of rice and beans with a little cilantro or onion thrown in. While more common at breakfast, it can also be served at lunch or dinner.

Casado , which means married, is the typical lunch in Costa Rica, containing rice and beans with meat, chicken or fish, always served with salad and fried plantain.

Planning your route

Although Costa Rica has established official street names in most cities for official purposes, most of the population is unaware of these names and if they are known, most streets will lack proper signage. Locals give directions in terms of a well-known building, store, office or other landmark in order to find what you are looking for. As such, you would need to know important landmarks and their locations well enough to be able to get around more easily.

Cien metros or 100 meters, is commonly used to refer to a city "block," which are usually 100 m, but in some cases could be more or less. However, despite what the exact distance is, many locals tend to use 100 m or a city block when giving out directions.

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.