Costa Rica Travel Guide
Costa Rica Travel Guide
Costa Rica is a small country in Central America bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the south, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and the Caribbean Sea to the east. Though its capital, San Jose, is home to cultural institutions like the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, Costa Rica is known for its beaches, volcanoes, and biodiversity. Roughly a quarter of its area is made up of protected jungle, teeming with wildlife including spider monkeys and quetzal birds.
Since the late 1980s Costa Rica became a popular nature travel destination, and its main competitive advantage is its well-established system of national parks and protected areas, covering around 23.4% 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. By the early 1990s, Costa Rica became known as the poster child of ecotourism. According to the Costa Rican Tourism Board. This nation has bewilderingly diverse culture, climates, flora, fauna, and landscapes. From rain forests, to dry tropical and temperate forests, to volcanoes, to Caribbean and Pacific beaches, to high mountains, and marshy lowlands.
Costa Rica has a rich and vibrant history that first marked the history books on September 18th 1502. This date was when the land mass was first discovered by Christopher Columbus. Costa Rica is one of the world's most popular destinations for eco-tourists because of its biodiversity. Costa Rica possesses the greatest density of species in the world, and around 25% of its national territory is protected by a system of conservation areas and national parks.
Because Costa Rica is located between eight and 12 degrees north of the Equator, the climate is Tropical year round. However, the country has many microclimates depending on elevation, rainfall, topography, and by the geography of each particular region.
Keep in mind that Costa Rica does not have a publicly known street nomenclature system. Many important streets in San José have names and most people know those names, but outside of the capital (and even within the capital) directions are given using well known buildings, stores, or other structures as references.
Most major tourist destinations in Costa Rica are serviced by at least two daily buses from and to San José. The advantages of public transportation in Costa Rica are that tickets are cheap (rarely more than USD7 per person) and they cover most towns around the country. However, nearly the entire bus system is based on routes in and out of San José and this can add significant travel time. The buses are also not booked with a reservation system so it is possible to not have a seat on popular routes. However, many do have assigned seats once you buy a ticket at the station and so get there early to be sure you get your bus.
Wildlife - 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) - more on that below. 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.
Bird Watching - One of the most wonderful activities for people who love nature is bird watching. You can enjoy bird watching in many areas of Costa Rica. Due to the great diversity of climates, temperatures and forest types in Costa Rica, there is a wonderful variety of birds, with over 800 species. Some helpful books available on bird watching are Birds of Costa Rica by F. Gary Stiles and Alexander Skutch (Cornell University Press) or An Illustrated Field Guide to Birds of Costa Rica, illustrated by Victor Esquivel Soto. These books can be found at certain bookstores in San José or before coming to Costa Rica. They are both heavy books; many people tear out the plates of the Stiles & Skutch book to carry into the field and leave the rest of the book in their car or room. Plastic cards with the most common birds are available for many areas and are sold at gift shops.
Costa Rica is a country with an extraordinary wealth of things to do, but regardless of your travel interests, you're going to want to spend time at one of the country's great beaches. The lion's share of beach tourism is concentrated on the Pacific side, in the Central Pacific region near San José, the Nicoya Peninsula, and in the dry tropical forests of Guanacaste. Less touristed, but no less beautiful are the beaches in the tropical rainforest of the southern Pacific coast near Corcovado National Park, or on the exotic, rastafarian, eco-tourism paradise of the Caribbean side.
Costa Rican cuisine can be described as simple but wholesome. The spiciness often associated with Latin America has typically originated in Mexico, most Costa Rican foods are not spicy, but, as they simmer in a large pot, the flavors are blended. 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. Plato del dia, is the 'Plate of the Day' and is often a Casado, but has the meat or fish selection of the day. Usually around 5.00 USD and includes a natural juice.
You can find many places to stay all over Costa Rica, including hotels, aparthotels, condos, vacation rentals, and cabinas. Hostels, Vacation Homes, Cabinas, and Condos can be less expensive than hotels and provide more flexibility in your adventure to Costa Rica. Costa Rica is known as a world leader for eco and sustainable travel and accommodations are often listed as 'eco-lodges'. They do tend to be more expensive though the government does have a well functioning certification program.
Cities and Destinations in Costa Rica
San José - The capital.
Cartago - Costa Rica's first capital
Dominical - the South Pacific coast's largest city, among incredibly biodiversity and natural beauty.
Alajuela - location of Juan Santamaría International Airport
Heredia - Coffee plantations
Liberia - Location of Daniel Oduber International Airport and gateway to the beaches of Guanacaste, such as Samara, Nosara, Carillo.
Puerto Limón - Main city on the Caribbean side
Puntarenas - Ferry to Nicoya Peninsula
Quesada - the largest city by far in the country's North, surrounded by hot springs popular with Costa Rican vacationers.
Cahuita National Park
Chirripo National Park
Cocos Island National Park
Corcovado National Park
Arenal Volcano - active volcano
Manuel Antonio National Park
Monteverde and Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserves
Pacuare River and Protected Zone
Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park
A lot to see in Costa Rica
Arenal Volcano
Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio
Corcovado National Park
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
Arenal Volcano National Park
Poás Volcano
Parque Nacional Tortuguero
Irazú Volcano
Lake Arenal
Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park
Rincón de la Vieja Volcano
Cahuita National Park
La Fortuna Waterfall, Costa Rica
Bahía Drake
La Paz Waterfall, Costa Rica
Playas del Coco
Marino Ballena National Park
Isla del Caño
Braulio Carrillo National Park
Carara National Park
Tenorio Volcano National Park
Volcán Tenorio
Palo Verde National Park
Mount Chirripó
Poás Volcano National Park
Santa Rosa National Park
Manuel Antonio Beach
Isla Tortuga
La Amistad International Park
Chirripó National Park
Samara Beach
Chato Volcano
Selvatura Adventure Park
Cabo Blanco Absolute Natural Reserve
Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica
Baldi Hot Springs Resort Hotel & Spa
Turrialba Volcano
Barra Honda National Park
Playa Conchal
Marino Las Baulas National Park
Papagayo Peninsula
Playa Negra
Playa Avellana
Jaco Beach
Museo del Jade Marco Fidel Tristán Castro
National Theatre of Costa Rica
Lankester Botanical Garden
Cabo Matapalo
Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park
Miravalles Volcano
Costa Rica is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting Costa Rica. Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Costa Rica.
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