Costa Rica Tourist Information. Welcome to Costa Rica!

Costa Rica is a perfect destination for nature lovers. The country's national parks are very well preserved. In the parks you can see Costa Rica's rich wild life, practice adventure sports, do nice trekkings and excursions, and enjoy Ticos way of life: "Pura Vida" or "pure life".

The capital of Costa Rica is San Jose, where you find a couple of souvenir markets, the Central market and "la Casona". Apart form that there is not much to see in San Jose.

When to Go/Climate: Costa Rica is located in the tropic, and its weather is mild all year round. The country has a rainy season, in October and November, that affects mostly its Caribbean coast. But the country can be visited any time, because rains do not last long, and the sun shines almost every day.

Get in: Costa Rica's main international airport is Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO), close to the capital San Jose. In the Guanacaste province in the Pacific Northwest coast is the Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport (LIR). Costa Rica can also be accessed by car, through the Pan-American Highway (Interamericana) from Nicaragua and Panama.

Get around: You can get around by car (a 4-wheeled powered vehicle is recommended), but roads are in poor conditions. Most tourist destinations are connected by public buses, tickets are cheap.

Money and Costs: Costa Rica official currency is the Colon. American dollars are widely accepted. Food, accommodation and local transport are cheap.

Length of stay: if you want to visit Costa Rica's main tourist destinations, you will need two or three weeks.

Languages/People: The local official language is Spanish. English is widely spoken in tourist destinations, where information is usually bilingual in English and Spanish. Costa Rica is a very safe country.

Food: local cuisine is simple. The typical dishes are Gallo Pinto, rice with beans mainly served as breakfast; Casado, rice and beans with meat, Chicken or fish, served as lunch; and Plato del Dia, which consists of meat or fish. Fresh fruit juices are abundant and cheap.

Bellow these lines you will find a short description of Costa Rica's main tourist attractions. I hope you enjoy my virtual presentations.

South of Costa Rica is Panama, a country with some destinations you may also visit if you ever go to Costa Rica.

 

Arenal Monteverde

Arenal is an active volcano in central Costa Rica. The views of the lava flow, the hot springs, the rainy forest and the waterfalls are the main reasons to visit the area. Not far from Arenal are the Monteverde and Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserves.

Manuel Antonio National Park

Manuel Antonio is a beautiful national Park on the Pacific Coast. The area is famous for its beautiful beaches, its wild life, and its nice weather.

Tortuguero National Park

Tortuguero is a national park on the north Caribbean Coast that can only be accessed by boat. The area is famous for its turtle nests, its water canals with birds, monkeys and crocodiles, and its rainy forest.

Rincon de la Vieja National Park

Rincon de la Vieja is a National park located north of the country, where you can do many interesting trekkings. The area is famous for its volcano and its thermal fountains.

Corcovado National Park

Corcovado is one of the most beautiful national parks in Costa Rica. It is located on the South Pacific Coast. It is one of the most unspoiled areas in Costa Rica. Its amazing wild life draws visitors from the five continents.

Puerto Viejo and Cahuita National Park

Puerto Viejo is a town south of Limon, on the Caribbean coast, close to the Panama border. The town has a very laid back atmosphere. Close to the town there is the beautiful National Park of Cahuita.

Trip around Costa Rica

On this presentation you will find information about a trip around Costa Rica. It shows San Jose, the Tilaran mountains, the lake Arenal Volcano, Sarchi, Jaco and the beautiful Manuel Antonio beach park.

Panama

South of Costa Rica is Panama. Bocas del Toro, an archipelago on the Caribbean coast of Panama, and Panama City make a perfect extension to a trip to Costa Rica.