What you need to know about- Costa Rica
By Paul Orr
More than one million tourists visit Costa Rica each year. What
draws so many people to this lightly advertised destination?
Natural beauty and diversity are the answers. Costa Rica covers
only 0.03% of the surface of the planet but it has about 6%
of the world's biodiversity.
Visitors encounter seas, beaches, rivers, waterfalls, mountains,
and an abundance of flora and fauna. Twelve major life zones
provide habitat for over 10,000 kinds of flowering plants, 850
bird species, 3,000 butterfly species, and 209 species of mammals.
Volcanoes, rainforests, cloud forests, lowland jungles, the
Pacific coastline, and tranquil Caribbean beaches stretch across
seven provinces. Thirty percent of the land is protected by
national and private reserves, which harbor more than five percent
of the world's plant and animal species.
Costa
Rica is Central America's jewel. It's an oasis of calm among
its turbulent neighbors and an ecotourism heaven, making it
one of the best places to experience the tropics with minimal
impact.
Costa
Rica boasts 20 national parks, 8 biological reserves, and a
wealth of other protected areas to enchant those who marvel
at the wonders of nature. It draws ecotourists from around the
globe. Activities include horse-back riding, hiking mountainous
paths in the cloud forests, guided bird-watching tours, volcanoes,
scuba diving, snorkeling, sailing, canopy tours, golf and much
more.
Ticos,
as the people of Costa Rica are known, are famous for being
hospitable, and are quite happy to live up to their reputation.
They seem to be well aware that their country is a special place,
and they go out of their way to accommodate their visitors,
explaining things that might seem foreign to a foreigner, and
helping make their stay as enjoyable as possible.
Northwest
Costa Rica, the Guanacaste province is for the active soul,
drawing visitors with its beaches, rivers, waterfalls and natural
attractions. Forming the eastern border is a group of volcanoes
that form the Cordillera de Guanacaste and Cordillera de Tilar?
From
the mountains flow various rivers that roll down and form an
alluvial plain drained by the Rio Tempisque, which empties into
the Gulf de Nicoya. The name Guanacaste is derived from quahnacaztlan,
a native word for the guanacaste tree, which is Costa Rica?s
national tree.
With
a new airport at Liberia, tourism to Guanacaste has boomed.
Costa
Rica is a tropical country with two seasons ? dry and wet. The
Guanacaste Province is the driest region of the country with
less than 55 inches of rain in the coastal areas.
Costa
Rica occupies a territory of around 20,000 square miles in the
southern part of Central America, and includes several small
islands mostly on the Pacific side. It is much like the state
of Florida with two long coastlines. The country is only about
200 miles long and 70 miles wide at the narrowest part.
Costa
Rica is often compared to Switzerland and Hawaii because of
its mountains and forests. Unlike many areas of Mexico, Central
and South America, Costa Rica remains beautiful year-round.
This is partly because it borders the Pacific Ocean on the west,
the Atlantic Ocean on the east, and has a string of towering
volcanoes on the Central Plateau. Combine all this and you have
a unique tropical paradise with 11 climatic zones.
The
high season in Costa Rica, December through April, is the dry
season. The green season, which lasts from May to November,
usually sees sunny mornings, with rain showers in late afternoon
and evening. Overall, the climate is tropical, with an average
temperature of 72?F (22?C). It can be much hotter along the
coastal areas of the country, and much cooler in the mountains.
In
the past, agricultural exports, like bananas and coffee, have
been the staple of the Costa Rican economy. However, tourism
has always played an ever-increasing role, and now it has become
the dominant economic force. Ecotourism travel is the most preferred
for expansion because it will provide a sustainable resource
for tourism for generations of Costa Ricans to come. Costa Ricans
love to show off their country, and sincerely welcome all travelers
and vacationers.
San
Jose, population over one million, is the capital and cultural
heart of Costa Rica. Other major cities (by population) are:
Alajuela, Cartago, Heredia, Liberia, Lim??nd Puntarenas. To
enter the country you now must have a valid passport. Some countries
now require your passport to be valid for at least 6 more months
in order to leave your country to come here. Check with you
embassy or airline. Costa Rica is on Central Standard Time,
six hours behind Greenwich Mean Time and one hour behind EST
in the States. It does not currently use daylight saving time.
No shots are required. The water in the major cities of Costa
Rica is safe and most hotels and restaurants offer purified
tap water. You might prefer to drink bottled water or seltzer
to be sure. Costa Rica has excellent, low-cost medical care
and well-qualified practitioners. Many North Americans come
to Costa Rica for cosmetic surgery or dental work.
Costa
Rica is a safe destination for 99% of its tourists, but it?s
always a good idea to exercise caution whenever one travels.
In general, the country has a low crime rate. In most cases,
crimes are simple thievery - non-violent crimes of opportunity,
so just exercise caution, as anywhere in the world.
Costa
Rica has a reputation as one of the most stable and prosperous
Latin American countries.
Costa
Rica has something for everybody! Whatever your interests; eco-tourism
trips bird watching, adventure tours, fishing, diving, rafting,
canopy tours, golf, all inclusive hotels, vacation homes or
just relaxing on an unspoiled tropical beach, you will find
all of that and more in this tropical and secure paradise.
We
traveled to Costa Rica on vacation in 2001. Fell in love with
the people and their country. Purchased property on the last
day of our vacation and built a villa in 2002. Handles villa
rentals for five additional villas. Two, three, four and five
bedroom villa's available, all of which are surrounded by Costa
Rica?s biodiversity and over looking the Pacific Ocean. Find
more useful information about Costa Rica by visiting our web
site. www.costarica-vacation-getaway.com
info@costarica-vacation-getaway.com
