Costa Rica Holidays
Costa Rica is Central America's jewel, an oasis of calm among its turbulent neighbours. This ecotourism heaven is packed with natural beauty, with lush grasslands, tropical rainforests and vast mountains ranges, with everything from white rivers to simmering volcanoes. It boats 124 national parks, teeming with wildlife and is actually home to more wildlife per sq ft than anywhere else in the word. It has stunning beaches galore with great surfing conditions and a perfect climate to enjoy it all in, what else could you want from a holiday destination.

If you’re after a perfect beach holiday then the Province of Guanacaste on the Pacific Northwest coast will be your preferred destination, due to its great weather, fabulous surf and stunning beaches, the best in Cost Rica. It’s the most popular tourist destination and areas like Tamarindo, Conchal and the Gulf of Papagayo are popping up all over the place, the later home to some of the most exclusive hotels in the country. The views aren’t as tropical as the rest of the county due to it’s dry climate, although visit the mountains and you'll not only find forests and wildlife, but also hot springs and bubbling mud pots.

If you are up for exploring the country then San Jose is a great base due to its central location. It’s more cosmopolitan than other Central American capitals - it may not be a thing of beauty, but it is the hub of Costa Rican life packed with high rise buildings, shopping centre’s, museums, theatres and cinemas. When it comes to dining there’s everything from fast food outlets to world class restaurants and the nightlife is vibrant and packed with bars, live music and nightclubs pumping every day of the week.

The Pacific’s Central Coast is not too far from San Jose and offers costal areas that aren’t as developed as on northwest coast, with lush landscapes and spectacular national parks and biological reserves such as the Manuel Antonio National Park, home to three-toed sloths and white-faced monkeys. The Pacific’s South Cost although a thing of beauty is difficult to access at this time due to under developed road systems.

A must if you’re exploring is Costa Rica’s northern zone, it’s a naturalist's dream come true, small, isolated lodges abound, and the sheer diversity of terrain, flora, and fauna is astounding. There are rainforests and cloud forests, jungle rivers, mountain lakes, lowland marshes, hot springs and an unbelievable wealth of birds and other wildlife. In addition to its exciting hiking trails, the northern zone claims one of the best windsurfing spots in the world, Lake Arenal and Costa Rica's most active volcano, Arenal Volcano.

Finally Costa Rica's Caribbean coast feels worlds apart from the rest of the country. The pace is slower, the food is spicier, the tropical heat is more palpable, and the rhythmic lilt of patois and reggae music fills the air. Tortuguero National Park & Barra del Colorado National Wildlife refuge are 2 parks on the Northern reaches of this coast and are among Costa Rica’s most popular destinations for eco and adventure travelers.

Whether you go for a beach holiday or try to explore of few of the exciting things Costa Rica has to offer you will be overwhelmed by its beauty, and will be transported to another world.

Weather
Costa Rica is a tropical country with several distinct climatic zones. There is no winter or summer as such and most regions have a rainy season from May to November. Annual rainfall averages 100 inches nationwide with some mountainous regions getting as much as 25 feet on exposed eastern slopes. Temperature is more a matter of elevation than location with a mean of around 72 degrees in the Central Valley, 82 degrees on the Caribbean coast and 89 degrees on the Pacific coast.By Day
Costa Rica combines great beaches with a fascinating interior and no trip here would be complete without exploring its exceptional beauty. Listen to the sounds of exotic animals echoing through the trees and spot anything from sloth’s to monkeys, jungle cats to crocodiles. For something you will never forget, walk across a suspended bridge, secured high above the treetops, where you’ll encounter rare species of flora and fauna. Visit an array of volcanoes, some still active where you can witness daily lava flow, relax in hot springs, visit nesting sites of the huge leatherback turtles, go on a river rides or simply visit a beach resort and join in the many activities that they boast.By Night
This is very dependent on where you are; obviously San Jose comes alive at night and has everything from romantic dining for two, to all night parties. The larger tourist resorts have many options for evening entertainment, boasting many restaurants, bars and clubs with generally quieter, more relaxed bars along the beach. You will probably find that the smaller resorts and Costa Rica’s interior is more hotel based when it comes to evening entertainment.Top Attractions
• Tabacon Hot Spings (Northern Zone) – Visit and relax in the hot springs at Arenal Volcano National Park, said to have therapeutic properties.
• Arenal Volcano (Northern Zone) – Visit the worlds largest active volcano.
• Tortuquero National Park (Caribean coast) – The most popular national park for eco and adventure travellers.
• Guayabo National Park & Monument – visit the mysterious ancient lost city in the cloud forest, 2hours drive from San Jose.
• Sky Trek Tour (Northern Zone) – Either ride through the jungle in a basket to see some amazing views or fly on a zip wire and as well as witnessing the views experience a thrill like no other.
• Canopy Safari – (Pacific Central Coast) – There are many canopy tours in Costa Rica however this one in Manuel Antonia National Park is by far superior and is highly recommended.
• Cahuita National Park (Caribbean Coast) – An amazing national park where beauty is everywhere.
• Nosara Beach (Northwest Coast) – situated in Nicoya, this beach is secluded and a sight of true beauty.
• Arenal Hanging Bridges (Northern Zone) – Witness breathtaking scenery and a surprising array of wildlife.
• San Jose – Visit the many museums, national parks markets and churches this amazing city has to offer.
Events
San Jose Art Festival – street carnival (Jan)Local Flavours
Costa Rican food combines African, Italian, French, Chinese and Spanish influences, and is generally mild and seasoned. Try papas con chorizo (chorizo sausage and potatoes) or higado en salsa (beef liver salsa). Enjoy coffer mid morning and afternoon and definitely try their local brew. When it comes to shopping, good buys are generally coffee, woodwork and local crafts.History
Civilisations can be traced back 10,000 years however pre Columbus, Cost Rica was sparsely populated and its people weren’t that well advanced, the only archaeological site is 30miles from San Jose at Guayabo. When Columbus arrived in 1502 the Indians gave him gold, he returned to Europe stating that the land was plentiful with it, but adventurers who arrived at Costa Rica in search of it only found hostile Indians, swamps, harsh terrain and disease and several attempts to colonise the Atlantic Coast failed for this same reason. For over half a century Costa Rica was passed over whilst colonisation gathered pace in countries around it. The Spanish in Guatemala sent a governor to Cartago which was established as the capital but as they had no slaves to work the land, little was done and this poor colony was virtually ignored by the Spanish. By the late 18th Century the colony had grown and exports of wheat and tobacco was making the economy stronger. After Central America’s independence from Spain in 1821, Costa Rica started a brief civil war over whether to join Mexico or join a new confederation of Central America, San Jose won and they joined the confederation. After much political turmoil Don Pepe set the scene for social an economic progress, he died in 1990 a national hero as he earned Costa Rica its reputation of a peaceful and stable nation.Size & Location
Situated in Central America, to the North is Nicaragua, to the East is the Caribbean, to the south east is Panama and on the south west is the Pacific Ocean. It has an area of 20,000 sq miles, 288 miles in length by 170 miles in width, with a coastline of 805miles. Population 4.17million