Costa Rica Travel

Costa Rica Travel - Costa Rica is a small, democratic and peaceful country, with a level of social development that always surprises first-time visitors and belies its definition as a Third-World nation.

Since 1994, Costa Rica travel (tourism) has been the country’s leading industry, along with computer-chip exports, with bananas, pineapple and coffee lagging behind.

More than a million visitors travel Costa Rica every year, the vast majority of them coming from North America and Europe.

A sophisticated tourism industry is in place, with accommodations ranging from luxury lodges to homey bed-and-breakfasts. Eco- and adventure tourism are the buzzwords that encompass activities as diverse as bird watching and white-water rafting.

Choosing where to go in Costa Rica is tantamount to being a child in a huge sweet or a toy shop – the choice is daunting and you want to do it all, and immediately.

Most people arrive in the capital, San Jose, where you can spend a couple of days sightseeing. It’s really the only place in the country with significant cultural attractions.

North of San Jose, Volcan Arenal leaves onlookers trance-like as the glowing lava crashes down the mountainside. Nearby the world-famous cloudforests around Monteverde provide a brief insight to the magnificent diversity of the highlands. Guanacaste to the northeast draws visitors to the volcanic landscape and bubbling mudpots of Rincon de la Vieja, the birder’s wetland paradise of Polo Verde and the Tempisque river basin, the dry forests of Santa Rosa and the cultural landscape of the Sabanero – Costa Rica’s very own cowboy.

Beach lovers and Surfers can pick almost any spot from the Nicoya Peninsula down to the Central Pacific coastline to find a personally tailored version of paradise with lively resorts and quiet hideaways covering all budgets and tastes.

Southern Costa Rica is generally a tougher option. Travelling overland down the mountainous spine of the country, Chirripo Grande is the country’ highest peak and a challenge for the trekker, and to the south on the Osa Peninsula, the pristine Parque Nacional Corcovado is a moment of magic for the adventurer and wildlife lover.

The Caribbean divides neatly in two halves. North of Puerto Limon, the canals of Tortuguero provide a quiet moment of awe struck contemplation encocountering the wildlife and vegetation of this aquatic inland waterworld, while on the coast turtles nest on the beaches as they have for millions of years. South of Limon – the carnival capital of Costa Rica – the discerning traveller can a blend of comfortable, laid-back retreats offering personal service, sometimes at a price, and quiet undeveloped beaches – perfect for the budget traveller.

If your trip is about beaches, travel Costa Rica to the North and Central Pacific Coast between December and April – the high season.

Costa Rica has been seen as an exotic Central American destination for many years now. The options for visitors are genuinely as wide and varied as tourists come. At the top of the price bracket it is possible to fly in a chartered helicopter from exclusive hotel to exclusive jungle lodge, enjoying fantastic views, personalized service and what would certainly be a rare insight into a wonderful country.

It is also equally possible to travel on a tight budget, using public transport – where is a road there is normally a bus. Whichever option you choose, Costa Rica travel is perfect for the independently minded traveller. Browse this site to get more ideas about Costa Rica travel.

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