Top Ten Places to Visit in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is known as one of the best places to go if you wish to escape the hustle and bustle of day to day life. If you are planing a trip to Costa Rica, below is a list of the top ten places to visit in no particular order:

Corcovado National Park- This is without a doubt on of the best places to experience tropical rainforest. Located on the stunning Osa Penisula, Corcovado is hailed as being one of the most untouched and bio-diverse places on Earth, making it a prime location for those seeking eco-tourism. With the recent increase in eco-lodges throughout the rainforest, it has become easier to access the rainforest for those who wish to avoid the slog. Those who do however, are greatly rewarded with some of the most beautiful views in the world.

Palo Verde National Park - This is a relatively undiscovered park within Costa Rica. It has a spectacular bird population, which is made up of both native and migratory species. It is a little off the beaten track, but this means fewer other tourists and crowds to compete with. There are also several areas that can be explored by boat!

La Fortuna de Bagaces - If you are looking to completely immerse yourself into Costa Rican culture, the small hamlet la Fortuna de Bagaces is for you. There is no tourist infrastructure here in it's location between volcans Mirvalles and Rincon de la Vieja, however there is access to stunning swimming holes that are shadowed by great waterfalls, surrounded by beautiful rainforest, geysers, natural hot springs and the mud pots of Las Hornillas. There is also a bull ring where you can see sabaneros face off against their match in the corridas de toros

Barra Honda Caverns - For those of you with an adventurous side, these caverns provide an excellent opportunity for spelunking. The small vertical entrances have protected the limestone caverns within for a millennia!

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve - Home to more than 3000 species of animal and plant, this mountain rainforest is shrouded in clouds, giving it an air of mystery and magic. Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is absolutely stunning, and due to it being 100% humidity you will see some of the most beautiful plants in the world.

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca - A laid back Caribbean village, where mellow reggae beats can be heard along the beaches and main street. Mouth watering fish dishes and coconut curries, accompanied by fragrant spiced breads fill your plate. The nearby Cahuita National Park and Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge run up and down the coast, are home to monkeys, sloths and a large variety of birds, making this an excellent tourist location.

Rincon de la Vieja Volcano - This active volcano is more than a million years old and is situated inside the Rincon de la Vieja national park; a eco adventure haven! This stunning area of the world is home to picturesque scenery, crashing waterfalls, bubbling mud pits nand very relaxing hot springs.

Manuel Antonio National Park - A relatively small park, however there is an incredible amount of activities to take part in and attractions to be found. The park houses stunning tropical beaches, a large array of birds and wildlife, surrounded by rich, dense forestation. Although it is very tourist orientated park it is definitely worth a visit!

Tamarindo & Playa Langosta - Ideal for the serious surfer, Tamarindo and Playa Langosta can be found along the Gold Cost of Costa Rica. Both laid back towns offer gorgeous beaches and a plethora of water activities to take part in, making it ideal for some fun in the sun.

Cerro Chirripó - This is one of Costa Rica's more wilder parks, housing their highest peak, Cerro Chirripó Grande. The challenging climb allows you to pass through seven different ecosystems giving you a full experience of Costa Rican plant and wild life in a single day!

Wonderful Places To See In Costa Rica

A popular tourist attraction for adventure enthusiasts and nature lovers alike, it is surprising that just since a short decade ago this small Central American nation has grown to become one of the world's top places to travel.

Popular and breath-taking beaches abound, such as the Manuel Antonio, Playa Dominical and Montezuma to name but a few. Pristine white beaches, crystal clear blue water and peaceful nature scenes beckon many to escape from the daily pressures and rejuvenate both the body and mind. Perhaps you are considering a vacation or holiday and would like to see something magnificently beautiful and unique?

In efforts to maintain much of the beautiful surroundings, much of this country's land has been turned into protected parks and reserves to prohibit the breath-taking and lush environment from deforestation and logging. Costa Rica today prides itself on having 58 wildlife refuges, 27 national parks, 15 wetland areas, 11 forest reserves and 8 biological reserves as well as another 12 conservation regions that protect the very diverse natural habitats found in this country.

Popular national parks abound in the area and include, but are not limited to the Chirripo National Park, which houses its tallest mountain, the Arenal Volcano National Park, which has Costa Rica's most active volcano, the Barra Honda National Park with its limestone caves, the Las Baulas National Marine Park which is home to an enormous amount of leatherback turtles and the Corcovado National Park, which is thought by some people to be the most biologically intense place on the entire earth.

The country is known for having well over 8,000 different species of plants and trees, approximately 1,000 or more different types of saltwater and fresh fish species, over 800 indigenous and migrant birds and over 200 different types of reptiles. This broadly ranged abundance of wildlife and nature helps to make Costa Rica a truly unique and very natural paradise on earth. Costa Rica also has many endangered animals such as the Leatherback turtles, Oliver Ridley turtles, Tapir, Golden Toad, and the West Indian manatee to name but a few.

The unique variety of both archeological and historical places in Costa Rica offers an extremely interesting view into this country's cultural heritage. While visiting and truly experiencing the vast assortment of historical museums and monuments in this amazing country, one might actually be able to feel the past come to life for him as if he were actually living back in those times, if only but for a few days or a week.

The capital city of San Jose is by far the best place to begin to discover the rich history of Costa Rica, since many of the best museums are located in this city. A few of the most notable historic places of Costa Rica include Museo Nacional De Costa Rica, Museo de Arte Costarricense and, last but certainly not least, Cartago City.

In closing, there is so much to write about such a truly beautiful and peaceful country, that one article simply cannot do it justice. My suggestion? You may want to dust off that passport, start booking flights, packing your family's bags and jet off for the trip of a lifetime to Costa Rica.

Beautiful Rainforests in Costa Rica

Costa Rica nature has always been one of the reasons why tourists keep coming back to this tiny country bordered by Nicaragua and Panama. Despite its size tourists and travelers still consider this country one of the best hosts for tourist vacations and that is because of its abundance in natural diversity. More than a quarter of Costa Rica's total land area consists of natural reserves and conservations, national parks and wildlife refuges.

Costa Rica national parks and rain forest may be the best this country has to offer considering that the Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio is the most visited park which was created back in 1972. The land area encompasses 682 hectares which makes it the tiniest national park in the country but is reputable for its spectacular beauty.

Despite numerous rainforest in Costa Rica, the Manuel Antonio National Park is among the rain forest vacations that promises a terrific nature adventure for the entire family. The Manual Antonio National Park located in the Puntarenas province along the country's Central Pacific coast is pretty accessible for tourists who came from San Jose, the largest and capital city. This park is also near Jaco, one of the most popular beaches in the country situated north of the Puntarenas province. Also near is the popular town of Quepos which encompasses some superb selection of restaurants, hotels, resorts and the best accommodations.

Most rainforests in Costa Rica have gained its popularity because of the gorgeous beaches, lush rainforests, exquisite coral reefs and diverse exotic species including birds and other animal species. The Manuel Antonio National Park houses some of the best beaches in the country that offers exhilarating water activities including surfing and snorkeling but also outlined with lush forestation.

Another popular Costa Rican rainforests is the Monteverde Cloud Forest which is actually called a cloud forest in Costa Rica because of its location at a much higher altitude. The Monteverde Cloud Forest is considered a very important ecotourism destination in the country. Also located in the Puntarenas province, about is 6 km east of Santa Elena and is a 4 hour drive from San Jose. This reserve is considered one of the most breathtaking and dazzling natural reserves in the entire world.

Consisting eight biological zones, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve covers an area of 10,522 hectares of the Costa Rican rain forest and houses more than 2000 plant and tree species, 100 species of mammals, and 400 bird species and about 1200 species of amphibians and reptiles. Its landscape is a healthy habitat for more than 300 species of orchids and 200 species of fern.

Another popular tourist destination among the Costa Rica rainforest is the Tortuguero National Park which gained its reputation for the best nesting site in Costa Rica. The striking Parque Nacional Tortuguero which is the home of the endangered green turtle rests on the country's Caribbean coast. It protects over 22 miles of beach strip from the end of the river Tortuguero and is the primary nesting spot for leatherback sea turtles, loggerhead sea turtles and hawksbill sea turtles. This park was propped up in 1970 mainly to protect the green turtle population from extinction.

Located in the untamed Osa Peninsula, the Corovado National Park is considered one of the most stunning yet remote parks in the country. It is home to that largest and only tropical primary lowland rain forest in the world. It encompasses an abundance of endangered animal and plant species.

Rainforests of Costa Rica

Costa Rica, the tiny Central American country is one of the most bio diverse regions on Earth with plenty of national parks, biological reserves, and wild life reserves. Travelers are drawn in great numbers to this country due to its un-spoilt ecosystem which offers magnificent mountains, pristine beaches, beautiful landscapes and the incredible tropical rain forests. The splendid tropical rain forests are home to some of the most colorful and exotic flora and fauna and one-third of all living animal species on the planet.

Costa Rica is a Mecca for those who are seeking to escape from stress and dullness of modern world and also to immerse themselves in the beauty linked with nature. The entire country wedged between Nicargagua and Panama is the best preserved biologically diverse places in the World. Rain forest of Costa Rica provides everyone with great experience of eco-tours. The jungles here are some of the most pristine and secluded on the planet, and play host to an incredibly varied mix of insects, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish and birds. The forestation here can be classified into three: rainforest, cloud forest and tropical dry forest. Cloud forests exhibit some magnificent sights and tropical dry forests are the one which receive much less rainfall.

The rainforest located on the South West of the country as well as in Atlantic lowlands are the places which are receiving high annual rainfall and are thus gifted with wealth of plant and animal life. Costa Rica has good surfing and sport fishing and about 100 sleeping volcanoes. Rain forests are paradise for researchers who are working with plants that are useful in treating many illnesses. It is an incredible place for adventure travel throughout the year. Thick growth of bromeliads, mosses and ferns offer some great environment for trekking or canopy tour. Canoeing down the watery forests of Tortuquero National Park and trekking in Manuel Antonio National Park offer distinct experience that is inaccessible anywhere else in the world.

Along with its diverse geography, the large number of birds and animal habitats that are relatively invisible on other parts of the world also makes Costa Rica's rain forests one of the premier destination for nature lovers who comes from all over the world. The wide network of national parks, wildlife reserves and other preserved areas are prime places to spot wildlife. With over 850 species which include poison-arrow frogs, spider monkeys, sloth bear, four eyed-opossum, silky anteater and varieties of migrating birds surrounding us, we definitely feel like taking a step back in time.

The best times to explore Costa Rica's rain forests are from December through April. Rain forests are in greatest expression with complete greenery and refreshing countryside during this time period.

Rain forests are often referred as the 'Jewels of Earth'. Exploring Costa Rica's rain forests which offers utmost national treasure, charm and beauty, will enforce one to discover the magnificent world in it.

Costa Rica - A Memorable Vacation

Costa Rica, which means "Rich Coast", is a country in Central America. It is referred to as one of the greenest and most progressive countries in South America. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations of the world, and is best known for its volcanoes, beaches and rainforests.

The months between December and April make up the country's high season. It is a time when there is hardly any rain and the wildlife is much easier to spot. However, the downside is that you will have to fight larger crowds, and compete hard for reservations at hotels and restaurants. The prices are unquestionably higher. On the other hand, cheap tickets to Costa Rica are available at this time. Winter in the area is experienced May through November. This has been dubbed the "green season" by the industry and it sees quite a bit of rainfall. It is a very beautiful time to be in the country.

There are four major airports handling the flights to Costa Rica. These are Daniel Oduber International Airport, Limón International Airport, Juan Santamaría International Airport and Tobías Bolaños International Airport. United Airlines offers very cheap flight deals. March is typically the most cost effective month to book your flights. American Airlines and Continental Airlines are two of the other cheap flights to Costa Rica.

Culture of the country is predominantly influenced by the culture of Spain, with Spanish being the official language. There are, however, many other native languages spoken by Costa Ricans. English is the first foreign language to be taught in the area. It is followed by Italian, French, Chinese and German.

There are many faiths practiced in the country, but Roman Catholicism is predominant among them. Other significant religious groups in the country include Lutheran, Baptist, Episcopal and other Protestant groups. You will find several non-Christian groups as well, such as Tenrikyo, Hare Krishna, Judaism, Taoism and Scientology.

Costa Rica has a rich heritage of spellbinding paintings and sculptures. Costa Ricans were taught techniques for oil painting, drawing and sculpture by famous European artists who settled in the country. Bigot, Santiago Paramo and Henry Etheridge are a few of those painters. Currently, there are many renowned painters and sculptors in the country, such as Fernando Carballo and Ibo Bonilla.

You will also hear many kinds of music in the country. Though the country doesn't have an internationally credited musical scene, there are a number of popular genres like the widely known Trinidadian calypso sound, American and British rock and roll and pop, and many dance oriented genres like Salsa, Cumbia, Soca, Tex-Mex and Merengue. Folk and classical music is also very well known in the country, along with Mexican music.