| In Central America, just south of Nicaragua and north | | | | world. In addition, Arenal volcano, in the northwestern |
| of Panama is Costa Rica. Costa Rica has the | | | | region, delights thousands of visitors each year to a |
| Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean on | | | | constant stream of red, hot lava rocks tumbling |
| the west side. Therefore, the majority of Costa | | | | down its slopes. |
| Rica's borders, sixty-five percent, are coastline. | | | | Picturesque forests grow in the crater of the |
| Although a relatively small area, about the size of | | | | dormant Barva in Heredia. Arenal, a young volcano in |
| Vermont and New Hampshire combined, it has | | | | the northern part of the country is constantly active |
| everything one could want in a vacation. Beautiful | | | | (and is the site of a spa with natural hot springs). The |
| white sand beaches, great surf, active volcanoes, | | | | country's highest peak, Mount Chirripó, is not |
| natural hot springs, and towering rain forests are just | | | | volcanic; it measures 12.412 feet. On a clear day one |
| some of the sites in Costa Rica. Site seeing in the | | | | can see both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans from |
| area is relatively simple via rental car or public bus. | | | | atop Mt. Chirripo. |
| A number of the principal mountain ranges are | | | | The capital of Costa Rica is San José and is a |
| volcanic, and visitors can easily visit many of these | | | | good starting place for exploring the country. It is |
| areas. In the province of Cartago, for example, which | | | | conveniently located in the center of the country and |
| is not far from the capital of San José, you will | | | | all the bus lines stop here. The port of Limon on the |
| find Irazú volcano, which erupted in the early | | | | Caribbean Coast has quite a different atmosphere |
| sixties. Poás volcano, located in the province of | | | | from the capital. Life is easy going on the Caribbean |
| Alajuela, has one of the largest active craters in the | | | | coast compared to the city life in San Jose. |