| For those who would like a destination for | | | | sighted, there is a wide number of other exotic |
| eco-tourism, Costa Rica is hard to beat. For a little | | | | wildlife including monkeys, sloths, jaguars, bats and |
| country in Central America that's only 19,730 square | | | | reptiles that can be seen during one of the many |
| miles, there's definitely a lot to see and do there. | | | | available nature tours. Every year, there are sea |
| Costa Rica means 'rich coast' in Spanish, which is the | | | | turtles that come to certain beaches to nest and this |
| country's official language. Located between | | | | event attracts many nature lovers. The wildlife in |
| Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south, | | | | Costa Rica is not only rich on land or the air but also |
| Costa Rica is one of the most stable and prosperous | | | | in the surrounding oceans. For scuba divers, Costa |
| of all Latin American countries. There are tropical | | | | Rica offers excellent diving opportunities and they are |
| beach resorts on both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts | | | | quite different from the waters in the Caribbean. The |
| of the country for sun vacationers but the main | | | | higher amounts of plankton in the local seas attract |
| attraction of Costa Rica is the eco-tourism. For | | | | more numbers of large marine animals than can be |
| example, there is a wider variety of bird species in | | | | found in the Caribbean. |
| Costa Rica alone than in all of Europe and North | | | | Coffee and bananas are some of the main exports |
| America. | | | | for Costa Rica. For coffee lovers, this is the place to |
| Surprisingly, there are diverse eco-systems and | | | | sample some of the best in the world although it |
| microclimates within Costa Rica. In addition to the | | | | should be warned that the locals like their coffee |
| coastal beaches, there are dense jungles and rain | | | | quite strong. Tours in the valleys will often go past |
| forests with a wide variety of fauna. Some of these | | | | numerous coffee plantations. |
| forests are referred to as cloud forests because of | | | | Most tourists will fly into the capital city of San Jose. |
| the moisture of the mists that linger among the trees | | | | Although there is some nice colonial architecture to |
| in some parts. One forest has a cable car set up so | | | | see in San Jose, it's not one of the nicer places to |
| that tourists can observe the plant and animal life at | | | | stay in Costa Rica. The city is noisy and polluted but |
| the treetop levels. For the more adventurous types, | | | | relatively safe. One can use San Jose as a base for |
| there is a place where one can swing from tree to | | | | many day trips to the various rain forests, volcanoes |
| tree using a network of rope attachments. There are | | | | and beaches. Travelers can also fly into Liberia which |
| also dry forests as well as colder barren volcanic | | | | is a town in the north part of the country. This is a |
| tundras. Quite extreme changes in microclimate can | | | | much quieter region and close to many of the |
| be observed even within 30 minutes of travel. Some | | | | northern resorts. One option that many travelers |
| parts of the country have canal systems similar to | | | | take is to rent a vehicle and tour the country on |
| those found in the Amazon and a few rivers offer | | | | their own. However, the roads of Costa Rica are not |
| excellent white water rafting. | | | | the best with lots of potholes and mudslides are |
| There are several volcanoes within the country and | | | | common during the wet season from June to |
| the extinct ones are easily accessible since they are | | | | November. If renting a vehicle, a 4x4 is definitely |
| tourist attractions. A few have beautiful turquoise | | | | recommended. |
| color lakes that have formed in the craters at the | | | | There is so much to see and do in Costa Rica that |
| top of such volcanoes. One of the more famous | | | | many visitors return to see parts of the country that |
| active volcanoes is Arenal where visitors can safely | | | | they missed before. The country is easily the most |
| watch the eruptions from a nearby facility that has | | | | popular destination to visit in Central America. Costa |
| outdoor hot springs naturally heated by the mountain. | | | | Rica now has tourist offices set up in North America |
| In addition to the many different birds that can be | | | | for those who want further information. |