Introducing Costa Rica
Costa Rica is sometimes referred to as the Switzerland of Central America because of its comfortable lifestyle, peaceful democracy and overwhelming natural beauty. The country’s Disneylike cast of creatures – ranging from howler monkeys to toucans – are populous and relatively easy to spot. The waves are prime, the beauty is staggering and the sluggish pace seductive. A peaceful oasis in a tumultuous region, this tiny nation draws 1.5 million visitors every year.
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To put things in perspective, consider the fact that prior to 1950, half of the country struggled with grinding poverty, and living beyond the age of 50 was an achievement in itself. Today, less than one in five Ticos (Costa Ricans) lives below the poverty line, and life expectancy is on a par with the USA. Given the rise in quality of life throughout the country, Ticos are generally self-content and passive about politics. But underneath the easygoing veneer is discernible pride and support for their unarmed democracy.
What’s on tap? The question is what isn’t? Active travellers can surf, hike, snorkel and spot wildlife for starters. The incredibly varied topography means you can cruise the cloud forest one day, visit an active volcano the next, and finish relaxing on a hot sandy beach. Adrenaline junkies have a myriad ways to make mothers worry – among them zipping through canopy lines hundreds of meters long and riding the rough surf of the Pacific. Choice and variety name the game.
Of course, the frenzy to snatch up a piece of Shangri-la has its consequences. Since the boom, tourism is more chic and less cheap. Classic destinations are now crowded destinations and local culture is often lost or cast aside. Lucky for Costa Rica that its do-gooder fans, ranging from ecologists to proud Ticos (Costa Ricans), are vocal and vigilant. Nature here (like everywhere) suffers its blows, but at least it is taken seriously.
Ready to go?
These tours & activities make it easy:
- Uncover the classics of Costa Rica in 15 days
- Whitewater Raft on the Corobici River
- Traverse Costa Rica from coast to coast
- Follow the volanco trail from Nicaragua to Costa Rica
Last updated: Jan 10, 2013
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Our Top Picks For Costa Rica
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1 Las Fiestas de Zapote (December 25 to Januray 1)
Join tens of thousands of Ticos for a weeklong celebration of all things Costa Rican (namely rodeos, cowboys, carnival rides, fried food and a whole lot of drinking) in the suburb of Zapote, southeast of San José
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2 Earn bragging rights at Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Test your surfing mettle at Salsa Brava, a fierce reef break that cuts close to shore in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca - it’s one of six top ways to get your adrenaline pumping
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3 Watch wildlife at Parque Nacional Corcovado
See the lumbering Baird’s tapir, the giant anteater and the rare harpy eagle at this national park, famously labelled by National Geographic as ‘the most biologically intense place on earth’
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4 Snorkel at Playa Conchal
Get your fins in the turquoise swim at the most beautiful beach in Costa Rica
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5 Rush in for churros in San José
Get your sugar rush from the deliciously sweet and crispy doughnuts at Churrería Manolo's, San José’s perennial favourite
Fast Facts about Costa Rica
- Happy Planet Index rating:
76.1 (which makes Costa Rica the happiest place on the planet)
- Currency:
what's the Costa Rican colón worth today?
- Annual coffee consumption per person:
3.9kg (USA: 4.2kg)
- Full of beans:
coffee was thought to energize workers, so in 1840 the government decreed that all labourers building roads should be given one cup of coffee every day
- Tico/a:
male/female Costa Rican (also a Costarricense)
- Slow movers:
two-toed sloths descend from the trees once every two weeks to defecate
- Population:
four million
- Head of state:
President Laura Chinchilla
- Coffeeganda:
in the 1940s children learned to read with a text that stated, ‘Coffee is good for me. I drink coffee every morning'