For one thing, driving in Costa Rica is just like driving in a big city. Although, this country may be tiny; however, it contains most of the beautiful beaches, resorts and hotels in the world. Its cities are quite developed and you’ll definitely find driving in San Jose, which is its capital and largest city, quite like any other city in the United States.

Another fact is that its locals and, of course, tourists love diving in Costa Rica. This is simply believable if you ask me. I mean if you search the total number of beautiful beaches this country has, you’ll be surprised on how many they are. One might get confused on which beach or resort to spend an awesome vacation. Some really famous diving spots are the Drake Bay in Cano Island, the Quepos in Manuel Antonio, the Playa Flamingo, the Tamarindo, the Playa del Coco and the Playa Ocotal.

Canyoning in Costa Rica is another interesting sport not a lot of people experience everyday. Tours are usually scheduled twice or thrice a day especially for tourists to experience this great adventure near the Arenal Volcano. Rappelling down the beautiful canyons is certainly an exhilarating yet worthwhile experience.

One may observe that the Costa Rica temperatures are quite peculiar. Since it is for a fact a tropical country, there are only two climates that Costa Rica is well noted for: the green and dry seasons. It is during late December and April that the wet season or green is well likely to persist while during May through November, the dry season takes its toll.

The restaurants in Costa Rica, although most of them offer traditional dishes, there are still fast food chains in this country that can also be found in the United States. The city of San Jose is usually the popular destination whenever tourists look for the best restaurants. Some of the country’s delicious traditional dishes include the arroz con polo, sopa negra, casados and many more.

Similar to diving, snorkeling in Costa Rica is perhaps one of the best in the world. Known for its unbelievable diversity, its waters is a home to 7,000 amazing marine species as well as coral reefs that support hundreds of algae, assorted shark species such as the white tip reef, hammerhead, bull, whale sharks, bull, nurse and silky.

There are also several islands of Costa Rica that is considered tourist spots. Unlike others, there’s noticeably clean, pristine and just absolutely stunning. If you’ve watched Jurassic Park then I guess you probably have an idea of what I’m talking about. One of these islands is the Tortuga island or also popularly known as Turtle island, a favorite destination for tourists who love to go kayaking, snorkeling and even swimming.

In case you fall in love and decide to stay for good, housing in Costa Rica may not come cheap. Because of the rise of tourism the prices for homes also increased. However, there are still affordable houses and apartments so it’ll depend both on how big a home you want and where it’s located. The sever provinces of Costa Rica includes San Jose, Heredia, Cartago and Alajuela are mostly populated areas while Guanacaste, Puntarenas and Limon have one thing in common – its beaches.

Okay, so I expect you’ll be very psyched to go to this amazing country by now; however, Costa Rica travel requirements is something that you may have to consider first before you can actually travel to Costa Rica. The requirements actually vary from country to country; however, it’s a must to have a valid passport that wouldn’t expire for at least 6 months of the entry date and a return ticket back to your home country or to somewhere different.

Costa Rica travel safety is another fact to consider during your stay so that you can enjoy a worry-free vacation. It’s also best to ensure that you have everything you need in case of an emergency. Some of the usual tips whenever you’re traveling to a foreign country include having some of your important documents photocopied like your passport and plane ticket. It’s also advisable to keep one of these documents with you and the other copies at the hotel deposit boxes. Also make sure to bring enough cash and also credit cards in case you might need it. Just remember to always pay attention to your stuff and don’t easily trust anyone with them as well. If there’s really a need for you to ask for directions then ask from somebody significant like the hotel receptionist.

Discover Costa Rica and spend the most unforgettable vacation experience for the cost of less!

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By Praline Esguerra

Regions:

* Plains of the North
* Guanacaste
* Nicoya Peninsula
* Central Valley
* Central Pacific
* Caribbean Costa Rica
* South Costa Rica
* Cocos Island National Park

Major Metropolitan Areeas:

* Alajuela – location of Juan Santamaría International Airport
* Cartago – Costa Rica’s first capital
* Heredia – Coffee plantations
* Jacó – Surfing paradise and superb dining
* Liberia – Location of Danuel Oduber International Airport and gateway to the beaches of Guanacaste
* Montezuma
* Pochote – On Whale Bay, across the Bay from Puntarenas
* Puerto Limón – Main city on the Caribbean side
* Puntarenas – Ferry to Nicoya Peninsula
* Parismina – Village on the Tortuguero Canals
* Quepos – Central Pacific coast; entry point to Manuel Antonio National Park.
* San José – The capital.
* Tamarindo – Small town on the North Pacific coast, famous for its beaches, a popular destination for tourists.
* Tortuguero – major nesting site for green and leatherback sea turtles

Popular Tourist Destinations:

* Cahuita National Park
* Chirripo National Park
* Corcovado National Park
* Arenal Volcano – active volcano
* Manuel Antonio National Park
* Monteverde and Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserves
* Pacuare River and Protected Zone
* Tapanti National Park
* Tenorio Volcano National Park

Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including: disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country’s democratic development. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.

Climate is tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands

Terrain coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes

Adapted from Wikipedia and World Factbook

Step 1:
Be aware that Costa Rica is not cheap to visit.
Vacations in Costa Rica tend to cost more money. This gorgeous destination offers tropical scenery at a price. It is important to budget a little more if you are going to Costa Rica for your vacation than it would be for other travel plans. Take my word for it you will feel you are getting your money’s worth.

Step 2:
Think about where you want to begin. As their first and main destination in Costa Rica, most people select the capital of San Jose. You can spend days checking out all of the city’s places of interest. However, if you do not have a large budget, maybe you should think about flying into another airport in Costa Rica such as the new Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport located near Liberia. It will still be possible to experience how pretty Costa Rica is but it will not cost as much.

Step 3:
Choose where to stay. Tourists are warmly welcomed when they go to Costa Rica. You will have your choice of almost any kind of lodging. A lot of your vacation planning is taken care of if you decide to stay at a resort. There are various accommodation choices for Costa Rica trips. Realise you will probably be staying at an independently-owned hotel in Costa Rica, as there are not a lot of big hotel chains there. Opt for hotels with gorgeous rainforest scenery, or lively locations like a room downtown where the night life beckons. Some of the other choices include campgrounds, ecocamps, cabinas, and tico homes, and bed and breakfasts. First, think where you’d like to stay, then choose lodgings.

Step 4:
Select the places you would like to go. You may not be interested in countryside traveling while you are in Costa Rica if you are going to be staying at a resort. However, if you have not purchased a vacation package, then you’ll want to think about a variety of places to go to. The National Park, the Nature Reserve, the rainforests, and the beaches all come highly recommended as tourist attractions in Costa Rica. Having the water nearby, it is possible to get in a bit of sailboarding or beach walks. There are horseback riding and great mountain bike trails in the scenic rainforest. So consider doing some camping, hiking, or bird watching while you’re there too. Costa Rica attractions are all about the natural world.

Step 5:
Choose the dates that you will be traveling. Costa Rica is pretty every day of the year, but there are some seasons that are better than others. If you visit when it is summer (or as it is known, the green season which is May through November) you will lay out less money. However, it is liable to be somewhat rainy. Keep in mind that if you are planning a vacation to Costa Rica, the driest season is the high season. Because of the ideal conditions, beware the prices and numbers of people are more substantial. There are disadvantages and advantages to both seasons. Understand that the timing of your trip to Cost Rica will affect your entire experience there.

Step 6:
Are you going alone or with people? A travel website or agent can give you the choice of going to Costa Rica as part of a discounted or group rate. If you don’t have a lot of money to spend, this could be a good option for you. But, if you feel like wandering and traveling wherever you want, maybe you should make plans to visit Costa Rica by yourself.

Step 7:
Know the best places to eat. The local fare is part of the allure of Costa Rica. Ensure that you leave a little bit of time in your Costa Rica plans to enjoy the local food, with so many wonderful flavors to enjoy. Costa Rican food cooked at home is definitely better than food from a restaurant. When you need to dine out, make sure to choose some traditional menu items such as tamales, gallo pinto and ensalada palmito. Experiment with something different by visiting a soda, a combination of a grocery store and family-run restaurant. You can get a good tasting and inexpensive meal here. Tipicos, resorts or hotels, fast food are your other Costa Rica dining options. (McDonalds does in fact have outlets in Costa Rica also). Just as tasty as at any large chain, food is often quite cheap at smaller establishments.

Step 8:
Keep your transportation needs in mind. To get around Costa Rica is not always that easy. Remember to leave time to get to your destination as well as organize transportation when you are planning a trip to Costa Rica. You can also hitch a ride on a farm cart, rent a car or bike, take the bus, or hire a taxi. Remember that it will take longer to get around in Costa Rica because there are no highways. Have some patience and keep in mind that you are on vacation. Close your eyes and relax on your Costa Rica trip.

Tiffany Provost writes about travel planning and other traveling tips for HowToDoThings.com.

San Jose

Most museums and art galleries in Costa Rica are found in San Jose. The central step in San Jose is noisy and crowed as the capital of any city are. The airport is located beyond San Jose and you could enters Costa Rica via San Jose anyway, why not check it out while some individuals are visiting. I have learned that you step of the curb carefully in Europe or get run over. Pedestrians do not have the correct of method San Jose either so watch yourself to cross the street.

The Northwest

Arenal and Monteverde are situated in the Northwest. Arenal is the Volcano in the field and it is a game of wait-and-see getting the opportunity to view the cone of the volcano spew hot lava. Arenal is one of the only active volcanoes on the planet that could be safely viewed by tourists without the threat of bodily harm. I reside in the Pacific Northwest, also in the shadow of Mount Rainier so volcanoes don’t bother me.

The road to Monteverde runs from the small town of Santa Elena to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve with hotels, nightclubs and restaurants. This area is commonly very dense with tourists. Originally settled by Quakers this area now has a thriving eclectic artist community. Quakers are, in addition reported to be great cheese makers in this area. I simply love cheese and Quakers are cool too so I gotta plan to visit the cheese farm. Although this is one of the busiest this region offers many day trips and interesting things to do.

Nicoya Peninsula

While the Costa Rican government would certainly welcome the revenue from more tourists, for the time being the beach locations of Nicoya remain somewhat of a secret. Beaches are still relatively deserted. If golf is your thing the course at Playa Conchal is renowned. This would be the vacation for you providing you have aquatic events in mind. There is snorkeling, swimming, diving, surfing, fishing, and even kayaking. The drive from Carrillo to Mal Pas by 4-wheel drive is simply amazing. The field is in addition surfer heaven. Riding is in addition offered by the majority of the hotels.

Quepos & the Central Pacific

The field is known for seashores and aquatic events. There’s an abundance of quiet seashores to select from while you do see surfers frequently the beach locations are not crowded and it is easy to relax. Along their Pacific Coast Highway there’s a vast array of lodging anywhere from the seedy to the luxurious and between. The field is a wonderland for any beach lover with diving, fishing, golf, and horse riding, kayaking and even surfing. I wish to try the Titi Canopy tours. A canopy tour is like a ski lift going from tree to tree such as the monkeys. If you are afraid of heights this is not for you!

Osa Peninsula & Golfo Dulce

The field is more remote, although the’re several luxury hotels. Drake Bay has whale-watching tours and you may from time to time spot dolphins playing around your boat. Corcovado National Park offers tours that are teaming with wildlife to see and take photos of. In Golfo Dulce the are 2 botanical gardens, Casa Orquideas Botanical Garden and Wilson Botanical Garden.

South Caribbean

Miles of banana plantations might be found here. Some believe these to be the most beautiful beach locations in the land, however, it’s much more humid. The culture here is more Caribbean in it’s inhabitants. The usual water sports could be found here.

Ethan Eddy has been writing articles online for nearly 3 years now. Not only does this author specialize in weight loss,fitness and diet, you can also check out his latest website on toddler bed rails and wireless dog fence