Costa Rica: Pura Vida

Quick Facts:
*Location: Central America. Costa Rica is bordered by Nicaragua to the north & Panama to the south with the Caribbean Sea to the east & North Pacific Ocean to the west.
*Capital: San Jose, located in the Central valley
*Climate: Subtropical. The dry season is December through April & the rainy season lasts from May to November. Dependent upon where in the country you are, temperatures can vary but on averages are around 72F (22C).
*Time zone: GMT -6. This corresponds to US Central Time in the winter & US Mountain Time during US daylight savings.
*Electricity: The voltage used is 120V and a frequency of 60 Hz. A & B plugs are used. (This is the same as what is used in the U.S.)
*Currency: Colon. (1USD = 507.7 CRC) The US Dollar is widely accepted.
*Population: 4,253,877 (July 2010 est.)
*Country Code: 506. There are no local area codes.
*Languages: Spanish, but most locals speak English as well.
*Government: Democratic Republic
*Communications: Public phones are prevalent and most often use calling cards as coin-operated phones are not as popular. Internet cafes can be found easily however your hotel or hostel may offer free or discounted use. Also, Wi-Fi hotzones have become increasingly popular.
*Important phone numbers:
911 Emergency
110 Local Collect Calls
112 Time of Day Confirmation
113 Directory Assistance
116 International Collect Calls
117 Non-Emergency Police
118 Fire Department & Paramedics
128 Ambulance
192 National Parks Information
800-343-6332 Bilingual Tourist Information
*Transportation: Public transportation is quite good as most Costa Ricans do not own cars. San Jose is the central transportation hub. Car rentals are quite popular but you may also fly internally via Sansa or Nature Air. It is often easy to find a bus going to your chosen destination. Some airlines offer unlimited flights for a specific time period.
*Entry: US citizens with a roundtrip or continuing ticket need a valid US Passport and are permitted to stay up to 90 days without a visa or vaccine requirements.

Costa Rica is often referred to as Eden or an ourdoorsmans dream. due to its wealth of national parks (32), biological reserves (8), forest reserves (13), and wildlife refuges (51). Nature enthusiasts can be active all day mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, rafting, and horseback riding. Whehter you prefer to explore the rainforests and jungles or relax on the sunny beaches at a gorgeous resort, Costa Rica offers the perfect escape. Pura Vida!

Things to Do- Places to See
Most Popular National Parks:
*Tortuguero National Park- Explore the natural beauty of this park by hiking or boating to get around. Take a night tour to watch turtle nesting or take advantage of great fishing opportunities in the daytime.

*Arenal National Park- Visit the most active volcano, the Arenal Volcano, or take a dip in the warm pools and springs such as Tabacon Hot Springs. Relax with a massage while listening to the forest sounds. Go rafting and hiking, take a canopy tour, or watch the volcano's mini-eruptions at night.

*Manuel Antonio National Park- The smallest of the national parks, it is located very close to pristine beaches. This is a popular destinations for couples as well as families. Go sailing and see abundant sea life such as whales and dolphins, and enjoy going snorkeling, diving, or surfing.

*Corcovado National Park- The most ecologically diverse, this park is located on the Pacifc Coast. The beach is absolutely unspoiled and pristine & perfect for enjoying typical maritime activities such as surfing, snorkeling/diving, swimming, laying out, deep sea fishing, ocean kayaking, and horseback riding. For some amazing scuba diving and snorkeling, head to nearby Cano Island.

*Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve- A nature enthusiasts dream, this reserve has been voted one of the 7 Wonders of Costa Rica by popular vote & ranks #14 of the Americas in Newsweek's 100 Places to Remember Before They Disappear. It is a major tourist, researcher, and naturalist destination for the mountainous & tropical biodiversity. Take a canopy tour, suspended bridge tour, coffee tour, go rafting, hiking, horseback ride by day or see the Bat Jungle at night.

Popular Activities:

• River Rafting
• Forest Hiking
• Horseback riding
• Biking
• Diving/Snorkeling
• Sky Tram & Sky Trek Tour
• Zip-lining
• Fishing
• Turtle watching
• Canopy Tours
• Sport Fishing
• Waterfalls
• Beach parties/Discos
• Bird Watching
• Rainforests
• Hot Springs
• Hanging Bridges
• Nature Walks
• Venado Caves
• Cloud Forest Reserves
• Exotic Flora & Fauna
• Poas Volcano
• Rappelling/Rock Climbing
• Turtle Watching

Our favorite travel companies for traveling in Costa Rica-- GoGo Worldwide Vacations & Caravan Tours.

Helpful Links:
Traveldudes: Costa Rica
GotSaga: 6 Must Do's In Costa Rica