Costa Rica is a small country in Central America. This nation has bewilderingly diverse culture, climates, flora, and fauna, and landscapes range from rainforests, to dry tropical and temperate forests, to volcanoes, to Caribbean and Pacific beaches, to high mountains, and marshy lowlands. Costa Rica is an exceptionally stable and peaceful country compared to the volatile region it's in, and is one of the world's top destinations for nature and ecotourism. Owing in part to its comparative wealth, it can be a bit more expensive than its northern neighbors. Due to Costa Rica's topography and historical development, most economic growth has been concentrated in the Central Valley, which has four cities: San José (capital), Alajuela, Cartago and Heredia. Provincial capitals (Liberia, Puntarenas and Limón) and other towns with strategic locations have regional importance, especially for tourism. Some of Costa Rica's most important cities for travellers are: 9.933333-84.0833331 San José – the capital 10.031087-84.2040672 Alajuela – location of Juan Santamaría International Airport 9.866667-83.9166673 Cartago – Costa Rica's first capital 9.998463-84.1168624 Heredia – coffee plantations 9.62005-84.604445 Jacó – the Central Pacific coast's largest city, among incredibly biodiversity and natural beauty, famous surf spot 10.617969-85.4374236 Liberia – location of Guanacaste Airport and gateway to the beaches of Guanacaste, such as Samara, Nosara, Carillo 10.002216-83.0840377 Puerto Limón – main city on the Caribbean side 10.344069-84.4198998 Quesada – the largest city by far in the north, surrounded by hot springs popular with Costa Rican vacationers; known locally as "San Carlos" 10.463333-84.7033331 Arenal Volcano - active volcano 9.729167-82.8252 Cahuita National Park 9.48-83.483 Chirripo National Park 5.528056-87.0611114 Cocos Island National Park 8.55-83.5833335 Corcovado National Park 9.375556-84.1358336 Manuel Antonio National Park 10.3-84.8166677 Monteverde and Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserves 10.83-85.3238898 Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park 10.5833-83.51679 Tortuguero National Park Since the late 1980s, Costa Rica has been a popular nature travel destination, and its main competitive advantage is its well-established system of national parks and protected areas, covering around 23.4% of the country's land area, the largest in the world as a percentage of the country's territory, and home to a rich variety of flora and fauna, in a country covering only 0.03% of the world's landmass, but containing about 5% of the world's biodiversity. The country also has plenty of world renowned beaches, in the Pacific Ocean and in the Caribbean Sea, within short travel distances between the coasts, and also several active volcanoes that can be visited safely. Costa Rica has managed to avoid the political turmoil and violence plaguing the region. President Figueres constitutionally abolished the Costa Rican army permanently in 1948 after winning the 44-day civil war, the last significant political violence in the country. Costa Rica is Latin America's oldest democracy (since the Chilean coup d'etat in 1973) and one of only a handful of presidential republics in the world to last more than five decades. Costa Rica placed 5th among 21 Latin American countries (68th overall) in the 2018 Human Development Index. It frequently performs better than countries with higher GDP per capita in this measure and while still plagued with stark income and wealth inequality, it has these problems to a lesser extent than many other Latin American countries. Costa Rica is ranked third in the world and first among the Americas in terms of the 2010 Environmental Performance Index. And the New Economics Foundation (NEF) ranked Costa Rica as the happiest nation in the world in 2009 and in 2012. NEF ranked Costa Rica as the "greenest" country in the world. Costa Rica has been home to a large Jamaican diaspora community in Limón Province since the 19th century, and an English-based creole similar to Jamaican patois continues to be spoken there. So don't be surprised to meet locals with English names (such as football [soccer] players Joel Campbell and Kendall Watson) despite Costa Rica being a Spanish-speaking country. A more recent phenomenon is Nicaraguan immigration to Costa Rica which happens both for political and economic reasons and occasionally causes tensions. The name Costa Rica means 'Rich Coast' in Spanish. While Costa Rica shares much of its history well into the 19th century with the other central American states (and gained independence on the same day as Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala), which is still visible in the blue white blue basic flag of all these countries (Costa Rica simply added a red stripe in the middle of the white one), there are some notable differences. The most visible today is that in Costa Rica, European settlement mostly occurred in the Central Valley, which led to it becoming the economic and political heart of the country and the ancestry decidedly European. The historical myth many Ticos (as Costa Ricans like to call themselves) hold onto about the early years of the republic is one of "coffee democracy" where everyone lived in the Central Valley and peacefully shared power unlike the decidedly messier history of other Latin American countries. Of course this simplistic view excludes virtually everyone who wasn't white, male, upper class and connected to central valley elites and even then there were violent power struggles, including Costa Rica's part in defeating the American would-be dictator of Central America William Walker in the 1850s. While the political climate until the short civil war of 1948 (won by José Figueres Ferer, who would later be president three separate times and was one of Costa Rica's most influential politicians) was thus not all that different from the rest of Central America (think coups and rigged elections), it has since improved a lot and all elections since 1949 were peaceful and up to international democratic standards. One reason for this is that Figueres upon taking over abolished the military and Costa Rica is still one of only a handful of countries without one, leading to fewer coups and more money for education and social programs. This however has led to Costa Rica being hugely influenced by the USA and being one of America's closest allies in the region. In the 1980s almost all of Central America was embroiled in civil wars and shaky unpopular governments. Costa Rican President Oscar Arias Sanchez made a peace proposal that got almost all sides in war-torn Nicaragua to sit together and talk and achieved a lasting peaceful solution and democratic elections in 1990. He got a Nobel Peace Prize for his troubles although the hardest part may have been to convince the U.S. to sign on to his peace proposal. However Nicaragua-Costa Rica relations deteriorated and dominated the political agenda of Arias Sanchez' second term in the 2000s. The Ortega government once more ruling Nicaragua since 2006 has given subsequent Costa Rican presidents headaches, which seem to be used on both sides of the border as convenient distraction from domestic issues. Rio San Juan, which belongs to Nicaragua but runs along the border, became a hot button issue. One point of contention was Nicaraguan drainage operations on the river which Nicaragua claims were to ensure safe shipping, but Costa Rica claims illegally entered their territory (Nicaragua pointed to Google Maps in their defense). Another point of contention is whether Costa Rica has to pay a fee for tourist excursions on the river. Costa Rica claims an old treaty guarantees both countries free navigation of the river, whereas Nicaragua maintains the only thing the treaty says is that Costa Rican ships may transport "goods" without paying a fee and people are not, in fact, goods. The situation was made worse by Arias Sanchez' successor Laura Chinchilla who insisted on building a controversial highway right next to the river over Nicaraguan protests, which Nicaragua claims not only harms Costa Rican nature reserves but might also overload the river with sediment. The issue is further complicated by a number anywhere from several hundred thousand to a million Nicaraguans living in various states of legality in Costa Rica. They are not always treated all that well. However, signs of reconciliation are also made from both sides and a new bridge was opened in 2015, which crosses the Rio San Juan near San Carlos (Nicaragua), enabling overland transport towards Los Chiles. The countries see each other as pueblos hermanos (brother peoples), if sometimes bothersome and annoying brothers. Costa Rica is located on the Central American isthmus, lying between latitudes 8° and 12°N, and longitudes 82° and 86°W. It has a total of 1,290 km (800 mi) of coastline, 212 km (132 mi) on the Caribbean coast and 1,016 km (631 mi) on the Pacific. Costa Rica borders Nicaragua to the north (309 km or 192 mi of border) and Panama to the south-southeast (639 km or 397 mi of border). In total, Costa Rica comprises 51,100 km2 (19,700 sq mi) plus 589 km2 (227 sq mi) of territorial waters. The highest point in the country is Cerro Chirripó, at 3,819 metres (12,530 ft); it is the fifth highest peak in Central America. The highest volcano in the country is the Irazú Volcano (3,431 m or 11,257 ft). The largest lake in Costa Rica is Lake Arenal. Costa Rica also comprises several islands. Cocos Island (24 km2/9.3 sq miles) stands out because of its distance from the continental landmass, 480 km (300 mi) from Puntarenas, but Calero Island is the largest island of the country (151.6 km2/58.5 sq mi). Nearly 25% of Costa Rica's national territory is protected by SINAC (the National System of Conservation Areas), which oversees all of the country's protected areas. Costa Rica is such a popular destination for ecotourists because of its biodiversity. Costa Rica has the greatest density of species in the world, and around 25% of its national territory is protected by a system of conservation areas and national parks. The country may contain as much as 6% of the world's plant and animal species. Tropical plant and animal species are abound in Costa Rica. Some of the more impressive plants range from huge ficus trees with epiphytes abounding on their limbs to approximately 1500 different orchids. The animals are just as majestic, whether it's a jaguar (the largest cat in the New World), the ever-elusive Margay, or the wonderful birds like the green or scarlet macaws (lapas in Costa Rican Spanish). Among the amphibians the poison dart frogs with their bright colors are bound to catch your attention, as will the giant cane toads. Because Costa Rica is located between 8 and 12 degrees north of the Equator, the climate is tropical, year-round. However, the country has many microclimates depending on elevation, rainfall, topography, and by the geography of each particular region. Costa Rica's seasons are defined by how much rain falls during a particular period and not to the four seasons to which the residents of the temperate latitudes are accustomed. The year can be split into two periods, the dry season known to the residents as summer, and the rainy season, known locally as winter. The summer, or dry season, lasts from December to April, and winter, or rainy season, lasts from May to November. During this time it rains daily in some regions – almost every afternoon at the start of the season, and much more during the peak rainfall months. September and October have the most rain and the fewest tourists. The tourist industry markets those two months as the "Green Season", because the constant rain results in lush growth in the rainforests. The winter, or rainy season, coincides closely with the eastern Pacific and Atlantic/Caribbean hurricane seasons. Despite being at tropical latitudes, Costa Rica is rarely struck by hurricanes, with the three most recent notable occurrences being Hurricane Nate, Hurricane Otto, and Hurricane Cesar–Douglas in 2017, 2016, and 1996, respectively. The location receiving the most rain is the Caribbean slopes of the Central Cordillera mountains, with an annual rainfall of over 5000 mm. Humidity is also higher on the Caribbean side than on the Pacific side. The mean annual temperature on the coastal lowlands is around 27°C, 20°C in the main populated areas of the Central Cordillera, and below 10°C on the summits of the highest mountains. 1 January - New Year's Day (Año Nuevo) Maundy Thursday / Good Friday - (Jueves y Viernes Santo) 11 April – Day of Juan Santamaría (commemoration of the Battle of Rivas 1856) 1 May – Labour Day (Día del Trabajo) 25 July – Annexation of Nicoya (Anexión de Guanacaste) 2 August – Day of the patron of Costa Rica; Our Lady of the Angels (Virgen de los Ángeles) 15 August - Mother's Day (Día de la Madre) 15 September – Independence Day (Día de la Independencia) 1 December - Army Abolition Day (Día de la Abolición del Ejercito) 25 December - Christmas (Navidad) Travel is busiest in the week before Easter (Semana Santa), at mid year school holidays in July, and at the end of December. Most of the people of Costa Rica are called "Ticos". Compared to many other Latin American countries, the indigenous population and their culture is small and less visible. Other notable minorities are the Afro-Costa Ricans on the Caribbean side of the country and many first or second generation Nicaraguan immigrants. Spanish is the official language of Costa Rica, and is spoken by virtually all locals. There are also indigenous languages spoken by some of the indigenous ethnic groups, though speakers of these languages are usually able to speak Spanish as well. An English-based Creole language known as Limonese Creole or Mekatelyu is spoken in Limón Province on the Caribbean Sea coast. This Creole language is essentially a localized form of Jamaican Patois, and is similar to varieties such as Colón Creole, Miskito Coastal Creole, Belizean Kriol language, and San Andrés and Providencia Creole. The name Mekatelyu is a transliteration of the phrase "make I tell you", or in standard English "let me tell you". Virtually all speakers of Limonese Creole are also able to speak Spanish, as well as standard English (or can at least approximate it). English is spoken by staff at most tourist establishments, and information for visitors is often bilingual. Many businesses operated by European proprietors can accommodate guests in Spanish, English and their native languages. Generally speaking, younger Costa Ricans (i.e. aged under 30) and those from more affluent backgrounds have at least a basic grasp of English. Outside of that, English proficiency among locals - particularly among older people - tends to be rudimentary at best. You will likely encounter situations where nobody speaks English, so it is worth investing time and effort in learning at least the basics of Spanish before you go. Some Costa Rican colloquial expressions: Mae or sometimes "Maje" is used akin to the American English word 'dude'. Generally spoken among the male population, or among friends. It is as informal as the word 'dude'. Mae is mostly used by the younger population and Maje by the older population. It is pronounced 'maheh'. Pura vida, literally translated as "pure life," is an expression common to Costa Rica. It can be used in several contexts, as an expression of enthusiasm, agreement, or salutation. It's pronounced 'poora veeda'. Tuanis, means "OK" or "cool." Was believed to be taken from English phrase "too nice", but it is actually a word borrowed from the Código Malespín, a code developed for communication during the various Central American civil wars in the 19th century. A prevalent version of slang in Costa Rica, and other regions of Latin America, is called "pachuco", "pachuquismo" or "costarriqueñismo" and is used by all social classes (to some degree), however, it can be at times vulgar and is considered an informal way of speaking. For the word "you", (singular informal form), instead of "tú", most people of the Central Valley use "vos" (as in "vos sos" - you are) which is also common to other Latin nations (Argentina, Uruguay), but the word "usted" is prominent in south Pacific Costa Rica and preferred over "vos". Either way, formal Spanish is understood and you may use any form of the word "you" you consider proper. Costa Ricans tend to use the term Regálame, literally "gift me", instead of "get me". An example is when a Costa Rican says: "regálame la cuenta", literally "gift me the bill", which is unusual to other Spanish speaking countries, however, it is a very common Costa Rican term. Another such case might be when Costa Ricans go out to buy something, in which case they might use the term this way: "Regáleme un confite y una Coca", literally, "Gift me a piece of candy and a Coke", but it is understood that the person asking is going to buy said things and is not expecting the other to gift him or her those things. A more precise phrase in standard Spanish would be: "Me vende un confite y una Coca", meaning: "Sell me a piece of candy and a Coke". Visitors from most developed countries can enter Costa Rica without a visa and can stay for 90 days. Check with Immigration for more details. However, people of any nationality holding valid U.S., Canada, Japan, South Korea or Schengen visas do not need a prior visa. The only conditions being that the visa must be valid for three months and should be stamped in your passport. Before travelling, verify the entry requirements in effect with TimaticWeb or with a Costa Rican consulate. If you have an unusual passport/visa combination, allow extra time for check-in, especially if flying with a minor airline, like InterJet, which may not have a TimaticWeb subscription, or whose staff may not know how to use it. The entry requirements include having a return ticket. If you are doing a multi-country trip, and the return air ticket to your home country is from an adjacent country, such as Panama or Nicaragua, that would usually satisfy the immigration authorities and the airline check-in staff; nonetheless, if travelling on an itinerary like this (especially with an unusual passport), it may be safer to purchase a fully refundable ticket directly from Costa Rica, and cancel it once no longer needed. A word of caution to Nicaraguan citizens traveling through the San José airport: the 30-day tourist visa for Nicaraguans permits only a single entry. if you have a flight from San José going elsewhere make sure to double check with the embassy, otherwise they will make you buy an extra flight and not let you in. Costa Rica requires a valid yellow fever certificate if arriving from countries where that disease is prevalent (such as Panama and most South American countries). If such is not presented you would not be allowed to enter/board the flight. At Bogota airport, if you have a certificate you can have it e-mailed to the airline and then proceed to the local vaccination authority for duplicate certificate to be issued free of charge. The critical part is to get the printed version on time. If you don't have a certificate or cannot get it on time you will probably be approached by friendly police officers to arrange it for a fee. Keep in mind that the date of the vaccination should be at least 10 days prior to entering the country from which you are flying. 9.993889-84.2088891 Juan Santamaría Airport (SJO IATA) (close to the cities Alajuela (3 km (1.9 mi)), Heredia and the capital San José (25 km (16 mi)).). SJO is run by the same organization that runs the airports in Houston, Texas. The pleasant airport features the normal assortment of duty-free shops, interesting souvenir shops and bookshops, but has a poor selection of restaurants (Church's Chicken, Burger King, Poás Deli Cafe and Papa John's pizza). It is served daily by Air Transat (seasonal), American Airlines, Canjet (seasonal), Condor, Delta, Frontier Airlines, Iberia, Interjet, JetBlue Airways, Spirit Airlines, United, Air Canada, Avianca, Copa Airlines and AirPanama. The airport receives flights from Los Angeles, New York, Houston, Dallas, Miami, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Atlanta, Phoenix, Orlando, Chicago, Newark, Toronto, Montreal, Madrid, Frankfurt, Mexico City, Bogotá, Medellín, Caracas, Lima, Guayaquil, Quito and all Central American capitals. There is also a domestic terminal for internal flights operated by Skyway Airlines, offering flights to Drake Bay, Puerto Jimenez, Manuel Antonio, Santa Teresa, Tamarindo, Liberia. (updated Feb 2020) 10.593056-85.5441672 Guanacaste Airport (LIR IATA) (near Liberia in the Guanacaste province). This airport is closest to the Pacific Northwest coast. Guanacaste Airport receives flights from Delta, American, United, JetBlue, Air Canada, CanJet (charter), Sun Wing (charter), and First Choice (charter). Connecting the airport with Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Newark, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, London, etc. 9.957222-84.1394443 Tobías Bolaños International Airport (SYQ IATA) (in the Pavas district of San José about a 10-15 minute drive from the city center.). This airport primarily serves as the gateway linking to local Costa Rican domestic flights or nearby international destinations of Nicaragua and Panama. This airport is the hub for Aerobell. The terminal is neat, and clean though small. There is reasonably priced cafeteria food service on the second floor of the terminal. The terminal is not open 24 hr a day so if you have an early flight verify what time the building opens before you take the taxi. There is no comfortable place to wait near the terminal if you arrive too early. (updated Feb 2019) There is a US$29 exit fee for outbound international flights. This must be paid in cash, or by Visa (in which case it will be processed as a cash advance). The fee can also be paid in advance at some hotels or banks (Banco de Costa Rica). Due to legal requirements (EU) the exit fee is included in the ticket price since 2015 for many airlines (Aeroméxico, Air Canadá, Air France, Air Panamá, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Grupo Avianca, British Airways, Condor, Copa Airlines, Delta Airlines, Edelweiss, Iberia, Interjet, JetBlue Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, United Airlines, Volaris Costa Rica, Volaris México). Ask your airline if it is included. The Interamericana (Pan-American Highway) runs through Costa Rica and is the main entry point by car. It is labeled as "Ruta 1" North of San José and "Ruta 2" south of it. The border post in the north (to Nicaragua) is called Peñas Blancas and in the south (to Panamá) Paso Canoas (closes at 22:00 Costa Rican time, or 23:00 Panamá time). Virtually all travel out of the capital (except to the Caribbean side) will involve traveling this road. The locals call the highway Via Muerta, and after you have been on it a while you understand why — near San José and other major cities, the road is paved and has excellent signage; outside of the major cities, however, the road is gravel in places with fairly tight turns and substantial changes in elevation. You will see more large truck traffic on this road than in any part of Costa Rica. There are many speed traps along this major artery, as well as some random police checks for seat belts and, especially near the borders, for valid travel documents. The highway speed is 80 km/h, but since the Interamericana passes through innumerable small towns, the speed frequently drops to 50 or even 30 km/h as you suddenly find yourself in a school zone. Most of the highway is not divided. A common indicator that a police checkpoint is ahead is that oncoming cars flick their lights at you. There are tickets that exceed US$400 for attempting to bribe an officer, and other big-ticket tickets for drunken driving, speeding, and other illegal actions including talking on a cell phone and not using seat belts. Be nice to the police if you are pulled over because they can "throw the book" at you, although they generally do not. This could mean citing you for minor offenses such as the requirement that every car carry an emergency kit. There is a 3-year prison sentence for driving with a 0.08 blood alcohol level and a US$480 fine. Driving over 20 km/h over the speed limit is a US$310 and losing 20 points. Police tend to target tourists because they think that Costa Ricans don't have the money to pay the big tickets, and they're right. The police themselves earn about US$500 per month, which is the average monthly wage in Costa Rica. Ruta 27 stretches from the Pacific Port at Caldera all the way into San José. This highway is smooth as U.S. or European highways. There are tolls along this highway but if you travel the entire stretch it will still only cost a few dollars in total. Many Costa Rican roads are in terrible shape, and short distances can take a very long time. Even the only road in and out of popular tourist destinations are riddled with major potholes. To avoid potholes, drivers will often snake through the left and right lanes, usually returning to the right when oncoming traffic approaches. While this may seem erratic, you can become quickly accustomed to it. If you see a tree branch or pole poking out of the middle of a road, that is a "sign" that there is a deep sinkhole, pothole or manhole without a cover. Stay away from it. Driving at night is a bad idea because of the unpredictability of road conditions and lack of safety features such as guard rails on the many hairpin turns in the hills. Costa Rica's per capita traffic death rate is comparable to that of the United States, but there are undeniably many hazards, and they are likely to be unfamiliar ones. Many roads are unpaved, and even the paved roads have lots of unpaved sections and washed out or unfinished bridges. Bridges are often only wide enough for one vehicle; one direction usually has priority. Do not expect to get anywhere quickly; supposed three-hour journeys can easily turn into five or more hours: there are always slow cars/buses/trucks on the road. This causes a lot of crazy driving, which you begin to emulate if you are in-country for more than a day. The government does not seem to be fixing the infrastructure well (or at all); 50 km/h is good over unpaved roads. Some hotels in the mountains require a four-wheel-drive vehicle to reach the destination. Call ahead. This is more for the ground clearance than the quality of the road. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are widely available at the car rentals near the airport, but call ahead. Navigation can be difficult. Road signs are relatively few, and those that do exist can be inaccurate. It is recommended that you have a good road map with the small towns listed, since road signs will often only indicate the next town, not the direction of the next major city. Towns generally do not have town-limit signs; it is best to look at the names on the roadside food stores and restaurants to determine the place you are passing. Stop and ask, practice your Spanish. The center of town is usually a public park with a Catholic church across from it. There are no formal street addresses in Costa Rica, but two informal systems exist. The first (often used in tourist information) indicates the road on which the establishment is located (e.g., "6th Avenue"), together with the crossroad interval (e.g., "between 21st and 23rd Streets"). In practice, street signs are virtually non-existent, and locals do not even know the name of the street they are on. The second system, which is much more reliable and understood by locals, is known as the "Tico address", usually involving an oriented distance (e.g., "100 m south, 50 m east") from a landmark (e.g., "the cathedral"). In the road naming system of San José, avenues run east-west and streets run north-south. The numbering is less straighforward. Starting at Central Avenue going south are 2nd, 4th, 6th Avenue, etc. while going north are 1st, 3rd, 5th, etc. Streets use even numbers going west, and odd numbers going east. This means that if you are at 7th Avenue and 4th Street, and looking for 6th Avenue and 5th Street, you are on the wrong side of town. Gas stations are full-service and staff usually accept U.S. dollars, and colones, of course. Costa Rica is small so you do not use much gas getting places, even though it can take longer than planned. Costa Rica also has roundabouts, so people from Europe should have no problem, but North Americans should make sure they know how they work. The gas stations really are full-service, and you can have your oil checked, water filled, and tire pressure topped off. The state owns a gasoline company and the private companies raise their prices to the level of the state-set price. It is recommended to always use super gas and not regular; the regular gas is soiled. If you use the "regular" gas, you will have to change the gas filter and clean the injectors after 8000 km (5000 miles). There are bus services from the neighboring countries of Panamá, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico and Guatemala. There is an extensive network of bus routes within the country with reasonable fares. Departures are very punctual, though routes often take longer than expected. Stop by the Tourist Office in downtown San José (underneath the Gold Museum in the Plaza—ask anyone and they'll be able to help you out). The bus system is a safe and even fun way to see a lot of the country cheaply and not have to worry about car rentals. Getting around without Spanish is no problem. San José has a remarkably large number of bus stations for a town of its size; bus departure points occasionally change. Make sure to double check the location of the terminal for the bus you want to take. The boat that used to run between Los Chiles (Costa Rica) and San Carlos (Nicaragua) hasn't been running since a new bridge across the Rio San Juan opened. Small ship cruises carrying fewer than 100 passengers begin in Panama and end in Costa Rica or reverse. These cruises visit popular national parks such as Manuel Antonio but also visit remote beaches and coastline not accessible by road. Prices range from US$2000–6000 per person for 7- to 10-day tours. Larger cruise ships occasionally dock or anchor at Puerto Caldera and Puntarenas for a day or so, usually to begin, end or continue cruises with itineraries through the Panama Canal to or from Caribbean or U.S. ports. Although Costa Rica has established official street names in most cities for governmental purposes, most of the population is unaware of these names and if they are known, most streets will lack proper signs stating said names. Asking for directions from a local could result in a tedious and difficult conversation as said directions are given out based on a common or well known building, store, office or other landmark in order to find what you are looking for. As such, you would need to know important landmarks and their locations well enough to be able to get around more easily. Cien metros or 100 meters, is commonly used to refer to a city "block," which are usually 100 m, but in some cases could be more or less. However, despite what the exact distance is, many locals tend to use 100 m or a city block when giving out directions. For reliable (offline) maps and navigation, consult OpenStreetMap-based apps, such as OsmAnd (advanced with many add-ons) and MAPS.ME (lightweight but limited). OpenStreetMap contributors also produce Garmin compatible maps that are open source and constantly updated. If possible, contribute back the tracks of your trip to the project. Free GPS maps from the Cenrut project. The Cenrut maps can be loaded on Garmin devices, iPhones and Android phones. Waze, the smartphone application is a favorite among Costa Ricans as a GPS with real time updates on traffic. Google Maps on a cell phone or tablet can be a useful tool to locate Points of Interest (POIs) or devise a route to a destination, it offers turn-by-turn routable directions, but is not very used by locals, so fixes and routing might be more accurate in Waze. For the most part, Costa Rica's roads are paved but have minimal upkeep. Also, there are many narrow bridges scattered around the country. Exercise caution when traveling during the rainy season as some roads can be washed out or flooded in low-lying areas. If you plan on traveling into the mountainous regions like Monteverde, four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive vehicles are strongly recommended. These roads are not paved and can be slick due to the consistent rainfall. Rockfalls and landslides are common and guardrails are sparse. Also, visibility can be low around the cloud forest areas, so use caution. Centrocoasting is a free and invaluable resource for navigating the country (and rest of Central America) by bus, and offers bus schedules and prices for most of the major routes in the region. Most major tourist destinations in Costa Rica are served by at least two daily buses from and to San José. Public transportation in Costa Rica is cheap (tickets rarely cost over US$7 each) and most towns are well served with buses. San José serves as a national hub, and there are smaller regional hubs in the terminal de autobuses of larger cities in each province. The buses are usually not booked with an early reservation system so you may not get a seat on popular routes, however there is usually standing room. Many intercity buses have assigned seats. Depending on the company and stop, you will either buy a ticket at the bus terminal or pay the driver directly. Buses are cheap but of variable comfort and cleanliness, with no toilets, and no air conditioning so windows are usually open unless it rains. They are however better than the buses in Nicaragua. For example, decades-old school buses from the USA are rare in Costa Rica. In San José there is no central bus station, but several different ones, each of which roughly serves a different area of the country, with some exceptions. For example, most of the service to the Caribbean side of the country leaves from the Terminal Gran Caribe. Direct service to the far south Caribbean coast is provided from the Puntarenas bus station, which mostly serves the west side of the country. Still, you can still get to the Caribe side by taking a bus (on the Autotransportes Caribeños‎ line) from the Terminal Gran Caribe to Limón, and then transferring there to another bus south (the Mepe line). In short, do some research beforehand so you don't get lost looking for your bus. Often you can just call or e-mail your final destination (e.g. your hotel) and they will tell you what bus to take, where to catch it and how often it runs. Buses can be infrequent and unreliable. Instead of waiting for hours for the bus at the highway, you may be better off trying to hitch-hike. Travellers report great success getting picked up in Costa Rica, particularly by truck drivers, but this is only recommended if travelling in a group. Bus drivers sometimes try short-changing tourists. Always ensure you have received the correct change. Prices between the most important places are always displayed above the driver for your reference. Rounded ticket prices like ₡1,000 or ₡2,000 should raise your suspicions. Do not let them fool you, that just worsens the situation for locals. One advantage of renting a car is that you can visit many of the secluded beaches and mountain areas. For US$350-700 a week you can rent an econocar/mid size four-wheel drive. Mandatory insurance is the majority of this cost. Four-wheel-drives are good for extensive traveling outside the Central Valley, especially in the wet season. In the dry season going from La Fortuna to Monteverde via a direct route was over a boulder-strewn 25-50 km/h (15-30 mph) road. Four-wheel-drive was also useful on the Nicoya coast. (Above based on 2001 roads.) It's often possible to rent a car with a local driver from the various tour companies, if driving yourself seems a bit daunting. Due to the condition of most roads outside San José, car insurance, even with a zero-deductible option, generally does not cover tires and rims. Car rental companies require a guaranty deposit from US$750 during the rental period and a credit card is necessary for this process. Using an insurance program provided by some types of gold or platinum credit cards is a good advantage, since these credit cards would cover small scratches, small dents as well as the entire rented vehicle in case of collision or theft. You have to exercise caution when renting a car in Costa Rica; where it is not uncommon for rental companies to claim "damage" they insist you inflicted on the vehicle. It is by far the best policy to rent a car through a Costa Rican travel agent. If you are traveling on a package, your agent will sort this out. Otherwise, go into an ICT-accredited travel agent in San José and ask them to arrange rental for you. This should be no more expensive than renting on your own and will help guard against false claims of damage and other accusations; rental companies will be less willing to make trouble with an agent who regularly sends them clients than with individual customers who they may not see again. Make sure to check the car carefully before you sign off on the damage sheet. Check the oil, brake fluid, fuel gauge (to make sure it's full) and that there is a spare tire with a good air pressure and a jack. Look up the Spanish word for "scratches" (rayas) and other relevant terminology first, so you can at least scrutinize the rental company's assessment. Ask them to write down all the minor damages, not just check on the drawing, and keep a copy of this document with you. Take the maximum insurance (around US$15–20 per day); because of the country's high accident rate, you need to be covered for damage to the vehicle, yourself, any third party and public property. For about US$420 a week, depending on the bike and the season, you can rent a dual sport bike or a chopper. A motorcycle rental company requires a guaranty deposit from US$600 during the rental period. Another easy way to get around Costa Rica is to use the services of mini-vans. At most of the hotels, the receptionist is able to assist travelers who want to travel across the country by arranging for the services of a driver. Rates are reasonable (US$29 per person, for example, to get from San José to Tamarindo in 2007) The drivers know the roads well; the vans are clean and comfortable; and they take you from door to door. Taxis are available in most large cities. They are usually inexpensive, charging only a few dollars to get most anywhere within the city. The meter is called "la maria"; ask the driver to turn it on immediately upon getting in the car, or he may leave it off and make up his own, more expensive, price when you get to your destination. Also try checking it wasn't running before you got in, the initial fare shouldn't be higher than ₡600. Most drivers know familiar routes such as San José to Santa Ana and you can find the rate by asking "Cuanto para ir a _____" and he will tell you the flat rate. This can keep you from paying too much because the driver will not make unnecessary detours. Official taxis are red with a yellow triangle on the side. They also have yellow triangles on the side of the car which will have a number in it. If the number matches the number listed on the license plate, it is an official taxi. Do not get in if the numbers do not match. "Pirate Taxis", though sometimes cheaper, are not safe. Do not risk it, especially if you're alone. Females should ride in the back, as riding in the front seat can be seen as suggestive. Hitch-hiking is far more common in rural areas than in urban areas. In general, it is very easy for tourists, contrary to local people. If you choose to hitch-hike, Costa Ricans are generally very friendly and helpful, particularly in more rural areas where traffic on the dirt roads can be light. It's customary to offer to pay for the ride, but most Ticos will decline but appreciate the kindness in offering. Don't worry if they accept, the ride shouldn't cost more than the bus. There are three main internal airlines that connect the major tourist towns: Aerobell Airlines, Sansa and Skyway Airlines. None of them will carry a longboard and they limit the number of short surfboards they will carry. Be sure to check with airline for current limits on length of boards allowed. While the train service was closed in 1995, the Incofer (Costa Rican Railway Institute) remained operational and is putting the abandoned rails to use again in the San José metropolitan area. Train service still suffers from decades of neglect and only rarely is a train faster or cheaper than a bus, but new lines and improvements to existing lines (mostly for commuters in and around San José) are planned for the near future. Schedules still mostly show a commuter layout with trains being plentiful in the morning and evening and scant or missing in the middle of the day or at night. Tickets cost around ₡500 one way with discounts for the elderly Alajuela - Heredia - San José Service Belén - Pavas - San José - Curridabat Service Cartago (Costa Rica) - San José service Costa Rica is world famous for having an incredibly high level of biodiversity throughout its tropical forests (this covers what you may hear referred to as rain forests, cloud forests, and dry forests). There are tropical mammals such as monkeys, sloths, tapirs, and wild cats as well as an amazing assortment of insects and other animals. There are many many birds (both migratory and resident) - more on that below. With 25% of the country being national parks and protected areas, there are still many places you can go to see the abundant wildlife and lush vegetation of the country. Just like anywhere, the farther you get off the beaten path, the more likely you are to see a wide variety of flora and fauna. There is such biodiversity in Costa Rica not only because it's a land bridge between North and South America, but also because the terrain is so varied and there are weather patterns moving in from both the Pacific and Atlantic/Caribbean. There are impressive volcanoes, mountain areas, rivers, lakes, and beaches all throughout the country. There are many beautiful beaches - most of the popular ones are on the Pacific side but the Caribbean has many excellent beaches as well. One of the most wonderful activities for people who love nature is bird-watching. You can enjoy bird-watching in many areas of Costa Rica. Due to the great diversity of climates, temperatures and forest types in Costa Rica, there is a wonderful variety of birds, with over 800 species. Some helpful books available on bird-watching are Birds of Costa Rica by F. Gary Stiles and Alexander Skutch (Cornell University Press) or An Illustrated Field Guide to Birds of Costa Rica, illustrated by Victor Esquivel Soto. These books can be found at certain bookstores in San José or before coming to Costa Rica. They are both heavy books; many people tear out the plates of the Stiles & Skutch book to carry into the field and leave the rest of the book in their car or room. Plastic cards with the most common birds are available for many areas and are sold at gift shops. 16 species of parrots including the fabulous scarlet macaw. 50 species of hummingbirds. 10 species of trogons with the resplendent quetzal as the jewel. 6 species of toucans, including the keel-billed and chestnut-mandibled. Half the bird species in Costa Rica are passerines including warblers, sparrows and finches. 16 species of ducks, including the fulvous whistling, white-faced ruddy and American wigeon. 13 species of falcons, including the peregrine falcon, merlin and American kestrel. 36 species of prey, including the gray hawk, swallow-tailed kite, solitary eagle and northern harrier. 6 species of cracidae which look like turkeys. 8 species of new world quails. 15 species of rallideas including the rufous-necked wood-rail, American coot and ruddy crake. 19 species of owls including the black-and-white, Costa Rican pygmy, Central American pygmy and striped. 3 species of potoos including the great, northern and common. 16 species of woodpeckers, including cinnamon, chestnut-colored and pale-billed. 19 species of herons & wading birds such as the great blue heron, great egret, boat-billed heron, reddish egret and yellow-crowned night-heron. 2 species of recurvirostraide which are waders and include the black-necked stilt and American avocet. 2 species of jacans including the northern and wattled. 34 species of scolopacidae including the short-billed dowitcher, spotted sandpiper, wandering tattler, surfbird, and red phalarope. 9 species of gulls including the gray, Heermann's and ring-billed. 14 species of sternidae (terns) including the gull-billed tern, Forster's tern, least tern and white tern. 4 species of vultures including the king vulture. 24 species of doves and pigeons. 11 species of swifts including the black, spot-fronted and Costa Rican. 6 species of kingfishers including the green, Amazon and American pygmy. 5 species of threskiornithidaes including the roseate spoonbill and white-faced ibis. 2 species of ciconiidae including the wood stork and jabiru. Ballena Marine National Park has frigate birds, boobies, ibises and pelicans Cahuita National Park has toucans, parrots, rufous kingfishers; the park is on the beach. Carara National Park has 400 species of birds. Corcovado National Park has 400 species of birds and 1,200 scarlet macaws. Heliconia Island has 228 species of birds. Térraba-Sierpe National Wetland has a myriad of birds along the coast and swamps. La Amistad International Park has 500 species of birds including resplendent quetzals. La Selva Biological Station in the northern lowlands has 420 species of birds. Los Quetzales National Park has around 200 species of birds, and particularly the eponymous resplendent Quetzal. Manuel Antonio National Park has 350 species of birds and three lovely beaches. Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve has more than 400 species of birds, including resplendent quetzals. Palo Verde National Park attracts many migratory birds. Santa Rosa National Park has more than 250 species of birds. Tárcoles River basin has 400 species of birds and great river tours highlighting crocodiles. Tortuguero National Park has 300 species of birds. Most hotels and tourist information centers will provide bird-watching guides, maps and other essentials for bird watching. Unless you are an experienced neotropical birder, it can be a lot more productive to go out with an experienced birding guide. Do not forget to bring a hat, rain gear, boots, binoculars and camera. In hot areas, an umbrella can be more useful than a poncho or jacket. Southern Costa Rica is generally considered the better option for bird-watching. Costa Rica is a geologically active nation. The most notable volcanoes are: Arenal, (Spanish: Volcán Arenal): an active stratovolcano with lava domes, near La Fortuna. It was Costa Rica's most active volcano until 2010, with daily eruptions, but has since become dormant. Irazú, (Spanish: Volcán Irazú): an active complex stratovolcano situated in the Cordillera Central close to the city of Cartago. The last eruption was in 1994. Poás, (Spanish: Volcán Poás): an active stratovolcano in Poás Volcano National Park in central Costa Rica, 40 km from Alajuela. It has erupted 40 times since 1828. The last eruption was in 2019. Football (soccer) is Costa Rica's national sport, and local passion for the game is very high. The Costa Rican national team has emerged as a powerhouse in North America since the turn of the millennium, and is increasingly posing a challenge to traditional rivals the United States and Mexico for North American supremacy. Domestically, the top division in the Costa Rican league system is the Liga FPD, for which there is no shortage of enthusiasm from local fans. The "big three" teams in Costa Rican football are San José-based Deportivo Saprissa, Alajuela-based Alajuense and Heredia-based Herediano. The Pacific coast's main beaches are located in the Central Pacific region, the Nicoya Peninsula, and in Guanacaste. Less-visited but no less beautiful beaches are located in the tropical rainforest of the southern Pacific coast near Corcovado National Park, or on the exotic eco-tourism paradise of the Caribbean side in Limón Province. In an overview, the Caribbean region of Costa Rica stands out for its variety of aquatic ecosystems and its beautiful white and black sand beaches, providing an ideal setting for activities such as sport fishing, snorkeling, and sun bathing. The Pacific coast concentrates big tourist centers and its beaches are very popular for surfing; for example Esterillos, Jaco, Hermosa, Boca Barranca. In the Golfito region, surfers can find the famous "long lefthander wave" of Pavones. Here is a quick list of the country's biggest and most popular beach destinations, ask
{'wiki_source': 'wikivoyage', 'other_info': "{'content_model': 'wikitext', 'language': 'en', 'title': 'Costa Rica', 'type': 'text'}"}