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 Capital: San Jose AREA MAPS
Imagine yourself trekking through the Monteverde Biological Reserve, one of the most outstanding wildlife sanctuaries in the New World tropics! Feel the adrenaline pumping excitement of sweeping through the jungle canopy on a suspension cable! Envision the beauty of Costa Rica's North Pacific coast and the purity of Manuel Antonio, one of the world's most exotic national parks!
Costa Rica is a democracy, has no standing army, and is arguably the most environmentally friendly country in Latin America.
Costa Rica is divided into 7 provinces:
1.) Alajuela(1) (central; north of capital San José, agriculture and industrial manufacturing)
Arenal
2.) Cartago (former Costa Rican Provincial capital during colonial times)
3.) Guanacaste (north-west, important touristic and agricultural area)
Capital: Liberia*&-Airport
Peninsula de Nicoya*
4.) Heredia (central; north of capital, industrial manufacturing)
5.) Limón* (Caribbean coast, agricultural and eco-tourism area)
Puerto Limon
6.) Puntarenas (along most of the Pacific coast, with a large bulge in the south-west and a smaller one at the northern end at both sides of the Golfo de Nicoya, where the eponymous capital is located)
Jaco Beach
Monteverde
Peninsula de Nicoya*
Puerto Caldera
Quepos
7.) San Jose (political, technological and economical center of Costa Rica)
San Jose (Capital)
Central Costa Rica
Arenal
Liberia-Airport
Monteverde
San Jose-Airport
Caribbean Coast
Puerto Limon
Pacific Coast*
Curu (Reserve)
Guanacaste
Quepos
Puntarenas
Puerto Caldera
Jaco Beach
Tortuga Island
The time of your life!
Though gaining in popularity, Costa Rica remains one of the "best kept secrets" of vacation destinations. Though it's only as big as West Virginia, there are few places in the world that compare for the sheer magnitude of its bio-diversity. Twelve major life zones provide refuge for over 10,000 kinds of flowering plants, 850 bird species, 3,000 butterfly species, and 209 mammal species! Active volcanoes, rainforests, cloud forests, lowland jungles, the dramatic Pacific coastline, and tranquil Caribbean beaches ramble across seven provinces. Thirty percent of the land is protected by national and private reserves, which harbor more than five percent of the world's plant and animal species.
Equally fantastic are the activities - rafting, scuba diving, jungle hiking, bird watching, horseback riding, mountain biking, and more. As the perfect complement to this vacation Eden, Costa Ricans (Ticos, as they call themselves) are friendly, peaceful people who welcome you to their country like a long-lost relative. Simultaneously, Costa Rica is known for the multi-ethnic pleasures of its capital, San José, and as a producer of some of the world's best coffee. Most Costa Rican vacations begin and end in the exciting capital, but it's what lies beyond that takes your breath away.
Orchids bloom and toucans preen their feathers in treetops above the dense rainforest… Sun glistens over a volcanic sand beach and a troop of Howler monkeys prance from branch to branch. You are there, flying from platform to platform in a harness from the highest tree (The Canopy Tour) or lazing in a hot spring below Arenal Volcano. Yes, it's a beach vacation, but you'll need your binoculars and sneakers-for it's a jungle out there!
Destination Guide
The airport departure tax may now be paid with VISA credit or debit card. |
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