Traveling to Costa Rica? Read On!
Costa Rica is a small country but contrary to what one might first think, it is quite a complex one to travel around of and/or to decide on what to do and where to go. This is due to its immense variety and complex geography amid its small size.
Costa Rica is located on the strip of land that joins North America with South America, next to Panamá, nearer the South American end. It has coast on both sides: the Caribbean Sea on the North-East and the Pacific Ocean on the South-West. Its territory is 51,000 sq Km, which is the size of one quarter of Great Britain and a mere 0.03 % of the global land surface.
Despite its small size, it is a number one destination for nature holidays, especially forests holidays and for a few of the truism adventure modalities in the sea such as surfing and paragliding.
What makes Costa Rica so rich and complex?
The country’s topography for such a small country is one of the main factors. The country has a high mountain range, with its highest elevation of 3,800 m over sea level that crosses the country right through the middle, limiting access from one coast to the other to a few places where roads have been built.
Furthermore, there are at least four different geopolitical divisions (provinces, regions called “cantones”, districts and geographical zones) used undistinctively. For example, you can hear talking about Guanacaste or North Pacific as the same place. These together with the high ecological and biological diversity makes it quite hard to decide where to go and what to do in Costa Rica.
As the country is so diverse, your plan for your Costa Rica holiday will work best if you decide what you want to do first and then you plan how you get to the places that offer what you want and by which means.
You can go to the Caribbean side to see mangroves and a rich low and flat coast timing with wildlife; to the Pacific to see the unique encounter of the tropical forests with the intense blue sea; and the central mountains for birding or bird watching, rafting, cable carting and many other adventures. Everywhere you go, you can be certain you will be met by abundant wildlife and friendly people committed to their Pura Vida (relaxed Costa Rican lifestyle).
For a more detailed description and information on what to do in Costa Rica, you can download this free guide below.