COSTA RICA

Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and the Caribbean Sea to the east.

Far, far away from city life, lost somewhere in the dense jungles and uneven terrain lies Costa Rica. A naturalist’s paradise… But its not all leafy and green, San Jose the capital of Costa Rica could be just another North American city with its departmental stores and streets lined with fast food restaurants. But the urban character of the city ends at its corners. Visit the interiors to get acquainted to the real Costa Rica.

There’s much to explore in this country with its dripping cloud forest, belching volcanoes and sprawling parks. A fair part of the country is inhabited by the Ticos (or locals) but it is also home to a variety of wildlife.

Capital: San Jose

Best Time of Visit:

  1. The best time to visit Costa Rica is during the dry season between mid December and mid April when the rains are safely out of the way.
  2. Along the Caribbean coast, the weather is always ‘drippy’ so be prepared for at least one soak (and not in the sea) during your visit.
  3. Temperatures are inversely proportional to altitudes – the higher you go the lower the mercury levels.

Min Days Required: 5 days

Places of Interest: 

  1. Monteverde – Curi Cancha Reserve, Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Childrens Eternal Rain forest, Monteverde Wildlife Reserve
  2. San Jose – Arenal Volcano, Celeste River, National Theater of Costa Rica, Pre Columbian Gold Museum
  3. Tortuguero National Park
  4. Arenal Volcano and La Fortuna
  5. Manuel Antonio National Park
  6. Mal Pais – Santa Teresa

Climate:

  1. Costa Rica’s seasons can be divided into two – the wet and the dry period.
  2. The rainy season extends from May to November in all areas except along the Caribbean coast where it tends to rain through the year.
  3. Fluctuations in temperature are accorded to altitude levels rather than seasonal changes.
  4. The low-lying coastal areas are generally warm with temperatures averaging at 30 º C during the day along the Caribbean coast.
  5. The Pacific coast experiences higher temperatures averaging around 40 º C.
  6. The temperature drops as you ascend. In the high altitudes, nights are cold.
  7. The Valle Central has pleasant weather with barely any temperature fluctuations.

Currency: Costa Rican Colon

Things to carry:

  1. The coastal areas experience high temperatures especially the Pacific coast so pack in your cotton wardrobe.
  2. Weather in Costa Rica follows a simple formula, the higher you climb the lower the temperature.
  3. The highest areas touch freezing temperatures at night. So pack in warm clothing if you plan to visit the highland areas.
  4. The rainy season is very wet and it’s best not to visit during that season.
  5. But if you have arrived in the rainy season make sure you come prepared with enough waterproof clothing.
  6. An umbrella though cumbersome to carry, is also essential.
  7. One of the main attractions of Costa Rica is its parks ands natural reserves so long excursions are a regular feature on most itineraries.
  8. For such excursions, make sure you carry a comfortable pair of shoes that won’t give you blisters even if you walk for a long time.

How to get there:

Air:

  1. Aeropuerto Internacional Juan Santamaría is Costa Rica’s leading international airport placed 17 kms away from San Jose in town of Alajuela.
  2. Air linked to various cities across the globe via American Airlines, Continental Delta, US Airways and Air Canada, Juan Santamaria handles a large fraction of Costa Rica’s air traffic.
  3. The other way to get into Costa Rica is through the Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport at Guanacaste Province in Liberia.