Costa Rica is an small country with great people, scenic beauty, consolidated system of

protected areas, social and political stability. All in a territory of fifty one thousand square kilometers, surrounded by both rich the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

BEFORE YOU ARRIVE:

* Get general information about Costa Rica by books dealing with travel-related topics as well as the ecology and living in Costa Rica.

Living in Costa Rica

The Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica

by Christopher Howard, published by Costa Rica Books, Thousand Oaks, CA

Choose Costa Rica - A Guide to Retirement and Investment

von John Howells, published by Gateway Books, Oakland, CA

The Official Guide to Living, Visiting, Investing in Costa Rica

Published by Lawrence International Publishing, San José

Ecology

Parques Nacionales - Costa Rica

by Mario Boza, published by Incafo, San José

Live above the Jungle Floor

by Dr. Donald Perry, published by Simon & Schuster, New York, NY

Costa Rican Natural History

by Daniel Janzen, University of Chicago Press, Chicago,IL

Birds of Costa Rica

by Gary Stiles and Alexander Skutch, published by Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY.

SAFETY TRAVEL TIPS:

PLACES

Beaches:

1.Nacasolo   2. Panama   3. Hermosa   4. El coco   5. Ocotal   6. Pan de azucar   7. Potrero   8. Flamingo  

9. Brasilito   10. Conchal   11. Grande   12. Tamarindo   13. Negra   14. Junquillal   15. Nosara   16. Garza   

17. Samara   18. Carrillo   19. Coyote  20. Cabuya   21. Montezuma   22. Tambor   23. Isla Tortuga  

24. Puntarenas   25. Mantas   26. Jaco   27. Esterillos   28. Manuel Antonio   29. Dominical   30. Uvita

31. Matapalo   32. Zancudo   33. Manzanillo   34. Puerto Viejo   35. Bonita   36. Langosta   37. Ostional  

38. Cahuita   39.  Mata de Limon  40. Quepos   41. Herradura  42. Ballena

Central Valley:

It offers itself a wide range of activities and attractions worth exploring. One of the main characteristics is its pleasant climate, since even San José, located 1,149 meters above sea level (3,734 Ft), enjoys an average temperature of 24° C (77° Ft). Almost all the museums in the country are in the capital: , Jade, National, Gold,Contemporary Art and Children's, There are two famous Theatres here The National Theatre, and The Melico Salazar Theatre .

Discos with al the different kinds of music (including of course exotic rhythms as Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia) are part of the San José night's atmosphere; whatever the style, Ticos love to dance at one of the many nightspots.

Costa Rica’s territorial division includes 7 provinces, that is: San José, Alajuela, Cartago, Heredia, Guanacaste, Puntarenas and Limón;they offer an attractive tourist destination with rainforests, volcanoes, rivers travelling through the mountains, beaches and natural resources .

GUIDEBOOKS:

Costa Rica Guidebooks

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Travel Literature about Costa Rica

The New Key to Costa Rica
by Beatrice Blake and Anne Blecher, published by Ulysses Press, Berkeley, CA

Costa Rica - A Travel Survival Kit
by Bob Rachowiecki, published by Lonely Planet Publications, Berkeley, CA

Insight Guides Costa Rica
by Harvey Haber, published by APA Publications, Singapore

Fodor's Exploring Costa Rica
by Fiona Dunlop, published by bei Fodor's Travel Publications, New York

The Rough Guide Costa Rica 
by Jean Mc Neil, published by Rough Guides Ltd., London

Adventure Guide to Costa Rica
by Harry S. Pariser, published by Hunter Publishing, Edison, NJ

Costa Rica Handbook
by Christopher P. Baker, published by Moon Publications, Chico, CA

Traveler’s Costa Rica
by Maribeth Mellin, published by The Globe Pequot Press, Old Saybrook, CT

ATTRACTIONS:

National Parks

• Arenal Volcano

• Braulio Carrillo

• Cabo Blanco

• Cahuita

• Ostional

• Piedras Blancas

• Poás Volcano

• Rincón de la Vieja

• Tortuguero

Arenal Volcano

Arenal National Park (area: 2,920 ha) is a relatively young national park, established in 1991 to protect the area’s natural resources. Sloths, deers, jaguars, tapirs and white-nosed coatis can be spotted here, as well as a number of birds such as the Resplendent Quetzals, parrots and parakeets.

With all this volcanic activity going on, it is important to respect the established safety limits around the volcano. There are various safe look out points from where you can enjoy magnificent views of El Arenal. Observe the signs posted around the volcano and enjoy an unforgettable sight. It opens 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Braulio Carrillo

The National Park in general is covered with evergreen forest of great density and botanical complexity. 

The better part is the primary forest, which contains about 6.000 species of plants, half the country’s total. The park takes its name from Braulio Carrillo, Costa Rica’s third Head of State, who governed from 1837 to 1842. 

He promoted coffee cultivation during his management and conceived the prospect of connecting the Central Valley with the Caribbean region in order to transport the crop to the European markets. Other governments gave continuity to the idea. 

Cabo Blanco

Cabo Blanco Absolute National Reserve:It is located in the province of Puntarenas, in the Southeastern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. Importance: It provides a refuge for marine birds and it offers one of the most beautiful scenery in the Pacific coast.

Cahuita

Cahuita : It`s a beatifull park where you can walk trough the rain forest and stop every 5 minutes for an unfogettable swim in beaches that you couldn't even dream of. Don't feed the monkeys. More places to stay, more shops, more restaurants and more parties! Punta Uva: a beautiful beach.

Ostional

Ostional Wildlife Refuge contains the second most important nesting site for the olive Ridley sea turtle in Costa Rica. The turtles sometimes come in huge numbers, called “arribadas”, during the months from July though November (wet season). Leatherback and Pacific Green turtles also nest here.

Piedras blancas

The Piedras Blancas National Park, was established in 1992 as an extension of the Corcovado National Park. It is a paradise for the serious naturalist. The park borders the Golfito Forest Reserve in the east. In the west the park is connected with the Corcovado National Park by a forest corridor (Rincon) and also borders the Golfo Dulce. It covers 30,000 acres of undisturbed humid tropical primary forest and 5,000 acres of secondary forest, pasture land and rivers consisting primarily of hills of varied steepness, over one hundred steam valleys, a river plateau and coastal cliffs and beaches.

Poas Volcano

 The Poas Volcano is one of the most spectacular volcanoes in the country. Poas' crater is an huge, gaping hole one kilometer in diameter and 314 meters deep. At the bottom, there is a circular hot lake. A cone named Botos is to the southwest. It was the active center until 7,500 years ago and now contains an astonishingly beautiful cold water lake some 400 meters in diameter.

Rincon de La Vieja

Especially known for its volcanic mud pools and thermal springs, Rincón de la Vieja National Park offers a multitude of outdoor adventures for the nature enthusiast. Within the 14,000 hectares of this park located in northern Guanacaste, you find dry forest, cloud forest, an impressive 1898m high volcano with a bizarre lunar landscape as well as varied wildlife, including more than 250 species of birds. The area is also an important watershed system for more than thirty rivers in the province of Guanacaste.Its crater is now covered completely by vegetation. 

Tortuguero

Tortuguero National Park has a terrestrial area of 18956 ha and also protects 52265 ha of marine habitat. North of the national park, the village of Tortuguero is located on a narrow peninsula. To the west side of the village lies the tranquil Tortuguero lagoon; to the east, the Atlantic ocean with a strong surf (swimming is not recommended here because of strong currents and sharks). The about 500 inhabitants primarily live off tourism and fishing. An excellent view of the otherwise flat area can be enjoyed from the 119 mts high Cerro Tortuguero, making the hike worth the effort (as it rains a lot, the trail might be slippery and yes, there are bugs).

REAL ESTATE:

Stewart Title

Century21

Caldwell Banker

Remax 

BANKS:

Banco de costa Rica

Banco Nacional de Costa Rica

Private Banks

Banco de San Jose

FLIGHTS

Iberia

Iberia has daily flights to San José, Costa Rica via Madrid and Miami.. http://www.iberia.com/

Cubana de Aviación

Cubana Airlines has flights to San José from various European cities via its Havanna hub. Information about Cubana’s route system can be obtained at http://www.cubana.cu/.

Grupo Taca

The airline group offers connections from a number of gateway cities in North, Central and South America, as well as convenient connections within Central America. http://www.taca.com/

Martinair

Flights can be booked from either city and there is a number of inner-European connections to Amsterdam available. http://www.martinair.com/

Delta Airlines


Delta Airlines offers daily connections to San José via Atlanta. http://www.delta.com/

Continental Airlines

Daily service via its hubs Newark (New York) and Houston. http://www.continental.com/

United Airlines

United Airlines operates flights from three US gateways: Chicago, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles. http://www.ual.com/

American Airlines

American Airlines operates a number of flights to San José on a daily basis, out of its main hub Miami as well as out of Dallas/Fort Worth. http://www.aa.com/ .

Air Madrid

http://www.airmadrid.com/

Sansa(Costa Rica Domestic flights)

BUSES

http://www.costaricapass.com

http://www.ticabus.com