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Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica , is a republic in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the east-southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, and the Caribbean Sea to the east. Costa Rica was the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army. Among Latin American countries, Costa Rica ranks 4th in terms of the 2007 Human Development Index, and 48th worldwide Costa Rica is ranked 5th in the world in terms of the 2008 Environmental Performance Index, up from the 15th place in 2006. Costa Rica General Information...

 

Tourism in Costa Rica

Tourism in Costa Rica is one of the fastest growing economic sectors of the country and by 1995 became the largest foreign exchange earner. Since 2004, tourism earns more foreign exchange than bananas and coffee combined. The tourism boom began in 1987, with the number of visitors up from 329,000 in 1988, through 1 million in 1999, to 1.9 million foreign visitors in 2007, allowing the country to earn $1.9-billion in that year. In 2005, tourism contributed with 8,1% of the country's GDP and represented 13,3% of direct and indirect employment.

 

Since the late 1980s Costa Rica became 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 that has only 0.03% of the world's landmass, but that is estimated to contain 5% of the world's biodiversity. The country also has plenty of beaches, both in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, within short travel distances, and also several volcanoes that can be visited with safety. By the early 1990s, Costa Rica became to be known as the poster child of ecotourism. with tourist arrivals reaching an average annual growth rate of 14% between 1986 to 1994. Complete Tourism Infomation...

 

Quick Costa Rica Travel Guide

Costa Rica is a country in Central America. In the north it borders on Nicaragua and in the south on Panamá. To the west, there is the Pacific Ocean and to the east, the Caribbean Sea.

Regions

 

  • Plains of the North
  • Guanacaste
  • Nicoya Peninsula
  • Central Valley
  • Central Pacific
  • Caribbean Costa Rica
  • South Costa Rica
  • Cocos Island National Park

 

Cities

 

  • Alajuela - location of Juan Santamaría International Airport
  • Cartago - Costa Rica's first capital
  • Dominical - Surf town, with great waves year-round.
  • Heredia - Coffee plantations
  • Jacó - Surfing paradise and superb dining
  • Liberia - Location of Danuel Oduber International Airport and gateway to the beaches of Guanacaste
  • Montezuma
  • Pochote - On Whale Bay, across the Bay from Puntarenas
  • Puerto Limón - Main city on the Caribbean side
  • Puntarenas - Ferry to Nicoya Peninsula
  • Parismina - Village on the Tortuguero Canals
  • Quepos - Central Pacific coast; entry point to Manuel Antonio National Park.
  • San José - The capital.
  • Tamarindo - Small town on the North Pacific coast, famous for its beaches, a popular destination for tourists.
  • Tortuguero - major nesting site for green and leatherback sea turtles

 

Other destinations

 

  • Cahuita National Park
  • Chirripo National Park
  • Corcovado National Park
  • Arenal Volcano - active volcano
  • Manuel Antonio National Park
  • Monteverde and Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserves
  • Pacuare River and Protected Zone
  • Tapanti National Park
  • Tenorio Volcano National Park

Understand

Costa Rica is Spanish for rich coast. As such, one can expect to find this place to be the ideal tropical paradise. A native song is that the Virgin Mary came down to Costa Rica and never went back to Heaven. Costa Rica is a Catholic Country but other religious groups are welcomed.

 

Get in

 

By plane

Juan Santamaría Airport (SJO) is located close to the cities Alajuela, Heredia and the capital San José.

SJO is currently under remodeling. An otherwise pleasant airport features the normal assortment of duty-free shops, interesting souvenir and bookshops, but an inadequate selection of overpriced restaurants (Church's Chicken, Burger King and a fast-food pizza joint). SJO is serviced daily by Air Caraibes, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Iberia, Thomas Cook, LTU, Mexicana Airlines, Spirit Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways, Air Canada as well as Taca and Copa Airlines. Connecting the airport with cities such as: Los Angeles, New York, Houston, Dallas, Miami, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Atlanta, Phoenix, Orlando, Chicago, Newark, Toronto, Montreal, Madrid, Frankfurt, Bogota, Caracas, Lima, Guayaquil, Quito, and all Central America. Frontier Airlines begun non-stop service from Denver on November 30th, 2007 and flies to SJO 5 days a week.

There is a US $26 exit fee at the Juan Santamaría Airport. 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.

Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) is near Liberia in the Guanacaste province. This airport is closest to the Pacific Northwest coast. Liberia receives flights from Delta, American, United, Continental, Air Canada, Sky Service, and First Choice. Connecting the airport with cities like: Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Newark, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, London, etc.

 

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