Costa Rica
When it comes to Costa Rica, there is only one word “Pura Vida” that summarizes the whole island. This idiom, which has turned into a symbol of the country, 30% of its lands are protected, suits this place where you will feel more safe than ever, calm down with its nature and find yourself.
Costa Rica, where nature behaves generously while rewarding it, making it proud of its unique natural beauties and a rare biodiversity, almost has all the beauties of both continents with its location between North and South America. Besides the enviable waters of the Caribbean, Costa Rica, which is home to the enchanting rocks of the Pacific with its wavy sea, reveals all its beauties to your feet to give you an unforgettable holiday.
Costa Rica is one of the countries internationally renowned for the density and diversity of its natural resources. Despite the area that covers only 0.03% of the earth, it has about 6% of the plant and animal differences in the world. This biological difference means more than half a million plants and wildlife. Costa Rica is home to more than 850 bird species, 600 butterfly categories, 1200 different orchid and 237 mammal species. The country’s biological protection areas and national park systems are considered to be the most developed natural areas in the world. Today, 28% of the country is managed as a National Park, Biological Reserve and wildlife national shelters, and Costa Rica has already managed to rank first in the world rankings with these protected lands.
Costa Rica has a coastline of 1290 kilometers, in accordance with its name meaning rich coast. 4 million inhabitants of this Central American country, despite Turkey being covers an area one-tenth the size is not even on the entire continent of North America ecological diversity, world animal diversity of the fifth, a country with natural beauty like heaven. There are 112 volcanoes in the country, some of which are still active. While the tropical weather is experienced on the ocean shores, the hills of the mountains have cool and insatiable beauty like the Swiss Alps. Let’s get to know this wonderful country closely together.
A Costa Rican classic:
Rafting, surfing and canoeing
Costa Rica, which hosts beautiful streams and rivers, makes it famous with the world-famous Pacuare River. Pacuare, 35 kilometers long, not only draws you deep into the canyon, but also welcomes you in the lap of nature with its unique tropical forest view. If you want to spend an unforgettable weekend by this river;
www.costaricaexpeditions.com
We recommend that you take a look at the address. This experience for $ 260 offers you an unforgettable two days with a challenging nature.
So where would you like to spend your night? Is it by the river or deep in the forest? The camping areas on the coastline, log houses and tent accommodation areas that appeal to everyone can meet many things, including your hot water needs. Riostropicales is ready to welcome you for $ 250 for an organized two-day trip and accommodation service.
Another water sport we recommend you do in Costa Rica is surfing. If you want to leave yourself in the arms of the waves on the world-famous shores of Central America, take time to walk on long beaches when you get tired and lie on fine yellow sand, our suggestion is Playa Grande Beach near Tamarindo. Tamarindo, located in the northwest of the country, has already taken its place among the most frequented places in the world for all surf lovers with its surf schools, boat and surfboard rentals. Another famous stop for surfers is Pavones, located in the southwest of the country. If you say you don’t know how to surf, don’t worry, it is possible to take lessons from Costa Rica’s most famous surfers at very affordable prices. Besides Playa Grande, Playa Conchal and Montezuma at the end of the Nicoya Peninsula are among the pristine beaches. Remember that you will have to share your space with other living creatures in Costa Rica, which hosts thousands of tourists every year with its beaches similar to Cancun. It is possible to come across an iguana sunbathing on the same beach or a pelican diving in the water at any time.
If you are fascinated by the streams of the country and you want to visit the most special nature park of the country, Tortuguero, by water, do not miss the pleasure of canoeing on the Rio Pacuare River. If you would like to paddle on black colored water among the untouched forests of Tortuguero and take part in mountain hiking and climbing activities, check out the Classic Tico vacation. Monteverde from Arenal Volcano
Tico organizations, which include many places up to the Rainforest, are a great opportunity for you to visit the most special places of Costa Rica. If you say that surfing or canoeing alone is not enough, I want to spend my Costa Rica vacation full of nature sports, multisport centers are for you. Wild and Adventures tours, which include all kinds of nature sports from water skiing to volcanic mountain trekking, from canoeing to surfing, are waiting for you with their interesting organizations.
Rainforest safari
Costa Rica, which is a place of pilgrimage for all nature lovers, awaits you with its beaches and dark-colored water channels in the Tortuguero Nature Park in the northeast of the country. The ‘Full of Turtles’ Tortuguero Nature Park, which means completely turtle, is home to white-necked Capuchin monkeys, spiders, 320 bird species and many more reptiles. The most important symbol of the park is the green turtles, which are in danger of extinction.
If you happen to be in Tortuguero, don’t go back without stopping by the volcanic mountain in Volkan Arenal Nature Park and the La Fortuna Region, which includes Monteverde Nature Park. Accompanied by local people or local tour guides, you can be alone in the middle of nature by crossing the suspended wooden bridge between the rainforests and connecting the hills on the Arenal tour. In La Fortuna Region, which is described as the heart of Costa Rica, transportation is provided by sea and land. If you wish, you can stay in this region and spend time in the Tilaran Mountain Range, which is 1403 meters above sea level. The Tilaran Mountain Range, which is home to the cloud forests of Monteverde, is so high that those who come here feel as if they are traveling above the clouds. For this reason, Costa Rica’s rainforests are also called cloud forests. The Monteverde Nature Park, which hosts 2000 types of plants, 400 kinds of birds and 100 kinds of mammals, including many different orchids, is like a home for reptiles. Monteverde, Costa Rica’s favorite place in ecotourism, offers its visitors a wide range of options such as canoeing, hiking, natural life observation and visiting butterfly farms.
Volcano climbing
There are 112 volcanoes in the country, some of which are still active. If the volcanoes are your focus, another suggestion for you is to climb the Irazu Volcano, which continues to be active today. One of the two craters within the park boundaries, ‘Diego de la Haya’ hosts an interesting 300 meters deep lake. While the lake is sometimes observed in light green color, another day it can be seen in red. The lake, which has not seen enough vegetation around it, gives you the feeling of being in a desert instead of Costa Rica. Corcovado Nature Park, which is home to the oldest rainforests in the southwest of the country, is ready to give you a real safari experience. You can find cheap flights from Tortuguero to Corcovado, or you can make your Costa Rica vacation perfect by taking tours that include both nature parks. Manuel Antonio Nature Park, located between Concovado and Monteverde Nature Parks on the Pacific coast, hosts the most beautiful beaches of all three countries. If you say I want to be in touch with nature, many activities such as hiking, canoeing, bird watching, water activities for dolphin watching, horse riding, snorkeling are ready for you, your guests. It is possible to see the monkeys up close in the park, which is home to more than 100 mammal species and 160 bird species. If you say I want to relax without doing any program, you can spend time in the black sand beaches swinging in a hammock and have a wonderful day in the lap of nature. Exciting sports activities for adventurers are organized by El Remanso, located in the Osa Peninsula, one of the regions where the rainforests are the most diverse in the world. You can go down by holding a rope along the waterfall, that is, you can join the work done by the mountaineers on the waterfall or join hiking tours up to 6 hours. The world-famous Osa Wildlife Protection Area on the Osa Peninsula is among the places that nature lovers cannot stop by. If the scenes of bathing under a waterfall or swimming in the lake under the waterfall that you see in the movies are among the scenes you always admire, it is worth mentioning that you are much closer to this dream in Costa Rica. Costa Rica’s most popular waterfalls, Montezuma, Nauyaca and Murim, are among the places where tourists do not return to their countries without stopping by, hosting hundreds of waterfalls of various sizes.
Life in Costa Rica
When Christopher Columbus came to this small island near the Caribbean coast, he named it “Costa Rica”, which means “Rich Beach” because of its gold deposits. Today’s natives of the country are thought to be the Spaniards who immigrated here from Guatemala in the 16th century. Since there were no Indians and Negro slaves here, the Spaniards developed their economy by cultivating their own land. It is known that the colonic era of Costa Rica was full of misery and poverty. Today, tourism is among the main sources of income, while most of the people are engaged in fishing and agriculture. People who prefer to live in single-storey wooden bungalow houses are very conscious of protecting natural life and living in harmony. It is seen that there are few indentations and protrusions on the eastern coasts of the country and there are many on the western coasts. Therefore, the slopes descending from the mountainous inland regions to the coastal plains are quite steep. The humid Ecuadorian climate prevails in the coastal plains where eastern winds prevail, warm in the middle and cold in the higher parts. The cold in Costa Rica is not severe; if it snowed was not seen. On the coasts, the temperature is between 25 -32 ° C on average and 21-27 ° C in the middle. It does not exceed 10 ° C in high regions. If you want to make your ride on the slopes without mud and rain, we recommend you to take your Costa Rica holiday between December, when the rains begin to decrease, and April, when the temperature starts to rise.
It is possible to find a suitable hotel, house or a villa to rent for a long time. Costa Rica is a country where all natural wonders that will differentiate your holiday understanding with its natural beauties and Caribbean atmosphere are generously gathered together.
A colorful culture
During your visit here, forget the food you are used to and the Caribbean culture you find familiar. Costa Rica is a combination of the elegance of Spanish culture with all the colors of the Caribbean. Colorful Spanish-style skirts and large baskets that you will see on Costa Rican girls offer interesting displays to guests during festivals and ceremonies. Reflecting their understanding of color and elegance to their handicrafts, Costa Ricans are also very advanced in ceramics, wood, glass and metal processing. You will notice that the sense of color we see in other Caribbean cultures is also in Costa Rica. Processed glass, ceramic and wooden items are painted colorfully and prepared for sale. Especially the accessories they make with the precious stones obtained from the fertile lands and river beds are subject to the intense interest of the tourists. Make sure that these accessories, which you can find at a very affordable price, are made of original stones. Costa Ricans, who continue to produce hand-woven carpets, prepare woven carpets of all sizes so that you can bring them with you as a souvenir.
You can take it while turning
It is possible to see the influence of Cuba in the tobacco industry here, too. It’s impossible to be indifferent to the ornate, painted paper of wrapped cigarettes and cigars. Wooden masks, which were also developed under the influence of Cuban culture, also met the colors of Costa Rica and turned into a wonderful gift. In addition to items such as carpets and ceramics, coffee is among the things you can bring with you.
Taste…
If you get tired of shopping and dive into the streets of the city and say you want to try local food in a random place, we have a few suggestions for you. Food is very affordable in Costa Rica; most of them are served with popped rice and black beans. Gallo Pinto, which is one of the most important consumer goods in Egypt and can be eaten at breakfast and as an aperitif, is among the favorites of tourists. It’s worth noting that Gallo Pinto is in calories that can keep your energy levels high at all times. Our recommendation for lunch is Casado prepared with tomato sauce and cabbage. You will love Casado, which is served with various vegetables. You cannot come back to the Caribbean and return without tasting fresh seafood. It is possible to eat many different seafood from shrimp to lobster at an affordable price. The places where you can get the best fresh seafood are fishermen restaurants and beach cafes. Yuca and Plantain, especially Bocas, are the starter dishes you should definitely taste.
It is worth remembering that tropical fruits are among your options. Fruits are diverse, delicious and cheap. In addition to these, it is not difficult to find fast food-style foods that you are used to in the country.
In Costa Rica, we can’t say that the streets outside of certain streets are safe and the crime rate is low, but Costa Rica, with its peaceful and friendly Tica (the name given to itself by the locals), promises you more than a holiday in the lap of nature. Bridges built at high levels and in forests and parks, especially under protection by the state, are of great importance for the safety of life. Costa Rica is also assertive about nightlife. You will not want to leave nightclubs full of music and entertainment for your taste. Alamo Costa Rica is one of the addresses you can apply if you want to rent a car in Costa Rica.
Transport / Roaming
If you want to visit as many places as possible in Costa Rica, renting a car is the best option. However, keep in mind that this fast and practical method of transportation is also a good alternative, given that most Costa Ricans do not own a car and the public transport system is well established. If you prefer public transportation, it would be better to depart from San Jose because this is the center of the public transportation network. Vehicles in many destinations pass through here. Therefore, you can also use San Jose to transit from one place to another.
Another way to visit Costa Rica in the best way is by domestic flights. Sansa and Nature Air are domestic flights airline in Costa Rica. If you do not like long journeys of 8-12 hours and your time is limited, the plane is the best way.