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| Ranking Among Countries: #50 |
| Venturers: 7 |
| Mid-Venturers: 5 |
| Centrics-Venturers: 4 |
| Centrics-Authentics: 3 |
| Mid-Authentics: 3 |
| Authentics: 3 |
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| • At 19,730 square miles, Costa Rica is slightly smaller than West Virginia. |
| • Costa Rica is Spanish for rich coast; Spaniards thought they’d find gold. |
| • The regular army was abolished in the late 1940s. |
| • Costa Rican parks have more bird species (850) than the U.S. and Canada combined. |
| • Christopher Columbus visited these shores in 1502. |
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Costa Rica provides a very good example of how tourism and the personality scale interact.
Venturers discovered it first and talked enthusiastically about its natural, unspoiled beauty, its devotion to maintaining its natural wonders, the emphasis on ecotouring, reasonable costs and nice people. Mid-venturers and active centrics followed, encouraging the construction of more hotels and tourist facilities. If Costa Rica catches the traveling public’s imagination, more centrics and authentics will follow, and it should continue to collect even higher satisfaction scores. Travelers say this little Central American country is fantastically beautiful in the way that only tropical countries can be. Also, the people are warm and friendly, with no bias against Americans or Europeans. The country, which does not even maintain an army, is stable politically which helps foster a sense of safety from crime, and it is relatively inexpensive.
If you like cultural events, look for theaters and museums in San Jose, the capital and a large, bustling city. But, the real reasons people visit Costa Rica lie in the tremendous biodiversity of the country and the conscious efforts of the people and government to practice sound conservation. That explains why venturers like it so much. They can explore rain forests and mountains, oceans and interior ruins without running into swarms of tour groups or fast-food restaurants. They can camp on the beach, or they can take excursions using a nice hotel as their base. Or, they can use one of the wilderness lodges, located away from cities in interesting areas that are more rustic, but not uncomfortable. They can fish the rivers and lakes, snorkel on tropical reefs and even go whitewater rafting on rivers surrounded by dense tropical trees and plants. Most of all, venturers like the sense of discovery Costa Rica offers, the feeling of being a “stranger in a strange land.” It attracts proportionally more venturers than do many destinations.
More centrics are also drawn to the country these days, too, as growing numbers of travelers of all types become more interested in and concerned about environmental issues. This is the place to visit to pursue that interest. It doesn’t hurt that the beaches are lovely, the atmosphere is peaceful and the people exhibit a remarkable gentleness. Those who like the attractions of a city will find them in San Jose, and because the country is small, they can take day trips (or longer excursions) using San Jose as a base.
Authentics haven’t found the way to San Jose yet — at least, not the one in Costa Rica. Maybe more will soon realize that they don’t have to use four-wheel drive vehicles or speak fluent Spanish to enjoy Costa Rica. No matter the trip details, Cost Rica offers varied habitats, active volcanoes, distinctive flora and fauna, and two seasons (wet and dry). You can count on a good time either way, as long you prepare for rain May through December.
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Bicycling is a major sport here. Take a multiday trip by mountain bike around the Arenal Volcano or the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, among other choices. And, if you are expert enough, compete in the international 12-day Vuelta a Costa Rica (Tour of Costa Rica) race in December.
Take a two-day whitewater rafting trip into the wilderness on the swift-moving Pacuare River.
Sign on for extreme adventure. Some itineraries ambitiously push you each day with activities that include hiking in the rain forests, walking forest canopies, mountain biking, sea kayaking and whitewater rafting in class III and IV whitewater.
Go scuba diving on the Pacific Coast for a chance to see several species of sharks, including the giant whale sharks, the world’s largest fish.
Go fishing. That could mean angling for the really big ones in the Pacific Ocean or a slightly more sedate option: fishing on a luxury houseboat in the Caribbean. In addition, there are inland lakes (even fish pulled from lakes have been as big as 200 pounds, no lightweights either) and rivers for those who prefer freshwater angling. Your outfitter will assist in getting the required license.
Visit the Guayabo National Monument, the most important archaeological site in Costa Rica, dating back more than 3,000 years. You will see aqueducts, dwelling foundations, mounds, stone roads and tombs.
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Odd as this sounds, you can reach the top of an active volcano by public bus — or, you can hike, ride a horse or take a Jeep to do the same thing. Costa Rica is home to 10 volcanoes, three of which are active. Besides studying the volcano, you can enjoy great views of the country and two oceans.
Take a guided bike tour out of San Jose to nearby sites such as Irazu and Poas volcanoes and Orosi Valley. Operators offer options suitable to all ability levels.
Take a multiday guided tour of the country for a wildlife safari, Costa Rica style. In the Corcovado National Park, your quarry would include crocodiles, giant anteater, jaguar, monkeys, ocelot, poison-dart frogs, scarlet macaws, tapir and toucans. Your trip can range widely in terms of how rustic the arrangements are. You can ratchet up the adventure quotient inside this park by opting for canoeing, deep-sea fishing or scuba diving.
Costa Rica is a dream destination for bird-watchers. More than 850 species populate this rain forest of a country. Consider the Monteverde Cloud Forest; more than 400 different species have been recorded in the protected reserve.
Tour a coffee plantation. Also, if you go to Tortuguero National Park, you can tour a banana plantation.
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Go swimming and sunbathing on uncrowded beaches and choose the color of sand you prefer: black, red, white or yellow.
Go to Tortuguero National Park to see nesting turtles. Four species come here to nest, including the Green Turtle which can weigh more than 400 pounds.
Visit Costa Rica as a passenger on a cruise ship. Assume this is just your first visit and you will return.
Take time out at the Tabacon Grand Spa & Thermal Resort at the base of the Arenal Volcano, which is active and could entertain you at night. As is the case just about everywhere here, you can ramp up the adventure; examples at Tabacon include canopy tours, canyoning, hiking, horseback tours, walking hanging bridges and whitewater rafting. You decide.
See the indigenous reptiles in the Serpentarium in San Jose. Perhaps you prefer to meet deadly pythons in this venue, rather than in the jungle!
Take an organized garden tour of the country. Flowering trees and shrubs show off the most in February and March. Orchids are particularly spectacular.
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For more information, consult the Costa Rica Tourist Board at www.tourism-costarica.com/index.html
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