Costa Rica is more than a vacation destination – it is an interactive sensory experience. The country has an intense array environmental attractions – majestic volcanoes, misty cloud forests, stunning river valleys, and hundreds of beaches along the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Costa Rica is a small country, but it offers plenty of things to do and see: from rivers to rainforests, from cloud forests to beautiful white-sand beaches. It’s a small piece of land that once you visit, you know you’ll want to come back soon. As the eco- and adventure-tourism capital of Central America, Costa Rica has a worthy place in the cubicle daydreams of travellers around the world. With world-class infrastructure, visionary sustainability initiatives and no standing army since 1948 (when the country redirected its defence funds toward education, healthcare and the environment), Costa Rica is a peaceful green jewel of the region.
Taking into account that more than a fourth of the land enjoys some form of environmental protection and there’s greater biodiversity here than in the USA and Europe combined, it’s a place that earns the superlatives. Rainforest hikes and brisk high-altitude trails, rushing white-water rapids and world-class surfing. Costa Rica offers a dizzying suite of outdoor adventures in every shape and size – from the squeal-inducing rush of a canopy zip line to a sun-dazed afternoon at the beach. National parks allow visitors to glimpse life in the tropical rainforest and cloud forest, simmering volcanoes offer otherworldly vistas, and reliable surf breaks are suited to beginners and experts alike. Can’t decide? Don’t worry, you won’t have to. Given the country’s diminutive size, it’s possible to plan a relatively short trip that includes it all.