Costa Rica Vacation

Beaches, over 735 miles of glistening sandy beach outline lush rainforest where orchids boom, toucans primp their feathers and troops of howler monkeys prance from branch to branch. A climate which guarantees perfect sunny days and temperatures of 81 average. Costa Rica is also known as "Little Switzerland" and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Exotic ferns, flowers, butterflies and over 800 species of birds, plus sparkling waterfalls, thermal springs and majestic volcanoes are on the menu for the best vacation yet. Beaches, yes, but you'll need to bring your sneakers!

The most popular tour route in Costa Rica encompasses volcanoes, beaches and cloud and rainforests.
The individual destinations described below were chosen in a purely objective manner based on visitor statistics compiled by the ICT, SINAC and MINAE. For others there are no statisics and we deterimined the most popular by personal observation, and talking to residents, expats and people in the travel industry to come to a consensus.

Also have a look at the most popular adventures in Costa Rica, and the best kept secrets for Costa Rica travelers.

The single most visited place in Costa Rica is the capital San José. More travelers are taking advantage of the "new" international airport in Liberia but San José is the hub for all domestic flights and public buses. Because the geography demands that nearly all roads lead to the capital the majority of foreign visitors spend at least a day or two there.

Costa Rica Cuisine

Visitors to Costa Rica sometimes comment that the food isn’t very exciting. On the tourist trail, it is easy to get the impression that Tico cuisine is rather unimaginative and nondescript, in part due to the ubiquity of gallo pinto. Rice and black beans cooked together with barely a hint of onion, red pepper, cilantro and broth create the de facto national dish.

Any vegetarian will tell you that combining rice and beans yields a complete protein, but most will also admit that it’s a little bland. Even so, it’s possible to become quite attached to the combination (especially pepped up by adding Salsa Lizano) and our kitchen has seen the recipe executed more than once.

However, there is much more to Tico cuisine than trying to find ways to disguise yet another plate of beans and rice. It’s almost impossible to avoid discovering a new favorite tropical fruit, excellent seafood corroborates the name "rich coast" and there are a number of Tico specialties and regional cuisines that are worth seeking out.