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My experience with Costa Rica Travel<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m always excited to return to Costa Rica when I get the chance. Imagine glimpses of cone-shaped mountains belching smoke and ash on the horizon mingling with visions of emerald coffee plantations rolling through the sierras as your plane whizzes towards San Jos\u00e9. As wheels touch tarmac, it\u2019s hard to shake the feeling of arriving somewhere truly special.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I especially love heading west towards the Pacific coast. The provincial duo of Guanacaste and Punta Arenas never fails to wow in these parts. From the hammock-swinging beaches of Tamarindo (where you\u2019ll want to spend the morning hours surfing glassy waves) all the way to the hiking paths of Manuel Antonio (where I recommend detouring to encounter three-toed sloths), it’s a land tailor-made for active travelers and ecotourists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But that’s really just scratching the surface of what I love about this relatively compact country in the heart of Central America. I’ve also had the pleasure of snapping shots of resplendent quetzals in the rainforests of Monteverde, whitewater rafting around Arenal, and hiking paths between talcum-white beaches in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca on the Caribbean. See why I adore coming back and tips on how to get there, as well as where and when to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ultimately, I am very grateful to run The Explorer\u2019s Passage<\/strong><\/a>, a premier adventure travel company and, in my opinion, the best tour operator in Costa Rica. Our team has over 30 years of experience running successful tours there. If at any point throughout this guide you find yourself with any questions, reach out to our team<\/strong><\/a> and we\u2019ll gladly help build your dream trip!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inside this Guide<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n
Intro to Costa Rica as a travel destination<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
Brief history of Costa Rica<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
How to get there<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
Getting around Costa Rica<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
Visas for Costa Rica<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
Best time to visit Costa Rica<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
Money: local and preferred currencies<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
Must-try food and drink<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
Top destinations in Costa Rica<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Intro to Costa Rica as a travel destination<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nCosta Rica is now firmly established as a world leader in ecotourism and adventure travel. This jewel of Central America got there thanks to a combo of natural gifts and legislation. A whopping 26% of the total land here is protected in some of the best national parks and reserves in the world. It’s illegal to hunt, period. Oh, and the nation ditched a standing army way back in 1949<\/strong><\/a>, preferring instead to spend on conservation and preservation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today, travel to Costa Rica is up there with the most-visited destinations on the planet. It draws in something in the region of 3 million international travelers each year and has a tourism sector that’s responsible for a mega 12.5% of the country’s overall GDP \u2013 that’s more than coffee and bananas combined!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The best thing is that Costa Rica can cater to all sorts of travelers. You can come here to laze on the sands of the Pacific if you like, doing nothing but munching gallo pinto beans and sunning yourself. Or you can get the adrenaline pumping faster than the rapids of the Pe\u00f1as Blancas River with surf sessions on barrels at the best beaches, eco travel tours of primeval rainforests, birdwatching in cloud reserves, coffee tasting, and volcano hikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Costa Rica has it all with its endless list of things to do and see! Check out our guide of the top 15 places and attractions to visit in Costa Rica<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n
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Brief history of Costa Rica<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The first borders of what we now call Costa Rica were outlined by a certain Christopher Columbus, who dropped anchor here in 1502 off the Isla Uvita roughly midway up the country’s Caribbean coast. He claimed the region for Spain and ushered in a period of colonial rule that was to last the better part of the next three centuries. The most noticeable and lasting additions of this time are the European influences in Costa Rican architecture and food, along with the language \u2013 Spanish is still the official national tongue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When colonial rule was broken by wars of independence in the 1810s, Costa Rica fell into the greater Mexican Empire and then, soon after, gained full independence as a standalone state in 1838. That was a turning point, as the farmers of the fertile Central Valley were finally free to profit directly from their crops of coffee, chocolate, and bananas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fast forward another 100 years or so, through a foiled takeover attempt by the United States and a short but bloody civil war, and you start to see the Costa Rica of today taking shape. The constitution of 1949 was perhaps the most defining moment. That’s when the country disbanded its army, guaranteed universal suffrage, and plotted a course towards becoming one of the world’s first ecological nation states, which is very much in alignment with The Explorer\u2019s Passage\u2019s sustainability focus<\/a><\/strong>. Read more about tips on how to travel more responsibly<\/strong><\/a> in our sustainable travel guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to get there<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Traveling to Costa Rica is now easier than ever before. The vast majority of people reach this beautiful land by flying. You’ve got two pretty well-served arrival points to choose from, each with connections coming in from the United States, elsewhere in Central America, Europe, and South America:<\/p>\n\n\n