One of the most biodiverse countries on the planet with roughly a quarter of its area made up of protected jungle home to a world of life including spider monkeys and colourful quetzal birds. Sustainable tourism is key in this environmentally aware nation so you'll also find an abundance of farm-to-table restaurants as well as the spectacular protected areas.
- Flight time: Approx 11-12 hours
- Passport & Visa: No visa required for UK passport holders
- Currency: Costa Rica Colón
- Time Zone: GMT-6
- Language: Spanish
Culture
Recently named some of the happiest people in the world, Costa Ricans live a healthy and increasingly long life close to nature and is home to the United Nations University for Peace. Living simple lifestyles, a number of Costa Ricans, particularly the Nicoyans making a living farming or on cattle ranches.
Eco Friendly
With a large part of the beautiful nation taken up by protected nature spots, Costa Rica is the perfect place to get back in touch with nature in a sustainable way. With a flourishing wildlife and a care for giving back, the country is home to a large number of eco lodges and plans to become carbon neutral by 2021. Time your visit right and you could see the arrival of sea turtles on the Pacific coast and even witness them hatching.
Cuisine
Costa Rica is known for growing and producing some of the best coffee in the world. Aside from this, dishes place high importance on fresh fruits and vegetables with rice and black beans being a main staple of Costa Rican meals. Gallo Pinto, an example of this, is a popular breakfast dish of rice and beans considered the national dish of Costa Rica and is often served with scrambled or fried eggs. Sopa Negra and Ceviche are also popular.
Climate
With plenty of sunshine and high temperatures, Costa Rica is the perfect place to soak up some much-needed sun. Visit between December and April for the peak dry season with balmy temperatures whilst May to November is the 'rainy' season but also boasts incredible green foliage and fewer crowds.
