Costa Rica

The pioneer of eco-tourism, barely 200 miles wide and extending majestically from the Pacific to the Caribbean Sea, Costa Rica is one of those places that really does have to be seen to be believed. <br /> <br /> It's jam-packed with rainforests, volcanoes, beaches, lakes, caves, natural and hot springs, national parks, forest reserves, and rivers meandering through mountains – not to mention countless species of flora and fauna across its seven provinces (Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas and San José ). Little wonder this green, serene, and safe country has been crowned ‘world’s happiest’. <br /> <br /> It’s one of Central America’s most-visited destinations for adventurers, too. Not one but two gorgeous coastlines of over 800 miles are shared between the Pacific and Caribbean sides of the country, and you’ll find just about every kind of adventure imaginable… zip-lining, sky-diving, jumping-off waterfalls, rappelling, cave explorations, horse-riding, 4×4 runs, and jet-skiing, plus some of the world’s best diving, snorkelling, and accessible marine life.<br /> <br /> And that’s just for starters – there’s nothing to the wonder you’ll feel on seeing its most popular residents, the sloths; hearing a troop of howler monkeys at dusk; or watching a V-formation of pelicans flying over your lounger. Our number one reason for loving Costa Rica though? It was the first country in the Americas to ban recreational hunting… now isn’t that something?

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

CAPITAL CITY | San José
TIME DIFFERENCE | GMT -7 hours
BEST TIME TO VISIT | Dec-May
CURRENCY | Costa Rican Colon (US Dollars are widely accepted).