Having Visited Costa Rica, I have compiled a list of the best locations to

visit. This list is by no means comprehensive or complete, it is just a checklist

of all the places I would visit when I go to Costa Rica.





Monteverde Cloud Forest

Most famous for being associated with the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve,

the tiny community of Monteverde is a small village located near the

entrance of the cloud forest. Monteverde was founded by the Quaker community

that migrated from North America to Costa Rica in the 1950's. In town, which

is actually Santa Elena, you'll find banks, drug store, a local hospital,

book store, gas station, ATM machine, police station, post office,

supermarkets, internet cafes, restaurants



As the weather here is quite chilly and misty, due to the village being high

up in the Tilaran Mountain Range, you should bring some thick clothes and a

light jacket to stay warm. When here, do remember to try out the delicious

local cheeses, which are a treat to eat. If you are a bird watcher, this

village offers some lovely bird watching opportunities, even though you are

not in the cloud forest itself. However, if you prefer to do the more

touristy thing, visit the local craft centers, the women's co-op center, the

butterfly garden and the Hummingbird Gallery in town.



Dominical Beach

Located on Costa Rica's amazingly beautiful Central Pacific coastline, the

small village of Dominical is a surfer's paradise where waves can reach over

10 feet high, a place rich in island biodiversity and amazing underwater

flora and fauna. It is the perfect combination between the extensive golden

coasts full of scenic beaches & luscious mountains.



Dominical is a 4 km long beach strip, with a few hotels, lodges, resorts and

restaurants in the area. While swimming here is near impossible with the

strong swells and rip tides, one can kayak off the coast or enjoy some

diving or snorkeling opportunities in the area. Horseback tours can also be

arranged to the nearby Nauyaca Waterfalls, or one can visit the Marino





Ballena National Park, which is home to a number of marine mammals like

turtles and whales that come here seasonally to mate and nest. If you like,

you can take a short day trip to the lovely Caño Island just off the coast.

This island is considered one of the best adventure diving spots in the

world and is home to an impressive array of underwater marine life.



Tortuguero

Tortuguero National Park is one of Costa Rica's most biologically diverse

wildlife areas. Featuring one of the most verdant landscapes in the country,

the 26,156 hectare park was created with the main purpose of protecting the

green sea turtle nesting area. Tortuguero owes its very wet tropical forest

to the 5000 to 6000 millimeters of rain it receives per year. These climatic

conditions are favorable to more than 400 tree species, around 2200 species

of other plants and more than 400 birds, 60 amphibian and 30 fresh water

fish species, as well as several endangered animals including tapirs,

monkeys, ocelots, jaguars, manatees and sloths. Tortuguero is characterized

by beautifully scenic canals, lagoons and rivers that may be toured by boat,

canoe or kayak. In addition to the green turtle, three other sea turtle

species nest on the park's beaches.





Arenal Volcano

The Arenal Volcano area is one of Costa Rica's top attractions. Only 3 hours

away from San José, in the town of La Fortuna, stands a majestic 1,633m

volcano, known to be one of the most active in the world. Despite its

constant activity, the volcano is very safe to visit as long as you stay

within the safety perimeter. In this area take advantage of the pristine

natural surroundings! Go fishing, horseback riding; take a canopy tour,

rafting or experience a tremendous canyon expedition. Whatever you decide,

be sure to visit the relaxing hot springs in the area, the most famous being

Tabacon and Baldi.



La Fortuna and Surroundings

Often simply referred to as La Fortuna, the town of La Fortuna de San Carlos

is the gateway to the magnificent Arenal Volcano. A charming and quiet town,

La Fortuna is easily accessible from the capital city San Jose, and offers

some panoramic views of the spectacular Arenal, Costa's Rica's most active

volcano. Sitting around 10 kilometers away from town and regularly spewing

smoke and ash for some time now, the Volcan Arenal is the country's top

rated tourist attraction and is indeed a sight to behold.

Over the last few years in particular, La Fortuna has become quite a

bustling town. However, there are plenty of accommodations, hotels and

resorts here to suit every budget. A must try when in La Fortuna are the

amazing resort spas surrounding the volcano. On a clear day you can watch

the volcano erupt and if you wait for nightfall, the Arenal puts on a

brilliant show with bright red rocks tumbling down its sides.

Beside the volcano, this town has other great tourist attractions like the

La Catarata de la Fortuna, Tabacon Hot Springs, white water rafting, hiking

excursions, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, horseback riding, canopy tours and

Caño Negro Boat Tours are just some of the many activities that one can

enjoy while you are here.



Malpais

Malpais is situated on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica on the southern tip

of the Nicoya Peninsula.

Also known as the Hawaii of Latin America, there are several beaches to

swim, dive or snorkel though it's main attraction is it's unique conditions

for surfing and it's pristine subtropical nature. Horseback riding,

sportfishing, canopy tours, scuba, and nature tours make up some of the

other popular activities nearby. Malpais is a community unlike any other in

Costa Rica with a strong surf culture and a the laid-back atmosphere that

maintains the type of earthy tourism that made Costa Rica famous.



MalPais boasts a great selection of places to stay and eat from camping on

the beach to luxurious resorts and a wide range of activities. Without a

doubt it's a very attractive place to relax and enjoy the golden rays of the

Pacific sunset.

Turrialba Valley



With some stunning views of Costa Rica's rural countryside, Turrialba is a

charming little town in the lush and beautiful Central Valley in Cartago

province. Famous for being a white water rafting hotspot and base camp, this

town lies 53 km east of the capital city San José and is an excellent place

to tour the pre-Columbian ruins at Guayabo National Monument, or the rarely

visited but lovely Parque Nacional Volcan Turrialba. A quiet town, Turrialba

with its charming street corners and gorgeous surrounding sceneries is among

the few places in Costa Rica with direct access to a volcano's crater. From

the summit of the volcano, you can on a clear day, see the Irazu, Poás and

Barva volcanoes in the distance Botanists and gardeners will want to pay a

visit to the Center for Agronomy Research and Development (CATIE), which is

located 5km (3 miles) southeast of Turrialba on the road to Siquirres. This

center is one of the world's foremost facilities for research into tropical

agriculture.

 

About the Author

contact name,     Mauricio Zuniga - VP               
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