A country that has constitutionally renounced the army and has the happiest citizens in the world. A nation that produces over 99% of its energy from renewable sources and owns 5% of the world’s biodiversity. Welcome to Costa Rica, the pearl of Central America. If that wasn’t enough, there are large parks, lagoons, heavenly beaches, but also cities rich in history and folklore. Those looking for an adventurous vacation can go hiking, while those looking for pampering can count on benevolent nature and heavenly beaches.
The typical expression “pura vida” here is not a cliché, but a mantra and a way of life. There are countless ways to enjoy Costa Rica’s environment and beauty – just choose from volcanoes, oceans, forests, parks and waterfalls, and even encounter unique wildlife, plants and flowers. It was Columbus who discovered Costa Rica in 1502, but the first contact with internal and indigenous civilizations was in 1563 with J. Vásquez de Coronado, who made Cartago the capital of the country. There is another very interesting point in his story: in 1986, Óscar Arias Sánchez was elected president of Costa Rica, which received the Nobel Peace Prize after drawing up a Central American peace plan.
Lankeste Botanical Garden
Originally an area of cultivated secondary forest on the outskirts of Carthage, now the Lankester Botanical Garden has been transformed into a set of gardens, an area that gathers the best of local flora. The garden is most famous for its 1,400 species of orchids. Ferns, cacti and many other plant species grow in the park, which extends over 10 hectares, which has become the ideal habitat for various bird species.
The garden has a specific reference theme, and they are endemic species: the goal is to preserve them through a conscious use and specific projects that involve scientific research and staff training. Among the three thousand species of plants in the botanical garden, the national flower, Guaira Morada, stands out, at risk of extinction.
La Paz Natural Park
In a natural park, along the slopes of the Poàs volcano, about thirty kilometers north of Alajuela, is an imposing waterfall, known to the locals as the Catarata de La Paz. The waterfall is thirty-seven meters high and is formed by the La Paz River, which keeps its flow constant. Numerous paved paths surround the area, one of which leads to a suggestive panoramic view. There are gardens nearby where you can admire frogs and snakes.
Arenal Volcano
Nature lovers will find their favorite spot: the Arenal Volcano, 120 km northwest of San José, is one of the main attractions of the country and the park of the same name. You can admire an incomparable landscape made up of forests, lagoons, small explosions of gas and ash. It is difficult to describe in a few lines which animals, insects, snakes or parrots you can find, just one information: half of the known species of birds, mammals and reptiles live here. There are spas on the slopes of the volcano that use sulphurous waters in a lush and magical environment.
Cahuita National Park
Imagine a unique and unspoiled landscape. A marine kingdom that extends over 22,000 hectares to protect the coral reef and the microorganisms that populate it: here is the Cahuita National Park, one of the most important in the country, 42 km south of the city of Puerto Lemon.
The sea is its greatest resource. Its seabed is wonderful and a stop is a must to snorkel or immerse yourself in this world and admire the marine life. The water is calm and crystal clear, while the seraphic palms jut out into the Atlantic. The list of guests you will meet is long: from sea urchins to parrotfish to angelfish, rays, barracudas, moray eels and lobsters. However, the absolute protagonists will be the turtles.
When to go
The perfect months to go to Costa Rica are undoubtedly from December to April. The climate of Costa Rica is in fact a hot and humid tropical climate in which 2 seasons alternate. The dry season runs from December to April and the rainy season from May to November. However, there is some difference between the coast facing the Caribbean Sea and the one facing the Pacific. In fact, the Caribbean region is the wettest region, especially from June to December, when the rivers are usually full.
Temperatures are high throughout the year, although in some areas, especially in the mountains, temperatures are cooler and more humid. The hottest coast is the Pacific.
The sea water temperature is warm all year round, around 27 ° C and makes staying in the water for a long time pleasant.Costa Rica is rarely affected by the passage of hurricanes, which tend to pass through the northernmost parts of the Caribbean.
Rio Celeste
An excursion that you will not easily forget is the Rio Celeste, a bit difficult but one of the most evocative places of nature in front of you. A waterfall whose waters are tinged with a bright and phosphorescent blue.
A Costa Rican legend tells that God, after having painted the blue sky, washed the brushes in the waters of this river, giving it that particular color. Today we know that this color is absolutely not the work of Photoshop and others but is due to a chemical reaction between some minerals of volcanic origin contained in its waters. Rio Celeste Catarate is located in a fairly remote area of the Tenorio Volcano Park, on the border with Nicaragua. The area is not served by public buses but can only be reached by own means or with organized tours. Furthermore, the excursion is only possible in favorable weather conditions.
