Welcome to Costa Rica. . .

Located just 10 degrees north of the equator, and ideally situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea this tropical paradise is a natural wonder, rich in exotic flora and fauna. With over eighteen different ecosystems found in a country the size of West Virginia, Costa Rica boasts places like a Cloud Forest, a Caribbean Humid Forest, a Dry Tropical Forest, or a Flooded Forest. Wondrous and unusual fauna like monkeys, turtles, fish, frogs, birds, and insects call Costa Rica home. The land is scenic, the animals and plants fascinating, but the real heart of Costa Rica is the people. Costa Rica was settled, not conquered, immigrants from throughout the world found a home in this fertile and peaceful country. Today, Costa Rica enjoys a strong economic climate, highly regarded social services, excellent free medical care, a world renown educational system that boasts a 98% literacy rate and a strong family oriented atmosphere make Costa Rica the ideal place to explore.

About the National Parks & Reserves of Costa Rica. . . Costa Rica has made a strong commitment to the protection of the environment by setting aside almost 25% of its total land to national parks, reserves and refuges. Costa Rica has protected many species of mammals, birds, amphibians, fish and plants. These protected sites represent 4% of the world’s total floral and faunal species. Santa Rosa National Park is home to one of the last and largest tracts of Dry Tropical Forest left in the world. Arenal National Park - Beautiful rolling hills frame the 24 mile long lake, known world-wide for its fantastic windsurfing. The area also offers hiking, mountain biking and fishing. At the southern part of the lake is the very active Arenal Volcano. Perfectly conical, this volcano erupts constantly, throwing out molten lava...a great show day or night. Rincon de La Vieja National Park - Humid and Dry Tropical Forests hide the volcanic activity found here. Hot Springs, mud gupers and steam vents can be found along side an active volcano with 9 identified craters. Poas Volcano - One of the few accessible active volcanoes on the continent: home to the only dwarf cloud forest in the country, well worth hiking. Irazu Volcano is the highest volcano in the country. At 11,000 feet, the summit can be cool and cloudy, but when it is clear, both the Pacific and Caribbean can be seen. Squeezed in between the Dry Tropical Forest and the Moist Tropical Forest, Carara Biological Reserve sits in a transitional ecosystem where toucans, howler monkeys and sloths can be seen. Manuel Antonio National Park with white sand beaches outlining a lush rain forest and close proximity of nice accommodations, it is easy to see why it is so popular. Corcovado National Park is one of the last tracts of virgin rainforest left in Central America. The area is very isolated, so visitors need to rely on tours. Visitors will find over 550 species of birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles. Traveling to the Tortuguero National Park is like being in a scene from The African Queen. The Park’s beaches are the main nesting area for the Green Sea Turtle from July to October. The Park is also home to countless varieties of birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals. The rough road leading into the Tilaran Mountains home to the Monteverde Cloud Forest can be long and arduous, but the magical cloud forest waiting at the end of the road is worth the trouble. Hiding among the mist shrouded tree tops is the resplendent Quetzal, one of the most beautiful birds found anywhere in the world. This list represents only a few of the many protected lands of Costa Rica.

About the Beaches of Costa Rica...North Pacific: The province of Guanacaste is home to the sun coast. Playa Conchal is a beautiful gold sand beach, home to a deluxe Meliá resort with a championship 18 hole golf course. Playa Tamarindo is a surfers mecca. The beach is a mix of large sandy and rocky areas and is ideal for families with smaller children. The crowd here tends to be much younger, and very into aquatic activities. From November to February at nearby Playa Grande, one can find the large leatherback turtles nesting under the moon. The ideal location for romance is the rocky and sandy cove at Punta Islita where gentle waves lap up onto the shore. Further south is the beautiful sandy beach of Mal Pais. For isolation and a sense of complete natural beauty, Mal Pais is the place! Playa Tambor where a large bay makes the surf tame, ideal for swimming. The beach is very long, and is ideal for walks. Mid Pacific: In the north of this region is the dry forest and to the south is rain forest. South of the town of Quepos is the Manuel Antonio National Park. Explore the rain forest in the morning, and spend the afternoon relaxing on a lovely tropical beach. The best part is that you've never left the park. Puntarenas. Herradura Bay. This area was the site for the filming of the movie 1492, which told the epic tale of the european discovery of the Americas. It is also home to the Los Sueños Marriott Beach & Golf Resort an fthe Punta Leona Resort. Jaco Beach. This area is a lively beach town, known for its nightlife and world class surfing beaches. These areas are in close proximity to the Caraara Biological Reserve and the Tarcoles River.