As an Eco-wonderland Costa Rica shelters a staggering amount of biodiversity and many unspoiled natural wonders. Known for its conservation policies and considered the birthplace of ecotourism, the tiny Latin American country of Costa Rica provides a vital habitat to thousands of plant and animal species.
Costa Rica is home to 27 national parks and five percent of the world’s biodiversity with over 30 percent of the country being dedicated to national parks. There are over 500,000 species of animals, including scarlet macaws, howler monkeys, colorful butterflies, humpback whales, iguanas, sea turtles, and sloth. But it’s not all just jungles, there are cloud forests, swamps, coral reefs, dry forests, and rainforests.
Costa Rica’s coast is home to dozens of important nesting beaches for four turtle species—leatherback, green, hawksbill, and olive ridley. The olive ridley sea turtle is known for its mass annual nesting migrations called arribadas.
The Nicoya Peninsula boasts miles of sandy beaches on this sunny peninsula jutting into the Pacific Ocean.
The ferry ride across the Gulf of Nicoya brings you to a different world of grasslands, huge trees, rolling cattle ranches, sweeping bays, and scenic beaches that are ideal for surfing, nature walks, turtle-watching and beachcombing.
Some of the best diving in Costa Rica is off the coast of Playas del Coco, where the marine life is abundant with not too many visitors. Visibility is not the best but the marine life makes up for it, seeing sharks and rays on almost every dive makes every dive a great experience. The sea is teeming with schools of fish and often visited by turtles. Eagle rays and octopi are common sightings.
The small mountain town of Santa Maria de Dota is less congested than the larger cities, but it is home to some of the best destinations in Costa Rica. Sitting along the flank of the thundering Talamanca Mountain Range, Santa Maria de Dota is positioned in a gorgeous valley where birding, hiking, fishing and photography provide endless opportunities to explore this tranquil region. Secluded hillside villas with breathtaking mountain views are scattered around the area. Boasting the best coffee in Costa Rica the area is also known for its incredible hiking opportunities. Los Quetzales stretches for more than 12,300 acres, including what was formerly known as the Los Santos Forest Reserve. With three types of rainforest and 14 ecosystems set alongside the Talamancan mountain range.
People travel from far and wide to experience the beauty of Costa Rica’s beaches and savor the delicious foods, but Costa Rica is also world-renowned for its coffee.
Costa Rica is the only country in the world where it is actually illegal to produce any type of coffee other than 100% Arabica—the highest quality of coffee beans. A law was passed in 1989 prohibiting the planting of low-quality beans, encouraging Costa Rican farmers to pursue true excellence.
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