If you are choosing a destination for a future vacation or if the Costa Rican paradise calls you but you are not sure if it is the best option, you have come to the right place. In this post, I am going to give you a few reasons why the next plane you take is to visit Costa Rica.
This article is written by someone who has been lucky enough to travel through this country on several occasions and in various ways, so I have a fairly extensive background. Having said that, this information is, of course, 100% subjective, although I am sure that when you visit the country you will agree with me.
1) Pure nature, the main reason to visit Costa Rica
Although you will also find some interesting cities, towns and museums if Costa Rica shines for something it is because of its nature: lush jungles, catalog beaches, active volcanoes… and many other places where nature oozes from the sides. It is not surprising that, despite its small size (50,000 square kilometers), Tiquicia is home to 6% of the world’s biodiversity, which makes it the country with the largest number of species per space. So grab your camera and get ready to discover some of the “greenest” spaces in the world.
2) See wildlife in freedom
Contact with fauna is another reason why you should visit Costa Rica. Without being a specialist in animal photography, this country has given me, without looking for it, postcard prints. And it is that in this Central American land you can find animals almost anywhere, some with few complexes. Of course, please, never interact with them or interfere in their environment. I take this opportunity to comment that sport hunting and zoos are prohibited in Costa Rica, one more example of the love that Costa Ricans have for their fauna.
3) Visit some of the most amazing national parks in the world
To end with the “green propaganda” about Costa Rica, just say that another of its charms is the great state of conservation, security and cleanliness in which each of its twenty-six national parks are found. Tortuguero, Manuel Antonio, Corcovado, Irazú, Poas… are some of the most famous, but there are many more, as you can read in my article about what to see in Costa Rica. The only “but” that I put to all this is that you are going to have to pay, and not a little, to see them, so save some money for the cause.
4) Its picture perfect beaches, another reason to visit Costa Rica
Needless to say, Costa Rica is a coastal country, surrounded by water and miles of beaches. The eastern part is bathed by the Caribbean Sea, while the western side corresponds to the Pacific, with beautiful beaches next to both seas. Most are extensive, with light, fine sand and surrounded by vegetation, but there are also some with very particular characteristics. By the way, if you like surfing, this country also has something to offer you.
5) The friendliness of Costa Ricans
We leave nature aside to delve fully into its culture and idiosyncrasy. It may sound like a cliché, but really, of all the places I’ve been so far, none have treated me as well as in Costa Rica. Perhaps it was the circles I moved through or the context in which I traveled, but I dare to say that the Tico society is one of the warmest, most respectful and kind I have ever known. Surely you also take a little time to check it.
6) Learn local mannerisms, another reason to visit Costa Rica
Although you can find a specific publication on the blog about the vast Costa Rican dictionary, I did not want to miss out on this post to highlight how much I enjoyed Costa Rican slang. Words as nice as mae, colocho, chiva, chinear, diay, hablado, cobija, mejenga, cake, tuanis or wákala… are part of the day-to-day language of the country. If you go to those parts I recommend that you listen a lot and let yourself be “pepiated” by their Costa Rican expressions. My favorite: no pineapple.
7) The love of the Ticos for their country
If anyone taught me to enjoy that country, it was the Costa Ricans themselves. And it is that, ahead of anyone, the Ticos are great lovers of their nation and their culture and the first tourists in their land. They know their history and their places and they take care of them and teach them. There will be exceptions, but they can be counted on the fingers of the hands.
8) The climate of Costa Rica
As in other “tropical” countries, the temperature in Costa Rica is stable and pleasant throughout the year. The main difference between seasons is not the degrees marked by the thermometer, but the chances of rain. From December to April is summer there and it is the driest time, but during the European summer it usually rains a lot, so it can be a bit cumbersome for the traveler. But apart from that, I assure you that the weather is another good reason to choose this destination.
9) Security, another reason to visit Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a good option for tourists. I am not going to hide that the Tico country has worrying levels of crime, but these are closely related to drug trafficking and far from tourist areas. Even so, to avoid any problem, I recommend that you take out good travel insurance.
10) Very cheap collective transport
In a country with high prices for foreigners, traveling by bus is a very economical way to get from one place to another. It is true that the road network is not the most developed in the world and it will be difficult for you to get from one place to another, but, in general, the buses are quite comfortable and are a good option for getting around. Of course, if you can afford it, do not hesitate: rent a car, without a doubt, the best way to explore Tiquicia.
11) The beauty of their currency
It may not be as compelling a reason as the previous ones, but, I assure you, the colón bills are the most beautiful in the world: sloths, sharks, butterflies, monkeys, fawns… they decorate the paper of this precious currency. Today the colones bills are the most original that I have ever had in my hands.
12) Pura Vida, the main reason to visit Costa Rica
When I arrived in Costa Rica I thought that “Pura Vida” was the typical phrase that tourists would say and not the people of the country, but nothing could be further from the truth. Pura Vida is a basic expression in the Tico dictionary, being a way of greeting, saying goodbye, thanking, or even an adjective to define someone. It is also a way of understanding life, present in every corner, a philosophy that flees from stress, fear, worry… seeking to make the most of every second. Enjoying the Pura Vida is the best reason to travel there.
