Information for Travelers
Costa Rica is a rugged rainforest country in Central America, with stretches of coastline in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific.
Costa Rica is a wonderland of natural attractions, with volcanoes, beaches, cloud forests and unique wildlife.
About a quarter of the national territory consists of protected jungle areas, where numerous animals such as spider monkeys and quetzals live.
This is a country that attracts bird watchers and luxury travelers as well as surfers and backpackers.
Inland, the forested mountains offer their own adventures, from volcanoes and waterfalls to zipline and extraordinary wildlife viewing.
The Irazú Volcano is the highest active volcano in Costa Rica at 3,342 meters.
The volcano's summit is a lunar landscape with craters.
The Main Crater of Irazú is 1,050 meters in diameter and 300 meters deep.
Diego de la Haya Crater is considerably smaller and contains a small lime green lake that sometimes looks red.
Marked trails lead to these craters and two smaller ones, one of which also contains a lake.
Braulio Carrillo National Park, a 30-minute drive from bustling San Jose, encompasses rugged mountains, waterfalls, canyons, dormant volcanoes and virgin forest.
The park's proximity to the country's main gateway means it's an easy way to see some of Costa Rica's unique plants and wildlife.
Culture
The capital San Jose is home to several cultural institutions, including the Gold Museum with a pre-Columbian collection.
Costa Ricans pride themselves on the National Theater, considered the most impressive building in San Jose.
In the 1890s, ruling coffee barons voted for a tax on coffee exports to finance the construction of the theater, and European artisans were imported to design the building.
Completed in 1897, the building features a classical Renaissance façade with columns and statues that symbolize dance, music and fame.
Inside, the pink marble foyer features allegorical figures of Comedy and Tragedy and painted murals depicting themes from Costa Rican life.
For something completely different, discover the Caribbean coast with its calm waters, abundant wildlife and different cultural vibe.
Endless stretches of beach line the Pacific coast, with small towns catering to surfers and sun worshipers.
Costa Rica is one of those rare countries where wildlife alone can be worth it.
What the country may lack in cultural attractions, it more than makes up for in interconnected and prevalent wildlife experiences.
You rarely need to look for animals.
Monkeys make regular appearances through cities, scarlet macaws soar through the skies and toucans rustle in nearby branches.
Read about Costa Rica in Wikipedia
Current time in Costa Rica with seconds according to the official atomic clock.
