Costa Rica is a very small country synonymous with happiness and ecology, where the inhabitants, the "Ticos" are incredibly welcoming. It is a true gift of nature with volcanoes, superb beaches, luxuriant vegetation, exceptional fauna and flora. Everything is beautiful in Costa Rica but some sites are really unmissable.
Carthage
Perched at an altitude of 1 m, the city has been rebuilt many times after the numerous earthquakes and eruptions of the Irazu volcano. It is home to recent monuments that are not lacking in charm and the superb Notre-Dame des Anges basilica built in 435.
The gardens of the waterfalls in Vara Blanca
It is the ideal place to discover all the biodiversity of Costa Rica, in the heart of the gardens, at an altitude of more than 1 m. The cascades break, the gardens cover 400 hectares and shelter enormous greenhouses where butterflies, birds, orchids are installed.
Montezuma
The former fishing village has become a renowned seaside resort with splendid beaches. It is the ideal starting point for exploring the nearby nature reserves. We come across fire jugglers, “neo-Rastas”, yoga enthusiasts…
National Park Corcovado
It is one of the largest primary tropical forests in Central America. On the Osa Peninsula, along the Pacific Ocean, this park stretches over 50 km. With more than 500 different species of trees, a very rich fauna, nearly 300 species of birds, it is a magical place but where you have to be careful. The beaches are just as wonderful. If you want to visit Costa Rica in a small group, you can get closer to Puraventura which offers trips to discover this magnificent country.
Manuel Antonio National Park
It is one of the most popular in Costa Rica with amazing biodiversity, dream beaches, numerous hiking trails that cross forests and mangroves. This park is not very big but it shelters a tropical forest, beaches, cliffs, very many birds, lizards, iguanas…. Without forgetting the beautiful seabed. You can see capuchins moving from branch to branch, brown pelicans or even, if you are attentive, well-hidden sloths. It is the ideal place to discover the tropical rainforest and its extraordinary fauna.
Poas Volcano National Park
Less than 40 km from Alajuel, it is one of the most visited parks with many hiking trails that revolve around the volcano with breathtaking views of the crater filled with an acid lake.
Samara beach or Santa Teresa beach
Playa Samara is one of the very beautiful beaches of Costa Rica, 35 km southwest of Nicoya and offers many activities. Some call it "the black hole of happiness" because of its crescent shape of sand that stretches between two rocky promontories.
Playa Santa Teresa is home to one of the best surf spots in the country, south of the Nicoya Peninsula. From May to December, the waves are impressive.
Arenal Volcano
In the Cordillera de Tilaran, this volcano culminates at 1 m. It is particularly active but you can climb its slopes and admire its almost perfect conical shape. The ascent of Cerro Chato allows you to benefit from an unforgettable point of view.
Coffee plantations in the Central Valley
To know everything about coffee growing, head to the Central Valley to visit a plantation. You learn everything you need to know about the cultivation of coffee, its harvest, the production and you can even taste...
I hope that this tour of the essentials of Costa Rica will have seduced you and will have made you want to visit this magnificent country.
