Costa Rica Vacation and Honeymoon

Unlike its other Latin American neighbors, the islands of Costa Rica have enjoyed a stable political system and the area is peaceful and prosperous. Tourism is one of the main industries and the local residents are very friendly to visitors on a Costa Rica vacation. There are many reasons to come here to this tropical gem in Central America. It lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean and has wonderful beaches, forests, mountains and volcanoes. The main language is Spanish and the currency is the colon.

This destination is ideal for anyone interested in flora, fauna and wildlife. It is incredibly diverse and a great deal of land is protected in National Parks. Corcovado National Park has a variety of animals including tapirs, anteaters, big cats, sea turtles and golden orb spiders. The Tortuguero National Park also has turtles and has capuchin monkeys, sloths, parrots and many reptiles. Gardeners and botanists will appreciate the 2,000 plus plant species in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. These include several orchids as well as birds and mammals. So many different species can be seen in such a small place on a Costa Rica vacation.

For people who want to be active, there is surfing near the city of Jaco and at other spots. The little village of Pochote is a center for sport fishing. There are also opportunities on a Costa Rica vacation to go rafting, wind surfing, kayaking and scuba diving.  The climate is tropical through all of the seasons, with some areas experiencing constant rainfall from May to November.

San Jose is the capital city where you can explore the shops and eat fine food. The local cuisine puts an emphasis on fresh fruit and vegetables, usually accompanied by rice and beans. Many hotel resorts have casinos. There are also interesting tours for the butterfly museum and the coffee farm. The islands are also well known for their numerous museums. There is an unusual variety to choose from with themes that include childhood, pre-Columbian gold, science, criminology and entomology. There are also art galleries and beautiful churches and cathedrals. Costa Rica is Spanish, meaning rich coast, which describes this lively place very well.

One of the main attractions is the Arenal Volcano. It is active every day of the year, and is classified as one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world. It lay dormant for 400 years until it erupted in 1968 and has been active ever since. Tours are arranged to take tourists to see the rising ash and red lava flow. You may wish to calm down after that experience, and a Costa Rica vacation means relaxing too, of course. The staff at the Baldi Hot Springs like to pamper their guests. The Baldi Hot Springs complex, which sits surrounded by lush rainforest, has ten hot pools fed by springs and two swim bars. Be warned, however. It may take a volcanic eruption to get you to leave!