Little Switzerland in Central American - Exploring the Green Kingdom of Costa Rica
Costa Rica is an amazing small country in Latin America
Ranked 6th in the list of new global travel destinations on TripAdvisor 2018
Enjoy the reputation of "Little Switzerland in Latin America"
Prices are very low, and tourism resources are unimaginable
It's the back garden for Americans to care for
National Happiness Index surpasses Iceland and Bhutan ranks first in the world！
The cause of going to a place can be very complicated, and the cause of going to a place can also be very simple. Costa Rica is one such place. As early as 2012, it was rated as the happiest country in the world. Tourism is its first pillar industry. The environment is beautiful and peaceful, and the people's lives are comfortable.
About Costa Rica
Costa Rica means "rich coast" in Spanish. It is a country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, and Ecuador to the south of Cocos Island.
It has a population of around 5 million in a land area of 51,060 square kilometers (19,714 square miles). Costa Rica is known as the "Switzerland of Central America" for its comfortable lifestyle, more democratic political environment and beautiful natural scenery.
It has both the graceful sunrise of the Pacific Ocean and the moving sunset of the Caribbean Sea.
It is very suitable for living, completely overturning the classification of the four seasons, the climate is pleasant, the year is warm like spring, and the average temperature is 18-23 degrees Celsius.
People are warm and friendly, without racial discrimination, and class hierarchy. It can be seen at any time that the president is walking on the street to greet the people, which is full of the unique atmosphere of Latin America.
There are waterfalls and pools hidden in the jungle, and hot springs flow under the volcano. When you reach the end of the road, you can see the sea.
The location of the movie "Jurassic Park", which is popular all over the world, is located in Costa Rica. The leaves here are bigger than umbrellas and have an extraordinary "prehistoric landscape"!
Costa Rica is actually very small, with an area of only 0.03% of the world's land area, but it has 500,000 different organisms, accounting for 4.5% of the world's known biological species. Among them, forests cover 52.3% of the country's land.
There are many volcanoes in this country, and in order to have a more enjoyable vacation, they set up all the hot spring hotels near the volcano. You can soak in hot springs under the volcano scene!
It is also the first country in the world to close all zoos, just to allow all animals to return to nature and be liberated.
The Best season to visit Costa Rica
The best time to travel to Costa Rica is from late November to April. If you are looking for good weather, you can almost guarantee clear skies and no rain. However, this is also the peak tourist season, so plan to pay more for hotel rooms.
From May to August, you can look forward to the early morning sky and afternoon rain. During the green season, sometimes the rain erupts so strongly that it paralyzes traffic and all outdoor activities.
September and October are the coldest months in Costa Rica, with rainfall lasting almost the entire day. If you have booked a trip in the past few months, don't worry. These are the most beautiful months on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. You can plan to travel to Cahuita, Puerto Viejo or Tortuguero.
Although you have been able to determine the travel time based on weather patterns, it may not be accurate enough for Costa Rica. Because the locals find that it may not rain in the rainy season, and there may be a few rain showers in the dry season. Therefore, please travel to this tropical country with an open mind.
Approximately：
High season: from the beginning of June to mid-September.
Peak season: from July 20th to August 15th
The high season lasts from the beginning of June to mid-September. And the peak season starts with the second part of July and it lasts until the 15th of August. The high season is a good time for visiting Croatia, as long as you avoid these three peak weeks.In that 3 weeks, Croatia gets the most tourists. It’s crowded with families with children everywhere on the coast, you can feel it even if you are sailing the Adriatic. Prices are the highest.
After around the 15th of August, places are not so crowded, and the nights aren’t so warm. Days are still sunny but the temperatures are a little bit lower, especially during evening hours, during the night, and in the early morning. The weather can be moody and there is a slight chance for a rainy day.
Shoulder season: from the beginning of May to the mid- June and September to the mid- October
For me, this time maybe the best time to visit Croatia. Nature is wonderful to observe, flowers bloom and trees begin to grow and reproduce – colors are magnificent. Hotels and restaurants are opening. Prices are not so high, everything is clean and ready for the season. Caterers working the summer season are not exhausted, they are in a good mood and the atmosphere is overall good. You can enjoy the beach time in June and September and you can combine it with sightseeing. Hotel rates are not so high and you can have a great price (especially if you use some of the early bird deals). Shoulder season is great for foodies and people who like taking gastro tours.
Off-season: from November to April
In the low or winter season, Croatia goes very quiet. Many hotels, restaurants, and activities are closed for business. Beaches are empty and unattended. Coastal towns, bustling with people and life during the summer, go dead in winter.
Is Costa Rica safe?
Very safe!
Costa Rica is the world’s first country without an army. As for the military expenditures, all of it has shifted to social welfare, education and cultural expenditures. I heard from the locals that Costa Rica was protected by the neighboring United States. After all, the United States has always valued its own backyard, so the safety factor is very high.
Actually I like this country very much. Here is a quote from the speech of the Nobel Prize winner in 1987 and then President Arias:
"Our country is a country of teachers, so we closed the barracks. Our children carried books under their arms instead of carrying rifles on their shoulders; we tried to persuade our opponents instead of defeating them; we were willing to help those who fell. Rise instead of crushing them. Because we believe that no one can grasp the absolute truth.
Destinations
1. San Jose
San Jose is one of the most visited Latin American cities by foreign tourists. The capital of Costa Rica, at an altitude of 1163 meters, has a pleasant climate and an average annual temperature of about 20 degrees. The four seasons are like spring and the flowers are in full bloom. It is said that there are more than 300 days of sunny and good weather every year. The city is full of green trees. Acacia trees, camellia and roses are planted on both sides of the road. The courtyards are all green and the whole city is like a big garden. Therefore, San Jose is also known as the "City of Flowers". I believe that once you set foot on this land, you will experience a Latin American style full of surprises, awe and happiness.
|| Victorian century-old building
Except for the spacious Central Avenue, other streets in the urban area are relatively narrow, and many ancient buildings still maintain the style of one or two hundred years ago. The 18th century Spanish-style churches and bell towers stand among the new and modern buildings.
The architecture is dominated by Spanish style, and many of them still look like one or two hundred years ago. The publicity and enthusiasm carved in the bones of Latin America have also been incorporated into the graffiti, and everything is colorful.
|| Colorful street graffiti
The graffiti on the street can see the enthusiasm of Latin America.
|| A variety of fruit market
There are many open-air markets in San Jose. Fruit is the specialty here, and the price is very real. Come here to eat fruit and have a fun.
2. Arenal Volcano
Speaking of volcanoes, you only think of Bali? In fact, Costa Rica is a country surrounded by volcanoes. There are more than 120 volcanoes and 7 active volcanoes. Although the active volcano is very dangerous, everyone is rushing to see the true face of the volcano.
The Arenal Volcano, about 147 kilometers northwest of San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, is 1,633 meters above sea level. It is the third volcano on the emblem of Costa Rica and one of the most active volcanoes in the world.
|| Enjoy the volcano while soaking in hot springs
On July 29, 1968, the three craters on the west side of Arenal Volcano began to erupt at the same time. The hot magma slowly flowed down the hillside and formed thick and solid volcanic rocks. It was not until 2010 that she started a new round. Hibernation.
The Arenal volcano towers high into the clouds. Walking on the street, standing anywhere in the town, you can see the standard cone-shaped volcano of Arenal volcano. It seems to be close to the town. Especially in the evening, against the afterglow of the setting sun, it is even more majestic and majestic.
The hiking trails and nearby hills in Arenal Volcano National Park are the best places to see the volcano.
Nowadays, flowers are all over the mountain peaks, but Arenal Volcano is still one of the most active volcanoes in the world. From time to time, the crater emits several breaths of heat, as if to remind the world not to forget that it is also a volcano worth fearing.
For safety, the Arenal volcano cannot climb to the top, so far viewing is the best way to appreciate it. The top of the mountain is full of clouds and mist. As long as you wait for a gust of wind, you can see the independent Arenal volcano under the blue sky and white clouds, rally beautiful.
Not only the magnificent volcanic landscape, there is also a beautiful lake—Lake Arenal. Lake Arenal is located at the foot of the volcano, covering an area of nearly 85 square kilometers and a depth of 60 meters. It is the largest inland lake in Costa Rica. The towering volcano surrounded by white clouds, the undulating green mountains by the lake and the endless primitive tropical rain forest all around constitute a beautiful landscape painting.
In addition, thanks to the strong geothermal heat, there are countless hot spring rivers flowing under the Arenal Volcano, flowing into the jungle, and countless spa hotels have been built.
Soak in Arenal Volcano once in a real active volcanic hot spring that is only available here. The lakes and mountains near the volcano are picturesque, with hot spring rivers snaking through it, and hot springs can be soaked almost anytime and anywhere, so there are many tourists here.
The mineral-rich natural hot springs and well-equipped SPA services are like a contemporary Garden of Eden, attracting travellers who love nature and enjoyment from all over the world.
|| Arenal Hanging Bridges Park
The Hanging bridge park where you can see the Arenal volcano is almost every traveler’s check-in place. Several long suspension bridges are suspended in the cloud forest, some span valleys, and some are deep in the forest, it is the best choice to appreciate cloud forests and volcanoes.
|| Bogarin Trail
Go hiking on the nearby Bogarin Trail to observe and photograph the wildlife here.
Here we may see two kinds of naked finches, golden-headed tangara finch, red-footed finches, and green finches, white-headed flycatchers dancing to the beat and courtship, as well as leaf-cutting ants. Leaves, the red-eyed tree frog rests on the leaf next to you, the green double-crowned lizard or the awn-bellied lizard is lying on the trunk, and the brown-throated sloth may sleep on the canopy above you.
3. Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
Costa Rica has seven natural wonders, and Monteverde, located in the small town of Puntarenas, is one of them. The tropical rain forest here has a very moving name "cloud forest". Cloud forest is a tropical rain forest with an altitude of about 1,500 meters and an area of about 10,500 hectares, 90% of which is covered by virgin forest. Because the humid sea breeze blowing from the Caribbean Sea meets the low-temperature climate of the mountains, it condenses into water mist, and there is now a cloud forest.
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is a heavenly cloud forest, and it is a pleasure to enjoy the natural wonders here. Around the theme of nature and history, there are a variety of tourism activities to choose from, including bird watching, flora and fauna, hiking, walking among tree canopies, various suspension bridges, climbing, and watching various frogs.
Costa Rica is world-renowned for its biodiversity, and walking around the reserve is another memorable experience. Especially when hiking in the cloud forest at night, everything grows and the starry sky is shining. Day and night, each has its own excitement and endless aftertaste.
The reserve is composed of 7 major ecological areas, 90% of which are virgin forests. It is an ecologically diverse protected area with more than 2500 species of plants, 100 species of mammals, 400 species of birds, and 120 species of amphibians and reptiles. Here, all the desires to explore the biodiversity of Costa Rica can be met at one time.
Different from the vitality during the day, if you enter the park at night to hike, it will be another school of unique scenery.
The park has the longest zip line project in Latin America, with a total length of 1,590 meters. Are you afraid?