The highest peak is Chirripó Grande, which reaches 3820m (12,530ft). More than half the population live on the Meseta Central, a plateau with an equitable climate. It is rimmed to the southwest by the Cordillera range, and provides the setting for the country’s capital, San José. There are lowlands on both coastlines, mainly swampy on the Caribbean coast, with grassland savannah on the Pacific side merging into mangrove towards the south. Rivers cut through the mountains, flowing down to both the Caribbean and the Pacific.

Costa Rica is the Central American state forming the land-bridge between North and South America and it has a surprising diversity of terrain (see General section). In the cities and towns, the country’s Spanish heritage provides the main features of interest. Elsewhere, Costa Rica’s national parks are its greatest glory.

San José
The capital was founded in 1737 and is a pleasant mixture of traditional and modern Spanish architecture. Places of interest include the Teatro Nacional, the Legislative Assembly building, and the Parque Central, east of which is the Cathedral. The National Museum and the Museum of Gold are also worth a visit. There are numerous other parks in the city, including the Parque Nacional, the Parque Bolivar and the Parque Morazán.

Excursions
San José is a good center for excursions into the beautiful Meseta Central region. The nearby town of Cartago was founded in 1563, but there are no old buildings as earthquakes destroyed the town in 1841 and 1910. However, some of the reconstruction was in the colonial style. Excursions can be made from here to the crater of Irazú and to the beautiful valley of Orosi, with its colonial church.

Caribbean Coast
There are numerous beaches, ports and towns worth visiting. The biggest is Puerto Limón; others include Guapiles, Tortuguero, Barra del Colorado, Cahuita and Puerto Viejo.

Pacific Coast
Costa Rica’s principal Pacific port for freight is Puntarenas. The beaches around it are rather poor, although San Lucas Island, just off the port, has magnificent beaches. Another island worth a visit is Isla del Coco where a great hoard of treasure is supposed to have been buried by pirates. Puerto Caldera, a few miles south of Puntarenas, has recently become the country’s premier port of call for cruise liners. Quepos, Nicoya, Liberia and Samara are the region’s other major towns. There are beautiful beaches in the Guanacaste area, near Quepos in the Central Pacific and near Golfito in the South.

National Parks
Well-kept and well-guarded national parks and nature reserves cover nearly 26 per cent of the country’s territory. Information and permits can be obtained from: Fundación de Parques Nacionales, 300 Metros Norte, 175 Metros Este, Iglesia Santa Teresita, San José. In addition to the following, Manuel Antonio National Park and the Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge are worth a visit, and many of the tiny islands in the Gulf of Nicoya, near Puntarenas, are ‘biological protection areas’.

Braulio Carrillo National Park
Located in the central region of the country just 23km (14 miles) north of San José. It has five kinds of forest, some with characteristic rainforest vegetation. Orchids and ferns, jaguars, ocelots and the Baird tapir may be seen here. There are trails through the park and many lookouts.

Poás Volcano National Park
As the name suggests, this park contains the smoldering Poás Volcano. It contains the only dwarf cloudforest in Costa Rica. The crater of the volcano is 1.5km (1-mile) wide and contains a hot-water lake which changes color from turquoise to green to grey. Access is possible by road.

Tortuguero National Park
This park protects the Atlantic green turtle egg-laying grounds; it is in an area of great ecological diversity. Its network of canals and lagoons serves as waterways for transportation and exploration. There are camping facilities and lodges.

Santa Rosa National Park
The last large stand of tropical dry forest in Central America can be found here. There are 10 habitats including extensive savannahs and deciduous and non-deciduous forests. In addition to its abundant wildlife, recreational facilities are provided on some of the beaches.

Corcovado National Park
The virgin rainforest in this park contains many endangered species. It has the largest tree in Costa Rica, a ceibo which is 70m (230ft) high. Additionally there is Cano Island Biological Reserve, a bird sanctuary.

Cahuita National Park
This park protects the only coral reef on Costa Rica’s Carribbean coastline. Its other attractions include howler and white-faced monkeys, racoons and 500 species of fish.

Chirripó National Park
The centerpiece here is Costa Rica’s highest mountain. Most notably the park is home to the quetzal, said to be Latin America’s most beautiful bird.

Activities

Partly in order to continue to encourage ecotourism, the Costa Rican authorities have set aside a large proportion of the country (around 26 per cent of the total land area) as national parks and protected areas. There is good road access to most of these areas, and public transport is available. Nature trails and tracks are well developed. The country has a stunning variety of landscapes, micro-climates, flora and fauna, and nature lovers will not be disappointed. The highland area in the center consists of four mountain ranges. Some of the country’s great attractions are its eight active volcanoes. The sight of Arenal, in the Sierra Volcánica Guanacaste in the northwest, erupting at night is truly spectacular. In the foothills of Rincón de la Vieja, the mud pools bubble permanently. It is possible to bathe in the hot springs in this area. The central highlands are the most accessible for the visitor, and feature Poás, whose crater contains a boiling sulphurous lake, and Irazú, its desolate landscape resembling the surface of the moon. The country’s tallest peaks are in the non-volcanic Cordillera de Talamanca near Panama, and include the impressive Chirripó (12,533ft/3828m). The upper slopes of the mountains are often covered by cloudforest, characterized by the algae, mosses and lichens on the permanently wet surfaces. Numerous orchids and ferns grow here, but the forests’ most notable inhabitant is the Resplendent Quetzal (a bird). Lower down is the rainforest. Best visited in the company of an experienced guide (in part, because it is so easy to get lost), these forests are filled with elusive wildlife. Among the creatures they harbor are monkeys, armadillos, sloths, crocodiles, and birds such as toucans, parrots and macaws. Sea turtles can be observed in the Tortuguero region at certain times of the year. Depending on what the visitor wants to see, it is best to visit in the dry season (from December to April). For further information, see the Climate section.

Watersports
The most popular adventure sport is white-water rafting. Outfitters and guides can arrange trips. The Reventazón River (class III) is suitable for beginners, while more experienced rafters can tackle the Pacuare (class IV) and the Pascua (class V) rivers. The best times to go are from May to November. Lake Arenal was recently voted one of the world’s top windsurfing spots. Situated at 5580ft (1700m) above sea level, the lake offers its best windsurfing between April and December. Puerto Soley on the northern Pacific coast offers good ocean windsurfing. Kayaking and ocean kayaking are gaining in popularity. Surfing is possible at many beaches, being especially popular at Pavones on the Pacific coast and at Playa Naranjo in the northwest. This part of the country also offers excellent diving and snorkeling, with more than 20 local dive sites. Tuition and equipment hire are widely available. Cocos Island, praised by Jacques Cousteau, and Caño Island off the southwest coast, are also good diving areas.

Fishing
The Pacific coast, from the Gulf of Papagayo to Golfito offers excellent sport fishing. Sailfish, marlin, tuna and wahoo are among the catches. The Tortuguero Canals and the area around Barra del Colorado offer good freshwater game fishing, while trout can be caught in the country’s mountain streams.

Other activities
Mountain biking can be done on the trails in the forests and national parks. Hotels have equipment for hire and some specialist operators organize trips. Horseriding is also easily arranged. Because a different type of saddle and stirrups are used, even experienced riders may need to take some time to get used to their mounts. Beginners should arrange to have tuition beforehand, as working ranch horses are often used on rides. Canopy touring is becoming popular as well; it entails being attached to a harness and ‘flying’ through the jungle canopy via a series of cables. Bungee jumping and ballooning are also available.