- Capital: San Jose
- Time Zone:
- Currency: Costa Rican colon
Costa Rica is a rugged, rain forested Central American country with coastlines on the Caribbean and Pacific. Though its capital, San Jose, is home to cultural institutions like the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, Costa Rica is known for its beaches, volcanoes and immense biodiversity. Roughly a quarter of its area is made up of protected jungle, rich with wildlife including spider monkeys and quetzal birds.
Cities
San Jose
The capital of Costa Rica, is located in the Central Valley region, bordered by the Talamanca mountain range to the south and by volcanoes to the north. The city is distinguished by its Spanish colonial buildings, such as the National Theater of Costa Rica neoclassical style overlooking the Plaza de la Culture, a popular meeting place. Below the square, the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum exhibits hundreds of sparkling artifacts.
Monteverde
Monteverde is a town in the mountainous northwest of Costa Rica. It is known for the great biodiversity of its forests. Its famous biological reserve is home to numerous including jaguars, ocelots and the colorful quetzal. The reserve’s marked trails reserve, you’ll be able to wander through this incredible forest on suspension bridges through ferns and orchids. The presence of flora and fauna is extremely in this region. You’ll have the chance to visit butterfly and hummingbird gardens, orchid gardens, home to hundreds of plant species. If you’re a fan of outdoor activities you’ll be able to enjoy a variety of horseback riding and hiking tours, as well as canopy zip-lining the canopy or canyoning, including abseiling down jungle waterfalls. You can visit one of the many local coffee and sugar plantations and, for art lovers several galleries around Monteverde exhibit paintings and handicrafts by local artists.
Puerto Limón
Puerto Limón is a Costa Rican city, capital of the province of Limón. It is the most important port of the country, located on the Caribbean coast and a real economic and political center of the whole region. Its population is estimated at 105,000 in 2005.
Tamarindo
Tamarindo is a city belonging to the province of Guanacaste, on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. It is known for its beaches with surf spots, such as Tamarindo Beach and Langouste Beach. To the north, Playa Grande is the main nesting site for giant leatherback turtles and is part of the Las Baulas Marine National Park. The mangrove-edged estuary protected by the Tamarindo Wildlife Refuge offers a refuge for animals, such as howler monkeys and crocodiles.
Language
Spanish.
Electricity
The electricity is 110 volts.
Entry requirements
Kindly make sure to have the proper documents required to enter the countries you are visiting. Please refer to www.travel.gc.ca for updated information.
Regarding visas, you can refer to the link: www.travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories.
Failure to obtain these documents prior to travel can result in being denied entry or exit from the country.
Communication
nternational access code: 00 International dialing code: 506 Concerning national calls made in Costa Rica, it is not necessary to dial the 506 country code. If you are calling from Canada, please dial 011, then 506 and finally the local phone number in Costa Rica.