Population: 4 million - Capital City: San José
- Time difference: -6 hours GMT
- Language: Spanish
Costa Rica is a nature enthusiast's paradise of misty cloudforests, coastal jungles, beautiful beaches and volcanic peaks.
The country is deemed to be the safest in Central America: there is no army, and it has not experienced the turbulent political history of many of its neighbours.
Costa Ricans are proud of their enchanting country and are extremely friendly and helpful to visitors.
A sophisticated and well-developed tourist infrastructure satisfies all visitors from North America and Europe. Costa Rica is the ideal destination for honeymooners, families, wildlife enthusiasts and those looking for a bit of adventure.
Mountain biking, white-water rafting and hiking are all popular sports for which there are well-trained local guides and excellent equipment.
Hiring a car is easy and traffic is not a problem once out of San José. The state of the roads varies but there is nothing that a 4WD cannot handle. Otherwise a network of light-aircraft routes renders more isolated locations accessible.