Ultimate insider tips from the editor
Adventure vacationers, nature lovers and sun worshipers beware: Costa Rica is the secret tip among long-distance travel! Barely discovered by tourists, the country, which is about the size of Lower Saxony, offers dense rainforest, an infinite number of different animals and plants, secluded beaches and the most relaxed surfers under the Caribbean sun.
Those who want to be carried away by the beauty of the country and the typical lifestyle of the "Ticos", should take at least three weeks for a round trip.
Travel time:
If the Atlantic and Caribbean coasts are to be traveled, there is actually no perfect travel period - on one of the two coasts is always just rainy season. From December to February, however, the precipitation on both coasts is limited and the temperatures invite to rainforest hikes or beach holidays.
Prior to travel:
Anyone planning a round trip can best be advised by a travel agency. Since many roads are not paved or meander through the mountains, only a few kilometers can take many hours. With a consultation by local people can therefore not do anything wrong. If you like it quite comfortably, you also book all accommodation directly through a specialized agency. In particular, the many private lodges or hotels with their own nature reserves are usually outside the known places and are therefore difficult to find.
Getting there:
From Germany via Frankfurt directly or via New York to San José. Depending on the route, the flight time is about 13 hours.
To Do's:
Absolute MUST in Costa Rica: A rainforest hike! In Costa Rica, 75% of all bird and plant species live in the world and it's best to marvel at them on a hike through the tropical forests. In the national park and on the beaches of Manuel Antonio, one certainly meets the little capuchin monkeys - who are especially looking for edible stolen goods.
If you're looking for thrills, you should definitely do a canopy tour. On wire ropes, which are attached to meters high trees or slopes, you swing from platform to platform. A breathtaking way to explore the rainforest from above! The best canopy tour with one of the longest Ziplines is in Selvatura Park in Monteverde.
Water sports should go to the Rio Pacuare - one of the whitewater rafting hotspots worldwide. No matter if you are a beginner or a professional, the rapids of the Pacuare are guaranteed to please everyone. The best tours are available at Aventuras Naturales.
Highlights critically considered:
Each guide recommends a trip to one of the volcanoes, especially the "Arenal". The fact that this is not visible at all through the dense fog, is hardly mentioned.
At the end of a round trip a beach holiday is a great ending. However, whether one has to take the usually long journey via Límon to Cahuita or Puerto Viejo is questionable. Apart from being in the Caribbean, both places do not offer anything for a beach holiday, which is not the case on the beaches of Manuel Antonio.
Travel Guide Tip : "Costa Rica: The Complete Guide for Individual Travel and Discover in the Natural Paradise of Central America" by Rump Verlag!
