Costa Rica’s capital, San José, is in the Central Valley. It has world-class museums, parks, hotels, theaters, and historic buildings. It’s an extensive plain, guarded by majestic volcanoes and green hills, honoring the natural richness that exists throughout the national territory.
What is Costa Rica best known for?
Costa Rica is known for its incredible national parks, where tourists can enjoy some thrilling activities like river rafting, canyoning, cave tubing, and zip lining. It’s also one of the best places for animal lovers to discover some interesting wildlife like macaws, sea turtles, and adorable sloths.
Is San José worth visiting in Costa Rica?
San Jose is most famous for being the entryway into Costa Rica. The country’s largest airport is here, and so the vast majority of travelers to CR come in and out of there. In addition, San Jose has some wonderful museums (especially the gold museum) and perhaps the best nightlife in the country.
What is an interesting fact about San José Costa Rica?
San Jose is technically in the middle of a tropical rainforest. Go outside the city for a few miles and you’ll soon encounter trees, humidity, and all those animals you’d expect to find in Costa Rica’s rainforests. It actually rains in San Jose for about 170 days each year.
What is it like in San José Costa Rica?
San José is one of the easiest cities to acclimate to in all of Latin America. It helps when Costa Ricans, affectionately known as “Ticos,” are extremely warm and welcoming. San José’s extensive network of buses makes exploring and traveling around the country a piece of cake.
Why you shouldn’t go to Costa Rica?
In Central America and The Caribbean overall, Costa Rica is ranked the number one most peaceful country in the region out of 12. However, the homicide rate increased from 11.9 homicides per 100,000 people to 12.3 in the last year, and crime is still a significant threat to travelers in Costa Rica.
What should I avoid in Costa Rica?
Things You Should Never Do While Visiting Costa Rica
- Buy drugs. Drugs are cheap and plentiful in Costa Rica, especially cocaine.
- Speed.
- Swim in front of a surf break.
- Take a dip in the river.
- Think you can get a base tan.
- Skip out on mosquito repellent.
- Fail to hydrate.
- Interfere with the wildlife.
Is Costa Rica safer than Mexico?
The US State Department considers Costa Rica among the safest countries for US nationals. As per its safety ranking, Costa Rica is Level One whereas Mexico is Level Two.
Is it safe to walk in San Jose Costa Rica?
Avoid walking around at night (especially in the San Jose city center). Stay alert: crowded tourist attractions and resort areas popular with foreign tourists are also common venues for criminal activities. Steer clear of deserted properties or undeveloped land. Walk or exercise with a companion.
Is San Jose Costa Rica walkable?
In San Jose, one of those places is Avenida Central (Central Avenue). This is one of the most accessible areas of the city. Here, it is easy to walk between the plethora of museums, parks, outdoor plazas, shops, and restaurants.
What 3 things is Costa Rica known for?
It’s a country that’s known for its sprawling rainforests, cascading waterfalls and volcanoes, not to mention the howler monkeys and chattering toucans, but there are so many other things to discover. We’ve uncovered 11 fun facts about Costa Rica that will put the country at the top of your travel bucket list.
How LGBT friendly is Costa Rica?
Costa Rica has many laws in place to protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination and even ensures some rights to a family life, with equal marriage and adoption by same-sex couples due to be enacted into law by May 2020. Overall, it has one of the best records for LGBTQ+ rights in the region.
What is a weird fact about Costa Rica?
Costa Rica has more than 121 volcanic formations, with seven of them being active. Poás Volcano has the second widest crater in the world, and Arenal is one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world.
Does San Jose have a beach?
While there are no beaches in San Jose, some of California’s finest waterfronts are a quick drive away from this tech hub. Whether you’re a tech-savvy resident or an intrepid traveler, you’ll find a beach that will satisfy your wanderlust near San Jose.
Does San Jose Costa Rica have a beach?
Jaco Beach is the closest beach to San Jose and one of the most crowded. The closest beach to San José, Playa Jaco is good destination for a quick beach getaway.
Is San Jose safe?
Is San Jose, CA safe? San Jose isn’t just the safest large city in the Bay Area, it’s frequently ranked as one of the safest large cities in the U.S.! In 2020, Freeway Insurance named San Jose the 4th safest city with a population of 500,000 or more after San Diego; Mesa, AZ; and New York.
Are there drug cartels in Costa Rica?
Most legitimate businesses, from farms to transport services, have been bought by Mexican cartels in the attempt to hide and transport cocaine. Further, production of cannabis is also an issue in Costa Rica, particularly in an area called Talamanca.
Are Costa Ricans friendly?
Costa Ricans tend to be proud, friendly, and diverse people who enjoy sharing their culture and social activities with newcomers. Costa Rica is the place of pura vida (pure life), a contagious attitude of living life to the fullest.
Can you drink the water in Costa Rica?
Can you drink the water in Costa Rica? The short answer is yes. You can drink the tap water in Costa Rica safely in most every part of the country. In some rural areas, including the Caribbean and in non-touristy places, you may want to stick with bottled water.
What is considered rude in Costa Rica?
Taboos/Unacceptable Behavior
Topics such as pre-marital sex, abortion, and gay marriage are generally avoided. Costa Ricans are very polite, so be sure not to put your feet on furniture; always say please and thank you, and try not raise your voice in anger, at least in public.
Can you use toilet paper in Costa Rica?
You cannot flush your toilet paper.
The pipes used in Costa Rican plumbing are too small to allow for any paper, or they will instantly clog. So every toilet in the country has a foul little trash can next to it.