The Beauty and Heritage of Costa Rica

Costa Rica, though small in size, is a dream-come-true for every traveler. The white sand beaches offer great opportunities for surfing and scuba diving. Also abundant in number are active volcanoes and humungous rain forests. The country promotes eco-tourism. If you want to travel within the country, there are several options. Car rentals and public buses are the most common. Air travel is also popular. The hospitality of the local people makes travel fun and safe.

Most of the mountain ranges in the country are volcanic and can be easily accessed. The province of Cartago – near San José – comprises of Irazú volcano that erupted in the 1960s. The volcano of Poás, located in Alajuela, is home to the largest crater in the world. The northwest of the country is home to Arenal volcano. It gives visitors a glimpse to cherish with the red, hot lava streaming through the slopes.

The crater of the dormant Barva in Heredia has beautiful forests. The volcano of Arenal is active and contains a spa with hot springs. Mount Chirripó, the highest peak of the country, is not volcanic in nature. Once atop, you can view the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

The coastal areas comprise 65 percent of Costa Rica’s borders. Some of the world’s most spectacular beaches are located in Costa Rica. The coastline is sparsely populated. There are several tourism projects in the country that provide access to the beach localities. The country can be viewed as a large, tropical island since the maximum distance to get to a beach within the country is around 75 miles.

Among all the beaches Jaco Beach is the most popular. It lies on the West Central coastline. In addition, it lies near the airport in San José. The beach is renowned for its nightlife, restaurants, and casinos. Several tours and activities are available while you visit the beach.

The fishing capital of Costa Rica is the Los Suenos Resort and Marina. It lies 10 minutes north of Jaco Beach.

Costa Rica History Facts:

Unlike other countries of Central America, Costa Rica comprises people with European descent, in contrast to ‘mestizo’ descent. Most of the population can trace their lineage to Spain. The indigenous population comprises just 1% of the total population. Nearly 96000 or 3% of the population trace their roots to Jamaica. These people predominantly speak English.

In 1522 organized settlement of Costa Rica commenced. Spain governed the country for nearly three centuries under a military Governor. The country was labeled as ‘rich coast’ by the Spanish. They soon found that the country was lacking in gold and other minerals; and hence, stuck to agriculture.

The poverty, poor labor force, and the country’s isolation from the colonial powers in Mexico were the factors that led to the agrarian economy. The banana and coffee cultivations led to a class divide. However, the tradition of egalitarianism reigned supreme.

Costa Rica joined other provinces in 1821 to declare independence from Spain. Border disputes increased in number due to the creation of small provinces. Costa Rica became a sovereign nation in 1838.

The year 1899 saw elections being held. Jose Figueres led an uprising in 1948 due to a disputed election. The 44-day civil war saw more than 2000 dead, and is considered one of the bloodiest chapters in the nation’s history.