If travel experts could come up with an ideal destination, it would be Costa Rica. The 'rich coast' country has earned its reputation among its Central American neighbors for being on the forefront of the newest trends, such as surfing, farm-to-table restaurants with organic food options, and sustainable tourism. New tourism developments are powered by green energy sources such as wind, solar and hydro. Occupying merely 0.03% of the world’s surface Costa Rica boasts nearly 6% of the planet’s biodiversity, with more than half a million species and hundreds of endemic animals, such as frogs, snakes, hummingbirds and gobies among many more.

Thanks to ongoing efforts in biodiversity conservation, over twenty-seven percent of Costa Rica’s landmass has been protected through government regulated zones including national parks, wildlife refuges, forest preserves and various others.

Nature Adventures

Cloud forest hikes, thrilling zipline cables, exhilarating white-water rapids and warm ocean, world-class waves: Costa Rica offers a wide range of nature adventures in every shape and form – from sun drenched afternoons at the beach to rush-inducing high canopy ziplines. Visitors in the national parks of the rainforest and cloud forest will be able to get up close to wildlife and never-before-seen plants. Enjoy the jaw-dropping views from a simmering volcano, or spend your day catching waves on one of the many reliable surf breaks, whether beginner or expert. Can’t make up your mind? Not to worry… Due to the small size of this beautiful country, visitors can plan a relatively short stay and experience most of the adventures that Costa Rica has to offer.

The Wild Life

With such abundance of wildlife in Costa Rica, it almost seems unreal: keel-billed toucans gawk at you from treetops and scarlet macaws boisterously announce their impending flight plans. A keen eye will discover a sloth hanging lazily on a branch or the perilous jaw of a caiman opening through the surface of a mangrove swamp, while attentive ears will notice rustling leaves anouncing a troop of white-faced capuchins or the barking call of a howler monkey. Blue morpho butterflies dart amid orchid-festooned trees, while colorful reef fish, rays, dolphins, sharks and migrating whales live happily offshore – all as if in an unreal ecologist's dream.

The Pure Life

A recent study showed that Costa Ricans tend to live longer, healthier and happier lives than other people on the rest of the world. The study concluded that it all comes down to pura vida (pure life), a term you'll hear pretty much everywhere you go. Before you frown upon it as marketing gimmick (and it is used as a big marketing slogan), pay attention to the various different instances it is used as. Pura Vida means hello, goodbye, everything's alright, wishing you the same. Pura Vida never has a negative connotation. We are pretty sure that you will arrive in Costa Rica not believing the power of this beautiful slogan, but after spending a week here you'll catch yourself saying it, too, unconsciously: pura vida, mae. Relax and enjoy life!