Our Country

Costa Rica stretches majestically from the Pacific Ocean to the Caribbean Sea in just 200 miles. Its portion of earth fills just twenty thousand square miles.

Costa Rica’s political divisions include seven provinces: San José, Alajuela, Cartago, Heredia, Guanacaste, Puntarenas and Limón. Together they offer endless types of landscapes and climates, converting Costa Rica into an attractive tourism destination with just about endless possibilities. 

Costa Rica is known for its impressive scenic beauty, consolidated system of protected areas, social and political stability, high level of education and efficient, high-quality services.

Areas

Central Valley and Surroundings

The Central Valley offers a variety of tourist, cultural and natural attractions, including Costa Rica’s best museums: the Gold, Jade, National, Costa Rican Art, La Salle Natural Science, University of Costa Rica Insect and Children’s Contemporary Art and Design Museums. In addition, this region is home to the architectural jewel of Costa Rica: the National Theater. All of these are located in the country’s capital.
 It is also possible to find a wide range of high-quality accommodations in this area, ranging from distinctive boutique hotels to the beautiful Marriott or Intercontinental hotels.
 
The city of San José, located in the center of the country, serves as the main travel hub for exploring Costa Rica. San José offers an impressive range of dining, entertainment and shopping. The city boasts all the amenities of a large, world-class city. Dining in San José can take you from small, traditional restaurants to sophisticated French cuisine. The city’s proximity to several volcanoes, rainforests and cloud forest reserves and national parks makes it the perfect point of departure to any of the COSTA RICA ONE DAY TOURS day trips. TOURS can be arranged on a private basis, or by joining our daily fixed departures.
 
As a tourism zone, the Central Valley features four extraordinary beautiful areas that in and of themselves are true tourist destinations: Poas Volcano, Cartago, Bajos del Toro and Savegre Cloud Forest Areas. The rural towns, for their part, are highly picturesque, and offer a glimpse of old Costa Rica, with their houses of bahareque (a building material similar to adobe but made of cattle dung and straw), large coffee plantations, sugar mills and dairies.
COSTA RICA ONE DAY TOURS suggests staying in San José at the beginning of the holiday in Costa Rica. This stay will offer a good introductory phase to their following days in this tropical land.

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Caribbean

The Caribbean Coast is one of Costa Rica’s most unique and special destinations. Our Caribbean region is divided into two main areas: the North Caribbean and the South Caribbean.

North Caribbean comprises the Caribbean coast and goes from the San Juan River to Limon city. Limon city is the tourist center of this Corridor; simultaneously working as an accommodation, stop over, distribution and touring center.

Green turtle’s nesting on Tortuguero National Park and bass's, shad’s and other species’ sport fishing at Barra del Colorado National Wild Life Refugee represent the main attraction of the region. It is complimented with the river channel’s system; which connects Moin Port with Barra del Colorado, and has become a singular attraction and the only way of transportation.
Nature-based products get rewarded, especially fauna observation, therefore is a world-known site for bird and turtle’s watching.

The South Caribbean goes from Limon to the Panama border. The region shows a country-unique combination of beaches, natural resources and Afro American culture in Cahuita, Puerto Viejo and Gandoca Manzanillo.

Limon’s development is quite different from the rest of the Caribbean Island, which gives it a special potential to distinguish Costa Rican products. High quality beaches allow adventure and natural history activities, which definitely compliment with culture, gastronomy and music. Stand out the reefs, multicolor-sanded beaches (from black to yellow and gray), coastal vegetation and medium-high forest.

Cahuita National Park and Gandoca Manzanillo Reserve are worldwide recognized, not only because of their natural beauty but because they are becoming unique conservation places in almost the whole Caribbean.

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Northern area

The Northern Area showcases some of our most scenic countryside and small towns. Only a two-hour drive from San José, small agriculture communities and cattle ranches cover rolling hills and deep valleys. Known as the heart of Costa Rica, you’ll find a strong cultural identity here. The plains, rivers and most importantly the people make the North Central a must-see in any Costa Rica program.
 
This area is divided into three areas. The first is the Arenal Area, where the main attraction is the highly active, conical Arenal Volcano. Curative mineral hot springs and wonderfully manicured gardens surround the volcano, which is among the most active in the world. In this area you’ll also find the Caño Negro National Park, which is home to deep caverns, high waterfalls, extensive forest reserves and hundreds of species of birds.

The next area is Sarapiqui. This very important region also gives life to a huge diversity of flora and fauna, and boasts a host of excellent small lodges and resorts.
The area lays claim to a Biological Station where international scientists flock to study nature.
 Finally, there is the Monteverde area, where guests will have the opportunity to study Mother Nature at her best. Hiking in the cloud forest canopy, shrouded in mist and the orchestra of the forest is an experience few guests will forget. Additionally, a visit to the Sky Bridges or a canopy tour will always add that special adventurous touch that will bring to life the child we all have inside.

With its several protected areas, lakes, lagoons, volcanoes, rivers and waterfalls, the Northern Zone is undergoing a boom in tourism service and adventure site development, so that nature-loving visitors can enjoy the region’s many riches. Thanks to frequent rains, the Northern Zone features wet and evergreen forests as well as fertile plains—natural environments that serve as sanctuaries for water birds, reptiles, mammals and the prehistoric Gaspar fish, and important sites of interest for wildlife-lovers.

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North Pacific Region

The North Pacific is Costa Rica’s new paradise. The region, located mainly in the province of Guanacaste, holds hundreds of miles of pristine beaches, white sand and palm tree-lined coves. This is the quintessential beach paradise destination.
 
In the past, this region has had its natural vocation in the cattle rising and in the agriculture. Currently, nevertheless, the incomparable beauty of its landscapes, that go from the tropical dry forest to the forest montano low and its hot climate, as well as its fertile nature, have done of Guanacaste one of the most concurred places by the local and international tourism. Besides an important backup in the Pole of Tourist Development of the Papagayo’s Gulf, there is the Daniel Oduber International Airport, where a large quantity of flights arrives charter and regular flights from the United States.
 
This area has two main tourist centers that are Liberia (central of stopover distribution, scale and excursion) and Tamarindo, and three other tourist centers: Flamingo, Samara & Nosara and the Nicoya peninsula. The landscape of the coast is exceptional. There are beaches of white sands and a peaceful sea colored by an intense blue, especially the ones located inside Papagayo’s Gulf (Nacascolo, Virador, Iguanita and Panamá). It is one of the regions of greater development, based on outstanding hotel accommodations, ranging from quaint beachside boutique hotels to the five-star resorts, which includes a world-class golf course.
 
The region is also known for its extensive nature reserves that house an incredible concentration of flora, fauna, and natural beauty. There are several reserves that are possible to visit in a single day from your beach hotel. We recommend Rincon de la Vieja National Park, which holds an active volcano, thermal mud baths, and a variety of forests; Arenal Volcano, which is one of the most active volcanoes in the world; and Palo Verde National Park, which is a bird-watcher’s and nature-lover’s paradise. The region also holds some exciting canopy tours, river rafting, horseback riding, forest hiking and biking, sailing, surfing, diving, snorkeling, fishing and turtle watching, as well. Because of the region’s unspoiled beauty and numerous options, countless numbers of discriminating travelers have made the north pacific their preferred destination.
 
COSTA RICA ONE DAY TOURS offers a full selection of daily tours that can be operated privately, with all the class and comfort of our new, private transportation fleet.

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Central Pacific

The Central Pacific’s proximity to San José, between a ninety-minute and a three-hour drive, makes this region one of Costa Rica’s most popular destinations. But the short distance isn’t all. The area holds some of the world’s best beaches, outstanding surfing, primary rainforest reserves, and countless other secrets. A high concentration of varied attractions has made the Central Pacific area a must-see while in Costa Rica. With a developed infrastructure in the midst of wild surroundings, this region is especially popular for the off-the-beaten-path travelers who seek adventure and class in the same place.
 
The region stretches from the city of Puntarenas to the mouth of the Rio Baru in the area known as Dominical de Osa. It has three cities attractive to tourists and well developed for tourism: Quepos, Jaco and Puntarenas. The region also comprises the islands in the Gulf of Nicoya, as these are mainly accessed from Puntarenas. A wet and rainy climate allows for greater biodiversity in the beaches and hills next to the coast; thus, there is a transition from tropical dry forest to tropical wet forest. These ecosystems provide habitat for numerous plant and animal species that are protected in several wilderness areas.

The region’s main attractions are its coast and protected wilderness areas. The coast is made up of numerous beautiful beaches, several of which are just a couple of hours from San José, allowing for quick access. With regard to wilderness areas, the region features wildlife refuges, national parks and biological preserves. Other important attractions are of cultural and recreational interest, including the various organized events—especially sporting events—that distinguish the region. Also worthy of note is the scenic beauty along the coastal highway that connects the Caldera area with the Quepos and Manuel Antonio region.

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South Pacific

The South Pacific region of Costa Rica currently is known as Central America’s last frontier. The main activities include beach enjoyment and marine resources, such as whales and dolphin’s observation, as well as mangrove swamp’s, landscapes, reptilian, sport fishing, surfing, hiking through the National Park’s paths, professional diving, the energetic walks to the Chirripo’s summit, botanical gardens and impressive waterfalls.

Ecotourism features as the main product, especially the one that is carried out among the Humedal Sierpe-Terraba; the Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, the Ballena Marine National Park, the Isla del Caño Biological Preserve and the Corcovado National Park.

The beach’s tourism possesses a wide potential in the coastal sector of Dominical-Piñuela, Platanares Beach, Zancudo and Pavones. The mountain’s product identifies itself in the Cordillera de Talamanca’s Mountain subunit, where San Gerardo de Rivas and San Vito of Coto Brus stand out as access centers to Chirripo National Park and the Friendship World Patrimony site.

Additionally, there is a high potential in the rural tourism development, in country settlements distributed along the region. Two important protected areas are located in this zone, one is the Corcovado National Park, which National Geographic Magazine defines as “the planet’s biologically richest place” and the Humanity Biosphere Preserve, declared as Humanity Patrimony and part of the Amistad International Park.

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