One of the greatest problems with picking an ideal hotspot for a vacation lies in the diversity that the place you’ve picked has to offer. Sure, fun activities may be your primary objective, however, for a longer stay, deciding on a location to visit based on a single interesting activity is definitely not something you want to do.
This is what makes Costa Rica into an ideal place for your next visit. Aside from the amazing beaches to relax on, volcanoes to visit and biodiversity to study, it’s also one of the most renowned golfing destinations in the world. Every single one of these reasons would be good enough for you to visit the place, however, put together, they make Costa Rica a place that you shouldn’t miss out on. Let’s get in-depth into some of these ideas.
1. The amazing Costa Rican beaches
As a coastal nation (which is even suggested in the name of the place), enveloped by two vastly different oceans, Costa Rica is a place ideal for those looking to spend some time on the beach. On its eastern side, you have amazing Caribbean beaches such as Playa Manzanillo, while to the west, you have a sandy Costa Ballena. To make things even more diverse and interesting, Costa Rican south Pacific coast greatly differs from its northern coast, which is unusual to say the very least considering the size of the place. Either way, it all works out for the benefit of the visitor.
Aside from catching some tan, there are also some incredible seaside activities you could turn towards. For instance, people who are passionate about surfing or at least want to try their hand in this fun activity should probably go to the northwest coast of Costa Rica and visit the surf village of Tamarindo. Here, you’ll get the privilege of making your first steps on the board in one of the most beautiful regions in the world, as well as do so under the tutelage of some of the most skilled instructors out there.
2. A trip to a volcano
One of the things that make volcanoes so interesting is the fact that they are concentrated in some regions of the world while being completely absent from others. This means that most tourists, especially those from Europe, Australia and the U.S. have probably never seen an actual volcano in their life. Even if there are some inactive volcanoes in their home region, they’re usually far from metropolitan areas. Fortunately, Costa Rica has over 60 dormant and 6 active volcanoes, which gives you an opportunity of a lifetime (provided that you are a volcano enthusiast).
As for the options that you have available, Arenal Volcano, Irazu Volcano and Turrialba Volcano should be at the top of any list. Still, if this is not the main objective of your trip but rather a side-activity, you should pick the one that’s nearest to your current place of lodging. As we already mentioned, with nearly 70 volcanoes in Costa Rica, this shouldn’t be such a difficult task.
3. The incredible biodiversity
Speaking about the biodiversity of Costa Rica, one has to take a look at numbers. As a relatively small country, Costa Rica takes only 0.03 per cent of the entire surface of the world. This compact territory is a home to about 6 per cent of the entire world’s biodiversity. As we already mentioned, it is a coastal region on two fronts, enveloped by two completely different oceans with an equally as impressive interior. This means that this place has a disproportionally large number of ecosystems relative to its size (or, in general).
Another reason why this might carry on in the future, as well, is due to the fact that the conservation seems to be a national priority for the Costa Rican government. With 20 national parks and 8 biological reserves about a quarter of a country is protected in one way or another. Some national parks, like La Amistad National Park, are protected by the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations), which provides some additional protection to the indigenous wildlife.
4. Golfing in Costa Rica
At the very end, we need to touch on the main reason why Costa Rica is a favourite travel location to so many people. On top of all the above-listed, you also get the privilege of visiting some of the best golf courses in the world. As you may have imagined, this is the place where green landscapes dominate the entire country, which means that these courses are outlined by the natural shrubbery. One such place is Arnold Palmer Golf Course at Peninsula Papagayo. Now, the downside (relatively speaking) is the fact that this golf course is quite challenging, meaning that you might want to improve your swing a bit before visiting. Fortunately, you can do this in more than several ways, from watching golf video lessons to purchasing a sophisticated machine that guides your swing.
Naturally, not all of these courses are as challenging, nor as lush. Those who want a bit different scenery (with somewhat less wild growth all around), should probably pay a visit to a beautiful Garra de Leon Golf Course at Playa Conchal. The best thing about this place is the fact that it’s a miniature tour of Costa Rica, on its own accord, due to the fact that it stretches across several different ecosystems on its own. Speaking of getting the best of both worlds, it simply doesn’t get any better.
In conclusion:
The most interesting thing about a visit to Costa Rica is the fact that the above-listed four represent merely the tip of the iceberg of all that’s there to see and do in the country. Museums and bars of the capital are, on their own, worth planning a trip, whereas Monteverde is a must-see site, at least once in your lifetime. Fortunately, not managing to fit it all into a single tour has a positive side, as well, seeing as how it will compel you to pay this amazing tropical haven one more visit.
