Costa Rica tours & travel

Made up of European, Amerindian and African ancestry, Costa Ricans are a spirited bunch. Locally, the people call themselves Ticos, and like their Latino neighbours they’re highly sociable, love to spend time with family and have loud parties. Most Ticos are Roman Catholic, with a few other minority religions celebrated in the country. Ticos tend to be patriotic, and they celebrate their traditions very publically. They value national peace, environmental sustainability and the simple pleasures in life. It’s no wonder they’re among the happiest nationalities on earth. 

Just north of the equator, Costa Rica lies on the Central American Isthmus, sandwiched between Nicaragua and Panama. In the centre of the country are the two mountain ranges, the Cordillera Central and the Cordillera de Talamanca. The surrounding area is a coastal plain rife with fertile rainforest. The mountain ranges contain hundreds of volcanic cones, several of which are active, others filled with turquois crater lakes. Costa Rica boasts the highest density of animal life in the world, offering brilliant opportunities for nature-loving travellers. 

Bring a little piece of your Costa Rica tour home with you. Shopper love Costa Rica’s variety of sleek malls, boutique stores and funky flea markets. Perhaps the best known of these markets is the Central Market in San Jose. Stroll along this large block and browse the stalls of handicraft and traditional items.  Woodwork is a speciality of the Tico culture, and items like sculptures and furniture are built from age-old secrets passed on by craftsmen. You can also find traditional ceramics with magnificent paintwork, high quality leather and baskets. Local artisans also produce paper from bananas and coffee.

Fiestas Zapote

The biggest rodeo that Costa Rica has to offer. Young and old gather in the capital to watch the death defying performance, ride attractions and enjoy delicious street food.

Limon Carnival

A somewhat less over-the-top version of Brazil’s Carnival, this festival is smaller in scale but no less fun. Parades, floats, costumes and Caribbean parties, Limon Carnival has plenty to offer.

Fiestas Palmares

Cowboys far and wide gather to Fiestas Palmares. There are horse shows, rodeos and performances galore, with rides and beers aplenty.

A typical meal in Costa Rica involves a spread of rice, beans, meat and vegetables. Gallo Pinto, a fried mixture of rice and beans, forms the base of most dishes, usually complemented with grilled or sautéed meat, salad and some fresh or fried plantain. Meals like this, namely the national dish Casado, is so good that it’s not just enjoyed by the locals at home – it’s served at nearly every restaurant. Get your hands on specialties like ceviche (raw fish marinated in citrus), tamales (plantain leaves stuffed with a bean, rice and vegetable filling) and empanadas (pastries filled with beans, potatoes or meat). 

• Green Phoenix: Restoring the Tropical Forests of Guanacaste, Costa Rica by William Allen
• The Ticos: Culture and Social Change in Costa Rica by Mavis Hiltunen Biesanz
• Off the Map by Dorien Kelly
• The Costa Rica Reader: History, Culture, Politics by Steven Palmer and Ivan Molina