A destination you must add to your holiday wish-list, Costa Rica makes you want to brush up on your Spanish, dig out your hiking boots and grab your camera! As a Central America country boasting pristine rainforest, diverse wildlife and coastlines on both the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans, Costa Rica is a beautiful and paradisiacal wilderness just waiting to be explored.
This remarkable, ecologically unspoiled, land is home to 25 national parks (covering 10% of the country), volcanoes, wetlands, forests and incredible wildlife such as Spider Monkeys, Quetzal birds and signature sloths. Beyond its colourful capital, San Jose, and stunning beaches, the protected jungle hosts incredible biodiversity — rare creatures large and small. Other natural attractions include Manuel Antonio National Park, Monteverde’s Cloud Forest Reserve, with its hiking trails, La Fortuna, San Carlos, Arenal Volcano and La Fortuna Waterfall. Adventure-lovers and active families will be thrilled by stays at unique eco lodges, and enjoy activities such as nature walks, rafting and repelling — not to mention the opportunity to attend a surf school, practice yoga or visit a coffee plantation! Whereas some travellers will relish the exceptional wildlife encounters, Costa Rica is a captivating country and perfectly suited for active families or honeymooners seeking an exceptional holiday haven. Bordered by Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the southeast, Costa Rica is ideal for combining with its neighbours for a longer journey. Indulge in a stunning natural playground and zip-line your way through the leafy canopies.