by Andre Sanchez

Sitting between Nicaragua and Panama, Costa Rica is a great place for a Central American vacation. It has great natural beauty with everything you could ask for, and a Costa Rica vacation can meet the needs of the naturalist, sportsman, historian and even just somebody looking for a fun time. The diversity of its geography is unbelievable, combining rainforests and jungles with volcanoes and gorgeous sandy beaches. It has both a Pacific and a Caribbean coastline and contains over five percent of the world’s species of plants and animals.

It is this biodiversity which has contributed to the fame of Costa Rica, and its popularity as a tourist attraction. It contains more a more diverse range of flora and fauna than any country in the world, possibly due to its situation in Central American. Costa Rica gets enough rain, but not too much, and enough sun without being a desert country. Its climate is a perfect blend of hot and cold, wet and dry, and it is this that has allowed such a diverse range of plants and animals to flourish.

The Costa Ricans are called Ticos, and are very hospitable. Costa Rica is a much less troubled country than either of its neighbors and a great place for a vacation if you are looking for a wide variety of things to do, including scuba diving, volcano exploring and golf. The water sports are everything you would expect of a country with a double coastline, but it is the natural attraction that really make this country such a wonderful haven for tourists.

The Arenal volcano has been active since it erupted in 1968, and there are lots of accommodation and tours. Arenal is about ninety kilometers North West of San José and is a very popular tourist attraction, though the eruption destroyed the town of Arenal and killed 87 people. It is the only active volcano in Costa Rica, though there are island chains formed from extinct volcanoes.

If you decide on Costa Rica for your vacation, you should try to fit in a visit to Arenal. The capital, however, is San José and it has some amazing nightlife. The area of El Pueblo really opens around 9 – 10 pm and stays alive till dawn. It is packed full of bars, shops and restaurants, and is also known for its art galleries. There are many similar areas, such as San Pedro close to the University, that offers a wide variety of bars and night clubs in the Calle de la Amarrgura and it is popular with the students.

If you are looking for culture, San José offers the National Theater and the Melico Salazar, a theater with a decided Parisian influence that is named after the popular Costa Rican tenor. These offer a complete program of cultural activities throughout the year from opera to orchestral music. The Gold Museum provides examples of the gold artifacts of the ancient civilizations of the pre-Columbian period in Central American history, and there are many other museums in the area.

How about a round of golf? Imagine an 18 hole course set in paradise, playing a couple of rounds, finishing with a great meal, a few bets on the tables and finishing the day off at a busy nightclub. A Costa Rica vacation can offer a golfer with everything he could ask for. There are championship courses for the experienced low handicappers and golf schools for beginners and professionals. If you prefer water sports to golf, Costa Rica has the lot.

With the Atlantic on one side and the Pacific on the other there is no shortage of scuba diving, jet skiing, parasailing and every other water sport you could imagine. You can also try deep sea fishing, white water rafting and even climb a mountain. A Costa Rica vacation offers you the lot; whatever you like to do on vacation, you can do it here!

The best time to vacation in Costa Rica is the dry season, between December and April. If you decide on May to November, it is not really wet, but you will generally have rain in the evening. The water is normally fine to drink, though you will probably be best to stick to the bottled variety.

You will find it difficult to beat a Costa Rica vacation, but make sure your passport is up to date. They might not let you in if it has less than six months to go. However, once you are there, I can assure you that you will be reluctant to leave once the vacation is over.

A Costa Rica Vacation Combines Natural Beauty, Wildlife and Sports was originally published at http://www.globallifenow.com