"It's Tico time!" a Costa Rica Travel Page by mad4travel

Costa Rica has been likened to the Switzerland of Central America. Compared to its troublesome neighbours it has benefitted greatly from having a stable democracy, no army and money used for heath and Education.
Because of that however, it is a bit of a sanitised version of what you get to know and love in say, Guatamala or Nicuaragua.

But, it is a fantastic place. having the foresight to preserve its best asset the countryside and therefore the wildlife.

The countryside is varied and very pretty, flowers grow along the roadside which makes it colourful and the scenery is very varied, from the low lying Caribbean coast with its canals and black sandy beaches t o the misty hills and coffee plantations, to the highlands and volcanoes and the gorgeous white pacific beaches its all fantastic.

Of course, with the scenery comes the wildlife. After a stint in the Peruvian Amazon I was apprehensive that I would barely see any animals, but how wrong I was.

Tortuguero on the Caribbean coast was a fantastic trek by boat where you could creep up on the wildlife and get really close.

Monteverde Rainforest was magical and again full of animals

and the most beautiful - Manuel Antonio, on the coast with azure coloured sea and white sandy beaches and very cheeky monkeys!

See my tips for more critter pics and stories....

They pack a lot in for such a small country. Theres a lot to do.

San Jose the capital is not that great, it does not have any real stunning architecture as some other central american cities but it does have a good museum thats worth a look.

Tortuguero national park has lots of jungle treks, boat trips and Turtle watching.

Monteverde has forest walks, canopy bridge walks above the trees, zip lines over the forest and a host of animal related places like a butterfly sanctuary and frog centre.

Arenal has walks around a grumbling (and often erupting volcano)

Manuel Antonio National Park has forest walks, white sandy beaches, good restaurants and is a great place to chill out.