Costa Rica is Central America's special jewel considered by many the Switzerland of the Americas. It has a reputation for being an oasis of calm, but there is more to Costa Rica than environment. The country's natural attractions, wildlife and reputation for enlightened conservation draw tourists from all over the world, and the ticos know it.

Successive governments have made a real effort to preserve the country's image as ecotourism heaven, making Costa Rica one of the best places to experience the tropics naturally and with minimal impact “Costa with no artificial ingredients”.

Weather: Costa Rica is a tropical country and experiences only two seasons: wet and dry. The dry season is generally between late December and April, and the wet season lasts the rest of the year. The Caribbean coast tends to be wet all year. Temperatures vary little between seasons; the main influence on temperature is altitude. San José at 1150m (3772ft) has a climate which the locals refer to as 'eternal spring': lows average 15°C (60°F); highs average 26°C (79°F).The coasts are much hotter, with the Caribbean averaging 21°C (70°F) at night and over 30°C (86°F) during the day; the Pacific is a few degrees warmer still. The humidity at low altitudes can be oppressive.

Geography: Rugged highlands are found throughout most of the country, ranging from approximately 1,000 to 2,000 meters (3,000 to 6,000 feet above sea level). The Guanacaste Mountain Range, Central Mountain Range, and Talamanca Mountain Range are the main mountain ranges extending the entire length of the country.

There are several active volcanoes (Arenal Volcano, Irazu Volcano, Rincon de la Vieja Volcano and Turrialba Volcano) and the country's highest mountain (Chirripo Hill) with a height of 3,819 m/12,530 ft. The country has a relatively long coastline in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as well as a number of rivers and streams that attract specialist kayakers and rafters from all over the world.

Local Currency: The currency of Costa Rica is the "colon", named after Christopher Columbus himself. In most tourist areas U.S. dollars will be accepted. We recommend carrying with you small amounts of cash in dollars in small bills or colones. In some places you can use your credit card to get cash out of an ATM machine. Of course in most large restaurants, souvenir shops, and hotels, major credit cards are accepted.

For meals, drinks, entry fees, souvenirs, and such you can count on approximately two hundred dollars a week. Of course this is an average and depends on your own spending patterns.

This amount also includes the entry fees of the national parks, which amount to about forty dollars for the entire trip. It is always sensible to bring a little extra money for unexpected expenses, such as special souvenirs or medical expenses. It is customary in Costa Rica to tip. This quite often forms a part of the monthly income of most people in the service industry.

Time: Costa Rica is six hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), which is equivalent to Central Time in North America. There is no daylight saving time.

Language: Costa Rica's official language is Spanish. On the Caribbean Coast a small minority of Jamaican descendants speak a local version of English, and most Costa Ricans can understand and speak a bit of English. Quite recently all public schools made mandatory the learning of a second language.

Religion: As in the rest of Latin America, Roman Catholicism is Costa Rica’s main religion, but there is a very wide margin of tolerance and the constitutional freedom of creed is always respected. Costa Rica’s religions by percentage of practicing members: Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%.

Transportation: International Air Transportation: Most air traffic to and from Costa Rica is handled through the Juan Santamaría Airport, located 29 minutes from San José, in the city of Alajuela.

Domestic Air Transportation: All flights leave from the International Juan Santamaría Airport or the Tobías Bolaños Airport. There is a network of internal airports which not only serve important cities, but special interest tourist areas. Among the most important are: Liberia, Palmar Sur, Tamarindo, Barra del Colorado, Limón, Quepos, Golfito, Coto 47, etc. From the Tobías Bolaños Airport, located to the west of the capital city, private airlines offer flights to most areas of the country.

Domestic Bus Service: The country, in general, offers adequate bus service. The majority are private companies which link San José with the principal provincial towns and cities, seaports and tourist areas. With good-quality vehicles and frequent itineraries, the user can easily travel by bus throughout the country. In the main cities and villages nationwide, there are taxicab companies that service the user to the more remote places in the country. Four-wheel drive vehicles are typical for the rural areas.

Driver Requirements: A foreigner may drive with a current license from his country of origin and his passport, during the three months that his tourist visa is valid. Warning triangles should be carried at all times by all drivers, and seat belts are also required for drivers and front-seat passengers. The use of helmets for motorcycle conductors is required.