What to see in Costa Rica? Sights of Costa Rica, their photos and descriptions La Amistad International Park

More than half of all plant species growing on the planet can be found in Costa Rica, and at least a thousand species of birds live in the local tropical forests. Ocean beaches serve as places for turtles to lay eggs. Manuel Antonio National Park seems like a real coconut paradise. The park has marked routes leading into the jungle, through beaches along rocky headlands. Corcovado National Park is inhabited by jaguars, anteaters and sloths. Corcovado is also rich in other natural treasures: the Salsipuedes cave is located here, where the treasures of the English navigator Francis Drake were kept. There are more than a hundred volcanoes in Costa Rica, most of which are active.

Sights of Costa Rica

1. Las Baulas National Park

On beautiful beach Playa Grande, near Tamarindo in the Northern part Pacific Ocean, is one of the main attractions of Costa Rica, Las Baulas National Park, which is known in the world as the largest nesting grounds for leatherback sea turtles on the Pacific coast. These huge sea turtles have their nesting grounds on the beach, guarded by park staff.

2. Rincon de la Viejo National Park

Famous for its many hot springs and mineral baths, national park Rincon de la Vieja is located in the northwestern part of the province of Guanacaste and includes a highly complex chain of andesitic volcanoes. Its name means "Old Woman's Corner". What sets this park apart from others in Costa Rica is the large number of waterfalls, wildlife and amazing volcanic craters.

3. Playa Hermosa de Osa Beach

Costa Ballena, an area of ​​Costa Rica that is full of amazing, beautiful, tropical beaches. And one of the most impressive among them is Hermosa Beach, which is distinguished by golden sand, a large number of palm trees, a calm sea and magnificent sunsets. Also in the beach area you can meet turtles and monkeys.

4. Playa Ventanas Beach

Another amazing attraction in Costa Rica is Ventanas Beach, which gets its name from the caves that stretch from the beach into the open ocean. At low tide, the caves open up completely and you can walk underneath them and fully experience the amazing acoustics of the place. The beach itself is magnificent, but wild. It has palm trees, coconuts and lots of driftwood scattered across the sand. Tons of hermit crabs scurry across the sand looking for food. The sea in this area is calm.

5. Cathedral of San Jose (Catedral Metropolitana San Jose)

In the very center of San Jose is the main attraction of this city and Costa Rica, Cathedral. Originally built in 1802 in Greek Revival styles Orthodox Church and Baroque, it was renovated in 1871 after an earthquake and then renovated in 1990 for the arrival of Pope John Paul II.

6. Corcovado National Park

Corcovado National Park is one of the most biologically diverse places on the planet. More than 115 species of amphibians and reptiles, 400 species of birds, 140 different mammals, 40 species of fish and more than 400 species of trees live and grow in the park.

Corcovado National Park is located on the stunning Osa Peninsula and is the largest area of ​​tropical forest in Central America.

7. Pavones

The small town of Pavones is widely known as one of best places for surfing in the world. Maybe this place is not the best a big wave, but it is considered that in this place it is the most perfect, as if it were made by a machine. And all this in a small picturesque bay where local fishermen pull their boats onto the beach and sell their catch.

Pavones is an ideal place for beginner surfers. Pavones is just 45 minutes north of the Panama border.

8. Golfito

The town of Golfito is located on the northern side of Dulce Bay and is the only town in Costa Rica that is located within the boundaries of protected lands. This small town ok was once the main port in Costa Rica and from there the United Fruit Company shipped bananas around the world. Today, the main attraction of this town is amazing fishing and everything connected with it, including the best fish restaurants here in the country. The town itself is close to the water with stunning views of the bay.

9. Volcan Arenal

Arenal is a sleeper andesitic stratovolcano in North-west Costa Rica, approximately 90 km northwest of the city San Jose, in the province of Alajuela . The height of the Arenal volcano is at least 1,633 meters.It has a conical shape with a crater with a diameter of 140 meters.Geologically, Arenal is considered a young volcano, estimated to be approximately 7,500 years old. It is also known as "Pan de Azúcar", "Canaste", "Volcano Costa Rica", "Volcano Rio Frio" or "Guatusos Peak".

Vulcan was in at rest in for hundreds of years, and at its summit there was a single crater with insignificant activity fumarole , covered with dense vegetation.In 1968, it suddenly began to erupt, destroying the small town of Tabacon.Due to the eruption, three more craters were formed on the western flanks, but only one of them still exists at the moment.Since 2010, Arenal has been dormant.

10. Jewish Museum of Costa Rica

The first Jewish settlers, the Sephardim, arrived on the coast of Costa Rica in the early 19th century via Panama, mixed with the local population and first took root in the city of Cartago. This museum takes you through history from the first Jewish settlers in Costa Rica to the present day.

11. Costa Rica Insect Museum

Costa Rica is famous for its bio-diversity and the richness of the local ecosystem, with thousands of insect widows living in the country's exotic jungles and swamps.

The museum's collection includes butterflies, beetles, bees, dragonflies and thousands of other insect species.

Costa Rica is a republic in Central America, the most economically stable in the region. In terms of living standards, it ranks second here. It's developed here Agriculture, electronics industry, tourism industry. Along with agricultural products, this small miracle state exports electronics and medical equipment. Costa Rica is a neutral country; it does not have its own army, only the police. Low crime and high literacy of the population (96%) set it apart from other Latin American countries. When is the best time to go to Costa Rica? The mountain range stretching across the entire territory provides great climatic diversity, which creates conditions for natural diversity. Costa Rica is a republic in Central America, the most economically stable in the region. In terms of living standards, it ranks second here. Agriculture, electronics industry, and tourism industry are developed here. Along with agricultural products, this small miracle state exports electronics and medical equipment. Costa Rica is a neutral country; it does not have its own army, only the police. Low crime and high literacy of the population (96%) set it apart from other Latin American countries.

When is the best time to go to Costa Rica?

The mountain range that runs through the entire territory provides great climatic diversity, which creates the conditions for natural diversity. Thanks to this, you can see twelve types of tropical forests with their inherent flora and fauna. The rainy season lasts from May to November, so vacation will be most successful in the time period from December to April. Costa Rica hosts many lavish and colorful festival processions. Almost every day you can see a celebration of some date or a festive parade here. Dance

festival, Ox Cart Day, Orchid Festival - it is impossible to list all the names of the holidays. It is not for nothing that this country is the happiest in the category “International Happiness Index” for 2012!

Features of holidays in Costa Rica

Costa Rican beaches are amazing, they are considered one of the cleanest in the world. Thanks to special geographical location many beach areas are distributed on the coast of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans with a total length of over 1 thousand km. The beaches have well-developed infrastructure. On the Pacific coast they are calmer, covered with sand of different colors - from snow-white to golden, and not far from the coast there is an uninhabited island considered a diving center. There are other uninhabited islands nearby. For lovers of active recreation, everything necessary is also provided. In the spring, when the rainy season begins in Costa Rica, the rivers fill with water, and rafting enthusiasts can begin rafting down them. Excellent rafting can be complemented by visiting volcanoes and natural parks, of which there are plenty here. The magnificent building of the National Theater in San Jose impresses with its beauty and architecture. European artists were involved in its design. Costa Ricans are proud of this landmark. To build it, they taxed the export of coffee, and invested the proceeds in construction. The Belavista fortress is located National Museum Costa Rica. It presents unique exhibits telling about the past and culture, paintings by famous artists and even objects

pre-Columbian era. According to legend, in the Sacred Basilica of Los Angeles there is a statue of the Black Madonna, which has healing powers. Thousands of pilgrims come here every year, hoping for a miracle. The main natural attractions of Costa Rica are its picturesque reserves. Monteverde National Park is a tropical forest with a variety of plants and animals. In it you can see both the largest trees up to several tens of meters high, and the smallest trees. There is also a snake farm and a butterfly museum here. The amazing turquoise color of the Celeste River flows next to the Tenorio volcano. The shade of its water is determined by its composition, and, according to legend, by divine power. The river forms a waterfall of amazing beauty. A delightful collection of orchids is contained in the Lancaster Garden - more than 1,400 species, it is named after the British naturalist. The vast Barra Honda National Park is home to unique caves with underground passages and many halls. Inside the cavity in rocks intricately decorated with limestone formations of various shapes and sizes, attracting lovers of mysticism and the unknown. Holidays in Costa Rica will satisfy even the most demanding tastes. There are beautiful picturesque corners of wild nature and historical monuments, and the necessary conditions for active pastime, and entertainment for everyone. The most important component of tourist attractiveness is a friendly atmosphere towards tourists! You can always find tours to Costa Rica or another Latin American country on our website.

CITIES OF Costa Rica

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  San Jose

  The most interesting places San Jose
  Capital of Costa Rica. The largest city in the state. It is located in the center of the country, on a hill 1170 meters above the ocean. The city is home to 350 thousand inhabitants, and the majority settled here relatively recently - in the second half of the 20th century. Together with its suburbs, the capital is home to a million people. Not far from the city is located largest lake country called Arenal. Main attractions. Museum of Pre-Columbian Gold. The Golden Museum is located in the former National Theatre. Specializes in gold products. At the same time, you can learn a lot about pre-Columbian history. The territory now occupied by Costa Rica was home to many Indian tribes (the last of which disappeared in the early 20th century) that are interesting to learn more about.

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  Costa Rica city

  The most interesting places in Costa Rica
  A small country in Central America. The name Costa Rica means “rich coast”. The republic ranks second in terms of living standards among all Central American countries. In 2012, the country was recognized as the happiest in the world. The country's population is just under 5 million people. The peculiarity of Costa Rica is that it is the only country in all of America where there is no army. This is a neutral state where there is only one power structure - the police. The republic has a low crime rate compared to neighboring regions. Most of the country's territory is covered with forests, where you can find rare and valuable tree species. In addition, a large number of species of animals, insects and birds live here.

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  Guanacaste

  The most interesting places in Guanacasta
  One of the seven provinces of Costa Rica, located in the northwestern part of the country. It is popular for its beaches and mild climate. The government's concern for the environment is clearly visible here: cleaning technologies are being introduced, which have made it easier to clean the city and beaches. Ecotourism to waterfalls, cliffs, volcanoes, etc. is actively developing in Guanacaste. It is worth noting that this perfect place for a holiday where you can go at any time of the year. It rarely rains here, which could ruin the trip. A large number of beaches that stretch for hundreds of kilometers will allow you to diversify your vacation, because each beach and each entrance to the water is unique.

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  Alajuela

  The most interesting places in Alajuela
  The city of Costa Rica, which ranks third in size in the country. It is located in the northern part of the state. This is a place meant for family vacation, since there are cozy family hotels and restaurants. This province is actively engaged in agriculture, namely, the cultivation of fruits, coffee, and tobacco. The favorite craft of local residents is painting and wood carving. Visitors to the city can purchase the resulting creations as souvenirs. It is worth noting that this art has been taken to a new level here, so if you go to any shop with wooden souvenirs, you will be pleasantly surprised. Despite the fact that the city is quite large, walking is important.

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  Quepos

  The most interesting places in Quepos
  The main center of tourism and recreation in Costa Rica. The coastal city is located in the Western part of the country. It boasts a variety of world-class ecotourism and sport fishing activities. They are one of the city's attractions. Attractions. Quepos is the gateway to Costa Rica's Manuel Antonio National Park, where every path leads to stunning sites. For example, fabulous beaches, emerald bays, places inhabited by monkeys, parrots, toucans and much more. This is one of two places where titi monkeys are protected. The most interesting attractions are the variety of wildlife tours.

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  Puntarenas

  The most interesting places in Puntarenas
  One of the seven provinces of sunny Costa Rica, located on the western side of the country. It is larger than other provinces and occupies most coastal area. In addition, the province includes an island in the Pacific Ocean. The most interesting sights. The local nature plays a major role in attracting tourists to Puntarenas. She is the main attraction. Everything that is located here should impress vacationers, from tall palm trees and orchids to wide rivers and an active volcano. Poas is located here - famous volcano, which erupts approximately once every half hour. Every tourist can watch this process.

It is also famous for the highest density of flora and fauna in addition to the varied topography of mountains, plains, forest areas, volcanoes, beaches, lakes and rivers.

Tamarindo - a great resort holiday

Year-round sun, breathtaking scenery, a tranquil atmosphere and a short distance from national parks make Tamarindo a popular resort for family holidays and ecotourism.

Located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, Tamarindo is one of the most developed and accessible coastal towns with paved roads and plenty of activities for tourists.

San Jose is the geographical center and capital of Costa Rica

The largest and youngest city surrounded by lush green plains, the capital of Costa Rica, San Jose, provides tourists with accommodation, food, shopping, and immersive atmosphere. nightlife city, enjoy art and culture.

The city is located on a hill, in the geographical center of the country, which allows you to see other attractions of Costa Rica.

Chirripo National Park

Stretching across the 3 provinces of southern Costa Rica, Limon, and San José, Chirripo National Park preserves the uniqueness of its environment and wild species animals.

Named after herself high mountain Cerro Chirripo, the park is a combination of bare mesas (devoid of vegetation), fern groves, wetlands, lush rainforests and glacial lakes.

Rincón de la Vieja National Park

Rincon de la Vieja is located in the northwest of the country, in the Pacific region of Costa Rica and is named after the main attraction - a huge, smoking volcano.

So amazing natural objects How the craters, vents, bubbling mud volcanoes, geysers, and incredible amount of plant and wildlife make this park one of the best places to visit in Costa Rica.

Corcovado National Park

Many residents and tourists of Costa Rica recognized Corcovado as the pride of all the national parks of this country. Corcovado is home to such a vast array of wild plants and animals that it is one of the few places where you can enjoy magnificent views. This park is located on the Osa Peninsula, in the southwestern part of Costa Rica. It includes several major ecosystems with mangrove swamp and rainforest.

Tortuguero National Park

Despite the fact that Tortuguero, located in the northwestern part of Costa Rica, is remote from the city of San Jose and can only be reached by boat or plane, it is one of the most visited parks in the country.

As the largest turtle sanctuary on the West Coast Caribbean Sea, the park attracts tourists with its main attraction - sea turtles, which build nests and protect them until the hatchlings hatch right on the beach.

Playa Jaco - great surfing and active nightlife

Playa Jaco is a very popular holiday destination and is less than 2 hours from San Jose. It is famous for its magnificent beaches, wildlife, active recreation and vibrant night entertainment. This coastal city is full of life. It is also well known for its relaxed atmosphere and excellent surfing opportunities.

Manuel Antonio National Park

This is the smallest but most frequently visited park in Costa Rica and is easily accessible from San Jose. It is located on the mid-Pacific coast near the city. Manuel Antonio encompasses a large number of ecosystems with lush tropical forests, white sandy beaches and stunning coral reefs.

Arenal Volcano

A few years ago, Arenal was the most active volcano in Costa Rica. Frequent and short-lasting eruptions could produce incredible bursts of lava at one time. However, in 2010, Arenal entered a dormant phase, but it is unknown for how long. However, the surrounding area still provides tourists with the opportunity to enjoy beautiful scenery and find exciting activities.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Mountains lush with greenery and tropical jungles shrouded in clouds have aroused the genuine interest of exotic songbirds, animals and insects. Monteverde is located in central Costa Rica and is a top destination for tourists due to its amazing natural beauty, extraordinary biodiversity and abundance of activities including rope climbing and canopy tours.

Costa Rica (Costa-Rica) - translated from Spanish means "rich coast", in fact, a lot of wealth can be found in this country: Quiet and Atlantic Oceans with their wonderful beaches, many national parks, forests and reserves with animals and birds, volcanoes, including active ones, provinces rich in adventures and authentic souvenirs, and finally, the capital with its colonial architecture. Costa Rica will not leave anyone indifferent.

Geography of Costa Rica

Costa Rica is located in the narrowest place in Central America, excluding Panama, the distance between the two oceans, the Pacific and the Atlantic, is at its bottleneck only 118 km. Costa Rica borders on the north and , on the south.

Due to the presence of long oceanic borders, Costa Rica has a long sea coastline - 1228 km, on which many seaside resorts are located. In the center of the country there is a plateau with cloud forests and volcanoes, also called the “Central Valley”.

In the center of the country there are many small but fast rivers that originate in mountains and volcanoes; canoeing is often arranged on them and canopies and zip lines are arranged over them.

Largest cities in Costa Rica:

• Capital - (San Jose)
• Alajuela is a satellite city of the capital, part of the capital agglomeration
• Liberia is a large city in the north-west of the country (the capital of the province of Guanacaste), from here you can reach most of the seaside resorts of the north-west west coast Costa Rica ( , ).
• Puntarenas - resort town in the west of the country, the capital of the province of the same name. From here you can get to the resorts of the western and southwestern coasts of the Pacific Ocean (Playa Herradura, Manuel Antonio, Marino Ballena).
• Limon is a large port city on the Atlantic coast of the country, the capital of the province of the same name. From here you can reach all resorts on the Atlantic coast of Costa Rica (,).

Russians do not need a visa to visit Costa Rica. For up to 30 days, you will be given an entry stamp right at the border or at the airport. .

Currency of Costa Rica

The currency of Costa Rica is the Costa Rican colon or simply colon. On price tags it is designated as CRC.

The Costa Rican colon exchange rate for 2019 is:

1 USD = 600 CRC.

In tourist places you can pay in dollars. In many shops, restaurants and cafes you can pay with plastic cards. The banking infrastructure is very well developed in Costa Rica, so that even in the most run-down town there are bank branches with automated teller machines (ATMs) where you can withdraw money from your card.

All outlets in Costa Rica are American type 110V.

The climate in Costa Rica is determined by its distance from the ocean and altitude. The closer to the ocean and lower, the warmer and the climate is more tropical; closer to the center and higher, the colder. In general, the central part of the country is located on a plateau, and it is quite comfortable here.

There are clearly defined rainy (May - November) and dry (December - April) seasons.

How to get to Costa Rica

By plane

There are no direct flights from Russia to Costa Rica, so you need to make a transfer in Cuba, the USA or Europe. The most profitable options are offered by Iberia airlines - via Madrid, Lufthansa (Condor) - via Frankfurt and Cubana - via Havana. An airport tax will be charged upon departure. A taxi from the airport to the center of San Jose takes about 15 minutes and costs about 20 USD. The bus travels for about 1 hour and costs 1 USD.

By bus

Costa Rica can be reached from nearby countries (Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama). The Pan-American Highway travels through all these countries. international buses. The most common bus companies: TicaBus, KingQuality, etc. Compare prices on websites and choose cheaper. And, of course, all these international buses arrive and depart to/from their terminal. These terminals are located in different cities; if there is no terminal in the city, you will be dropped off in the city or somewhere nearby.

The most common and cheapest transport in Costa Rica are buses. Bus network very tightly covers almost the entire country, including even the most hidden corners, National parks, volcanoes, etc. Almost everywhere can be reached by bus. There are city, intercity and international buses. It should be noted that in Costa Rica there is no such cruelty as in other Central Asian countries (I mean chicken bass). There are none here, just ordinary modern buses, very often with air conditioning.

In the capital and large cities you can use taxi services, for example a short trip around San Jose will cost 10-15 USD.

You can also rent a car at one of the rental offices: license, age over 21, 1000 USD as deposit and the car is yours. It makes sense to rent a car for traveling around the country, it’s very convenient

Where to stay, what to eat, prices in Costa Rica

In Costa Rica great amount hotels, hostels, cabins, lounges, etc. There are also luxury chain hotels: Hilton, Holiday Inn, Best Western, and quite cheap hostels for 20-30 USD.

On popular sea ​​resorts You can often come across themed hotels, for example the world-famous airplane hotel () in .

In small resort towns, you don’t have to book a hotel in advance, but look for it upon arrival, because... Usually these towns are small, and there is a lot of housing, then you can go around and look for it. In addition, you can evaluate the level of comfort live and bargain.

In large cities, such as San Jose, you need to either have a reservation or have several options with addresses in mind, because... V big city It can be quite difficult to find a hotel at random. You can book standardly on or on a newfangled

The cuisine and food of Costa Rica is not very different from the cuisine of other countries in Central and South America: it is still the same arroz con pollo (rice with chicken), arroz con carne (rice with meat), arroz con camarones (pilaf with seafood), ensaladas (salads). There is also a large selection of fast food (all kinds of burgers).

As a side dish, they usually serve platano (banana cakes), patacones (fried plantain stalks), casados ​​(rice-vegetable mixture).

The cost of food and housing is quite high when compared with other Central Asian countries. It’s very cheap to eat in a cafe with a drink for about 7-10 USD. Eating in a restaurant for tourists from 30 USD. Housing is the cheapest 20 USD per double. with very modest conditions (this will most likely be a cabinas (room)).

Sights of Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a country attractive for all types of holidays. Here you can either bask on the beach with snow-white sand, drinking rum and cola, or climb a volcano or conquer the waves on a board.

The main attractions of the country are undoubtedly its natural beauty: oceans, beaches, volcanoes, tropical and cloud forests, and national parks with many inhabitants.

On the Pacific Coast National parks definitely worth visiting: Santa Rosa, Guanacaste, Marino Ballena

You can see the capital of Costa Rica - its architecture, churches, parks and museums, but I would not stay here more than 2-3 days, because there is so much interesting in Costa Rica.

Safety in Costa Rica

Costa Rica feels like the most safe country V Latin America. There is a lot of white population (descendants of the Spaniards), maybe because of this this impression is created. It was a little awkward in San Jose early in the morning, but that's normal for a big city.

Let me remind you of the safety rules that should be followed even if everything seems safe:

• IN dark time It’s better not to go out at all for a day, and if you really need to, we take a taxi. We plan all transfers during daylight hours
• Do not flash money, photo or video equipment on the streets or in crowded places. We carry all our camera equipment in a bag or backpack. We take out our camera, quickly take pictures of what we need and put the camera in our backpack.
• Do not wear jewelry or earrings
• It’s better to wear discreet clothes, but even though you can be seen by tourists
• Avoid going into potentially dangerous areas (usually the city center, markets, bus terminals)
• Try not to go out on Sunday in business centers and the city center (all centers “die out” on Sundays)
• Drink only bottled water, wash fruits with water.

But of course, all these rules are for strong reinsurance, otherwise the country is cool - come, but it’s expensive.

Reference

• Costa Rica covers an area of ​​51 km? — it’s a little larger than the Moscow region
• The only state in all of America that does not have an army, i.e. Costa Rica is a completely neutral state
• Population 4.8 million people.

Would you like to go down into the crater of a real volcano? Or feel like a pirate searching for lost treasure? Or maybe yours perfect holiday— is it surfing and white sand beaches? Then take a trip to Costa Rica - a true Central American tourist paradise!

San Jose is the capital of Costa Rica

Be sure to visit this hospitable city, located among mountains and valleys at an altitude of 1200 meters. Ancient buildings and modern ones shopping centers, neighborhoods of old buildings in pre-classical or neo-colonial style, pedestrian streets, friendly locals - all this awaits you here. A unique landmark of the city is the central market. Connoisseurs of real aromatic coffee can buy it here.

There are many museums in the capital of Costa Rica, San Jose. For example, those who want to plunge into the pre-Columbian era can visit Gold Museum. There are more than two thousand gold items created by the Indians, some dating back to the fifth century BC. These are household items, jewelry, gold shields, and figurines. Unfortunately, this is only a small part of the Indian heritage: much of it was melted down or destroyed at one time.

Dedicated to the creativity of the local population before their contact with Europeans jade museum. It houses one of the largest thematic collections in all of America.

Jaco - for fans of clubs and windsurfing

Just an hour and a half drive from San Jose, Jaco- a real paradise for young people who come on vacation. Here you can find clubs, restaurants and bars in huge numbers. And if you want to learn windsurfing, they can also help you here: the beaches of Jaco have excellent conditions for this type of recreation.

Natural Wonders of Costa Rica

If you ask tourists why they go to Costa Rica, the nature of this country will certainly be high on the list of their answers. Volcanoes, lakes, national parks, islands, beaches with clear water and white sand - all this attracts those who want to take a break from the city noise and love nature tourism.

Volcanoes of Costa Rica

A significant part of the country is covered by mountain ranges, and there are many volcanoes - active and extinct. Traveling to Costa Rica without volcanoes is almost impossible to imagine. The most popular volcanoes among guests of the country are:

• Arenal;
• Turrialba;
• Irasu;
• Poas.

One of the most famous attractions in Costa Rica is Arenal volcano. It reaches a height of 1657 meters, and last erupted in 2000. Nowadays, small lava eruptions occur periodically, absolutely safe, but at the same time very spectacular. The volcano is located on the territory of the national park of the same name; nearby there is a lake with the same name.

Lake Arenal- the largest in Costa Rica. It covers an area of ​​about eighty square kilometers. It became so large due to the fact that a hydroelectric dam was built here in 1979. The depth of the lake can vary from 60 to 30 meters - it depends on the season. It is surrounded by the most beautiful tropical forest. In the spring and summer, thousands of windsurfers come here.

In the Arenal National Park you can also see La Fortuna waterfall, falling from a height of more than 70 meters. You can climb to the top of the waterfall on horseback or on foot along a specially organized trail and enjoy the view of the waterfall, canyon, and moss-covered rocks from the observation deck. Those who wish can even take a dip in the cool water of the waterfall pool.

Another active volcano, located just thirty kilometers from San Jose - Volcano Turrialba. Its height is 3340 meters, and this the only volcano in a country into the crater of which tourists can descend absolutely safely. And from its high peaks there are stunning views of the tropical forests surrounding the peak.

Guayabo- archaeological site, abandoned ancient city, located on the southern slope of the Turrialba volcano. At the moment, archaeologists have excavated only a small part of the city, a little more than two hundred hectares. But this alone allows us to judge that during its heyday the city was quite well developed. People have lived here since about 1000 BC. to 1400 AD In 800 AD About ten thousand people lived here. Aqueducts, remains of the foundations of wooden houses and entire streets were found.

At a distance of 31 kilometers from the city of Cartago, at an altitude of 3700 meters above sea level, is located volcano Irazu. Once upon a time, in one of its craters there was salt lake. It could change color from green to red. However, after the earthquake the lake disappeared, but this did not make the volcano any less beautiful. As you climb, you can take unique photos of the landscapes opening from its slopes.

Territory Poas volcano It is also one of the national parks, spread over an area of ​​65 square kilometers. The height of the volcano is 2700 meters, two of its three craters are inactive today. In one of the craters there is ice lake with a diameter of 360 meters. In the national park you can find a huge variety of animals and plants, for example, beautiful orchids and magnolias.

National parks

Nature reserves, national parks, and protected areas occupy almost a third of the country. There are seventy-four protected areas in Costa Rica. The most famous of them:

Situated on the Pacific coast Manuel Antonio National Park, founded in 1972. On an area of ​​more than 16 square kilometers there are four wonderful beaches, many hiking trails, and tide pools for scuba diving enthusiasts. About one hundred and fifty thousand people a year become visitors to the park.

On the Osa Peninsula, also on the Pacific coast, is located Corcovado- another national park. It is almost 42 and a half hectares of untouched rain forest with amazing plants and animals. Visitors to the park can see at least eight different ecosystems and more than five hundred species of trees. Be sure to visit the Salsipuedes Cave, the main attraction of Corcovado, where, according to legend, Francis Drake himself hid a treasure.

Monteverde National Park constantly shrouded in foggy haze, and no wonder: it is located at an altitude of 1400 meters. In the tropical zone of our planet, this is perhaps one of the richest reserves: there are more than 2,500 species of plants, more than 400 orchids alone. More than 400 species of birds also live in the park. Hotels have been built for tourists in the park, and extreme sports enthusiasts can have fun rappelling at a height of 40 meters with insurance.

La Amistad- international park: it is located on the border between Costa Rica and Panama. More than 5,700 square kilometers of the park are covered with tropical rain forests. This reserve is the largest in Central America. Four tribes of Indians live here, and archaeologists have also discovered traces of human activity dating back to the tenth century BC.

Braulio Carrillo- a national park named after the country's president. This is more than forty-four thousand hectares that cover tropical forests. The park contains many mountains, as well as two currently inactive volcanoes. There is a very wide variety of plants and animals due to significant elevation changes. For example, visitors to the park can see more than 600 species of trees alone.

Located in the north-west of the country Guanacaste— a protected area that includes five parks with total area more than one thousand four hundred square kilometers. The state and UNESCO protect the rich flora and fauna, beautiful landscapes territories. To date, the nature of the parks has not yet been fully explored.

Six hundred kilometers from the western coast of the country is located Cocos Island- from uninhabited islands It is the largest in the Pacific Ocean. According to legend, a mysterious treasure was hidden on the island, which has not yet been found. Who knows, maybe you will be lucky enough to become its owner? In the center of the island is Mount Roundell-Con, around which there is a wild jungle, and sharks live in the coastal waters.

Many fans of pirate legends have heard about island Tortuga. Whole generations of pirates molested this island in the old days. Here one could not only profitably sell looted jewelry and other goods, but also simply have fun and relax. Today the island is an attractive place for tourists.

Costa Rica: what else to see from natural sites?

Santa Teresa Beach- one of the most beautiful in this country. If you love relaxing beach tourism, then this place is simply made for you. There are no noisy discos here, but there are cozy bungalows, cute restaurants with delicious dishes, snow-white sand and all the conditions for surfing.

In general, each beach in the country has its own “specialization”:

• Playa del Coco is a scuba diving center;
• Playa Flamingo and Tamarindo are ideal for surfing;
• Playa Conchal is the beach with the whitest sand;
• On the beach of Playa Grande you can see turtles - they love to lay eggs here.

Nauyaka Falls not promoted by travel agencies, but local residents like very much. From the parking lot, to see it, you will have to walk several kilometers through the forest, but it’s worth it: along the way you will be able to observe beautiful nature. And in the waterfall itself there are tiny cute frogs that you can catch if you try.

Age limestone caves of Venado- about 15-20 million years. Here you can see stalactites and stalagmites created by nature itself over this long time. Tourists can go into the caves, but it is worth remembering that the territory of the caves is not specially equipped: there is no hiking trails, lighting, on the floor of the caves there is water almost everywhere. Therefore, you can wander here with a flashlight as much as you like, feeling like real cave explorers!

They also willingly take tourists to coffee plantations. Most Popular Heredia plantations, located just ten kilometers from San Jose.

What to see in Costa Rica, besides nature?

Construction of the national theater building began in 1891, and opened six years later. It was built thanks to coffee magnates: money for construction was received from taxes on coffee exports. Thus, the theater symbolizes the economic prosperity of the country. The building was built in the Renaissance style and decorated with statues, and the Paris Opera was taken as a model. The interior of the theater was severely damaged by one of the earthquakes, but it was subsequently completely restored.

One of the most beautiful sights in Costa Rica - Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels. It is located on central square Cartago. It is noteworthy that the basilica was the only building that survived the earthquake that once destroyed the city. The inside of the building is decorated with many beautiful stained glass windows and statues; visitors can also see the “Black Madonna” - a miraculous statue.

In San Jose you can also visit the largest in Costa Rica Simon Bolivar Zoo. Various representatives of the cat family live here, a huge variety of species of colorful parrots - they are collected literally from all the forests of this tropical country. And in the serpentarium of the zoo there are colorful snakes.

Costa Rica attractions