Located amid mountain ranges between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, Costa Rica has wonderful beaches and an eco-system unique in the world.

Guanacaste in northern Costa Rica encompasses both coastal and interior areas, arid plains, and lush forests, mountains, golden beaches and estuaries teeming with life. Some of the largest and most beautiful nature reserves are located here, as well as many fine beachfront resorts offering fishing, scuba diving, windsurfing and golf.

The active Arenal Volcano and Tabacon Hot Springs are a short drive from the coast. The bustle of the capital, San Jose, is only a three-hour drive along the highway.

Half of the population lives in San Jose, which offers an interesting selection of museums, shops and restaurants. In addition to San Jose, Southern Costa Rica also offers the popular beach destination of Jaco Beach/Puntarenas areas with family-oriented hotels, excellent beaches and a choice of activities including horseback riding, surfing and golf.

Costa Rica has something for beach lovers and nature lovers alike!

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Costa Rica -- Spring Break For The Untraditional
by Marla Kaplan

Contrary to popular opinion, Spring Break doesn’t necessarily mean having to spend a week frying to a crisp on a beach with hundreds of rowdy college kids. For those of you craving warmth but a bit more culture than a trip to Cancun or Key West might offer, think about Costa Rica, one of Let’s Go’s favorite untraditional Spring Break destinations.

Costa Rica has just about everything—lush rainforests, world-class surfing, pristine beaches, flavorful local culture, and a throbbing nightlife. And, surprisingly, all this can be had for roughly the same price as any of the package trips that are so heavily marketed for Spring Break. With airfare anywhere from $350-550, and daily costs as low as $25, Costa Rica can be the budget Spring Breaker’s dream vacation.

Visiting Costa Rica is in many ways like having the best of all worlds: you get Latin America at its best, with great food, culture, and history, but with most of the creature comforts of home (or of any other major Spring Break destination, for that matter). In addition to being praised for its stunning natural attractions and thriving eco-tourism industry, Costa Rica is also known for being one of Latin America’s most highly developed (and safest) nations—roads here are safe and well-traveled, education levels are high, and because tourism is the country’s biggest industry, travelers are welcomed with a wide variety of amenities by ticos (what Costa Ricans nickname themselves).

Figuring out what to do once in Costa Rica can be a bit intimidating, especially if you only have a week to do and see it all. Below are some of Let’s Go’s favorite places in Costa Rica, with just a sliver of practical information to whet your appetite and get you started. For more details and extensive information on traveling in Costa Rica, check out Let’s Go: Costa Rica at www.letsgo.com

San Jose.
Costa Rica’s capital city may be a bit daunting at first, but it really is the vibrant cultural heart of the country. Beautiful architecture, world-class museums, and the best nightlife the country has to offer are only the beginning. San Jose makes a natural starting point to any trip; spend a day or two here getting acquainted to local tica culture before jetting off to the coast or rainforest. Hotels near the parque central are often the best bet in terms of convenience, quality, and value; check out Costa Rica Backpackers Hostel (Av. 6, Calle 21/23; tel. 221 6191; www.costaricabackpackers.com) or Casa León (Av. 6, Calle 13/15; tel. 222 9725) for student-friendly options. For the best nightlife, however, head out of the city center to San Pedro, for a plethora of student bars, or to El Pueblo for all-out clubbing and partying.

Playa Tamarindo.
This is as close as you’ll get to Spring Break debauchery in Costa Rica, but beautiful beaches, tropical bars, and endless multi-ethnic restaurants make for a classy, not trashy, atmosphere. From here, there’s easy access to many of the Nicoya Peninsula’s other fantastic beaches. Accommodations range from the inexpensive but convenient Cabinas Doly (tel. 653 0017), to the funky and colorful mid-range Arco Iris (tel. 653 0330; www.hotelarcoiris.com); and can get as pricey and cushy as the top-of-the-line Hotel Capitán Suizo (tel. 653 0075).

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.
Smack dab in the middle of Costa Rica, this amazing natural park is home to more than 2500 species of plants and over 600 species of animals, and can be explored either individually on marked trails or through guided tours from the visitors’ center (tel. 645 5122; www.cct.or.cr). Two other natural reserves (Reserva Santa Elena and Reserva Forestal Bosque Eterno de los Niños) lie nearby. While the parks offer rustic accommodations, the nearby towns of Santa Elena and Monteverde have more options with extensive services. Try Pensión Santa Elena (tel. 645 5051) in Santa Elena, or Pensión Manakín (tel. 645 5080; www.monteverdeforever.com) in Monteverde, although there are a host of other hotels and hostels eager to accommodate travelers.

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.
Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast is unlike any other part of the country, as locals and expats living there will readily attest. This up-and-coming beach town, the region’s most commercially active, is one of the most popular places along the coast for surfing, snorkeling, and sunbathing, as well as for taking in some of the eclectic local culture. Tour operators abound for hiking, scuba diving, surfing, kayak adventures, and more. However, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is more than just a beach bum’s haven—nearby, travelers can visit the Finca la Isla’s Botanical Garden, an abandoned cacao plantation that is now a working tropical farm (tel. 750 0046; www.greencost.com\garden.html); or the Reserva Indígena Cocles Kekoldi, home to a large part of Costa Rica’s remaining indigenous population.

Let's Go: The Resource For the Independent Traveler. For more than forty years, Let's Go Travel Guides have brought budget-savvy travelers closer to the world by providing the most up-to-date information. Visit Let's Go online www.letsgo.com.

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Citizens of the United States, Canada & Great Britain can visit Costa Rica for a maximum of 90 days. A visa
is not necessary, but you must have a valid passport.

Language: Spanish
Population: 3,710,558
Capital: San Jose
Electricity: 120/60 (volts/hz)

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