Costa Rica Vacation Guide

If you are embarking on a Central or South American journey and Costa Rica is one of your stopovers, then you certainly need to find a reliable Costa Rica vacation guide to make the most out of your stay. To get a brief overview of what you should learn from a good vacation guide, read on and be armed with the basics.

Costa Rica is part of Central America and its neighboring countries are Nicaragua on the north and Panama on the south. On its western side, there is the Pacific Ocean and on its eastern side, there is the Caribbean Sea.

You may be surprised to know that the best time to visit Costa Rica is during the early parts of the rainy season of May to July. Some towns in the country even experience an elevation in terms of visitors, making the tourist officials regard it as a 'mini-high season'. During this period, traveling might a bit more challenging due to the slight downpours and rain showers. Pack your raingear and bit more patience for the ultimate Costa Rican wild adventure. The mountains and high plateau also offer cooler temperatures to the visitor.

There are many different regions in Costa Rica. There are the Plains of the North, Guanacaste, Nicoya Peninsula, Central Valley, Central Pacific, Caribbean Costa Rica, South Costa Rica and Cocos Island National Park.

The capital city is Costa Rica is San Jose and their official language is Spanish. Other cities in the country are Alajuela which is the location of Juan Santamaría International Airport, Cartago which is the country's first capital and Heredia where tourists can visit coffee plantations. Quepos city is also notable as it is located in the Central Pacific coast and is the entry point to the Manuel Antonio National Park.

There are also the cities of Jacó which has a worldwide reputation as a surfing paradise and where superb dining selection abounds, Liberia which is the gateway to the fantastic beaches of Guanacaste and Pochote which is located on Whale Bay near Puntarenas. Costa Rica's second largest international airport is also located just outside of Liberia providing easy access.

Of course, an excellent Costa Rica vacation guide book should not be quick to miss the cities of Puerto Limón which considered the main city on the Caribbean side of the country, Puntarenas where one can take the ferry going to Nicoya Peninsula, Parismina which is located in Tortuguero Canals and Tamarindo City which is also quite famous as a beach haven for tourists.

Although English is widely used in some areas populated by tourists and many businesses are operated by European entrepreneurs, it is recommended that you learn some Spanish and a few frequently used Costa Rican expressions.

The Spanish words 'Ma'e' means 'dude' and is generally used among friends; 'Pura Vida' literally means 'pure life' but is used by Costa Ricans to express agreement or enthusiasm. A 'pulpería' is a general merchandise store, while if you hear the word 'tuanis', it should be an expression of 'okay' for most natives.

Costa Rica is a beautiful tropical paradise that welcomes all visitors seeking an escape from the hectic everyday stress of urban life. The people of Costa Rica are friendly and helpful in providing you with a great vacation.