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Costa Rica
Relevant information about Costa Rica.
In Costa Rica visitors will find the ideal tropical destination for tourism. The first attraction of Costa Rica is its coastline of over 1250km, plenty of white sand beaches where tourists can choose a variety of activities to do, and they can also enjoy beautiful landscapes. And for those who like to go sightseeing, there are a lot of options of cities and places to visit, from national parks to get into the forest and an exciting nightlife to get a closer taste of the Latin American flavour. Furthermore, Costa Rica may also be chosen for those tourists who have seen it all, and are looking for something different: medical tourism. A variety of medical services, along with beauty treatments and relax in perfectly set spas can be found in Costa Rica. This Latin American country is not only perfect to visit for its paradise beaches and nature, but also for its rich culture and medical services for tourists. Come and enjoy a piece of Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is situated on the Central American isthmus, 10° North of the equator and 84° West of the Prime Meridian. It borders the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean. Costa Rica also borders Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south-southeast. Besides, Costa Rica comprises 51,100 square kilometres, plus 589 square kilometres of territorial waters. Costa Rica also comprises several islands. Cocos Island stands out because of its distance from continental landmass, 300 miles from Puntarenas, but Calero Island is the largest island of the country. Up to date, Costa Rica has an estimated population of 4,640,000. White and Mestizo people make up 94% of the population, while the 3% are Black/Afro-Caribbean, 1% Amerindian, 1% Chinese. The white population amounts approximately 70%, and their antecesors are mainly Italian, German, English, Dutch, French, Irish, Portuguese, Lebanese and Polish families. Just some 6% of the population is of black African descent. A major part of the Afro-Costa Ricans are Creole English-speaking descendants of nineteenth century black Jamaican immigrant workers, as well as slaves who were brought to Costa Rica in remote times. The indigenous or native American population numbers around 1.5%, or over 60,000 individuals. Most of them live in secluded reservations. They are distributed in 8 ethnic groups: Quitirrisí, Matambú or Chorotega, Maleku, Bribri, Cabécar, Guaymí, Boruca and Térraba. Currently, the Costa Rican culture is made of a variety of Latin American culture, and that pre-Columbian influences are almost non-existent today, since most of the indigenous population was erased by epidemics in the first century of Spanish colonization. As a result the immigration of Spaniards and their 16th-Spanish culture and its evolution set the pillars for today’s culture, with Spanish language and the Catholic religion as main cultural aspects. In Costa Rica there is a variety of cultural activities, many of them promoted by the local Department of Culture, Youth, and Sports. The work of the department is divided into Direction of Culture, Visual Arts, Scenic Arts, Music, Patrimony and the System of Libraries. The local dances are soca, salsa, bachata, merengue, cumbia and Costa Rican swing, but they have now provide a spot for other raisin dances such as reaguetton. The guitar is a popular instrument in Costa Rica, especially when it comes to folk dances, however, the marimba was given the status of the national instrument.
Mainly, the Costa Rican economy is driven by tourism. According to the latest figures, 2.0 million tourists visited the country in 2008, which means a expenditure of $1,077 per tourist. That same year, most visitors came from the United States (38.6%), neighboring Nicaragua (21.8%), Europe (11.3%) and Canada (5.2%).[33] In fact, in 2005 tourism contributed 8.1% of the country's GNP and represented 13.3% of direct and indirect employment. Tourism now earns more foreign exchange than sales of bananas and coffee, which are also a main source of the local economy. On the other hand, ecotourism is another key booster of economy. Many tourists visit every year the extensive national parks and protected areas around the country. Costa Rica was a pioneer in this type of tourism. Back in 2009 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index provide Costa Rica with the 42nd position in the world and the first among Latin American countries. According to the World Bank, Costa Rica's GDP per capita is US$11,240 PPP, according to figures from 2008. However, this developing country still faces the fourth highest inflation rate in Latin America, lack of maintenance and new investment in infrastructure. Its rate of poverty is estimated to be 16% to 24%, a 5.6% unemployment rate, and a trade deficit of 5.2%. Economic growth in 2008 went to a 3% increase in the face of a global recession. These days, pharmaceuticals, financial outsourcing, software development, and ecotourism have become the primary industries in Costa Rica's economy. Due to its high levels of education among its residents, the country became an attractive investing location. Coffee production has played a key part in Costa Rica's history and economy and by 2006 was the third cash crop export. The largest coffee growing areas are in the provinces of San José, Alajuela, Heredia, Puntarenas, and Cartago. Costa Rica is also famous for its gourmet coffee beans, with Costa Rican Tarrazú among the finest Arabica coffee beans in the world used for making espresso coffee, together with Jamaican Blue Mountain, Guatemalan Antigua and Ethiopian Sidamo.
Those people, who choose Costa Rica as the best place for their vacation, cannot miss its main beaches, national parks and cities. Among the beautiful beaches of Costa Rica, Jacó Beach is one of the most popular. It invites visitors to practice surfing and to enjoy non-stop nightlife. A similar option is Playa Hermoso, which is a bit quieter, and you can get quite thick waves. Both beaches are located in Puntarenas. At the Puntarenas end of the Nicoya Peninsula, there are other attractive beaches such as Montezuma, Mal País and Santa Teresa, which are great spots for passionate surfers. Coco Island is a bit far, a 36 hour boat ride away, but offers a beautiful beach and incredible scuba diving options. In the Guanacaste Province of the Nicoya Peninsula, there are more great beaches including the famous Playa Tamarindo. This one is an exclusive beach, with designer shops, high class restaurants and chic clubs. Surfing, golf, sailing and sport fishing are very popular activities there. Another exclusive beach is Playa Flamingo, scenery of beach resorts; it offers endless watersports, scuba diving and deep sea diving to the most demanding tourists. For those tourists who enjoy silence and calm the most, the best options are Playa Grande, where turtles can be seen, and Playa Brasilito, a not very visited site. And the ones who like the most natural and untouched spots, Manzanillo is the chosen one. This wonderful beach is in a protected are, so this white sand beach has not been hit by urbanization or shops. It is certainly a place to relax. Now, when it comes to be delighted by nature, the places that tourist cannot miss are the Protected areas and National Parks of Costa Rica. Around 20% of Costa Rica's territory is constituted as National Park or Reserve, including two parks declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and amounting over 30 national parks. This means most National Parks and Reserves are easily accessible from anywhere in the country, making Costa Rica an ideal destination if people wants to be surrounded by natural settings. The Monteverde Private Reserve is the most famous one. It has gained international renown as one of the most outstanding wildlife sanctuaries in the tropics. The reserve spreads out over 10,500 hectares of land that hold six different life zones. There are at least 400 bird species in a high elevation rain forest, including the Resplendent Quetzal, ancient holy bird of the Mayans, over 100 species of mammals, 120 species of amphibians and reptiles and an estimated 2,500 species of plants. The preserve has a definite wet and dry season, though the upper levels have fog and rain much of the year. And cities are also a good choice for people visiting Costa Rica. The capital city, San José, is a lively, contemporary metropolis. There are many interesting museums, including the Museo de Jade which houses the world's largest collection of American jade and is a really incredible sight. Similarly, the Museo de Oro Precolombiano displays an interesting mixture of precolombian gold and modern art and it is also very popular. San José is also a fun place to go shopping, with a lot of different markets to explore. To get your souvenirs, you may choose the Mercado Central, which is a great place to get something quick to eat or buy some good quality Costa Rican coffee beans. The central area from the Banco Central to the Plaza de la Cultura is pedestrianised and therefore is a less polluted area to be around. Alajuela, is a modern city to the northwest of San José. Being the second largest city in the country, Alajuela is one of Costa Rica's most important urban centres. Both Alajuela province and city are renowned for being the birth place of Juan Santamaría, Costa Rica's national hero. Alajuela is particularly easy to get to as the Juan Santamaría International Airport is located only 3km from the city. Just outside Alajuela you can relax at the Ojo de Agua, Alajuela's gorgeous hot springs, or observe some wonderfully colourful butterflies at Butterfly Farm. In Alajuela there are many different eateries and a large range of culinary influences. From Tex-Mex to French to traditional Costa Rican food, follow the locals. Heredia city is one of the most attractive in Costa Rica. Some of its sights include the Parque Central, which is where much of the action takes place and is a nice place to stay by. La Basílica de la Inmaculada Concepción can be found here too, and whilst the building is not especially decorative, its sturdy design has allowed it to outlive many other Costa Rican buildings despite mutliple earthquakes, since its construction in 1797. El Fortín is the most identifiable symbol of Heredia city, which are the last remains of an eighteenth century Spanish colonial fortress.
Costa Rica is one of the best places to go tourism and get more beautiful, for less. The country is full of skilled surgeons and state-of-the-art medical facilities, where people can get the procedure they have been dreaming of. Actually, Costa Rica is internationally recognized as a top-notch medical tourism destination. Every year an increasing number of tourists visit Costa Rica to receive cosmetic surgery on what have been named ¨medical vacations¨. The last decade has experienced a boom in the health tourism sector in Costa Rica, especially in the area of plastic surgery. The country’s excellent reputation is directly linked to the professionalism of its internationally-trained doctors and array of cost-effective procedures. In fact, the total cost of a medical vacation in Costa Rica including airfare, accommodations and a few days of sightseeing is often far less than what the procedure alone would cost in the United States, for example. To get more into the subject, a face lift in Costa Rica costs around $3, 000 while the same procedure in the United States costs anywhere from $7,000 to $15,000. International hospitals are staffed with fully certified bilingual surgeons that cater to foreigners seeking superior medical care. Additionally, the Costa Rica Board of Plastic Surgery offers prospective clients a list of certified and credentialed physicians who are members of the association, as to keep them calm and safe. Apart from its close proximity to the United States, medical tourists flock to Costa Rica due to its excellent healthcare system which is ranked by the World Health Organization even higher than the US. Aside from services offered to medical tourists, Costa Rica is also credited for providing a high quality public and private healthcare services with prestigious and reputable hospitals and other health facilities. Costa Rica’s top hospitals are accredited by the Joint Commission International like the Costa Rica Health Ministry. There are currently three JCI-accredited hospitals in Costa Rica and are all located in San José. The hospitals included are Hospital CIMA; Hospital Clínica Bíblica and La Católica, among others. The most common treatments done by medical tourists in Costa Rica are general and cosmetic dentistry, cosmetic surgery, aesthetic procedures (botox, skin resurfacing, etc), bariatric and laparoscopic surgery, orthopedic surgery, fertility treatments, and addiction treatment.
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