COSTA RICA

La PUra Vida means "the pure life" - natives to Costa Rica are known to live longer than elsewhere and have healthy lifestyles incorporated into there day to day regimen. Along the same note,  Costa RIca is known for the the Ecological Blue Flag Program in which a blue flag designation is awarded annually to different communities that meet benchmarks regarding water quality , environmental education, matural resources, managment and security. Five beaches have earned the Eco Blue Flag with 5 stars: 

The Arenal Volcano National Park is one of the more visited sites in the Northern Plains, and it hosts a wide array of terrains and outdoor attractions from bird refugees to hot springs, ziplining, horseback riding, to name a few. Other attractions include the La Foruuna, which offers a number of hot springs rich in minerals and a waterfall, Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge, where visitors can go birdwatching, The Moleku indegenious Reserve., where visitors can learn about Maleku culture and history.

·  Located in the northwest of the country, this  area is known for the golden beaches, wellness centers, tropical forests, desert flora and fauna, volcanoes, mountain ranges and costa rican sabanero culture.. It encompasses the Nicoya Peninsula, home to a high number of centenarians, making it a BLUE ZONE.  Playa Hermosa is a well known Beach for surfing, gaining national recognition with the World Surfing Reserve by the Save the Waves Coalition. Guanacaste has many resorts, along that area there is 400 miles of coastline with a wide array of volcanic sand beaches. 

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·  Located in the northwest of the country, this  area is known for the golden beaches, wellness centers, tropical forests, desert flora and fauna, volcanoes, mountain ranges and costa rican sabanero culture.. It encompasses the Nicoya Peninsula, home to a high number of centenarians, making it a BLUE ZONE.  Playa Hermosa is a well known Beach for surfing, gaining national recognition with the World Surfing Reserve by the Save the Waves Coalition. Guanacaste has many resorts, along that area there is 400 miles of coastline with a wide array of volcanic sand beaches. 

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 Punterenas and Gulf Islands consists of 264 miles of Pacific coastline of all inclusive resorts. Tambor Santa Teresa and Montezuma are good areas. The Gulf of Nicoya where there are shipwrecks off of Tortugea Island and manta rays, dophins, octopus, sharks and crocs is also ideal for snorkeling and diving. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve offers ziplining tours at 5 thousand feet above sea level. 

 Puntarenas Province includes refuge for sea birds and tropical rainforests that shelter capuchin monkeys and three toed sloths. There are extensive hiking trails that connect mountain areas to the coast, with any white sand beaches Manuel Antonio National Park and Marino Carara  National Park – a refuge of the endangered scarlet macaw and home to 124 species of reptiles, including crocodiles, are good places to visit.  
 

The South Pacific consists mostly of southern regions of Puntarenas province, tropical rainforest with high biodiversity. Coastline also knows as Costa Ballena draw people with its beauty

It is the home to BALLENA, where humpback whales give birth . Travelers can visit the esferas de piedra or diquis spheres that are believed to have adorned a pre-Columbia chiefdom settlement. A remant of the Diquis Culture – now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors can also see Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, an untouched beach and eco wilderness loges, and Corcovado National park is one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet. In Central Valley, there are volcanoes, rainforest, rivers, both Pacific and Caribbean sea – capital of San Jose shopping, etc.

US Dollars are widely accepted, but currency can be exchanged at the airport. Costa Rica is also a popular destination sport for weddings and honeymoons; there are many popular venues that cater especially for these occasions. Family vacations are also good because of the wide variety of activities and large variety of all-inclusive resorts and non-all-inclusive resorts offering plenty of options. Wildlife, culture, arts and environment are also fortes of Costa Rica, making a great place to visit!