Los Chorros is a pair of waterfalls in a municipal park near Tacares de Grecia, about 30 minutes from San …
Costa Rica Traditional Dances: Punto Guanacasteco and More
Costa Rica’s national dance was written by a man in a jail cell, and its best-known moment is a shouted, …
Fiesta de Los Diablitos: A Costa Rica Indigenous Celebration
The Fiesta de los Diablitos, or Festival of the Little Devils, is a four-day Indigenous celebration held every year from …
Costa Rica Musical Instruments: Marimba, Quijongo and More
Hear a marimba at a Guanacaste fiesta and you know where you are. Costa Rica’s traditional instruments are few, but …
Costa Rica Ruins: 5 Archaeological Sites Worth Visiting
Costa Rica has no Mayan or Aztec ruins, and nothing on the scale of Tikal or Copán. What it does …
Yigüirro: Costa Rica’s National Bird, the Clay-Colored Thrush
Costa Rica’s national bird is the yigüirro, or clay-colored thrush (Turdus grayi), a plain brown songbird about the size of …
Diving in Costa Rica’s Caribbean: Best Sites and Seasons
Scuba diving in Costa Rica is mostly a Pacific story: Caño Island, the Catalina and Bat Islands, and Cocos Island …
Tapantí National Park: Trails, Fees and How to Visit
Tapantí National Park, officially Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte, protects wet mountain rainforest at the head of the Orosi Valley, about …
Bullfighting in Costa Rica: How Toros a la Tica Work
Costa Rica has bullfighting, but it looks nothing like Spain’s. Nobody kills the bull. Instead, a ring full of volunteers …
Buying Real Estate in Costa Rica: Costs, Rules and Steps
Foreigners can buy real estate in Costa Rica with the same ownership rights as citizens, and they don’t need residency …
Surfing Costa Rica’s Central Pacific: Best Breaks by Level
Costa Rica’s Central Pacific is the easiest surf region to reach from San José. Jacó is about 1.5 hours from …
Cascada El Pavón: Directions and Tips Near Uvita
Cascada El Pavón is a small, free waterfall south of Ojochal on Costa Rica’s South Pacific coast, known for the …
How Much of Costa Rica Is Protected? A Guide to Its Parks
About a quarter of Costa Rica is protected. The government’s official map counts 152 protected wild areas covering roughly 25.5% …
Learn Spanish in Costa Rica: Schools, Costs and Tips
The fastest way to learn Spanish in Costa Rica is a Spanish immersion school with a homestay. Most schools teach …
Poison Dart Frogs in Costa Rica: Species and Where to See Them
Costa Rica has five poison dart frog species, and the one most visitors see is the strawberry poison dart frog: …
Costa Rican Food: Traditional Dishes, Drinks and Where to Eat
Costa Rican food is simple, filling and built on rice and beans. Expect mild home cooking, not spicy heat, and …
A Guide to Visiting the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum in San Jose, Costa Rica
The Pre-Columbian Gold Museum (Museo del Oro Precolombino) sits underneath the Plaza de la Cultura in downtown San José and …
Costa Rica National Flower: The Guaria Morada Orchid
Costa Rica’s national flower isn’t a showy jungle bloom you’ll spot from the car. It’s a purple orchid that families …
What Is a Soda in Costa Rica? Menu, Prices and How to Order
Ask for a soda in Costa Rica and nobody will hand you a can of anything. They will point you …
Afro-Caribbean Culture in Costa Rica: A Visitor’s Guide
Afro-Caribbean culture in Costa Rica is centered in Limón province on the Caribbean coast. Most Afro-Costa Ricans there descend from …
Llanos de Cortés Waterfall: Fees, Directions and Tips
Llanos de Cortés Waterfall (often spelled Llanos de Cortez) is a wide curtain of water dropping into a swimmable pool …
Costa Rica Independence Day: History, Traditions and Tips
Costa Rica Independence Day is Sept. 15, the date in 1821 when Central America declared independence from Spain in Guatemala …
Fer-de-Lance Facts: Costa Rica’s Most Infamous Snake
Picture this: I’m trekking through Carara National Park, camera in hand, chasing shots of vibrant birds and curious monkeys, when …
Roosterfish in Costa Rica: Where, When and How to Catch Them
Costa Rica roosterfish fishing is the best inshore fight the country offers, and you can do it year-round from almost …