Costa Rica's Amazing Diversity

[caption id="attachment_5326" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Poas Volcano"][/caption]

COSTA RICA'S AMAZING DIVERSITY

Costa Rica is not an island in the Caribbean. It is located in  the center of the Central American isthmus.  It is a very small country with less than 20,000 square miles, bordered on the north by Nicaragua and the south by Panama.  On the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the east by the Caribbean Sea - Atlantic Ocean.  This is a complex area with perhaps more DIVERSITY  than any other place it's size on earth.   Costa Rica is divided into several distinct regions, each of them feels and looks very different from the other.

In the above photo you can see the major mountain ranges which  run (down the middle) from the north to the south of the country . Here are located seven different volcanoes.  Only one of these volcanoes is active and it is the Poas Volcano located in the central valley of Costa Rica

Costa Rica has attracted an international community of  conservationists, biologist, environmentalists, and over one million tourist per year. Tourist come to enjoy a multitude of outdoor adventure activities from birdwatching to zip lining-from surfing to snorkeling and scuba diving.  They come to explore the rainforests in the many national parks and wildlife preserves.

Cost Rica has  seven volcanoes.  The only one which is  active is the Poas Volcano located in the central valley-sixty eight miles northwest of San Jose,  the capital city.  This volcano has a crater one mile wide with active geysers which spew up hot steam and sulfur gases on a daily basis.  The Arenal Volcano is the most visited and  is located in the north central area of the country.  It ceased to be active in November 2011.  However tourist still flock to this area hoping that it will without warning start up again and spew it hot lava hundreds of feet into the atmosphere.

Most of the population of Costa Rica live in the Central Valley at elevations between 456 meters and 1,300 meters.  Temperatures here are very mild at between 70 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit all year round.  Costa Rica has an abundance of rainfall between the months of May and November.  So this tropical rainy climate allows for rich soil which grows coffee, bananas, sugar cane, rice, black beans, and hundreds of tropical fruits and vegetables. Pineapple and bananas are exported to the USA and also to Europe.

The highest peak in Costa Rica is Chirripo  mountain. (located in south central  Costa Rica.) It is around 12,000 feet above sea level with cold and brittle weather.   Tourist from all over world come here to hike  Chirripo.

The coast lines of Costa Rica are a very different story with hot temperatures with abundant  bright sunshine.  The NW Pacific Coast is the most visited with dozens of hotels with a price range and budget for any tourist.  This coastal  area in the north western side of Costa Rica is arid with small trees and less rainfall. In contrast, the Caribbean coast is very rainy all year, thus attracting fewer tourist. It is more tropical and lush with the  natural beauty of palm trees and coconut trees lining the pristine white sandy beaches.

To make one understand more easily, the temperature of the area you are located in Costa Rica is determined by the altitude.

Costa Rica has a dry season mid December until mid April..although on the Caribbean coast this does not apply because here it rains there all year round. Also the south western  Osa Peninsula gets a great deal of rain all year round. Rainy season in Costa Rica is considered May through November with less rain on the northwest Pacific Coastline.

For such a small country Costa Rica is filled with amazing DIVERSITY and climates. This is why North Americans and Europeans find retiring here very appealing.

San Jose is the capital city located in the central valley.  It is not an attractive city and we do not see the beautiful Spanish Colonial Architecture like we see in Granada, Nicaragua. Traffic jams are horrible in San Jose. There are "more vehicles in Costa Rica's central valley than there are roads".

Daylight hours are the same in Costa Rica all year round.  Sunrise -around 5:30 am and Sunset around 5:30 pm.  Twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of darkness.

If you ask someone who has retired to Costa Rica-"What is your favorite thing about living here?"  The say "It is the beautiful weather along with it's Amazing Diversity."

Costa Rica has it all.  Plenty of water.  Veins of water come right out of the side of the mountains forming streams and rivers which run into the seas.  The soil is exceptionally rich due to the volcanic ash fallen to the earth through the centuries.

Geographically Costa Rica is mostly mountainous.  From the air one can look down and see mountains after mountains and all is GREEN and  lush.  This is why it takes so long to drive from the central valley to the coast.  You have to wind up and around the mountainous terrain with two lane often narrow roads.

If you are thinking of a vacation to Costa Rica contact Ann, "The Costa Rica Expert" She can plan your vacation (along with your input) and make the arrangements for you.  This can save you a lot of time surfing the internet and getting confused.  She has twelve years experience in VACATION PLANNING TO COSTA RICA.  You can read all about this on her website www.costaricalearn.com

 

December High Tourism Season in Costa Rica-Weather is Beautiful!

December begins high tourist season in Costa Rica  and the weather is dry and sunny especially in the central valley of Alajuela and San Jose as well as the gorgeous beaches of NW Pacific Guanacaste and central Pacific of Jaco and Manuel Antonio.

Christmas season in December in Costa Rica. Yes,  everyone is out enjoying the sunny weather  and hurrying  about doing  their Christmas shopping.  Homes are decorated with brightly colored lights.  The Christian Religion is taken very seriously and manger scenes of Baby Jesus are visible in front of many homes and all the churches.

Employees receive a 13th salary in the month of December so there is extra money to spend and all are in the buying mood.  Stores are very crowded and all are in the joyful holiday spirit of giving.

Midnight mass on Christmas Eve-December 24th is the most important religious occasion.   And then on 25th many families head out to the beaches to stay until January 2nd.

Also the beaches are covered with tourists -young and old.  Surfing, sunbathing, or just lounging around the pool--all seem to be basking in the warm sunshine after 6 months of rainy season in Costa Rica or escaping the snowfall in North America.

The Spaniards brought Christianity to Costa Rica in the early 1500s.  And their architecture is reflected in many Catholic churches around the country. And still today, Costa Rica is predominately Catholic.  Catholic religion is taught in the public school so there is no separation of church and state.

So from from all of us at costaricalearn  we wish you a merry Christmas and a very prosperous New Year!

[caption id="attachment_4861" align="alignleft" width="640" caption="Catholic Church San Ramon"][/caption]

Best Weather to Travel in Costa Rica

How does the weather  affect the when and where you travel to   Costa Rica? Costa Rica's weather is defined as tropical,  which makes  us think hot, but that is not true.  The weather is different  depending on what area of Costa Rica you travel.  I'll start with the CENTRAL VALLEY of San Jose, Alajuela, Grecia,  and Atenas and surroundings areas. The Rainy Season in Costa Rica Goes from about mid May until the later part of November.   September and October  are  the most rainy  months.   Typically we get sunny morning and the rain starts around 1- 2 p.m., with large downpours.  And stops around 6 p.m. (except for September and October when it may rain all day.) The dry season in Costa Rica is from late November until  around mid May.   Mostly sunshine all day.    Flowers bloom in all the  vibrant tropical colors, including the many varieties of orchids.  The temperature depends on the elevation,  the higher the elevation the cooler the temperature.  In general the average daily temperature in the central valley at around 2,000 feet above sea level  is around  72 F  (perfect humidity- 30-40% in the dry season)  and cools down significantly in the higher elevations, 3,000 feet and above.   Tourism in the central is highest December thorugh April which is the dry season.

When is the best time to travel to Guanacaste, Costa Rica? Here we find much less annual rainfall.  There is SUNSHINE many more hours per day and that is why we see so many beach hotels on the NW Pacific coastlines. The rainy season is light but starts around mid May through mid November.  Afternoon thunder storms light up the sky with large bolts of lightening.  Dry season is December through mid May.  You can tell by the vegetation, trees aren't as tall and the lushness is just not there, there are less mountains and the land  has longer spans of flatness.  Many of the trees have been cut for pastureland.  This is cowboy and cattle country.  The average temperature along the beaches is 80-90 F.  Interior Guanacaste is around 78-80 F with little humidity.  Air conditioning  is needed in cars and homes.  Great weather for beach lovers!!  Tourism in Guanacaste, mostly to the beaches is all year round.

weather Caribbean coastline and Caribbean interior:  Lush jungle vegetation and hot-humid  weather.  Rainfall is very heavy.  No rainy or dry season- sometimes rains less in October and November but not always.  Temperatures range in the 80-90F  with  high humidity.   Although this does not mean that it rains all day long everyday.  There are breaks when you can see the sun for a few days at the time.  Or it rains only in the afternoons.  It's hard to predict. Vegetation is beautiful, with exotic plants everywhere and  palm trees line the beaches swaying  in the warm tropical winds.   Air conditioning definitely needed.  Tourism to the Caribbean is highest  December through March.

Weather Osa Peninsula-Gulfito region-southern Costa Rica: along the coastlines the weather is hot 80-90F with high humidity.  As we go further inland and the mountains rise, the temperatures become cooler-depending on the altitude.  Lush, jungle vegetation and lots exotic flowers and primary rain forest in many areas such as Corcovado National Park.  Less people here and definitely beautiful!  Tourism is less here because it is remote and requires driving very long distances or flying a small aircraft.  Also the National Park of Corcovado is somewhat expensive to hire guides     Tourism is highest here December through March.

Ann welcomes questions and comments.  At end of this post click on comments although it may say no comments, click anyway.  Thanks for visiting us here at costaricalearn.com