As far as Latin American capital cities go, San Jose is not particularly inspiring and doesn’t warrant staying longer than a couple of nights. Any colonial architecture has been destroyed in the many earthquakes to strike the region. However, in an hour you can be in lush tropical rainforest.
On the northern Caribbean coast is the Tortuguero National Park, an area of man-made canals in thick jungle. From June to September large populations of Leatherback turtles nest on the beaches. Although this is an obvious main highlight of the region, outside of this time there is still an abundance of wildlife to be seen, either by easy hikes or leisurely boat trips along the canals in small motorised canoes. Monkeys, caiman, parrots and iguana are all frequently seen.
North of San Jose is the cloud forest of Monteverde. Only accessible by long drives on bumpy unpaved roads, the locals’ ineffective way of minimising the amount of tourists coming to the Reserve, Monteverde is teeming with wildlife. The best way to appreciate the cloud forest is to walk along the trails with your guide and a pair of binoculars. Outside of the reserves independent companies have constructed hanging bridges in the canopy that let you get closer to the tops of the trees and have a better understanding of the different levels within the forest. The area is also a fantastic place to spot the elusive quetzal.
Arenal Volcano National Park is another must-see on any tour of Costa Rica. The volcano is one of the country’s most active and visitors come to relax in the many hot springs and to see the almost nightly eruptions and lava-flows.
The beaches around Tamarindo are some of the finest in Costa Rica and there are different hotels to suit all budgets and styles. Between December and April it is possible to visit the beach during the night on a guided tour to watch the hatching of the baby turtles. The beaches around the town of Tamarindo are some of the finest in Costa Rica and aside from the turtles, racoons and howler monkeys are equally common.