Costa Rica
Mini-Guide
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Entry Requirements
Citizens from Canada, the U.S. and Panama can enter with a passport. Citizens of all other countries require a valid passport to enter. Visas are needed by certain nationalities so check ahead before traveling.

The water is safe to drink in all areas of the country.

If you want to bring your dog or cat, you will need to get in touch with the Consulate of Costa Rica in your country, bring a health certificate from a Veterinarian plus all vaccination given to your pet, or a certified of this by the doctor. Once you have all these papers, the Consulate will seal all your documents; that will allow your pet to come into any country.

Costa Rica Overiew (Fodors)
Tucked away in the Central American isthmus, with Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south, Costa Rica is about the same size as Kentucky. But packed into this small country is an amazing variety of flora and fauna in an equally impressive array of landscapes - cool mountain valleys, sultry mangrove forests, and massive volcanoes draped with lush forests and topped with desolate craters.

The country's exemplary system of national parks and preserves embraces a vast array of habitats, covering more than 14% of the national territory. They aim to ensure the survival of Costa Rica's spectacular biological diversity, its 850 species of birds, 205 species of mammals, 376 types of reptiles and amphibians, and more than 9,000 species of flowering plants, among them 1,200 varieties of orchids.

The possibilities for outdoor diversions here are equally diverse. Rivers winding down the country's valleys churn through steep stretches that are popular white-water rafting routes; others end up as languid jungle waterways appropriate for animal watching and sport fishing. The miles of beach backed by coconut palms that line the Caribbean and Pacific coasts are ideal for shell collectors and sun worshipers (and when the sun goes down, many are visited by nesting sea turtles).

The oceans hugging those coasts hold intricate coral formations, rugged islands, colorful schools of fish, and plentiful waves, which provide the perfect playground for skin divers, anglers, surfers, and sea kayakers.

Anyone not well acquainted with Costa Rica may assume it suffers the same problems as El Salvador, icaragua, and other Central American countries. However, Costa Rica, a sturdy democracy, has managed to avoid political unrest and remain a peaceful nation. The country has no army, for example - it was abolished in 1949.

Ticos, as Costa Ricans call themselves, are fiercely proud of their history and culture, but they are also a remarkably polite and accommodating people.

Great Books From
Lonely Planet Guide to
Costa Rica


A Guide to the Birds of
Costa Rica

Frommer's Costa Rica 2002

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