Attractions of Costa Rica

The Parque Nacional Volcan Poas, north of the capital San Jose, is home to the Poas Volcano whose crater is the world's second largest at 1.5km across and 300m deep. Set at an altitude of 2,708 metres, the smoking volcano is still very active and rises majestically from the tropical rainforest of the park. The park contains many trails to explore the dwarf cloud forest landscape and wildlife which includes the Poas squirrel, the hummingbird and the clay-coloured robin, Costa Rica’s national bird.

Costa Rica offers many opportunities for adventure activities including white water rafting on the Pacuare and Reventazon Rivers. The river drops 1,000 metres from the Cordillera Central to the plains of the Caribbean, meaning many stretches of white water rapids to enjoy. Rapids are mostly Grade III. On the gentler sections there's plenty of scenery to enjoy with the verdant rainforest, waterfalls and wildlife including toucans, kingfishers, iguanas and bright green “Jesus Christ” lizards.

The National Monument of Guayabo is an excavated Indian ceremonial centre which was occupied between the 11th and 15th centuries. Costa Rica's only major archaeological site, the extensive remains include paved streets and water channels.

Located on Costa Rica's northern Caribbean coast, Tortuguero National Park comprises 290 km² of lowland rainforest and is only accessible by boat or plane. Established in 1970, the park has a huge diversity of wildlife including spider, howler and white-faced monkeys, jaguar, ocelot, peccary, tapir and sloth as well as over 300 bird species. The forest and wildlife can be explored on foot or on boat trips through the park. Tortuguero is famous for the green and leatherback turtles who come to lay their eggs on its beaches each year between June and September.

The Arenal Volcano is Costa Rica's most active, having erupted in 1968 after laying dormant for 400 years. The volcano is a perfect cone which rises 1,633 metres above sea level. It is covered on one side by vegetation while the other side is barren with old lava flows visible. You can hike to the lava fields and observe the fumaroles that spit out steam and red-hot lava. From a base at the small town of La Fortuna, there's much else to explore in the area including the thermal baths heated by the volcano, the La Fortuna Waterfall which has pools to swim in, the Cano Negro Wildlife Reserve as well as white-water rafting, waterfall canyoneering, horse riding, mountain biking.

The Montverde Cloud Forest Reserve was originally created by North American Quakers in the 1950s and is now amongst the most important natural environments in the country. Covering just 100 km², Montverde encompasses six different life zones and an incredible diversity of plant and animal species. There are over 400 bird species including the Resplendent Quetzal, the ancient holy bird of the Mayans, the bare-necked umbrella bird, the blue-crowned motmot, the emerald toucanet and the three- wattled bellbird, as well as over 100 species of mammals, 120 species of amphibians and reptiles and an estimated 2,500 species of plants. The reserve can be explored through forest trails, on the Skywalk - suspension bridges and platforms that allow you to explore the canopy, or for the adventurous by zip line through the canopy. There are also night walks to see nocturnal species such as porcupines, toucans, owls, agoutis, coati mundis and snakes.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Area de Conservación Guanacaste

Manuel Antonio National Park is located south-west of San Jose on Costa Rica's Pacific coast. The park comprises extensive stretches of long, white beaches, mangrove swamps and evergreen forests that grow right up to the shore. Over 100 mammal species and almost 200 bird species are resident in the park. These include Capuchin white-faced monkeys, coatimundi, sloth, iguana and the rare red-backed squirrel monkey. The park and wildlife can be explored through numerous forest trails and canopy tours after which you can relax on the idyllic beaches and watch the stunning sunset over the Pacific.

Puerto Viejo is located on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast and surrounded by natural and wildlife reserves. The town has a relaxed Caribbean vibe and culture and is renowned for its beautiful beaches and excellent surfing. The coral reefs off the coast also make it a prime site for diving or snorkelling. Visits to the Kekokdi and Bri-Bri Indian Reserves will allow you to learn more about these indigenous peoples. There are also many opportunities for wildlife spotting in the mangrove swamps (manatee, crocodile and caiman), rainforest (tapir, toucan, manakin, hummingbird and brightly coloured poison-dart frogs) and beaches (turtles).

Cocos Island National Park is located 550 km off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica and is the only island in the tropical eastern Pacific with a tropical rainforest. The interactions between the island and the marine ecosystem and its position relative to the northern equatorial counter-current make it a fascinating laboratory for studying biological systems and it has a large number of endemic plant species. The waters off the island are rated as some of the best diving waters in the world to view large pelagic species such as sharks, rays, tuna and dolphins.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Cocos Island National Park

La Amistad National Park covers over 4,000 km² on both sides of the Panama-Costa Rica border. The park contains a huge variety of habitats including lowland tropical rainforest, cloud forest, subalpine paramo forests, pure oak stands, glacial lakes and high-altitude bogs. The species diversity is equally impressive with tapir, squirrel monkey and all the Central American wild cats including puma, ocelot, jaguarundi, tiger cat and jaguar. Additionally four different Indian tribes inhabit the park. Walks through the park allow you to spot wildlife and appreciate the remarkable natural scenery. In particular, the Los Quetzales Trail in Panama between Boquete and Cerro Punta around the Baru volcano has spectacular views of the forest and valley and is home to the rare and beautiful Resplendent Quetzal.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves / La Amistad National Park