Costa Rica: No artificial
ingredients - year 'round
By The Southern Illinois
Costa Rica is a land teeming
with the paradoxes of its
geographical location, bridging
North and South America and the
Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The
resulting climate makes it ideal
for year-round travel.
The forces of nature are at
their spectacular best here,
churning out rainforest and
volcanoes, great beaches and
vistas. The animals and plants
of the region are of two great
continents. The diversity of
flora and fauna, of geography
and terrain all come together
here in a mere 50,895 square
kilometers.
The elevation of much of the
county's landmass offsets the
tropical setting of its location
only 8 degrees north of the
equator. Like Hawaii in the
Pacific, Costa Rica hosts 10 of
the 13 recognized climatic zones
as well as local microclimates.
The equatorial position of the
country means that throughout
the year there is a fairly
constant twelve hours of light
between sunrise and sunset from
6:00 am each day to 6:00 pm. The
county's location also maintains
a fairly constant temperature,
never varying more than a few
degrees on a seasonal basis. If
you are traveling from the
Northern Hemisphere, you are
used to giving due consideration
to terms like "summer" and
"winter". However, in Costa
Rica, the seasons revolve around
a dry season, December through
April and a wet season May
through November. Costa Rica
promotes their "wet season" as
the "Green Season." This is not
just clever marketing. The
year-round nature of Costa
Rica's travel opportunities has
made it the Caribbean
destination with the highest
tourism growth. The Green Season
is an excellent time to travel
to Costa Rica. This is when the
warm, wet climate brings the
plant life into full bloom, and
the country's verdant flora
explodes with the vibrant life
characteristic of Costa Rica. As
we will discuss below, the green
season means more wildlife,
better visibility and rates that
are easier on the pocketbook!
December, January, and February
tend to be cooler as winds from
the north lower temperatures. In
the coastal regions, the average
temperature at sea level is 82
degrees Fahrenheit on the
eastern Caribbean side of the
country and 89 degrees on the
Pacific side. As you climb in
elevation, temperatures begin to
drop approximately one degree
for every 100 yards. Thus, in
the mountains, jackets, sweaters
and coats in the highest
elevations are definitely in
order. Temperatures at night
tend to be warmer in the wet
season
Costa Rica's mountain ranges,
situated between two oceanic
climatic and moisture zones mean
that rainfall is a part of Costa
Rica's ecology. Annual rainfall
averages approximately 100
inches in the plains and 150
inches in the mountains
occurring in the early
afternoons in the highest
elevations and late afternoon or
night in the plains. While
mornings during the wet season
are often bright and sunny, by
afternoon the rains typically
fall.
There are real benefits to
traveling to Costa Rica during
the Green Season. Perhaps the
best reason is the abundance of
wildlife. The greener foliage
and plant life offer a wider
range of feeding grounds for the
animals. Likewise, because the
green season in general means
fewer tourists, the animals are
more relaxed in their habitat.
If one of your reasons for
visiting Costa Rica includes
paddling sports and time on its
rivers, the green season means
banks that are consistently
filled with fast moving water.
The mountains tend to be more
clearly visible as the rains
carry the fog and haze away
making volcano viewing
particularly enjoyable.
The Green Season also means
fewer travelers in the hotels,
shops and dining establishments.
As a result, general prices for
accommodations and practically
every aspect of tourism are less
than in peak travel season.
Packages in Green Season can be
as much as 30% less than in
peak, and the local population
and shop keepers have more time
to spend with travelers on an
individual basis.
As a bridge between North and
South America, Costa Rica's
biodiversity is astonishing.
Monkeys, sloths, tapirs and
wildcats as well as an unrivaled
collection of bird species
numbering more than 800 make
their home in the rainforest.
With more than 25% of the
country in national parks, there
is great opportunity to leave
the beaten path and to see the
wide variety of plant and animal
life year round.
The Costa Rican rainforests are
vast, but accessible. The road
infrastructure tends to be
unpredictable outside of the
major cities, and caution when
driving is highly advisable,
especially during rain storms.
Many roads are unpaved and
bridges are often single-vehicle
width. The best advice in any
weather is to plan ahead, take
your time and enjoy the scenery.
Any experienced visitor to Costa
Rica will tell you that there is
no end to the amazing array of
things to do. Costa Rica is a
nature lover's paradise. Better
yet, ecotourism is a way of life
in Costa Rica. The country plays
host to a wide variety of
adventure sports and favorites
of travelers include mountain
biking, river rafting and scuba
diving. Hikes through the
rainforests include trips to
active volcanoes, boat trips on
rivers snaking through the rain
forests and opportunities to
ride a zip line through the
forest canopy. You can watch
live lava flows on Arenal
Volcano, bird watch (some of the
best and most diverse in the
world), stand on mountaintops
where both the Atlantic and the
Pacific are visible, watch the
marine turtles at Tortuguero or
any one of a hundred other
terrific outdoor opportunities.
This year, any time this year,
give some consideration to
placing Costa Rica on your list
of "places to visit." You will
be glad you did.
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