A keel-billed toucan on a mossy branch in the Costa Rican rainforest

Why Visit Costa Rica?

Because one week can hold a volcano, a rainforest and a Pacific beach, in a small, peaceful country that protects its nature. Here is why, from our team in San José.

Last reviewed by our team in Costa Rica: 1 November 2026. By The My Costa Rica team in San José.

Quick answer

A huge share of the world’s wildlife in a small country. The Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT) says about 5% of the world’s biodiversity on two of its pages and 6% on a third.
Very different places, a few hours apart. On our own trips, Liberia airport to Arenal Volcano is about 3 hours, and Liberia to Tamarindo beach about 2.
Two coasts: the Pacific to the west and the Caribbean to the east.
No army since 1948. The Constitution has banned a permanent army ever since.
A week is enough for a first trip: 3 nights in the rainforest, usually at Arenal, and 4 at the beach.

Why is Costa Rica famous for its nature?

Costa Rica is a small country with a share of the planet’s plants and animals far beyond its size. The tourism board gives the figure two ways, so here are both: about 5% of the world’s known biodiversity on its FAQ and Knowing Costa Rica pages, and 6% on its Sustainability page. The FAQ adds 3.5% of marine life.

A lot of that nature is protected, and again the official numbers differ by page:

Source	Share of the country protected
ICT, FAQ	30%
ICT, Knowing Costa Rica and Sustainability	26%
ICT, Sustainability (the National System of Conservation Areas)	25%
ICT, home page	More than a quarter

The national parks service, SINAC, counted 150 protected wild areas in 2025. In practice that means a rainforest walk, a volcano trail or a turtle beach is rarely far from wherever you sleep. Start with our guides to the national parks and the animals you can see.

Two two-toed sloths resting in a soft hammock, one looking straight at the camera

Can you see a volcano, rainforest and beach in one week?

Yes. Distances are short enough that one week can hold three very different landscapes without a day lost to the road. These are the drive times our own itineraries quote, from 704 private transfers we ran between October 2025 and October 2026:

Route	Our usual drive time
Liberia airport to Arenal	About 3 hours
San José airport to Arenal	3 to 3.5 hours
Liberia airport to Tamarindo	About 2 hours
San José airport to Manuel Antonio	About 3 hours
Arenal to Monteverde (taxi, boat across Lake Arenal, taxi)	About 3.5 hours
Arenal to Manuel Antonio	About 5 hours

The trip we build most for a first visit is 3 nights in the rainforest, usually at the Arenal Volcano, and 4 nights at a beach. Hot springs under the volcano one day, a sunset over the Pacific a few days later.

A hanging bridge through the rainforest canopy at Arenal

Pacific or Caribbean: which coast is right for you?

The Pacific is on the west and the Caribbean Sea on the east, with Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. The coasts feel like different countries, and they follow different weather.

The Pacific. Guanacaste in the northwest has the long dry season and many of the big resorts. Further south are Manuel Antonio and the Osa Peninsula, with rainforest running down to the sand.
The Caribbean. Puerto Viejo, Cahuita and the turtle beaches of Tortuguero. The national weather service says it has no defined dry season, but its drier spells, February to March and September to October, come when the Pacific is wetter. See our Caribbean guide.

Your arrival airport shapes all of this. Liberia opens Guanacaste. San José is the gateway to Manuel Antonio and the Osa. More in when to visit and where to go.

Pura vida, and a country without an army

On 1 December 1948, José Figueres Ferrer, as head of the founding junta, abolished the army. Article 12 of the Constitution has banned a permanent army ever since, and keeps only the police needed for public order.

You will hear “pura vida” within an hour of landing. The tourism board translates it as “pure life” and says it means much more than that: it is hello, thank you and everything is fine, all at once. Read more about pura vida and Costa Rican culture.

Spanish is the official language, set in article 76 of the Constitution, which also protects the country’s indigenous languages. Our guide to the language has the phrases worth learning.

How green is Costa Rica?

The national electricity company, ICE, says Costa Rica produced 98.6% of its electricity in 2025 from five renewable sources: water, geothermal, wind, biomass and sun. The tourism board’s own FAQ gives a lower figure, nearly 93%, without a year. Either way, the lights in your hotel run mostly on rivers, volcanoes and wind. More on sustainability in Costa Rica.

Who is Costa Rica good for?

Families get pools, water slides, kids clubs and all-inclusive resorts where nobody negotiates lunch. Grandparents planning one trip for the whole family are some of our favourite clients. See family vacations.
Couples get adults-only sections, quiet rooms and sunsets. See honeymoons.
Birders head for Sarapiquí, San Gerardo de Dota, Turrialba, Carara National Park and Tárcoles. See birding.
Adventure or nature? It is the first thing we ask. Class IV and V rapids, waterfall rappelling and ATVs make one trip. A river safari float and a coffee tour make another. Browse activities.

Is Costa Rica easy to get to?

Yes. There are two international airports, one near San José and one in Liberia, Guanacaste. San José’s own departures board lists nonstop flights to US cities including Dallas, Miami and Los Angeles, and routes change with the season. See our page on flights.

Costa Rica keeps UTC minus 6 all year, with no daylight saving: the same time as Chicago in the northern winter and as Denver in the summer. US and Canadian citizens need no visa for stays up to 180 days: details in what you need.

Questions we hear

Why Costa Rica: common questions

What is Costa Rica known for?

Nature, above all. The tourism board puts Costa Rica’s share of the world’s biodiversity at about 5% (6% on one of its pages), and it protects roughly a quarter of its land or more. It is also known for volcanoes like Arenal, beaches on two coasts, abolishing its army in 1948, and the phrase pura vida.

How many days do you need in Costa Rica?

A week works well for a first trip: 3 nights in the rainforest, usually at Arenal, and 4 at the beach. Nine or ten days add a third stop, such as Monteverde or the Osa Peninsula, and that is where trips here get really good.

What does pura vida mean?

It translates as “pure life”, and the tourism board says it means much more. Costa Ricans use it as hello, goodbye, thank you and “all good”. You will hear it every day of your trip.

Does Costa Rica have an army?

No. The army was abolished on 1 December 1948, and article 12 of the Constitution bans a permanent army. The country keeps police forces for public order.

How green is Costa Rica’s electricity?

The national electricity company, ICE, says 98.6% of Costa Rica’s electricity in 2025 came from renewable sources: water, geothermal, wind, biomass and sun. The tourism board’s FAQ gives nearly 93%, without a year.

Is Costa Rica good for families?

Yes. Distances are short, so children spend days doing things rather than sitting in a car, and there are resorts with pools, water slides and kids clubs. Some of our favourite trips are for three generations at once, with private transfers so nobody drives unfamiliar roads.

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