The small Central American country of Costa Rica is conveniently located between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which lends itself to beautiful and adventurous vacation opportunities with delightful cuisines. Famous for its sandy beaches, lapping waves, an immensely friendly population, some of the best coffee on the globe and a great collection of easily accessed biomes, there's no question why Costa Rica is such a sought-after travel destination.
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Best Time of Year to Go: August and September offer travelers smaller crowds and the possibility of better travel bargains. However, the chance of rain is heightened during this period.
Peak Season: Mid-December through April
Climate: With large differences between elevations, vegetation coverage and water source proximity, the temperatures and weather of Costa Rica are as varied as the topography. However, as it is so close to the equator, the average temperature year round stays between 70 and 80 F.
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Currency: The country's Colón is the primary currency used in Costa Rica, but US dollars are also widely accepted, especially in urban and tourism-based areas.
Official Language: Costa Rican Spanish is the predominant language spoken, but a number of indigenous languages from the Chibcha family of languages are still in use by certain populations.
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Tipping: Tipping in Costa Rica should be a percentage of the bill that the customer feels is appropriate.
Restaurants: A 10 percent service charge is included on most checks, but if the service was remarkable, another 10 percent should be added.
Hotels: $1 per bag for bellhops, $2 per day for housekeepers,
Tour Guides: $3 to $10 per person
Photo Courtesy of Arenal Nayara Hotel Spa and Gardens
Best Airlines Offering Service: American Airlines, United, Delta, US Airways, jetBlue, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines and Sun Country Airlines provide direct to Costa Rica from US flights.
