Costa Rica Vacations

Important Travel Information for Costa Rica

• Canadian Citizens RequirePassport valid 3 months after arrival
• Electricity110
• English SpokenWell Spoken in Tourism
• Official CurrencyCosta Rican Colon, US Dollar also accepted
• Official LanguageEnglish
• Population3464000
• Tipping10% is included. An extra tip for good service at your discretion.
• US Citizens RequireCanadian Passport Valid 3 months after arrival

Costa Rica Vacations: Package Holidays for Ecotourists, Beach Lovers, and Urban Tourists of All Ages

General Information About Costa Rica Vacations

Located in Central America, featuring both Pacific and Caribbean coastlines, Costa Rica has a great deal to offer to both urban and eco-tourists as well as beach-lovers of all ages. Although the majority of Canadian tourists favour the great beaches and natural wonders featured in an all-inclusive Costa Rica vacation in Liberia, the capital city of San Jose provides Costa Rica package holiday tourists with a great urban alternative. In addition to the many all-inclusive Costa Rica vacations that bring thousands of tourists to enjoy the natural beauty and warm climate of Costa Rica each year, Costa Rica also attracts many people from around the globe who have chosen Costa Rica as their permanent residence, adding to the multicultural population of Costa Rica.

Liberia, the capital of Guanacaste province in Costa Rica, is a charming city with Spanish colonial history, serving as a great access point to exploring the many natural wonders of this ecotourism hotspot. All-inclusive Costa Rica vacations in Liberia offer the perfect holiday solution for the real nature lover, and all-inclusive Costa Rica packages in Liberia are often considered to be the best option for exploring the Guanacaste region, offering some of Costa Rica's best resort hotels and nature parks. Liberia package holidays are not recommended for great nightlife, shopping, or dining experiences, although limited opportunities do exist – this destination is all about mother nature. As a great urban alternative, Costa Rica package holidays in San Jose provide tourists with a great opportunity to explore the rich cultural appeal of Costa Rica. For those who wish to experience great nightlife, restaurants, shopping, and Costa Rican culture, a Costa Rica vacation in San Jose will provide all of this and more. San Jose often serves as the starting point to many of the Costa Rica package tours, ranging from 8 days to two weeks or more, that provide tourists with the opportunity to explore the great diversity of Costa Rica, touching on the most popular natural and urban attractions that Costa Rica has to offer.

All-inclusive Costa Rica vacation packages appeal to a wide range of people, including singles, families, and couples.  With such outstanding geography, plant and animal diversity, it is no wonder that Costa Rica vacations primarily attract active nature lovers in search of ecotourism adventure. Mobility is not an issue while on an all-inclusive Costa Rica package holiday, and tourists tend to move easily from place to place via taxis, car or jeep rentals.  Driving distances to points of interest may be considerable (90 minutes), but driving in Costa Rica is fairly manageable and provides great access to secluded natural wonders. For those who venture out, be sure to bring along adequate supplies of bottled water – drinking the local water is not recommended in all areas of Costa Rica. Many tourists on an all-inclusive Costa Rica package holiday arrange excursions from the resort hotels, which is a great alternative to a self-guided adventure.

Delight Your Senses with an All-Inclusive Costa Rica Vacation Package

As noted, Liberia vacations are not known for great nightlife, shopping or dining –  a vacation package in San Jose is your best bet for an urban Costa Rica holiday. Nightlife on an all-inclusive Liberia vacation is extremely limited, and tourists tend to focus on daytime activities in this natural playground. For the best shopping, restaurants, culture, nightlife and casino action, a Costa Rica package holiday in San Jose is the way to go. San Jose is home to Costa Rica's National Theatre, National Museum, and Jade Museum for those who can appreciate these cultural highlights. For shopping, San Jose features a wonderful pedestrian mall in the downtown area. The Central Market is situated at the end of the pedestrian mall, and features local delights – crafts, knick-knacks, flowers, t-shirts, and more. The Plaza de la Cultura, located in the heart of San Jose, is a nice focal point where tourists and locals mingle, relax, and take in the sights. The Park of Spain, featuring tropical natural beauty, provides the perfect backdrop for tourists to check out local artists displaying their works.

Major Costa Rica vacation attractions in Liberia include the natural wonders of volcanoes, cloud forests, hot springs, volcanic sand beaches, and the incredible diversity of Costa Rican flora and fauna. Globus, Nolitours, and Collette Vacations offer great tours of varying duration, providing tourists with what may be the best way to sample the best that Costa Rica has to offer. For those looking for a complete all-inclusive Costa Rica package holiday experience, speak with one of our tripcentral agents to arrange a tour package.

Sand and Sun on Your Costa Rica Vacation

Although Costa Rica vacations are not known for the world's greatest beaches, the unique volcanic sand beaches in Liberia offer great seclusion for those who can appreciate their natural beauty.  Beaches in the region are not the typical Caribbean white sand beaches with calm, clear turquoise waters, but feature dark volcanic sands and darker, rougher Pacific waters. The only white sand beach found on Costa Rica's Pacific coast is located at Playa Conchal, and this is a man-made feature where the white sand was brought into the area to create a tourist attraction. Despite the fact that the majority of the tourist traffic in Costa Rica is centred around ecotourism and all-inclusive resort packages along the Pacific coast, Costa Rica's Caribbean coast does feature some white sand beaches that are worth exploring.

Costa Rica package holiday weather is typically hot, humid, tropical, and relatively dry during the winter season. The optimal time for an all-inclusive Costa Rica vacation is from November through March, avoiding the rainy season from May through October. The lush, mountainous and volcanic landscape is perfect for ecotourism, and the weather in Costa Rica supports great biodiversity. An all-inclusive Costa Rica vacation in Liberia is set in a mostly rural environment, where the impact of agriculture and sugar cane production are apparent, decorating the local hillsides. The area immediately surrounding Liberia is relatively flat bordering on swampland, and the variety of flora throughout the region is magnificent. For those who choose a vacation package in San Jose, the wonderful climate and culture offer a good substitute for the beach.

Hurricane season, with its unpredictability of storm events, typically lasts from July through December, peaking from mid-August to mid-November. Although Costa Rica vacations are not often impacted by hurricanes, the possibility remains. However, when booking Costa Rica vacation packages, you can rest assured that tour operators will not fly you into a hurricane and will act fast to get you out in the event of any development. You can find great Costa Rica vacation package deals during hurricane season, and the economic advantage is well worth considering. We recommend that you speak with one of our tripcentral agents to fully understand the great value benefit vs. limited risk associated with travel to this region during hurricane season.

All-Inclusive Costa Rica Packages: What to Know Before You Go

Before you go on your all-inclusive Costa Rica vacation, it's good to know some basic information to ensure that your time away is hassle-free. Before you can enter Costa Rica for your all-inclusive Costa Rica vacation, you will need to ensure that you have a passport with at least 30 days validity. If you are unsure about these or any other details relating to Costa Rica vacations, simply contact one of our tripcentral agents for all of the details, and we will help to ensure that your all-inclusive Costa Rica package holiday is uncomplicated. Also, there are no shots or inoculations required before entering Costa Rica. Although the vast majority of Costa Rica has access to clean drinking water, it is best to stick with bottled water for maximum safety. Concerning safety more generally, Costa Rica is considered to be a relatively safe destination for travel, although tourists should maintain an awareness to avoid pickpockets.

Banking is widely available in all major tourist areas in Costa Rica. The official currency in Costa Rica is the colon, but U.S. dollars are widely accepted and often preferred to pay for more expensive items such as tours, hotel expenses, upscale meals, and other big-ticket items. For Canadian tourists on all-inclusive Costa Rica vacations, ATMs are widely available, and many dispense U.S. dollars. As an alternative to cash on a Costa Rica vacation, major credit cards are widely accepted at most hotels, upscale restaurants, car rental agencies, and tour companies. On a Costa Rica vacation, tipping is expected for exceptional service, even though many restaurants may include a gratuity in the bill. If you are taking any electronics along on your all-inclusive Costa Rica vacation, you'll be glad to know that Costa Rica uses 120 volt power, so no special adapters will be required to power North American devices.

Costa Rica vacation package flights are available only from Toronto, with weekly charters offered throughout the year.  Scheduled flight service into San Jose provides great access to the region, although most Canadian tourists fly into Liberia because from San Jose to the coast is a very long transfer. All-inclusive Costa Rica package hotels are spread out through the Guanacaste province, and feature 80s-90s construction of typically low-rise structures that are built into the hilly terrain, requiring a greater than average number of steps to navigate the changes in elevation. All-inclusive packages are popular with tourists to Costa Rica where travellers take advantage of the good all-inclusive value and still enjoy the many great day trips to the surrounding points of interest.

For those planning a wedding in the sun, all-inclusive Costa Rica package weddings are growing in popularity, and can easily be arranged with the help of one of our tripcentral agents. To ensure availability and limited hassle, book well in advance. All-inclusive Costa Rica package holidays offer good value, but tourists should be prepared to spend a bit of money on day trips to take advantage of all that a Costa Rica vacation has to offer. Costa Rica is widely known as an excellent destination for ecotourism, with wonderful day trips that offer some of the best wildlife viewing in the world.

Costa Rica Vacations Pictures

Arenal Volcano - Costa Rica