About Costa Rica
COINED programs offered in Costa RicaSpanish Courses Costa Rica Facts- The present-day landmass known as Costa Rica is the result of complex volcanic activity that took place some 75 million years ago and still continues today. - It forms a land bridge between the two American continents. - It is among the countries with the highest amount of protected land in the world. - Well know for its important nesting beaches, it is within the top 20 richest countries in biodiversity. |
Can you imagine a delicious cup of coffee, the fresh taste of coconut, the fragrance of the wild flowers, being part of your experience? That's exactly Costa Rica! This country is a young Central American jewel, divided by volcanoes and mountains. With the Pacific Ocean on one side and the Caribbean Sea on the other, you will have a hard time choosing a favorite beach. It lies between Nicaragua and Panama and is considered one of most highly valued tourist destinations in the world. With a variety of aquatic ecosystems and its beautiful white and black sand beaches, Costa Rica provides an ideal setting for activities such as sport fishing, snorkeling, and sun bathing. Divided in seven provinces, it offers attractive tourist destinations, including extensive rainforests, volcanoes, rivers, beaches and natural resources safeguarded by an important organization of national parks and forest reserves.
Life is good in Costa Rica! You will fall in love with deserted tropical landscapes, fringed by palms, bathed by warm waters and filled with welcoming locals that are called "Ticos". Ticos are really friendly, polite and kind people. You will feel welcome by their "Pura Vida" (Pure Life) whishes, a common phrase that for sure you will remember. Visit Costa Rica to explore and experience the unique mixing of races, the richness of its culture and the scenic national surroundings.
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Featured trips |
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Cocos Island: Jacques Cousteau considered Cocos Island “the most beautiful island in the world”. Located 532 kilometers off the Pacific coast, this island is a great weekend trip that in old times was a refugee for pirates and even colonizers. Today it is known for its natural treasures that include the hammerhead shark, as well as humpback whales, bottle nose dolphins, hawksbill turtles and a variety of coral species, and much more. |
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Irazu Volcano: historically, this volcano was the most active of all of Costa Rica's volcanoes. Just 30 Kilometers from San Jose, the capital city, this is a unique one day trip. Thanks to its height, on a clear day, both the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans are visible from its peak. A national park from 1955, Irazu volcano has five craters and a sulfurous turquoise-green lagoon. |
The best of the country
Food & Drinks |
Music & Dance |
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Its cuisine is simple but heavy on oil and some species. Rice and beans ("Gallo Pinto") are tipical. The most famous drink is coffee; don’t be surprised to find it served alongside your dinner as well. Other favorite local drink is "Horcheta" (a cinnamon flavored cornmeal drink), taste it and you'll know why! |
Music is everywhere: in the streets, homes, restaurants, bars, discos and theaters. When it comes to dancing, enjoy the traditional Latin rhythms of salsa, merengue, cumbia, lambada and soca. Feel the caribbean rythm! Ticos love music and dance. |
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Cinema |
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The art scene is largely underdeveloped, with exception to a few native crafts. You'll see a true affinity to the poor and rural Ticos. Many of the best crafts come from Sarchí, which is famous as the home of gaily decorated wooden carretas (oxcarts), the internationally recognized symbol of Costa Rica. |
Costa Rica, particularly Montezuma, is the home of a recognized film festival called Costa Rica International Film Festival (CRIFF). The CRIFF welcomes talented filmmakers from all over the world to showcase their films to a truly international audience. It's a multi-cultural event that has its 5th edition on 2011. |
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Costa Rica is a combination of fertile land and a well-educated population. Besides the production of bananas, coffee, and recently pineapples, in the last years the country has become one of the worlds leading producers of microchips. |
You'll find a great variety of sports, according to your interests. Surf, canopy, cycling, hicking, scuba diving, sportfishing, rafting and much more! Costa Rica is the third most popular destination to surf after Hawaii and Indonesia. |
Spare time |
Literature |
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Ticos love spend their time with their family and friends. Whenever it's possible, people that live in the city choose to go to the beach, escaping the daily routine. For them, weekends and holidays are a time to relax and to have a good time. Take into account that the country is also one of the few ones where two great oceans are within a six hour drive of each other! |
Costa Rican literature is often belittled as the most prosaic and anemic in Latin America. However, contemporary poetry and literature in general promises a lot, since in recent years there have been an abundance of good authors that engage these arts. |
