Costa Rica is an absolute paradise in matters of beaches.  The coastline has a length of over 1800 km with a never-ending variety of beaches for any possible taste.   There are rocky and stony beaches, sandy beaches with white, gray, bluish black, tan, and pink colored sand.   From Playa Avellanas to Playa Vuelta del Sur, and any name in between, from the Pacific to the Atlantic / Caribbean, Costa Rica offers an almost infinite number of beaches for tourist enjoyment.  Come to surf, swin, snorkel, SCUBA dive, or just relax in the warm, tropical sun.

Costa Rica is fishing! Costa Rica is home to some of the best sportfishing and deep sea fishing in the world, with over 79 world records to its credit. Be prepared to catch Yellow Fin Tuna, Black Fin Tuna, Blue Marlin, Black Marlin, Sailfish, Dolphin, Grouper, Snapper, Roosterfish, Snook, dorado and more!

Fish the tropical waters of Flamingo, Tamarindo, Tambor, Quepos and the Gulfo Dulce, Osa Peninsula on the Pacific side.

On the Atlantic - Caribbean side, you'll find Tarpon and Snook, barracuda, kingfish, spanish mackarel, jack, grouper, snapper and others. The canals and rivers of the northern Caribbean coast are lined with lush rain forest, which adds to the natural experience. Here you will find some of the best snook and tarpon fishing in the world.

San José has been the capital of Costa Rica and the seat of its democratic government since 1823. Nestled high in the Central Valley (1,253 meters/3,770 feet), between green volcanic mountain ranges, the metropolitan city of about one million people is oriented east and west, surrounded by suburbs that cling to the gentle foothills. The nearby town of Escazú, southwest of the city off the autopista, is home to the largest population of North Americans living in Costa Rica, either full-time or part-time, and is consequently more upscale than San José’s downtown or other suburbs.

Unlike other Central American capitals, San José is not a very colonial city, although the heart of the historic center features several beautiful old buildings. It didn’t become a decent-sized city until relatively late in the 1800s, long past the colonial era, and had a modern building boom in the 1950s and 60s. Because of its economic success from coffee exports, San José became the second city in the Americas to install electricity (1884). At its heart are the National Theater, Plaza de la Cultura, Parque Central, the Cathedral and Gold Museum, which are centered in a fourblock area with a long pedestrian-only shopping walkway bisecting the middle of downtown.

Despite the lack of stone and plaster colonial ambiance, many of San José’s buildings boast a unique and charming architectural style known as “Caribbean Victorian.” Just beyond the modern office high-rises are wood-framed clapboard houses built at the turn of the century. Graceful porticos and wrap-around verandas distinguish these appealing homes (some converted to offices or small hotels) painted in soft pastels. Many have the original metal roofs that sound rat-tat-tat in the rain.

San José is a very cosmopolitan capital with many welcoming qualities. Near-perfect weather is a big attraction to visitors as well as expatriates who call the Central Valley home.

Some 250,000 foreigners, mostly North Americans, live in Costa Rica full time. The temperature is fairly consistent between 70 and 75°F. Occasional Northerlies, cold fronts, call for a jacket or sweater at night. The rainy season, when late afternoons and evenings bring showers, lasts from May to October, mas o menos. As the cultural heart of the nation, San José is home to several theater groups, excellent museums, parks, a national symphony, cinemas and universities. It is also host to nightclubs, casinos, discos and fine restaurants. Residents of San José are known as Josefinos.

On the down side, the city is often crowded, dirty, noisy, ugly and disagreeable. It may take some getting used to – some people hate it, but the longer you stay, the more San José grows on you. We love it!