The fact that more than one million tourists visit Costa Rica each year does not happen by chance. Located in Central America, Costa Rica is an isthmus where life seems to have created its roots. Covering only 0.03% of the surface of our planet, Costa Rica has approximately 6% of the world’s biodiversity.

In addition, Costa Rica is characterized by impressive scenic beauty, a consolidated system of protected areas, social and political stability, high educational levels, and efficient infrastructure and services. All of this offered in a territory of only 51 thousand square kilometers, surrounded by both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, at a distance from each other of only three to four hours by land or 45 minutes by air.

1. Luxury Resorts - Many resorts offer gourmet dining with spectacular scenery, as well as fabulous spa treatments, art galleries, thermal baths heated by a volcano. On a clear night you can observe the “fireworks” of vapor and lava from the frequent eruptions.

2. Canopy Tours - A growing number of tours let visitors explore the elevated ecosystem of the rain forest canopy, a luxuriant and little-known realm that is home for most of the jungle’s plant and animal species. It has only been in the last two decades that biologists have begun to seriously study the canopy, using such varied devices as mountain climbing equipment and construction cranes, and tourists now have the opportunity to follow them into that biological frontier.

3. Bird Watching - Costa Rica has long been famous among serious bird watchers, but many people who would never consider the activity at home quickly become interested in the country’s spectacular avian diversity. With almost 850 species of birds — more than in all of North America — packed into an area half the size of Kentucky, it’s hard not to become enthused about the variety of feathered creatures one encounters in Costa Rica. And the country’s travel agencies can provide experienced nature guides who make any bird watching expedition an educational experience.

4. Horseback Riding - There are opportunities to go horseback riding almost everywhere in the Costa Rica, and climbing onto the back of a spirited equine can be a wonderful way to spice up your vacation. The selection of horseback excursions ranges from morning trail rides in the mountains above San Jose, which get you back to your hotel in time for lunch, to all-day expeditions through the rain forest that will leave you walking like John Wayne.

5. Hiking - Costa Rica has enough trails to keep serious hikers stepping for a long time, and the scenery those routes pass ranges from lowland rain forests to brisk mountain valleys. The routes themselves are as varied as the scenery, ranging from invigorating jaunts in the mountains near San Jose to backpacking adventures that lead you into the heart of the country’s wilderness.

6. Mountain biking - With its countless kilometers of dirt roads and paths traversing a variety of terrain, Costa Rica has enough mountain biking routes to keep a serious biker rolling for years. But you need neither be an enthusiast nor willing to deal with the hassle of dragging a bike along as luggage to enjoy the sport there. Mountain bikes can be rented at most resort towns, and several local companies offer mountain bike tours of the country’s less visited areas, many of which are mellow enough for people who haven’t been on a bike for years.

7. Rafting - Costa Rica’s mountainous topography and copious rainfall are together responsible for one of the best white water river selections in the world. About half a dozen rambunctious rivers are regularly run by experienced rafting outfitters, and those river trips not only provide plenty of excitement, they also pass some gorgeous scenery. Not only do white water enthusiasts flock Costa Rica, including several Olympic kayaking teams, but every year tens of thousands of visitors experience the thrill of rafting for the first time there.

These are just some of the specialized activities you can expect in Costa Rica, truly a paradise for the outdoors enthusiast.

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