Costa Rica Hotels

Costa Rica lies between Nicaragua and Panama. Its width ranges from 119km to 282km (74 to 176 miles). It is characterized by its impressive scenic beauty, consolidated system of protected areas (it has 6 per cent of the world's biodiversity), social stability and efficient infrastructure services. There are lowlands on both coastlines, swampy on the Caribbean coast, with grassland savannah on the Pacific side merging into swamps towards the south. Rivers cut through mountain ranges, flowing down to both the Caribbean and the Pacific. The capital, San José, founded in 1737, is a pleasant mixture of traditional and modern Spanish architecture. Places of interest include the Teatro Nacional and the Parque Central. San José also has many nightclubs and venues with folk music and dance. On the Caribbean coast, there are numerous beaches, ports and towns worth visiting. Braulio Carrillo National Park in the central region of the country has five kinds of forest. Orchids and ferns, jaguars, ocelots and the Baird tapir may all be seen here. Common dishes include casado (rice, beans, stewed beef, fried plantain, salad and cabbage) and sopa negra (black beans with a poached egg).