Do you like the rain forest? Do you enjoy watching incredible animals and looking at plants with the most amazing colors that you can think of? If yes, then Costa Rica is your country. Pack your things and go for the trip of a lifetime!

Looking at a map of Central America, you will find Costa Rica located between Nicaragua in the north and Panamá in the south. In the west you will see the Pacific Ocean and in the east, the Caribbean Sea. Though it is indeed a small country (smaller that the state of West Virginia!) its landscape has made it popular all over the world.

The weather is tropical in Costa Rica and you know what that means: lots of rain (including a long rainy season between May and November), sun and humidity. These conditions have created lush jungles that are homes to some of the most exotic species on Earth. In recent years the government has developed many laws to protect this ecosystem and consequently Costa Rica has become one of the most attractive destinations for tourists interested in nature and conservation.

Here are some interesting facts about Costa Rica: The capital is San José and is located in the middle of the country. If you travel there by bus you will first arrive at the Coca-Cola Bus Terminal. Costa Rica is such a colorful country that it even has a province called Limón (Lemon). There are four major volcanoes, two of which are now active. The Poás Volcano, for example, has one of the world’s biggest geysers, with a one mile-wide crater! The currency in Costa Rica is the colón and the main products for export are coffee, bananas, sugar and pineapples. Even butterflies are farmed in this country!

In Costa Rica you may enjoy scuba-diving, surfing, rafting, rainforest tours, biking, bird watching, or visit areas where you may buy indigenous arts and crafts. There are also places where, like Tarzan, you can swing from vines or ride on a zip-line through the rain forest! Don’t forget your camera—there are monkeys, jaguars, tapirs and many other interesting native species that you may have never seen before.