Costa Rica is framed by the Caribbean coast to the east and the Pacific to the west. Everything in between we’re calling the Central Region.
This encompasses the capital San José. Due to its strategic location and international airport, San José is the ideal place to use as a base to start or end your journey in Costa Rica. Whilst the city itself is not really worth spending any time in, it has a spectacular setting in the middle of the fertile Central Valley, circled by the jagged silhouettes of soaring mountains on all sides.
We are featuring the following recommendations in Costa Rica’s central region:
There are plenty more excellent lodges, country inns and hotels to choose from here.
For a one night arrival or departure stop-over in San José itself, we would recommend somewhere like Grano de Oro with its rooftop sun deck (with two jacuzzis) and its excellent restaurant.
Flying time from London: 15 hours
Currency: Colón. Notes can be withdrawn from the many ATMs using a UK credit or debit card. There’s at least one in most main towns. You may have to authorise your bank first, and withdrawals may be limited to amounts lower than in the UK. US dollars cash can be exchanged in banks too. US dollars themselves are widely accepted.
GMT -5 hours
No requirement if your stay is less than 3 months as a British citizen
Despite its small size, Costa Rica has a number of distinct microclimates. The Caribbean coast is humid all year round with the driest months being September and October; wildlife lovers, however, might prefer to visit this region from July to August to watch nesting turtles. The rest of the country experiences a dry season from December to April, when there is plenty of sun and temperatures are high, and a rainy season from May to November. However, this is not a hard-and-fast rule for all regions: for example, the rainy season starts a month earlier in the south Pacific, while the northern areas, including the Guanacaste coast, are not as affected by the seasons and are generally much drier. The highlands and cloud forests have warm temperatures during the day but the high altitude means evenings are much cooler.
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