What is Costa Rica Known for

First things first – Costa Rica isn’t just known for one or even a few things. There are many things that stand out about this beautiful country.

You could ask 100 people to give one word that best describes Costa Rica, and you’re likely to get 100 different answers.

Honestly, Costa Rica is probably one of the most versatile countries in the world in terms of what it has to offer based on interests, location, etc.

The list could go on and on about what Costa Rica is known for. We invite you to keep reading to get a better understanding of what we – citizens of Costa Rica, know to be the country’s best attributes and features.

P.S. We’ve been living here for fourteen years now, so we’re practically experts on this topic!

We’ve broken the list down into categories of things that Costa Rica is known for: Nature, People, Culture, Food, and Fun.

So, without further adieu, vamos!

Costa Rica is Nature

Out of all the things that come to mind when you close your eyes and imagine Costa Rica, its breathtaking nature is probably the first thing that comes to you.

Fair enough! Like we said, Costa Rica is known for many, many things. But its impeccable nature has to be up there amongst the most well-known.

And when it comes to nature and wildlife, Costa Rica has it all.

Pristine Beaches

Did you know that the name Costa Rica translates to “rich coast” in English?

This is a testament to the country’s pristine coastlines – plural because there are two! Costa Rica is one of the few countries in the world to have both Atlantic and Pacific coasts.

Both these coasts are lined with beaches from north to south, and the type of beach varies depending on where you go.

Costa Rica is home to beaches with black sand, coral reefs, powdery white sand, jungle backdrops, and so much more.

Our favorite beaches in Costa Rica are:

• Marino Ballena National Park – Puntarenas (where we live!)
• Manuel Antonio National Park – Puntarenas
• Playa Tamarindo – Guanacaste
• Playa Manzanillo – Limon

Thriving Jungle and Rainforest

When visiting Costa Rica, you realize that you really are just VISITING. We all are.

This country belongs to the wildlife and nature that lives in it. Even for those of us who live here, we know that we really are just visitors to all of the flora and fauna that call Costa Rica home.

It’s impossible not to feel as though you’re constantly surrounded by thriving wildlife – it makes YOU feel so alive!

To give you an idea of just how ‘green’ Costa Rica is, enjoy these interesting facts:

• Over 25% of Costa Rica’s land is protected
• Costa Rica has 161 parks and refuges
• 2,605,000 ha of Costa Rica is jungle

Immersing yourself in Costa Rica’s thriving nature is a must-do when visiting the country – it isn’t a proper trip to Costa Rica without it!

Our favorite locations to feel immersed in pristine jungle and rainforest include:

• Cahuita National Park – Limon
• Monteverde – Puntarenas
• Corcovado National Park – Puntarenas
• La Fortuna – Alajuela

Exotic Wildlife

For the animal lovers out there – Costa Rica is, without a doubt, the ideal country for your next vacation.

Honestly, you’ll struggle to find many other places that offer the same kind of experience for spotting and being around exotic wildlife.

Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world – if not the most.

It contains 5% of the world’s biodiversity, including about 900 different bird species and over 250 species of mammals.

Sounds pretty spectacular, right? 

Well, Costa Rica is just as exotic beneath the ocean as it is on land. Here – depending where and the time of year you visit, you can spot whales, dolphins, five species of sea turtles, reef sharks, and so much more.

If you’re looking to feast your eyes on some of Costa Rica’s spectacular wildlife, we truly believe that our area offers the best of the best. Our favorite spots include:

• Isla de Caño – for snorkeling and diving
• Corcovado National Park – for birding and on-land animal spotting
• Marino Ballena National Park – for whales and dolphins

Costa Rica is its People

Costa Ricans, or Ticos, are some of the friendliest people you’ll come across in the entire world.

That may sound like a bold statement, but we stand by it. Not only are Ticos friendly, but they’re genuine, helpful, and welcoming.

It doesn’t even matter if you don’t speak the local language (which is Español). Here, you can get by and communicate with locals through smiles and friendly hand gestures.

We recommend checking out the book Pura Gente, where you can dive into the inspiring stories and lives of over 50 people from all over the country. Just through reading it you can get a feel for just how friendly and pure Costa Rica’s people are.

Does this mean that Costa Rica is Safe?

Another thing that Costa Rica is known for is safety – which we believe is a result of the friendliness of its people.

Costa Rica is considered one of the safest countries to visit, not only in Latin America but in the world.

The numbers back this up – in 2023, a record number of tourists entered the country (2.5 million), and this year, it’s on track to go even higher.

Costa Rica’s friendly people and its peaceful nature as a country make it a great travel destination.

The country sees all forms of travelers, including thousands of families and solo travelers per year – who are perhaps the most safety-cautious demographic of travelers.

Actually, our largest demographic for our surf + yoga vacations is female solo travelers. To us, at least, this shows that Costa Rica still has its reputation for being an exceptionally safe country to visit.

There are, of course, two sides to the coin – every country has its bad apples! We encourage you to read our blog post to learn how to have a safe and enjoyable time in this spectacular country.

Costa Rica and its People Lead by Example

Costa Rica is known for being an extremely sustainable, environmentally friendly, and peaceful country – and this is very important to its people.

Did you know that here we rely 99% on renewable forms of energy and that our government has recently instituted a single-use plastics ban?

Ticos also take great pride in the fact that their country has no army, which was abolished in 1948 in pursuit of peace and democracy.

Doesn’t get much more peaceful than that, does it? These qualities and values are now woven into the identity and characteristics of Costa Rica and its people, creating a great amount of pride.

Costa Rica is Cultural

Costa Rica has a very unique culture.

To sum up Costa Rica’s culture in one word? Pura vida. Ok, that’s two words – but you get the point.

It translates directly to “Pure life” but is used for almost anything. It can be said as a response to:

• Hello!
• Goodbye
• Nice to see you
• Thank you
• You’re welcome
• Sorry
• Have a good day

You see? Literally anything. But more than just a cool response, pura vida has a deeper meaning for Ticos.

Costa Rica’s culture is very relaxed, friendly, warm, and hospitable – which essentially is what the pura vida lifestyle encompasses.

When visiting Costa Rica, you’ll notice these very characteristics in people. It’s hard not to feel relaxed and at peace when everyone around you is, too.

It can be a really connecting and enlightening experience trying to embrace pura vida during your time here – and we don’t mean by buying a t-shirt of a sloth on a surfboard with the words Pura Vida.

Costa Rica’s culture is all about people – how they make you feel, how they can be there for you, how they can share their joy of life with you. 

Once you do start to feel this – and we mean REALLY feel it, you start to feel more grateful for the simple things in life and to be more present. THIS is the essence of pura vida.

It’s important to understand this before trying on that t-shirt of a monkey drinking an Imperial with the words Pura Vida.

Learn more about Costa Rican culture by checking out our blog post!

Costa Rica is Delicious

Honestly, it’s a crime that it’s taken us so long to mention food.

Here at Bodhi Surf + Yoga we take food very seriously. We’re foodies, foodaholics, connoisseurs of flavor – whatever you want to call it!

What we’re trying to say is that if there’s one group of people that want to talk to you about food… it’s us.

Costa Rican food is traditionally simple, delicious, and resourceful. The main cuisine typically consists of foods and ingredients that are grown here.

If you’re a fan of rice, beans, and even more rice and beans – Costa Rica is for you. Rice and beans is a huge part of most typical meals here.

Why is this? Because that’s what’s grown here and in abundance.

But don’t worry, Tico cuisine goes much further than just those two ingredients. Some of our absolute favorite typical meals include:

• Gallo pinto: a breakfast dish often served with eggs, plantains, tortilla, avocado, and of course… rice and beans!
• Casado típico: A lunch/dinner plate including rice, beans, picadillo, plantain, salad, and often a protein of choice
• Tamales: Traditionally a Christmas food, tamales are pockets of seasoned vegetables, rice, or meat in a maize dough
• Patacónes: Crushed and fried plantain slices, often topped with guacamole, pico de gallo, and a black bean paste.

These are just a few of our favorite foods that Costa Rica is known for. Check out our blog post for other delicious Costa Rican specialities.

You can also learn how to make many of these tasty breakfast, lunches, dinners, and desserts by downloading our Bodhi Cookbook!

We Can’t Talk about Costa Rican Flavor Without Mentioning…

Ok, it’s even more impressive that we’ve made it this far without mentioning coffee!

Costa Rica is world-renowned for its delicious coffee. I personally never drank coffee until I came here. 

I always tried to get into it, but I just couldn’t make myself like it. Now I realize that that’s because I hadn’t yet been exposed to the good stuff. And oh boy, Costa Rica is full of the good stuff.

Here, coffee isn’t only drunk in the morning. People drink it throughout the entire day, all the way through the evening.

Yes – the evening! I’ve been over friends’ houses after work at 10pm before, and we’ve sat there drinking coffee.

Coffee grown in Costa Rica is delicious and of high quality due to various conditions favorable for coffee growth, including:

• Altitude
• Healthy and rich soil
• Sufficient sunlight
• Ideal air temperatures
• Sufficient rainfall

We’d be stoked to start the day with you over a cup of coffee and a delicious breakfast during one of our immersive surf + yoga vacations!

Costa Rica is Fun

Having lived here for 14 years now, if there’s one thing that we can attest to – it’s that Costa Rica can be a whole lot of fun.

Costa Rica has so much to offer in terms of activities. 

If your idea of fun is chilling on a beach and tanning for eight hours, we have that. If it’s zipping at the speed of light (not really) through the rainforest – we have that too. It’s all about what your idea of fun is!

In our blog post here, we break down some of the best places in Costa Rica to visit and the best things to do in each location.

But in a nutshell, here is what you can look forward to doing on your trip to Costa Rica:

Chasing waterfalls

No one ever said that you shouldn’t go chasing waterfalls! And there’s no better place to do it than here.

Costa Rica has some of the most impressive and breathtaking waterfalls you’ll ever come across. 

Some of them require hikes to arrive at, some are tucked away in the jungle, and some you can even slide down!

Some of Costa Rica’s most famous waterfalls include:

• Nauyaca Waterfalls – Puntarenas
• La Fortuna Waterfall – Alajuela
• La Paz Waterfall and Gardens – Alajuela
• The Uvita Waterfall – Puntarenas

Exploring volcanoes

Costa Rica has six active volcanoes, and another 51 that are dormant or inactive.

This is a result of Costa Rica being located on the Caribbean Tectonic Plate, where we experience quite a lot of tectonic movement and activity.

For those who enjoy hiking, here are a few of our favorite volcanoes that you can visit:

• Arenal Volcano – Alajuela
• Poás Volcano – Alajuela
• Irazu Volcano – Cartago
• Rincón de la Vieja – Guanacaste

Jungle zip lining

The jungle is pretty hard to avoid in Costa Rica. It’s always there.

Even if you’re staying by the coast, the jungle is never too far away. In some cases – like us here in Bahia Ballena, the jungle is only a matter of steps away from the sands of the beaches.

Zip lining is, without a doubt, one of the most sought-after activities when visiting Costa Rica.

Here are some of our favorite places to experience Costa Rica’s jungles by soaring through them:

• Hacienda Baru – Puntarenas
• Monteverde Cloud Forest – Puntarenas
• La Fortuna – Alajuela
• Manuel Antonio – Puntarenas

Connecting with the ocean through surfing

Last but definitely not least on the list – surfing!

You just knew that this would come up at some point, didn’t you?

Costa Rica is known not only for its incredible surf breaks and locations but also for its surfers themselves. Brisa Hennessy just represented Costa Rica by competing in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, where she finished in 4th place in surfing.

Isn’t that cool? What’s even cooler is that she’s from near us in the Osa Peninsula and grew up surfing close by!

We believe that where we live is the best place in the world to learn to surf. Why, might you ask? Because where we surf is:

• A protected marine national park
• A andy and soft beach break
• A long and wide beach
• Manned by lifeguards and park rangers
• Warm enough to not require a wetsuit

These factors make for ideal learning conditions – you have plenty of room to fall and make mistakes (it’s a part of it!), an uncrowded break, a soft sandy bottom, and a beautiful, untouched natural environment to immerse yourself in.

We’re also the only B-Corp-certified surf + yoga school in the world. By joining us, you can rest assured that you’re learning to surf by supporting a small, family-run business that goes above and beyond to give back to its community and environment.

Costa Rica is for YOU!

Now that you know what Costa Rica is known for, what most stands out to you?

This has been just a quick introduction into what Costa Rica has to offer and what it’s most famous for.

There’s a whole world of other things that could have been added to this list but weren’t – for the sake of not writing a 10,000-word blog post.

Some honorable mentions include:

• Fruit
• Healthcare
• Football
• Weather and climate
• So many more

If you now have a better idea of what you’re looking for during your trip to Costa Rica, we invite you to check out the best times of year to visit and weather in Costa Rica.