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Contacts |
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Tropical Felgate (UK)
Head office
+44
207 625 4490
UK National Rate:
08456-12-4427
USA Toll Free:
+1 888- 722-4427;
Phone USA:
+1 646- 652-6430;
Skype UK:
Tropical Felgate
(Costa Rica)
+506-2670-1750;
+506-8344-3201;
+506-8887-2519;
Skype Costa Rica:
Tropical Felgate
(Canada- Sales Only)
+1(416) 732-5482 |
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Even
though
Costa Rica
is a small country, it has immense biological diversity and varied
habitats due to its geographical position – it is a land where two
hemispheres and two oceans meet and the terrain quite diverse. This
makes for an array of stunning views for travelers. There is a chain
of mountains that forms a backbone running the length of
Costa Rica. It begins
in the north with the Guanacaste "Cordillera" (mountain range), and
continues with the Tilarán Cordillera (where Monteverde and Arenal
are located), and the Central Cordillera (Irazú, Poás, Braulio
Carrillo), before ending at the southern Talamanca Cordillera (which
is the highest in the country) |
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 | While the Pacific coastline is almost 780 miles (1,254 km) long,
the
Caribbean
coast only stretches 132 miles (212 km). Two hilly peninsulas (the
Osa
Peninsula
and the
Nicoya
Peninsula) can be found on the
Pacific coast. There are two large gulfs, and many small coves and
bays. Two major commercial ports are located on the Pacific:
Puntarenas and Puerto Caldera. On the Caribbean, there is a natural
harbor in Moín, located in the area of Limón. It is the largest area
of lowland plains (about one-fifth of the area of Costa Rica), which
runs from the northern coastline almost all the way to Limón |
| Costa Rica
lies in the tropics, between 8 and 11 degrees north of the
equator. You can expect moderate temperatures but the rugged mountain
chains’ effect on factors such as wind and rain create many
microclimates. Most people are surprised to learn that frost and ice
can settle on some of the loftier peaks, such as Chirripó.
Temperatures are somewhat higher on the Pacific side than on the
Caribbean
at the same elevation because clouds are more frequent. At sea level
on either side, the annual average is always above 75°F (24°C). Some
of the highest peaks average 54°F (12°C), though temperatures there
can fall below freezing. |
| There is no spring or fall in
Costa Rica. The seasons
are called “verano” (summer) and “invierno” (winter). Summer is also
called the dry season and stretches from December to April while the
rainy season, or winter, lasts from May to November. However,
temperatures vary from night to day more than between seasons. The
difference in daily temperatures averages 14°F to 18°F (8°C to 10°C).
From November to January, cool breezes from the north funnel through
the mountains of
North America
causing a small drop in temperature. This is one of the few countries
in the world in which polar air gets this close to the equator. The
warmest months are March, April, and May, and the wettest months are
September and October. Rainfall varies from less than 59 inches
(1,500mm) to over 190 inches (4,800mm) during these months. The
country's average rainfall pattern is in the range of 79 to 158 inches
(2,000 to 4,000 mm). Precipitation can come in the form of a tropical
downpour with impressive lightning and thunder (“aguacero”), steady
rain or, the least common, continuous light rain for several days
(“temporal”). |
| Even in the rainy season, it does not rain all day, every day.
The rain usually begins in the early afternoon in the
Central Valley
and other highland areas and later in the afternoon it reaches the
Pacific lowlands. Each season has its own beauty and unique
characteristics. In the rainy season the wealth of flora is plentiful
and copiously vibrant. The dry season witnesses the flowering of
orchids, bougainvilleas, “reina de la noche” (queen of the night), as
well as beautiful colorful trees that only flower at this time |
| Costa Rica boasts the highest percentage (25%) of protected areas
in the world: Forest Reserves, Biological Reserves, Nature Shelters
and, of course, National Parks. This is another reason why many
Europeans and North Americans have made this land their home and
currently comprise around 1% of the total Costa Rican population. |
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