Posts tagged Countries In Central America
Things Travelers Need to Know About Costa Rica
Nov 9th
Costa Rica is an absolutely tremendous travel destination for travelers to Central America. If you are going, there are some basic things you need to know about the country.
Costa Rica is one of the better off countries in Central America from an economic point of view. Earnings are about double of the countries around it. As a result, the people are friendly and issues such as crime are no more significant than in most people. Costa Rica is also unique in that it has no standing military force.
Costa Rica is a predominantly Roman Catholic country, a trend you find through most of Central America. The country also invests heavily in education with literacy rates in the high 90s. The country is a democracy with elections being held every four years. Spanish is the dominant language, but English, Italian and German are spoken, particularly in tourist areas.
For population purposes, Costa Rica is somewhat of a hidden country. The vast majority of people live in the internal area of the country around the largest city of San Jose. These people tend to be “hidden” from travelers because most of them head to the coasts to enjoy the beaches and beautiful weather.
Costa Rica is a diverse country when it comes to geography. The south is immersed in deep rain forests while the far north tends to be more arid. The Midwestern part of the country is very mountainous with stunning views, particularly as you head towards the coast line. A line of volcanoes run north to south more or less through the center of the country.
From a client standpoint, the country is complex. The wet season on the Pacific coast tends to run from May to November. In October, it pretty much pours each and every day. On the east coast, however, the wettest months tend to run from November through January. The rest of the country has similar variations. If you are going to travel to Costa Rica, it is important that you find out what the weather will be like in the particular areas you want to visit.
All and all, Costa Rica should be at the top of your list of places to visit. It is a beautiful country with very friendly people.
Thinking of Retiring in Costa Rica?
Oct 30th
Costa Rica is a Spanish word which means “Rich Coast”. It is officially called the Republic of Costa Rica. The cost of travel is more expensive than any other countries in Central America but cheaper than United States and Europe. To enjoy your stay in here you have to learn their language which is Costa Rican Spanish. The cost of living in is not that expensive the average estimation is US$ 1,500 monthly if you prefer to live in a simple life style. Costa Rica is a tropical country. It has two major seasons dry and rainy. Rainy season starts from the month of May to December while dry season starts from January to May.
If you want to become a permanent resident retiree in Costa Rica you must have at least US$ 1,000 to US$ 2,000 monthly income however, if you plan to put up a business or invest here you must show a proof that you have US$ 200,000 minimum worth of investment.
Like Brazilians, Costa Ricans are also very friendly and hospitable. It counts as one of the most stable countries in Central America because they have high a standard of education and life style. While the pace of life is slower here, for anyone that is sick of being stuck on the freeway in traffic, you are going to love Costa Rica as there is almost no highway traffic here which means you can visit beautiful places such as beaches, volcanoes, rainforest and hills in just a short time.
For retirees who want to buy a house, you can save a lot of money because you can buy a house in Costa Rica for approximately 70% lower than what houses cost in the United States. Another great money saving benefit of living here is that as of the time of this writing social security here has definitely no tax.
The staple of Costa Rican food is quite simple and consists of rice and beans, but as the country grows in popularity with tourists many different worldly restaurants are springing up everywhere. If you are a fan of spicy food then you will likely want to spend your time on the Caribbean side of the country where there is more of a Jamaican influence. When it comes to drink the most famous drink in Costa Rica is the Horchata, it is a cornmeal drink with a cinnamon flavor.
Costa Rica is one of the safest countries in Central America since the rate of crime is very low and as mentioned earlier the people are friendly and honest, however like any city or country in the world you need to keep your wits about you wherever you are and be aware of your surroundings.
