Wheather:Costa Rica's stunning scenic heritage unfolds in an ever-changing panorama of steaming volcanoes, forested mountains, dramatic skies and bucolic countryside. Dark lowland jungles give way to rolling savannas; Pacific surf crashes against rocky headlands, sharp contrast to the tranquility of palm-fringed Caribbean beaches.  
The climate is idyllic. In the lowland- which are dry in the Pacific northwest and humid elsewhere- daytime temperature range in the eighties too nineties degrees. Usually in the seventies at middle elevations, the mercury can fall as low as the forties and fifties at the top of the mountains. Even night time frost is not a uncommon occurrence on the highest peaks. Within each elevation range, temperature remain relatively constant year-round. Rainfall, on the other hand, is subject to annual and regional patterns.  
The northwest (Guanacaste) has a fairly well-defined dry season ("verano" summer) from November to May. The dry season is a month of two shorter along the southern Pacific coast. July also tends to be a dry month on the Pacific slope. Welcome rains during the balance of the year bring about a general greening and freshens the countryside. Rain usually come in afternoon cloudbursts, leaving the morning sunny and the night sky filled with stars. This period is called "invierno" (winter or rainy season) or "Temporada verde" (green season). Rainfall on the Caribbean slope is more evenly distributed throughout the year, with marked dry periods in May-June and again in September-October.  
Because it is a tropical country, located between two oceans and with a complex topography, Costa Rica is a country of varied weather conditions.  
Throughout the year there are no great temperature variations between the rain (green season) and dry seasons (summer). The average temperature varies approximately 10 degrees from one season to the other. The most important annual variation is that of the precipitation level, which is mainly due to the interaction of the different wind systems that effect the country's topography. Even do Costa Rica is in the Northern Hemisphere it has similar station as in South America. With Summer starting in December and going until March, however from May to August the country offers a mild raining season. The two month in which rain the most are September and October. But this does not apply to the whole country when in September and October it rains a great deal in the Pacific side the Caribbean has a summer type weather. Making Costa Rica a destination you can visit all year long and always able to find sun.  
Temperature variations are more defined with altitude. In those regions located between sea level and 3000 feet temperatures will range from 80 degrees to 95 degrees. In those region located from 3000 feet to over 8,000 feet above sea level, they vary between 80 degrees and 55 degrees and those regions located higher than 8000 feet endure temperatures below 55 degrees

Safety:Costa Rica is generally considered to be a very safe country and Costa Ricans on the whole are honest and friendly people. Any crime that does exist tends to be opportunistic, rather than involving out-and-out assault. The main things travelers have to worry about in the city are street mugging and pickpocketing.Other good advise includes: Do not get drunk in public so as not to invite mugging, do not argue with inebriated persons, do not walk around in secluded areas or in the city during the night. If you decide to take a companion up to your room, be forewarned that prostitutes are notorious for cleaning out their customers pockets before leaving.

Recreational drugs other than alcohol and tobacco are illegal in Costa Rica. Do not deal with drug dealers, specially on the street and perhaps more importantly, do not carry drugs while walking around the city, and especially while leaving or entering the country. Sentences for international drug trafficking go from 3 to 25 years in prison. On these subjects, trust only what your Tico friends tell you

It has been also known for luggage to be stolen while you are distracted or while it is being kept supposedly secure in a left-luggage facility. Never hand your baggage top strangers, except the airport porters, who have official identification. If storing your luggage in a hotel or guest house while you are traveling around the country, make sure it is locked, has your name prominently written on it, and that you have left instructions for it not to be removed by anyone but yourself, under any circumstances.

Car theft - both cars and the things inside - also occurs, so always lock your car. You should not leave anything of value inside your car, even locked in the trunk, anywhere in Costa Rica, day or night. If you must leave something in the car make sure it is in plain view and that it is apparent that it is of no value. In addition, never park your car on the street in San Jose, the Valle Central towns, Puntarenas or Limon; use the parking lots, this might seem overly paranoid, but it may save you a headache. Heavily touristed National Park parking places are also vulnerable, unless they are within the park where the park rangers can keep an eye on them.

If you take the common-sense precautions outlined above, you should get by unscathed. In addition, keep copies of your passport, your air ticket and your travelers cheques, plus your insurance policy at home; and if possible, extra copies in your hotel, as well as a little cash should calamity strike. If the hotel offers safety deposit boxes, use them. In Costa Rica you have to carry an ID on you at all times, and for foreigners this means carrying your passport. A photocopy will do, but if you are stopped and asked for ID, make sure you can produce the real thing from your hotel just in case the police demands to see it.

Perhaps the most dangerous part of our country are the beaches which every year claim tourist lives. Be very respectful of waves, riptides and the ocean in general. Stay always near other bathers, do not swim into the ocean, even if you are a good swimmer. Be specially wary of open beaches, which tend to prolong in a line, as opposed to safe harbor horse-shoe shaped bays. Be cautious while bathing in any beach with a river mouth.

A word of caution to women, do not follow or be led by any impromptu tour guide impersonator to far away or secluded places. Always stay with your group, if you are alone, do not trust men you have not been properly introduced to by someone you know.

After summing up all the bad things that could happen to you the only thing left to be said is: "Don't Panic! If you use common sense none of this will ever happen to you."

Passport & Visa

Entry requirements for Americans: US nationals do not require a visa for stays of up to 90 days. A passport valid for 30 days is required.  
Entry requirements for UK nationals: UK nationals must have a passport that is valid at least 30 days after the date of entry. A visa is not required for a stay of up to 90 days provided the passport is endorsed with British Citizen, British National (Overseas) or British Overseas Territories Citizen. Extensions can be arranged on arrival. In all other cases, a passport must be valid beyond six months and a visa is required.  
Entry requirements for Canadians: Canadians must have a passport that is valid at least 30 days after date of entry. A visa is not required for stays of up to 90 days. Extensions can be organised on arrival.  
Entry requirements for Australians: Australians must have a passport that is valid at least 30 days after the date of entry. A visa is not required for stays of up to 90 days. An extension can be organised on arrival.  
Entry requirements for South Africans: South African nationals must have a passport that is valid at least 30 days after the date of entry. A visa is not required for stays of up to 90 days. An extension can be organised on arrival.  
Entry requirements for New Zealanders: New Zealand citizens must have a passport that is valid at least 30 days after the date of entry. A visa is not required for a stay of 90 days. Extensions can be organised on arrival.  
Entry requirements for Irish nationals: Irish nationals must have a passport that is valid at least 30 days after date of entry. A visa is not required for a stay of 90 days. Extensions can be organised on arrival.  
Passport/Visa Note: All visitors must hold an onward or return ticket and sufficient funds. An exit visa must be obtained from the Immigration Department for all passengers staying in the country for longer than 30 days. No exit permit is required for those staying less than 30 days as long as a disembarkation card can be shown. Passports must be valid for at least 30 days after date of entry for visa exempt nationals and for six months for those requiring a visa. Admission to Costa Rica is refused to gypsies of any country and anyone with insufficient funds. Indecent clothing and long, unkempt beards and hair is prohibited. From 23 January 2007 all US citizens travelling to and from Costa Rica by air will require a valid passport; by 1 January 2008 the requirement will be extended to include all land and sea border crossings as well.  

Note: Passport and visa requirements are liable to change at short notice. Travellers are advised to check their entry requirements with their embassy or consulate

North Pacific Region (Guanacaste)

Characteristic of this area is the dramatic. The two Cordilleras, or mountain ranges, are very different from each other. The Cordillera Tilarán has rolling mountains that used to be covered in cloud forests; those remaining are protected reserves of which the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve is the most popular with visitors, offering nature trails, horse riding and canopy tours. The Cordillera de Guanacaste is an impressive string of volcanoes, some protected within national parks. Between the ranges are Lake Arenal and the nearby active Arenal Volcano and surrounding hot springs. Further north, in the tropical humidity of the lowland plains, lies the remote wildlife refuge of Caño Negro, a vast wetlands area that is one of the best places in the Americas to see river wildlife, including numerous birds, mammals and reptiles.

The name of Guanacaste come from the Indian word quahnacaztlan, that means "the place near the ear trees ", that's because of the national tree Guanacaste that grows on this region and its seeds that come in a peculiar package that has the form of a ear. The fertile plains are dotted with a mixture of agricultural fields, cattle ranches and expanses of protected areas serviced by a maze of streams and rivers. The Guanacaste-Nicoya region was the center of a vibrant pre-Columbian culture- the Chorotegas. Descended from the Olmecas of Mexico, they had arrived in Costa Rica around the 8th century and soon established themselves as the most advanced in what would be Costa Rica. They alone, for example, developed art and writing schools. Their culture was centered on milpas and cornfields. Today many of their stone metates are on display in the National Museum in San Jose, elaborately carved with turtles, crocodiles, monkeys and jaguars, this kind of figures and different forms show the strength of their culture.

No region of Costa Rica displays its cultural heritage as overtly as does Guanacaste. The culture owes much to the blending of Spanish and chorotega. The campesino life revolves around the horse and cattle ranch, here sabaneros, which may be cowboys in North America, are really common. Guanacaste has been called Costa Rica's Wild West. Here nothing is cheered more than the corridas de toros (a kind of bullfight) and topes, the region's colorful horse parades in which the Guanacastecos show their groomed horses and its footwork.

Santa Rosa National Park the first one created is located in Guanacaste, with the five next others and half a dozen wildlife refuges and biological reserves like Monteverde Biological Cloud Forest Reserve and Santa Rosa which are both the most visited. National parks, wildlife refuges, and private reserves in Guanacaste and the Northwest area preserve just about every imaginable.

The coast is indented with bays, peninsulas, and warm sandy beaches that are some of the least visited, least accessible, and yet most beautiful in the country.

Places to see:

Fortuna

Fortuna is the nearest village to the spectacular Volcán Arenal and the main reason for visiting the area. It has uninterrupted views of the volcano and provides a comfortable but touristy base for visiting the national park and other attractions in the area. There are many tour operators in town offering night trips to see the red hot volcanic activity from up close, or tours combining a luxurious soak in the hot springs while taking in the astounding show of bright red larva coursing down the slopes. Trips to the Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge are also a popular excursion, as well as horse riding to the nearby waterfalls. Close to Fortuna is Lake Arenal, a picturesque lake offering watersports, fishing and stunning scenery.

Monteverde

Monteverde is a small community scattered along several kilometres of road that leads to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. It was founded by North American Quakers in 1951, having bought over 1,000 hectares (2,471 acres) of land for their dairy farming. Today they are an integral part of the Costa Rican society and are known especially for their distinctive cheese that is sold throughout the country. In 1972 about 2,000 hectares (4,942 acres) were added to their land, which became the famous cloud forest reserve that has become so popular among visitors today. The village of Santa Elena is the closest settlement to the reserve and has a cloud forest reserve of its own, although much less visited. Monteverde has a number of other attractions, such as the Butterfly Garden, the Serpentarium, a cheese factory and a number of art galleries. CASEM Handicrafts Cooperative, made up of 140 local artisans, sells handmade goods and the profits go towards supporting the local community. There is also the Hummingbird Gallery near the entrance to the reserve that has feeders attracting several species of hummingbird providing some excellent photo opportunities. Several nature and hiking trails allow visitors to amble through coffee and banana plantations or up onto the hilltops for views of the cloud forest and, on a clear day Arenal Volcano, and provide a good chance of seeing lots of birds and wildlife.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve

The cloud forest is one of the most famous ecotourism areas in Central America. It is called a cloud forest rather than a rain forest because of the altitude. At an elevation of between 3,840ft and 5,120ft (1,200m to 1,600m) the clouds go through the forest creating a misty and often dripping, mystical habitat supporting a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna. It has been acclaimed as one of the most outstanding wildlife refuges in the New World Tropics. Because of the fragile environment there are restrictions on the number of visitors allowed into the reserve at any one time. The canopy is alive with over 400 species of birds, including the resplendent quetzal most easily seen during the March/April nesting season, as well as thousands of insect species and plants. In the shadows below are over 100 species of mammals, including five species of cats, although a glimpse of a jaguar is a very rare thing. There are a number of good walking trails that lead through the six distinct ecological zones varying from swamp forests and deep gorges, past waterfalls and streams and onto forested outcrops traversing the Continental Divide. Exploration need not be restricted to the ground as various companies offer visitors a unique and exhilarating way of viewing the cloud forest - Sky Trek is a canopy adventure with a system of platforms connected by zip lines and suspension bridges criss-crossing the top of the forest, providing a vantage point from in and above the canopy. There is also the more sedate option of a ski lift traversing the treetops.

Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal

The national park is situated within the Arenal Conservation Area, also known as 'the Energetic Heart of Costa Rica'. At its centre is the 5,356ft (1,633m) Volcán Arenal, a typically cone-shaped image despite being highly active, with some huge eruptions and larva flows that killed thousands of people in 1968. Although perpetually active the degree of activity is unpredictable, ranging from rumbling and ground shaking to a smouldering red glow best visible at night. Sometimes visitors are treated to a fiery display of red-hot rocks being thrown into the air. The park has some good trails that go through forests, passing through the area that was flattened in the 1968 eruption, or across lava fields, but fences are in place to stop people from venturing too far up the dangerous slopes. There is also a good chance of seeing some of the wildlife in the forest. The Visitor Centre has video displays of the volcano's more exciting activity. It is not possible to stay overnight in the park or visit it after dark unless on one of the night tours from Fortuna.