Costa Rica

At a Glance

Many destinations make promise of grand adventure, but often it’s more of a state of mind or how energetic you are about, say, golf. However, your honeymoon in Costa Rica doesn’t simple deliver non-stop action, it demands it! Strap in and prepare for heart pounding thrills in a stunning tropical setting.

• GET YOUR FEET WET AT RINCON DE LA VIEJA NATIONAL PARK: The spectacular Rincón de la Vieja Volcano elicits thoughts of dinosaurs roaming around as itrises 1,848m (6,061 ft.) into the sky with thermal activity everywhere from geysers, vents, and fumaroles. Kicking off your honeymoon by hiring a guide and a horse for a day to travel towaterfalls and mud baths, hot springs and jungle swimming holes is an excellent way to see what Costa Rica has in store.
• UNLEASH YOUR INNER TARZAN: For an activity you certainly won’t find everyday, strap on a harness for a canopy tour zipping from treetop to treetop. There are numerous tours all around the country.
• HEAT UP YOUR HONEYMOON: Arenal Volcano offers an unbelievable show with flowing lava and earthshaking rumbles. And what better way to take in the excitement than from a front-and-center spot as you relax in a natural hot spring with a chill cocktail fromTabacón Hot Springs Resort & Spa’s swim-up bar. You can also extend your good sensations with an excellent, yet reasonably priced massage.
• EXPLORE THE RIVER WILD: Experienced adventurers will find serious white water rafting on the Upper Reventazón River near Turrialba. For everyone else, many places offer beautiful rafting trips through jungles and gorges, such as on the Pacuare River.
• FIND YOUR SEA LEGS: Heading out into the Pacific Ocean to deep-sea fish for billfish, blue marlin and sailfish is a must in Costa Rica. All up and down the coast, you’ll have no problem finding boat operatorsoffering a variety of different angling adventures.
• BE A TRENDSETTER: There’s a new rage called canyoning that has you hiking through rivers and steep mountain canyons, then stopping here and there for some extreme rappelling or jumps into a hidden jungle pool. Very cool action for your honeymoon in Costa Rica!
• LET THE WIND BE YOUR GUIDE. Lake Arenal is a major international windsurfing hot spot to enjoy incredible views as mighty wind gusts whisk you along on the water.
• DIVE INTO BEAUTY. For many years, the small Isla del Coco has provided extraordinary opportunity to explore a stunning undersea world of reefs and marine life such as hammerhead sharks, manta rays and even giant whale sharks!

Fast Facts

• CURRENCY: The colon is Costa Rica’s monetary unit, but U.S. dollars and credit cards are readily accepted in most places.
• WEATHER: The country rests a few degrees north of the equator and experiences a rainy season then a dry season. Afternoons in the rainy season are often punctuated by very wet thunderstorms.
• TIMEZONE: You won’t find Daylight Saving Time in Costa Rica, however from March through October the time zone is equivalent to U.S. Mountain Standard Time, and the rest of the year is the same as U.S. Central Standard Time.
• ELECTRICITY: Costa Rica uses the 110-volt system of electricity, which is the same as in the United States.
• GETTING AROUND: Renting a car or even hiring a driver is your best bet for getting around most Costa Rican locations, particularly San Jose. You will find buses and taxis as well, but consider taking advantage of tours when heading to some of the bigger, harder to reach attractions.

Honeymoon Hints

• GET TO KNOW THE SURROUNDINGS: Costa Rica has no shortage of beaches, rain forests and volcanoes. While no one anticipates a problem, consider whether you are up to the challenge of a gorgeous, yet highly energized honeymoon.
• TRY NOT TO DRIVE AT NIGHT: Costa Rican roads can be paved and smooth one minute, then change to dirt and filled with holes the next—not to mention the hairpin turns and lack of guard rails. A good idea is to keep your driving to daylight hours where you can see any upcoming hazards, like, for example, a stick jutting out of the middle of the street, which is an alert to a sinkhole or similar car-walloping situation.
• TALK THE TALK: Learning at least the basics of Spanish is a great way to get around easier and show your respect for the host country’s populace. The friendly Costa Ricans will patiently help you with your Spanish; some are bilingual with English and on the Caribbean side of the country, many more speak a creole that is very close to Jamaican English.