Costa Rica – Happiest Country in the World

Costa Rica has been ranked as the “happiest country” in the world and with good reason. The men here are known as Ticos and the women as Ticas. Less than 1 percent of Costa Ricans are of indigenous ancestry. Nowadays, about 94 percent of the population are of European or mestizo ethnicity.

Costa Rica is known to have a polite and friendly culture. The people here abide to a non-confrontational type of society. Unlike in Western countries, Costa Ricans are very reluctant to show anger or any distressing attitude in public even if they have a valid reason to be upset. This may come as a shock to most foreigners who are usually used to confrontation up front.

This is because they were raised and taught to be handle difficult situations in a peaceful and laid-back way. Even when the country experiences civil unrest, Costa Ricans would much rather confront the situation through peaceful and non-violent marches.

Even with the terms of endearment the Costa Ricans use to address one another expresses just how loving and non-confrontational they are. Normally, most people would take offense to being called chubby or skinny but in Costa Rica these little “pet names” are nothing offensive. They sometimes just call it as what they see sometimes like with skin color or race. This is nothing to be worried about and is totally normal in their culture.

Where is Costa Rica?

Known as “the happiest country in the world,” Costa Rica is a part of Latin America. Located in Central America, its neighboring countries are: Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Ecuador to the South. Having been colonized by Spain, Costa Rica gained its independence in 1838.

The country has gained popularity by being one of the most valued environmental destinations in the world. About 25 percent of the country’s land has protected forests and reserves. Another aspect that makes this nation stand out is the fact that they have no standing army. This is because they constitutionally abolished their army in 1949.

Costa Rica holds one of the highest literacy rates in the world with 96 percent. The country embraces freedom so much that even though their national religion is Catholicism, they ensure freedom of religion to all. The Costa Rican government is democratic and is the longest-standing democracy in Central America.

One notable aspect of Costa Rica is that it hosts more than 5 percent of the world’s biodiversity having over 130 species of fish, 1,000 butterflies, 220 species of reptiles, 9,000 different kinds of plants, 20,000 species of spiders, and 34,000 species of insects! So for those who are looking to travel to Costa Rica for its wide array of animals and bio economies, you surely won’t be disappointed.

How to Travel to Costa Rica?

Costa Rica has seven provinces being: San Jose, Alajuela, Heredia, Cartago, Guanacaste, Puntarenas, and Limon. From Miami, it only takes about 2 hours’ flight to head over to San Jose, Costa Rica and 3 and a half hours from New York. There are also nonstop flights if you don’t want to go through lay overs and such.

The best time to visit Costa Rica is from mid-December to April since it’s the country’s dry season during that span of time. Around that time is the peak season for tourism which is the best weather for exploring rainforests and visiting the beach. But Costa Rica’s climate is tropical so it’s always a good time to head over to its beaches and have a relaxing tan under the sun even if it’s not peak season.

What You Can Do in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is the roughly the same size as Lake Michigan with the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean as its borders. The country has become a popular tourist destination for travelers seeking a tropical vacation and for those who want to embrace nature.

Costa Rica’s land is diverse when it comes to terrain. The country houses lush forests, wildlife sanctuaries, and tropical beaches. For those who love the beach, you can stay along the Pacific coast and head to Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula’s coastline.

For those who seek nature, you should visit the Northern Plains or along the Caribbean coast and rest in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. After gearing up and resting for the night, head over to Monteverde’s Cloud Rainforest and hike Arenal Volcano. It doesn’t just stop there though, there’s still so much more to do in Costa Rica.