Costa Rica is world famous for having an incredibly high level of biodiversity throughout its tropical forests (this covers what you may hear referred to as rain forests, cloud forests, and dry forests). There are tropical mammals such as monkeys, sloths, tapirs, and wild cats as well as an amazing assortment of insects and other animals. There are many many birds (both migratory and resident) - more on that below. With 25% of the country being national parks and protected areas, there are still many places you can go to see the abundant wildlife and lush vegetation of the country. Just like anywhere, the farther you get off the beaten path, the more likely you are to see a wide variety of flora and fauna.

There is such biodiversity in Costa Rica not only because it's a land bridge between North and South America, but also because the terrain is so varied and there are weather patterns moving in from both the Pacific and Atlantic/Caribbean. There are impressive volcanoes, mountain areas, rivers, lakes, and beaches all throughout the country. There are many beautiful beaches - most of the popular ones are are on the Pacific side but the Caribbean has many excellent beaches as well.

The local currency is Colón(es) named after Columbus (Spanish: Colón). The rate of change is about 495 Colones for 1 US Dollar (January 2008). But note that the use of US Dollars is quite common; in the tourist setting, almost everything is priced in Dollars (but sometimes prices are cheaper in colones).

You can find ATMs in most places. They normally dispense US Dollars and Colones.
The most common souvenirs are made from wood. Unless it's marked as responsible (plantation grown wood), it is most likely not and may be contributing to the deforestation of Costa Rica - or even Nicaragua or Panama!

Traveler's checks are rarely used. When paying with Traveler's checks, unless for hotel nights, change them first at a bank. Expect long delays with Traveler's checks at the bank, lots of stamping, the higher up the official at the bank the more stamps they have. Dollars are easier.

Buy the coffee, drink the coffee, take the coffee back to your home country. Britte sells many varieties of their coffee in the San Jose Airport. You can purchase cheaper varieties outside the airport.

Costa Rican cuisine can be described as simple but wholesome. The spiciness often associated with Latin America has typically originated in Mexico, most Costa Rican foods are not spicy but as they simmer in a large pot, the flavors are blended.

Gallo pinto is a mixture of rice and beans with a little cilantro or onion thrown in. While more common at breakfast, it can also be served at lunch or dinner.
Casado, which means married, is the typical lunch in Costa Rica, containing rice and beans with meat, chicken or fish, always served with salad and fried plantain.

The international calling code/country code for Costa Rica is 506.

A postage stamp to Europe is 125 Colones (around 20 US cents).

The primary means of outside contact are through email and public pay telephones.
Internet cafes are fairly easy to find in tourist areas, with prices all over the place. Some of these offer long distance calls over the internet.

Public phones are accessed with calling cards (tarjetas telefonicas) which can be purchased at most shops, even in outlying areas.

There are three different types of pay-phones: