Costa Rica
Costa Rica Land and Climate
Costa Rica covers 19,730 sq miles.50% of Costa Rica is covered in different types of forest. Costa Rica is home to over 100 species of mamals, 400 species of birds, thousands of insect species and over 1500 species of plants. Costa Ricas climate in the lowlands is 81 degrees farinheit in the central valley highlands the climate is 67 degrees farinheit year round.
Costa Ricas history
A variety of native americans lived in Costa Rica before Columbus arrived in 1502.In 1824 Costa Rica became a state of the fedral republic.In 1838 Costa Rica sovereight nation shortly after the Fedral republic collasped.
Costa Ricas Government and Economy
Costa Rica is a democratic republic. Costa Rica's economy depends alot on tourism due to a lack of minerals and other traditional and natural resources. In the mid-1990s the econmy slowed because of low world prices for agriculture products. Costa Rica has the largest number of orchids in the world that are exported all over the world.
vacation plan
Buy airline tickets, hotel and rental car on Travelocity web site fo $1,961.06 Day 1: Today we are going to the Cedar Rapids airport. We leave at 12:05 p.m on American Eagle. We get to Jan Jose Juan Santamaria Airport at 8:00 p.m. We get our rental car at the airport from Alamo Car Rentals. We drive to the hotel we are staying at The Casa Conde Hotel in San Juan. Day 2: Today we eat breakfast at the hotel restaurant for $ 60.00 . Then we are going to the Monteverde Theme Park. We drive to the coast and arrive at 9;15 for the tour starting at 9:30. We decide to buy a package that includes a Sky Tram, Sky Trek and tickets to the Zoo. The package for two is $ 156.00. We first take the Sky Tram. We ride a gondola through the rain forest. The ride ends at the highest point of the Monteverde Forest. This is also the Continental Divide of waters. It divides the waters that go to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. At the top you can see Niciya gulf, the Arenal Volcano and lake, mountain range and the cloud forest. Then take a walk with a naturalist guide. Then we take the Sky Trek down. The Sky Trek is a zip line that goes form mountain to mountain at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour and height of over 328 feet and has 5 observation towers. At the bottom we buy pictures of us on the Sky Trek for $60.00 which is for both. We go to the Tree House Restaurant at the theme park and spend $75.00 for lunch. The we go to the Serpentario Monteverde Zoo. The have over 50 kinds of tropical birds to see. At the end of the day we drive back to San Jose and go to hotel. We have supper at the hotel and spend $100.00. Day 3: Today we are going white water rafting on the Savegre River. The trip last all day with meals included for $ 190.00 for two. We get picked up at our hotel at 8:00 and being the trip at the village of Siencio for breakfast. We start our guided white water raftng trip. The Savegre river has class II, III and some IV rapids. We stop at swimming spots and waterfalls and have lunch. We can see egrets, osprey, tucans, many parrots and king fishers. This is a 13 mile trip. We are taken back to our hotel. We have dinner at the hotel and spend $100.00. Day 3: We have breakfast at the hotel for $60.00. We drive to the Arenal Volcano. We decide to take a hiking tour. The have a packge that includes the volcano and national park, Lava fields, Lake Arenal, Baldi Hot Springs for a three hour thermal hot springs and and dinner at the hot springs for $200.00. This is an all day tour. We drive back the hotel. Day 4: We have breakfast at our hotel and spend $60.00. Today we are gong to take a Calypso Cruise. It includes transportaion, lunch, drinks and water sports for $ $278.00. We are picked up at our hotel and depart on the boat at 9:00. We pass thru seven islands in the gulf of Nicoya. The port of call is Tortuga Island. We have lunch and go swimming and snorkel. Then we ride a banana boat. We we arrive back we are taken to our hotel. We have supper at the Los Anonos Steak House and spend $120.00. Day 5: Today we have breakfast at the hotel and spend $60.00. I call the Valle Del Sol Golf Course and they pick us up to go golfing. Golfing for two is $ 188.00. We eat lunch at the golf Course for $75.00. They take us back to our hotel. We spend the rest of the day at the hotel pool and have supper at the poolside restaurant. We spend $80.00. Day 6: Today we have breakfast at the hotel and spend $60.00. We are going on a San Jose City Tour. The tour starts at 10:00 a.m. and is for 5 hours the cost is $88.00 for two. We start on he east side of San Jose and see Democracy Plaza and National Museum, the courts, Los Yoses, San Pedro Mall and Hisanidad Fountain. Next we go to a pr Columbian Gold Museum. Then we are taken to the Western section of San Jose La Sabana Metropolitan part. We see the Costa Rican Art Museum, National Gymnasium, and the Nobel Peace Prize winner Oscar Arias Sanchez's home. We buy lunch from a street cart and spend $30.00. We spend some time after the tour to buy some things to take home. We spend $500.00. We drive back to the hotel and spend the rest ofthe day at the pool. We have supper at the hotel and spend $80.00. Day 7: Today is the last day of our vacation so we are going shopping at the Sa Pedro Mall. We pack and leave the hotel. We drive to the mall. We buy some shirts and other things for family. We spend $ 500.00. Then we drive to the airport and return the car. We leave at 12:15 p.m on American Eagle and get back to Cedar Rapids at 9:45 p.m. This vacation cost $5, 081.06