Costa Rica Is Back, Greener and More Intense

Costa Rica recovered 40 percent of the tourism market during the pandemic thanks to a wise strategy and sanitary protocols. The destination also achieved the recovery of airlines to 30 percent.

Cruise passengers returned as well, and the country has positioned itself well, which has helped. During the pandemic, Costa Rica’s forests and beaches got a break.

They bet on forests, beaches, and beneficial wellness tourism. Today, tourism contributes 6.5 percent to the gross domestic product.

They started with the creation of natural parks, then in the 80s, they began with the recovery of forested areas, and to date, they have recovered 55 percent of the land.

Good Pace in Nature Conservation
An attractive model is that they have been accompanied by the private sector and, of course, the social sector. The Los Niños Cloud Forest Reserve, in the Monteverde area, was developed by U.S. children and is now private.

The Costa Rican government has a National Tourism Development Plan that is updated every five years, which has kept up the good pace in nature conservation.

In 2021, 1.3 million people visited Costa Rica, but more than 3 million were before the pandemic. The average stay is one of the longest in the world at a lengthy 12.5 nights. Costa Rica has it all, including Caribbean beaches, national parks in the interior, rural communities, volcanoes, the capital, San José, the Pacific, and the Corcovado Reserve.

Most nationalities visiting Costa Rica are Americans, Canadians, and Mexicans. Although in recent years, Spain and Germany have rebounded. The supply of rooms in the Central American country totals 15,000 rooms.

Undoubtedly, one of the attractions most mentioned by tourists is its people. As Costa Ricans know, the ” Ticos ” welcome tourists with open arms. They know the importance of having a pleasant experience, are cordial, and give special treatment.

More Than Just a Green Landscape
The difference between European tourists, who come from far away, and those from the North and South American continents is the number of days of stay. Mexicans, for example, repeat the destination and change the experiences as they make shorter trips with specific circuits. Europeans, on the other hand, make longer stays.

A jewel not to be missed in San José is the National Theater, the main forum of the country. The National Theater is a building of historicist architecture completed in 1897. It is considered one of the most important buildings of national history and the central architectural jewel of the city. Its construction has a deep meaning since it represents the decision of the Costa Rican at the time of taking action and the economic stability (brought by the coffee harvest, since for each exported sack, a part was dedicated to the building) and the politics of the time in which it was built.

The recommendation is to have “gallo pinto” for breakfast: a mixture of rice and beans to which you can add meat, eggs, or sausages. At lunchtime, depending on the area, ceviche or snapper, or tuna, with products that come from corn such as rosquillas (dough volcanoes), tanelas (sweet pies), typical products of the area of Guanacaste (beaches and surf) and for dinner a good chifrijo, a mixture of rice and beans and pork crackling with pico de gallo, and beer is very tasteful.

Finally, Cocos Island is a place ideal for nature lovers and diving, located 4 hours away, and is a unique beauty. It was the island inspired to write Jurassic Park. You will find adventure tourism: hiking, new waterfalls, and new rivers.

Costa Rican Cuisine in CDMX
And if you are visiting Mexico City and want to enjoy a Costa Rican lunch or dinner, go to any of the Carajillo restaurants. There the gastronomic offer consists of the following:

The guest chef, José González, with studies at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, has an intelligent and exciting proposal. He likes to investigate responsible and diverse food from wild and sustainable products.

And by his side is chef Juan Arroyo, the creative mind and culinary ingenuity behind the restaurants. The two of them came up with this menu:

Starter: Grilled ayotes, turmeric mayonnaise, sesame, cashew nut, mayonnaise, and cilantro.

Main course: Caribbean rondón with grilled shrimp, yucca, corn, avocado, and basil and rich patacones (made of banana) and sea salt.

Dessert: Custard ice cream with strawberry, suspiro with cocoa nibs, cream with lemon zest, strawberries macerated with mezcal and tarragon.