What to see, what to do Costa Rica?

In Costa Rica, opening hours for museums, theaters, stores and other establishments are generally the same as in Europe. However, the opening hours of national parks and reserves vary according to the season. Generally speaking, parks, refuges and other reserves start to receive visitors at 6 a.m., the last visitors are accepted until 3 p.m. and the park closes at 4 p.m. Some parks also close one day a week in low season for regeneration and maintenance. In high season, avoid visiting the parks at weekends, book your entry early and start early in the morning.

For a visit to Manuel Antonio Park, which is becoming increasingly popular with tourists, it's best to make a reservation. For some years now, the park administration has imposed daily visitor quotas in order to preserve biodiversity. To book online, visit: www.sinac.go.cr

In Costa Rica, the 30 or so national parks in this country of 5 million inhabitants protect 10% of primary forest and 50% of the country's total surface area. Maintaining this preservation effort obviously comes at a cost, and as a tourist you have to play along! Entrance fees to national parks may seem expensive, but preservation has a price! However, there are still some sites that are cheaper or even free, such as Curu, Manzanillo and Cahuita.

In Costa Rica, there's no shortage of festive events on the calendar, and every opportunity is good for a feast! Patron saint festivals, celebrating the Virgin Mary and various saints, bring together thousands of believers across the country, while Costa Rican folklore takes pride of place at Venecia, held every February to elect the most beautiful carreta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Between the festivals of the Caribbean coast and the carnivals of Puntarenas or Limón, colorful events punctuate the seasons alongside historical commemorations: every July 25, Guanacaste celebrates its annexation to Costa Rica, on April 19, the country honors its indigenous communities during the Día de la Persona Aborigen Costarricense, while on September 15 the Ticos celebrate the Independence of their territory. More popular celebrations, such as the Noche de las Brujas (Halloween with a Costa Rican twist), the Fiesta de los Diablitos (Borucas community festival) and el Día de los Muertos (spiritual festival in honour of the dead) reveal a striking folklore where we rub shoulders with the authenticity of a people proud of their roots and cultures.

In Costa Rica, you'll find many specialized tour operators who produce their own trips and are generally very good at giving advice, as they know the region inside out. It's worth noting that their prices are a little higher than those of general operators, who produce offers and usually resell products packaged by agencies specializing in a particular destination. While their advice is less specific than that of specialists, their rates are generally more attractive.

The anti-smoking law adopted by Costa Rica in 2012 bans smoking in public places. This particularly drastic anti-smoking law is widely supported by Costa Ricans. Indeed, smoking can be very badly perceived.