Pure adventure with the 4x4 camper in Costa Rica
With an area of 51,100 km², Costa Rica is a small country in Central America and borders Panama to the south and Nicaragua to the north. The country connects South and North America and lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, almost 300 kilometers wide. The Pacific coast is around 1,000 kilometers long and encloses several islands in the Gulf of Nicoya to the north. The much smaller Caribbean coast is around 210 kilometers long with numerous beautiful sandy beaches and the port city of Limón. In Costa Rica, Spanish is spoken with a typical Latin American accent. Payment in Costa Rica is made with colónes, although the US dollar is also accepted. The name of the currency comes from Christopher Columbus, who discovered Costa Rica in 1502.
San José
The capital of Costa Rica is San José and the perfect starting point for your campervan adventure! It is located in the Valle Central region between the volcanoes in the north and the Talamanca mountain range in the south and is affectionately called "Chepe" by the residents. The "Teatro Nacional" is the most historically beautiful building in the city and the landmark of San José - built in 1897. The "Plaza de la Cultura" is the central hub of the capital, where all the important streets come together and is an exciting place to watch the hustle and bustle. The oldest district in San José is the "Barrio Amón" district with Caribbean wooden houses built in the Victorian style.
Puerto Limón
The Caribbean province of Limón is an exclusive natural paradise and offers a mixture of dense jungle, paradisiacal beaches and impressive mountains! A road leads from San José to Limón through the Braulio Carrillo National Park and is the start of a wonderful journey into the Caribbean part of Costa Rica. The port city of Puerto Limón is the country's main port and an important trading center for the export of coffee, bananas and other agricultural products. The pristine beaches along the coast invite you to dream, swim and snorkel.
Tortuguero National Park
One of the 27 national parks in Costa Rica, the Tortuguero National Park is located on the Caribbean coast in the northeast of Costa Rica. The lagoon and canal landscapes surrounded by dense rainforest make this place so unique. The turtle, in Spanish "Tortuga", is the namesake here and there are numerous nesting sites where you can watch the sea turtles laying their eggs! The village of Tortuguero lies between a jungle river and the Caribbean Sea about 40 kilometers near the border with Nicaragua.
Arenal Volcano
The Arenal volcano, at 1,670 meters, is easy to reach by campervan in about 3 hours from San José and is one of the most famous active volcanoes in Costa Rica. There are a total of 8 active volcanoes in Costa Rica: Arenal, Turrialba, Miravalles, Rincon de la Vieja, Poas, Irazu, Orosi and Tenorio.
The national park is almost 30,000 hectares in size and is a natural jewel surrounded by dense rainforest, majestic waterfalls, Lake Arenal and hot springs. The geothermal activity of the volcano makes bathing in the natural thermal baths a highlight. The city of La Fortuna is not far away and a must for coffee lovers. How about a cup of coffee and a tour of the coffee plantations?
Central Pacific Coast
From the capital San José, the Pacific coast is easy to reach on Highway 27 in a short drive near the mouth of the Gulf of Nicoya. To the south along the Pacific coast lies the beautiful Manuel Antonio National Park, where a green tropical rainforest with lots of wildlife opens up to picturesque coasts and crescent-shaped sandy beaches. Enjoy the idyllic coastal roads along Costa Rica's Pacific coast and surf the waves at Playa Scull or enjoy diving and snorkeling in the Caño Island Biological Reserve.