Tourism in Costa Rica: Ecotourism

Costa Rica is a tiny country but enormously rich in tourist attractions:

Beaches

The Caribbean shores boast a great variety of marine ecosystems and its beaches of white and black sand, ideal for the practice of outdoor and sea activities, such as deep sea fishing and scuba diving, and also to enjoy sunbathing and seaside strolls.



The Pacific coast has excellent tourist resorts and its beaches are preferred for the practice of surf, for example. Some of them are: Esterillos, Jacó, Hermosa, Boca Barranca and near the Marino Ballena National Park, where a famous long wave, loved by surfers, usually appears.

Adventure sports

For the lovers of adventure sports, Costa Rica is a destiny with plenty of emotions and adrenalin waiting for them, in sports such as hitchhiking, canoeing and canyoneering.



Ecotourism

But it is indeed ecotourism what has placed Costa Rica in the place it occupies today in international tourism. Ecotourism means tourism with a minimal impact on the environment. The income obtained from it should be reinvested un protection of natural areas and benefits for local populations, helping them to reduce their dependence from other economic activities more harmful for the environment.

The Costa Rican territory, birthplace of ecotourism, is also the place where it has reached its maximum degree of development. Costa Rica possesses 20 natural parks, eight biological reserves and a wide range of protected areas that captivate ecotourism adepts.

In order to have a rough idea of the importance of Costa Rican biodiversity, we may just consider the fact that it is home for more species of birds than the whole territory of the United States, and more species of butterflies than the whole of Africa.
The offer for excursions and trips is really varied: from horse riding to hitchhiking and birdwatching guided tours. But please, remember always to behave like a good ecotourist: respect nature and leave everything behind you exactly as you found it.