Costa Rica
Nestled between Nicaragua and Panama in Central America, Costa Rica is a top travel destination for adventure and nature loving travelers. From lush rainforests, pristine beaches and abundant marine life, Costa Rica offers something for every type of traveler.
Costa Rica is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. While the country has only about 0.03% of the world’s landmass, it contains 5% of the world’s biodiversity. Around 25% of the country’s land area is in protected national parks and protected areas,the largest percentage of protected areas in the world (developing world average 13%, developed world average 8%).
Corcovado National Park, located on the Osa Peninsula, is internationally renowned for its biodiversity (including big cats and tapirs) and is where visitors can expect to see an abundance of wildlife. Corcovado is the one park in Costa Rica where all four Costa Rican monkey species can be found. These include the white-headed capuchin, the mantled howler, the endangered Geoffroy’s spider monkey,and the Central American squirrel monkey, found only on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica and a small part of Panama.
Because Costa Rica is located between 8 and 12 degrees north of the Equator, the climate is tropical year round. However, the country has many microclimates depending on elevation, rainfall, topography, and by the geography of each particular region.
Costa Rica’s seasons are defined by how much rain falls during a particular period. The year can be split into two periods, the dry season known to the residents as summer (verano), and the rainy season, known locally as winter (invierno). The “summer” or dry season goes from December to April, and “winter” or rainy season goes from May to November, which almost coincides with the Atlantic hurricane season, and during this time, it rains constantly in some regions.
Facts About Costa Rica
- Country Telephone Code: 506
- Country Capital: San José
- National Currency: Colon
- Independence Day: September 15, 1821
- Tourism Web Site: Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT)
Geography
- Latitude & longitude: 10° 0´ 0´ N / 84° 0´ 0´ W
- Land Boundaries: 397 miles (639 km)
- Nicaragua: 192 miles (309 km)
- Panama: 205 miles (330 km)
- Coastline: 801.57 miles (1,290 km)
- Caribbean Sea: 171.73 miles (212 km)
- Pacific Ocean: 631.31 miles (1,016 km)
- Total Area: 19,729.74 sq. miles (51,100 sq km)
- Land: 19,559.86 sq. miles (50,660 sq km)
- Water (includes Cocos Island): 169.88 sq. miles (440 sq km)
- Highest Elevation: Mount Chirripo – 12,533 ft. (3,820 m)
- Political Map: Costa Rica is comprised of 7 provinces (capitals): Alajuela (Alajuela), Cartago (Cartago), Guanacaste (Liberia), Heredia (Heredia), Limón (Puerto Limón), Puntarenas (Puntarenas) and San José (San José). The map below does not show Cocos Island, which is located some 330 miles (535 km) off the Pacific coast.
Adventure
By nature, Drake Bay, Costa Rica is an awesome location for the traveler who loves adventure among the best nature has to offer.
Drake Bay offers everything from hiking through the pristine rainforests in Corcovado National Park to snorkeling among mega pods of dolphins and diving with sharks at Caño Island.
Check out our tour and activities below and let the adventure begin!
Bird Watching
Drake Bay offers some of the best bird watching in the world. The most abundant bird population in Costa Rica is found here with over 350 species of birds indigenous to this region, including numerous species rare of birds. Scarlet Macaws, Chestnut-billed Toucans, Parakeets, Woodpeckers & Trogons are all common here. This is a true birding paradise!
Boating
For Drake Bay’s main attractions, including Corcovado National Park, Cano Island and dolphin and whale watching, you will be getting there by boat or will be boating for the duration of the tour. Be sure to bring plenty of bathing suits, sun hats and other sun protection.
Hiking
We offer tours to hike through Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica’s crown jewel rainforest. Hiking is also available during our Floating Tour, the Night Tour and also you can hike along the beach trail at your leisure.
Photography
While visiting the pristine rainforests and abundant marine life in Drake Bay, Costa Rica, be sure to bring a camera with you every where you go! Pack extra batteries and plenty of storage space so you don’t run out of room for all the incredible photos and videos you will get on your tours.
SCUBA Diving
Drake Bay offers world class SCUBA diving at and around Caño Island, just 45 minutes from the main town.
Snorkeling
The following tours include snorkeling.
Whale Watching
Drake Bay is one of the best places in the world for whale watching as as we get migrations of Humpback Whales from both North and South America. This is the only place in the world where this occurs.
Drake Bay is a birthing and breeding ground, meaning the Humpback Whales come here to have their babies and make them too. This allows for incredible encounters with newborn babies and heart pounding Heat Runs with several males chasing after a female.
The best time for whale watching in Drake Bay is from mid-July through October when our Southern migration, who swim from as far as Antarctica, are in the area.
Humpback whales can also be observed from late November through April when our Northern migration arrives.
Other whales, such as Brydes Whales, Sei Whales and Orcas (who are actually dolphins!) can be observed at any time.
Wild Dolphin Experience
Experience the wild dolphins of Drake Bay on the Divine Dolphin’s world famous Dolphin and Whale Watching Tour in Drake Bay, Costa Rica. Here it is possible to see pods of dolphins numbering in the hundreds and even thousands. It is also possible to see rays, whale sharks, sea turtles and other marine life.
When people think of Costa Rica, they think of the rainforests, but the Osa Peninsula where Drake Bay is located, is one of the best places in the world to see dolphins and whales.
The dolphins most commonly seen are Pantropical Spotted Dolphins, Bottlenose Dolphins, Spinner Dolphins, Common Dolphins and Roughtooth Dolphins. The Spotted Dolphins can be seen close to shore and even in the bay while the other species tend to swim further out into deeper seas.
Other Trips
These are other trips.