By CATHERINE EADE

Breathtaking: Playa Conchal, complete with pinky-white sand made of ground-down shells, boasts turquoise waters perfect for snorkelling


The tiny sliver of Central America sitting between Nicaragua and Panama has a lot to live up to.

Declared one of the most ethical and environmentally friendly destinations on earth, with a tiny carbon footprint, Costa Rica also has the reputation of being the happiest country in the world.

After spending a week in a country often referred to as 'paradise on earth', it's not hard to see why.


Real treat for wildlife fans: Costa Rica is home to around 950 indigenous and migrant birds and 205 species of mammals. Cute animals are everywhere


The word 'lush' could have been invented to describe the Costa Rican countryside, with its vast swathes of untouched forests, waterfalls, grasslands and beautiful beaches.

For a cast of characters, think monkeys, toucans, tree frogs, giant butterflies, sloths, reptiles, and more cute mammals than you could throw a pineapple at.

Boasting a staggering 10,000 species of plants and trees, Costa Rica is home to around 950 indigenous and migrant birds, 205 species of mammals, over 35,000 species of insects, 160 species of amphibians, 220 species of reptiles and over 1,000 species of fresh and saltwater fish. The place is a nature lover's dream, the diversity of wildlife alone being enough reason to visit.


Gloriously undeveloped: The rolling green hills of Costa Rica go on for miles


Costa Ricans often answer the question 'How are you?' with the phrase 'pura vida'. It literally translates as 'pure life', but roughly means 'cool' or 'everything's fine'.

The Happy Planet Index - which combines environmental impact with human well-being - proclaims that 85 per cent of the inhabitants of Costa Rica report 'life satisfaction' - the highest number in the world. (To put that in perspective, Britain is down in 74th place and the United States 114th.)

The country also has the second highest average life expectancy of the Americas, second only to Canada, and a very high literacy rate (96 per cent).



Mind out! Walking through forests there are animals all around you... and probably reptiles above


Chilled vibe: La Hacienda Guachipelin (left) was surrounded by nature. Stables for the horses used for trekking (right) are attached to the hotel, which teems with wildlife. Parrots squawk in trees and animals roam freely


Volcano territory: Arenal volcano (left) is still active. Visitors can climb to the top and look in if conditions are right. Trekking: (right) Catherine and her sure-footed steed trek through the rainforest to see boiling mud


Coffee time: The Costa Rican coffee beans (left) are hand picked, ensuring only the ripe ones are used. A coffee plantation tour includes a show from children in traditional costumes (right) and of course coffee tasting


Costa Rican nights: A beautiful sunset on the beach at the Hotel Riu


The people of Costa Rica - there are just over 4.5 million of them - enjoy a year round warm (if wet) climate, making it ideal for farmers small and large to make a decent living. This is the country's lifeblood. Coffee, bananas, pineapples, sugar, wood and beef are still important exports, although there is also a nod to modern pretensions - the production of microchips, silicon implants and other electronic components has become a prime industry for the economy.

The rise in tourism (now worth a reputed $1.92billion a year) is seen as a positive thing by all the Costa Ricans I spoke to, with our guides explaining that, by visiting Costa Rica, tourists help to maintain the ecological integrity of the country.




Travel Facts
First Choice (0871 200 7799, www.firstchoice.co.uk) operates flights from London Gatwick to Liberia, between November and April.

A one-week break in the country, departing in January 2011, costs around £570 per person based on four sharing - while a two-week break costs around £1,180 per person, based on two sharing.


source: dailymail