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Costa Rica’s Location Relative to the US and Reasons to Visit

If Where is Costa Rica from the US or how far is Costa Rica from USA are two of your questions, then here is the right answer for them.

I will also give at least 5 reasons why you should visit this tiny but incredible country just to give you an idea about how beautiful and unique this land is.

First of all, I want you to know that Costa Rica is a sovereign country that lies in Central America and is bordering Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the south, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east.

The straight line distance from the United States to Costa Rica is about 3.260 kilometres which in air travel distance means exactly 2.024 miles.

If you plan to travel to Costa Rica, the easiest and fastest way to get there is by plane and the total travel time by plane from the United States is about 4 hours and 40 minutes.

There are two main international airports in Costa Rica: Juan Santamaria Airport located near San Jose, which is the main gateway to the world and Daniel Oduber Airport from Liberia.

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From each of these airports, you can rent a car, or book a guided tour and explore the beauty of this country: endless beaches, lush forests, a huge variety of animals and a diverse landscape.

If you plan to drive where is Costa Rica from the United States, then you need to know that there are about 4.790 kilometres ( almost 3.000 miles) of driving distance from the US to this tiny country.

Where is Costa Rica from the US, entry and exit conditions

What I am telling you here is in force starting with April 2021 but because of COVID 19 Costa Rican government might change the entry conditions, so please double-check this information before you go.

All the American citizens from the 50 states plus Washington DC are allowed to enter Costa Rica via air and land through specially designated border-crossing sites.

For entering the Costa Rican territory you have to provide a medical insurance policy that covers COVID-19 treatment or quarantine lodging inside Costa Rica.

The policy has to be issued in English or Spanish and should state very clearly the following:

  • The validity period of the policy might be at least for the period when you visit Costa Rica
  • The fact that the policy covers all COVID-19 expenses in the amount of 50.000 USD minimum
  • The minimum coverage of 2.000 USD for extended lodging due to COVID-19 illness while in Costa Rica

48 hours before travelling to Costa Rica you have to fill in an online health questionnaire, one questionnaire for each person that will visit Costa Rica.

Before arriving in Costa Rica, make sure you have a printed copy of the health questionnaire approved by local authorities and a copy of your insurance policy.

On the arrival, in order to get the entry visa, you also have to have with you the return ticket or any ticket that certifies that you are going to leave Costa Rica on the stated dates.

 

 

I guess now it is clear for everybody what documents you need to enter this beautiful country from Central America so it’s time to tell you why you should see once you get there.

Although a tiny country, Costa Rica is packed with national parks with amazing landforms and diverse wildlife, incredible beaches, luxurious hotels and tasty restaurants, exactly what you need for a memorable holiday.

Costa Rica tourism is extremely developed and is oriented to environmental protection and a great relationship with everything that surrounds us.

San Jose, the capital city of this Central American country is the most developed city full of incredible restaurants opened by young chefs serving reinvented traditional cuisine but also international cuisine.

Stay safe while you travel

  • medical safety abroad
  • medical assistance including COVID-19
  • emergency medical evacuation
  • trip interruption -up to $5.000
  • travel delay - up to $100/day

5 reasons to visit Costa Rica

Now let me give you 5 strong reasons why you should consider Costa Rica the main US trading partner your next holiday destination:

National parks and their diverse wildlife

Costa Rica has the largest protected area in the world if we report it to the total surface of the country.

There are more than 28 national parks and 5% of the world’s biodiversity covers about 28% of the country’s surface.

You will find rainforests, cloud forests, dry forests, swamps, waterfalls, active volcanoes as well as impressive coral reefs all packed together in this small country.

 

 

Hidden inside these magnificent areas live more than 450.000 species of animals out of which I would name howler monkeys, scarlet macaws, iguanas, sloths as well as a huge number of butterflies and hummingbirds.

Actually, Costa Rica is known as the world capital of hummingbirds with more than 50 species leaving inside the Costa Rican Territory

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Beaches

Where is Costa Rica from the US, it makes it the ideal place for beach lovers as there are more than 1.300 kilometres of beaches spread all over the country.

Most of these wonderful beaches are located inside the protected areas and are surrounded by lush vegetation, an abundance of wildlife and unique coral reefs with a huge number of marine species.

 

Playa Santa Teresa Beach Costa Rica

Playa Santa Teresa Beach Costa Rica

 

The country has shorelines both to the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, but the most popular beaches are located in Guanacaste Province because of its perfect conditions for surfing and sea turtles watching.

World-class resorts

Costa Rica is not just a great destination for those of you seeking adventures and observing wildlife, it also has some of the fanciest resorts in the world and one of the best health care resorts.

The most famous area for top-notch resorts is around Arenal Volcano, but hidden inside the tropical forest or directly on the beach you can find one of the most beautiful hotels in the world.

 

Poas Volcano Lodge Costa Rica

Poas Volcano Lodge Costa Rica

 

From luxury rooms with private balconies and incredible views over the sea or the tropical forest to private bungalows hidden inside exotic gardens, you can find accommodation suitable for all budgets.

The popularity of the beach resorts constantly increases and some of them are reserved months in advance, so you’d better hurry up to get the best room.

Adventure activities

Costa Rica is one of the best places in Latin America for unique outdoor activities such as rafting, ATV driving, sport fishing, horseback riding, zip-lining and scuba diving.

You can also hike in one of the many national parks and protected areas from the country as there are a lot of trails that take you across the unique habitat.

 

Hike in Costa Rica Arenal National Park

Hike in Costa Rica Arenal National Park

 

Definitely one of the most exciting experiences is the zipline tours through the jungle canopy that offers a different perspective of nature and its beauty.

For those of you looking for a romantic experience, we advise you to try horseback riding on the beach and even in the forest.

Food

Costa Rica is famous not just for its coffee but also for its delicious food and interesting combination of ingredients.

While visiting the country you definitely have to try the following local dishes:

  • Pejibayes which is peach palm fruits
  • Arreglados a local food like a sandwich
  • Vuelve a la vida that resembles very well to ceviche

If you plan to stay at least a night in San Jose, then you definitely have to dine in a local restaurant owned by the new generation of local chefs and then drink a local craft beer in a local pub.

Conclusion

Where is Costa Rica from the US makes it the perfect destination for your next holiday as it is cheap, beautiful and close to the United States.

Plan at least two weeks here to get a good sense of this country and to have enough time to experience part of what it has to offer.

Once you visit it you will fall in love with it and you’ll want to come back to discover more amazing parts of this stunning country.

 

Logistical tips and tricks for your trip

Book your accommodation

We always use Booking.com as they have the best price-quality ratio and they offer a wide range of hotels, guesthouses, apartments, and villas to choose from.

You will find here all types of accommodations, from the cheapest ones to the most luxurious.

Don't forget travel insurance

We never leave home without HeyMondo Insurance or Safety Wings Insurance as they offer the best services and a good value for money, plus COVID coverage.

When we go for longer trips around the world we get Globelink Insurance as it offers a good cover for an affordable price.

Travel insurance will always protect you against unexpected events and cost like illness, COVID, injury, theft, or travel cancellation.

We never go on any trip without travel insurance and there were many cases when we had to use it.

Renting a car
We like to explore a country on our own and a car gives us the mobility and freedom to do that.

We always rent our car from Discovercars as they have free cancellation 48 hours prior to starting date and a wide range of car rental companies and options to choose from all over the world.

Tours and attractions
When we are looking for some adventure or we simply want to break up the monotony and discover new places, we always use GetYourGuide.

We love it because we always find the most amazing experiences, with free cancellation and a large variety of activities and tours to choose from.

Airplane tickets and holiday packages
Expedia is our ally when searching for the best price for airplane tickets as it works as an aggregator for a huge number of airlines and we always find the best price for our flights.

Travel tip: use Expedia when you are searching for holiday packages as they have many last-minute offers and great discounts for hotels, flights, and even the whole holiday packages.