Costa Rica Vacations

This nickname was coined because of Costa Rica’s relative affluence and lack of political violence, but it could also refer to the vast variety of terrain in such a small area (or, perhaps, the number of Swiss expatriates living in the country).

In a region that includes some of the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nations, Costa Rica’s economy, literacy rate and life expectancy compare favorably with those of so-called “first-world” countries.  Ticos enjoy state-funded medical insurance and a social security plan.

Although neighboring Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala endured bloody civil wars in the late 20th Century, Costa Rica abolished its army in 1948.  President Oscar Arias won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for his help in ending the seemingly eternal civil unrest in the region.

Why is Costa Rica  such a success story?  Everyone has a pet theory, but in the final analysis, there seems to be no secret other than hard work and clean living or, as the Ticos would say, pura vida.