Pura Vida

Costa Rica Has Built A Global Following

BY DIANA BOCCO

Nestled between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean in Central America, Costa Rica is a medley of biodiversity, history and culture. Home to more than 5% of the world’s species, the country and its rainforests, volcanoes and coastal ecosystems are an eco-tourist’s dream.

Pre-Columbian tribes were already thriving in what would become Costa Rica by 5000 BC, a presence that can still be felt in the indigenous Boruca masks and gold artifacts found in the country’s museums. By the 1500s, the Spanish had established their first colony in Costa Rica —remnants of the Spanish colonial imprint are evident in the baroque and renaissance architecture of the larger cities.

For today’s visitors, the vibrant Tico culture, a blend of indigenous, Spanish and Afro-Caribbean influences, is what truly captures the heart. The national philosophy of pura vida, translated as “pure life,” isn’t just a saying — in Costa Rica, it’s a way of life and a testament to locals’ unwavering warmth.