Discover the Newly Launched Costa Rica Specialist Program

Welcoming people, immense biodiversity and a profound commitment to the environment are just some of the many elements that draw travelers to Costa Rica. This slice of paradise is located in Central America, just north of Panama, and is home to a staggering number of natural attractions and outdoor activities, as well as a distinct approach to living well.

Travel Agent Academy has recently launched a specialist course at CostaricaSpecialist-US.com that offers advisors a host of insights into this well-loved destination.

Costa Rica, which is roughly the size of West Virginia, contains over five percent of the world's biodiversity. In other words, it is home to around 500,000 species, which make up five percent of the total number of species believed to exist worldwide.

For example, birdwatchers can find over 900 species throughout its rainforests, dry habitats and coastal areas, including the glamourous and endangered scarlet macaw. Sloths, jaguars, ocelots and tapirs are just some of the 250 species of mammals who make their home in Costa Rica. And butterflies, moths, amphibians, reptiles and insects complete the list of fauna.

Costa Rica's many creatures are nurtured and protected by expansive flora, comprising 9,000 species of flowering plants and 800 species of ferns.

More than one quarter of Costa Rica's land is protected for conservation. Together its 30 national parks and extensive wildlife refuges, wetland areas, forest reserves, biological reserves and other protected zones help safeguard its natural treasures for everyone to experience.

Costa Rica is considered one of the world's happiest countries, ranking consistently high in the UN's happiness index. Visitors will surely take to the local way of life known as La Pura Vida, which is centered on family, friends and the gifts of nature - along with a "go with the flow" philosophy.

The Nicoya Peninsula is home to one of the world's five Blue Zones, where locals tend to live to ages well beyond the global average.

Wellness activities abound in Costa Rica. They range from yoga to detoxification retreats to hot spring visits to practices like Earthing and forest bathing.

Costa Rica is famous for surfing, with great beaches on both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Its Playa Hermosa was recently named World Surfing Reserve by the Save the Waves Coalition.

Shipwrecks off Costa Rica's Pacific coast and stretches of coral reef in the Caribbean make for excellent dive sites.

Costa Rica has volcanoes that hikers can visit, including one of its most iconic - Arenal Volcano, which is located in a National Park with a beautiful lake for kayaking.

The Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, at 5,000 feet above sea level, has a zipline measuring about half a mile. Zipliners and hikers in this protected area can view an endless array of flora and fauna.

Costa Rica offers many chances to explore popular and indigenous culture. For starters, guests can take in Calypso music on the Caribbean coast, see how ox carts are painted or attend an event like a rodeo or the Festival of Little Devils.

Many of Costa Rica's businesses are committed to sustainable tourism, including lower-scale development and efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Vacationing in Costa Rica is the perfect alternative to mass tourism!

Learn more about Costa Rica and its countless vacation options for discerning clients at CostaricaSpecialist-US.com.