Costa Rica is located between eight and twelve degrees north of the equator and is sandwiched between Nicaragua in the North and Panama in the South. The climate is tropical with distinct rainy and dry seasons. The dry season runs from October through May, but it can rain at any time.

About the same size as West Virginia, Costa Rica is home to 12 distinct ecosystems. The capital city of San Jose is located in the center of the country. Within a couple hours drive are active volcanoes, steaming rain forests and deserted beaches.

Unlike most countries of the World, Costa Rica has no standing army and is sometimes referred to as the Switzerland of Central America. If you have any reservations about visiting this part of the world out of concern for your safety, you can put them to rest.