Costa Rica is located in the heart of Central America, between Panama to the south, and Nicaragua to the north and is an extremely bio-diverse country with an abundance of wildlife, flora and fauna. Touching both the Atlantic and the Pacific seas, the country is divided into three main regions; the Central Valley, Guanacaste/Nicoya Peninsula and the Central Pacific Coast.
The country's economy has enjoyed a fairly steady growth and over time it has become a popular choice with medical tourists, particularly from the US (tourists from the United States make up almost one third of all visitors), who are combining private treatment with a fabulous holiday in an exotic country full of natural wonders. Costa Rica is now also becoming a destination attractive to Europeans seeking medical procedures. International patients have their treatment, recover in luxury hotel accommodation and return home, rested and content, having spent less than the procedure alone in their own country.
Costa Ricans are known as Tico's and are known for being very hospitable. With stunning natural landscape and scenery, top class medical teams who spend many years qualifying (sometimes abroad in countries like the US, Mexico or Spain), Costa Rica offers the medical tourist excellent value. The private hospitals are first class and standards of health and hygiene are among the highest in Latin America.
The best time to visit is during the dry season (between December and April). The rainy season (also known as the 'green' season for obvious reasons) is the hottest time of the year (between May to October). The weather is influenced by altitude, and the hottest months are March and April. The Pacific coast is drier while the Atlantic coast has the most rainfall (approximately 300 days a year).
Spanish is the official language, but English is widely spoken.