Looking to spend your holiday in an ecological paradise? It’s not the most popular of destinations for British tourists, but Costa Rica's lush rainforests and amazingly clean and untouched beaches make this a superb destination for visitors from around the world. As a matter of fact, more than a million foreign tourists travel to Costa Rica annually.

Beaches: Part of the appeal of this island nation is the fact that it's home to almost 800 miles of beach coastline. With beaches that touch both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, as well as the Caribbean Sea; it's hard to imagine a more breathtaking view than the expanse of white sand beaches that adorn the edges of Costa Rica.

Public Lands: Costa Rica's terrain is actually very diverse, with the expansive beaches making up only a portion of its scenery. In addition to the breathtaking expanse of beachfront property, Costa Rica is home to more than 30 national parks, 40 wildlife refuges, and 13 national forest reserves. With so much of the land being publicly held, visitors to Costa Rica enjoy the increasingly rare phenomenon of being able to see and tour large stretches of undeveloped protected land, where wildlife and flora are able to thrive untouched by man.

When you travel to Costa Rica, you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of activities. The beaches, of course, offer opportunities for sunbathing, rest, and relaxation. You can enjoy a wide variety of water-related activities in this amazingly beautiful tropical locale. Keep in mind, however, that there are many additional things to see and do on this unique island location.

One of the most popular activities among Costa Rica's tourists is bird watching. Bird enthusiasts from all over the world choose to travel to Costa Rica. If you are an avian enthusiast, you'll be in awe of the amazing sights you're likely to see here that can't be seen anywhere else in the world. Costa Rica is home to more than 800 species of birds, and over half of them never leave the island. For example, the highly endangered quetzal is currently known to live only in Costa Rica.

Because of its tropical location, many people are surprised to learn that parts of Costa Rica are quite chilly, and even often experience snow. That's because the terrain varies from the low elevations, where the climate is typical of a tropical island, to high mountainous areas where the climate is very different. When planning your trip to Costa Rica, make sure to pack accordingly, so that you're prepared to be comfortable no matter which of the island's climate zones your travels include.

If this article has wet your appetite to find out more about this exotic paradise, then take a look at the Rough Guides section on Costa Rica. You might also want to hunt for a bargain early, for which, particularly if you’re on the hunt for cheap flights. But there are, thankfully, a number of websites like On the Beach, who specialise in last holidays and package deals if you run out of time.