Costa Rica offers numerous unique natural sights for tourists that are rare or non-existent elsewhere in the world.  

 
In addition to being one of the top charter fishing spots for sportsmen and casual fishers alike, Costa Rica also has the densest concentration of biodiversity in the world. That means tourists have the opportunity to witness a variety of flora and fauna they might not see elsewhere.
 
One of these unusual sights is the phenomenon of a cloud forest. Costa Rica cloud forests are characterized highland forests blanketed by something akin to a cool, heavy mist. These forests have 100 per cent humidity, which makes the air thick with moisture.
 
And all that water in the air results in lush green rainforests, mostly found in the south central and central highland areas of the country. So after spending some time fishing along the Pacific in towns such as Jaco or Los Suenos, travellers can work their way into the interior to get a glimpse of the cool cloud forest zones of Monteverde, San Gerardo de Dota or perhaps the La Paz Waterfall Gardens.

There are some travellers who prefer to sleep with the fishes—or at least swim with them. Thrill-seeking tourists staying in Costa Rica need to look no further than one of the many locations to swim with the region’s dense shark population.

Named by multiple travel publications and authorities as one of the best places in the world to take a shark tour, Costa Rica is ripe with prime shark-infested waters.

One of the best places in the country to don some flippers with the fierce sea-faring creatures is Cocos Island. While accessing the remote island is a little tricky—it’s about 300 miles off Costa Rica’s west coast—the journey is worth it to see the scores of sharks floating through the blue waters of the Pacific. The waters are a haven for hammerheads, and divers can also expect to see giant manta rays, reef sharks and dozens of species of brightly coloured fish. This underwater world is a smorgasbord of congregating fish species and isn’t to be missed by divers or tourists looking to tell a tall fish tale.

Intrepid travellers and vacationing families looking for an adventure have a number of options when heading (and staying) south of the Equator this winter. One of the more unique ways to explore Costa Rica is through volcano tourism.

 
The Central American nation has more than 200 volcanic formations, and the natural occurrences are a major draw for foreign travellers. That includes 112 volcanoes that are still active in some shape or form. That’s because the country sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region in the southern hemisphere renowned for its high volcanic activity.
 
To take a break from exploring the country’s bustling beaches or charter fishing the waters adjacent to Jaco or Los Suenos, tourists can journey up to Arenal, Costa Rica’s most famous volcano. Investigate the country’s most active volcano on horseback or hike through the forests surrounding the massive summit. Lava still consistently flows from Arenal, and enjoy the gurgling waters of the adjacent hot springs. 

While many tourism hot spots around the world see their major upticks in visitors during the summer months, Costa Rica’s high season is around Christmas and New Year’s.

And the Costa Rican tourism industry is expecting it to be a very happy holiday season this year with both busy beaches and full hotels. According to the Tico Times, sector experts are predicting hotel and resort occupancy rates to hit a whopping 80 per cent this season.

That number compares to a lackluster 50-per-cent occupancy rate from last year’s high season.

The study surveyed 134 lodging establishments in the regions of Guanacaste, Puntarenas, the Central and South Pacific, the Caribbean, the northern region and the Central Valley.

And with eight out of every 10 rooms expecting to be booked, travellers hoping to head south for the winter for a Costa Rica vacation should plan ahead and confirm their bookings soon to avoid scrambling for last-minute accommodations.
 

One enthusiastic tourist from Germany decided recently to capture his trip to Costa Rica in a very unique (and modern) fashion: though hundreds of self portraits.

According to a recent article in the Tico Times, this traveller took the usual tourist photography to a new level. Dubbed “selfies” on social media, these photos portray artist and photographer Tim Panse in various forms during his 23-day journey from New York City to Costa Rica and back again. Whether he was in transit, snorkeling in Costa Rica’s blue waters, exploring beaches, zip lining through the country’s rainforest or taking a moment to relax with a cold cerveza, Panse didn’t fail to capture a single experience.

The trip resulted in 1,000 selfies, which he strung together into a video about his epic vacation. Viewers get glimpses of his idyllic Costa Rica vacation and all his various activities throughout the country.