Costa Rica holidays made easy

Taking a holiday in Costa Rica is soon to become far easier after a tour operator announced plans to launch the UK's first direct flights.

First Choice will fly direct to the central American country from Gatwick, starting in May 2007.

It is offering beach holidays in three resorts, ranging from seven to 21 nights, which can be combined with adventure tours exploring the country's stunning natural attractions.

Costa Rica is a small country with a diverse natural environment that is home to five per cent of the world's species.

The Rincon de la Vieja volcano area, which is visited by some of the adventure tours, has all the hallmarks of an active volcano – steam, sparks and hot springs – as well as offering a chance to see howler monkeys.

The Gulf of Papagayo resort, within reach of Rincon del la Vieja, has many wide sandy beaches and calm waters, fringed by an extensive tropical forest. It is ideal for nature lovers who want a relaxing holiday.

Playa Conchal, named after the shells lining its shores, is a good choice for couples seeking a romantic retreat. Located close the national parks and volcanoes, the calm and tranquil waters make it good territory for fishing, snorkelling and kayaking.

It is also close to the La Baulas marine park, which is one of the world's most important nesting sites for the leatherback turtle.

The third resort on offer – Tamarindo – provides an authentic Costa Rican beach village experience. It is a hotspot for surfers and fishermen, and was the setting for the cult 1994 film Endless Summer II.

For those seeking to combine their beach holiday with an adventure holiday, First Choice is offering three tours of two, four and seven nights.

The two-night Adventure Taster tour visits a steaming volcano, bubbling mud ports and hot springs. Exploring the area on horseback and floating down a river in rubber rings are among the options, before taking a tour of the treetop canopy.

A tour of the Monteverde Cloudforest is the highlight of the four-night tour, which also visits the hanging bridges of Arenal.

Those seeking a longer adventure should opt for the seven-night Grand Tour of Costa Rica, which is a coast-to-coast trip along beautiful shores and through lush national parks. Seeing leatherback turtles and exploring the bustling city of San Jose are among the highlights.

Prices for holidays in Costa Rica with First Choice, which go on sale today, start from £775 for seven-nights all-inclusive, including flights with First Choice Airways.

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