Everything You Need To Know About The Annexation Of Guanacaste To Costa Rica

Guanacaste is one of the seven provinces of Costa Rica, covering the northwest region of the country. The coastal area of Guanacaste is often referred to as the “Gold Coast” because of its magnificent and world-renowned beaches. The province is home to multiple national parks and reserves, several popular beach and surf towns, an impressive variety of restaurants, an international airport, and numerous five-star resorts, spas and boutique hotels. Guanacaste is also a culturally rich province made up of a proud and hardworking population. However, the province has a unique story and history separate from the rest of Costa Rica.

The big day

On July 25, 1824, Nicoya became part of Costa Rica. Prior to this historic day, the area now known as Guanacaste was part of Nicaragua. During this period, Nicaragua was plagued by a series of civil wars and overall civil unrest. The people of Nicoya were tired of the constant wave of violence and conflict in Nicaragua and decided they wanted to secede from the country, requesting to be annexed to Costa Rica. An ambassador from Nicoya approached Costa Rica about the annexation, with documents and signatures collected and presented to The Central American Federation. The federation approved the annexation and on that glorious day Nicoya became part of Costa Rica.

The name

The celebration

The entire country celebrates Guanacaste Day every year on July 25. All the banks, government offices, post offices and commercial centers throughout the country close down for this special day in Costa Rican history. The province of Guanacaste obviously celebrates the hardest though! There are parades, dances, traditional music and food galore, and of course a bit of guaro too. The famous Guanacaste dances include the Caballito Nicoyano, Torito and the Punto Guanacasteco. The quijongs (a stringed bow and gourd), tambores (drums), ocarinas (small ceramic flute), and marimba (the national instrument) can be heard throughout the province.

The Guanacastecos have a famous saying, “de la patria por nuestra voluntad.” This translates to, “part of this country by our own choice.” To experience Guanacaste Day in Guanacaste is a real treat and one that will clearly demonstrate the great pride the people of Guanacaste have for their province and for Costa Rica. The streets are alive with music, dancing, food, drinks and merry celebration of this historic event. Since its annexation to Costa Rica, Guanacaste has become a very important part, especially economically and culturally, of this great country.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.