While some of the country's most-popular destinations — Manuel Antonio, Parque Marino Ballena, Playa Ventanas, Cocles, Manzanillo and Tamarindo — have lifeguards, the majority of Costa Rica's beaches do not.
The sloth isn't an official national symbol of Costa Rica, but given how much they're adored by Ticos and visitors alike, they instill plenty of national pride.
Mauricio Claver-Carone, became the first U.S. citizen to be elected as president of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) despite the opposition of some countries that wished for a continuation of the tradition that the entity be led by a Latin American.
By the 1990s, Tamarindo and nearby surf spots — Witch's Rock, Ollie's Point — weren't exactly secrets, but the release of “Endless Summer II” really broke things wide open.