When I came down here in 2006 to research a travel guidebook, med tourism was already getting a firm foothold, and these days despite its small size Costa Rica ranks in the top ten (some have it even in the top five) of world destinations, with local hospitals and clinics, and post-recovery retreats in and around capital San José such as the venerable, respected Clínica Bíblica (pictured here, its "biblical" in its name a legacy from its 1921 founding by Protestant missionaries). The healthcare systems and quality of care (especially in dentistry and cosmetic surgery) ranks extremely high - often as much or more than the USA and Canada - at a fraction of the costs.

Cliínica Bíblica