Santa Cruz is the name of the third canton in Guanacaste Province in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of 1,312.27 square kilometres (506.67 sq mi),[1] and has a population of 43,333.[2] Its capital city is also called Santa Cruz.
The heart-shaped canton is on the northern Pacific coast between Bahía Potrero to the north and the mouth of the Río Montaña to the south. It includes Cabo Velas, the furthermost western point on the Nicoya Peninsula. The Río Tempisque delineates a small portion of the eastern border.
The capital city of Santa Cruz, named Santa Cruz, is a typical Costa Rican rural town. Its inhabitants are very diverse and consist mostly of farmers, fishermen, workers or employees of several of the many hotels located in the vicinity. The town is known within Costa Rica for its cultural heritage and many historical traditions. These traditions include the Fiesta de Semana Santa (Easter week celebration) and the traditional bullfights as well as many others.
Every year in Santa Cruz there are a number of festivals which include bullfighting ceremonies. These ceremonies, though traditional at heart, lack most of the features seen in Spanish bullfighting traditions. Usually the ring in which the bull is let loose is open to anyone, tourists as well as locals - man, woman or child. The bullfight usually starts with a man being placed on the bull with nothing but a string to hold on to. This man is inevitably, after some time, thrown off. Even though there are always medical personnel in place to supervise the bullfight, severe injuries or even death among the bullriders are not uncommon.
The bulls are treated with respect and dignity and in no bullring within Costa Rica is it ever alright to deliberately injure or kill a bull in a bullfight, whereas in Spain or Mexico the very purpose of the bullfight is for a trained professional to kill the bull.
Santa Cruz is a beautiful town filled with kind and openhearted people who when meeting a tourist gladly directs him or her to the nearest beach, hotel or historical sight. the town is also connected to some of the most popular beaches in Costa Rica and there are buses going to these beaches almost every hour.
The canton also includes the town of Santa Bárbara, known for its traditional annual dance of the calabashes (baile de los guacales). Since 2000 the activity has been considered of cultural interest to the community and all participants receive a hand-painted calabash vessel to thank them for their economic contribution (which they paid in the form of an entrance ticket).[3]
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The canton of Santa Cruz is subdivided into nine districts (distritos):
Santa Cruz was first mentioned as a canton in a decree dated December 7, 1848.