CR
Costa Rica
Pura vida among volcanoes and rainforests
Pura vida among volcanoes and rainforests
A cloud forest reserve at 1,400m, permanently shrouded in mist, home to the resplendent quetzal, 400+ bird species and some of the finest canopy walkways in the world.
A near-perfect volcanic cone (1,670m) above a reservoir lake. The hot springs at La Fortuna are heated by residual geothermal activity.
White sand beaches backed by primary rainforest where capuchin monkeys, sloths and iguanas are visible at close range. Arrive early; the park closes at its daily visitor limit.
The most biodiverse place on earth per unit area. Accessible only on foot or by boat with a licensed guide. Wild tapir, jaguar and all four Costa Rican monkey species.
Jungle canals accessible only by boat or small plane, where green sea turtles nest from July to October in the largest colony in the western hemisphere.
Santa Teresa, Nosara and Mal País combine consistent surf, yoga retreat culture and wild undeveloped coastline.
An active volcano with boiling mud pots, fumaroles and hot springs. Drier and less crowded than Arenal.
The highest peak in Central America (3,821m), reached by a 2-day hike. The páramo ecosystem at the summit has no equivalent in the tropics.
Costa Rica (Wikipedia) →Black beans and rice stir-fried with onion, pepper and Lizano sauce. The national breakfast, eaten daily.
Rice, beans, plantain, salad and a protein. The standard Costa Rican lunch at a soda (simple local restaurant).
Fish cured in lime with onion, coriander and sweet pepper. Lighter and sweeter than the Peruvian version.
A bowl of rice, beans, chicharrón, pico de gallo and avocado. Invented at a San José bar in 1990.
Some of the world’s finest high-altitude Arabica from Tarrazú and Central Valley regions.
Sponge cake soaked in three milks, served at every birthday and celebration in Central America.
A sugar cane spirit drunk in shots or mixed with soda and fruit. The unofficial national spirit.
Whole tilapia or snapper fried until crispy, served with patacones (double-fried green plantain).
Most of Costa Rica’s best destinations require driving. A 4WD is strongly recommended for the rainy season.
A licensed naturalist guide will find the sloth, the Jesus Christ lizard and the fer-de-lance within minutes.
Uber operates in San José in a legally ambiguous status but works reliably. DiDi is the alternative.
Costa Ricans genuinely use it as a greeting, farewell, expression of thanks and philosophy.
Entry is limited to 40 people per day per sector. Book through SINAC months ahead.
DEET repellent is essential in lowland national parks.
Both USD and colón are accepted. USD is preferred at tourist establishments.
Even in the dry season, afternoon showers are possible.
San José Juan Santamaría (SJO) is the main hub; Daniel Oduber (LIR) in Liberia serves the Guanacaste coast. Nature Air and Sansa serve domestic airstrips. Shared shuttle buses are the most comfortable overland option. For trip planning, see the official Costa Rica tourism portal.
💡 Iberia via Madrid offers the most direct European routing to San José — 10h30 direct with good connections from the UK. Miami is the alternative hub for most other European airlines.
💡 Miami–San José is the most convenient US routing — 3h direct, multiple daily flights. Liberia (LIR) in Guanacaste is also served from Miami and New York — better if the Pacific north coast is your focus.
💡 Domestic flights are worth every cent for the Osa Peninsula — a 1h flight versus a 7h drive on mountain roads. Sansa and Nature Air both serve the main tourist airstrips. Book 2+ weeks ahead.
💡 The Jeep-boat-Jeep route between La Fortuna (Arenal) and Monteverde crosses Lake Arenal by boat — 3 hours versus 5 hours on the mountain road, and significantly more scenic. All shuttle companies offer this.
December to April is the dry season — the best time to visit the Pacific coast (Manuel Antonio, Osa Peninsula) and the central highlands. May to November (green season) brings daily afternoon rain but the Caribbean coast (Tortuguero, Puerto Viejo) is often drier when the Pacific is wet, and vice versa.
San José for one day, the Arenal Volcano and cloud forest for two, Manuel Antonio on the Pacific for two, the Osa Peninsula for two. Costa Rica rewards slowing down — most visitors try to cover too much.
The Museo del Oro Precolombino beneath the Plaza de la Cultura: 1,600 pieces of pre-Columbian gold including the finest Diqúis collection in the world — exquisite animal figures cast by the lost-wax method between 500 and 1500 CE. The Mercado Central for breakfast and local coffee culture.
💡 Costa Rican coffee (particularly from the Tarrazú and Tres Ríos regions) is among the world’s finest — medium-bodied, bright acidity, chocolate and citrus notes. A cup at the Mercado Central costs US$1–2.
3h from San José. Arenal (1,670m) is one of the world’s most active and perfectly cone-shaped stratovolcanoes — and the most impressive sight in Costa Rica on a clear day. The La Fortuna waterfall (70m drop into a turquoise pool). Hot springs fed by volcanic heat in the evening.
💡 Arenal was dormant between 1500 and 1968, then erupted catastrophically on 29 July 1968, destroying three villages. It has been continuously active since. The lava flows from the 1990s and 2000s are visible on the south flank — now colonised by vegetation.
3h from Arenal (partly unpaved mountain road). Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is at 1,440m — the cloud rolls through the trees almost continuously, the forest drips, and the biodiversity per hectare is among the highest on earth. The hanging bridges canopy walk.
💡 Monteverde has over 400 species of bird including the resplendent quetzal (April–May breeding season, emerald and scarlet, 60cm tail feathers) and 100 species of mammal. A two-hour guided walk at dawn with a specialist naturalist guide gives the best chances of significant sightings.
4h from Monteverde. Manuel Antonio National Park is the most visited in Costa Rica — beaches within primary forest, white-faced capuchin monkeys, two-toed sloths and scarlet macaws visible in the trees above the sand. The park limits daily visitors — arrive early or book ahead.
💡 Manuel Antonio is tiny (683 hectares) but has the highest density of wildlife visible per hectare of any Costa Rican park. The monkeys and sloths are so habituated to visitors that they’re visible from the beach without binoculars.
Kayak along the coastline to Cathedral Point — sea turtles, dolphins and the occasional whale. Whale watching boats operate year-round from Quepos (30 min from Manuel Antonio) with humpback whales present August–October and December–March.
💡 Southern humpback whales (from Antarctica) and northern humpbacks (from Alaska) overlap in the waters off Manuel Antonio in November — the only place in the world where both populations share feeding grounds.
30-min light aircraft flight from Quepos to Puerto Jimenez, or 7h drive. The Osa Peninsula — described by National Geographic as the most biologically intense place on earth — contains 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity in 0.001% of its land area. Corcovado National Park.
💡 Corcovado is the last remaining large area of lowland tropical forest on the Pacific coast of Central America. It has 13 ecosystems, 500 species of tree and 140 species of mammal including tapirs, pumas, jaguars and four species of monkey.
A guided day hike into Corcovado from La Leona or San Pedrillo ranger station — into primary rainforest with a specialist guide, spotting species that don’t exist anywhere else in the region. Return to San José via Puerto Jimenez.
💡 Corcovado requires a certified guide and advance park reservation at sinac.go.cr — independent entry is not permitted. The permit sells out weeks ahead in high season. Book the moment your dates are confirmed.
Costa Rica is the most expensive country in Central America for travellers — comparable to some European destinations for accommodation. However, food at local sodas and transport by bus are very affordable.
Gallo pinto — black beans and rice fried together with onion, pepper and Salsa Lizano — is the Costa Rican national dish, served at almost every breakfast for US$1–3.
A zip-line canopy tour through the Monteverde cloud forest (12 cables, including a Tarzan swing) costs US$40–65pp and is the most popular adrenaline activity in Costa Rica.
Lapa Rios Lodge on the Osa Peninsula — 14 bungalows in primary rainforest above the Pacific, private nature reserve, all-inclusive — costs US$600–1,200pp/night and is one of the finest eco-lodges in the world.
The dominant ride-hailing app in San José and major Costa Rican cities — much safer than street taxis.
FreeNegotiate ride fares with drivers across Costa Rica — popular alternative to Uber.
FreeBook Arenal volcano hikes, Manuel Antonio wildlife tours, zip-line canopy experiences and surf lessons.
FreeCosta Rica’s primary messaging platform — contact hotels, tour operators and drivers.
FreeBook eco-lodges, surf camps and rainforest hotels across Costa Rica.
FreeArenal volcano and thermal springs, Monteverde cloud forest canopy walks, Manuel Antonio’s monkeys, Tortuguero’s sea turtles, and the reggae beaches of Puerto Viejo.
Costa Rica sits within easy reach of several other destinations — each with a completely different character.
