Pick two or three regions
Distances look short, but winding mountain roads slow travel. Combine two or three regions, such as Arenal with Monteverde and one coast, rather than trying to cover the whole country.
Destination
Costa Rica
Volcano views, cloud forest, rainforest canals and Pacific beaches in a small country where wildlife turns up in every chapter and each region has its own climate.
Arenal & La FortunaVolcano views
MonteverdeCloud forest
Manuel AntonioPark and beaches
TortugueroCanal rainforest
Guanacaste coastPacific beaches
Osa PeninsulaRemote rainforest
Top destinations in Costa Rica
Handpicked places that create different chapters of the same country.
Arenal & La Fortuna
AlajuelaA symmetrical volcanic cone, dormant since 2010, with forest trails, Arenal Lake and thermal waters near La Fortuna.
Volcano · SpringsMonteverde
PuntarenasA cloud-forest reserve founded in the early 1970s, with suspension bridges, hummingbirds and the chance of a resplendent quetzal.
Forest · BirdsManuel Antonio
PuntarenasA compact national park of rainforest and four beaches on the Pacific, with sloths and monkeys in the trees.
Beach · WildlifeTortuguero
LimónCanals and rainforest on the Caribbean coast, reached only by boat or plane, with turtles nesting on the beach in season.
Canals · TurtlesGuanacaste coast
GuanacasteA drier Pacific coast of long beaches, surf and sunsets around Tamarindo and Conchal, with the sunniest weather in the dry season.
Beaches · SurfOsa Peninsula
PuntarenasA remote peninsula around Corcovado National Park, where scarlet macaws, tapirs and all four Costa Rican monkey species live in lowland forest.
Wildlife · Remote
Explore Costa Rica by experience
Use travel style to decide what deserves more time.
Hotels and flights
Start your Costa Rica trip here
Hotels in San José and flights into it at live prices for your dates, booked and paid in one step. The rest of the route we plan with you.
Costa Rica travel guide
Practical thinking for a better-paced first plan.
Boat and plane regions
Tortuguero has no road access, and Corcovado is usually reached by boat, small plane or long road transfers, with certified guides required inside the park. Allow extra transfer time.
Seasons differ by coast
The Pacific side is driest from about December to April, while the Caribbean side has its own pattern with rain possible in any month. Choose beaches by season, and bring a rain layer for the mountains.
Check entry and airports
Entry rules depend on your passport and can change, so check them with official sources before booking. Many visitors fly into San José or Liberia, which suits Guanacaste.
Plan your Costa Rica journey with AI
Start with your dates, pace, interests or budget, and get a route drafted from what we sell, with its prices, before you book anything.