Best Places to Visit in Costa Rica

Monteverde is situated in the Tilaran Mountain Range and is one of the most popular sites for nature in Costa Rica. Monteverde, which means ‘green mountain’ in Spanish, is a magnificent plethora of rolling hills and lush vegetation. 

One of the best places to visit in Costa Rica, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, is located next to this rural village. The red-eyed tree frog, Costa Rica’s symbol, can be found in this protected jungle.

The constant cloud that envelopes the Monteverde reserve is due to the high humidity in the place. The forest does become quite packed with visitors at times, with everyone wanting to explore the diverse flora and fauna in the area.

Alternatively, there is the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve which is located nearby. 

Two of the best luxury hotels to stay at in Monteverde are: The Monteverde Lodge and Gardens and the Trapp Family Hotel. Both offer exceptional amenities that bring comfort and pleasure to the rawness of the cloud forest’s surroundings.

Be sure to check out the professionally curated nature tours that each hotel offers. Having a nature guide when exploring Monteverde is the key to understanding why Costa Rica and its towns are given high regard for biodiversity.

One of the most famous places to visit in Costa Rica for surfing is the coastal village of Puerto Viejo. Surfers travel from far away to try and conquer the elusive Salsa Brava break.

Often regarded as the best surf spot in Costa Rica, the Salsa Brava may be calling the adventurer in you, but its waves are fit for masters in the art of riding waves. With love for surfing comes the Rasta lifestyle that naturally goes with it.

Puerto Viejo’s nightlife is painted with Jamaican influence all over - from music to food and everything else in between.

Aside from surfing, Puerto Viejo is also known for its unique beaches with white and black sands. These beaches lie along the Caribbean Sea, making them perfect venues for snorkeling, scuba diving, and dolphin watching.

Alternatively, you can also join cultural tours where town locals will take you on chocolate-making and birdwatching explorations.

Compared to other Costa Rica tourist spots, accommodations in Puerto Viejo are limited to rooms with necessities and local offerings. For luxury travelers, Hotel Le Cameleon is the only option for a high-range hotel in the village.

Resorts like those in Fortuna or Manuel Antonio are out of the question. This, though, does not make Puerto Viejo any less of an attraction. Its provincial charm and laidback atmosphere win the heart of every visitor.

Fancy sipping on your cocktail while bathing in natural hot springs and enjoying the view of an active volcano?

As you approach La Fortuna, you will be welcomed by the Arenal Volcano standing tall amidst Fortuna and the nearby areas.

Thanks to the Volcano, you can enjoy nature-heated thermal pools, cascading waterfalls, thick jungles, and a whole lot of fun!

Make sure to visit the Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park and allot time to explore Lake Arenal. Within these places, you have several adventures to conquer. That includes rappelling, horseback riding, and extreme white water rafting.

Accommodations such as the Tabacon Grand Thermal Resort take pride in their strategic locations, at the foot of the Arenal Volcano, and entice guests not only to purchase day passes for their thermal pools but also to book a room and stay in one of their lodges that promote serenity at its purest.

77 kilometers from the Liberia Airport is one of the top destinations in Costa Rica: Tamarindo.

It is popular with travelers who would like to explore nature without necessarily leaving the comfort of modern amenities, familiar food, and other daily conveniences.

Surfing the waves in Tamarindo must definitely be on your list of things to do in Costa Rica. There are many beaches in the area that can satisfy beginners and experts alike.

Playa Grande, located inside the Las Baulas National Park, is home to many surf schools that offer surfing lessons and surfboard rentals. Experienced surfers flock to this surf spot in hopes of playing with some of Costa Rica’s biggest waves.

Playa Tamarindo and Playa Langosta are friendlier to the inexperienced. The latter beaches do not tend to get crowded, making them good venues for those wanting to try the sport for the first time.  

As Tamarindo is a famous Costa Rican vacation spot, businesses geared towards tourists are plentiful. There is no shortage of hotels in the area, with even luxurious options dominating the scene.

San José is the capital city of Costa Rica. There are many places to see in Costa Rica that are in this metropolis, but travelers tend to skip this city altogether while in a rush to move forward to their adventure destination.

I’d say stay for two days, no less, and see all the historical sights and inviting delicacies that await you in San Jose. The weather is almost always temperate, and public transport is efficient, enabling this historic city to be far more than just a pitstop.

Feast your curious eyes on the stylistic buildings and green parks that are conveniently a stroll away from each other. Head towards La Sabana Park and start your cultural exploration within its bounds.

Here alone, you’ll find the Costa Rica Art Museum and the National Stadium. The Central Market is also unmissable, with eateries serving authentic Costa Rican cuisine and stalls selling cheap travel souvenirs.

There are plenty of accommodations to choose from in San Jose. One of the best luxury hotels in Costa Rica is here - the iconic Gran Hotel - and it is only three to five minutes away from the National Theatre and the Museum of Precolumbian Gold.

Rincon de la Vieja belongs to the province of Guanacaste and is just 15 miles off of its capital city is. The Rincon de la Vieja National Park, one of the best places to visit in Costa Rica, has a 34,000-acre conservation area.

The Rincon de la Vieja Volcano is an active volcano. You can explore natural hot springs, bubbling mud pools, explorable volcanic craters, and cascading waterfalls, all set in a lush rainforest. 

You will be spoiled with choices when it comes to accommodations in the region. One of the many recommended places to stay in Rincon de la Vieja is the Borinquen Mountain Resort and Spa. Not only does its rooms give you a scenic view of Mother Nature, but it also provides you with a strategic and convenient location to the jumpoff points of adventure tours in the area. 

While in Rincon de la Vieja, you can go horseback riding, canopy ziplining, and 4x4 driving. Hiking, biking, and rafting are also popular activities to do here.

From February to April, visitors travel to this Costa Rica vacation destination to enjoy the place amidst favorable weather.

Manuel Antonio is a short 3-hour drive from San José and, without doubt, one of the best places to visit in Costa Rica.

The most famous attraction is the Manuel Antonio National Park, a vast forest reserve home to numerous animal species and thick green vegetation.

You get to access two of Manuel Antonio’s stunning beaches from the park - the Playa Espadilla Sur and the Playa Manuel Antonio. These waters are perfect venues for swimming, snorkeling, and paddling.

Hotels in Manuel Antonio are some of the best in the country. A perfect example of luxury combined with care for nature is the Gaia Hotel and Reserve. Scarlet macaws consider the bounds of this hotel their secured habitat.

Villas with roof terraces and an ocean view offer a VIP seat to Costa Rica’s magnificent sunset. Expect to see many guests here at Gaia and everywhere in Manuel Antonio from December to April.

The Osa Peninsula, where Corcovado is located, is part of the province of Puntarenas. This region is known for being remote and biodiverse. Many species that live in Corcovado are unique to the area, prompting National Geographic to declare the Osa Peninsula as ‘the most biologically intense place on earth. 

Among the famous places in Costa Rica which can be found in this region is the Corcovado National Park. This remote sanctuary has been a thriving home to many endangered species since 1975.

Go diving in this area, and you will have the chance to see bull sharks, moray eels, and sea turtles in their natural habitats. Alternatively, you can relax on the white beaches along Corcovado. Beware, though, as this place is infamously known to have really powerful riptides. 

If you plan to go camping in Corcovado, it is best to do so between January and April. Should you opt to go for a luxury hotel, there is the dreamy Casa Corcovado Jungle Lodge.

Its suites offer incomparable views of the rainforest. They even have a honeymoon sweet that promises only the most intimate stay amidst the green environment. Activities within the lodge include horseback riding and scuba diving.

Santa Teresa is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica and is one of the best surf spots in Costa Rica. Another great surf spot, Mal Pais, is just three kilometers away.

Other adventure activities that you can do in Santa Teresa are, amongst others, Canopy tours, horseback riding, and hiking. The Curu Wildlife Reserve is one of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica and is situated in Santa Teresa. It was actually the country’s first private wildlife refuge.

The Pranamar Villas and Yoga Retreat is a luxury resort right next to the Santa Teresa beach. The villas are built with bamboo and wood and are surrounded by a green garden.

If you want to try yoga for the first time, there is no better place. It’s a perfect way to relax your tense muscles after a full day of adventures in Costa Rica. While looking for luxurious places to stay in Santa Teresa, consider the Canaima Chill House as well.

The Central Valley or "Meseta Central" is where many Costa Ricans reside. With its naturally stunning backdrop and bountiful lands, no wonder people choose to build their lives here.

It is home to the Irazu and Poas Volcanoes, both of which are active, thus providing richness to the soils around the area. This makes farming thrive in the plateau - and yes, strictly speaking, it is not a valley. 

The Braulio Carillo National Park is one of the main attractions in the Central Valley. Just by driving along the roads, your eyes and lungs are definitely in for a nature retreat.

Into the jungle, there are hiking trails that lead you to breathtaking waterfalls and diverse flora and fauna. Further into the forest, there is an aerial tram that takes you through treetops and sloth habitats.

The Central Valley offers a wide range of luxury accommodations like the Best Western Irazu Hotel and Casino, the Grano de Oro, and the Bougainvillea Hotels.

Tortuguero is called the Central American Amazon, and once you arrive, you will know why.

Most places are only accessible by boat. This makes the place difficult to reach, but it also makes every visit to this destination an intentional one.

I am sure you won’t mind going around by boat. Monkeys, birds, sloths, and other wild creatures are always around to make your cruise interesting and fun.

Most people visit Tortuguero to explore the Tortuguero National Park. Established in 1980 to create a protected habitat for nesting sea turtles in Costa Rica, the park continues to be one of the wildest and most important of all the massive national parks in the country.

Nowadays, you can see not only green sea turtles here but also leatherbacks and hawksbills. This 19,000-hectare property is run by the government and enjoys high visitor turnover from July to October. Within this time frame, there is a high chance of seeing the beloved nesting turtles.

Most lodges are only accessible by boat. This includes the Manatus Hotel. With its beautiful ecolodges equipped with exceptional amenities, the Manatus Hotel is a luxurious relief within the jungle of Tortuguero.