Costa Rica Travel Guide

Little Costa Rica packs a bigger punch than countries 10 times its size. The sheer overabundance of flora and fauna, combined with a wild diversity of climates and landscapes, is stunning. Enchanting eco-zones, beach resorts, and surf sites dot the Pacific and Caribbean shores. Inland you'll find volcanoes, cloud forests, and rivers prime for white-water adventures. It's easy to see why Costa Rica has become one of the hottest destinations in the Western Hemisphere.

Experience Costa Rica

• Top Attractions in Costa Rica
• Costa Rica Today
• Ecotourism, Costa Rica Style
• Weddings and Honeymoons in Costa Rica

• Costa Rica with Kids
• The People of Costa Rica
• Local Dos and Taboos

Regions in Costa Rica

• Bahía Salinas
• Caribbean Coast
• The Central Highlands
• Central Pacific Coast
• Central Valley
• The Coast
• Crossing into Panama via Sixaola
• Far Northern Guanacaste
• The Golfo Dulce
• Nicoya
• The Nicoya Coast
• North Pacific Coast

• The Northern Caribbean Coast
• The Northern Lowlands
• Northern Plains
• The Orosi Valley
• The Osa Peninsula
• Papagayo Peninsula
• South Pacific Coast
• The Southern Caribbean Coast
• The Tempisque River Basin
• Valle de El General Region
• Zona de Los Santos

Cities in Costa Rica

• Alajuela
• Atenas
• Barra del Colorado
• Between Tárcoles and Playa Herradura
• Cabo Matapalo
• Cahuita
• Carate
• Cartago
• Ciudad Quesada (San Carlos)
• Dominical
• Drake Bay
• Escazú
• Golfito
• Grecia
• Guápiles
• Heredia
• Jacó
• La Cruz
• La Fortuna
• La Selva Biological Station
• Liberia
• Limón
• Malpaís and Santa Teresa
• Manuel Antonio
• Moín

• Monteverde and Santa Elena
• Montezuma
• Nuevo Arenal
• Playa Avellanas
• Playa Bahía Junquillal
• Playa Bejuco
• Playa Carrillo
• Playa Conchal
• Playa Flamingo
• Playa Grande
• Playa Hermosa
• Playa Hermosa
• Playa Herradura
• Playa Junquillal
• Playa Langosta
• Playa Negra
• Playa Nosara
• Playa Ocotal
• Playa Pan de Azúcar
• Playa Pavones
• Playa Potrero
• Playa Tambor Area
• Playa Zancudo
• Playas del Coco

• Puerto Jiménez
• Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí
• Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
• Punta Islita
• Puntarenas
• Quepos
• Sámara
• San Antonio de Belén
• San Gerardo de Dota
• San Gerardo de Rivas
• San Isidro de El General
• San José
• San Ramón
• San Vito
• Santa Ana
• Santo Domingo
• Sarchí
• Siquirres
• Tamarindo
• Tárcoles
• Tilarán
• Tortuguero
• Turrialba
• Volcán Irazú

Islands in Costa Rica

• Isla Tortuga

Parks and Preserves in Costa Rica

• Ballena Marine National Park
• Barra Honda National Park
• Braulio Carrillo National Park
• Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Preserve
• Cahuita National Park
• Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge

• Carara National Park
• Chirripó National Park
• Corcovado National Park
• Curú National Wildlife Refuge
• Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge

• Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve
• Rincón de la Vieja National Park
• Santa Rosa National Park
• Volcán Arenal National Park
• Volcán Poás National Park

Travel Blog

• Trip Ideas & Itineraries, Life-Changing Trips

  Volunteer Vacations: See the World, Change the World

  Vacations do the body (and soul) good, and none more so than volunteer trips.... Read more

• Practical Travel Tips

  Play safely on Costa Rica's beaches with this tip

  Watch for sharp drop-offs on Costa Rica's beaches.... Read more

• Practical Travel Tips

  Learn which produce is safe in Costa Rica

  In Costa Rica, be cautious and buy organic foods whenever possible; chemicals, many of which have bee... Read more

View more blog stories