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Fodor's Essential Costa Rica
Whether you want to surf in Manuel Antonio, zip-line through the Monteverde Cloud Forest,...

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Costa Rica has it all: nowhere else can you gaze upon a volcano while soaking in a hot spring one day, hike deep into a rain forest the next, and end your trip learning to surf at a luxurious seaside resort. Miles of pristine beaches on the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, fabulous national parks with plentiful opportunities for wildlife viewing, and world-renowned eco-lodges have made this one of the hottest destinations around. The welcoming people of Costa Rica, and their mellow pura vida lifestyle, add warmth to every visit.

Fodor's Essential Costa Rica
Whether you want to surf in Manuel Antonio, zip-line through the Monteverde Cloud Forest,...

View Details

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The Best Hotels in Mexico & Central America

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Fodor's Travel Award

FODOR'S FINEST

The Best Hotels in Mexico & Central America

Find a Hotel

Fodor's Travel Award

FODOR'S FINEST

The Best Hotels in Mexico & Central America

Top Destinations

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Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula

Reliably sunny, dry weather brings planeloads of sun-starved Northerners to the North Pacific area of Costa Rica every winter, and a windswept coastline makes Guanacaste...

The Osa Peninsula and the South Pacific

Visitors go south to heed the call of the wild. The jewels in the South Pacific crown are the idyllic Golfo Dulce and the wild...

Central Valley

San José sits in an almost-mile-high mountain valley ringed by volcanoes whose ash has fertilized the soil and turned the region into Costa Rica's historic...

Tortuguero and the Caribbean Coast

The tourist brochures tout the country's Caribbean coast as "the other Costa Rica." Everything about this part of Costa Rica seems different: different culture, different...

San Jose

San José is the center of all that is Costa Rica, and to Ticos in the countryside at least, it glitters every bit as much...

Manuel Antonio and the Central Pacific Coast

The Central Pacific region of Costa Rica is a long swath of gorgeous land, encompassing sublime coastline dotted with national parks and palm-lined beaches, and...

Arenal, Monteverde, and the Northern Lowlands

The vast expanse that locals call the Zona Norte (Northern Zone) packs in a larger variety of activities than any other part of the country...

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

This muddy, colorful little town is one of the hottest spots on the international budget-travel circuit, and swarms with backpackers, surfers, and New Agers. For...

Arenal and La Fortuna

As they say, "Location, location, location." Who would think that a small town sitting at the foot of massive Arenal Volcano would attract visitors from...

Monteverde Cloud Forest and Santa Elena

Monteverde is a rain forest, but you won't be in the tropics—rather in the cool, gray, misty world of the cloud forest. Almost 900 species...

Nosara

One of the last beach communities for people who want to get away from it all, Nosara's attractions are the wild stretches of side-by-side beaches...

Tamarindo

Once a funky beach town full of surfers and local fishermen, Tamarindo is now a pricey, hyped-up hive of commercial development and real estate speculation...

Manuel Antonio

You need merely reach the top of the forested ridge on which many of Manuel Antonio's hotels are perched to understand why it is one...

Jaco

Its proximity to San José has made Jacó the most developed beach town in Costa Rica. Nature lovers and solitude seekers may want to skip...

Dominical

Sleepy fishing village–turned–surfer town, Dominical has undergone a lively makeover, with a paved beach road, new restaurants and shops, a farmers' market on Friday morning...

Ballena National Marine Park

Named for the whales (ballenas, in Spanish) that seasonally migrate here, this park protects marine life in miles of ocean, as well as 10 km...

Samara

Sámara has miles of palm-shaded beach, safe swimming water, and an abundance of budget accommodations and seafront restaurants, making it especially popular with budget travelers...

Puerto Jimenez

You might not guess it from the rickety bicycles and ancient pickup trucks parked on the main street, but Puerto Jiménez is the largest town...

Escazu

Costa Rica's wealthiest community and the Central Valley's most prestigious address, Escazú (pronounced es-cah-SOO) nevertheless mixes glamour with tradition, BMWs with oxcarts, trendy malls with...

Cahuita

Dusty Cahuita (pronounced cah-WEE-tah), its main street flanked by wooden-slat cabins, is a backpackers' vacation town—a hippie hangout where you can be immersed in Afro-Caribbean...

Alajuela

Because of its proximity to the international airport (5–10 minutes away), many travelers spend their first or last night in or near Alajuela (pronounced ah-lah-WHAY-lah)...

Malpais and Santa Teresa

Once frequented mostly by diehard surfers in search of some of the country's largest waves and by naturalists en route to the nearby Cabo Blanco...

Heredia

The lively city of Heredia, capital of the important coffee province of the same name, contains a couple of the country's best-preserved colonial structures, along...

Playas del Coco

Noisy, colorful, and interesting, Playas del Coco has the best souvenir shopping, the most dive shops, and the liveliest nightlife and barhopping on this part...

Tortuguero

Some compare these dense layers of green set off by brilliantly colored flowers—a vision doubled by the jungle's reflection in mirror-smooth canals—to the Amazon. That's...

Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui

One of Costa Rica's lesser-known eco-destinations has been developing a growing selection of nature-themed activities in recent years. In the 19th century, Puerto Viejo de...

Turrialba

The well-to-do agricultural center of Turrialba is a bustling town, with a youthful vibe from the nearby university, a colorful open-air market, and a tree-shaded...

Montezuma

Beautifully positioned on a sandy bay, Montezuma is hemmed in by a precipitous wooded shoreline that has prevented the overdevelopment that has affected so many...

Quepos

This hot and dusty town is the gateway to Manuel Antonio, and also serves as the area's hub for banks, supermarkets, and other services. Because...

San Isidro de El General

Although San Isidro de El General has no major attractions, the bustling market town is a good place to have lunch, get cash at one...

Rincon de la Vieja National Park

Wildlife, rivers, waterfalls, and mud baths are just the tip of the volcano when it comes to the natural wonders of Rincón de la Vieja...

The Orosi Valley

If you have a day to spend near San José, this idyllic valley makes a classic day trip, passing through coffee plantations shaded by poró...

Liberia

Once a dusty cattle-market town, Liberia has galloped toward modernization, becoming the commercial, as well as the administrative, capital of Guanacaste. There are still a...

Santa Ana

Santa Ana's tranquil town center, with its rugged stone church, has changed little through the years, even though condos and shopping malls now spread out...

Limon

The vibrant Afro-Caribbean culture of one of Costa Rica's most important ports (population 65,000) is the first sign of life for seafaring visitors to Costa...

Playa Hermosa

Beautiful Playa Hermosa, once a laid-back fishing community, has grown exponentially with condominiums and villas covering the scrubby hills overlooking the wide, curved beach. Warm...

San Vito

Except for the tropical greenery, the rolling hills around the bustling hilltop town of San Vito could be mistaken for a Tuscan landscape. The town...

Playa Grande

Down the (long, paved) road from Tamarindo, but only five minutes by boat across a tidal estuary, lies beautiful, pristine Playa Grande. By day, it's...

Puntarenas

This town is not on the Nicoya Peninsula, but rather on Costa Rica's mainland. It is best known as a cruise-ship port and launching pad...

Cartago

Although most of its structures from the colonial era are gone, Cartago still has some attractive restored buildings, most of them erected after the devastating...

Playa Flamingo

One of the first northern beaches to experience overdevelopment—a fact immortalized in the concrete towers that straggle up the hill above the bay—Flamingo still has...

Playa Potrero

A typical small town with a school, church, and supermarket arranged around a soccer field, Potrero is not very scenic. The main attraction is the...

Playa Avellanas

Traditionally a far cry from its northern neighbor's boom of real estate development, Avellanas has seen Tamarindo escapees slowly encroaching on it for years, building...

Brasilito and Playa Conchal

A small, scruffy fishing village just 1 km (½ mile) north of Playa Conchal, Brasilito has a jumble of houses huddled around its main square...

Palo Verde National Park

Definitely not most people’s idea of a lush, tropical jungle, Palo Verde National Park’s deciduous forest is hot, but also very dry and an ideal...

Playa Zancudo

Life here is laid-back and casual, centering on walking the beach, fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, swimming, and hanging out at the local bars and restaurants. Zancudo...

Drake Bay

This is castaway country, a real tropical adventure, with plenty of hiking and some rough but thrilling boat rides to get here. The rugged coast...

Bahia Salinas

The large windswept bay at the very top of Costa Rica's Pacific coast is the second-windiest area in the country, after Lake Arenal, making it...

Papagayo Peninsula

The Papagayo Peninsula, a crooked finger of land cradling the west side of Bahía Culebra (Snake Bay), enjoys guaranteed sun from January to April, making...

Sarchi

Tranquil Sarchí is Costa Rica's premier center for crafts and carpentry. People drive here from all over the country to shop for furniture, and tour...

Poas Volcano National Park

Arenal may be Costa Rica's most famous volcano, but you can peer right into the crater here at Poás—from the vantage point of an observation...

Atenas

By the time you get this far west in the Central Valley, you’re likely headed for Costa Rica’s famed Central Pacific beaches, but the countryside...

San Gerardo de Dota

Cloud forests, invigorating mountain air, well-maintained hiking trails, and excellent bird-watching make San Gerardo de Dota one of Costa Rica's premier nature destinations. The tiny...

Playa Pavones

Surfing is the main draw here, especially from April to September when the waves are most reliable. But the dramatic scenery, looking across the Golfo...

Nicoya

Once a quaint provincial town, Guanacaste's former colonial capital is now a bustling, modernized shopping center, thanks to the bridge over the Río Tempisque that...

Playa Hermosa

On the other side of the rocky ridge that forms the southern edge of Playa Jacó is Playa Hermosa, a swath of dark-gray sand and...

Nuevo Arenal

Much of the original town of Arenal, at one of the lowest points near Lake Arenal, was destroyed by the volcano's 1968 eruption, and the...

Ciudad Quesada (San Carlos)

Highway signs point you to "Ciudad Quesada," but this friendly hub city is simply "San Carlos" in local parlance. The lively mountain market town–provincial capital...

Playa Negra

Surfer culture is apparent here in the wave of beach-shack surfer camps along the road that leads to the rocky strand of beach. But Playa...

Playa Ocotal

Just a few minutes south of Playas del Coco, this beach couldn’t be more different than its rapidly developing neighbor. Quiet and serene, there is...

San Antonio de Belen

San Antonio de Belén has little to offer visitors but its rural charm and proximity to the international airport. The latter led developers to build...

Golfito

...

Tilaran

22 km (14 miles, 45 mins) southwest of Nuevo Arenal, 62 km (38 miles, 1½ hrs) west of La Fortuna. A windmill farm in the...

Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge

The boundaries of the southern Caribbean coast’s preeminent wildlife refuge aren’t well defined. You’ll pass in and out of the forested reserve as you drive...

Tarcoles

Crocodile boat tours on the Río Tárcoles are this small town's claim to fame. You don't actually have to drive to Tárcoles to do the...

Cabo Matapalo

The southern tip of the Osa Peninsula, where virgin rain forest meets the sea at a rocky point, retains the kind of natural beauty that...

San Ramon

San Ramón hides its real attractions in the countryside to the north, on the road to La Fortuna, where comfortable lodges offer access to private...

Playa Langosta

A chic bedroom community of Tamarindo, just five minutes away by car, Playa Langosta is tranquil and elegant. It has not totally escaped development, but...

Grecia

The quiet farming community of Grecia—the name means "Greece" in Spanish—is reputed to be Costa Rica's cleanest town, and some enthusiastic civic boosters extend that...

Guapiles

The hub towns of Guápiles and Guácimo aren't destinations in their own right, but rather the nucleus for a few on-the-way-to-the-Caribbean activities. Guápiles, one of...

San Gerardo de Rivas

Chirripó National Park is the main reason to venture to San Gerardo de Rivas, but if you aren't up for the physically challenging adventure of...

Santo Domingo

Between Heredia and San José, the pretty town of Santo Domingo de Heredia, established in the early 19th century, has wide streets and fine examples...

Playa Herradura

Just north of bustling Jacó, this small beach town, named for its horseshoe-shape bay, is made up of hotels, a golf course, and a marina...

Playa Carrillo

With its long, reef-protected crescent beach backed by an elegant line of swaying coconut palms and sheltering cliffs, Playa Carrillo (interchangeably called Puerto Carrillo) is...

Zona de Los Santos

Empalme, at Km 51 of the Pan-American Highway, marks the turnoff for Santa María de Dota, the first of the picturesque coffee-growing towns, named after...

Curu National Wildlife Refuge

With miles of trails through forest and mangrove swamp, this uncrowded private refuge is most famous for its pristine beach, perfectly sited for swimming, snorkeling...

Santa Rosa National Park

Santa Rosa National Park blends forest and pristine beaches overlooking the famed surf spot Witch’s Rock. North of Liberia, the park is less frequented than...

La Cruz

North of Santa Rosa National Park on the west side of the highway is the turnoff to La Cruz, a scruffy, bustling little town. Noteworthy...

Esterillos Este

Just 20 minutes southeast of Jacó, Playa Esterillos is divided into three sections; Este (East), Central, and Oeste (West). While Esterillos Oeste and Central are...

Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge

If you're seeking a national park experience without the crowds, Caño Negro should be on your list; its excellent birding and wildlife viewing still have...

Playa Junquillal

Seekers of oceanfront tranquility need look no further than Junquillal (pronounced hoon-key-YALL), a beach town as far away from the crowd as you can get...

Punta Islita

Punta Islita is named for a tiny tuft of land that becomes an island at high tide. It's synonymous in Costa Rica with Hotel Punta...

Siquirres

Siquirres anchors a fertile banana- and pineapple-growing region, and marks the transition point between the agricultural lowlands and the tropical, palm-laden coast. The odd name...

Carate

Carate is literally the end of the road. The volcanic black-sand beach stretches for more than 3 km (2 miles), with dramatically high surf that's...

Isla Tortuga

Soft white sand and casually leaning palms fringe this island of tropical dry forest off the southern coast of the Nicoya Peninsula. Sounds heavenly? It...

Carara National Park

In the wilderness of Carara National Park and surroundings, you might encounter white-faced capuchin monkeys in the trees or crocodiles lounging on a riverbank. The...

Punta Leona

Past Tárcoles, the first sizable beach town of the Central Pacific coast is Playa Herradura. In between, the road passes tiny Playa La Pita, then...

Playa Bejuco

Serious surfers wanting to escape the crowds at Jacó and Playa Hermosa, or anyone simply seeking to stray from the beaten path, need drive only...

Crossing into Panama via Sixaola

A few tour operators in Cahuita and Puerto Viejo de Talamanca can set you up with shuttle transportation to Bocas del Toro. They also offer...

Playa Tambor Area

Much of the vast Bahía Ballena shoreline is taken up by a massive all-inclusive hotel and an adjoining private residential development and golf course. But...

Playa Bahia Junquillal

This 2½-km (1½-mile), tree-fringed beach is as close as you can get to a white-sand beach in this part of Guanacaste. Not to be confused...

Cahuita National Park

A perfect, white-sand beach with palm trees lining its edge sits just outside downtown Cahuita and will be your first glimpse of Cahuita National Park...

Chirripo National Park

Chirripó National Park is the ultimate challenge for serious local and visiting hikers. But the rewards are worth it—from the visitors’ hut, you can summit...

Braulio Carrillo National Park

One of Central America’s largest tracts of primary cloud forest looms just north of the San José metro area. The primary highway to the Caribbean...

Barra Honda National Park

You can’t miss this park’s massive peak, once thought to be a volcano. Within that mountain, however, is an intricate network of caves to be...

Corcovado National Park

The crown jewel of the country’s national park system, Corcovado is the ultimate in off-the-grid adventure. The only way to see it is on foot...

Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Preserve

True to its name, this reserve at the southernmost tip of the Nicoya Peninsula is absolutely natural, and very hot. Challenging hiking trails lead through...

Playa Pan de Azucar

Playa Pan de Azúcar literally means "Sugar Bread Beach," though most locals call it simply Playa Azúcar (Sugar Beach). With only two built-up properties, the...

Irazu Volcano

Costa Rica’s highest volcano perches on Central America’s "continental divide," offering splendid views of the Caribbean and Pacific coasts from the summit—assuming the skies are...

Volcan Arenal National Park

...

Crossing into Nicaragua at Peñas Blancas

Costa Rica and Nicaragua share a busy border crossing at Peñas Blancas, 18 km (11 miles) north of La Cruz along a paved highway. Rental...

Barra del Colorado

...

Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula

Reliably sunny, dry weather brings planeloads of sun-starved Northerners to the North Pacific area of Costa Rica every winter, and a windswept coastline makes Guanacaste...

The Osa Peninsula and the South Pacific

Visitors go south to heed the call of the wild. The jewels in the South Pacific crown are the idyllic Golfo Dulce and the wild...

Central Valley

San José sits in an almost-mile-high mountain valley ringed by volcanoes whose ash has fertilized the soil and turned the region into Costa Rica's historic...

Tortuguero and the Caribbean Coast

The tourist brochures tout the country's Caribbean coast as "the other Costa Rica." Everything about this part of Costa Rica seems different: different culture, different...

San Jose

San José is the center of all that is Costa Rica, and to Ticos in the countryside at least, it glitters every bit as much...

Manuel Antonio and the Central Pacific Coast

The Central Pacific region of Costa Rica is a long swath of gorgeous land, encompassing sublime coastline dotted with national parks and palm-lined beaches, and...

Arenal, Monteverde, and the Northern Lowlands

The vast expanse that locals call the Zona Norte (Northern Zone) packs in a larger variety of activities than any other part of the country...

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

This muddy, colorful little town is one of the hottest spots on the international budget-travel circuit, and swarms with backpackers, surfers, and New Agers. For...

Arenal and La Fortuna

As they say, "Location, location, location." Who would think that a small town sitting at the foot of massive Arenal Volcano would attract visitors from...

Monteverde Cloud Forest and Santa Elena

Monteverde is a rain forest, but you won't be in the tropics—rather in the cool, gray, misty world of the cloud forest. Almost 900 species...

Nosara

One of the last beach communities for people who want to get away from it all, Nosara's attractions are the wild stretches of side-by-side beaches...

Tamarindo

Once a funky beach town full of surfers and local fishermen, Tamarindo is now a pricey, hyped-up hive of commercial development and real estate speculation...

Manuel Antonio

You need merely reach the top of the forested ridge on which many of Manuel Antonio's hotels are perched to understand why it is one...

Jaco

Its proximity to San José has made Jacó the most developed beach town in Costa Rica. Nature lovers and solitude seekers may want to skip...

Dominical

Sleepy fishing village–turned–surfer town, Dominical has undergone a lively makeover, with a paved beach road, new restaurants and shops, a farmers' market on Friday morning...

Ballena National Marine Park

Named for the whales (ballenas, in Spanish) that seasonally migrate here, this park protects marine life in miles of ocean, as well as 10 km...

Samara

Sámara has miles of palm-shaded beach, safe swimming water, and an abundance of budget accommodations and seafront restaurants, making it especially popular with budget travelers...

Puerto Jimenez

You might not guess it from the rickety bicycles and ancient pickup trucks parked on the main street, but Puerto Jiménez is the largest town...

Escazu

Costa Rica's wealthiest community and the Central Valley's most prestigious address, Escazú (pronounced es-cah-SOO) nevertheless mixes glamour with tradition, BMWs with oxcarts, trendy malls with...

Cahuita

Dusty Cahuita (pronounced cah-WEE-tah), its main street flanked by wooden-slat cabins, is a backpackers' vacation town—a hippie hangout where you can be immersed in Afro-Caribbean...

Alajuela

Because of its proximity to the international airport (5–10 minutes away), many travelers spend their first or last night in or near Alajuela (pronounced ah-lah-WHAY-lah)...

Malpais and Santa Teresa

Once frequented mostly by diehard surfers in search of some of the country's largest waves and by naturalists en route to the nearby Cabo Blanco...

Heredia

The lively city of Heredia, capital of the important coffee province of the same name, contains a couple of the country's best-preserved colonial structures, along...

Playas del Coco

Noisy, colorful, and interesting, Playas del Coco has the best souvenir shopping, the most dive shops, and the liveliest nightlife and barhopping on this part...

Tortuguero

Some compare these dense layers of green set off by brilliantly colored flowers—a vision doubled by the jungle's reflection in mirror-smooth canals—to the Amazon. That's...

Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui

One of Costa Rica's lesser-known eco-destinations has been developing a growing selection of nature-themed activities in recent years. In the 19th century, Puerto Viejo de...

Turrialba

The well-to-do agricultural center of Turrialba is a bustling town, with a youthful vibe from the nearby university, a colorful open-air market, and a tree-shaded...

Montezuma

Beautifully positioned on a sandy bay, Montezuma is hemmed in by a precipitous wooded shoreline that has prevented the overdevelopment that has affected so many...

Quepos

This hot and dusty town is the gateway to Manuel Antonio, and also serves as the area's hub for banks, supermarkets, and other services. Because...

San Isidro de El General

Although San Isidro de El General has no major attractions, the bustling market town is a good place to have lunch, get cash at one...

Rincon de la Vieja National Park

Wildlife, rivers, waterfalls, and mud baths are just the tip of the volcano when it comes to the natural wonders of Rincón de la Vieja...

The Orosi Valley

If you have a day to spend near San José, this idyllic valley makes a classic day trip, passing through coffee plantations shaded by poró...

Liberia

Once a dusty cattle-market town, Liberia has galloped toward modernization, becoming the commercial, as well as the administrative, capital of Guanacaste. There are still a...

Santa Ana

Santa Ana's tranquil town center, with its rugged stone church, has changed little through the years, even though condos and shopping malls now spread out...

Limon

The vibrant Afro-Caribbean culture of one of Costa Rica's most important ports (population 65,000) is the first sign of life for seafaring visitors to Costa...

Playa Hermosa

Beautiful Playa Hermosa, once a laid-back fishing community, has grown exponentially with condominiums and villas covering the scrubby hills overlooking the wide, curved beach. Warm...

San Vito

Except for the tropical greenery, the rolling hills around the bustling hilltop town of San Vito could be mistaken for a Tuscan landscape. The town...

Playa Grande

Down the (long, paved) road from Tamarindo, but only five minutes by boat across a tidal estuary, lies beautiful, pristine Playa Grande. By day, it's...

Puntarenas

This town is not on the Nicoya Peninsula, but rather on Costa Rica's mainland. It is best known as a cruise-ship port and launching pad...

Cartago

Although most of its structures from the colonial era are gone, Cartago still has some attractive restored buildings, most of them erected after the devastating...

Playa Flamingo

One of the first northern beaches to experience overdevelopment—a fact immortalized in the concrete towers that straggle up the hill above the bay—Flamingo still has...

Playa Potrero

A typical small town with a school, church, and supermarket arranged around a soccer field, Potrero is not very scenic. The main attraction is the...

Playa Avellanas

Traditionally a far cry from its northern neighbor's boom of real estate development, Avellanas has seen Tamarindo escapees slowly encroaching on it for years, building...

Brasilito and Playa Conchal

A small, scruffy fishing village just 1 km (½ mile) north of Playa Conchal, Brasilito has a jumble of houses huddled around its main square...

Palo Verde National Park

Definitely not most people’s idea of a lush, tropical jungle, Palo Verde National Park’s deciduous forest is hot, but also very dry and an ideal...

Playa Zancudo

Life here is laid-back and casual, centering on walking the beach, fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, swimming, and hanging out at the local bars and restaurants. Zancudo...

Drake Bay

This is castaway country, a real tropical adventure, with plenty of hiking and some rough but thrilling boat rides to get here. The rugged coast...

Bahia Salinas

The large windswept bay at the very top of Costa Rica's Pacific coast is the second-windiest area in the country, after Lake Arenal, making it...

Papagayo Peninsula

The Papagayo Peninsula, a crooked finger of land cradling the west side of Bahía Culebra (Snake Bay), enjoys guaranteed sun from January to April, making...

Sarchi

Tranquil Sarchí is Costa Rica's premier center for crafts and carpentry. People drive here from all over the country to shop for furniture, and tour...

Poas Volcano National Park

Arenal may be Costa Rica's most famous volcano, but you can peer right into the crater here at Poás—from the vantage point of an observation...

Atenas

By the time you get this far west in the Central Valley, you’re likely headed for Costa Rica’s famed Central Pacific beaches, but the countryside...

San Gerardo de Dota

Cloud forests, invigorating mountain air, well-maintained hiking trails, and excellent bird-watching make San Gerardo de Dota one of Costa Rica's premier nature destinations. The tiny...

Playa Pavones

Surfing is the main draw here, especially from April to September when the waves are most reliable. But the dramatic scenery, looking across the Golfo...

Nicoya

Once a quaint provincial town, Guanacaste's former colonial capital is now a bustling, modernized shopping center, thanks to the bridge over the Río Tempisque that...

Playa Hermosa

On the other side of the rocky ridge that forms the southern edge of Playa Jacó is Playa Hermosa, a swath of dark-gray sand and...

Nuevo Arenal

Much of the original town of Arenal, at one of the lowest points near Lake Arenal, was destroyed by the volcano's 1968 eruption, and the...

Ciudad Quesada (San Carlos)

Highway signs point you to "Ciudad Quesada," but this friendly hub city is simply "San Carlos" in local parlance. The lively mountain market town–provincial capital...

Playa Negra

Surfer culture is apparent here in the wave of beach-shack surfer camps along the road that leads to the rocky strand of beach. But Playa...

Playa Ocotal

Just a few minutes south of Playas del Coco, this beach couldn’t be more different than its rapidly developing neighbor. Quiet and serene, there is...

San Antonio de Belen

San Antonio de Belén has little to offer visitors but its rural charm and proximity to the international airport. The latter led developers to build...

Golfito

...

Tilaran

22 km (14 miles, 45 mins) southwest of Nuevo Arenal, 62 km (38 miles, 1½ hrs) west of La Fortuna. A windmill farm in the...

Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge

The boundaries of the southern Caribbean coast’s preeminent wildlife refuge aren’t well defined. You’ll pass in and out of the forested reserve as you drive...

Tarcoles

Crocodile boat tours on the Río Tárcoles are this small town's claim to fame. You don't actually have to drive to Tárcoles to do the...

Cabo Matapalo

The southern tip of the Osa Peninsula, where virgin rain forest meets the sea at a rocky point, retains the kind of natural beauty that...

San Ramon

San Ramón hides its real attractions in the countryside to the north, on the road to La Fortuna, where comfortable lodges offer access to private...

Playa Langosta

A chic bedroom community of Tamarindo, just five minutes away by car, Playa Langosta is tranquil and elegant. It has not totally escaped development, but...

Grecia

The quiet farming community of Grecia—the name means "Greece" in Spanish—is reputed to be Costa Rica's cleanest town, and some enthusiastic civic boosters extend that...

Guapiles

The hub towns of Guápiles and Guácimo aren't destinations in their own right, but rather the nucleus for a few on-the-way-to-the-Caribbean activities. Guápiles, one of...

San Gerardo de Rivas

Chirripó National Park is the main reason to venture to San Gerardo de Rivas, but if you aren't up for the physically challenging adventure of...

Santo Domingo

Between Heredia and San José, the pretty town of Santo Domingo de Heredia, established in the early 19th century, has wide streets and fine examples...

Playa Herradura

Just north of bustling Jacó, this small beach town, named for its horseshoe-shape bay, is made up of hotels, a golf course, and a marina...

Playa Carrillo

With its long, reef-protected crescent beach backed by an elegant line of swaying coconut palms and sheltering cliffs, Playa Carrillo (interchangeably called Puerto Carrillo) is...

Zona de Los Santos

Empalme, at Km 51 of the Pan-American Highway, marks the turnoff for Santa María de Dota, the first of the picturesque coffee-growing towns, named after...

Curu National Wildlife Refuge

With miles of trails through forest and mangrove swamp, this uncrowded private refuge is most famous for its pristine beach, perfectly sited for swimming, snorkeling...

Santa Rosa National Park

Santa Rosa National Park blends forest and pristine beaches overlooking the famed surf spot Witch’s Rock. North of Liberia, the park is less frequented than...

La Cruz

North of Santa Rosa National Park on the west side of the highway is the turnoff to La Cruz, a scruffy, bustling little town. Noteworthy...

Esterillos Este

Just 20 minutes southeast of Jacó, Playa Esterillos is divided into three sections; Este (East), Central, and Oeste (West). While Esterillos Oeste and Central are...

Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge

If you're seeking a national park experience without the crowds, Caño Negro should be on your list; its excellent birding and wildlife viewing still have...

Playa Junquillal

Seekers of oceanfront tranquility need look no further than Junquillal (pronounced hoon-key-YALL), a beach town as far away from the crowd as you can get...

Punta Islita

Punta Islita is named for a tiny tuft of land that becomes an island at high tide. It's synonymous in Costa Rica with Hotel Punta...

Siquirres

Siquirres anchors a fertile banana- and pineapple-growing region, and marks the transition point between the agricultural lowlands and the tropical, palm-laden coast. The odd name...

Carate

Carate is literally the end of the road. The volcanic black-sand beach stretches for more than 3 km (2 miles), with dramatically high surf that's...

Isla Tortuga

Soft white sand and casually leaning palms fringe this island of tropical dry forest off the southern coast of the Nicoya Peninsula. Sounds heavenly? It...

Carara National Park

In the wilderness of Carara National Park and surroundings, you might encounter white-faced capuchin monkeys in the trees or crocodiles lounging on a riverbank. The...

Punta Leona

Past Tárcoles, the first sizable beach town of the Central Pacific coast is Playa Herradura. In between, the road passes tiny Playa La Pita, then...

Playa Bejuco

Serious surfers wanting to escape the crowds at Jacó and Playa Hermosa, or anyone simply seeking to stray from the beaten path, need drive only...

Crossing into Panama via Sixaola

A few tour operators in Cahuita and Puerto Viejo de Talamanca can set you up with shuttle transportation to Bocas del Toro. They also offer...

Playa Tambor Area

Much of the vast Bahía Ballena shoreline is taken up by a massive all-inclusive hotel and an adjoining private residential development and golf course. But...

Playa Bahia Junquillal

This 2½-km (1½-mile), tree-fringed beach is as close as you can get to a white-sand beach in this part of Guanacaste. Not to be confused...

Cahuita National Park

A perfect, white-sand beach with palm trees lining its edge sits just outside downtown Cahuita and will be your first glimpse of Cahuita National Park...

Chirripo National Park

Chirripó National Park is the ultimate challenge for serious local and visiting hikers. But the rewards are worth it—from the visitors’ hut, you can summit...

Braulio Carrillo National Park

One of Central America’s largest tracts of primary cloud forest looms just north of the San José metro area. The primary highway to the Caribbean...

Barra Honda National Park

You can’t miss this park’s massive peak, once thought to be a volcano. Within that mountain, however, is an intricate network of caves to be...

Corcovado National Park

The crown jewel of the country’s national park system, Corcovado is the ultimate in off-the-grid adventure. The only way to see it is on foot...

Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Preserve

True to its name, this reserve at the southernmost tip of the Nicoya Peninsula is absolutely natural, and very hot. Challenging hiking trails lead through...

Playa Pan de Azucar

Playa Pan de Azúcar literally means "Sugar Bread Beach," though most locals call it simply Playa Azúcar (Sugar Beach). With only two built-up properties, the...

Irazu Volcano

Costa Rica’s highest volcano perches on Central America’s "continental divide," offering splendid views of the Caribbean and Pacific coasts from the summit—assuming the skies are...

Volcan Arenal National Park

...

Crossing into Nicaragua at Peñas Blancas

Costa Rica and Nicaragua share a busy border crossing at Peñas Blancas, 18 km (11 miles) north of La Cruz along a paved highway. Rental...

Barra del Colorado

...

San Jose

San José is the center of all that is Costa Rica, and to Ticos in the countryside at least, it glitters every bit as much...

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

This muddy, colorful little town is one of the hottest spots on the international budget-travel circuit, and swarms with backpackers, surfers, and New Agers. For...

Arenal and La Fortuna

As they say, "Location, location, location." Who would think that a small town sitting at the foot of massive Arenal Volcano would attract visitors from...

Monteverde Cloud Forest and Santa Elena

Monteverde is a rain forest, but you won't be in the tropics—rather in the cool, gray, misty world of the cloud forest. Almost 900 species...

Nosara

One of the last beach communities for people who want to get away from it all, Nosara's attractions are the wild stretches of side-by-side beaches...

Manuel Antonio

You need merely reach the top of the forested ridge on which many of Manuel Antonio's hotels are perched to understand why it is one...

Tamarindo

Once a funky beach town full of surfers and local fishermen, Tamarindo is now a pricey, hyped-up hive of commercial development and real estate speculation...

Jaco

Its proximity to San José has made Jacó the most developed beach town in Costa Rica. Nature lovers and solitude seekers may want to skip...

Dominical

Sleepy fishing village–turned–surfer town, Dominical has undergone a lively makeover, with a paved beach road, new restaurants and shops, a farmers' market on Friday morning...

Samara

Sámara has miles of palm-shaded beach, safe swimming water, and an abundance of budget accommodations and seafront restaurants, making it especially popular with budget travelers...

Escazu

Costa Rica's wealthiest community and the Central Valley's most prestigious address, Escazú (pronounced es-cah-SOO) nevertheless mixes glamour with tradition, BMWs with oxcarts, trendy malls with...

Puerto Jimenez

You might not guess it from the rickety bicycles and ancient pickup trucks parked on the main street, but Puerto Jiménez is the largest town...

Cahuita

Dusty Cahuita (pronounced cah-WEE-tah), its main street flanked by wooden-slat cabins, is a backpackers' vacation town—a hippie hangout where you can be immersed in Afro-Caribbean...

Malpais and Santa Teresa

Once frequented mostly by diehard surfers in search of some of the country's largest waves and by naturalists en route to the nearby Cabo Blanco...

Alajuela

Because of its proximity to the international airport (5–10 minutes away), many travelers spend their first or last night in or near Alajuela (pronounced ah-lah-WHAY-lah)...

Heredia

The lively city of Heredia, capital of the important coffee province of the same name, contains a couple of the country's best-preserved colonial structures, along...

Playas del Coco

Noisy, colorful, and interesting, Playas del Coco has the best souvenir shopping, the most dive shops, and the liveliest nightlife and barhopping on this part...

Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui

One of Costa Rica's lesser-known eco-destinations has been developing a growing selection of nature-themed activities in recent years. In the 19th century, Puerto Viejo de...

Turrialba

The well-to-do agricultural center of Turrialba is a bustling town, with a youthful vibe from the nearby university, a colorful open-air market, and a tree-shaded...

Montezuma

Beautifully positioned on a sandy bay, Montezuma is hemmed in by a precipitous wooded shoreline that has prevented the overdevelopment that has affected so many...

Quepos

This hot and dusty town is the gateway to Manuel Antonio, and also serves as the area's hub for banks, supermarkets, and other services. Because...

San Isidro de El General

Although San Isidro de El General has no major attractions, the bustling market town is a good place to have lunch, get cash at one...

Santa Ana

Santa Ana's tranquil town center, with its rugged stone church, has changed little through the years, even though condos and shopping malls now spread out...

Liberia

Once a dusty cattle-market town, Liberia has galloped toward modernization, becoming the commercial, as well as the administrative, capital of Guanacaste. There are still a...

Limon

The vibrant Afro-Caribbean culture of one of Costa Rica's most important ports (population 65,000) is the first sign of life for seafaring visitors to Costa...

Playa Hermosa

Beautiful Playa Hermosa, once a laid-back fishing community, has grown exponentially with condominiums and villas covering the scrubby hills overlooking the wide, curved beach. Warm...

Playa Grande

Down the (long, paved) road from Tamarindo, but only five minutes by boat across a tidal estuary, lies beautiful, pristine Playa Grande. By day, it's...

San Vito

Except for the tropical greenery, the rolling hills around the bustling hilltop town of San Vito could be mistaken for a Tuscan landscape. The town...

Puntarenas

This town is not on the Nicoya Peninsula, but rather on Costa Rica's mainland. It is best known as a cruise-ship port and launching pad...

Cartago

Although most of its structures from the colonial era are gone, Cartago still has some attractive restored buildings, most of them erected after the devastating...

Playa Flamingo

One of the first northern beaches to experience overdevelopment—a fact immortalized in the concrete towers that straggle up the hill above the bay—Flamingo still has...

Playa Potrero

A typical small town with a school, church, and supermarket arranged around a soccer field, Potrero is not very scenic. The main attraction is the...

Playa Avellanas

Traditionally a far cry from its northern neighbor's boom of real estate development, Avellanas has seen Tamarindo escapees slowly encroaching on it for years, building...

Brasilito and Playa Conchal

A small, scruffy fishing village just 1 km (½ mile) north of Playa Conchal, Brasilito has a jumble of houses huddled around its main square...

Playa Zancudo

Life here is laid-back and casual, centering on walking the beach, fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, swimming, and hanging out at the local bars and restaurants. Zancudo...

Drake Bay

This is castaway country, a real tropical adventure, with plenty of hiking and some rough but thrilling boat rides to get here. The rugged coast...

Palo Verde National Park

Definitely not most people’s idea of a lush, tropical jungle, Palo Verde National Park’s deciduous forest is hot, but also very dry and an ideal...

Sarchi

Tranquil Sarchí is Costa Rica's premier center for crafts and carpentry. People drive here from all over the country to shop for furniture, and tour...

San Gerardo de Dota

Cloud forests, invigorating mountain air, well-maintained hiking trails, and excellent bird-watching make San Gerardo de Dota one of Costa Rica's premier nature destinations. The tiny...

Atenas

By the time you get this far west in the Central Valley, you’re likely headed for Costa Rica’s famed Central Pacific beaches, but the countryside...

Playa Negra

Surfer culture is apparent here in the wave of beach-shack surfer camps along the road that leads to the rocky strand of beach. But Playa...

Playa Hermosa

On the other side of the rocky ridge that forms the southern edge of Playa Jacó is Playa Hermosa, a swath of dark-gray sand and...

Playa Pavones

Surfing is the main draw here, especially from April to September when the waves are most reliable. But the dramatic scenery, looking across the Golfo...

Playa Ocotal

Just a few minutes south of Playas del Coco, this beach couldn’t be more different than its rapidly developing neighbor. Quiet and serene, there is...

San Antonio de Belen

San Antonio de Belén has little to offer visitors but its rural charm and proximity to the international airport. The latter led developers to build...

Ciudad Quesada (San Carlos)

Highway signs point you to "Ciudad Quesada," but this friendly hub city is simply "San Carlos" in local parlance. The lively mountain market town–provincial capital...

Nuevo Arenal

Much of the original town of Arenal, at one of the lowest points near Lake Arenal, was destroyed by the volcano's 1968 eruption, and the...

Cabo Matapalo

The southern tip of the Osa Peninsula, where virgin rain forest meets the sea at a rocky point, retains the kind of natural beauty that...

Golfito

...

Tarcoles

Crocodile boat tours on the Río Tárcoles are this small town's claim to fame. You don't actually have to drive to Tárcoles to do the...

Tilaran

22 km (14 miles, 45 mins) southwest of Nuevo Arenal, 62 km (38 miles, 1½ hrs) west of La Fortuna. A windmill farm in the...

Playa Langosta

A chic bedroom community of Tamarindo, just five minutes away by car, Playa Langosta is tranquil and elegant. It has not totally escaped development, but...

Grecia

The quiet farming community of Grecia—the name means "Greece" in Spanish—is reputed to be Costa Rica's cleanest town, and some enthusiastic civic boosters extend that...

San Ramon

San Ramón hides its real attractions in the countryside to the north, on the road to La Fortuna, where comfortable lodges offer access to private...

Santo Domingo

Between Heredia and San José, the pretty town of Santo Domingo de Heredia, established in the early 19th century, has wide streets and fine examples...

Guapiles

The hub towns of Guápiles and Guácimo aren't destinations in their own right, but rather the nucleus for a few on-the-way-to-the-Caribbean activities. Guápiles, one of...

San Gerardo de Rivas

Chirripó National Park is the main reason to venture to San Gerardo de Rivas, but if you aren't up for the physically challenging adventure of...

Playa Herradura

Just north of bustling Jacó, this small beach town, named for its horseshoe-shape bay, is made up of hotels, a golf course, and a marina...

Playa Carrillo

With its long, reef-protected crescent beach backed by an elegant line of swaying coconut palms and sheltering cliffs, Playa Carrillo (interchangeably called Puerto Carrillo) is...

Esterillos Este

Just 20 minutes southeast of Jacó, Playa Esterillos is divided into three sections; Este (East), Central, and Oeste (West). While Esterillos Oeste and Central are...

La Cruz

North of Santa Rosa National Park on the west side of the highway is the turnoff to La Cruz, a scruffy, bustling little town. Noteworthy...

Siquirres

Siquirres anchors a fertile banana- and pineapple-growing region, and marks the transition point between the agricultural lowlands and the tropical, palm-laden coast. The odd name...

Punta Islita

Punta Islita is named for a tiny tuft of land that becomes an island at high tide. It's synonymous in Costa Rica with Hotel Punta...

Playa Junquillal

Seekers of oceanfront tranquility need look no further than Junquillal (pronounced hoon-key-YALL), a beach town as far away from the crowd as you can get...

Punta Leona

Past Tárcoles, the first sizable beach town of the Central Pacific coast is Playa Herradura. In between, the road passes tiny Playa La Pita, then...

Playa Tambor Area

Much of the vast Bahía Ballena shoreline is taken up by a massive all-inclusive hotel and an adjoining private residential development and golf course. But...

Carate

Carate is literally the end of the road. The volcanic black-sand beach stretches for more than 3 km (2 miles), with dramatically high surf that's...

Playa Bejuco

Serious surfers wanting to escape the crowds at Jacó and Playa Hermosa, or anyone simply seeking to stray from the beaten path, need drive only...

Playa Bahia Junquillal

This 2½-km (1½-mile), tree-fringed beach is as close as you can get to a white-sand beach in this part of Guanacaste. Not to be confused...

Playa Pan de Azucar

Playa Pan de Azúcar literally means "Sugar Bread Beach," though most locals call it simply Playa Azúcar (Sugar Beach). With only two built-up properties, the...

Irazu Volcano

Costa Rica’s highest volcano perches on Central America’s "continental divide," offering splendid views of the Caribbean and Pacific coasts from the summit—assuming the skies are...

Barra del Colorado

...

San Jose

San José is the center of all that is Costa Rica, and to Ticos in the countryside at least, it glitters every bit as much...

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

This muddy, colorful little town is one of the hottest spots on the international budget-travel circuit, and swarms with backpackers, surfers, and New Agers. For...

Arenal and La Fortuna

As they say, "Location, location, location." Who would think that a small town sitting at the foot of massive Arenal Volcano would attract visitors from...

Monteverde Cloud Forest and Santa Elena

Monteverde is a rain forest, but you won't be in the tropics—rather in the cool, gray, misty world of the cloud forest. Almost 900 species...

Nosara

One of the last beach communities for people who want to get away from it all, Nosara's attractions are the wild stretches of side-by-side beaches...

Manuel Antonio

You need merely reach the top of the forested ridge on which many of Manuel Antonio's hotels are perched to understand why it is one...

Tamarindo

Once a funky beach town full of surfers and local fishermen, Tamarindo is now a pricey, hyped-up hive of commercial development and real estate speculation...

Jaco

Its proximity to San José has made Jacó the most developed beach town in Costa Rica. Nature lovers and solitude seekers may want to skip...

Dominical

Sleepy fishing village–turned–surfer town, Dominical has undergone a lively makeover, with a paved beach road, new restaurants and shops, a farmers' market on Friday morning...

Samara

Sámara has miles of palm-shaded beach, safe swimming water, and an abundance of budget accommodations and seafront restaurants, making it especially popular with budget travelers...

Escazu

Costa Rica's wealthiest community and the Central Valley's most prestigious address, Escazú (pronounced es-cah-SOO) nevertheless mixes glamour with tradition, BMWs with oxcarts, trendy malls with...

Puerto Jimenez

You might not guess it from the rickety bicycles and ancient pickup trucks parked on the main street, but Puerto Jiménez is the largest town...

Cahuita

Dusty Cahuita (pronounced cah-WEE-tah), its main street flanked by wooden-slat cabins, is a backpackers' vacation town—a hippie hangout where you can be immersed in Afro-Caribbean...

Malpais and Santa Teresa

Once frequented mostly by diehard surfers in search of some of the country's largest waves and by naturalists en route to the nearby Cabo Blanco...

Alajuela

Because of its proximity to the international airport (5–10 minutes away), many travelers spend their first or last night in or near Alajuela (pronounced ah-lah-WHAY-lah)...

Heredia

The lively city of Heredia, capital of the important coffee province of the same name, contains a couple of the country's best-preserved colonial structures, along...

Playas del Coco

Noisy, colorful, and interesting, Playas del Coco has the best souvenir shopping, the most dive shops, and the liveliest nightlife and barhopping on this part...

Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui

One of Costa Rica's lesser-known eco-destinations has been developing a growing selection of nature-themed activities in recent years. In the 19th century, Puerto Viejo de...

Turrialba

The well-to-do agricultural center of Turrialba is a bustling town, with a youthful vibe from the nearby university, a colorful open-air market, and a tree-shaded...

Montezuma

Beautifully positioned on a sandy bay, Montezuma is hemmed in by a precipitous wooded shoreline that has prevented the overdevelopment that has affected so many...

Quepos

This hot and dusty town is the gateway to Manuel Antonio, and also serves as the area's hub for banks, supermarkets, and other services. Because...

San Isidro de El General

Although San Isidro de El General has no major attractions, the bustling market town is a good place to have lunch, get cash at one...

Santa Ana

Santa Ana's tranquil town center, with its rugged stone church, has changed little through the years, even though condos and shopping malls now spread out...

Liberia

Once a dusty cattle-market town, Liberia has galloped toward modernization, becoming the commercial, as well as the administrative, capital of Guanacaste. There are still a...

Limon

The vibrant Afro-Caribbean culture of one of Costa Rica's most important ports (population 65,000) is the first sign of life for seafaring visitors to Costa...

Playa Hermosa

Beautiful Playa Hermosa, once a laid-back fishing community, has grown exponentially with condominiums and villas covering the scrubby hills overlooking the wide, curved beach. Warm...

Playa Grande

Down the (long, paved) road from Tamarindo, but only five minutes by boat across a tidal estuary, lies beautiful, pristine Playa Grande. By day, it's...

San Vito

Except for the tropical greenery, the rolling hills around the bustling hilltop town of San Vito could be mistaken for a Tuscan landscape. The town...

Puntarenas

This town is not on the Nicoya Peninsula, but rather on Costa Rica's mainland. It is best known as a cruise-ship port and launching pad...

Cartago

Although most of its structures from the colonial era are gone, Cartago still has some attractive restored buildings, most of them erected after the devastating...

Playa Flamingo

One of the first northern beaches to experience overdevelopment—a fact immortalized in the concrete towers that straggle up the hill above the bay—Flamingo still has...

Playa Potrero

A typical small town with a school, church, and supermarket arranged around a soccer field, Potrero is not very scenic. The main attraction is the...

Playa Avellanas

Traditionally a far cry from its northern neighbor's boom of real estate development, Avellanas has seen Tamarindo escapees slowly encroaching on it for years, building...

Brasilito and Playa Conchal

A small, scruffy fishing village just 1 km (½ mile) north of Playa Conchal, Brasilito has a jumble of houses huddled around its main square...

Playa Zancudo

Life here is laid-back and casual, centering on walking the beach, fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, swimming, and hanging out at the local bars and restaurants. Zancudo...

Drake Bay

This is castaway country, a real tropical adventure, with plenty of hiking and some rough but thrilling boat rides to get here. The rugged coast...

Palo Verde National Park

Definitely not most people’s idea of a lush, tropical jungle, Palo Verde National Park’s deciduous forest is hot, but also very dry and an ideal...

Sarchi

Tranquil Sarchí is Costa Rica's premier center for crafts and carpentry. People drive here from all over the country to shop for furniture, and tour...

San Gerardo de Dota

Cloud forests, invigorating mountain air, well-maintained hiking trails, and excellent bird-watching make San Gerardo de Dota one of Costa Rica's premier nature destinations. The tiny...

Atenas

By the time you get this far west in the Central Valley, you’re likely headed for Costa Rica’s famed Central Pacific beaches, but the countryside...

Playa Negra

Surfer culture is apparent here in the wave of beach-shack surfer camps along the road that leads to the rocky strand of beach. But Playa...

Playa Hermosa

On the other side of the rocky ridge that forms the southern edge of Playa Jacó is Playa Hermosa, a swath of dark-gray sand and...

Playa Pavones

Surfing is the main draw here, especially from April to September when the waves are most reliable. But the dramatic scenery, looking across the Golfo...

Playa Ocotal

Just a few minutes south of Playas del Coco, this beach couldn’t be more different than its rapidly developing neighbor. Quiet and serene, there is...

San Antonio de Belen

San Antonio de Belén has little to offer visitors but its rural charm and proximity to the international airport. The latter led developers to build...

Ciudad Quesada (San Carlos)

Highway signs point you to "Ciudad Quesada," but this friendly hub city is simply "San Carlos" in local parlance. The lively mountain market town–provincial capital...

Nuevo Arenal

Much of the original town of Arenal, at one of the lowest points near Lake Arenal, was destroyed by the volcano's 1968 eruption, and the...

Cabo Matapalo

The southern tip of the Osa Peninsula, where virgin rain forest meets the sea at a rocky point, retains the kind of natural beauty that...

Golfito

...

Tarcoles

Crocodile boat tours on the Río Tárcoles are this small town's claim to fame. You don't actually have to drive to Tárcoles to do the...

Tilaran

22 km (14 miles, 45 mins) southwest of Nuevo Arenal, 62 km (38 miles, 1½ hrs) west of La Fortuna. A windmill farm in the...

Playa Langosta

A chic bedroom community of Tamarindo, just five minutes away by car, Playa Langosta is tranquil and elegant. It has not totally escaped development, but...

Grecia

The quiet farming community of Grecia—the name means "Greece" in Spanish—is reputed to be Costa Rica's cleanest town, and some enthusiastic civic boosters extend that...

San Ramon

San Ramón hides its real attractions in the countryside to the north, on the road to La Fortuna, where comfortable lodges offer access to private...

Santo Domingo

Between Heredia and San José, the pretty town of Santo Domingo de Heredia, established in the early 19th century, has wide streets and fine examples...

Guapiles

The hub towns of Guápiles and Guácimo aren't destinations in their own right, but rather the nucleus for a few on-the-way-to-the-Caribbean activities. Guápiles, one of...

San Gerardo de Rivas

Chirripó National Park is the main reason to venture to San Gerardo de Rivas, but if you aren't up for the physically challenging adventure of...

Playa Herradura

Just north of bustling Jacó, this small beach town, named for its horseshoe-shape bay, is made up of hotels, a golf course, and a marina...

Playa Carrillo

With its long, reef-protected crescent beach backed by an elegant line of swaying coconut palms and sheltering cliffs, Playa Carrillo (interchangeably called Puerto Carrillo) is...

Esterillos Este

Just 20 minutes southeast of Jacó, Playa Esterillos is divided into three sections; Este (East), Central, and Oeste (West). While Esterillos Oeste and Central are...

La Cruz

North of Santa Rosa National Park on the west side of the highway is the turnoff to La Cruz, a scruffy, bustling little town. Noteworthy...

Siquirres

Siquirres anchors a fertile banana- and pineapple-growing region, and marks the transition point between the agricultural lowlands and the tropical, palm-laden coast. The odd name...

Punta Islita

Punta Islita is named for a tiny tuft of land that becomes an island at high tide. It's synonymous in Costa Rica with Hotel Punta...

Playa Junquillal

Seekers of oceanfront tranquility need look no further than Junquillal (pronounced hoon-key-YALL), a beach town as far away from the crowd as you can get...

Punta Leona

Past Tárcoles, the first sizable beach town of the Central Pacific coast is Playa Herradura. In between, the road passes tiny Playa La Pita, then...

Playa Tambor Area

Much of the vast Bahía Ballena shoreline is taken up by a massive all-inclusive hotel and an adjoining private residential development and golf course. But...

Carate

Carate is literally the end of the road. The volcanic black-sand beach stretches for more than 3 km (2 miles), with dramatically high surf that's...

Playa Bejuco

Serious surfers wanting to escape the crowds at Jacó and Playa Hermosa, or anyone simply seeking to stray from the beaten path, need drive only...

Playa Bahia Junquillal

This 2½-km (1½-mile), tree-fringed beach is as close as you can get to a white-sand beach in this part of Guanacaste. Not to be confused...

Playa Pan de Azucar

Playa Pan de Azúcar literally means "Sugar Bread Beach," though most locals call it simply Playa Azúcar (Sugar Beach). With only two built-up properties, the...

Irazu Volcano

Costa Rica’s highest volcano perches on Central America’s "continental divide," offering splendid views of the Caribbean and Pacific coasts from the summit—assuming the skies are...

Barra del Colorado

...

Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula

Reliably sunny, dry weather brings planeloads of sun-starved Northerners to the North Pacific area of Costa Rica every winter, and a windswept coastline makes Guanacaste...

The Osa Peninsula and the South Pacific

Visitors go south to heed the call of the wild. The jewels in the South Pacific crown are the idyllic Golfo Dulce and the wild...

Central Valley

San José sits in an almost-mile-high mountain valley ringed by volcanoes whose ash has fertilized the soil and turned the region into Costa Rica's historic...

Tortuguero and the Caribbean Coast

The tourist brochures tout the country's Caribbean coast as "the other Costa Rica." Everything about this part of Costa Rica seems different: different culture, different...

Manuel Antonio and the Central Pacific Coast

The Central Pacific region of Costa Rica is a long swath of gorgeous land, encompassing sublime coastline dotted with national parks and palm-lined beaches, and...

Arenal, Monteverde, and the Northern Lowlands

The vast expanse that locals call the Zona Norte (Northern Zone) packs in a larger variety of activities than any other part of the country...

Tortuguero

Some compare these dense layers of green set off by brilliantly colored flowers—a vision doubled by the jungle's reflection in mirror-smooth canals—to the Amazon. That's...

The Orosi Valley

If you have a day to spend near San José, this idyllic valley makes a classic day trip, passing through coffee plantations shaded by poró...

Bahia Salinas

The large windswept bay at the very top of Costa Rica's Pacific coast is the second-windiest area in the country, after Lake Arenal, making it...

Papagayo Peninsula

The Papagayo Peninsula, a crooked finger of land cradling the west side of Bahía Culebra (Snake Bay), enjoys guaranteed sun from January to April, making...

Nicoya

Once a quaint provincial town, Guanacaste's former colonial capital is now a bustling, modernized shopping center, thanks to the bridge over the Río Tempisque that...

Zona de Los Santos

Empalme, at Km 51 of the Pan-American Highway, marks the turnoff for Santa María de Dota, the first of the picturesque coffee-growing towns, named after...

Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula

Reliably sunny, dry weather brings planeloads of sun-starved Northerners to the North Pacific area of Costa Rica every winter, and a windswept coastline makes Guanacaste...

The Osa Peninsula and the South Pacific

Visitors go south to heed the call of the wild. The jewels in the South Pacific crown are the idyllic Golfo Dulce and the wild...

Central Valley

San José sits in an almost-mile-high mountain valley ringed by volcanoes whose ash has fertilized the soil and turned the region into Costa Rica's historic...

Tortuguero and the Caribbean Coast

The tourist brochures tout the country's Caribbean coast as "the other Costa Rica." Everything about this part of Costa Rica seems different: different culture, different...

Manuel Antonio and the Central Pacific Coast

The Central Pacific region of Costa Rica is a long swath of gorgeous land, encompassing sublime coastline dotted with national parks and palm-lined beaches, and...

Arenal, Monteverde, and the Northern Lowlands

The vast expanse that locals call the Zona Norte (Northern Zone) packs in a larger variety of activities than any other part of the country...

Tortuguero

Some compare these dense layers of green set off by brilliantly colored flowers—a vision doubled by the jungle's reflection in mirror-smooth canals—to the Amazon. That's...

The Orosi Valley

If you have a day to spend near San José, this idyllic valley makes a classic day trip, passing through coffee plantations shaded by poró...

Bahia Salinas

The large windswept bay at the very top of Costa Rica's Pacific coast is the second-windiest area in the country, after Lake Arenal, making it...

Papagayo Peninsula

The Papagayo Peninsula, a crooked finger of land cradling the west side of Bahía Culebra (Snake Bay), enjoys guaranteed sun from January to April, making...

Nicoya

Once a quaint provincial town, Guanacaste's former colonial capital is now a bustling, modernized shopping center, thanks to the bridge over the Río Tempisque that...

Zona de Los Santos

Empalme, at Km 51 of the Pan-American Highway, marks the turnoff for Santa María de Dota, the first of the picturesque coffee-growing towns, named after...

Ballena National Marine Park

Named for the whales (ballenas, in Spanish) that seasonally migrate here, this park protects marine life in miles of ocean, as well as 10 km...

Rincon de la Vieja National Park

Wildlife, rivers, waterfalls, and mud baths are just the tip of the volcano when it comes to the natural wonders of Rincón de la Vieja...

Poas Volcano National Park

Arenal may be Costa Rica's most famous volcano, but you can peer right into the crater here at Poás—from the vantage point of an observation...

Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge

The boundaries of the southern Caribbean coast’s preeminent wildlife refuge aren’t well defined. You’ll pass in and out of the forested reserve as you drive...

Curu National Wildlife Refuge

With miles of trails through forest and mangrove swamp, this uncrowded private refuge is most famous for its pristine beach, perfectly sited for swimming, snorkeling...

Santa Rosa National Park

Santa Rosa National Park blends forest and pristine beaches overlooking the famed surf spot Witch’s Rock. North of Liberia, the park is less frequented than...

Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge

If you're seeking a national park experience without the crowds, Caño Negro should be on your list; its excellent birding and wildlife viewing still have...

Carara National Park

In the wilderness of Carara National Park and surroundings, you might encounter white-faced capuchin monkeys in the trees or crocodiles lounging on a riverbank. The...

Cahuita National Park

A perfect, white-sand beach with palm trees lining its edge sits just outside downtown Cahuita and will be your first glimpse of Cahuita National Park...

Braulio Carrillo National Park

One of Central America’s largest tracts of primary cloud forest looms just north of the San José metro area. The primary highway to the Caribbean...

Corcovado National Park

The crown jewel of the country’s national park system, Corcovado is the ultimate in off-the-grid adventure. The only way to see it is on foot...

Chirripo National Park

Chirripó National Park is the ultimate challenge for serious local and visiting hikers. But the rewards are worth it—from the visitors’ hut, you can summit...

Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Preserve

True to its name, this reserve at the southernmost tip of the Nicoya Peninsula is absolutely natural, and very hot. Challenging hiking trails lead through...

Barra Honda National Park

You can’t miss this park’s massive peak, once thought to be a volcano. Within that mountain, however, is an intricate network of caves to be...

Volcan Arenal National Park

...

Ballena National Marine Park

Named for the whales (ballenas, in Spanish) that seasonally migrate here, this park protects marine life in miles of ocean, as well as 10 km...

Rincon de la Vieja National Park

Wildlife, rivers, waterfalls, and mud baths are just the tip of the volcano when it comes to the natural wonders of Rincón de la Vieja...

Poas Volcano National Park

Arenal may be Costa Rica's most famous volcano, but you can peer right into the crater here at Poás—from the vantage point of an observation...

Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge

The boundaries of the southern Caribbean coast’s preeminent wildlife refuge aren’t well defined. You’ll pass in and out of the forested reserve as you drive...

Curu National Wildlife Refuge

With miles of trails through forest and mangrove swamp, this uncrowded private refuge is most famous for its pristine beach, perfectly sited for swimming, snorkeling...

Santa Rosa National Park

Santa Rosa National Park blends forest and pristine beaches overlooking the famed surf spot Witch’s Rock. North of Liberia, the park is less frequented than...

Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge

If you're seeking a national park experience without the crowds, Caño Negro should be on your list; its excellent birding and wildlife viewing still have...

Carara National Park

In the wilderness of Carara National Park and surroundings, you might encounter white-faced capuchin monkeys in the trees or crocodiles lounging on a riverbank. The...

Cahuita National Park

A perfect, white-sand beach with palm trees lining its edge sits just outside downtown Cahuita and will be your first glimpse of Cahuita National Park...

Braulio Carrillo National Park

One of Central America’s largest tracts of primary cloud forest looms just north of the San José metro area. The primary highway to the Caribbean...

Corcovado National Park

The crown jewel of the country’s national park system, Corcovado is the ultimate in off-the-grid adventure. The only way to see it is on foot...

Chirripo National Park

Chirripó National Park is the ultimate challenge for serious local and visiting hikers. But the rewards are worth it—from the visitors’ hut, you can summit...

Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Preserve

True to its name, this reserve at the southernmost tip of the Nicoya Peninsula is absolutely natural, and very hot. Challenging hiking trails lead through...

Barra Honda National Park

You can’t miss this park’s massive peak, once thought to be a volcano. Within that mountain, however, is an intricate network of caves to be...

Volcan Arenal National Park

...

Isla Tortuga

Soft white sand and casually leaning palms fringe this island of tropical dry forest off the southern coast of the Nicoya Peninsula. Sounds heavenly? It...

Isla Tortuga

Soft white sand and casually leaning palms fringe this island of tropical dry forest off the southern coast of the Nicoya Peninsula. Sounds heavenly? It...

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Arenal, Monteverde, and the Northern Lowlands

Central Valley

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Manuel Antonio and the Central Pacific Coast

San Jose

The Osa Peninsula and the South Pacific

Tortuguero and the Caribbean Coast

Arenal, Monteverde, and the Northern Lowlands

Manuel Antonio and the Central Pacific Coast

Tortuguero and the Caribbean Coast

Central Valley

San Jose

Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula

The Osa Peninsula and the South Pacific

Arenal, Monteverde, and the Northern Lowlands

Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula

San Jose

Tortuguero and the Caribbean Coast

Central Valley

Manuel Antonio and the Central Pacific Coast

The Osa Peninsula and the South Pacific

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