Travel in Costa Rica Editors
The editors plan routes and check places using official sources: park authorities, transport operators and each business's own website. We don't accept payment to be listed or ranked.
Articles
Hotel Jinetes de Osa
Best for Divers, snorkelers and wildlife lovers who want tours run from the hotel
Margaritaville Beach Resort Playa Flamingo
Best for Families, groups and couples who want a full-service beach resort
Hotel Montaña Monteverde
Best for Couples, families and nature lovers who want a straightforward base
Hotel Divisamar
Best for Budget travelers, families and anyone visiting without a car
The Yoga Farm
Best for Solo travelers and longer stays who want community, yoga and farm life
10 yoga retreats in Costa Rica, coast by coast
Costa Rica's yoga retreats cluster in a few places: Montezuma and Santa Teresa on the southern Nicoya Peninsula, Nosara farther…
Surf Inn Hermosa
Best for Surfers of all levels, solo travelers, couples and digital nomads
Hotel Playa Bejuco
Best for Families and travelers who want a quiet beach rather than a busy town
Laguna Lodge Tortuguero
Best for First-time visitors, families and groups who want transfers, meals and tours handled
Ojo del Mar Nature Lodge
Best for Nature lovers, yoga travelers, small retreat groups
Hotel Casa de Lis
Best for Independent travelers, couples and small families on a budget
Rancho Tropical
Best for Hikers, families and active travelers based in Puerto Jiménez or Matapalo
Lazy Lizard Sailing
Best for Families, couples and groups who want an easy half day on the water
Posada El Quijote
Best for First and last nights in Costa Rica, business travelers and longer stays
Valverde Glamping & Ecolodge
Best for Couples, families and nature photographers
Clarita's Beach Bar & Resort
Best for Couples, families and event groups who want a full-service beach hotel
Orchids of Costa Rica: where and when to see them
Costa Rica has more than 1,000 orchid species, most of them growing on trees in its wet mountain forests. The easiest place to…
Arenal Volcano National Park
Best for A half-day walk from La Fortuna or El Castillo
Corcovado National Park
Best for Serious wildlife watchers; tapirs, scarlet macaws, all four monkey species
Manuel Antonio National Park
Best for Easy wildlife watching and swimming beaches in one morning
Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve
Best for Nature lovers and birders spending a night or two in Monteverde
Tortuguero National Park
Best for Canal wildlife trips and turtle nesting tours
San José (SJO) or Liberia (LIR)? Choosing your Costa Rica airport
Fly into Liberia (LIR) if your trip is mostly Guanacaste and the northern Nicoya beaches; it's about 1¼ hours from Tamarindo. Fly…
Costa Rica in 10 days: Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio and the whale coast
Ten days is enough for the classic Costa Rica loop: Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio and a quieter stretch of the South Pacific…
Costa Rica in 2 weeks: Tortuguero to the Osa Peninsula
Two weeks is enough to cross the country coast to coast: the canals of Tortuguero, Sarapiquí, Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio…
Costa Rica in 7 days: volcano, cloud forest and a Pacific beach
With one week, pick three bases and don't try to see the whole country: 2 nights at Arenal, 2 in Monteverde and 2 on a Guanacaste…
Costa Rica national parks: which to visit and how to book
For a first trip, plan around four parks: Manuel Antonio for easy wildlife, Arenal for the volcano, Monteverde for cloud forest…
Getting around Costa Rica: cars, shuttles, buses, flights and ferries
Most visitors get around Costa Rica by rental car or shared shuttle, and both work well for the main route. Drive if you want…
Where to stay in Costa Rica: the best bases, region by region
Choose your base towns first and your hotels second: La Fortuna for Arenal, Santa Elena for Monteverde, Manuel Antonio for the…
Rancho Capulin Bed and Breakfast
Best for First or last night near SJO, birders, travelers heading for the Pacific coast
