https://www.travelincostarica.net/A practical Costa Rica trip planner: day-by-day itineraries, routes and transport, when to go, and region-by-region guides, with every hotel, park and tour checked against its own website.https://www.travelincostarica.net/hotel-jinetes-de-osa/https://www.travelincostarica.net/hotel-jinetes-de-osa/Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Hotel Jinetes de Osa is a small hotel right by the water in Drake Bay, on the northern side of the Osa Peninsula. It suits travelers who want a simple, comfortable base for Corcovado hikes, Caño Island snorkeling and some of the best diving on Costa Rica's mainland coast.https://www.travelincostarica.net/flamingo-beach-resort/https://www.travelincostarica.net/flamingo-beach-resort/Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Margaritaville Beach Resort Playa Flamingo is the beachfront hotel we wrote about in 2015 as Flamingo Beach Resort, renamed in 2018. It has 120 rooms and suites right on Playa Flamingo in Guanacaste, with pools, 3 restaurants and a spa, and it suits families and groups who want an easy, full-service beach stay.https://www.travelincostarica.net/hotel-montana-monteverde/https://www.travelincostarica.net/hotel-montana-monteverde/Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Hotel Montaña Monteverde, also called Monteverde Mountain Hotel, is a 42-room hotel in Santa Elena at about 4,500 ft, next to its own 15-acre patch of forest. It suits travelers who want a simple, practical base with a restaurant on site and easy access to the cloud forest reserves.https://www.travelincostarica.net/hotel-and-casino-divisamar-jungle-resort/https://www.travelincostarica.net/hotel-and-casino-divisamar-jungle-resort/Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Hotel Divisamar is a simple, family-founded hotel on the main road between Quepos and Manuel Antonio National Park. It has a pool, jacuzzi, its own bakery and sports bar, and a bus stop right outside, so it suits budget travelers who want to reach the beach and park without a car.https://www.travelincostarica.net/the-yoga-farm/https://www.travelincostarica.net/the-yoga-farm/Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000The Yoga Farm is a rustic yoga center and sustainable living project on a hill above Punta Banco, just past Pavones on Costa Rica's far southern Pacific coast. It's best for people who want to slow down for weeks, not days, and don't mind chores, composting toilets and a steep walk home.https://www.travelincostarica.net/10-amazing-yoga-retreats-in-costa-rica/https://www.travelincostarica.net/10-amazing-yoga-retreats-in-costa-rica/Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Costa Rica's yoga retreats cluster in a few places: Montezuma and Santa Teresa on the southern Nicoya Peninsula, Nosara farther north, Dominical and the Osa in the south, and the hills above Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean. Pick the coast first, then the style: a full retreat with set classes, a surf and yoga week, or a hotel where yoga is one part of the day.https://www.travelincostarica.net/surf-inn-hermosa/https://www.travelincostarica.net/surf-inn-hermosa/Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Surf Inn Hermosa is a small set of simple studios and oceanfront apartments right on the main surf break at Playa Hermosa, just south of Jacó. It's built for surfers who want to walk from bed to the lineup, with lessons, guiding and fishing charters arranged on request.https://www.travelincostarica.net/hotel-playa-bejuco/https://www.travelincostarica.net/hotel-playa-bejuco/Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Hotel Playa Bejuco is a family-oriented hotel about 200 m from Playa Bejuco, a long, quiet beach in the Esterillos area of the Central Pacific. With two pools, a jacuzzi, two restaurants and solar panels on the roofs, it's a calm stop between Jacó and Manuel Antonio.https://www.travelincostarica.net/laguna-lodge/https://www.travelincostarica.net/laguna-lodge/Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Laguna Lodge is one of Tortuguero's established lodges, open since 1990 on the narrow strip of land between the lagoon and the Caribbean Sea. It has 110 simple wooden rooms set in large gardens, buffet meals, pools and its own boat transfers, and it suits first-time visitors who want an easy, organized stay.https://www.travelincostarica.net/ojo-del-mar/https://www.travelincostarica.net/ojo-del-mar/Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Ojo del Mar is a small, family-run eco-lodge on the beach at Playa Carbonera, about 12 miles south of Puerto Jiménez on the Osa Peninsula. It suits travelers and yoga groups who want simple, artful cabinas, home-cooked meals and wildlife right outside the door, without air conditioning or TV.https://www.travelincostarica.net/hostel-casa-de-lis/https://www.travelincostarica.net/hostel-casa-de-lis/Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Hotel Casa de Lis is a small, home-style hotel in the middle of Turrialba, a few minutes' walk from the bus station. It started as Hostel Casa de Lis and now offers private rooms with their own bathrooms, and it suits independent travelers who want a friendly base for rafting, coffee farms and the Turrialba area.https://www.travelincostarica.net/rancho-tropical/https://www.travelincostarica.net/rancho-tropical/Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Rancho Tropical is a family ranch and tour company at Carbonera, about 15 minutes' drive from Puerto Jiménez on the Osa Peninsula. It's a good pick if you want a guided Corcovado hike or multi-day trek, plus active half-day tours like horseback riding and waterfall rappelling.https://www.travelincostarica.net/lazy-lizard-sailing/https://www.travelincostarica.net/lazy-lizard-sailing/Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Lazy Lizard Sailing is a catamaran tour company based in the Flamingo and Potrero area of Guanacaste, sailing since 2002. It runs 4-hour morning and sunset trips with snorkeling, kayaking, drinks and a meal, plus private charters, and it suits families, couples and groups staying around Flamingo or Tamarindo.https://www.travelincostarica.net/posada-el-quijote/https://www.travelincostarica.net/posada-el-quijote/Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Posada El Quijote is a small, family-run bed and breakfast on a hill in Escazú, about 5 km from central San José, with views over the Central Valley. It suits travelers who want a calm, comfortable first or last night near the capital, and longer stays thanks to its studio apartments.https://www.travelincostarica.net/la-baula-lodge/https://www.travelincostarica.net/la-baula-lodge/Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Valverde Glamping & Ecolodge is the lodge we wrote about in 2014 as La Baula Lodge, run by the Valverde family on Tortuguero Lagoon. It now mixes simple standard rooms with glamping suites that have private plunge pools, and it suits couples and families who want a quieter base for Tortuguero's canals.https://www.travelincostarica.net/claritas-beach-hotel-bar/https://www.travelincostarica.net/claritas-beach-hotel-bar/Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Clarita's Beach Bar & Resort is a beachfront hotel in Jacó, rebuilt on the site of the Clarita's beach hotel and bar that first opened in 1964. Every room faces the ocean, and there are 2 oceanfront pools, a restaurant, a sushi bar and a spa, so it suits couples and families who want a comfortable beach base about 90 km from San José's airport.https://www.travelincostarica.net/orchids-of-costa-rica/https://www.travelincostarica.net/orchids-of-costa-rica/Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Costa Rica has more than 1,000 orchid species, most of them growing on trees in its wet mountain forests. The easiest place to see a lot of them is Lankester Botanical Garden near Cartago, where the most species flower between February and April. Look out for the guaria morada, the purple orchid that's been the national flower since 1939.https://www.travelincostarica.net/arenal-volcano-national-park/https://www.travelincostarica.net/arenal-volcano-national-park/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Arenal Volcano National Park protects the cone of Arenal Volcano, about 15 km from La Fortuna, with easy trails through forest and over old lava flows. You can't climb the volcano, but a morning in the park is the best way to see it up close.https://www.travelincostarica.net/corcovado-national-park/https://www.travelincostarica.net/corcovado-national-park/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Corcovado covers about a third of the Osa Peninsula and protects the largest primary forest on the Pacific coast of the Americas. Every visitor needs an ICT-certified guide and a permit, so book through a guide or lodge, and plan for at least a day trip to Sirena or, better, a night there.https://www.travelincostarica.net/manuel-antonio-national-park/https://www.travelincostarica.net/manuel-antonio-national-park/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Manuel Antonio is Costa Rica's most visited national park: a small stretch of rainforest, beaches and headlands just south of Quepos, known for sloths and monkeys. Tickets are sold online only, it's closed on Tuesdays, and it's best in the early morning with a guide.https://www.travelincostarica.net/monteverde-cloud-forest-reserve/https://www.travelincostarica.net/monteverde-cloud-forest-reserve/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is a private reserve in the mountains above Monteverde, famous for its misty, moss-covered forest and its birds. Book a time slot online, go early, and consider a guided walk: the wildlife is hard to spot on your own.https://www.travelincostarica.net/tortuguero-national-park/https://www.travelincostarica.net/tortuguero-national-park/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Tortuguero is a roadless national park on the northern Caribbean coast, a maze of canals, rainforest and a long nesting beach for sea turtles. You arrive by boat or small plane, explore by canoe with a guide, and book park tickets online with SINAC.https://www.travelincostarica.net/costa-rica-airports-sjo-or-liberia/https://www.travelincostarica.net/costa-rica-airports-sjo-or-liberia/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Fly into Liberia (LIR) if your trip is mostly Guanacaste and the northern Nicoya beaches; it's about 1¼ hours from Tamarindo. Fly into San José (SJO) for everything else: Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, the Caribbean and the south. For a route that ends on the beach, fly into SJO and home from LIR.https://www.travelincostarica.net/costa-rica-itinerary-10-days/https://www.travelincostarica.net/costa-rica-itinerary-10-days/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Ten days is enough for the classic Costa Rica loop: Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio and a quieter stretch of the South Pacific coast around Uvita, starting and ending in San José. Plan 4 moves of about 3½ to 4½ hours each, and book Manuel Antonio National Park tickets online before you go.https://www.travelincostarica.net/costa-rica-itinerary-2-weeks/https://www.travelincostarica.net/costa-rica-itinerary-2-weeks/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Two weeks is enough to cross the country coast to coast: the canals of Tortuguero, Sarapiquí, Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio and the Osa Peninsula. Use boats and a domestic flight for the remote ends, shuttles or a car for the middle, and book Corcovado guides and Manuel Antonio tickets early.https://www.travelincostarica.net/costa-rica-itinerary-7-days/https://www.travelincostarica.net/costa-rica-itinerary-7-days/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000With 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 beach. Fly into San José (SJO) and home from Liberia (LIR) so you never have to backtrack. Each transfer takes about 4 to 5 hours, so plan one move every second day.https://www.travelincostarica.net/costa-rica-national-parks/https://www.travelincostarica.net/costa-rica-national-parks/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000For a first trip, plan around four parks: Manuel Antonio for easy wildlife, Arenal for the volcano, Monteverde for cloud forest and either Tortuguero or Corcovado for something wilder. Many parks now sell tickets online only, a few close one or two days a week, and Corcovado and the turtle beaches require a guide.https://www.travelincostarica.net/getting-around-costa-rica/https://www.travelincostarica.net/getting-around-costa-rica/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Most visitors get around Costa Rica by rental car or shared shuttle, and both work well for the main route. Drive if you want flexibility and side trips; take shuttles if you'd rather not tackle mountain roads. Fly to the remote ends, such as the Osa Peninsula and Tortuguero, and allow about 4 hours for most moves between regions.https://www.travelincostarica.net/where-to-stay-in-costa-rica/https://www.travelincostarica.net/where-to-stay-in-costa-rica/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Choose your base towns first and your hotels second: La Fortuna for Arenal, Santa Elena for Monteverde, Manuel Antonio for the central coast, Tamarindo or a quieter Guanacaste beach for the northwest, and Drake Bay or Puerto Jiménez for the Osa. Stay at least 2 nights in each. Remote eco lodges are worth it, but check how you'll get there before you book.https://www.travelincostarica.net/rancho-capulin-bed-breakfast/https://www.travelincostarica.net/rancho-capulin-bed-breakfast/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Rancho Capulin is a small bed and breakfast in the hills at Capulín, near Tárcoles on the central Pacific coast, about an hour from San José's airport. It's a handy first or last night of a trip, and a good base for birding at Carara National Park and the Tárcoles River crocodile boats.https://www.travelincostarica.net/monteverde-cloud-forest-lodge/https://www.travelincostarica.net/monteverde-cloud-forest-lodge/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Cloud Forest Lodge, also called Monteverde Cloud Forest Lodge, sits on its own 23-hectare reserve between the Monteverde and Santa Elena cloud forest reserves, about 2 km from town. It suits nature lovers and birders who want to sleep in the forest but still be minutes from Monteverde's tours and restaurants.https://www.travelincostarica.net/lapa-rios/https://www.travelincostarica.net/lapa-rios/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Lapa Rios is an eco lodge on its own 1,000-acre rainforest reserve at Cabo Matapalo, at the southern tip of the Osa Peninsula, near Corcovado National Park. It's the pick for travelers who want a comfortable, all-in base for wildlife on the Osa and are willing to travel a long way to get it.https://www.travelincostarica.net/selva-bananito-lodge-and-preserve/https://www.travelincostarica.net/selva-bananito-lodge-and-preserve/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Selva Bananito is a family-run eco lodge on a private reserve of primary forest in the hills south of Limón, on the edge of La Amistad International Park. It's for travelers who want a genuinely remote rainforest stay on the Caribbean side, with guided nature tours and no crowds.https://www.travelincostarica.net/barcelo-tambor-beach-hotel/https://www.travelincostarica.net/barcelo-tambor-beach-hotel/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Barceló Tambor is a large all-inclusive beach resort on Playa Tambor, in the calm bay of the southern Nicoya Peninsula. It's the easy-option base for families and groups who want everything in one place, with Curú, Montezuma and the Tortuga Island boat trips within reach.https://www.travelincostarica.net/copa-de-arbol/https://www.travelincostarica.net/copa-de-arbol/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Copa de Arbol is a small beachfront resort at Caletas, about 2 km south of Drake Bay on the Osa Peninsula, reachable only by boat. Meals are included and most tours leave from its own beach, so it's an easy base for Corcovado and Caño Island if you want comfort in a remote spot.https://www.travelincostarica.net/the-falls-resort/https://www.travelincostarica.net/the-falls-resort/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000The Falls, now branded The Falls by Lalibela, is a boutique hotel at the top of the hill in Manuel Antonio, about 10 minutes on foot from the area's shops and restaurants. It's a good mid-size base for couples and families who want jungle around them and easy access to the national park and village.https://www.travelincostarica.net/hotel-parador-resort-and-spa/https://www.travelincostarica.net/hotel-parador-resort-and-spa/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Parador Nature Resort, formerly Hotel Parador Resort and Spa, is a large resort on the Punta Quepos headland beside Manuel Antonio National Park. It suits families, couples and wedding groups who want pools, a spa and several restaurants on site, plus easy access to the park.https://www.travelincostarica.net/horizons-yoga-hotel/https://www.travelincostarica.net/horizons-yoga-hotel/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Horizon is a small hotel and yoga center on the hill above Santa Teresa, with wooden cabins and villas looking out to the Pacific. It suits travelers who want a quiet, self-catering base with daily yoga near one of Costa Rica's best surf beaches.https://www.travelincostarica.net/hotel-el-castillo/https://www.travelincostarica.net/hotel-el-castillo/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000El Castillo is a small boutique hotel in Ojochal, on the Costa Ballena of the south Pacific, set on a hillside about 300 ft above the ocean. With 9 ocean-view rooms, an infinity pool and its own restaurant, it suits couples who want a quiet, comfortable base between Uvita's whales and the Osa.https://www.travelincostarica.net/el-sabanero-eco-lodge/https://www.travelincostarica.net/el-sabanero-eco-lodge/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000El Sabanero is a small wellness and yoga retreat just outside Tamarindo, on Guanacaste's north Pacific coast. It's a quiet base for travelers who want yoga, a pool and spa time near Tamarindo's beaches and restaurants without sleeping in the middle of town.https://www.travelincostarica.net/la-quinta-country-inn/https://www.travelincostarica.net/la-quinta-country-inn/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000La Quinta Sarapiquí Lodge is a family-run eco lodge on 20 acres of gardens and forest in Sarapiquí, about 2 hours from San José. It suits families, birders and nature lovers looking for an easy rainforest stop between San José and Arenal or Tortuguero.https://www.travelincostarica.net/blue-osa-yoga-sanctuary-and-spa/https://www.travelincostarica.net/blue-osa-yoga-sanctuary-and-spa/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Blue Osa is a yoga retreat and spa by the beach at Playa Tamales, near Puerto Jiménez on the Osa Peninsula. It suits travelers who want daily yoga and spa time with the Osa's wildlife and Corcovado trips close at hand.https://www.travelincostarica.net/geckoes-lodge/https://www.travelincostarica.net/geckoes-lodge/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Geckoes Lodge is a set of four private vacation houses in the jungle at Cocles, a short drive from Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast. Each has its own garden and plunge pool, so it suits couples and small families who want privacy, wildlife and a kitchen near the Caribbean's best beaches.https://www.travelincostarica.net/uvita-360-surf-camp/https://www.travelincostarica.net/uvita-360-surf-camp/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Uvita 360 is a locally run surf school and tour operator in Uvita, on Costa Rica's south Pacific coast. It's a practical one-stop shop if you're staying around Uvita and want surf lessons for any age, plus whale watching, Caño Island snorkeling or a Corcovado day.https://www.travelincostarica.net/finca-tierra-organic-permaculture-farm-eco-lodge/https://www.travelincostarica.net/finca-tierra-organic-permaculture-farm-eco-lodge/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Finca Tierra is an off-grid, 9-acre permaculture farm and education center in the hills above Playa Cocles, near Puerto Viejo. It's no longer a general eco lodge: you stay in its bamboo cabins as part of a course or retreat, so it suits travelers who want to learn, not just visit.https://www.travelincostarica.net/rocket-frog-divers/https://www.travelincostarica.net/rocket-frog-divers/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Rocket Frog Divers is a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre in Playa Flamingo that has run dive trips on Guanacaste's Pacific coast since 2011. It's the shop to look at if you want manta rays at the Catalina Islands, bull sharks at the Bat Islands, or a first PADI course during a beach week in the north.https://www.travelincostarica.net/butterfly-conservatory/https://www.travelincostarica.net/butterfly-conservatory/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000The Butterfly Conservatory is a nature center in the village of El Castillo, near Arenal Volcano, with butterfly houses, an insect museum and frog exhibits. It's an easy half-day stop for families and anyone who wants a close look at small wildlife between bigger Arenal activities.https://www.travelincostarica.net/costa-rica-weather/https://www.travelincostarica.net/costa-rica-weather/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000For most of Costa Rica, the best time to go is the dry season, December to April, when Guanacaste and the Pacific coast see almost no rain. September and October are the wettest months on the Pacific side and in the mountains, but September is the least rainy month on the Caribbean coast. The rainy months bring green landscapes and fewer visitors.https://www.travelincostarica.net/danyasa-eco-resort-retreats/https://www.travelincostarica.net/danyasa-eco-resort-retreats/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000Danyasa is an adults-only eco-retreat and boutique hotel in Dominical, steps from the beach on the south Pacific coast. With 12 rooms, a bamboo yoga studio and surf on the doorstep, it suits solo travelers, couples and retreat groups who want yoga and waves in a laid-back surf town.https://www.travelincostarica.net/surfing-in-costa-rica/https://www.travelincostarica.net/surfing-in-costa-rica/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000For beginners, the easiest bases are Tamarindo, Nosara (Playa Guiones) and Santa Teresa, all with plenty of surf schools. Intermediate and advanced surfers add Playa Hermosa near Jacó, Pavones in the far south and Salsa Brava at Puerto Viejo. Pick one or two towns rather than chasing waves all over the country.