🇨🇷Costa Rica·Americas
Costa Rica
Pura Vida — rainforests, volcanoes, wildlife, and two coastlines
dest.flightsFrom
£599
dest.hotelsFrom
£45/per night
dest.budgetPerDay
£90
dest.avgTemp
26°C
dest.bestTime
December to April (dry season)
dest.safety
8.2/10
dest.about Costa Rica
Costa Rica punches far above its weight. A country the size of West Virginia contains 5% of the world's biodiversity — cloud forests, active volcanoes, Pacific and Caribbean coastlines, and more species of birds than all of North America. The Pura Vida philosophy — pure life — is not a tourist slogan but a genuine way of living that makes Costa Rica one of the happiest countries on earth. From zip-lining through the Monteverde cloud forest to watching sea turtles nest on the Caribbean coast, Costa Rica delivers adventure, wildlife, and natural beauty in extraordinary concentration.
dest.topHighlights
Arenal Volcano
Costa Rica's most iconic landmark — a perfect cone rising above a lake, with hot springs, zip-lines, and world-class hiking at its base
Monteverde Cloud Forest
Walk suspended bridges through the mist-shrouded cloud forest — home to the resplendent quetzal, jaguars, and 400 species of birds
Manuel Antonio
The country's most visited national park — white sand beaches fringed by jungle, with sloths, monkeys, and scarlet macaws as your neighbours
Tortuguero
The Caribbean coast's wildlife sanctuary — accessible only by boat or plane, famous for nesting green sea turtles and river safaris with caimans and manatees
Zip-lining & Adventure
Costa Rica invented the zip-line — Monteverde and Arenal offer world-class canopy tours, white-water rafting, and canyoning
Osa Peninsula
National Geographic called it the most biologically intense place on earth — Corcovado National Park is the last great wilderness of Central America
Costa Rica dest.inPhotos
Costa Rica's extraordinary biodiversity — rainforest meets Pacific coast
dest.thingsToDo Costa Rica
- Hike around Arenal Volcano and soak in hot springs
- Zip-line through Monteverde cloud forest canopy
- Spot sloths and monkeys in Manuel Antonio National Park
- Night turtle tour in Tortuguero (Jul–Oct)
- White-water rafting on the Pacuare River
- Surf at Tamarindo or Santa Teresa
- Wildlife river safari in Tortuguero canals
- Explore Corcovado National Park on the Osa Peninsula
dest.weather Costa Rica
dest.bestMonthsToVisit December to April (dry season)
5-dest.day Costa Rica dest.itinerary
San José Arrival
- ·Arrive at Juan Santamaría Airport
- ·Pick up rental car
- ·Explore San José's Barrio Amón
- ·Dinner at Grano de Oro
Drive to Arenal
- ·Drive to La Fortuna (3.5 hours)
- ·Arenal Volcano viewpoint
- ·La Fortuna waterfall hike
- ·Tabacón hot springs evening
Arenal Adventure
- ·Morning kayaking on Lake Arenal
- ·Afternoon zip-line canopy tour
- ·Hanging bridges walk
- ·Hot springs dinner
Monteverde Cloud Forest
- ·Drive to Monteverde (3 hours)
- ·Afternoon cloud forest walk
- ·Suspended bridges at dusk
- ·Night walk for wildlife
Manuel Antonio
- ·Drive to Manuel Antonio (4 hours)
- ·Manuel Antonio National Park
- ·Sloth and monkey spotting
- ·Beach afternoon
dest.whereToEat Costa Rica
Restaurante Grano de Oro
Costa Rican Fine Dining · San José · $$$
El Avión
Seafood in a converted plane · Manuel Antonio · $$$
Sofia
New Latin Cuisine · Monteverde · $$$
Soda Tapia
Traditional Casado · San José · $
dest.practicalInformation
dest.visaRequirements
EU, UK, US, Canadian, and Australian citizens: visa-free for 90 days. No visa required on arrival. Always verify current entry requirements.
dest.gettingAround
Rental car (recommended — gives maximum flexibility), shared shuttles between tourist towns, domestic flights (Nature Air, Sansa) for remote areas, local buses for budget travel.
dest.currency
CRC (Colón) — USD widely accepted
dest.timezoneLanguage
GMT-6 · Spanish (English spoken in tourist areas)
dest.frequentlyAskedQuestions
Do I need a rental car in Costa Rica?
Highly recommended. A 4WD is essential for many roads, especially in the rainy season. It gives you the freedom to explore remote beaches and national parks on your own schedule.
Is Costa Rica safe for tourists?
Yes, it's one of the safest countries in Central America. Take normal precautions — don't leave valuables in rental cars, use ATMs in daylight, and stick to tourist areas at night in San José.
How many days do I need in Costa Rica?
10–14 days is ideal to cover the main regions — Arenal, Monteverde, and a Pacific or Caribbean coast. 7 days works for a focused itinerary.
