From the misty cloud forests of Monteverde to the sun-kissed beaches of Manuel Antonio, 

Costa Rica contains several heavenly places that make it an essential travel destination. During our 10-day road trip, we visited the most famous destinations and let’s say we were not disappointed. From rich biodiversity to volcano adventures and stunning beaches, there’s something for everyone.

Get ready to discover the top destinations that define the Pura Vida experience. Here’s our best things to do in Costa Rica to help you plan your dream itinerary and immerse yourself in this tropical haven.

La Fortuna

Located about 2 ½ hours from San Jose’s international airport, La Fortuna is a must when traveling to Costa Rica. Characterized by a tropical climate, La Fortuna has a rich green vegetation. The main attraction here is obviously the Arenal volcano where you can do many activities from hiking, canyoning, rafting and more.

La Fortuna is also well known for its many natural hot springs which are a truly vacation delight. So here’s more information on the best things to do in La Fortuna for an epic stay.

Arenal volcano

With a height of 5,358 ft, the stunning Arenal volcano has to be on your Costa Rica bucket list. As said earlier, there are many activities to do in this park and around. For more information about all the tours offered, you can visit the Arenal volcano website. Since there are many attractive tours, there’s clearly something for everyone.

For our part, we did the Arenal hanging bridges which was a great way to discover all the park has to offer. We did our tour with Mistico Park and truly enjoyed our experience. The entrance fee is $32 US/adult and you can check their website for more information. What’s exceptional about this tour is that you pass through the wonderful rainforest of the Arenal park on hanging bridges. Then, you can witness the magnificent wildlife Costa Rica has to offer. From particular vegetation to tropical animals, you won’t be deceived. There’s also one bridge where you perceive the stunning Arenal volcano. Of course, it always depends on the weather. Since it’s a rainforest, there’s a good chance it’s going to be cloudy and you might only see a part of the volcano. Overall, we truly recommend this activity.

Natural hot springs

Free natural hot springs

Since we traveled Costa Rica in backpacks, we had a tight budget so we were looking for free natural hot springs. There are 2 free options for natural hot springs in La Fortuna.

→ El Salto (Rope swing

El Salto is mostly visited by locals and it can get crowded, but it’s a free and accessible option. Since we were staying at Selina hostel, it was the perfect spot for us. It’s literally a 3 minute drive from Selina. You can park the car on the side of the road before the bridge. Then, beneath the bridge you can see the hot springs. We had a nice time and you can even rope swing if you want.

→ El Choyin

Although we didn’t go to this one, it’s another free option near La Fortuna. It’s about a 17 minute drive from La Fortuna.. Here you also have to park in the street and be sure to leave nothing at sight in your car.

*** Car breakings and theft are very common in Costa Rica. Although we already knew that and told ourselves to hide our belongings in the car, we got carried away with “living the dream” and forgot to do it. Result: when we returned to our car after El Salto hot springs, one of our windows was broken and someone had stolen everything there was in it; including our wallet. Be careful and always hide your belongings.

Rio Celeste, Tenorio Volcano National Park

Located about 1 ½ hour from La Fortuna, Rio Celeste in Tenorio Volcano National Park is definitely one of the best things to do in Costa Rica. Its turquoise water among the rainforest is what makes it so outstanding. You might also come across some wild animals like sloths, monkeys, lizards and more.

Being a part of the Tenorio Volcano National Park, you have to pay an entrance fee on their official website. The ticket price for non-residents is $13.56 and you have to buy it online prior to your visit. The park hours are from 8 AM to 2 PM and if you want your experience quieter, you should visit in the morning or it can get crowded. The hike to Rio Celeste is quite moderate and is about 6 km (3 hours).

Weather

As you can see, located in a rainforest, the weather might not be on your side. The day we went was really cloudy and finally rainy. Always bring a rain jacket and hiking shoes since the trail can get really muddy. Finally, if you have time to extend your stay in La Fortuna depending on the weather, we strongly suggest you go to Rio Celeste on a sunny day. But more specifically, you should check that it wasn’t raining days before. Otherwise, you might be deceived like us and it’s such a shame since this waterfall can be a real jewel.

Tamarindo

If you’re looking for a laidback surf vibe, Tamarindo must be on your itinerary! With surf, sunsets and salty air, Pura Vida is everywhere around this beachtown. Located on the North Pacific coast and about 4 hours from La Fortuna, it’s a well known destination for both experienced and beginner surfers. You can find these surf spots along the many gorgeous beaches Tamarindo has to offer.

Other than surfing and the beach, this beachtown is the perfect spot to party! You can find many bars and clubs along the main street. One thing’s for sure, you can’t get bored in Tamarindo! Although it’s a really cute small town with lots of restaurants and shops, it can feel a little too touristy for some people. For our part, we truly enjoyed our stay in Tamarindo.

Surfing

There are many different beaches in Tamarindo, but the most popular one is Tamarindo beach. Located in front of the beachtown, it’s really accessible since a lot of hostels and hotels are there. If you want to try other beaches, here’s other options : 

• • Playa Langosta : White sand beach and quieter than Tamarindo beach. Located about 1,5 km from Tamarino (5 min drive)
  • Playa Grande : Located in the Las Baulas National Marine Park and has a nesting site for laidback turtles which are an endangered species. (40 min drive)

Relax on the beach, Playa Conchal

If you want to relax on the beach while enjoying an enchanting view, Playa Conchal is where you should be heading. About 40 minutes up north from Tamarindo, this beach is worth the drive. Playa Conchal is one of the most beautiful beaches Costa Rica has to offer.

Its white sand beach and crystal clear water along the volcanic rocks make it a must on a trip to Costa Rica. It’s also possible to climb the huge rocks on the side of the beach (tiny mini hike) to have a panoramic view. We strongly suggest you do it since the view is stunning. Although playa Conchal is a truly beautiful 

beach, be careful with the shells. “Conchal” means “shell” in English and there are many of these on the beach and you might get cut so be careful. There were also a lot of small jellyfish during our visit, but we don’t know if it’s common.

Watching a sunset

Of course, the best way to end the day in vacation is to watch a sunset on the beach. Tamarindo beach is truly the perfect spot for that. While you can enjoy a nice clear view of the sunset, you’re not too far away from hotels and restaurants to get dinner after. Although we really enjoyed our sunsets here, other beaches near Tamarindo probably offer the same amazing scenery. So take a drink, lay back and enjoy la Pura Vida!

Monteverde

Looking for more adventures? Monteverde sure has something for you! The low dense clouds among the green mountains make this region a typical cloud forest you’ll want to explore. Located between San José and La Fortuna, Monteverde is perfectly situated for road trips in Costa Rica.

Here in the mountains, adventure is calling; ziplines, hanging bridges, hikes, rafting, bungee, horseback riding and more are offered! Let’s say you have many options! For our part, we chose to do the zipline and weren’t deceived. The thrill of the zipline combined with the amazing views of the mountains made a memorable day. We strongly suggest you stop by Monteverde and try one of the many tours offered.

Popular Monteverde tour companies : 

• • • • Sky Adventure Park
      • Selvatura Park
      • 100% Aventura Adventure Park
      • Extremo Park

Manuel Antonio National Park

Only a 3 hour drive from San José, Manuel Antonio National Park is a one of the best things to do in Costa Rica. Internationally well known, it has made its reputation and must be on every trip bucket list. Its rich biodiversity of flora and fauna is what makes it so unique.

You can meet monkeys, sloths, iguanas, crabs, snakes and more. Surrounded by the green forests, the different beaches are also gorgeous. Every trail in this park is easy so it’s accessible for the whole family and for people in wheelchairs.

Good to know

• • The park is open everyday besides Tuesdays from 7 AM to 4 PM.
  • You need to buy your entrance ticket online and your passport number is required for registration at the park.
  • Beverages are allowed, but not food.

For more information, check the Manuel Antonio National Park website.

Nauyaca Waterfalls

What a nature’s treasure! The Nauyaca Waterfalls are truly magnificent and make you feel at paradise. About 3 ½ hours from San José and 1 hour from Manuel Antonio, these waterfalls are located in a canyon about 80 meters large. One of the waterfalls is about 45 meters high and the other one, 20 meters. These formed a pool of 6 meters deep and there are many other natural pools around.

Nauyaca Waterfalls sure knows how to make an impression and there’s a lot of places to sit on the rocks and enjoy the view. If you want to avoid crowds, you should get there in the morning. It’s the perfect spot to take a dip, eat some snacks, sunbathe and enjoy the beautiful view!

Good to know

• • • Even if you only want to walk to the waterfalls, you have to buy an admission ticket of $10 including taxes. The office is open from 7 AM to 2 PM.
    • This activity is not recommended for young children and for people with health issues.
    • It’s a 12 km round-trip walk from the office.
    • If you have a car, you can park in the parking lot with security ($5). It’s then a 4 km round-trip walk.
    • You should bring good walking shoes, sunscreen, lunch, water, towel and water shoes if you want to walk on the rocks in the water.

For more information, check the Nauyaca Waterfalls park website.

Santa Teresa

Like its sister Tamarindo, Santa Teresa is beachtown who’s gaining more popularity since the last few years. It’s more isolated than the rest of the destinations on our list because it’s located on the extreme peninsula. Due to the duration of our trip, we sadly didn’t go to Santa Teresa, but we have some friends who did.

Like Tamarindo, it has a surfer and Pura Vida vibe with cute restaurants and bars, but it’s less developed (for now). With social media, Santa Teresa has gained more visibility and it’s now the trendy place to go in Costa Rica for surfing. Overall, we regretted not going so if you have time, we suggest you stop by and enjoy the particular vibe of this cute beachtown.

Where to stay in Costa Rica

For this trip, it was the tour of Selina hostels. Since we were traveling on a budget, it was the perfect option. Honestly, we truly love Selinas who are well established in many countries. The rooms are always clean, there’s a community kitchen and the food at their restaurants is always good. If you’d ask us which one was our fave, let’s put them like that : 

1. Tamarindo : The site in general was really cute and has the perfect spot right the beach
2. La Fortuna : Nothing special, but it met the usual standards of the Selinas. The lounge was nice.
3. Manuel Antonio : Unlike the others, we felt the buildings could have been giving more love. It could have been cleaner and better maintained, but maybe they have been doing some work since our trip.

Itinerary on a map

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