A Complete Travel Guide to Costa Rica [2026]

This Costa Rica travel guide summarizes practical trip-planning notes, itinerary ideas, and travel experiences for visitors planning a first trip to the country.

Costa Rica is a Central American country known for rainforests, volcanoes, beaches, wildlife, national parks, and eco-tourism.

Entry rules depend on nationality, passport validity, residency status, and current Costa Rican government policy, so check official requirements before booking. For more information about countries that US green card holders can travel to without a visa, please visit this link.

Table of Contents

Costa Rica Travel Notes

Costa Rica, whose army was abolished by its current Constitution that was enacted in 1949, is one of the few countries in the world without armed forces. According to this source, Costa Rica proclaimed its permanent neutrality on November 17, 1983.

According to a relatively strict geographical classification, Costa Rica is one of the seven countries in Central America (including Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama). It is bordered by Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. The Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean form Costa Rica’s eastern and southwestern coastlines. Geographically, the coastal plains and rainforests of Costa Rica are separated by rugged mountains and volcanoes.

Costa Rica’s official language is Spanish, and its capital is San José. The country has a land area of 51,100 square kilometers, of which 40 square kilometers is water.

As of December 22, 2023, Costa Rica’s total population is approximately 5.23 million [source]. Geographically, Costa Rica is characterized by plateaus and mountains, with narrow plains. The regions along the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean are plains, while the central region consists mainly of plateaus. The Central Mountain Range and the Talamanca Mountain Range separate the coastal plains along the Caribbean Sea from those along the Pacific Ocean.

The climate of Costa Rica is tropical and subtropical, featuring diverse microclimates influenced by elevation, rainfall, topography, and regional geography. The country experiences two distinct seasons, which are defined by the amount of precipitation during a particular period. The rainy season stretches from May to November and the dry season goes from December to April. Notably, climate nuances emerge across regions, with the Caribbean coast characterized by higher humidity and more substantial rainfall compared to the drier Pacific coast. The annual average temperature in the relatively hot coastal plains is above 25°C, while in the cooler central highland areas, the annual average lowest temperature is usually above 10°C.

The economy of Costa Rica relies primarily on agriculture, tourism, exports, services, and technology. The agricultural products exported by Costa Rica include bananas, pineapples, coffee, rice, and sugar, among others. In 2022, Costa Rica’s pineapple exports accounted for approximately 47.1% of the global market [source].

From 2016 to 2019, the tourism sector generated an average annual income of nearly $4 billion for Costa Rica [source]. Approximately 3 million international tourists visited Costa Rica each year from 2016 to 2019, making it the most popular Central American destination among international tourists.

Despite occupying only about 0.03% of the global land area, Costa Rica is a biodiversity hotspot and home to approximately 5% of the world’s species [source]. Costa Rica boasts a rich and diverse array of species and wildlife, tropical rainforests, over 300 enchanting and varied beaches spread along its more than 1000-kilometer Caribbean and Pacific coastlines, 28 national parks, nearly 70 volcanoes, and natural hot springs that captivate numerous visitors.

Costa Rica Entry Requirement for Tourists？

If you are an overseas visitor, you can check if you are required to apply for a tourist visa to Costa Rica through the website of the Costa Rican Embassy. As of January 1, 2023, citizens from over 90 countries and regions enjoy visa exemption for entry into Costa Rica.

If you are a U.S. citizen, you only need a valid U.S. passport that is valid for a minimum of one day and a return ticket (air, land, or sea) to exit Costa Rica, both from the day you enter Costa Rica. Without a visa, the length of your stay in Costa Rica must not exceed 90 days [source].

For non-U.S. citizens, whether or not a visa is required to visit Costa Rica depends on a traveler’s nationality, country of residence, purpose of visit, and duration of stay [source]. Detailed information regarding visa requirements for traveling to Costa Rica by nationality can be found here. Nationals of countries that require a visa to enter Costa Rica may not be required to apply for the visa provided that certain conditions are met.

Best Time to Visit Costa Rica

Costa Rica boasts two seasons—a dry season (from December to April) and a rainy season (from May to November). To avoid significant rainfall in the rainy season, many tourists choose to visit Costa Rica during the dry season. Considering factors such as work holidays and children’s school schedules, a considerable number of American tourists choose to travel to Costa Rica during the Christmas and New Year holidays, during which the costs of flights and hotels are typically the highest in a year.

If you don’t mind the rain and want to escape crowds, visiting Costa Rica during the rainy season can be a good option. During this period, flights and hotels are generally much cheaper compared to the holiday peak.

The summer vacation months of July and August are the best off-peak times to visit Costa Rica. Due to the increased rainfall, inland the rivers are at their best for rafting and waterfall rappelling. September and October are the months with the highest rainfall, especially in the Pacific coastal and central highland regions, while the Caribbean coastal area experiences its driest season. Therefore, visiting the Pacific coastal and central highland regions of Costa Rica in September and October often allows travelers to find the biggest discounts on flights and hotels.

Is Costa Rica Safe to Visit？

Overall, Costa Rica is one of the safest countries in Central America. Out of 163 countries, Costa Rica is positioned at 15th in the 2022 Global Peace Index [source]. For visitors to Costa Rica, minor crimes such as pickpocketing do occur.

For your safety, it is often advised to exercise caution when traveling in Costa Rica. So keep a close eye on your belongings and try to avoid more secluded or less frequented areas when traveling in Costa Rica. In the capital city of San José and other major cities in Costa Rica, it is advisable to avoid traveling alone late at night and taking unofficial taxis.

Costa Rica Currency Exchange Tips

In many places in Costa Rica, US dollars and credit cards are widely accepted, so there’s not much need to exchange for Costa Rican colón (the local currency) in advance. If your credit cards don’t have foreign transaction fees, you can use them whenever possible. This can help you avoid carrying large amounts of cash during your trip.

Although expenses in Costa Rica are calculated in the local currency, the difference in exchange rates between US dollars and Costa Rican colón when paying in dollars is generally negligible compared to the rates on the current foreign exchange market.

Nevertheless, considering that some places may not accept cards, such as parking fees in public parking lots and tips at hotels, it’s recommended to have a small amount of cash on hand. Therefore, carrying some one-dollar bills when traveling in Costa Rica can be helpful.

Costa Rica International Airports

When flying into Costa Rica, the two main entry points are the Juan Santamaria International Airport(SJO) and the Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR).

As the largest airport in Costa Rica, SJO is located in Alajuela Province, and is 20 kilometres west of downtown San José. LIR is located in Liberia, the biggest city in the Guanacaste region. Between these two international airports, SJO is more convenient for visitors to fly in and out of because it’s centrally located and thus you can travel in any direction.

In some situations, however, it makes more sense to fly into LIR from certain destinations. As a great example, if your first destination in Costa Rica is in the Guanacaste region, flying to LIR is the optimal choice. Depending on your travel destinations, you can compare flight tickets to the two aforementioned international airports in Costa Rica as well as the commuting time from the arrival airport to your first destination, and book your flight tickets online in advance to save money.

Regardless of which international airport you fly into, if you choose to drive in Costa Rica, you can book a rental car on websites like DiscoverCars and Booking.com. Most car rental companies are located near airports and provide short-distance shuttles from the airport to rental car pick-up locations.

Car Rentals in Costa Rica

Many tourist cities in Costa Rica can be reached by public transportation or privately operated short-distance buses. In comparison, public transportation, though more affordable, has fixed departure times, while privately operated short-distance buses are more flexible but relatively more expensive.

With the continuous improvement of road conditions in Costa Rica in recent years, many tourists choose to drive in Costa Rica to add flexibility to their travel. Based on our experience, a couple of tips about renting a car in Costa Rica can be very helpful. First, when renting a car online, you should pay special attention to whether the car you choose is manual or automatic. Second, the rental prices that you quoted online may not include all charges. This is because, in addition to the base price, you will also need to purchase insurance.

The insurance sold by rental car companies mainly falls into three categories: Liability Insurance, Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), and Zero Liability Insurance.

Liability Insurance pays for property damage and/or bodily injuries to another person caused by an accident for which you are responsible, within the liability limit. The charge for Liability Insurance depends on the car model, typically around $10 to $20 per day.
Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) waives the right of a rental car company to collect a high deductible from you in the event the car is damaged. CDW covers most of the damage to a rental car due to collisions with the insured vehicle, with a minimum payout. The charge for CDW varies depending on the rental car company and car model, usually around $15 to $45 per day.
Zero Liability Insurance aims to reduce the insured’s payout limits for Liability Insurance and Collision Damage Waiver to zero. The charge for Zero Liability Insurance varies depending on the car model, usually around $5 to $20 per day.

According to Costa Rican law, Liability Insurance is mandatory, and the renter must purchase it. Collision Damage Waiver and Zero Liability Insurance are optional, but many rental car companies pitch hard to sell them to their customers.

For Collision Damage Waiver, if your credit card provides rental car insurance benefits, you can use the credit card’s rental car insurance instead. If you choose to use your credit card’s rental car insurance in place of the Collision Damage Waiver, you need to do the following:

Contact the Benefit Services Department of your credit card company and ask them to send you printed proof of your credit card’s rental car insurance benefits via email (also known as the declaration page of proof of insurance). This printed proof will have your credit card number, cardholder information, and details about the liability coverage of your credit card’s rental car insurance.
When picking up the rental car at the rental car company, presenting the printed proof issued by the credit card company will exempt you from purchasing Collision Damage Waiver from the rental car company. It’s important to note that to enjoy the rental car insurance benefits provided by your credit card, the credit card must be used to pay for all expenses related to the rental car, and the credit card holder must be an authorized driver of the rental car (or, in the case of multiple authorized drivers, one of the authorized drivers).

If you have children among your travel members, you need to be aware of the strict requirements in Costa Rican law regarding the use of booster seats for children riding in a car. The regulations for children under 12 years old in Costa Rican law regarding the use of booster seats are as follows (for more details, refer to this link):

Children ages 4 to 6 must use a booster seat with a back if they are less than 145 cm tall (57 inches) or weigh less than 25 kg.
Children from 6 to 12 years old must use a backless booster seat if they are less than 145 cm tall or weigh less than 36 kg.

If your travel members require booster seats, you can bring the booster seats with you to Costa Rica as part of your luggage. Some rental car companies may offer booster seats for an additional fee, and you can call your rental car company to confirm if this service is available. The charge for booster seats varies by company and is usually around $10 per day.

If you have decided to drive a car in Costa Rica, considering that traffic signs in Costa Rica are in Spanish, you may need to familiarize yourself with common traffic signs in Costa Rica in advance. You can learn about some common traffic signs in Costa Rica through this link. For foreign visitors, it is necessary to carry your driver’s license and passport when driving.

When parking on the streets in Costa Rica, it is crucial to know that areas with yellow lines indicate no parking, as your vehicle may be towed if parked in these areas. In the unfortunate event of a traffic accident, dial 911 and the insurance company’s number immediately. Wait for the police to arrive, inspect the accident scene, present the accident report, and then move your vehicle.

Apps for Driving & Navigation in Costa Rica

Although Google Maps works in Costa Rica for navigation, considering the local roads, traffic conditions, and unique terrain, more and more Costa Ricans and tourists choose to use a navigation application called Waze.

Compared to Google Maps, Waze provides the most current data with real-time traffic, accidents, closed roads info, etc. Using Costa Rica as a testing ground for its development, Waze offers many specialized features, such as avoiding dirt roads or routes with poor road conditions. However, unlike the Google Maps app, which offers route queries and navigation services for various modes of transportation, including cars, walking, and biking, Waze is currently mainly suitable for car navigation. Similar to using the Google Maps app, Waze users can download maps in advance via a mobile network or Wi-Fi signal for offline use.

In addition to Waze, another useful offline navigation application is MAPS.ME. MAPS.ME does not require a mobile network or Wi-Fi signal and it only needs your phone’s GPS. During our trip to Costa Rica, we found that MAPS.ME is a reliable offline navigation app, especially in areas where there is no mobile or Wi-Fi signal.

Nevertheless, one main drawback of MAPS.ME is that it cannot provide real-time updates on traffic and road conditions. Also, the database behind the offline maps may not be updated promptly, potentially causing slight deviations between the navigated route and the actual route for some roads that have changed recently.

In summary, the offline navigation feature of MAPS.ME can address concerns about not having a mobile or Wi-Fi signal.

Dishes to Eat in Costa Rica

Like many tourist cities in other countries, tourist cities in Costa Rica offer a variety of cuisines from around the world. You can search online for restaurants in each tourist city, then choose the ones with good customer ratings and reviews to taste their offerings. If you enjoy local Costa Rican cuisine, be sure to try the sodas scattered throughout the streets and alleys of Costa Rica.

In simple terms, sodas are small eateries of Tico cuisine. Every town in Costa Rica seems to have a soda and you can find sodas everywhere. Speaking of sodas, there is an interesting story behind why many local restaurants have soda in their names.

In the 1980s, when Costa Rica was just starting to develop its tourism industry, a large number of American tourists flocked to Costa Rica. As it is well known that Americans love to drink soda, American tourists in Costa Rica often wander in the streets to look for soda. To attract American tourists, Costa Ricans began naming their restaurants with “soda”, leading to the prevalence of sodas on the streets today.

For our trip to Costa Rica, we almost went to sodas for Tico meals every day. Dining at those sodas not only allowed us to taste local Costa Rican cuisine but also saved us some money on food.

Where to Stay in Costa Rica?

The prices for hotels in Costa Rica are much lower compared to those in the United States. Still, booking your hotels early not only provides you with more options during your travels but also increases the likelihood of securing a preferred and budget-friendly hotel for you and your family.

Based on our firsthand experience of traveling in Costa Rica, you can use websites such as Booking.com to book hotels online. If you plan to visit Costa Rica during the dry season, it is highly recommended that you book your hotels at least three months before your travel date due to the peak tourist season. This allows you to take advantage of discounts offered by various hotels in Costa Rica.

Based on our experience in San José, the following hotels are highly rated by travelers:

If you plan to travel to Manuel Antonio, you might want to check out the following hotels with good ratings and affordable prices：

If you plan to travel to La Fortuna, you might want to check out the following hotels with good ratings and affordable prices：

Things to Do in Costa Rica

Whether you enjoy exploring history and rainforests, staying close to nature, embracing a simple and relaxed lifestyle, seeking thrilling adventures, experiencing natural hot springs, or swimming in beautiful bays, Costa Rica can satisfy all your needs.

During the Christmas holiday in 2022, we spent a delightful and memorable 10-day vacation in Costa Rica with friends and family. In what follows, we will share with you the itinerary and the various unique attractions we visited during our trip to Costa Rica.

San José

On the first morning of our trip to Costa Rica, we flew from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Costa Rica’s capital, San José. After about a 3-hour flight, the plane landed at the San José International Airport around 12:30 PM local time in Costa Rica.

After getting through customs, the first thing we did was locate the rental car company’s counter inside the airport. With the assistance of the staff, we walked to the airport’s parking lot and then took the shuttle provided by the rental car company to get to their office.

After completing the procedures for purchasing insurance and picking up our rental car, we drove to a nearby Walmart to purchase some bottled water, food, and local tropical fruits. Around 3:30 PM, we drove towards our second destination in Costa Rica – Quepos.

Quepos

Quepos was our second destination in Costa Rica. Located in Costa Rica’s Central Pacific, Quepos is a town in the northern part of the Puntarenas province and a popular tourist destination.

Quepos is approximately 164 kilometers from San José, with a driving time of about 3 hours. Like most tourists, there were two famous attractions in Quepos that we planned to visit:

Manuel Antonio National Park
Manuel Antonio Beach

Manuel Antonio National Park ranks 12th in Forbes Magazine’s list of the world’s most beautiful national parks, attracting approximately 150,000 visitors annually. Similarly, Manuel Antonio Beach doesn’t fall short either. In 2019, Manuel Antonio Beach was selected as one of the top 25 beaches globally by Tripadvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Award.

Manuel Antonio National Park was established in 1972 and expanded in 1980. Covering an area of approximately 20 square kilometers, it is the smallest national park in Costa Rica, yet it is one of the most beloved by Costa Ricans and tourists alike.

Named after a person who once lived in the area and was highly esteemed by the local community, Manuel Antonio National Park, despite its small size, boasts an average year-round temperature of over 27°C. The park is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including 109 mammal species and 184 bird species [source].

Manuel Antonio National Park is the home to three of four Costa Rica’s monkey species. They are mantled howler monkey, Central American squirrel monkey, and Panamanian white-faced capuchin. Other species living in the Manuel Antonio National Park include Toucans, woodpeckers, Motmots, turkey vultures, white-nosed coati, black spiny-tailed iguanas, and green iguanas, along with many bat and snake species.

巴拿马白脸卷尾猴 — Panamanian white-faced capuchin

If you plan to visit Manuel Antonio National Park, here are some useful tips and information for you. The park is open year-round (including holidays) except Tuesdays from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Due to the daily limit on the number of visitors (600 on weekdays and 800 on weekends and holidays), it is highly advisable to purchase entrance tickets in advance to ensure that you can visit the park on your preferred date and time.

For international tourists, the entrance fee for Manuel Antonio National Park is approximately $18 for adults (12 years and older) and $6 for children (11 years and under). Visitors can register and purchase entrance tickets in advance through this link by providing details such as the visitor’s name and passport information. Entrance tickets are for a one-time entry and are valid only on the confirmed date. Visitors are generally allowed entry during the confirmed time.

Manuel Antonio National Park also offers guided tours with a professional guide for groups (up to 10 people) and private guided tours. For those interested in seeing the park’s wildlife, it is highly recommended to join a Nature Tour with a professional guide or hire a private guide. Without a guide, it can be very challenging for ordinary tourists to spot the diverse wildlife in the park.

The cost of guided tours (including entrance tickets and round-trip transportation from nearby hotels to the park) typically ranges around $55 per adult and $43 per child (2 to 12 years old). Children under two years old are usually free.

For those who prefer not to join a group tour with other tourists, hiring a private guide is an option, with prices around $95 per person (including entrance tickets and round-trip transportation from hotels in Quepos to the park). If you need a guide, you can make reservations on Manuel Antonio National Park’s website. English-speaking guides are available for tourists who do not speak Spanish.

For those who want a guided tour but find the prices of professional guides too expensive, you can follow our example and hire a local guide at the park entrance. The main advantage is affordability, as local guides are often half the price of professional guides. However, during the peak tourist season, local guides at the park entrance may be in high demand, and it may be difficult to find a guide on the same day. Additionally, not all local guides are fluent in English.

Finally, visitors should be aware that Manuel Antonio National Park does not allow entry with food other than water. Visitors can purchase water, beverages, fruit, and snacks at the park’s coffee shops.

Manuel Antonio National Park is relatively small, and a complete tour of the park takes about 3 hours. After sightseeing, visitors often choose to relax on the park’s beaches. There are four beaches in the Manuel Antonio National Park, with Manuel Antonio Beach being one of them.

The surrounding lush forest, playful monkeys leaping between trees, and visitors from around the world give Manuel Antonio Beach a unique charm. Lying on the white sand, basking in the warm sun, and gazing at the pristine forest and endless sea, the troubles of the world are momentarily forgotten. This is perhaps the unique and enchanting aspect of Manuel Antonio Beach.

In addition to the beaches within Manuel Antonio National Park, visitors can also enjoy the sun and sand on beaches outside the park. On beaches outside Manuel Antonio National Park, many local vendors rent and sell beach chairs, umbrellas, surfboards, coconut water, and cold drinks. The rental prices for a beach chair and a surfboard are usually around $5 per hour.

Furthermore, these beaches offer various paid water activities such as jet skiing, banana boat rides, parasailing, etc. For example, the banana boat ride costs around $20 per person and takes about 20 minutes. Participants wear life jackets and sit on a rubber boat resembling a banana, which is towed by a jet ski away from the shore towards the islands at sea. This close-up view of the islands, the experience of speed and excitement, and the scenes of sea and sky create a unique experience that leaves a lasting impression on tourists. Perhaps, even years later, recalling this experience might bring an involuntary smile to one’s face, savoring the memories!

Manuel Antonio 海滩 — Manuel Antonio Beach

Apart from Manuel Antonio National Park and Manuel Antonio Beach, there are several other famous attractions in the surrounding area, including Marina Pez Vela and Rainmaker Park.

Marina Pez Vela is located about 8 kilometers from Manuel Antonio National Park, with a driving time of approximately 15 minutes. The Offshore World Championship, hosted by Costa Rica in May 2022, took place at Marina Pez Vela. Marina Pez Vela features a high-end shopping center, distinctive restaurants, and a variety of yachts docked at the marina.

Many tourists enjoy visiting Marina Pez Vela in the evening, as they can savor specialty cuisine while appreciating the sunset. Additionally, Marina Pez Vela offers various tours, including fishing tours, boat tours, jet ski tours, and parasailing tours. You can book these tours through the Marina Pez Vela website.

Rainmaker Park is a privately owned park located approximately 30 kilometers from Manuel Antonio National Park. The park covers an area of about 1500 acres, with 80% of the land covered by pristine tropical rainforest. Behind Rainmaker Park, there is a touching story.

The current location of Rainmaker Park was once owned by a farmer named Don Victor Fallas. Around 1990, due to drought and poor crop yields, Don Victor accumulated debts with the bank. To repay the loans, he decided to sell a portion of his land. At that time, a company called Body Shop was interested in purchasing the land from Don Victor to cultivate raw materials for cosmetics production. A person named Mauricio Gutierrez, representing Body Shop, negotiated the land sale with Don Victor.

Simultaneously, the bank, as Don Victor’s creditor, was actively negotiating with a Japanese lumber company. If Don Victor couldn’t repay the loan, the bank planned to sell his land to the lumber company.

During the negotiations between Mauricio and Don Victor, Don Victor expressed his desire to sell the land to someone who would protect it from future harm. Mauricio recognized the significant value and potential for tourism development in the land Don Victor intended to sell. Therefore, he decided to purchase the land himself.

Unfortunately, just as Mauricio and Don Victor were close to finalizing the land purchase agreement, Mauricio accidentally fell into a waterfall while trying to save a child and tragically passed away. Due to Mauricio’s untimely death, the previously agreed-upon land purchase agreement between Mauricio and Don Victor was temporarily put on hold, and the Japanese lumber company mentioned earlier was prepared to take over the land.

Fortunately, Mauricio’s wife, Ann Gutierrez, worked tirelessly, along with her family, to raise funds. In 1993, they successfully concluded the land acquisition agreement that Mauricio and Don Victor had previously negotiated, leading to the establishment of today’s Rainmaker Park.

Unlike Manuel Antonio National Park and Manuel Antonio Beach, Rainmaker Park might not be as widely known among tourists. Nevertheless, Rainmaker Park is home to nearly half of Costa Rica’s flora and fauna. The park features multiple suspension bridges, numerous waterfalls, and an approximately 2.5-kilometer-long mountain trail surrounded by the forest, attracting many visitors seeking to explore the park.

The entrance fee for Rainmaker Park is $23 per person (including tax) for visitors aged six and above, while children under six enter for free. For those who require a guide, Rainmaker Park offers private guide services at a fee (including round-trip transportation from hotels near Manuel Antonio-Quepos, entrance tickets, water, and lunch). The standard fee is $75 per person for visitors aged six and above, with free admission for children under six. Interested visitors can book tickets through Rainmaker Park’s website.

Due to the constraints of our travel time and itinerary, we missed the following tourist attractions in Quepos this time：

Los Campesinos Reserve
Nauyaca Waterfalls

Los Campesinos Reserve is a small privately owned ecological conservation area, located approximately 25 kilometers from the town of Manuel Antonio, which is about 1-hour drive.

Within Los Campesinos Reserve, there are multiple hiking trails and several suspension bridges. The reserve offers various tourist activities, including horseback riding and visits to local communities, making it an excellent choice for those who enjoy hiking, seek tranquility, and want to learn about the local life and culture in Costa Rica. If you are interested in Los Campesinos Reserve, you can purchase tickets or gather more information through their website.

Nauyaca Waterfalls are situated within a canyon approximately 80 meters wide, with the longest waterfall measuring about 45 meters. The Nauyaca Waterfalls attraction includes not only waterfalls but also several natural pools suitable for swimming. Additionally, they offer activities such as horseback riding and truck tours. If you are interested in Nauyaca Waterfalls, you can purchase tickets or learn more through their website.

Monteverde

Monteverde (In Spanish, the word “monte” means mountain, whereas “verde” means green) is our third destination in Costa Rica, located in the Puntarenas province, just the same as Quepos.

Monteverde covers an area of approximately 53 square kilometers, with an elevation of around 1400 meters. It has a tropical rainforest climate characterized by humidity, fog, strong winds, and year-round rainfall, with an average annual temperature of around 19°C. In comparison to the hot plains along the Pacific coast and other areas in the Puntarenas province, Monteverde boasts a mild climate and fertile soil.

In 2011, the local population of Monteverde was 4155, and it is estimated to be around 5000 in 2022. Monteverde is renowned for its cloud forests and is a major destination for eco-tourism in Costa Rica, attracting approximately 250,000 visitors annually.

Monteverde has a deep connection with the United States. In the 1950s, 45 Quaker families, totaling 11 from Iowa and Alabama, left the United States to find a new home in Costa Rica due to dissatisfaction with war and compulsory conscription. These Quakers eventually settled in the area that is now Monteverde, giving their new home a resonant Spanish name—Monteverde, meaning green mountain in English.

The Quakers chose Monteverde for two main reasons. Firstly, in 1949, Costa Rica abolished its army according to the constitution, relieving immigrants of concerns about war and conscription. Additionally, the Costa Rican government at the time actively encouraged and welcomed foreign immigrants to contribute to the country’s construction and development. The mild climate and excellent soil conditions of Monteverde were ideal for settlement, agriculture, and farming.

The Quakers and their descendants who immigrated to Monteverde had a positive and lasting impact on the culture and community development of Monteverde. They made significant contributions to the agricultural, educational, and ecological conservation aspects of Monteverde, making English relatively widespread among residents.

Monteverde is approximately 200 kilometers from the town of Manuel Antonio, requiring about a 4-hour drive. On the fourth day of our journey, we left Manuel Antonio in the morning and drove to Monteverde, arriving around 2 PM local time.

Being a city built on high mountains, as you approach Monteverde, you’ll encounter a winding mountain road with some uneven road surfaces. The issue of road construction in Monteverde has been a long-standing topic of discussion between the Costa Rican government and residents. On one hand, the locals do not want excessive road construction that could harm their lives and the local ecological environment.

For residents, improving the road conditions is also beneficial in prolonging the time tourists spend in Monteverde, thereby increasing the related income from tourism. On the other hand, the government hopes to attract more tourists and stimulate the development of tourism by building more roads and improving traffic conditions. Due to these reasons, progress in road construction in Monteverde has been relatively slow.

As Monteverde is not large, we chose to stay in the town for two nights. For most tourists, staying for two to three nights in Monteverde is sufficient to explore the majority of its main attractions.

During our three days in Monteverde, we visited several key attractions: Monteverde Cloud Forest, Curi-Cancha Reserve, and a tour in Santa Elena about coffee, chocolate, and sugar cane cultivation and production (3 In 1 Coffee Tour, Chocolate Tour, and Sugar Cane Tour).

On the first afternoon of our arrival in Monteverde, after checking into the hotel and having lunch, we scheduled a night tour at Curi-Cancha Reserve at 5:30 PM. Curi-Cancha Reserve is a small, privately owned wildlife conservation area with an elevation ranging from 1450 meters to 1615 meters. The reserve covers an area of approximately 205 acres, including rainforests and secondary rainforests, with multiple trails totaling about 5.2 kilometers in length.

To date, Curi-Cancha Reserve has identified around 250 bird species, making it a great destination for wildlife observation, especially birds. Our group consisted of eight people, and for the night tour, we hired a local private guide named Samuel. The night tour admission fee for Curi-Cancha Reserve is $8 per visitor, and the private guide’s fee is $20 per person.

Samuel has been a guide for many years and possesses extensive professional knowledge about birds and wildlife. He is fluent in English. In hindsight, hiring a guide was worthwhile, as it would have been challenging to spot animals hidden in the trees during the pitch-black night.

The entire night tour lasted approximately two hours, and we observed many bird species, snakes, spiders, and other animals within Curi-Cancha Reserve. Tourists interested in the Curi-Cancha Reserve tour can purchase tickets through the website.

On the second day in Monteverde, we woke up early around 6:30 AM to meet our tour guide Samuel at Stella Café for breakfast. After finishing our meal around 7:30 AM, we drove to the Curi-Cancha Reserve for a bird-watching tour.

Stella Café is less than a kilometer away from the Curi-Cancha Reserve, and the drive takes only about two minutes. Upon arriving at the Curi-Cancha Reserve, we lined up to purchase our tickets.

The daytime admission fees for the Curi-Cancha Reserve are $20 for adult visitors (20 years and older), $12 for visitors aged 5 to 20, and free for children under five. After buying our tickets, we started our bird-watching tour, which lasted nearly two and a half hours.

Since it was daytime, visibility and lighting were much better than at night. Throughout the bird-watching tour, we spotted many birds that we hadn’t seen during the night tour. The entire reserve is filled with lush greenery, ancient trees, and the sounds of birds and flowers, providing visitors with a tranquil and awe-inspiring experience of nature’s wonders.

Our bird-watching tour at Curi-Cancha Reserve ended around 11 AM. After a brief rest at the hotel, we found a local restaurant for lunch. By the time we finished lunch, it was nearly 1 PM, so we drove to Santa Elena for an afternoon tour about coffee, chocolate, and sugar cane planting and production.

There are many tours in Monteverde focusing on coffee, chocolate, and sugar cane planting and production. Based on online reviews and recommendations, we chose the Don Juan tours. The entire tour lasted about three hours, during which we gained a deeper understanding of coffee, chocolate, and sugar production.

Regarding coffee production in Monteverde, coffee cherries are mostly handpicked. When picking, cherries that are bright red indicate they are ripe. After handpicking, the coffee beans need to be separated from the pulp and undergo processes such as fermenting, drying, and roasting. Traditional methods involve sun-drying the beans before removing the husks.

In the chocolate-making process, our guide first showed us cocoa pods and the beans wrapped in the pulp. After extracting the beans from the pods, they need to ferment to remove the beans’ inherent acidity. The fermented cocoa beans then undergo sun-drying to remove moisture, followed by roasting, peeling, and grinding processes to transform them into liquid chocolate. After adding sugar and shaping, the liquid chocolate is set to become the solid chocolate we commonly consume.

The tour was both educational and entertaining, with the humorous and engaging explanations from the guide being particularly popular among tourists, especially the children. The tour concluded with tasting local coffee and chocolate. Afterward, we returned to the hotel, rested briefly, and then walked into town for dinner and a visit to the fruit market, marking the end of our second day in Monteverde.

On the third day in Monteverde, we visited the Monteverde Cloud Forest in the morning. Established in 1972, the Monteverde Cloud Forest is one of the top five most visited tourist attractions in Costa Rica, with approximately 70,000 visitors annually.

Today’s Monteverde Cloud Forest, situated at an altitude of over 1,500 meters, covers about 26,000 acres and is home to over 100 mammal species, more than 500 bird species, and over 3,000 plant species, including over 500 types of orchids [source].

Although the Monteverde Cloud Forest is vast, only about 3% of it is open to the public. The biodiversity of this forest represents nearly half of Costa Rica’s total biodiversity and almost 2.5% of global biodiversity [source].

The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is open from 7 AM to 4 PM daily. Admission is $25 for visitors aged 12 and older and $12 for visitors aged 6 to 12. Interested visitors can purchase tickets through the Monteverde Cloud Forest website.

Due to time constraints, we only explored two of the nine hiking trails in the Monteverde Cloud Forest, namely Sendero Bosque Nuboso and Sendero Camino. Despite the limited time, as we hiked to higher elevations, we were greeted by a vast expanse of trees and unique flora. The entire reserve was enveloped in mist, creating a surreal atmosphere reminiscent of a heavenly realm.

After concluding our tour of the Monteverde Cloud Forest, we set off by car to the next destination of our journey—La Fortuna. Looking back at our itinerary in Monteverde, due to time constraints, we missed two attractions: the Monteverde Butterfly Gardens and the Frog Pond. Interested visitors can click on the links for these attractions to learn more.

La Fortuna

La Fortuna is another famous tourist city in Costa Rica, covering an area of approximately 230 square kilometers with an elevation of over 250 meters and a population of around 20,000. La Fortuna is part of the Alajuela province and is located at the northeast corner of Monteverde, about 120 kilometers away from Monteverde.

La Fortuna has a tropical grassland climate, with an average annual temperature ranging from 22°C to 32°C. It is situated beneath one of the world’s most active volcanoes, Arenal Volcano.

Due to its proximity to Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna is home to many natural hot springs, making it a popular destination for visitors to enjoy these thermal baths. Known as the adventure capital of Costa Rica, La Fortuna attracts nearly 1.5 million tourists annually.

On the sixth morning of our journey, we drove from Monteverde to La Fortuna, passing by the man-made Lake Arenal and enjoying the delightful natural scenery.

Lake Arenal, covering an area of 85 square kilometers, is Costa Rica’s largest lake with depths ranging from 30 to 60 meters. It is a popular destination for activities such as kayaking and fishing. After a 3-hour drive, we arrived in La Fortuna around 3 PM.

After successfully checking in at the hotel, we contacted and booked the frog-watching night walk tour at Arenal Oasis for 5:30 PM. In Arenal Oasis, there are at least 28 different species of frogs.

The tickets (including guide fees) cost nearly $50 per person for visitors aged 12 and above, and approximately $35 per person for those aged 5 to 11 (link).

As Arenal Oasis is conveniently located near our hotel, we left around 5:20 PM to make our way there. After a brief exchange with the guide, our night walk adventure began.

The park was relatively quiet in the evening, allowing us to hear the sounds of insects, frogs, and numerous birds. The accompanying children enthusiastically used their flashlights to explore the animals in the park. Throughout the tour, we saw frogs that were significantly larger than those we hadn’t encountered at other attractions in Costa Rica. It turned out to be the most rewarding part of our frog-watching night walk experience.

On the second day in La Fortuna, we arranged a boat tour to Caño Negro & Río Frío. This boat tour takes place in the Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge, which is about a two-hour drive from La Fortuna. The Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge is located in the northern part of Costa Rica, covering over 25,000 acres near the border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

The refuge is covered with forests, grasslands, and marshlands, providing a habitat for many endangered species such as jaguars, pumas, and tapirs, as well as monkey species like the mantled howler monkey and the Panamanian white-faced capuchin.

Although tickets for the Caño Negro & Río Frío boat tour can be purchased online, we found it to be much cheaper to buy directly from the company operating the tour. The cost is $65 per adult, including transportation to and from the hotel, a guide, water, and lunch. Interested visitors can book tickets directly from the Desafio company’s website.

The entire boat tour lasts for over three hours, during which tourists sit on a covered boat to search for and observe birds and other animals in the protected area. For a better viewing experience, it is recommended that visitors bring their binoculars. Additionally, since there are no public facilities within the entire refuge, visitors should use the restroom before boarding. Throughout the boat tour, we spotted animals such as caimans, great egrets, sloths, and green iguanas.

After the boat tour, we had lunch with the guide at a local restaurant before returning to La Fortuna by car, reaching the hotel by mid-afternoon. Upon returning to the hotel, after a brief rest, we visited La Fortuna Park (Parque de La Fortuna).

As it happened to be Christmas Day, the park was bustling with both tourists and locals, and there were even candy distribution activities. Watching the lush green grass and trees, breathing in the fresh air, and listening to the cheerful laughter of children playing football from different countries made me realize that beauty is never lacking in ordinary life. What may be lacking is the discovery of beauty and the understanding and tolerance of people with different backgrounds and perspectives.

Soon, night fell, the sky adorned with stars, and our second day in La Fortuna came to an end with the arrival of darkness.

On the third day of our trip to La Fortuna, we had originally booked a full day to soak in the natural hot springs at Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa Hotel. However, considering that spending an entire day in the hot springs might become a bit monotonous, we decided to pay an unplanned visit to Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park in the morning and then enjoy the hot springs in the afternoon.

Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park covers over 1,600 acres at an elevation of 600 meters. The park features well-maintained hiking trails and 16 bridges with a total length of approximately 3.2 kilometers. Among these bridges, six are hanging bridges.

For tourists, the six hanging bridges and uniquely designed hiking trails in Mistico Arenal Park are truly a highlight of the trip. Walking on the hanging bridges provides a breathtaking view of the forest and picturesque landscapes below, creating the sensation of being immersed in a green sea.

Interested visitors can purchase tickets through the park’s website, with the following admission fees: $28 per person for visitors aged 19 to 64, $18 per person for those aged 11 to 18, and free admission for children under 10.

Mistico Arenal Park 地图 — Mistico Arenal Park Map

We concluded our walking tour at Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park before noon. From Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park, we drove to Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa Hotel to start our journey into natural hot springs.

Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa Hotel is a five-star hotel, approximately a 15-minute drive from La Fortuna. The hotel is renowned for its high-quality services, including natural hot spring baths, saunas, and massages, and has received many positive reviews from tourists. When planning our trip to Costa Rica, we read numerous online reviews about Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa Hotel and booked the one-day pass for the natural hot springs in advance.

The one-day pass fee (including lunch and dinner) is approximately $80 per adult and $40 per child. For those interested in Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa Hotel’s natural hot springs, it is recommended to make online reservations in advance.

After experiencing the natural hot springs at Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa Hotel firsthand, it must be said that the quality, environment, and overall user experience of the hotel’s natural hot springs are impeccable. An afternoon in the natural hot springs washed away our fatigue from the previous days and marked a satisfying end to our third day in La Fortuna.

On the fourth morning in La Fortuna, we visited Ecoglide Arenal Park located beneath the Arenal Volcano, and had an exhilarating experience with high-altitude zip-lining. Speaking of the worldwide craze for zip-lining, it was originated in Monteverde, Costa Rica. During our previous trip to Monteverde, we couldn’t experience canopy zip-lining due to weather conditions. Therefore, we decided to make up for this regret in La Fortuna.

Ecoglide Arenal Park, situated in the town of La Fortuna, is a relatively new adventure and nature-themed park in Costa Rica. This park mainly offers two tours: the canopy tour and the nature tour. Interested visitors can find more information and book tickets via the park’s website.

We opted for the canopy tour, which lasted two and a half hours, covering 13 zip-line platforms and 11 thrilling high-altitude zip-line routes. Unlike other zip-lining activities in Costa Rica, Ecoglide Arenal Park has implemented comprehensive and strict safety measures, allowing participants aged four and above to join the canopy tour.

This canopy tour not only provided us with an adrenaline-pumping experience of high-altitude zip-lining but also allowed us to appreciate the unique beauty of the jungle in La Fortuna.

Around 12:30 PM, we concluded the canopy tour at Ecoglide Arenal Park and drove towards San José. La Fortuna is approximately 130 kilometers away from San José. After about three hours of driving, we arrived in San José around 4 PM local time.

During the journey from La Fortuna to San José, we also made a deliberate stop at a Starbucks located on a coffee plantation in Costa Rica to taste the locally grown coffee. After spending one night in San José, we dropped off our rental car and then took the rental car shuttle bus to San José International Airport to catch our flight back to the United States. With that, our ten-day journey in Costa Rica came to a successful conclusion.