If you have 10 days in Costa Rica, then this post is for you.
Here is a sample 10 day Costa Rica itinerary that takes you the capital city and both the Caribbean and Pacific coast: San Jose, Puerto Viejo and Manuel Antonio. Each of these destinations are very different in terms of landscapes and activities and have beach, wildlife and rain forest. Find out how to spend 10 days in Costa Rica in this sample itinerary.
What to Know About This Costa Rica Itinerary 10 days
You can rent a car, book shuttles or take the bus
Since you are only visiting 3 touristic destinations, you can get around by public bus, shuttles or renting a car in Costa Rica. Renting a car gives more freedom but is not necessarily not the most wallet friendly option. Save on your car rental with our car rental discount here.
Then if you’re on a budget, you can take the bus. Just make sure to check the schedule, especially for the day you land since the last bus from San Jose to Puerto Viejo is at 4 PM and this ride takes around 5 hours. You can also take private and shared shuttles.
To make the most of your time in Costa Rica, we recommend to drive or book private shuttles. You will spend a bit more but you’ll save time, especially as these are long travel times to each destination with limited public bus and shared shuttle options.
Pack appropriately for San Jose and Puerto Viejo
Because the Caribbean side tends to rain more (June and November are rainiest months, October is the driest), bring a rain jacket/waterproof backpack. Even if you’re visiting in the normal dry season months (December to end of April), I highly recommend bringing some rain gear just in case for Puerto Viejo.
For San Jose, it is recommended to bring a jacket or sweater, long pants and closed toed shoes because it is the city. At Manuel Antonio, bring your typical beach wear as it’s hot and humid on the coast all year round.
Day 1: Land in San Jose in the morning, travel to Puerto Viejo
You need to fly into San Jose International Airport (SJO Airport code) for this itinerary. If possible, we recommend booking a flight that lands in San Jose International Airport before noon as the drive from San Jose to Puerto Viejo is around 5 hours. You don’t need a 4×4 or 4wd for this route as it is completely paved.
We do not recommend to drive to Puerto Viejo if your flight arrives in late afternoon or evening, especially in the rainy season. Remember, it gets dark in Costa Rica by 6 PM everyday.
In case your arrival is late afternoon/evening, you can stay a night in San Jose and leave early the next day to Puerto Viejo. On the way to Puerto Viejo, you can stop by Rainforest Adventures to ride the aerial tram through the rainforest.
**Travel recommendation* If you get a pre-paid Costa Rica SIM card or have an international data plan, use Waze for your GPS. Just make sure to open it when you have strong Wi-Fi so it can download all the prompts. It’ll help you navigate through San Jose and avoid the traffic.
Other transportation methods:
- Bus: There is a bus from San Jose to Puerto Viejo at 6, 10, 2 PM and 4 PM every day that takes 5 hours. It costs ~5500 CRC (~$11 USD) and the bus station is at the Terminal San Carlos Avenida 9. I recommend getting there as early as possible to buy your tickets beforehand because this is a very popular route and gets full quick.
- Shared Shuttle: Shared shuttles from San Jose to Puerto Viejo are around $57 USD per person per route. They normally have one in the morning, one in the afternoon. For shared shuttles, check Ride CR, Easy Ride, Caribe Shuttle, Tropical Tours, or Interbus.
- Private shuttle: You can also book a private shuttle which will pick you up whenever you land and drop you off at your hotel. This costs around $250 USD for 1-5 people.
- Air: There is a local airport at Limon. From the airport, you can book a shuttle or take a taxi to Puerto Viejo which is around $20 USD and takes 1 hour.
If you are not driving and you land in San Jose in the late afternoon, you can book a private shuttle so you don’t have to drive to Puerto Viejo.
Day 2,3 and 4: Puerto Viejo
Spend the next days exploring Puerto Viejo, the gem of the Caribbean. Take in the funky Caribbean-Costa Rican culture, dance the night away or explore the lush jungle. There is so much to do in this area and is best for beach bumming, wildlife watching and relaxing.
Where to stay in Puerto Viejo
If you don’t have a car, it is best to stay in Puerto Viejo town. If you have a car, you can stay at the many beaches like Playa Negra, Playa Cocles, Chiquita or Punta Uva. Puerto Viejo is a party town though, so keep that in mind.
- Hotel Banana Azul: Oceanfront, adult only hotel on Playa Negra with a restaurant and a pool. There isn’t much at Negra but this hotel is really nice for those who want to stay somewhere quiet further away from town.
- Villas del Caribe: Great option for big groups as their rooms are spacious and have an ocean view. It’s on Playa Chiquita so it’s about a 5 minute drive to town.
- Selina Puerto Viejo: One of the many Selina hostels in Costa Rica geared towards backpackers and digital nomads.
You can also check out Airbnb or VRBO for vacation rentals.
To get around Puerto Viejo without a car: you can rent a bike, motorcycle or scooter. Biking is the most popular form of transportation in this area.
What to do in Puerto Viejo
- Jaguar Rescue Center: If you want to see sloths up close, the Jaguar Rescue Center is the best place to learn about the rescue and rehabilitation of sloths. The center is by Playa Cocles, about 4 miles from Puerto Viejo.
- BriBri Chocolate Tour: The Limon area is home to indigenous communities so if you’re interested in learning their culture, you must take a tour to meet the BriBri people. They offer chocolate and medicinal tours so you can learn how they make cacao and how they use the various plants and trees they grow on their land.
- Cahuita National Park: Have a beach all to yourself at Cahuita National Park! This gorgeous park is free and you can see monkeys, toucans and sloths roaming free.
- Beach hopping: Spend a day exploring the gorgeous beaches in Puerto Viejo such as Punta Uva, Playa Chiquita and Playa Cocles.
- Surf: Cocles is a great surfing beach for lessons.
You can read about other things to do in Puerto Viejo here.
For places to eat, we love Soda Lidia’s Place. For the best Caribbean-Costa Rican food, that’s the place to go. Some dishes to try are rice and beans and rondon soup. Bread & Chocolate is also delicious and they have great breakfast.
Safety tips for Puerto Viejo: Don’t walk by yourself at night, don’t go to the beach at sunrise/after dark and don’t leave your belongings on the beach.
Day 5: Travel back to San Jose
After a few days enjoying the Caribbean, it’s time to head back to San Jose and explore the Central Valley. If you’re taking the bus, the bus from Puerto Viejo to San Jose is at 9, 11 and 4 PM.
If you aren’t renting a car, you can book a Pacuare River white water rafting day excursion that will pick you up in Puerto Viejo and drop you off in San Jose. Get $5 USD off the Rafting tour with our discount!
Where to Stay in San Jose
- Gran Hotel: This hotel is right in downtown San Jose so you’re close to museums, restaurants and shops and you can walk everywhere.
- Park Inn Radisson: Close to downtown and in a quiet area of San Jose, a very comfortable hotel. Includes hot breakfast.
- Barcelo San Jose Palacio: Big hotel that also offers free airport shuttle. Must taxi or Uber to get to attractions. Has restaurants, a gym, pool and comfortable rooms.
- Hotel Grano de Oro: Upscale boutique hotel near downtown and La Sabana park. Beautiful property and room designs with hints of old Costa Rican charm.
Day 6: The Central Valley
For day 6 of your 10 days in Costa Rica, you will get to know San Jose. This capital city is quite small so you really only need one day to experience it.
What to Do in San Jose in One Day
Here are some things to do in San Jose like museums, local markets and more. You can also take a city tour to learn more.
A sample itinerary is to head to downtown and walk down the main avenue to see the busiest area of the city. Visit the Jade Museum or National Theater to check out some cultural landmarks. Do some souvenir shopping at the Central Market and have lunch at one of the local restaurants there.
Then head back to your hotel to freshen up and Uber to Barrio Escalante for dinner. This up and coming neighborhood is like the foodie neighborhood of San Jose with lots of unique fusion restaurants with interesting decor. Some favorites are Apotecario, Cafe Franco, Gambas and Costa Rica Beer Factor.
Day 7: Travel to Manuel Antonio
After spending a the day in the city, it’s time to hit the beach again for the last part of your 10 days in Costa Rica! This time you’ll head to the Central Pacific coast to the popular Manuel Antonio. It’s a 3.5 drive or you can take a bus from San Jose to Manuel Antonio/Quepos (Calle 5, Ave 4, Terminales Transportes Tracopa. 7, 10, 2 PM, 4 PM and 5 PM). There are also shared shuttles in the morning and afternoon.
Since Manuel Antonio is very touristic, there are a ton of hotel options. If you want to splurge and stay at a luxury hotel, this is the place to do it!
Itinerary recommendation: if you don’t want to go to another beach town, consider La Fortuna for rainforest, wildlife, adventure and Arenal Volcano. It is around a 4 hour drive from Puerto Viejo. For somewhere a less touristic with similar activities, check out Sarapiqui (3 hour drive).
Hotels in Manuel Antonio
- Hotel La Mariposa: This high end hotel has a gorgeous view of the park and has several infinity pools. They have modern and rustic rooms.
- Tico Tico Villas: Spacious studio-apartments with a beautiful tropical garden.
- Jungle Beach Hotel: Clean and spacious rooms, close to the beach.
- Selina Hostel: Great hostel in Manuel Antonio for backpackers.
- Tulemar: This is a luxury home vacation rental property with luxury houses and one bedroom bungalows, perfect for families, big groups or couples.. It has amenities like 24/7 hour concierge, their own beach and an exclusive sloth walk.
Day 8 & 9: Manuel Antonio
Spend your last couple days in Costa Rica taking in as much lush jungle and beautiful beaches as you can. Manuel Antonio is not a big destination but there are many things to do whether you want to hike, see wildlife or simply relax.
What to do in Manuel Antonio
We have a post about things to do in Manuel Antonio but a must do is to visit the national park. Take a guided walk in Manuel Antonio National Park or relax at the beach. Add some more adventure and go ziplining, parasailing, horseback riding or kayak through the Damas Mangroves.
We recommend to spend one day at the national park. The other day, you can just relax, enjoy the beach, shop, sleep in, etc. Or if you want to do something, you can go ziplining, kayaking, horseback riding, sunset cruise, and much more.
If you want to do tours, get our Manuel Antonio tours discount to save $$!
Day 10: San Jose
It’s time to head back to San Jose and say goodbye to Costa Rica. This Costa Rica itinerary 10 days should give you an amazing time in Costa Rica discovering the Caribbean, exploring the Central Valley and relaxing at the Central Pacific coasts. You get to experience mountain, wildlife, nature, beach and rain forest as well as see some Costa Rica wildlife!
Remember, it is about a 3 hour drive from Manuel Antonio to San Jose and you need to be at the airport 2 hours before your flight. If timing doesn’t work out to leave on Day 10, you may need to go back to San Jose on Day 9 and stay the night before your flight.
Another option is to take a local flight from Quepos to SJO Airport (~25 minutes flight). Make sure to check schedules to time it correctly.
Costa Rica itinerary 10 Days Map
Here is an interactive Google maps of this itinerary. You can find driving routes, hotels and activities recommendations.
Estimated Costa Rica Itinerary 10 Days Cost
If you’re staying at hotels that are around $100 USD a night, spending about $50 USD a day for food and doing a few tours, your estimated budget for this 10 day itinerary will be around $1500 USD per person (no flights or transportation included).
Check out more Costa Rica itineraries here!
2 week Costa Rica itinerary: Arenal, Monteverde, Santa Teresa, Playas del Coco
1 week Costa Rica itinerary: Jaco, Manuel Antonio, Uvita
Two weeks itinerary: Tortuguero, Arenal, Monteverde, Guanacaste
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Carol says
Hi Sammi,
Super helpful site with extensive info all around. Thank you for putting it together!
Our family of 8 (3 generations – two 8yr old, one 6 y5ear old, and rest 30-40 ish) are planning a 9 day trip in August in and out of LIR. Current plan is 3 days Arenal for hot springs and forest, 3 days around Nosara for turtle and some surf lessons, and 3 last days near coco for some chill time (maybe some whale watching if we are lucky!). We want a good variety of activities for all age groups
A couple of questions if you can help us out:
1. To drive or not to drive… My DH and I have been to Costa Rica (via Caravan Tour) and we understand the road situations. To drive will make the trip less relaxing, but it also gives us flexibilities to explore which we absolute appreciate, and have enjoyed in different parts of the world (pre-kids), we are confident we can hack it and think we are comfortable with 2 high clearance 4×4 but dread the work aspect of it. Is there a hybrid way to rent a car for the long legs (LIR to Arenal, Arenal to Nosara, Nosara to Coco, house rentals along the way), and get a local car for exploring? Or is it a sure way to blow up the budget? 🙂 If we do drive all the way, what will be a good stopping point between Arenal and Nosara to stretch our legs, eat and maybe a little leisurely side tour? If there is a hybrid possibility, what place we might be able to get away without having a car at all, and just rely on walking/Uber/Taxi? I am thinking Arenal, or even coco…need the car in Nosara for turtles, we planned the dates just before the new moon for them 🙂
2. Anywhere else we can stay other than Nosara? I see this black beautiful town on the map, is it really out of the way? Nosara is indeed very expensive
3. We love to snorkel, which location will be the best to do that? Near Nosara or Coco? We don’t want to go way out of way to do it if at all possible.
Thanks so much!
Carol
Sammi says
If you don’t want to rent a car the whole time, you can split it up because it’s not really necessary to have a car in La Fortuna or Coco but I do recommend one in Nosara if you are not staying at a hotel near the beach. If you are staying at a hotel near the beach, then it is kind of walkable (you will be limited to where you can go but if you just want to wake up and go to the beach everyday then that’ll work if your hotel is beachfront ish).
You could do something like LIR – Fortuna (private shuttle, then book tours with transportation). Private shuttle to car rental company in Liberia to pick up car for Nosara -drive to Coco and have car rental company pick up car in Coco. Then private shuttle to Airport for your flight.
We can help arrange this with our partner Adobe who we have discounts and freebies for: https://mytanfeet.com/special-deals/get-real-discount-rent-car-costa-rica/ and it is recommended to have a high car for Nosara. We also offer private shuttles which include a 15 min stop along the way but if you want to stop somewhere like a national park or something along the way, we can arrange that too.
Uber is not that common in those areas, but I have seen a couple in Fortuna and none in Coco/Nosara.
In Coco, the best snorkeling is on a boating tour, you can read about our favorite snorkel and beach hop tour here https://mytanfeet.com/activities/boating-in-playas-del-coco-mystic-rides/
Mike Wagner says
We are 3 couples visiting Costa Rica soon for a 2 week stay. First week in Los Suentos/Herradura. The second week will be in Puerto Viejo. Most of our adventure/hiking tours will be self guided. If you could recommend one tour and/or tour guide – primarily for bird sighting – for our stay, who would that be? It doesn’t matter which week, just interested in having a guide for one tour that would likely result in a more informative and worthwhile experience. Muchas gracias!
Sammi says
Hi Mike, the main tour operator in that area is Caribe Fun Tours, you can see what kind of birding tours they offer
Michelle Carpenter says
Hey! We are going to Costa Rica in late September and early October. What are the must see/visits to go to? I’ve read a few of your Itineraries and the list different places. We definitely want to do both coast. We have 10 days there and we like to do a lot of activities.
Sammi says
Hi Michelle, I’ve written a lot of posts on things to do for many destinations so the best way would be to use the search box to look for them or you can check this one for a general things to do so you can search through all of them. You can also check our Costa Rica destinations map, you can filter it by things to do and area!
Sammi says
Not a specific one, but here is a 2 week itinerary with the last few days at the beaches that are good for diving: 2 week Costa Rica itinerary, specifically Playas del Coco and Playa Ocotal.
Gail says
Do you have an iternary that includes diving
Sammi says
To get to Panama City, the fastest way is to fly or else you’ll have to take a really long bus from Costa Rica to Panama City. We took Ticabus from San Jose to Panama City which was around 18 hours and then took a bus to the canal. Or you can skip the long bus ride and take a flight to Panama City.
D Gatton says
This is a perfect start for our planning.
One key item…since we are so close do not want to miss Panama Canal.
How would you advice to work that in and totally understand that it would take X more days.
DGatton