Even though Costa Rica is a small country, it is hard to narrow down places to go when planning an itinerary. Although it seems like it’s small enough that you can roadtrip the whole country in a short amount of time, unfortunately it’s not quite so. When it comes down to the best places in Costa Rica to visit, it all depends on you, the traveler.
To make your travel planning easier, I’ve listed out the best places in Costa Rica for first time visitors. These destinations are easy to get to from San Jose and Liberia airport, are tourist friendly and have a variety of things to do.
Don’t make this mistake when traveling in Costa Rica – stuffing too many destinations in too little time! In our post, the best places in Costa Rica for first time visitors are La Fortuna, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, Jaco, Tortuguero, Tamarindo, Playas del Coco, Dominical, Uvita, Puerto Viejo, Puerto Jimenez and San Jose.
Best Places in Costa Rica for First Time Visitors
Click the destination to skip to it.
- Arenal/La Fortuna
- Monteverde/Santa Elena
- Manuel Antonio/Quepos
- Jaco
- Tortuguero
- Tamarindo
- Playas del Coco
- Dominical and Uvita
- Puerto Viejo
- Puerto Jimenez
- San Jose
Map
Best places in Costa Rica map.
Getting Around
The easiest way to reach all the destinations is by renting a car but if not, each of these destinations have buses, shuttles and flying options. Renting a car? Get our Costa Rica car rental discount here!
Want to use shuttles? Get 10% off your shared shuttle here!
Flying? Use the code SWMTF18 to save 10% and get an extra 10 lbs on SkywayCR.
Arenal & La Fortuna
This area is famous for Arenal Volcano National Park, Lake Arenal and the rain forest. La Fortuna is the town that sits at the base of the Arenal Volcano and Arenal refers to the area around the volcano. Nuevo Arenal is the community around the lake.
Distance and transportation times from SJO and LIR airport
- By driving: Arenal/La Fortuna is 3-3.5 hours from both San Jose Airport and Liberia International Airport with fairly straight forward routes and doesn’t require a 4X4. Read about driving from Liberia to Arenal and driving from San Jose to Arenal.
- By plane: You can take a local flight to La Fortuna which is about 20 minutes from San Jose and Liberia.
- By bus: There is one bus from San Jose to La Fortuna that leaves at 6:15, 8:40 and 11:30, about 4 hours. From Liberia, you will first need to take a bus to Canas (one every thirty minutes from 8:30 AM to 3PM), then to Tilaran (one every hour from 5 to 10, 11:30, 13:00,15:30 and 17:00) and then to La Fortuna (7 AM and 12:30).
- By shuttle: Take a shared shuttle for about $54 or book a private, $200 from SJO and LIR airport.
- By boat: Get in from Monteverde by boating across Lake Arenal. Costs $25 per person.
Tourist friendly
La Fortuna is one of the most touristic destinations in the country making it one of the best places to visit in Costa Rica for all travelers. All the services and amenities such as banks, ATMs, souvenir shops and pharmacies are available in town.
However, if you are staying on the outskirts of Arenal, you’ll have to go to La Fortuna town for these services. Most of the restaurants in La Fortuna are sodas (local Costa Rican restaurants) with few international places.
Best things to do
Here is our list of the top activities in Arenal and La Fortuna. Our favorites are canyoning, hot springs and hiking. Arenal is one of the best for adventure activities! Get our Arenal discount here and save up to 10-15%!
Recommended hotels in Arenal
- Luxury: If you like luxury, Arenal is the place to be. They have some of the most luxurious hotels such as Nayara, Springs, Tabacon and Kioro. All of them have a spa, an amazing view of Arenal Volcano and their own hot springs.
- Mid range: Hotel Magic Mountain, Montana de Fuego, Volcano Lodge & Springs
- Budget: Arenal History Inn, Hotel El Secreto, Selina La Fortuna, Arenal Container Hostel
- Eco/nature lodges: Arenal Observatory Lodge, Princesa de la Luna Eco Lodge and Catarata EcoLodge
We stayed at an Airbnb in Arenal which we loved, perfect for big families and groups.
Monteverde/Santa Elena
Perfect destination for those who enjoy cooler temperatures, forests and wildlife. The Monteverde Cloud Forest is one of the most unique in the world, housing hundreds of animals and is where the first zipline in Costa Rica was set up. Santa Elena is the main town close to the cloud forest, Cerro Plano is the smaller town and Monteverde is the name of the entire region.
Distance from SJO and LIR airport
- By driving: Monteverde/Santa Elena is roughly 3 hours from SJO airport and 3-3.5 hours from Liberia. Both the Sardinal and Las Juntas routes to Monteverde are unpaved and very bumpy, you need a high car. We do not recommend driving this route at night as it is very windy, very bumpy with lots of loose rocks and the last 20 kilometers are going up a mountain. See what the Monteverde roads looks like in this video. ***They are currently undergoing construction at the Sardinal Route 606 as of 2018 and is not projected to open until end of 2019/2020. Take Las Juntas Route 145 instead.***
- By bus: There is one bus from San Jose to Monteverde that leaves at 6:30 and 14:30, about 5 hours. From Liberia, take the bus to Puntarenas which leaves at 5, 7:45, 8:30, 9:30, 10:30, 12:30, 14:30 and 15:30. Then from Puntarenas take a bus to Monteverde which leaves at 8:30, 13:30 and 14:15. Both routes are 3 hours. You can also take the same bus to Canas, then Tilaran and then Monteverde.
- By shuttle: There are shared shuttles for $54 or you can book a private shuttle, around $200-250 from San Jose and Liberia.
- By boat: Take the taxi-boat-taxi from Arenal across Lake Arenal. Costs $25 per person.
Tourist friendly
Santa Elena town is very tourist friendly. You can find all the services like banks, pharmcies and souvenir shops. However, there aren’t any car rental companies in Monteverde or Santa Elena. You need to pick up your rental car before or get your car delivered for a very hefty fee ($200 from La Fortuna which is the closest office).
Food options are limited but they do have some variety. There is a sushi place, an excellent steak house, a craft beer place and a couple of other international restaurants. There is no shortage of sodas or local food though. For local food, Soda Sabor Tico is the best.
You must try to the coffee and ice cream in Monteverde, it’s one of a kind!
Best things to do
- Ziplining: The ziplines at Monteverde are some of the best in the country. Our favorite is Selvatura Park, 100% Aventura and SkyTrek.
- Hanging bridges: This is the best way to experience the cloud forest as some of these bridges are up to 5000 feet high!
- Birdwatching: Monteverde is one of the best places to see the Resplendant Quetzal, a prized bird for bird watchers. Head to Curi Cancha Reserve for the best birdwatching.
- Night Tour: On a night tour, you can see snakes, frogs, nocturnal mammals and insects you don’t normally see in the day.
- Hiking: Choose from any of the 3 cloud forest reserves to go hiking and see wildlife: Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve or Children’s Eternal Rain Forest. Not sure which one to visit? Read our guide comparing the Monteverde cloud forests to help you decide.
Recommended hotels
Most hotels lay on the outskirts of Santa Elena and the hostels are in town.
- El Establo Hotel: A beautiful hotel that has lovely views of the cloud forest. They have loft style rooms, their own zipline, a lake and a spa. About a 15-20 minute walk to town.
- Monteverde Country Lodge: A cozy lodge with balconies, about a 15 minute walk to town. Excellent for mid-range budget.
- Camino Verde: Cheap hostel/hotel in town. Clean but basic rooms.
- Hotel Poco a Poco: This hotel is located near Santa Elena downtown and is a city style hotel with a pool and air conditioning in some rooms.
Airbnb has some awesome listings for Monteverde. Read about 2 Airbnbs in Monteverde we stayed at.
For more information about Monteverde, we have a Monteverde guide.
Not sure if you should visit Monteverde or Arenal? Check our post comparing Arenal and Monteverde or check out our 5 day Arenal and Monteverde itinerary.
Manuel Antonio/Quepos
This is one of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica because of Manuel Antonio National Park, famous for its cute sloths and pristine beaches. It’s very touristic but for a good reason – it is downright beautiful. Quepos is the town near Manuel Antonio, Manuel Antonio is what is generally referred to as the hill from Quepos to Manuel Antonio National Park.
Distance from SJO and LIR airport
- By driving: About a 2.5 hour drive from San Jose and 4 hour drive from Liberia. This is a very easy route from both airports, no 4×4 required.
- By bus: There is a direct bus from San Jose to Quepos that leaves every day at 6, 9, 12, 14:30, 18:00 and 19:30, takes about 3 hours and 45 minutes. There is a colectivo bus (stops a ton of places) from San Jose to Quepos every day at 7, 10, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00 and 17:00, takes about 4 and a half hours. From Liberia, take the bus to Puntarenas and then to Manuel Antonio, every day at 5, 7, 9, 11, 13:00, 14:30, 16:30 and 17:30 which takes 3 hours.
- By flying: There is a local airport at Quepos. Flights from San Jose are about 10 minutes. From Liberia, flights normally have 1-2 stops.
- By shuttle: A shared shuttle from San Jose is $54 and a private is around $250.
Tourist friendly
Manuel Antonio is probably the most tourist friendly destination in the country, making it one of the best places in Costa Rica, no doubt. You can find all the services like ATMs, car rentals, banks, tour desks and souvenir shops.
There are many buses that go to the national park and to town. The only thing I would say is a bit of a pain to tourists if they are walking, particularly seniors is the very steep hill but you can drive or take the bus to get around.
Best things to do
- Hiking the national park: Manuel Antonio National Park is the highlight of this area. There are four different beaches and various hiking trails with beautiful viewpoints. Read our guide to hiking Manuel Antonio National Park.
- Wildlife watching: Manuel Antonio is full of wildlife. You can see see sloths, 3 different monkeys, frogs, toucans and more. If you’re looking for somewhere less crowded, there are a couple private farms and refuges nearby that do night and day tours. You can also hire a private guide.
- Beach: With beaches as beautiful as the ones in Manuel Antonio, you can’t pass up jet-skiing, snorkeling, sailing or parasailing over the ocean. The best beach for water sports is Playa Espadilla Norte.
For more ideas, check our post of fun things to do in Manuel Antonio.
Recommended hotels
Most of the hotels/hostels are scattered on the hill and there are a few near the national park.
- Hotel La Mariposa: This gorgeous hotel has one of the best views of the national park. It has 2 infinity pools, spectacular views of the ocean and gardens and an on-site restaurant. Excellent for romantic getaways and luxury splurges
- El Faro Hotel: If you want to be as close to the national park as possible, El Faro Hotel sits right outside the entrance and is only a 5 minute walk to the beach. It’s on a small hill so it has beautiful views of the ocean.
- Tulemar: This vacation rental and resort has beautiful luxury homes and bungalows. Has a ton of wildlife on their property, offers a 24/7 personal concierge and has their own beach entrance.
- Pura vida mini hostel: This hostel has a fully stocked communal kitchen, the bus stop is right outside and they have dorms and private rooms. No AC or hot water, but has free Internet access. Selina hostel is another good one.
Tortuguero
Although Tortuguero is in a remote area of the North Caribbean that is only accessible by boat or plane, it’s actually one of the best places in Costa Rica for first timers. And it’s actually not that hard to get to as peole think! This area, nicknamed the “Little Amazon” of Costa Rica is one of the best for wildlife, nature and rainforest!
Distance from San Jose and Liberia Airport
To get to Tortuguero, visitors must take a plane or drive to the La Pavona dock and take the boat. From San Jose, Tortuguero is around a 4-5 hour journey. The plane ride is only about 45 minutes.
You can travel independently or book a Tortuguero package that includes roundtrip transportation.
From Liberia, you have to stay a night in San Jose as it is too far to travel (and it’s all the way from one coast to another).
Tourist Friendly
Tortuguero receives a good chunk of visitors (mostly Europeans) and is getting more tourist friendly. The small village just put in the first ATM and there are more hotel options.
We always say that Tortuguero is an excellent first destination in Costa Rica because it’s such a lush, rainforest. It gives the best first impression and what people expect of Costa Rica – just nature, jungle and wildlife.
This area is quite small though so most people stay 1-3 nights in Tortuguero.
Best Things to Do
- Turtle tour: Tortuguero is the best site in Costa Rica to see Green Turtles and Leatherbacks. May – November are the best times to see nesting turtles and babies.
- Boat ride through the national park: Tortuguero National Park is made up of canals and sandbars, so taking a boat ride or kayaking is a must.
- Hiking: The national park also has several trails for good hiking.
Recommended Hotels
- Evergreen Lodge, Aninga and Pachira: Lodges owned by Pachira that are next to the national park. All have a pool, restaurants, Wi-fi, bars and variety of rooms and bungalows. (Get our Pachira Tortuguero packages discount here!)
- Manatus: Another lodge near the national park. Only hotel with AC.
- Mawamba: Lodge with its own entrance to Tortuguero beach and village.
Jaco
Jaco is must for surf lovers! It’s also very popular with locals since it’s only an hour drive from San Jose. Although it’s known for surfing, there are also plenty of other activities for the non-surfer. It’s not the prettiest beach but it’s ideal for those who like developed areas, convenience and a good night life.
Distance from SJO and LIR airport
- By driving: Jaco is only 1 hour driving from San Jose and about 3 hours from Liberia. Both routes have nicely paved roads that goes through the main highway.
- By bus: Read how to take the bus from San Jose to Jaco in this article. From Liberia, first take a bus to Puntarenas and then a bus to Jaco which departs daily at 4:30, 5:30, 7:30, 9:30, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:30. This route takes 1.5 hours.
- By shuttle: A shared shuttle from San Jose to Jaco is $44, a private is $100.
Tourist friendly
Jaco has everything for tourists: banks, car rental companies, cell phone stores and frequent buses. If you love food, restaurants in Jaco are some of the best in Costa Rica with Argentinean grill, Italian and more. Costa Rica is not famous for their cuisine, but you can eat very well in Jaco. Check out what our favorite restaurants in Jaco are.
Jaco is not quite as family-friendly as other beach towns due to the fact it has a strong sex tourism industry and is well known for a crazy night life. You’ll see many guy groups or bachelor parties going on and there are prostitutes at some hotels and bars.
Best things to do
- Surfing: When it comes to the top activity in Jaco, it’s surfing. This beach is excellent to learn due to its constant waves. Since it’s a very long beach, there are spots for beginners and pros. Take a surf lesson or join a surf camp.
- Rio Tarcoles: This river is only 20 minutes from Jaco and houses one of the biggest populations of American crocodiles in the country. Take a boat ride down the river to see birds and crocodiles up close.
- Waterfall exploring: Outside of Jaco are lots of hills and mountains and within those hills are hidden waterfalls. You can take a tour to explore these waterfalls or go yourself with a 4X4.
There are plenty more activities to do in and around Jaco. Read our post on things to do in Jaco for more ideas.
Recommended hotels
Jaco has everything from hostels on the beach to all inclusives on the beach.
- Croc’s Casino Resort: This new resort has a Las Vegas style casino and is on the north end of Jaco. It’s right on the beach with beautiful views.
- Selina Jaco: Selina on the beach in Jaco with surf lessons, private and shared rooms.
- Hotel Doce Lunas: If you’re looking for a romantic quiet place in Jaco, this is the best for couples. It’s located right outside town in the jungle so it’s very peaceful and surrounded by nature. Only a 2 minute drive to town.
You can also join a surf camp which includes lodging and meals depending on the package. Most of these surf camps are in town such as School of the World, Room2Board and Surfer Factory.
Tamarindo
Tamarindo is a popular American expat town known as “Tama-gringo.” It has a great surfing beach, perfect for beginners. Although very touristic, the beach is beautiful with stunning sunsets. It’s a favorite for families looking for a fun beach and convenience. Not as developed as Jaco but getting there.
Distance from SJO and LIR airport
- By driving: Tamarindo is 1 hour from LIR airport and 4 hours from SJO. Take the Taiwan friendship bridge from San Jose for the fastest route.
- By bus: There are 2 buses from San Jose to Tamarindo. The one that leaves from Calle 14 departs daily at 11:30 by way of Liberia and 15:30 by way of Tempisque. The one that leaves from Calle 20 departs daily at 7:15 and 16:00. Both routes take 5.5 hours. From Liberia, the bus leaves at 3:50, 4:30, 5:15, 6:10, 7:30, 9, 10. 11, 13:00, 14:00, 16:00, 17:00 and 18:00 which takes 1.5 hours.
- By flying: Tamarindo has a local airport. From San Jose it is a 35 minute flight, from Liberia it is 10 minutes.
- By shuttle: A shared shuttle from LIR airport is $20 a person, minimum 2 people. A private is around $65-80 one way.
Tourist friendly
Tamarindo has everything: an airport, car rental companies, hostels, banks, souvenir stores, pharmacies, tour companies and supermarkets. It’s a small enough that you can walk everywhere. They have a good selection of international restaurants – it’s actually harder to find a local soda!
One of the things we’re not big fans of at Tamarindo is parking. Parking is tight and the guachiman (parking guards) aren’t very nice.
Best things to do
- Surfing: Tamarindo’s excellent for learning and there are tons of surf shops.
- Sunset sailing: Sail into the ocean on a catamaran, snorkel with some fishies and then come back under a beautiful sunset.
- Estuary boat ride: Take a leisurely boat ride through the Tamarindo estuary for wildlife watching.
There are a bunch of activities outside of Tamarindo such as ziplining, sport fishing and hiking. Read our post for more info on things to do in Tamarindo.
Tamarindo is a party town with several bars and sports bars so if you’re looking for nightlife for young adults in Guanacaste, Tamarindo’s it. But at the same time, it’s also super family friendly with tons of kids specials and mini golf course in town.
Recommended hotels
- Hotel Mar Rey: This budget to mid range hotel is smack dab in the middle of town. It’s just steps from the beach and restaurants.
- Coral Reef Surf Hostel: One of the best hostels in Tamarindo right in town. It’s next to some restaurants and only a 5 minute walk to the beach. Selina also has one in Tamarindo.
- Jardin del Eden: This luxury adult only hotel is perfect for romantic getaways or group trips. Some rooms have balconies with ocean views and the hotel has their own beachfront area.
There are a couple surf camps/vacations in Tamarindo such as Witch’s Rock, Dreamsea and Iguana Surf.
Playas del Coco
Ocean lovers can’t miss the Gulf of Papagayo with its plethora of hidden beaches, excellent fishing and scuba diving. Playas del Coco is the main beach town in the Papagayo area and is also a popular expat town with North American retirees. It used to be a small, sleepy fishing village and now it’s one of the most touristic places in Costa Rica.
Distance from SJO and LIR airport
- By driving: Playas del Coco is 20 minutes from LIR airport and 4 hours from SJO airport. Both routes are fairly straightforward. From San Jose, take the InterAmericana highway through Liberia.
- By bus: From Liberia, there is a bus every hour from 5 to 19:00 which takes one hour. From San Jose, there is one bus that departs 3 times a day at 8, 14:00 and 16:00. It takes about 5 hours.
- By shuttle: From LIR airport, a private shuttle costs $50 for 1-4 people.
Tourist friendly
Coco is extremely tourist friendly as one of the best places in Costa Rica for beaches. It’s only 20 minutes from LIR airport with banks, supermarkets, bars and car rental companies. The only things not so tourist friendly about Coco are restaurants and lodging options. Choices are slim pickings compared other tourist destinations.
This area also lacks water so if you decide to stay in a vacation rental, water outages are common in February, March and April.
If you’re older or retired, you will love Coco as it’s full of retired expats and snowbirds. If you’re a young backpacker looking for other backpackers and a fun party atmosphere, go to Tamarindo. You won’t find a ton of that in Coco.
Best things to do
- Fishing: Coco used to be a small fishing village so if you love fishing, you’ve picked the right destination. You can go kayak fishing, in shore fishing and deep sea fishing.
- Boating/beach hopping: The Gulf of Papagayo has some of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica but many are only accessible by boat. Go boating in Playas del Coco to discover these gems.
- Scuba diving: There are several islands out in the Gulf with excellent scuba diving. One of them is only a 20 minute boat ride from Coco!
Recommended hotels
Despite being so touristic, Coco’s lodging options are disappointingly few. There aren’t really any hostels in town and thre’s not a great variety of lodging.
- Toro Blanco: This is a nice hotel that’s a one minute walk to the beach and town. Mid range, comes with an equipped kitchenette, swim up bar and pool with pretty lights.
- Hotel Chantel. Located up in the hills, has ocean views all around. Boutique hotel, mid to high range
- Villa Buena Onda: Adult only luxury boutique hotel with amazing ocean views.
- Laura’s House Bed and breakfast. Small B&B, two minute walk to the beach and five to town. One of the best budget options.
- Hotel M&M. On the beach and has a hostel-like atmosphere, rooms don’t have AC.
Dominical and Uvita
These two small beach towns are in the south central Pacific and close enough that you can stay in either place and enjoy both destinations. This area is famous for the national park and the many beautiful natural attractions.
They’re less touristic than Guanacaste so perfect for those who don’t like touristy places or crowds. There aren’t any white sand beaches down in the South Pacific and the snorkeling is not as good, except for Cano Island.
Distance from SJO and LIR airport
- By driving: From San Jose, Dominical and Uvita are about 3.5 hours depending which route you take. From Liberia, it takes about 5.5 hours.
- By bus: From San Jose, there is a bus to Dominical and Uvita at 6 and 15:00 everyday that takes 7 hours. From Liberia, it’s easiest to take the bus to San Jose and then to Dominical. You’ll need to plan times accordingly.
- By flying: The closest airport is in San Isidro de General with Sansa Air and then you’ll have to drive 1 hour to Dominical. You can also fly into Quepos and drive about 30-40 minutes to Dominical/Uvita.
Tourist friendly
Dominical and Uvita has, albeit not much, everything for tourists: supermarkets, banks, tour companies, hostels and international restaurants. They are tourist friendly in the sense that the main road is very nice and there is plenty to do, however it is hard to get around if you don’t have a car.
Dominical and Uvita are only 12 miles apart but public transportation in this area is not the best. If you want to explore the area and don’t have a car, you’ll have to hire a 4X4 taxi as many roads in this area require one.
There are actually several very good international restaurants but some like Jolly Roger require a 4X4. Most the banks and big supermarkets are outside Dominical and Uvita town.
If you don’t have a car, I highly recommend finding a hotel that is in town. They can help you book tours, get a taxi and meet other travelers. You’ll also be close to the beach.
Best things to do
- Marino Ballena National Park: This huge national park is famous for its beautiful beaches enveloped by a lush jungle and a unique rock formation in the shape of a whale’s tail.
- Nauyaca waterfalls: The most popular waterfall in the area. It’s a 4 kilometer hike to the fall on a private property. You can swim in the pool and jump off the rocks!
- Cano Island: Go snorkeling or scuba diving at Cano Island, a refuge that is full of marine wildlife. Snorkel or dive with turtles, dolphins, huge schools of fish and rays.
- Whale watching: This area is one of the best in Costa Rica for humpback whale watching which occurs nearly all year round.
- Surf at Playa Dominical: Dominical is a popular surfing beach with waves suitable for beginners.
Here are some more ideas of things to do in Dominical and Uvita.
Recommended hotels
Hotels are few in this area but what lacks in quantity makes up for in quality. You can find hotels with stunning ocean and jungle views, glamping tents, beautiful hostels and cabinas.
- Manoas: They have glamping tents and villas/apartment rentals. 4X4 required but it’s only 2kilometers from Uvita town in the jungle. Click here to read our review and get 10% off your booking.
- Cool Vibes Hostel in Dominical: Right in front of the beach and next to restaurants and bars. Gets a bit noisy during full moon parties and Envision.
- Oxygen Jungle Villas: A beautiful resort up in the mountains with individual glass bungalows, a stunning infinity pool with ocean view and on-site waterfall trail. Get 15% off your booking.
- Flutterby House in Uvita: Right behind the Marino Ballena National Park, more like a hostel and has a bar and restaurant, hammocks and surfboard rentals. Super relaxed and chill atmosphere.
Puerto Viejo
Known for its laid back, chill Caribbean vibes, Puerto Viejo is a destination unlike any other in Costa Rica. With pristine white sand beaches with crystal clear water, it’s a favorite for snorkeling and a relaxing beach vacation. Combine that with common sloth sightings, unique dishes and friendly locals, Puerto Viejo finds its way into every visitor’s heart.
Distance from SJO and LIR airport
- By driving: It’s about 4-4.5 hours from San Jose and 8 hours from Liberia. This road goes through a national park and is fairly straightforward.
- By bus: There is one bus from San Jose that leaves daily at 6, 10, 14:00 and 16:00 which takes around 4.5 hours. From Liberia, it is best to bus to San Jose and then take the bus to Puerto Viejo.
- By flying: The closest airport is Limon. You can fly from San Jose to Liberia and then take the bus from Limon to PV, every day from 5 AM – 18:00 or take a shuttle.
- By shuttle: A shared shuttle is $54, a private is around $220.
Tourist friendly
Puerto Viejo town is small, but has everything for tourists. It’s the only and best place in Costa Rica to experience the Caribbean. If you venture outside of town or stay in a hotel at the neighboring beaches, you’ll have to go to town for those services.
The entire Puerto Viejo area and the small barrios can be easily explored by foot or bicycle. One thing tourists should note is that this area doesn’t adhere to a strict rainy-dry season. It can rain all year long with August to October as the driest months.
Best things to do
- Explore the beaches: Some of Costa Rica’s most beautiful beaches are near Puerto Viejo. Check out Cocles, Punta Uva, Negra or Chiquita.
- Eat: Costa Rican Caribbean cuisine is completely different than the rest of the country. Indulge in rice and beans, pati and other unique dishes.
- Cahuita National Park: Visit this national park to see wildlife and hike.
- Jaguar Rescue Center: If you want to get up close with animals such as jaguars, sloths and toucans, head to the Jaguar Rescue Center. They take in injured animals and rehabilitate them.
Read about other things to do in Puerto Viejo here.
Recommended hotels
- Hotel Banana Azul: Located in Playa Negra, Hotel Banana Azul has a beautiful property with a beach club, gardens and ponds and a delicious on-site restaurant.
- TreeHouses lodge: 5 luxury treehouses on Punta Uva.
- Hostel Kinkaju: This hostel is only 100 meters away from Puerto Viejo town so it’s close to restaurants, shops and the beach. It has a common kitchen area and terrace along with a 4 bed room for families. Playa 506 and Selina are two other good hostels.
- Villas del Caribe: This hotel is on Playa Chiquita. They have a pool and rooms are big enough for families with AC. About a 5 minute drive to town.
Puerto Jimenez
This town in the Osa Peninsula is perfect for those who want to explore one of the most bio-diverse places in the world, Corcovado National Park. It’s close to a beach and is an excellent home base for the South Pacific.
Distance from SJO and LIR airport
- By driving: From SJO airport, Puerto Jimenez is about 6 hours. From Liberia, it is about 8-10 hours depending which route you take.
- By bus: From San Jose, there is a bus from Calle 14 that departs at 8 and 12. This takes 8 hours. From Liberia, it’s best to bus first to San Jose and then take the bus to Puerto Jimenez. You have to split it into two days though.
- By flying: Puerto Jimenez has a local airport which Sansa, Aerobell and Skyway flies to. A direct flight from San Jose airport is about 40 minutes.
- By shuttle: A shared shuttle from San Jose is $89 and a private can be around $500.
Tourist friendly
Many tourists use Puerto Jimenez as the home base in Osa Peninsula or as stopover for those who plan to hike Corcovado National Park. You can find all the services in town that you won’t in other places in the Osa Peninsula.
This is also where you can find naturalist guides to hire for Corcovado, hardware stores for equipment, pharmacies and car rental companies.
Best things to do
- Corcovado National Park: There are a few ranger stations near Puerto Jimenez so you can take a tour or go on your own.
- Matapalo: Matapalo is the southern most tip of the Peninsula and you can take a day trip there to hike, go wildlife watching or surf.
- See dolphins: Take a boat ride around the Golfito Bay to see huge groups of dolphins.
Turtles also come to this area during certain times of the year to lay their eggs. If you’re there during right time of year, you can take a turtle watching tour. Bird watching is also excellent.
Recommended hotels
There aren’t a ton of hotels in Puerto Jimenez and there isn’t much in between high end and budget.
- Iguana Lodge: This hotel is ideal for those who don’t want to plan very much. They can put together a package for you which includes transportation, tours, dinners and lodging. They also offer yoga, SUP/boogie boards for guests. More on the high-end range.
- Crocodile Bay Resort: Another high end resort that is great for fishing.
San Jose
Excellent location to explore the Central Valley attractions and to experience local Costa Rican life. There is more to San Jose than just the airport! Although it’s not the nicest capital city, there are still some interesting places and is one of the best places to visit in Costa Rica to learn about culture and history.
Distance from LIR airport
- By driving: From Liberia airport, it’s about a 4 hour drive.
- By bus: There is a bus from Liberia to San Jose everyday at 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00 and 20:00. This takes about 4.5 hours.
- By flying: You can take a local flight to San Jose from all the other local airports.
- By shuttle: A shared shuttle from Guanacaste to San Jose is $54 and a private is around $250.
Tourist friendly
Being the capital city, San Jose has absolutely everything for tourists. The only thing I’d say is not quite tourist friendly is the driving. It’s a bit crazy!
Best things to do
- National theater: The national theater is the most beautiful building in Costa Rica. They hold plays and orchestras and you can tour it during the day.
- Museums: The Gold Museum and Costa Rican Center of Science and Culture are two excellent museums.
- San Jose city tour: Learn more about the capital city on this informative guided city tour.
- Coffee tour: Coffee is readily grown in the outskirts of the Central Valley and you can take a tour to learn how Costa Rica processes their coffee.
Read our San Jose travel guide and post about day trips from San Jose. (We have a partnership with Expediciones Tropicales to give small discounts on San Jose day tours. Please click here to get it!)
Recommended hotels
Most hotels in San Jose are perfect for a home base and the airport.
- Adventure Inn: A cozy boutique inn with a gym, office area and restaurant. The furnishings and decorations are some of the most Costa Rican inspired I’ve seen. Get 10% off your booking in the link!
- Gran Hotel: This hotel is excellent for a home base in downtown San Jose. You’re close to all the attractions and walking distance to pretty much everything.
- Hotel Presidente: Another hotel in downtown San Jose, has a cafe/bar with a great view of the Avenue, perfect for people watching.
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Bobi Jo says
Hello. After reading your posts and articles, I have decided my family would really love Arenal/La fortuna and Manuel Antonio. We’d like to spend 3 days in each and maybe try to add a day in Monteverde. If we fly in to San Jose we will rent a car but where should we start? Is this a plausible vacation or did I over stretch it? Thanks for your assistance.
Sammi says
Hi Bobi, you can even do a day trip to Monteverde from La Fortuna or stop by for one or two nights in Monteverde but it does depend on how long you have. You can definitely rent a car from San Jose. You can read our tips here: Costa Rica car rental tips and we also have a car rental discount you can get here: Costa Rica car rental discount
Sylvia Capello Mraz says
Hi Sammy,
My husband and I will be traveling with our boys (24,21 yrs ) and one will be bringing his girlfriend. We will be staying Jan3-11 at Sol de Mar in Playa Hermosa- Guanacaste,CR.
We are able to rent a car if needed. Any suggestions on activites? We like fishing, nice beaches, hiking, snorkeling. Any suggestions are very much appreciated! We are looking forward to visiting your county. My husband and I are considering moving there for a few years when we retire in a few years. Thank you for your help! I am enjoying reading your website for suggestions!
Sammi says
Hi Sylvia, here is our post on the best day trips from Coco/Hermosa area: day trips from Playas del Coco
Our favorites if you want to see beaches, fishing/snorkeling is the private boating tour around the Gulf of Papagayo. It’s really the only way to get the best experience of the area since many of the beaches are boat access only and you’ll see that Hermosa is not that nice with black sand and dark water. You can find white sand beaches with clear water by taking a boat ride around the Gulf and you can also go trolling/inshore fishing. Our friend Marcy runs private boat tours you can read more here: Boating in Playas del Coco
Tiffanie Story says
Hello!
My husband and I are traveling to Costa Rica on August 6th and will be there for 8 days.
I am an absolute animal lover and would like to do as many outdoor adventures as possible. My husband and i aren’t into the party scene and would prefer peace and quiet over loud crowds. We want to go snorkeling, ziplining and hiking while we are there. We will be renting a car. What places would you recommend? My husband has a very stressful job and we want to go and enjoy the beauty of the country and get away from our hectic lives!
Thank you so much!
Tiffanie
Sammi says
Hi guys, I think somewhere like Puerto Viejo or Samara would be nice.
Amy Parrish says
This is the single best source for information on visiting Costa Rica — thank you so much! I have a question about visiting during the Aug. 2 national holiday and pilgrimage to the basilica in Cartago — We have bought our plane tickets to visit for the first time from July 27 – Aug 6. We have friends in San Jose and Cartago that we will be visiting, but also plan to go to Arenal, Manuel Antonio, and the Rio Pacuare rafting trip. Our Cartago friend says all the roads will be closed in Cartago starting a couple days before Aug. 2. We are wondering how much this will affect traffic to/from certain places and whether the other tourist areas will be more crowded or less crowded because of this?
Sammi says
Hi Amy, the only place that is really affected by the pilgrimage is Cartago, it doesn’t affect anywhere else since everyone is going to the basilica in Cartago.
Simone says
Hi! I would love your feedback on a trip we are trying to plan for end of December with kids ages 14,12&7 – for maybe 8 days. Is there one particular place that we can use as our base and just do day excursions or maybe we have to travel to 2 different areas to stay in order to see/do what we want? Our interests are seeing/learning about wildlife, Manuel Antonio, Monteverde, canopy tours/ziplining, arenal/hotsprings, and maybe fit in some surf lessons. Also, are there organizations that would allow us to do some volunteer work while we are there something along the lines of wildlife preservation? Someone recommended the Los Seunos Marriott resort in Jaco but I don’t think we can use that as a base for everything we want to do??
Sammi says
Hi Simone, you can stay in both Manuel Antonio and Monteverde for your trip, you can do like 3 days in each destination. The surfing in Manuel Antonio is not good for beginners though because waves are very short and fat so they’re best for shortboards so you can do a surf lesson in maybe Jaco or Dominical if you’re beginners. Most wildlife organizations in Costa Rica don’t take one day volunteers they usually require a minimum of a month but you can ask them to see.
whitney navarro says
Hi! I’m trying to plan an itinerary for my friends and my 7 day trip to CR in December and you’re blog was so helpful! I’ve been scared that I might pack too much into one trip or get the wrong information. We are flying into SJO because it is cheaper, there are a couple key spots I wanted to fit in but I understand it may not be possible :/ Im not sure if you can help or give some input. Ive been considering transportation that would make it possible to save time and enjoy all the spots we want such as car rental, domestic flights, and ferry’s. Im interest in going to Tamarindo definitely, Montezuma, Tortuga Islands, Arenal. We are all adventurers but at the same time love beautiful beaches and relaxing (We’re from Miami). So were looking for waterfalls, hiking, beaches, animals, nightlife (We’re 24). Also, I can’t find domestic flight prices, I’m assuming I would have to buy it when we land there? Any input would really, really help! Thank You so much!
Sammi says
Hi Whitney! I’m glad the blog has been helpful. Regarding your itinerary, that’s definitely way too hectic for only 7 days. San Jose to Tamarindo is about a 4-5 hour drive and pretty far from the other places (Montezuma and Arenal). I would stick to just Montezuma and Arenal or just Tamarindo and Arenal so you can really get to enjoy both places and not just spend 1 day in each place. You could do day 1 San Jose, Day 2 La Fortuna, Day 3, La Fortuna, Day 4 Tamarindo Day 5 Tamarindo Day 6 Tamarindo Day 7 San Jose. If you fly, that will save a ton of time and will be best because San Jose to La Fortuna is about 4 hours, La Fortuna to Tamarindo is about 4 and Tamarindo to San Jose is about 4-5 hours driving.
For domestic flights, Sansa and Nature are the two airlines. I believe Nature is pending operations at the moment but Sansa should have their flight schedules up already. There is only a local airport to Arenal however from San Jose. Montezuma doesn’t have one so it will be easier to go to Tamarindo since it has a local airport.
For Tortuga Island, you can only do a one day trip which you can do from San Jose. (We actually have a $10 discount on the Tortuga Island cruise from San Jose you can read here: Tortuga Island day cruise
Lakita says
Hello,
Thank you so much for this site, it has really saved me 🙂
We are visiting Costa Rica for 3 weeks in August and plan to go to Quepos, Puerto Viejo, and perhaps Monte Verde. Can you share what the best order might be to visit each? Also is one place better than another for staying the majority of the time (i.e. 10-12 days and then shorter stays at the other two)? Thank you in advance for your help!
Sammi says
Hi Lakita, if you’re landing in San Jose, I recommend doing Puerto Viejo first, then back to San Jose for one night, then Monteverde and down to Quepos. Monteverde is good for about 2-3 days unless you want to spend more time in the mountains since you’ll get a lot of beach at Quepos and Puerto Viejo.
Drea says
Stumbled on your page from Pinterest! I’m looking to travel with my spouse and 3 year old. Any areas that you think we should definitely stay that would make sense and be easier with a toddler?
Sammi says
Hi Drea, I would go somewhere that is easy to get to (paved roads) and has a main town with everything (pharmacies, clinics, supermarkets, banks, etc.) Depending on if you want to go to the beach or mountains and how you’re getting around, some good places are Playas del Coco, Arenal, the Central Valley cities, Grecia, Tamarindo, Playa Panama and Manuel Antonio.
Wanda Garner says
Can you fly (for a reasonable amount !) from San Jose to Liberia ? We will be there toward the end of Feb. 2018.
Love your blog !! Great info !!
Sammi says
Hi Wanda, I just checked Sansa and it costs $113 one way for San Jose to Liberia. Flying on the local airlines is pretty expensive but it does save a ton of time.
Cindy Sandler says
I will be in Costa Rica for 2 months, I really want to experience the country, but not as a vacationer. My granddaughter is 10 and I want her to learn the culture as much as the beauty. Where are the area’s that would be more cultural than tourist destinations?
I want her to experience the people as well as the food and wildlife. We will be in Puerto Viejo Talamanca for 1 month and Tortugero for another month. Also what is the best way to get to Tortugero from San Jose? We’ll have a rental car the 1st month.
Sammi says
Hi Cindy, from San Jose to Tortuguero you will need to drive to La Pavona dock and they have a parking lot there you can leave your car. Then from La Pavona dock, it’s about a 1-1.5 hour boat ride to Tortuguero. You can read more about how to get to Tortuguero in this post: https://mytanfeet.com/costa-rica-national-park/tortuguero-national-park/
Honestly one month in Tortuguero is really really long. The town is teeny tiny, there isn’t an ATM and you’ll be “stuck” there in a sense since you can only get there by boat. Most people only stay there for 1-3 nights since there isn’t a whole lot to do after the national park.
The best place for her to learn about culture is actually in the Central Valley like San Jose, Heredia, Cartago and Alajuela province and the small local towns are a great way to experience the culture. More than 1 million Costa Ricans live and work in this area so you will be able to really experience life as a local for a month in that area. Tortuguero isn’t really a place to learn a lot about COsta Rican culture, it’s more for nature and wildlife since the town is super small and relies on tourism.
Puerto Viejo is a nice area but the culture there is a lot different from the rest of Costa Rica and you will actually see more foreigners in Puerto Viejo than anything else since it’s very touristy and filled with immigrants and expats from all over the world. There is nothing wrong with that and Puerto Viejo is a huge melting pot, but if you want her to experience the real Tico lifestyle and culture, there are some better places.
I actually recommend going to the small local towns in the Central Valley like I mentioned before like Santa Barbara de Heredia, Zarcero, Sarchi, Poasito, Cartago, San Ramon, Orotina, as those aren’t as touristic and you can really experience Costa Rican culture there.
Erika says
Hi!
We are planning a vacation to CR next summer. We have four kids age 8-15. We want a beach that will be safe for them to swim, boogie board, etc. One that doesn’t have huge rocks in the water or waves that are unsafe for kids.
Thank you!
Sammi says
Guanacaste has some great beaches for families since the coastline has a lot of bays so many of the beaches have super calm water. I wrote a post about the best beaches in Guanacaste with a section for families you can read about here: https://mytanfeet.com/costa-rica-beach-information/the-best-beaches-in-guanacaste-costa-rica/
Angel says
HI!
I am taking an 8 day trip to CR and I was wondering if you had any tips for traveling and making the most of my trip.
I am there for 8 days and I wanted to go from SJO to the Caribbean side (as I live in San Diego on the pacific) 🙂 any recomendations on some light and relaxing activities?
Thanks
Sammi says
Hi Angel, we have a ton of tips here: Costa Rica travel tips. but for the Caribbean, I recommend going to Puerto Viejo. It’s the main tourist town on the Caribbean side. It is a party town but it has a ton of gorgeous beaches so you can relax at the beach, go snorkeling or rent a bike and ride around the beaches. Definitely visit Cahuita National Park!
Michelle says
I’m in San Ramon now working. I plan to go to La Fortuna Saturday for the hot springs and zip lining. Do you recommend a second day there? I was thinking about visiting Puntarenas. Thoughts? I only have Sunday for the other option since I have to return to work Monday.
Sammi says
You can do a second day if you’re interested in seeing some more sights or doing another adventure like canyoning/white water rafting or hiking the volcano. But if not then ziplining and hot springs is a pretty fun day though I do highly recommend staying a second day there to enjoy the area more.
Lee says
We are going to Costa Rica for the first time and staying near Quepos. Which of the recommendations would you suggest for a family to do? Thanks in advance. Don’t want to try to do too much and don’t know how far each one is from Quepos.
Sammi says
Hi Lee, it depends on how you plan to get around Costa Rica. If you’re purely using the bus, then I recommend visiting areas that are easy to get to by bus from Quepos which luckily has routes to a lot of touristic places that are easy to get around without a car like Jaco, Puntarenas, San JOse. Or if you want to book shuttles, you can do that too and go to further destinations. And if you’re renting a car, that’s the best way to get around with the most flexibility and freedom and you can drive all the way up to the North pacific if you want or even all the way down to the Osa Peninsula. We have a car rental partnership to give discounts you can check here: Costa Rica car rental discount
It also depends on what your family is looking to do. I have a post about things to do in Manuel Antonio/Quepos here: Things to do in Manuel Antonio
Some places close by are Jaco, Dominical/Uvita and San Jose. You can check on the map in the post where the different destinations are but I highly recommend deciding how you want to get around first which will greatly determine the destinations to visit. I also put together a 1 week itinerary including Manuel Antonio you may find interesting here: Costa Rica 1 week itinerary
Lucy says
Try Tulemar, they are bungalows in the middle of a rainforest in Quepos. My family love it and want
Johanna says
I’m so happy I found your blog!! My husband and I are going to Costa Rica in July, and your tips have been really helpful! We want to spend the last 4 days of our trip seeing Arenal and Monteverde, but we would like to not have to move hotels in between. Is there a good area to stay in to get to both places? Or do you recommend getting a different hotel for each place? Is it possible to drive from Monteverde to Arenal?
Sammi says
Hi Johanna, you can drive from Monteverde to Arenal, it’s about 3 hours and you need a 4×4. You can take a day trip but it’s worth moving from one place to another so you can experience both. A fun way to go from arenal to Monteverde is by the taxi-boat-taxi if you don’t have a car and that’s about 3 hours and $25 per person.
Sammi says
The closest beaches to San Jose are in Puntarenas, you can go to Caldera which is really popular with locals but it’s not the prettiest beach as it’s a big port. The other beach close to San Jose is Playa Jaco and there is a San Jose bus to Playa Jaco. If you have a car, then you can drive to other beaches in the area like Playa Herradura, Playa Esterillos Oeste, Bejuco, Manta, Etc.). From Arenal and Monteverde, the closest beach is a 3.5 hour drive.
Emily says
Hi!
Your blog is by far the most helpful one I have ever found – thank you for the wealth of information!
We are spending 7 days in Costa Rica from the end of June to the beginning of July. San Jose –> Arenal–> Monteverde–> San Jose. We’d love to see a beach somewhere along the way. In your opinion, is seeing a beach possible with our destinations and time frame? If so, which beach should we go to?
Thank you!
Anuja Rizal says
Are there public busses that go from La Fortuna to Monteverde?
Sammi says
Yes but no direct buses. You can take a bus to Tilaran and then Tilaran to Monteverde. Or take the taxi-boat-taxi by way of Lake Arenal. That’s a lot more fun!
Chris says
Great pointers!
I see the driving and bus time to Puerto Viejo from San Jose are both around 4.5 hours, so I’m thinking to take the bus, but wondering if the bus has AC? Also, since my kid is young and if he needs to go to the bathroom really bad, can I request the bus driver to take a bathroom break? How often does the bus driver take a bathroom break for the passengers?
Thanks.
Sammi says
Hi CHris, the bus makes one stop in Limon for about 20 minutes for bathroom and snack break. Since it’s a long route normally carrying a lot of people, it can’t make stops at requests but it does make one bathroom stop.
Chris says
Thanks for the info, Sammi!
After I arrive at Puerto Viejo, is it easy to get around on foot or bicycle? What about going to Cahuita National Park and Gandoca Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge?
I was thinking of getting a rental car, but saw so many stories about break-in at parking lot, even nothing visible from outside. How can I avoid this ( I will sure take all my belongs out of the rental car once I park)?
Thanks.
Sammi says
Yes! Puerto Viejo is a small town so you can definitely walk around town but to visit the entire area, it’s better to bike. You can rent a bike for around $12 a day and a lot of people bike all the way down from Punta Uva through Cahuita National Park. The Wildlife REfuge is a bit further so having a car would be a lot easier so you can go explore more. Definitely do not leave any valuables in sight, lock your car, roll up your windows and park it in a public area and in a secure parking lot with a guard as much as possible. Unfortunately theft is a big problem in that area so always be aware of your surroundings, have your things close to you and never leave your items, especially any valuables like phone, wallet, hotel room key/car key unattended.
Rosemarie of Migration Expert Canada says
Awesome guide! I also love the photos of each destination. Gotta get my luggage ready and experience Costa Rica!
Tess Andrade says
Hey you guys! It’s my first time in Costa Rica and of course, my luggage didn’t arrive 🙁 I was wondering if you know a cheap places to buy clothes and personal items that do not cost the world in San Jose?
Sammi says
Hey Tess, oh no! I am so sorry to hear that. Honestly for cheap clothes, Walmart is probably the best since everything they have is cheap, and it’s a one stop shop. There’s quite a few in San Jose. I hope you get your luggage soon!
Megan says
I’ve only been to Arenal, which was absolutely amazing and I highly recommend to everyone, but the rest sound great too. Next time I go back to beautiful costa rica I will have to try one of the beach destinations that you recommended.
Sammi says
Arenal is amazing, but yes you should definitely try to visit other parts! The best thing about CR is that it’s small but so diverse
Sammi says
We went in July, so in the middle of rainy season. I definitely would prepare for rain if you go, it may not be as bad as the day we went since May is still the transition or shoulder month from dry to rainy, but I would go prepared just in case. Hopefully you will get a clear day to go! You can read our tips for packing for rainy season here: Rainy season packing list Costa Rica
Michelle Masterton-Smith says
Hi there – we watched your video from Cerro Chato, what time of year was it when you had the rain? We go in May and would lover to do the hike, but i’m a little concerned about the rain!
Really useful blog, thank you!
Michelle
Diana Morrison says
Playa del Coco has great places to stay…one of which was not even listed – Coco Beach Hotel. Continental Fruit Breakfast daily, excellent customer service, and on Main Street where it’s a block walk to every restaurant, shops, and bars! Cheapest to go thru Hotel.com rather than directly hotel. Best location and rates depend on season ,
Sammi says
Yeison stayed there many times a few years ago and didnt have a good stay, glad to hear you had a good experience!
Lily La says
Aww these places all look lovely! I tried to squeeze Costa Rica into my 5 week Americas trip, but I didn’t think it would be worth it – better to spend more time and slow travel the place I think. Soon…
Sammi says
Ohh yes slow travel here would be way better than squeezing it in. BUt I mean there’s soo much to do and see in the Americas already, hopefully you can come back and make a dedicated visit to CR 🙂