5 Best Places to Visit in Costa Rica: Beaches to Volcanoes

If it’s your first trip, five places cover the best of Costa Rica. Arenal and La Fortuna have the volcano, waterfalls and hot springs. Monteverde has the cloud forest and hanging bridges. Manuel Antonio puts wildlife and beaches in one national park. Guanacaste has the driest weather and easy beach towns such as Tamarindo. Tortuguero, on the Caribbean canals, is the place for sea turtles. On a 7- to 10-day trip, pick two or three; trying to see all five usually means more time in a van than outside. The classic first-timer route is Arenal, then Monteverde, then a Pacific beach.

This guide is for travelers deciding where to go in Costa Rica. It covers what each destination is best for, who should skip it, travel times from the airports, and sample routes that combine them.

Destination	Best for	From the airport
Arenal and La Fortuna	Volcano views, hot springs, waterfalls, adventure	About 3 hours from SJO
Monteverde	Cloud forest, hanging bridges, birds, night walks	About 3 hours from SJO
Manuel Antonio	Wildlife and beaches in one park	About 3 hours from SJO
Guanacaste (Tamarindo and nearby)	Dry-season sun, surf, beach towns	About 1 hour from LIR
Tortuguero	Sea turtles, canals, wildlife by boat	Road plus boat, or a small plane

Top 5

The Best Places to Visit in Costa Rica

1. Arenal and La Fortuna

The town of La Fortuna sits at the foot of Arenal Volcano, the cone-shaped peak on most Costa Rica postcards. It’s the country’s busiest adventure base, with something to do in any weather.

• Don’t miss: La Fortuna Waterfall, a 70-meter drop reached by about 530 steps; hikes on the old lava flows in Arenal Volcano National Park; hanging bridges; and an evening soak in the area’s hot springs.
• Good for: first-timers, families and anyone who wants a lot of activities in one place.
• Know before you go: clouds often hide the volcano’s top, especially in the afternoon. Mornings and the dry season give the best odds.

2. Monteverde

High in the Tilarán Mountains, Monteverde is cool, misty and green, with a different set of plants and birds than the lowlands. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve has protected this forest since 1972, and the Santa Elena and Curi-Cancha reserves nearby are smaller and often quieter.

• Don’t miss: an early guided walk in one of the reserves, hanging bridges above the canopy, a guided night walk and the long ziplines.
• Good for: birders, hikers and travelers who want a break from the heat.
• Know before you go: bring a warm layer and rain gear. The main road in from the Inter-American Highway is paved, but other approaches are rough.

3. Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio National Park is small, but it packs rainforest trails and swimming beaches into one walkable area, with sloths, monkeys and coatis often seen along the paths. The town of Quepos and the hillside road above the park have hotels at every price level.

• Don’t miss: a guided morning walk in the park, then time on Playa Manuel Antonio inside the park.
• Good for: families and travelers who want wildlife and beach in the same day.
• Know before you go: tickets are sold online only, and the park is closed on Tuesdays. Go early; it gets busy.

4. Guanacaste: Tamarindo and the Northern Beaches

Guanacaste, in the northwest, is the driest and sunniest part of the country, and its beaches are the easiest to reach from Liberia airport. Tamarindo is the busiest beach town, with surf schools, restaurants and nightlife. Playa Conchal, Flamingo and Playa Grande are nearby, and Playa Grande is a nesting beach for leatherback turtles, now rarely seen.

• Good for: beach time, beginner surfing and short trips that fly in and out of Liberia.
• Skip it if: you want rainforest wildlife on your doorstep; Guanacaste is dry forest, brown in the dry season.
• Quieter alternatives: the Nicoya Peninsula beaches of Santa Teresa, Sámara and Nosara. See our guide to the Nicoya Blue Zone.

5. Tortuguero

Tortuguero, on the northern Caribbean coast, is a village and national park reached only by boat or small plane. Days are spent on guided canoe and boat tours through the canals, looking for caimans, monkeys, sloths and river birds. From about July to October, green turtles nest on the beach, and guided night tours let you watch.

• Good for: wildlife lovers and anyone timing a trip for turtle season.
• Skip it if: you want beach swimming; the surf here is rough.
• Know before you go: most visitors go on a 2- or 3-night package with transport and tours included. See how to get to Tortuguero.

More

Other Costa Rica Destinations Worth Considering

• Osa Peninsula and Corcovado: the most remote and wildlife-rich corner of the country, best for a second trip or for experienced travelers.
• Puerto Viejo and Cahuita: the southern Caribbean coast, with Afro-Caribbean food and culture, reefs and a relaxed pace.
• Río Celeste: a sky-blue river and waterfall in Tenorio Volcano National Park, an easy add-on between Arenal and Guanacaste.
• San José: most international flights land nearby, and a day or two gives you the National Museum, the National Theater and the Central Market.

Routes

How to Combine Costa Rica’s Top Destinations

Trip length	Sample route
7 days	Arenal (3 nights) → Manuel Antonio or Guanacaste (3 nights)
10 days	Arenal (3) → Monteverde (2) → Manuel Antonio or Guanacaste (4)
14 days	Tortuguero (2) → Arenal (3) → Monteverde (2) → Manuel Antonio (3) → Osa or Guanacaste (3)

• Use both airports. Flying into San José (SJO) and out of Liberia (LIR), or the reverse, avoids backtracking.
• Allow travel time. San José to La Fortuna, Monteverde or Manuel Antonio takes about 3 hours each, and Monteverde to La Fortuna is about 3.5 hours by jeep-boat-jeep.
• Stay at least two nights in each place; one-night stops are mostly packing and driving.
• Getting around: rent a car, or use shuttles or private transfers.

For detailed day-by-day plans, see our 7- and 10-day itineraries.

Timing

Best Time to Visit These Destinations

December to April is the dry season for Guanacaste, Manuel Antonio, Arenal and Monteverde, and the busiest and most expensive time. Tortuguero and the Caribbean coast run on a different calendar, with September and October among their best months. See the best time to visit Costa Rica by region.

Avoid

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Trying to see everything in one week.
• Underestimating drive times. Distances look short on a map, but mountain roads are slow.
• Planning Manuel Antonio for a Tuesday, when the park is closed.
• Expecting rainforest in Guanacaste or swimming beaches in Tortuguero.
• Skipping the warm layer for Monteverde.

FAQ

Best Places to Visit in Costa Rica: FAQ