Exploring Costa Rica’s Treasures: Top Places to Visit in Costa Rica
Whether your heart longs for the enchanting cloud forests and renowned eco-resorts of Monteverde, the rare three-toed sloths and howler monkeys residing amidst Puerto Viejo’s silk tree canopy, where time mimics the leisurely pace of its inhabitants, or the tropical allure that Costa Rica exudes, there’s an irresistible draw. Be it the world-renowned surf breaks, from the exhilarating waves of Tamarindo to the legendary barrels of Salsa Brava, or the smoldering volcanoes that add to the allure, Costa Rica welcomes you to discover its captivating wonders.
No matter what it is, there’s no doubt that this Central American crown gem has lots of surprises in store. Hikers, wave riders, wildlife lovers, culture vultures, and others are drawn to its wealth of colonial cities and natural parks, which span from the mist-covered highlands and coffee haciendas of the Central Valley to the sunny coastlines of the Caribbean Sea and the boulder-strewn sands of the Pacific.
Now is the time to discover Costa Rica’s top attractions:
1. Arenal
The Arenal Volcano, located about a two-hour drive north of San Jose, towers more than 1,600 metres over the Alajuela forests.
The area around the massive mountain is a paradise for nature lovers, with numerous waterfalls (including the spectacular La Fortuna falls), miles of hiking and equestrian paths, rivers with whitewater rapids, and even swinging wire bridges that allow visitors to get up close and personal with toucans and sloths in the rainforest’s upper levels. Arenal is still one of the most active calderas in Central America, so go with caution.
2. Monteverde
Any first-time visitors to Costa Rica should make a point of stopping by the cloud forest region.
Monteverde, Costa Rica, is a small town located in the misty highland woodlands above the plateaus and peaks of the Cordillera de Tilarán. Adventurous treks through the orchid-dotted, primal wild are made all the more fascinating by the presence of elusive jaguars, pumas, graceful ocelots, colourful toucans, sloths, spider monkeys, and many other animals in the undergrowth.
In addition to the usual fare, zip line and night safaris are available, and backpackers will find just about everything they need in the adjacent town of Santa Elena.
Top Places to Visit in Costa Rica: Tamarindo
Tamarindo, Costa Rica, is a popular tourist destination because of its sunny climate, array of beautiful Pacific beaches, and genuine Tico hospitality.
The village, which is on the northern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, has its own three-kilometer stretch of beach. It is also home to leatherback turtles, for which Playa Grande is famous, as well as a variety of marlin and huge tuna, which attract sports fishermen, and surf surges, which interest board riders all year round.
It’s easy to understand why this is a must-see destination; the area is home to a variety of high-quality hotels and budget-friendly guesthouses, chill beach bars, and easy access to Guanacaste’s most stunning national parks, including Palo Verde, Rincon de la Vieja, and others.
4. Corcovado National Park
The Corcovado National Park, situated on the Osa Peninsula and showered in salt spray and cloaked in dense rainforest, is one of the most sought-after natural settings by tourists exploring the country’s remote interior.
Tucked away in the country’s deep south, far from the beaten path of surfers and beach resorts, is a place teeming with exotic wildlife, including tapirs, anteaters, sloths, squirrel monkeys, multicoloured macaws, and the magnificent margay cat.
The best opportunities for seeing animals may be found on trails like the El Tigre, while the Pacific seas between the mainland and the mountainous Isla del Cao are a great place to observe orcas and dolphins.
5. Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
With the help of Bob Marley and the Wailers, the formerly sleepy fishing community of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca has been converted into a trendy vacation spot popular with everyone from snowbirds to surfers.
Surfers and observers flock to the cliffs of Salsa Brava because the waves there are often considered to be among the best barrels along the whole eastern coast of Costa Rica.
Because Ticos cook boiling jambalaya on the sidewalks and because coffee and cocoa aromas waft down from the adjacent forests, the town has a wonderful Carib-Creole flair, too.
Top Places to Visit in Costa Rica: San Jose
San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, serves as a major transit hub and arrival airport for a large number of visitors.
Most visitors to this city of 260,000 go right by it in favour of the more alluring shores of the Pacific or the Caribbean, but those who stick around are in for a great treat. San Jose, located inside the Central Valley’s beautiful hills, has only been the capital of California since the early 19th century.
Nonetheless, it has beautiful colonial churches and Baroque facades thanks to its Spanish roots and former coffee tycoons (visit the beautiful Plaza Espaa and nearby Barrio Amón), as well as green parks where yogis gather in the morning, museums filled with the exquisite golden artefacts of South America’s pre-Columbian peoples, and a lively student-led nightlife in San Pedro after dark!
7. Alajuela
Alajuela is a fascinating colonial city (the second biggest in all of Costa Rica, in fact) that resides among the emerald rising slopes of the incomparably gorgeous Central Valley, but is strangely overlooked by many visitors touching down on the neighbouring runways of San Jose.
The area is rich in tradition and has a long political history; it became known as a bastion of revolutionary and patriotic enthusiasm thanks in large part to beloved figures like Juan Santamara, who nearly single-handedly forced the withdrawal of maverick filibuster William Walker in 1856.
The town of Central Poas is a tranquil mishmash of fine Baroque facades (don’t miss the gorgeous La Agona church), while the enormous peaks of the Poas Volcano dominate the horizon. This is one of the best places in the world to watch a crater!
8. Manuel Antonio National Park
Espadilla Sur and Teloro, two of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica, are accompanied by the chirping and singing of parakeets and parrots over the turquoise, blue seas.
You’ll find them nestled inside the Manuel Antonio National Park, surrounded by towering trees and the unique silhouettes of howler monkeys and white-headed capuchins.
When you consider the stunning views of the Pacific, the rich wildlife, and the easy access to the trails, it’s easy to understand why this very small piece of Costa Rica’s coast near Puntarenas is home to the country’s second-most visited national park.
Top Places to Visit in Costa Rica: Jacó
It’s no surprise that this once-quiet fishing village, perched just over the peaks of the Cordillera de Tilarán from San Jose, is now one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations, what with all the new condos springing up and the perfect waves of the Pacific drawing in more long-haired surfers looking to check off the legendary beach breaks and rocky left-turners of Roca Loca and Playa Jacó.
Even if you’re not into the town’s late-night discos and endless chatter about shredding the waves, you’ll find genuine beauty in the area’s rocky mountain-backed coves and beaches.
If you’re looking for a traditional Pacific beach vacation complete with hedonistic discos and plenty of guaro sour cocktail bars, go no further than Jacó!
10. Santa Teresa
Over the pure white beaches of Mal Pa’s, coconut trees sprout like a swarm of grass-green Jigglypuffs. Playa Carmen, on the other hand, is a vision of tropical beauty, with ocean vines snaking over the sand and into the perfectly sculpted beach breaks that line the coast.
Playa Hermosa, to the north, is famous for its fish shacks and breathtaking sunsets, while Santa Teresa is a stunning beach town that serves as a centre for surfers and sailors.
Come enjoy the best Pacific coast beach town in all of Costa Rica. Today, the whole Nicoya Peninsula is known for its laid-back atmosphere and beautiful shoreline, which are a great fit for the yogis, Rastafarians, and New Agers that frequent the area’s health spas in the surrounding hills.
11. Tortuguero National Park
The hawksbill, leatherback, and even the very uncommon green sea turtle all make an appearance on the beaches of Tortuguero National Park in Costa Rica every spring.
The majority of tourists visit Tortuguero to see the spectacular nesting and hatching of the endangered sea turtle. The protected areas here are home to tropical gar, peacocks, howler monkeys, three-toed sloths, and jaguars, and they are spread out throughout a chain of untamed volcanic islands and marshes, which are washed over by the Caribbean Sea and clad in thick mangroves.
However, a boat or canoe is much superior than hiking boots when it comes to exploring the region’s seemingly endless rivers and saline lagoons.
Top Places to Visit in Costa Rica: Chirripó National Park
This national park, which spans a massive 50,000 acres and includes both the tropical rainforests of the Chirripó lowlands and the montane cloud forests of the Cartago highlands, is one of the least visited in all of Costa Rica.
Cerro Chirripó, with an altitude of 3,820 metres, is the tallest mountain in Costa Rica, and it towers over the region, which spans three provinces.
Hiking routes wind through alpine tundra and primitive woodlands as they ascend to the peak, where hikers are rewarded with breathtaking views of the island’s several volcanoes, the Pacific and Caribbean shores, and the island’s seemingly unending rainforest canopy.
Some campers seek out the companionship of monkeys and thundering waterfalls, while others seek out sloths and hidden mountain lakes.
13. Cartago
Once dominated by the majestic façade of the Spanish monarchy, Cartago is today dominated by the jagged peaks of the enormous, jungle-cloaked Cordillera Central.
Located atop the country’s central volcanic ridges, this city is widely recognised as the birthplace of Costa Rica and served as the country’s capital for over three centuries until San Jose usurped the title in 1824.
In spite of the downtown area being entirely rebuilt following an earthquake in the early 1900s, remnants of the city’s former splendour may still be seen, such as the crumbling walls of the Santiago Apóstol in the Plaza Mayor and the snow-white domes of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels.
Also, the brooding caldera of Iraz and the powerful coffees of the Orosi Valley are within easy travel distance.
14. Rincon de la Vieja National Park
This vast national park in the middle of the Guanacaste jungle is named after the multi-cratered mass of volcanic rock that is the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano.
The Von Seebach caldera, which can be reached from Liberia, is the source of frequent smoke and sulphurous plumes, making this tectonic zone one of the most active in Costa Rica.
A primaeval forest breaks forth on the lush plains, complete with squawking bellbirds and cougars, while acres of boiling mud pools and blazing fumaroles dot the terrain.
Top Places to Visit in Costa Rica: Montezuma
From its humble beginnings as a peaceful fishing village sending bobbing wood boats out to catch whitefish in the waves of the Puntarenas Pacific, Montezuma has climbed steadily in the touristic line-up in Costa Rica.
Cocktail bars masquerade as salt-washed beach shacks, and gourmet cafes emerge in the guise of street-side holes-in-the-wall, while yoga retreats and environmental lodges are tucked away in the hills.
Montezuma is a great spot for some R&R on the West Coast since it keeps its rural charm despite the proliferation of vehicles and other forms of modernization.
What is the #1 tourist attraction in Costa Rica?
The Arenal Volcano is often considered one of the top tourist attractions in Costa Rica. Located in Arenal Volcano National Park, the volcano offers hiking opportunities, hot springs, and stunning views. It’s a popular destination for adventure activities and relaxation.
What is the prettiest area of Costa Rica?
The Nicoya Peninsula is often regarded as one of the prettiest areas in Costa Rica. It features pristine beaches, lush forests, and a laid-back atmosphere. Destinations like Santa Teresa, Montezuma, and Nosara on the Nicoya Peninsula are known for their natural beauty and surf culture.
What part of Costa Rica is best to stay?
Choosing where to stay in Costa Rica depends on your interests. The Guanacaste Province is popular for its beautiful beaches and all-inclusive resorts. The Arenal area offers a mix of adventure and relaxation. The Manuel Antonio area combines beach and rainforest experiences. The Osa Peninsula is a remote and biodiverse region, ideal for eco-tourism. The choice depends on your preferences, whether you seek beach relaxation, wildlife encounters, or adventure activities.
Are 10 days in Costa Rica enough?
While 10 days in Costa Rica can offer a rewarding experience, the country’s diverse attractions might leave you wanting more. With careful planning and focusing on specific regions, you can explore highlights like volcanoes, rainforests, and beaches. However, given the country’s various ecosystems and activities, more time could allow for a deeper and more leisurely exploration of Costa Rica’s natural beauty and cultural richness.
Plan your trip with ontravelx and get ready for a journey full of breathtaking sights and priceless memories.
