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Costa Rica's breathtakingly diversified geography — lush forests, animal reserves, and tropical beaches – has something to offer any tourist, regardless of their interests. There's something for everyone in this paradise, whether you're looking for sun, wildlife, or adventure. To help you navigate the multitude of natural beauties that Costa Rica has to offer, consider signing up for one of the country's most fantastic tours, which can be found here.
Its impressive natural beauty and commitment to sustainability make Costa Rica a must-see for every traveler. Take a look at these 10 things to do in Costa Rica.
1. Start by getting in touch with your eco-friendly side.
Costa Rica is undoubtedly the world's most popular ecotourism destination, home to an estimated 6% of its plant and animal species, making it the most diverse.
National parks and reserves cover 28 percent of the country's landmass. Much of the country's tourism industry is based on a sustainable ethos – from stunning eco-lodges to environmentally friendly tours to programs that help you offset the carbon emissions you incurred on your journey there and back.
The three options are available at several lodges. Finca Rosa Blanca is a carbon-neutral organic coffee estate that serves as a private nature reserve and art-filled boutique hotel.
Keep an eye out for the distinguishing 'five leaves' grading system on the packaging. In this case, it indicates that the organization is a participant in the government-sponsored CST (Certification for Sustainable Tourism) program, which supports reducing environmental effects and promoting environmentally beneficial initiatives in the local community.
2. Develop a passion for lava.
There are many costa rica volcano, including a handful of active volcanoes worth seeing.
There are numerous hiking trails, including one on a lava flow from the 1968 eruption and level trails around the volcano's base that are ideal for mountain biking. The Arenal Volcano and surrounding National Park are the most popular, offering numerous opportunities for hiking, including a trek on a lava flow from the 1968 eruption and level trails around the volcano's base that are ideal for mountain biking.
In addition, it is possible to see toucans, parrots, and tanagers while on the tour.
Since 2010, Arenal has been relatively calm. Hence, visitors are welcome to relax in any of the area's hot springs, particularly those near Tabacón. Lake Arenal, which is well-positioned for volcanic photography, is really a man-made lagoon formed when a smaller lake was dammed to produce energy for the local power company.
3. The Fountain of Youth in Costa Rica's the Nicoya Peninsula.
According to the World Health Organization, the Nicoya Peninsula boasts the world's lowest rates of middle-age death. Corn and beans are the mainstays of a cuisine inherited from the indigenous Chorotega tribe. Nicoyan elders live in a close-knit inter-generational culture characterized by a strong sense of community.
Consult with the residents of the Pacific coast resorts of Manzanillo and Malpais for their insider tips.
Since the 1990s, there has been an influx of 20-something beach bums and surfers, who have brought with them shack-style lodging and hipster pubs to this part of the country.
Cabo Blanco is Costa Rica's oldest protected area. It has a 4.5-kilometer trail that leads through an old-growth tropical forest to a white-sand beach. There are numerous opportunities for snorkeling and scuba diving. The beautiful beaches at the peninsula's tip are backed by Cabo Blanco, the country's oldest protected area.
4. Become a cowboy in Costa Rica by strapping on your saddle.
Costa Rica's sabanero culture is centered around the city of Liberia, which was called for the cowboys that live on the neighboring sabanero lands (savannah). In the local economy, tourism has surpassed cattle farming in recent years — Liberia has its own tiny international airport – but there are still plenty of ranches to choose from.
You may saddle up and enjoy a relaxing horse ride while also taking in the scenery. The park's orchids, more than 300 kinds of birds (including quetzals, toucanets, and curassows), easy-to-spot sloths and howler and spider monkeys, as well as shy pumas, tapirs, and jaguars, make it a must-see for wildlife enthusiasts.
5. Take a boat ride through the Tortuguero Canals.
Tortuguero, on Costa Rica's north-eastern coast, is inaccessible by automobile; instead, you must journey there by boat, which takes about an hour. Given the absence of modern infrastructure, the area has a fantastic sense of calm and is a home for an abundance of species due to its natural beauty.
During your float down the river, keep an eye out for manatees, caimans, and crocodiles, as well as sloths and a variety of monkeys that are hidden in the trees above your head.
Tortuguero is also one of the greatest spots in the world to see sea turtles, and it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. The beaches in the area are important breeding places for seabirds.
6. Take pleasure in your laziness.
In fact, jaguars are notoriously hard to track down, but the Red-Eyed Tree Frog makes quite an impact. On the other hand, the sloth is Costa Rica's actual wildlife celebrity.
Two sloth species may be found in the country: the two-fingered sloth and the three-fingered sloth. Even though it is strictly vegetarian, the three-fingered sloth is quite picky about what it consumes. However, although it has been shown that they consume 96 types of plants, each individual will have five or six of its own specific favorite plants to consume.
The two-fingered sloth is more active than its relative. It is also typically bigger in stature than the latter. Although sloths are not known for their speed, they are mighty swimmers, which is a vital talent to have since it is not unusual for them to lose their hold and fall from the rainforest canopy into the rivers below when necessary.
7. Monteverde is a great place to get your head out of the clouds.
There are six biological zones in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, with 90 percent of the land being virgin forest. When you combine Monteverde's abundant biodiversity with the high concentration of local biologists and ecologists, you have a potent concoction that is ideal for educational travel.
A wide range of study abroad programs are available in Monteverde, each of which aims to link student visitors with the region's environmental, social, and economic difficulties and the forward-thinking initiatives attempting to solve these issues.
Are you looking to improve your Spanish? things to do in Costa Rica, learn Spanish!
The adjacent community of San Luis, where the CPI language school, which provides completely immersive Spanish language classes that involve lodging with local families, is an excellent place to start.
8. Keep up with the local birdlife by humming.
Costa Rica is one of the most significant locations in the world to get up and personalize with hummingbirds. It is also one of the most affordable. There have been 57 species documented in the nation thus far. For example, in areas like Monteverde, where there are multiple hummingbird gardens, it is typical to see upwards of 15-20 different species in a single day.
Costa Rica is also a fantastic area to see toucans in their natural habitat. Six of the 42 species of toucan known to man can be found in Costa Rica's rainforests and lowlands, making it the country's toucan hotspot.
Finding a Quetzal, one of Costa Rica's most beautiful and secretive birds, may prove to be more complex than previously thought. Go to Central America's central highlands and cloud forest south of things to do in san jose costa rica when looking for Quetzals. Even if you don't manage to locate this mystery species, you will undoubtedly come across many other beautiful and intriguing birds along the route.
9. Talamanca's Old Harbor (Puerto Viejo de Talamanca)
With reggae music, funky bamboo bars, and raucous nightlife, the tiny community of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast, comes to life. Surfers congregate on Cocles Beach, lined with coconut palms; nature enthusiasts go north to explore rainforests, and foodies savor the excellent cuisine available downtown. Dusty bicycle and walking routes wind their way through tropical fields and gardens, away from the usual path. Along the shore, you'll come across isolated bungalows and expanses of beach that are devoid of people.
Travelers advocate visiting Playa Negra's black-sand beach, situated in the northwest end of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca and offers a less popular alternative to the city's other beaches. Visit during September and October for the most excellent chance of seeing some sunshine in this often-humid tropical area.
10. Take a snorkeling trip in two distinct bodies of water.
The Cao Island Biological Reserve is one of the most incredible spots in Latin America for snorkeling and scuba diving. It is located on the island itself. It is possible to explore this marine reserve, which has five platforms of low coral reefs home to 15 distinct types of stony coral in the clear, warm seas of the Pacific Coast.
Observe a diverse range of fish and marine animals, including manta rays, turtles, and little white-tipped sharks, among many more. If you're lucky, you'll get to see humpback whales and dolphins while on the boat voyage from the mainland.
Please let us know if our list of top Costa Rica things to do helped you plan the best trip; leave a comment below.
