We spent three months traveling all around Costa Rica, and we fell in love head over heels with this country. Our experiences included the most beautiful beaches and sunsets, jungle hikes, chasing magical waterfalls, and heartwarming wildlife encounters. We never felt more connected to nature and inspired by a place we explored.
In this blog post, we share the 10 best places to visit in Costa Rica and why we love these places.
Santa Teresa
Santa Teresa is located in the southern part of the Nicoya Peninsula and one of the places that can’t be missed when visiting Costa Rica. This famous beach down offers to ultimate surf vibes, yoga and healthy lifestyle. It’s a lot of fun renting an ATV and exploring beaches and waterfalls in the region. The beaches in Santa Teresa are incredibly beautiful, long stretches and offer the best vibes at sunset. That is why for us it is one of the best places to visit in Costa Rica.
Nosara – Our favorite place of all the best places to visit in Costa Rica
Our favorite place to visit in Costa Rica is Nosara. This town really has our hearts. It’s where we spent our first whole month in Costa Rica, and we feel like it’s our second home.
Nosara is a lovely beach town in the Nicoya Peninsula. It is located in between Samara and Tamarindo. It’s a perfect place for surfing, yoga, beach days, healthy and organic foods, and to feel at home.
Read more: Nosara Costa Rica – The Ultimate Guide
La Fortuna
La Fortuna is probably the most popular place in Costa Rica amongst visitors. When thinking of its lush green landscapes and volcano view, we can totally understand why. Besides, there are lots of activities you can do in La Fortuna, Costa Rica. There is something to do for everyone, from ziplining and white water rafting to relaxing at a hot spring or making your own chocolate.
Read more: 8 Best things to do in La Fortuna Costa Rica
Monteverde
Monteverde, located in the northern part of Costa Rica, is famous for its cloud forest and one of the best places to visit in Costa Rica. It lies around 1’330 m over sea level and is a much cooler area than the rest of the country. It has a completely different climate and is located about 3 hours drive from La Fortuna.
Monteverde is the most famous region for Coffee plantations and home to many different species. It’s one of the best places to go on a jungle hike in the cloud forest or to go ziplining over the jungle with incredible views.
Read more: 5 Top Things to do in Monteverde Costa Rica
Manuel Antonio
If you love beautiful beaches, wildlife, and nature, Manuel Antonio is one of the best places to visit in Costa Rica. It is located in the center of the pacific coast and famous for its incredible diversity of plants and animals. Quepos town next to Manuel Antonio is a great base to explore the national park and beaches and waterfalls in the area. Not too far from San Jose airport, it’s a great place to visit for those who don’t have a long time to enjoy Costa Rica and would like to see a bit from everything.
Uvita
Uvita is a town on the pacific coast famous for the Marino Ballena Nationalpark, a protected beach and ocean area, and one of the best places to go whale watching for humpback whales. Besides, it offers beautiful tropical beaches, close by waterfalls and another smaller lovely beach town called Dominical.
Read more: 8 Best things to do in Uvita Costa Rica
Drake Bay & Corcovado Nationalpark
All nature lovers, wildlife admirers, and divers can’t miss Corcovado national park and Drake Bay when traveling in Costa Rica. It is located in the Osa Peninsula on the country’s southern pacific coast, and it’s quite off the beaten path but definitely one of the best places to visit in Costa Rica.
Our time there led to some of our favorite memories from Costa Rica because we had such wonderful encounters with wild animals and learned so much from our experienced guides.
Read more: The Ultimate Guide to visit Corcovado national park and Drake Bay
Punta Banco – Our secret tip of the best places to visit in Costa Rica
This place is our secret tip and very off the beaten path. It’s located not too far from Drake Bay and is such a lush and beautiful area of Costa Rica, offering black sand beaches seamed with palm trees. It’s a tranquil area great for everyone that looks for empty paradise beaches, surfing, and relaxation.
Puerto Viejo
Puerto Viejo is located on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, offering the most beautiful tropical beaches, where the jungle meets the ocean and clear turquoise water. Puerto Viejo is a small beach town with lots of good restaurants. The most beautiful area to stay close to town is Punta Uva, our favorite beach in the area and one of the best places to visit in Costa Rica.
Read more: 10 best things to do in Puerto Viejo
Tortuguero
Tortuguero is often called the Amazon of Central America. It is a protected and significant national park on the northern Caribbean coast. This magical part of Costa Rica blew us away. It offers incredible nature and biodiversity, adventurous tours, and stunning beaches. To name only a few reasons, you can’t miss visiting Tortuguero when traveling in Costa Rica.
Read more: 6 Reasons why you must visit Tortuguero, Costa Rica
Travel Tips for Costa Rica
Best time to visit Costa Rica
Costa Rica has two seasons – the dry season and the green season (or the rainy season). Depending on your travel preferences and budget, choosing a suitable month for your visit is very important. Dry season runs from December to April and is considered the best time to visit Costa Rica to have the most sunny weather. It is also busier and more expensive to travel in Costa Rica during these months. We recommend shoulder months like Mai and November.
Rent a Car in Costa Rica
Car Rental in Costa Rica is very popular and a great way to explore the country. We always find the best rental car prices on Discover Cars and usually choose Alamo or National when renting a car in Costa Rica. We have always had excellent experiences with them.
Internet Access in Costa Rica
We recommend buying a local SIM card to get the best possible internet connection during your trip. The most convenient option for travelers is the eSim Card (digital SIM card) from Airalo. You can download and install a digital data pack and get connected anywhere in the world as soon as you land, so there is no need to waste time looking for a local plastic SIM card.
For more Costa Rica travel tips check our blog post: Traveling Costa Rica – All you need to know to plan your perfect trip
I love this! Will share with my friends and fam that want to visit ✨?