14 Best Things To Do In Costa Rica: The Complete Costa Rica Travel Guide [2026]

Are you looking for the best things to do in Costa Rica?

Whether you’re after things to do around La Fortuna, wondering what’s worth it in Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula, or just trying to figure out where to even start, let me show you how to make the most of it.

I went to Costa Rica for 2 weeks. I ended up living in Costa Rica for a stretch of 4 months, which sounds idyllic until you realise it also means learning to live around a genuine wet season, and slowly understanding why locals never seem to rush anywhere.

I’ve done the shorter version too, chasing waterfalls and volcano views around Arenal, and learning to surf in Tamarindo, the trip that started the whole thing.

This guide covers Costa Rica for pretty much anyone:

• first-timers who just want the highlights done right in a 7-day Costa Rica itinerary,
• adventure travellers chasing zip-lines and volcanoes,
• surfers eyeing the Pacific coast, and
• slow-travel types who want a proper wellness reset rather than a checklist.

Think of this as your one-stop Costa Rica travel planner.

Bookmark it, work through the sections that matter to you, and use the links along the way to dig deeper into specific regions, Costa Rica tours, and itineraries, including the full story of how a 2-week trip turned into something else entirely, if you stick around long enough to find it.

Let’s get into it!

READ ALSO:
Costa Rica vs Mexico; Choosing the Perfect Tropical Escape
7 Unforgettable Costa Rica Adventure Tours You Must Try At Least Once
Best eSIM For Costa Rica [2026 GUIDE]

Costa Rica At A Glance

Short on time? Here’s everything you need to know in one place.

Currency	Costa Rican Colón (CRC); USD widely accepted too
Language	Spanish
Plug type	Type A/B, 120V, 60Hz (same as the US)
Visa	Most Western passport holders (US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, New Zealand) get 90 days visa-free for tourism
Time zone	Central Standard Time (UTC-6), no daylight saving
Best time to visit	December–April (dry season)
Driving	On the right
Hello / Greetings	Hola / Pura vida
Thank you	Gracias

Best Time To Visit Costa Rica

Costa Rica doesn’t really have a bad time to visit, but “dry” and “green” season genuinely shape what kind of trip you’ll have.

Dry Season (December–April)

This is peak season, and for good reason. Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula – Tamarindo, Santa Teresa – run properly dry and sunny through this stretch, ideal for beach time, surfing, and any tour that depends on clear roads.

It’s the busiest, priciest window of the year, so if your dates fall here, make sure you book your accommodation and any popular tours well ahead rather than hoping something opens up last minute.

Green Season (May–November)

I caught the very start of it heading to Rio Celeste and Bijagua on May 4th, then did a 6-day road trip around the country from the 24th to the 29th, right as the season was properly settling in.

The rain showed up exactly the way locals had told me it would: a predictable afternoon downpour, done by evening. Mornings clear enough that I never had to rearrange a plan around it.

What actually caught me off guard was how quickly everything turned green, waterfalls running noticeably fuller, the rainforest looking different from how it had even a few weeks earlier in April.

September and October are the wettest months specifically, and I’d take that seriously if you’re self-driving; some of the rural roads around Monteverde and the Osa Peninsula get genuinely rough once the rain’s been coming down for a while.

Prices drop noticeably too across accommodation and tours.

8 Best Places To Visit In Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a lot more varied than its size suggests: cloud forest, volcano country, and 2 entirely different coastlines, all within a few hours of each other. Here’s where to put on your Costa Rican list and why, with links to deeper guides for each one.

1. San José

San José is where most trips start and end, and while it’s not the reason anyone books a Costa Rica trip, it deserves more than a rushed layover between the airport and your rental car.

The Gold Museum and Jade Museum are both genuinely worth an hour each. Barrio Escalante is where the actual food scene lives: small plates, craft coffee, a genuinely good weekend market, and the Central Market (Mercado Central) is the place for a proper casado lunch rather than anything aimed at tourists.

Check out these 11 best things to do in San José if you’re spending a night or 2 here before heading out to the coast or the volcano region.

2. La Fortuna & Arenal

La Fortuna is Costa Rica’s adventure hub, built entirely around Arenal Volcano’s near-perfect cone looming over the town.

Zip-lining through the canopy at Sky Adventures, hanging bridges at Mistico Park with the volcano visible through the trees, and La Fortuna Waterfall’s steep staircase down to a genuinely swimmable pool at the bottom are among my handpicked tours in La Fortuna that are actually worth your time.

The town is genuinely oversaturated with tour operators, and not all of them deliver.

You also can’t miss the region’s natural hot springs. Tabacón is the well-known splurge option, but a few smaller, cheaper springs do the same volcanic-heated water without the resort price tag.

I’ve also covered exactly what you can fit into a single day in Arenal.

3. Monteverde

Monteverde is Costa Rica’s cloud forest region, cooler, mistier, and a completely different ecosystem from anywhere else on this list.

The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and the neighbouring Santa Elena Reserve both have hanging bridge networks through the canopy; Santa Elena sits higher and gets genuinely misty, which makes for a properly atmospheric walk.

Selvatura Park is where I’d send you for zip-lining through actual cloud cover, and the Curi-Cancha Reserve is the better bet specifically for spotting the resplendent quetzal, a bird that draws serious birdwatchers from all over the world.

Getting there from San José isn’t straightforward; the roads are rough and the drive takes longer than the distance suggests, so I’ve broken down how to actually get from San José to Monteverde properly before you commit to a rental car route.

4. Tamarindo

Tamarindo is the beach town I ended up spending the most time in by far – a couple of weeks at least, and it’s easy to see why it’s become the Pacific coast’s most popular base.

The main beach break works for beginners; Playa Grande just across the estuary is quieter and better for a longer board, and Playa Grande’s Las Baulas National Park is also where leatherback turtles nest between October and March, worth timing a night tour around if your dates line up.

These are among the 22 best things to do in Tamarindo, and if you’re learning to surf here the way I did- badly, at first- the best spots to actually learn matter more than you think; some breaks are genuinely too advanced for a first lesson.

For everything else, I’ve rounded up the best tours in Tamarindo, the best beaches nearby if surfing isn’t your priority, where I’d actually stay in Tamarindo, and where to eat in town after a full day in the water.

5. Guanacaste

Guanacaste is the wider province Tamarindo sits within, and it’s worth thinking about separately if you want to explore beyond just the 1 beach town.

Rincón de la Vieja National Park is the standout inland detour – mud pools, hot springs, and a hike up toward an active volcano, and the string of beach towns further south, Playa Flamingo, Playa Conchal (with its famous crushed-shell sand), and Playa Ocotal, all run drier and quieter than Tamarindo itself.

I’ve put together 11 best tours in Guanacaste for every traveller type, including a few genuinely low-effort options if you’d rather not spend your whole trip booked solid.

6. Santa Teresa

Santa Teresa sits further down the Nicoya Peninsula, and it’s the one I’d pick if Tamarindo’s surf-town energy appeals to you, but you want it a notch quieter, less built up.

The main beach break here isn’t really for beginners; it suits intermediate surfers better, so if you’re still finding your feet, Playa Carmen right next door is the gentler option.

And if you’ve got a spare afternoon, Montezuma’s worth the drive south; there’s a waterfall you can actually jump into, and the whole town has a scrappier, more bohemian feel than Santa Teresa itself.

Fair warning, though: getting here isn’t as simple as it looks on a map.

Depending on your route, you’re looking at a mix of driving and a river crossing by ferry, which catches a lot of first-timers off guard. I’ve mapped out how to actually get from San José to Santa Teresa properly if you want to skip the confusion.

7. Jacó

Jacó is the closest beach town to San José, which makes it the easiest Pacific coast option if you’re short on time or don’t want a long transfer.

The main beach strip is where the nightlife and restaurants cluster, but Playa Hermosa just south is the better call if you actually want to surf- more consistent and less crowded. I honestly didn’t really see the appeal of Jacó, and made a quick pit stop before heading on down south from San José.

 Manuel Antonio National Park is close enough for a genuinely worthwhile day trip – sloths and monkeys along the trails, plus one of the country’s most photographed beaches at the end of it.

I’ve covered how to get from San José to Jacó without losing your flip-flops along the way.

8. Puerto Viejo

Puerto Viejo sits on the Caribbean side, and honestly, it feels like a completely different country from anywhere on the Pacific coast.

Reggae drifting out of beach bars, Afro-Caribbean food that tastes nothing like what you’d find in Tamarindo or Santa Teresa, and a pace so slow it takes a day or two to actually settle into it. These are but some of the reasons why you should visit Puerto Viejo.

 Playa Cocles is where most people surf, but if you’d rather swim than paddle out, Punta Uva and Playa Chiquita further along the coast road are calmer and genuinely beautiful.

And Cahuita National Park up the road is worth giving a full morning to, with jungle trails that open straight onto empty beach, and a real chance of spotting sloths and monkeys without needing a guide at all.

Since getting here from the capital has its own quirks, I’ve mapped that out too in how to get from San José to Puerto Viejo.

My 7-Day Costa Rica Itinerary

If you’re visiting Costa Rica for the first time and want a sense of how the pieces fit together, here’s roughly how I’d structure a first week.

This is the shape I’d default to for a first-timer, but it flexes easily depending on the season and what you’re actually chasing.

I’ve written up the full day-by-day version of this exact trip in my 7-day Costa Rica itinerary, including what to skip if you’re tighter on time.

Day	Location	Highlights
1	San José	Arrival, settle in, coffee tour or a museum
2–3	La Fortuna / Arenal	Volcano views, hot springs, waterfall hikes, ziplining
4	Travel day: Arenal → Tamarindo	Scenic drive across the country
5–6	Tamarindo	Surf lessons, beach days, sunset boat tour
7	Departure	Fly out via Liberia or drive back to San José

If you’ve got longer than a week, Monteverde, Santa Teresa, or the Caribbean side around Puerto Viejo are all worth adding rather than squeezing into a rushed day trip.

14 Best Things To Do In Costa Rica

Costa Rica blends volcano country, rainforest, and 2 completely different coastlines in a way that’s hard to find anywhere else this size.

Here’s what’s genuinely worth your time, organised by where you’ll find it.

La Fortuna & Arenal: Volcanoes & Adventure

1. Zip-Line Past The Volcano

Arenal’s zip-line courses run right past the volcano itself, close enough that the near-perfect cone fills the view on the longer lines.

It’s genuinely one of the best angles you’ll get on the volcano from anywhere in the country, better than any viewpoint from the ground, and the adrenaline hit of flying past it at speed isn’t something a photo from town replicates.

Book an Arenal zip-line and canopy tour here

2. Soak In The Natural Hot Springs

Volcanic-heated water in the middle of the rainforest, exactly as good as it sounds after a full day of hiking. Tabacón is the well-known splurge option with a genuinely gorgeous jungle setting, but a few smaller, cheaper springs nearby do the same thing without the resort markup.

I’ve written up the region’s natural hot springs properly, which is one of the best ways to end a day of hiking.

Book your Tabacon hot spring pass here

3. Hike Down To La Fortuna Waterfall

A genuinely impressive waterfall a short hike from town, though “short” undersells the steep staircase down- several hundred steps that your legs will feel the next morning.

Worth it, though. The water’s cold, properly clear, and the falls come crashing down right next to you while you’re swimming. This made the walk back up almost bearable.

Book a La Fortuna Waterfall and hot springs tour here

Monteverde: Cloud Forest

4. Walk The Hanging Bridges

You’re walking on a bridge, and there’s cloud actually moving past you, not above you, past you, at eye level.

It’s so cold, especially an hour after sweating on the coast, and the only sound is birds you can’t see. I stood in the middle of one bridge for a good 5 minutes just watching the mist do its thing before I remembered I was supposed to be walking somewhere.

Book a Monteverde hanging bridges tour here

5. Zip-Line Through The Clouds

This one’s colder and mistier than the Arenal version, and honestly different enough that I’d do both if you’ve got the time for it.

Clouds drift across the midline, so you genuinely lose sight of where you’re headed, which sounds like it should be terrifying and somehow isn’t, you just kind of appear at the platform out of nowhere.

Book a guided Zipline Canopy tour here

The Pacific Coast: Surf & Sun

6. Learn To Surf In Tamarindo

Duh. Beginner-friendly breaks and a strong local instructor scene make this the easiest place in the country to actually pick up surfing rather than just watching everyone else do it.

I’ve covered where to actually learn since not every break here suits a first lesson; some look calm from the beach and are anything but once you’re out there.

Book a Tamarindo surf lesson here

7. Watch Sunset From A Catamaran

Tamarindo and the wider Guanacaste coast are genuinely built for this, drinks in hand, watching the sun drop straight into the Pacific with the whole sky turning orange behind it.

It’s the kind of evening that sounds like a cliché until you’re actually on the boat and understand exactly why everyone does it.

Book a Tamarindo sunset sailing tour here

8. Reach Guanacaste’s Hidden Beaches By Boat Or ATV

Beyond the main tourist strip, a huge stretch of Guanacaste’s coastline is only really accessible by boat or ATV, coves and empty stretches of sand that never show up on a regular beach day because there’s simply no road in.

Book your guided ATV ride to Conchal Beach here

Adventure & Nature Beyond The Coast

9. Go White-Water Rafting

Costa Rica’s rivers, particularly around La Fortuna, offer genuinely serious rafting for a wide range of skill levels, from a manageable Class II float through the jungle to properly technical rapids if you want the real thing.

Book a Costa Rica white-water rafting tour here

10. Spot Wildlife In A National Park

Sloths, toucans, howler monkeys, they’re everywhere here, honestly. The problem is you’ll walk right past most of them without a guide. Ours spotted a sloth curled up 20 metres up a tree in about three seconds. I stared at that same tree for a full minute and saw nothing. Never did figure out how they do that.

Book a Costa Rica wildlife spotting tour here

11. Combine It All In One Day

If you want to pack multiple activities into a single day rather than booking everything separately, I’ve rounded up 7 adventure tours you must try at least once, genuinely useful if your trip is shorter than you’d like and you’re trying to fit in as much as possible.

Wellness & Slower Days

12. Book A Proper Wellness Retreat

Costa Rica’s “pura vida” reputation isn’t just marketing; the wellness scene here is genuinely one of the best in Latin America.

I’ve covered 6 retreats worth booking if you want a structured, multi-day reset rather than squeezing wellness in as an afterthought between beach days.

13. Spend A Day At A Proper Spa

For something shorter than a full retreat, I’ve rounded up 10 top spas across the country, genuinely worth building into any itinerary that’s otherwise packed with hiking, surfing, and early starts.

Book your exclusive massage experience in Costa Rica here

14. Sleep In A Treehouse Resort

Genuinely one of the most memorable accommodation styles in the country, elevated into the rainforest canopy rather than sitting on the ground, falling asleep to actual jungle sounds instead of a wall between you and it.

I’ve rounded up 6 breathtaking treehouse resorts worth building a night or 2 around.

Where To Stay In Costa Rica

Where you base yourself changes region to region, and prices swing a lot depending on the town and season. Here’s the full breakdown.

San José

Budget: Hostels and guesthouses cluster around Barrio Escalante and downtown, both walkable to the city’s main museums and coffee spots.

Price: USD 15–35 per night.

Mid-Range: Boutique hotels in Barrio Escalante or Los Yoses offer strong value and an easy taxi ride to the airport.

Price: USD 60–120 per night.

Luxury: A handful of proper luxury properties sit just outside the city centre, worth it for a first or last night before heading to the coast.

Price: USD 200+ per night.

La Fortuna

Budget: Simple guesthouses in town, walkable to most tour pickup points.

Price: USD 20–45 per night.

Mid-Range: Volcano-view hotels a short drive from town, several with their own hot spring access included.

Price: USD 80–160 per night.

Luxury: A proper Arenal resort with private hot springs is genuinely worth the splurge at least once, and pairs naturally with a treehouse resort stay if you want something different for a night mid-trip.

Price: USD 250+ per night.

Tamarindo

I’ve reviewed 12 hotels in Tamarindo I’d personally recommend, and a few I wouldn’t, covering the full range below.

Budget: Surf hostels and simple guesthouses a short walk from the beach.

Price: USD 20–50 per night.

Mid-Range: Beachfront or near-beachfront hotels, the sweet spot for most of the trip I did here.

Price: USD 90–180 per night.

Luxury: A handful of proper resort-style properties sit just outside the main town, quieter but still close enough for a night out.

Price: USD 250+ per night.

Know This Before Booking Your Costa Rica Accommodation

Peak season pricing: Expect a noticeable jump in room rates from December through April, especially over Christmas, New Year, and Easter week, when Costa Ricans themselves travel domestically in huge numbers. Book well ahead if your dates land here.

Green season trade-off: Prices drop noticeably from May through November, and while afternoon rain is near-guaranteed, mornings are usually clear enough for tours and beach time. This is genuinely when I’d recommend booking if budget matters more than guaranteed all-day sun.

Rental car access matters more than the map suggests: Some of Costa Rica’s best accommodation, particularly around Monteverde and parts of the Nicoya Peninsula, sits down genuinely rough roads.

Check whether a property recommends 4×4 access before you book a standard rental.

Typical Costs In Costa Rica

Costa Rica isn’t the cheapest destination in Central America; it sits closer to a mid-range Mexico trip than a Southeast Asia-style budget haul, and it’s genuinely gotten pricier over the past few years, especially with the influx of Americans moving down South.

But it’s still good value for what you get, especially if you time your trip around green season rather than the December–April rush.

Here’s what a realistic daily spend actually looks like, per person, excluding international flights:

Travel Style	Per Person / Day	What It Covers
Backpacker	USD 45–80	Hostel dorms, sodas (local diners), public buses, mostly free activities
Mid-Range	USD 100–160	Private room or Airbnb, restaurant meals, shared shuttles, 1–2 paid tours a week
Comfort	USD 200–350	Boutique hotels, private transfers, guided activities most days
Luxury	USD 400+	Eco-resorts, private guides, premium multi-day experiences

Depending on how long you’re staying:

Trip Length	Backpacker	Mid-Range	Comfort
1 week	USD 315–560	USD 700–1,120	USD 1,400–2,450
2 weeks	USD 630–1,120	USD 1,400–2,240	USD 2,800–4,900
1 month	USD 1,350–2,400	USD 3,000–4,800	USD 6,000–10,500

The mid-range tier is where I’d budget most first-time visitors, and it’s genuinely the sweet spot: a private room over a hostel dorm, real restaurant meals, and enough left over to book the tours that actually make the trip (zip-lining, a proper wildlife walk, a day on the water) without pricing yourself out after the first week.

A few specific numbers worth knowing on top of the daily estimate: a casual meal at a soda runs USD 6–10 per person, a sit-down restaurant dinner for 2 comes to roughly USD 30–55, and most guided day tours, zip-lining, rafting, wildlife walks, land somewhere between USD 60–110 per person.

Worth factoring in too: Costa Rica adds 13% VAT plus a mandatory 10% service charge at most restaurants, so that dinner bill climbs more than the menu prices suggest.

Category	Cost	Notes
Mid-range hotel	USD 80–180/night	Varies significantly by region; San José is cheapest, Guanacaste priciest
Rental car	USD 45–75/day	4x4 recommended for Monteverde and rural routes
Casual meal (soda)	USD 6–10/person	Local diners, genuinely good value
Sit-down dinner for 2	USD 30–55	Before the added 13% VAT + 10% service charge
Guided day tour	USD 60–110/person	Zip-lining, rafting, wildlife tours

If you’re travelling as a couple sharing a room and a rental car, you can generally treat the low end of the mid-range tier as your realistic per-person number; splitting the car and accommodation costs brings the effective daily spend down from the solo-traveller figures above.

Getting Around Costa Rica

How To Get From San José To Everywhere Else

Since San José is where most trips start, here’s exactly how to get from there to every region covered in this guide:

• San José to La Fortuna – the Arenal Volcano region, roughly 3–4.5 hours depending on your route
• San José to Monteverde – cloud forest country, expect rough roads regardless of how you travel
• San José to Jacó – the closest Pacific beach town to the capital, a straightforward 1.5–2 hour drive
• San José to Tamarindo – Guanacaste’s main surf town, a longer haul by land, worth weighing against flying into Liberia instead
• San José to Santa Teresa – involves a river crossing by ferry depending on your route, genuinely confuses first-timers
• San José to Puerto Viejo – the Caribbean coast, a different side of the country entirely, and a different route logic to match

Each of these has its own best and worst transport options, and a few genuinely aren’t as simple as Google Maps makes them look, worth reading the specific breakdown before you commit to a route.

Between Cities

Rental car

For a multi-region trip, a car genuinely opens up the country in a way nothing else does, especially for reaching Monteverde or the more remote stretches of the Nicoya Peninsula.

A 4×4 is worth the extra cost if your route touches any rougher rural roads. I learned that the hard way driving through the wetter parts of Monteverde, went slightly off the main track, and got our rear tyres properly stuck in wet mud.

Added a good hour of delay and a fair bit of mud on our shoes, but it’s honestly one of the memories from that trip I laugh about most now.

Shared shuttle van

If you’d rather not drive, this is the option most tourists actually use. Interbus and Gray Line are the 2 biggest names, running door-to-door between hotels in major destinations for around USD 35–90 per person depending on the route.

They’re air-conditioned, drivers generally speak English, and a San José to La Fortuna run, for example, takes about 3 hours by shuttle versus 4.5 by public bus with a transfer. Booking 3–5 days ahead matters in high season, since shared shuttles often need a minimum of 2–4 passengers to run at all.

Book your shuttle van here!

Local buses

The cheapest option by far, USD 1–10 for most routes, and what I used for everything outside my car rental days.

It takes longer, involves more stops, and you’ll want at least basic Spanish or a translation app handy, but it’s genuinely doable and a good way to feel less like you’re moving through the country in a tourist bubble.

I’ve done that heaps of times travelling from San José to Tamarindo. The one thing I’d caution you is to make sure your belongings are always with you; don’t put them overhead.

Within A City

In San José specifically, Uber and DiDi both operate reliably and are the easiest way to get around without negotiating a fare upfront, cheaper and generally more straightforward than hailing a taxi on the street.

In smaller beach towns like Tamarindo or Santa Teresa, walking, a bike, or a golf cart rental usually covers everything you need, most of these towns are small enough that a car becomes more of a hassle to park than a help once you’re actually there.

Domestic Flights

Worth considering specifically for the harder-to-reach corners of the country, where flying isn’t just faster, it’s genuinely the more practical option over driving.

SANSA is the main domestic carrier here, running small Cessna Grand Caravan planes out of San José, and I’d recommend it for:

• San José to Puerto Jiménez or Drake Bay (Osa Peninsula) – the roads here are rough enough that flying saves you the better part of a day
• San José to Tortuguero – there’s no road access at all, flying or a boat are your only real options
• San José to Tambor – the gateway airport for Santa Teresa and Montezuma, cuts out a long drive plus a river crossing
• San José to Liberia – useful if Guanacaste and the northern beaches (Tamarindo, Nosara) are your main focus and you’d rather skip the 4–5 hour drive from the capital
• San José to Golfito – handy if you’re continuing on toward the Osa Peninsula or crossing into Panama

Routes like Tamarindo, La Fortuna, and Quepos are flyable too, but they’re also easy enough to reach by land that I’d only book a flight there if time genuinely matters more than budget.

Is Costa Rica Safe?

Yes, genuinely one of the safest countries in Central America, but “Pura Vida” doesn’t mean leaving your common sense at home.

Costa Rica carries a Level 2 US State Department advisory, the same rating as France, Italy, and Germany, and it holds the highest Global Peace Index ranking of any mainland Central American nation. Violent crime against tourists is rare and typically avoidable rather than random.

Petty Theft Is The Real Risk

The main risk here is opportunistic theft, not anything targeted.

Bag and phone snatching happens in bus terminals, markets, and beaches, and rental home burglaries have become a genuine concern specifically in Tamarindo, Jacó, and Dominical, making it worth choosing accommodation with proper security rather than the cheapest listing you find.

Watch Your Rental Car

Vehicle break-ins, locally called bajonazos, target trailhead and beach parking lots. Never leave anything visible in the car, even for a quick swim.

Common Scams To Know

The “flat tire” trick is the one worth remembering: someone signals your tyre looks flat, and while you’re distracted checking it, an accomplice goes through your car.

If you think something’s actually wrong with your tyre, drive to a well-lit petrol station before stopping; don’t pull over on an empty road.

Unofficial taxis and vague “help” from strangers near your car are both worth waving off politely and moving on.

Driving Is The Bigger Everyday Risk

More than crime, honestly. Roads outside the main highways turn into rutted dirt fast, streetlights disappear entirely once you’re off the beaten path, and I’d avoid driving after dark if you can help it; wandering cattle and unmarked potholes are a real hazard.

Some rural routes genuinely require crossing a river by car, a different kind of driving than you might be used to, so do proper research on the specific route before you go rather than trusting Google Maps blindly.

Beach Safety Matters More Than People Expect

Rip currents are a genuine hazard on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast specifically, ask locally about conditions before swimming somewhere unfamiliar

Never leave your bag unattended on the sand while you’re in the water.

San José Needs A Bit More Caution

Downtown at night and around the main bus terminals are where I’d stay more alert. Once you’re in Tamarindo, Jacó, Puerto Viejo, or similar tourist towns, the main risk really is just unattended belongings rather than anything more serious.

Solo And Family Travel Both Feel Comfortable

Costa Rica is widely considered one of the more comfortable Latin American destinations for solo female travellers specifically, and it consistently ranks as safe for couples, families, and digital nomads alike.

The standard precautions- registered red-and-yellow taxis or DiDi over hailing something unmarked, keeping valuables out of sight, copies of your passport rather than the original- get you through the vast majority of trips without incident.

Practical Tips For Costa Rica

Sort Your eSIM Before You Land

One practical thing worth doing before you land: a Costa Rica eSIM.

Mobile coverage is solid across the main tourist regions, but having data ready the moment you touch down makes navigating rental car routes and tour pickups considerably easier, especially the first time you’re trying to find an Airbnb with only a set of GPS coordinates to go on.

I’ve compared the best options in my full eSIM for Costa Rica guide.

Cash, Cards & ATMs

Costa Rica runs on a genuine dual-currency system: the colón (CRC) is the official currency, but US dollars are accepted almost everywhere in tourist areas, hotels, tour operators, and car rental agencies especially.

That said, I’d default to colones for smaller purchases, sodas (local diners), markets, and public transport, since you’ll often get change back in colones at a worse rate if you pay in dollars for something small.

For ATMs, use a bank-affiliated machine rather than an independent one, and always choose to be charged in “local currency” rather than accepting the ATM’s own conversion, that’s almost always the cheaper option.

Expect a flat local ATM fee of around USD 3–5 on top of whatever your home bank charges, so I’d withdraw one larger amount rather than several small ones to avoid stacking fees.

Worth knowing too: if your route includes the Osa Peninsula, Tortuguero, or the rural Caribbean coast, there are no ATMs out there at all; withdraw what you need before you leave the last major town.

Tipping

Tipping here isn’t the same expectation as in the US. Restaurants are legally required to include a 10% service charge (servicio incluido) plus 13% sales tax directly in the menu price, so you’re not obligated to tip on top of that, though rounding up or leaving a little extra for genuinely good service is appreciated, not expected.

For guided tours, USD 10–15 per person for a half-day group tour, or USD 15–20 per person per day for a private guide, is the standard I’d go by. You can tip in either colones or USD; locals are used to both.

Packing By Region

I’ve put together the full Costa Rica packing list covering everything from hiking gear to what you genuinely don’t need to bring, worth a proper read before you start throwing things in a suitcase.

Packing here genuinely depends on which parts of the country you’re actually covering, and I learned that the hard way trying to pack for the whole trip in one go rather than thinking region by region.

For the beach towns (Tamarindo, Santa Teresa, Jacó, Puerto Viejo): lightweight, quick-dry clothing does most of the work, swimwear, breathable shirts, shorts you don’t mind getting sandy.

Reef-safe sunscreen is worth prioritising specifically here; a lot of these coastal areas sit near protected marine zones, and I’d bring more than feels necessary; the sun is stronger than it looks even on an overcast day.

For the higher, cooler regions (Monteverde and Arenal in the evenings): pack a proper layer, a light fleece or long-sleeve top; the temperature drop caught me off guard the first time.

Monteverde’s cloud forest sits at altitude and stays genuinely cool and damp year-round, closer to a mild spring evening than the tropical heat you’ll have just left on the coast a couple of hours earlier.

Regardless of season or region, a proper rain layer earns its place in every bag. Green season rain is near-daily, arriving in predictable afternoon bursts, but even dry season can catch you out in the cloud forest, where mist and light rain show up with almost no warning.

I’d pack a genuine rain jacket rather than an umbrella; you’ll want your hands free more often than not, especially hiking or wrangling a rental car door in the rain.

A few other things worth throwing in: proper closed-toe hiking shoes if Monteverde, Arenal, or any jungle trail is on your route; sandals won’t cut it on wet, uneven terrain. A dry bag or waterproof phone pouch for river activities or boat trips. And basic insect repellent, particularly for evenings near the rainforest or the Caribbean coast.

FAQs About Things To Do In Costa Rica

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Between chasing waterfalls around Arenal, learning to surf badly in Tamarindo, and the stretch of life I actually spent living there, Costa Rica left me with a genuinely different picture of the country than the “just a beach destination” reputation it’s saddled with.

I’ve even written up the fuller story of how that happened, if you’re curious why 2 weeks turned into considerably longer.

Whatever mix of things to do in Costa Rica you go for- volcano country, surf towns, cloud forest, or a proper wellness reset- I hope this guide makes planning your trip a little easier.

If you’re still deciding between destinations, my comparisons of Costa Rica vs Mexico and Costa Rica vs Panama are both linked and ready whenever you need them.