Top Places to Visit in Costa Rica: A Traveler’s Guide
I’ve been to Costa Rica more than once and I swear each time I visit I find yet another reason I fall in complete love with the country. It’s one of those places that literally has everything- rainforests, wildlife, beaches, waterfalls, culture, good food, I meannn, you name it? Costa Rica has it!
The first time I went to CR it was with a friend and her family to celebrate her dad’s birthday so the vibe was very much relaxation, vacation, etc. We had an AMAZING villa with stunning views overlooking the water, so it was a trip I’ll never forget but as a solo-traveling digital nomad I’ll be the first to tell you that there’s a HUGE difference because vacationing and traveling so this time my trip to CR was solely dedicated to traveling around the country and taking in all that it has to offer.. which is EXACTLY what I did! I’ve spent the past 3 weeks exploring both the Caribbean and pacific sides of Costa Rica and I’m here to share with you the places you MUST visit if you’re planning a trip out here for the near future.
Monteverde
First off let me start by saying this is in no particular order! In fact, I’m listing these places soley based on the travel itinerary I followed, which puts Monteverde up first!
This is where you wanna go for all of your rainforest adventures. You could also go to La Fortuna, but it’s a bit more populated over there and I feel like here, in Monteverde you get more of a full immersion of nurture. Because it is the rainforest, be prepared for damp, chillier weather! Like, for the time I was there the air almost always had a little mist in it. I honestly don’t think I saw the sun once lol, but it’s definitely still worth a visit because the food was delicious and there’s many fun things to do!
When you go you HAVE TO GO TO Extremo Park and do the zipline tour! It’s 11 ziplines with the most amazing views of the jungle! Wear sneakers because there is A LOT of hiking required to get through all 11 and tbh it was kinda intense lol, so don’t say I didn’t warn ya! There’s also a tarzan swing (that I have no problem admitting) DID NOT DO HAHAH but, my boyfriend did it and he loved it! He said it was his favorite part of all the ones we did that day. So, hey- do that one at your own risk 🙂
Where to stay: Calathea Lodge Monteverde
Tamarindo
Tamarindo gets SO MUCH HATE for being “too touristy” but idk yall, I kinda liked it!! It def was a touristy vibe, like there’s no denying that whatsoever but it was still cool though. Like, I feel like this is the place to go if you want to have an easy vacation type of feel, but not if you’re on some backingpacking/digital nomading through multiple parts of the country. If that’s your vibe, I would definitely say don’t be there too long (2-3 days max), but like also.. Don’t skip it either!!
I spent my birthday here with my boyfriend and we had a really great time. Once we left Monteverde we came here on a shuttle and spent 3 days at our hotel that was SO conveniently located next to the center of the city so literally everything was within walking distance.
The highlight here was 100% the sunset catamaran cruise! We did it through a company called Blue Dolphin that we found on viator and they were legit the bomb.com. They were so hospitable, friendly, accommodating, and had plenty of food and drink to go round for the entire duration of the experience! I HIGHLY recommend.
Tamarindo’s also known for surfing, so of courseee we took a surfing lesson!! We found this on viator too, which made it super easy to book and to make sure it was a legit experience, not a scam. Our surfing instructor’s name was ‘JonnyBGreat’ and he definitely lived up to his name because he was MORE than great. He gave us a small little land lesson (maybe about 15 mins long) and then we hit the water!! Literally within my first two tries I was up riding the waves, lowkeyyy like I was a pro! So if you wanna learn to surf while you’re here- go check them out!
Lastly, while in Tamarindo we visited Playa Negra! It was such a stunning beach, but it was in Santa Cruz so unless you rent a car (which depending on your travel plans might be SUPER necessary) this isn’t necessarily a must do activity…. just something fun and light we added to our itinerary to make the most out of our time spent in this city.
Where to stay: Hotel Gardenia Tamarindo
Santa Teresa
Santa Teresa is fireee! If I had to put the places I visited in order, this would hands down get listed as #2. It’s a cute beach town that is basically like a 2 mile strip of beaches, bars, cafes, and surfing! It’s kinda busy, but in its own cute little way- nothing overwhelming or crazy, just filled with a lot of backpackers who love to surf. It’s got a more fast paced energy to it but still feels super relaxed and chill.
Things to do?
- Surfing – This is a world-class surf destination perfect for surfers of all levels. So, whether you’re a beginner or a pro, the waves here are just what you’re looking for.
- Tide Pools – I’d actually never thought exploring tide pools would be fun but boyyy, was I wrong! This is the perfect place to relax, swim, or even study some marine life during the low tide.
- Sunsets – Santa Teresa takes the cake for having the best sunsets. While here make sure you plan to chill by the beach and watch the sunset over the ocean AT LEAST once!! I promise after the first one, you’ll feel like your life has changed a little bit!
My favorite part about this little town? ATVs are the main way to get around! I thought that was so cool haha, like riding around on the dusty dirt roads with the breeze from the ocean was a feeling that’s truly unmatched. I can see why so many people talk about this place! There’s also so many beachside restaurants that make AMAZING smoothies and acai bowls- like not even being dramatic.. They’re some of the best ones I’ve had in my life!
Beyond the beach and the smoothies, It’s also a great spot for digital nomads — tons of cute cafés and coworking spaces that offer free wifi and great vibes. I met some really cool people working out and about 🙂
Where to stay: Selina Santa Teresa South
Montezuma
Ohhhhh my goodnessss, Montezumaaa!!! So, I only took a day trip to Montezuma, I drove out there on my ATV when I was staying in Santa Teresa but let me tell you — it left a special place in my heart. If I ever come back to Costa Rica (which, let’s be real.. it will), I’m def planning on coming back to spend more time here!
The reason I went out there was to visit the waterfall, which you have to go see too!! It was so gorgeous, the water was such a great refreshing temperature and I even saw my first monkeys out here!! Just don’t be like me and wear sandals, I know you’re going to a waterfall but… you have to hike about 20 mins to get to it which I promise you is so much easier in hiking appropriate shoes (especially when you’re coming back all wet!)
Where to stay: Ylang Ylang Beach Resort
Puerto Viejo
And last, but ANYTHING BUT LEAST, #1 on my list — Puerto Viejo. Man oh man, so much to say about honestly- the Limon province in general. It’s located on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica so it feels COMPLETELY different from the Pacific side, and it’s solely the only reason I consider coming back to Costa Rica, because I would spend so much more time on this side. It’s so rich with culture, which I love love love but sadly its one of the reasons it gets overlooked so much because of its history and bad rep because of strong Afro-Caribbean and Indigenous communities.
I did a jungle river kayak tour in Punta Uva (about 15 min away from Puerto Viejo), and had the time of my life hiking through a trail looking at all the different species of wildlife and then hopping into a kayak and not only doing the same thing but in the river but kayaking for the first time! In Puerto Viejo I also recommend that you rent a bike or a scooter and plan a day of beach hopping along the coast, and I also encourage you to head over to Cahuita National Park one day, as it is one of the best spots to see some sloths!
Where to Stay: La Tribu Hostel (women only) or Casa Wolaba
Even before spending weeks traveling through Costa Rica, I would tell people it was one of my favorite places that I’ve been so far and this trip solidified that 10x more for me! It’s a country with so much to offer, it really makes it one of a kind. If you’re planning a trip out here, I hope you have the BEST TIME EVER and always remember not to be afraid to branch out and explore new places that might not be as talked about. If you have any questions never hesitate to reach out and make sure you follow me on all my social platforms so you’re able to keep up with all my traveling in real time!!
Ciao for now, xoxo
-Dru <3