15 of the best things to do in Costa Rica

So when you’re planning which places to visit in Costa Rica, make sure these 15 great things to do are on your list.

So when you’re planning which places to visit in Costa Rica, make sure these 15 great things to do are on your list.

Most Costa Rica holidays begin and end in the capital San Jose, and it’s well worth saving some time to explore before you head out to discover the rest of the country.

A mix of cosmopolitan city attractions and colonial mansions, it’s the perfect place to learn more about the country’s past, exploring the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum to see coins, jewellery and other precious items alongside maps and exhibits from the centuries before Columbus first set foot here.

San Jose

The country’s National Museum still bears the scars of Costa Rica’s more turbulent past: set in the former Bellavista Military Barracks, the army was dissolved here after the civil war in 1949. The money is now spent instead on education, healthcare and pensions, helping Costa Rica be named one of the happiest countries in the world.

Don’t miss the National Theatre, modelled on the Paris Opera House, the central market, cathedral and Plaza de la Democracia too.

One of the iconic symbols of Costa Rica, the perfect cone of the Arenal volcano is another unmissable place to visit in Costa Rica, with a chance to walk on solid lava flows around the base.

Or head up into the canopy, walking the Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges to bring you slowly higher and higher through different levels of the forest. There’s also the Skytram to give you an alternate bird’s eye view.

Arenal volcano

Arenal is perfect if you’re looking for active experiences, with everything from kayaking on the lakes to gentle walks along the Celeste River and white water rafting on the Balsa River if you’re looking for some bigger thrills.

This fascinating eco-system is home to many of Costa Rica’s endemic species, so a visit should feature on every itinerary. But one of the best things to do in Costa Rica is to take a night tour through the cloud forest, to spot glowing orchids as well as nocturnal creatures, from sloths to frogs, armadillo and coati.

Monteverde Cloud Forest

The area is also famous for its canopy walkways and hanging bridges, another opportunity to head up from the forest floor to the tallest treetops to see the cloud forest from another viewpoint.

Getting the chance to see Costa Rica’s national animal is high on most visitors’ wish lists, with two of the world’s six sloth species found in the country. The brown-throated sloth, or three-toed sloth, is easiest to spot as they are active during the day, but the destination is also home to Hoffman’s two-toed sloth.

Brown-throated sloth

One of the best places to see sloths is at Manuel Antonio national park, one of the most popular places for tourists to visit in Costa Rica. They’re also found in Tortuguero National Park, as well as quieter Sarapiqui, where you can take night walks in La Tirimbina Biological Reserve for a chance to see nocturnal sloths.

You won’t be short of amazing wildlife sightings during your time in Costa Rica, but one of the most memorable experiences is seeing turtles nesting on one of the beaches. The country is home to five species of turtle, with green, loggerhead, leatherback, hawksbill and Olive Ridley turtles all visiting its shores.

Sea turtle at Tortuguero

Green turtles usually nest at Tortuguero between July and October, with the babies hatching from September to December. Leatherback turtles also lay their eggs here from March to July. Or take a boat trip along the Tortuguero Canals, natural waterways where you can often find sea turtles swimming along with crocodiles.

With 900 bird species, including 52 species of hummingbird alone, as well as the colourful quetzal, the scarlet macaw and toucans, Costa Rica is a bird-watcher’s dream.

Chestnut-mandibled toucan

Carara National Park is home to over 400 different bird species, such as the collared aracari, while the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge is one of the most biologically diverse in the country, with both resident and migratory birds here. You can find roseate spoonbills, green-backed herons and wood storks, to name a few, along with some of Costa Rica’s other wildlife.

San Gerardo de Dota is one of the best places to see the vividly coloured quetzal, a bird considered sacred by pre-Columbian civilisations, with its dazzlingly green and red plumage.

Quetzal

Rising to 3,000 metres above sea level, you travel from lowland rainforest to misty cloud forest in the area’s Los Quetzales National Park. Because of its steeply climbing location, there are avocado trees in fruit year-round for the birds to feed on, as well as an enchanted landscape to explore along with your guide, as you look out for the flash of jewel bright colours which signals the quetzal.

You won’t be short of wonderful hiking and walking in the national parks, but one of the most memorable things to do in Costa Rica is a hike through Corcovado National Park, on the country’s Pacific Coast.

Its remote location on the Osa Peninsula means that even the easiest hikes feel like an adventure, as you follow your guide through the trees. With paths leading to mangroves and secluded beaches where turtles nest, lagoons and the Tarcoles River, as well as rainforest and cloud forest, you can choose less strenuous trails leading to the beach. Or for a more challenging adventure, full-day hikes head deep into the park’s ancient trees, with a chance to see jaguar and other endangered creatures.

While no trip to Costa Rica would be complete without walking through the country’s rainforests, both in the heights of the canopy and on the forest floor, you should save time to soak up some of the views from the water too.

Several national parks have boat trips along the natural waterways of the reserves, but it’s hard to beat floating along a river on a safari raft in the Cano Negro Wildlife Reserve. As you cruise gently along, you’ll spy spider and howler monkeys in the trees, as well as tree frogs blending into the leaves, plus birds galore.

A relaxing river raft adventure isn’t the only way to see some of the best places to visit in Costa Rica from the water, with the chance to paddle your own kayak through the mangroves.

Tourists kayaking through the mangroves

At Manuel Antonio National Park, you can head out through the tangle of trees through narrow channels in the Damas Island estuary, watching out for monkeys in the trees – and perhaps even a glimpse of a puma in the undergrowth.

Looking for a chance to relax between the adventures? One of the Costa Rica attractions that’s often overlooked is being able to relax in hot springs, naturally heated by the geothermal activity of the country’s volcanoes.

Thermal springs

One of the places to visit in Costa Rica to make the most of this is around Arenal, where you can lie back in the mineral-rich water of the steaming pools right out in the rainforest, allowing yourself to slow down and listen to the sights and sounds of the jungle.

The world’s biggest producer of pineapples, Costa Rica has even got its own genetically engineered pink pineapple. But you’ll find plenty of the standard kind growing around the country, although sweeter and juicier than the ones which make their way to most UK supermarkets.

And one of the more unusual things to do in Costa Rica is to visit one of the plantations, with smaller family-run farms open to visitors, including plantations in the fertile valleys around Arenal volcano, where you can also find papayas and herbs grown alongside the fruit.

With two coasts to choose from, one of the biggest Costa Rica attractions away from the national parks are the beaches – around 288 in total, depending on whose count you believe!

Whatever the total number, you certainly won’t run out of powder soft sand and mirror-clear water to swim and snorkel in. On the Pacific coast, Conchal Beach in Guanacaste is one of the country’s best locations for snorkelling, with crushed conch shells giving the beach its silky soft feel.

Or there are a string of beaches around Samara to enjoy, including Playa Carrillo, lined with palm trees and with mountains lining the horizon as you swim in the turquoise water.

You’ll find plenty of stretches of sand inside the various national parks, so you can hike to the sea and stumble across secluded little coves. In popular Manuel Antonio National Park, Playa Biesanz is surrounded by dense green forest with monkeys, sloths and lizards among the trees, with some wonderful snorkelling here as well.

If you’re looking for more than a swim at the beach, Costa Rica is also known for its surfing, with some of the best conditions during the dry season of December to April.

And even if you’ve never attempted to stand up on a board before, there are beginner-friendly surf beaches, with lessons for novices as well as options for more experienced surfers. On the Pacific Coast, Playa Tamarindo is known as one of the best places to start out.

Further south, the more remote Nicoya peninsula is home to surf towns like Santa Teresa with enough of a challenge if you’ve surfed before, but still easy enough for new surfers to try. You’ll also find more surf beaches around Puntarenas.

The surf on the Caribbean coast is more challenging, with a more limited season, but if you’re travelling through the east, you’ll still find some tempting waves where you can grab a board.

Beyond the vividly bright hummingbirds, rainbow of orchids and gleaming turquoise sea, there’s plenty of colour to be found during daily life in Costa Rica, especially if your visit coincides with a festival.

As well as Carnaval and other religious processions and parades, you can watch rodeos with Costa Rica’s own bloodless version of bullfighting. But some of the most eye-catching events are the ox cart parades which take place at various points of the year, with the traditional carts decorated in extravagant fashion.

Or head to the town of Sarchi, famous for its elaborately painted oxcarts, for a chance to see them year-round and enjoy a taste of Costa Rican – or Tico – tradition.

Discover the wildlife, jungles and beaches of Costa Rica on an independent or escorted tour