There's a bit of guilt associated with releasing this information to the public because much of what's special about the places on this list will be lost if "The Public" arrives en masse. However, I have faith that Costa Rica will always have something new and amazing to explore so get to these … [Read more...]
Beaches of Guanacaste
Brasilito, Conchal & Tamarindo are just a few of the jewels of the Pacific Luxury Resorts All Inclusive Resorts Golf Beach Houses Deep Sea Fishing Surfing Guanacaste's beaches are in the top ten best in Costa Rica for all this and more! The … [Read more...]
Arenal Volcano
Arenal Volcano forms a perfect cone between the lake and the tourist village of La Fortuna Spas & Hotsprings Luxury Resorts Wildlife Spectacular Views Waterfall Rappels Canopy Ziplines Hanging Bridges White Water Rafting Budget Travel Arenal is in … [Read more...]
Monteverde
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve protects an ecological zone that is rapidly disappearing Mountain Lodges Cloud Forest Birdwatching Spectacular Views Restaurants Adventure Activities Wildlife These attractions earn the remarkable high altitude cloud … [Read more...]
Osa & Corcovado
Jaguars, tapirs, macaws and other wildlife are the top reasons this wild peninsula is one of the best Trekking & Hiking Surfing Wildlife Remote Eco-Lodges Birdwatching SCUBA & Snorkeling The wilds of the Osa include one of the top ten … [Read more...]
Manuel Antonio
The beaches and wildlife of Manuel Antonio National Park make it one of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica Boutique Hotels Small Luxury Resorts Wildlife Spectacular Views Deep Sea Fishing Adventure Activities The jewel of the Pacific, … [Read more...]
Tortuguero
Canoeing & Kayaking Beachcombing Wildlife Watching Remote Eco-Lodges Birdwatching Turtle Nesting Tortuguero means turtle hunter but now the region is a national park committed to conservation & ecology. Because of the name, many people … [Read more...]
Tenorio, Celeste & Miravalles
Hikes Luxury Ecolodges Wildlife Easy Walks Rustic Lodges Birdwatching Difficult Hikes Rafting Authentic CR Hiking, bird watching, and natural volcanic springs are only the beginning. There are almost too many reasons to include this area not the least of … [Read more...]
The San Gerardos
Mountain Lodges Cloud Forest Birdwatching Spectacular Views Wildlife Hiking & Trekking The Talamanca mountains and Tinamaste massif are a top spot to enjoy all San Gerardo de Dota & San Gerardo de Rivas offer. San Gerardo de Dota and San … [Read more...]
Nicoya Peninsula
Santa Teresa, Mal País, & Tambor beaches are just a few of the uncrowded options Boutique Resorts Beach Communities Adventure Beach Houses Deep Sea Fishing Surfing The remote beaches and unique tropical dry forests of Nicoya make it one of the … [Read more...]
Southern Caribbean
A whole different world on the lesser known half of Costa Rica Secret Dry Season Budget Travel Wildlife Watching Beach Houses Cuisine Surfing Beach Cruisers Reefs & Snorkeling Uniqueness All of these and more are waiting for intrepid travelers … [Read more...]
Rincon de la Vieja
Moderate Hikes Easy Access Geothermal Features Easy Walks Rustic Lodges Birdwatching Difficult Hikes Adventure Tours Authentic Costa Rica Rincon is not only an amazing spot but one of the few places you can access dry, rain and cloud forests all in one spot … [Read more...]
Turrialba & Orosi Honorable Mention
Moderate Hikes Easy Access Authentic Costa Rica Whitewater Rafting Boutique Lodges Birdwatching The region around volcán Turrialba and Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Parks and the Orosi River valley was the hardest one to leave off of the list of the top ten best … [Read more...]
San José Honorable Mention
Museums & Culture Convenience Adventure Tours Necessity Visitors rarely travel all the way to Costa Rica for shopping, traffic jams or international restaurants but San José have other things to offer as well. Necessity Sometimes San José or one of the suburbs … [Read more...]
Jacó & Hermosa Honorable Mentions
Condos Convenience Deep Sea Fishing Surfing Adventure Tours Restaurants & Bars Resort Manuel Antonio and Tamarindo are racing to catch up but Jacó is still the undisputed king of the condo beach towers in Costa Rica. Modern & Cosmopolitan Okay so … [Read more...]
Dominical, Uvita Honorable Mention
Hikes & Walks Easy Access Deserted Beaches Surfing Adventure Tours Birdwatching Wildlife Refuges Two of the best private wildlife refuges with on site eco-lodges in Costa Rica are adjacent to Dominical (Hacienda Barú) and Uvita (La Cusinga). Both specialize in … [Read more...]
Not at the San Gerardos
When trying to give an accurate picture of what to expect when traveling it can be as helpful to describe what isn't in an area as it is to describe the highlights of a region. Below are a few things not to expect around San Gerardo de Dota and San Gerardo de Rivas/Chirripó National … [Read more...]
Not in Tortuguero
Roads, Buses & Cars There are no roads to Tortuguero village. Visitors arrive by plane at the airstrip north of town or by small boat (see details on all four boat routes to Tortuguero). Swimming, Snorkeling & Surfing Beaches Beautiful tropical beaches stretch for miles both north … [Read more...]
Not at Tenorio & Miravalles
Canopy Ziplines Sometimes you can learn as much about a region by what's not there as you can by what is. One of the most telling observations about the Bijagua region is that there is not a single zipline tour. It's the only little corner of Costa Rica without one (or typically many … [Read more...]
Not at Rincon de la Vieja
Rincón has so much diversity it was a bit tough coming up with a list of what not to expect to find in the area. Of course it's inland an a volcano so there are no beaches but even that's less than an hour away so you could pop down for the sunset after lunch. Hiking Trails to the … [Read more...]