Best Things to Do in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a 51,000 sq km strip of land between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, a country that set the template for ecotourism when it began protecting its forests in the 1970s and 1980s. The things to do in Costa Rica organize around its extraordinary natural regions. Arenal Volcano (1,670m, dormant since 2010 but still impressive) is the most visited national park, paired with hot springs and La Fortuna waterfall. Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific coast has the country’s most accessible wildlife (sloths, monkeys, toucans) in a small, beautiful park with beaches. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (private, not technically a national park) is the most famous cloud forest in the Americas, with canopy walkways and the original zip-line. Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean coast is the nesting site for green sea turtles (July-October) and accessible only by boat or small plane. Osa Peninsula, in the south Pacific, contains Corcovado National Park, described by National Geographic as “the most biologically intense place on earth.”Best time to visitDecember through April is the dry season (summer by local reckoning) and generally the best time — Pacific beaches are at their best, roads are drier, and wildlife is easier to spot at waterholes. However: the Caribbean side (Tortuguero, Puerto Viejo) receives rain year-round and has its own seasonal pattern (drier February-April and September-October). Sea turtle nesting at Tortuguero peaks July-September. Whale sharks appear at the Osa Peninsula May-December.Getting aroundJuan Santamaría International Airport (San José) handles most international arrivals; Daniel Oduber Airport in Liberia (Guanacaste) is more convenient for the North Pacific beaches. Sansa and Green Airways operate domestic flights (30-60 minutes to most destinations). Shuttle buses run between major tourist hubs (Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, Tamarindo) and are far more convenient than public buses. Rental cars are ideal for the Central Valley and the Nicoya Peninsula; many roads are unpaved and a 4WD is recommended. Tortuguero requires boats from Cariari or Moín.What to eatCosta Rican food is known more for quality of ingredients than sophistication: casado (the set plate of rice, beans, salad, plantain, and protein) is lunch; gallo pinto (black beans and rice) is breakfast. Fresh tropical fruit (mango, papaya, pineapple, guanabána) is exceptional. Ceviche is good on the Pacific coast. Restaurant quality is high in the major tourist areas; Liberia, La Fortuna, and Quepos near Manuel Antonio have the most developed restaurant scenes.FAQIs Costa Rica expensive?Relatively expensive by Central American standards — closer to Mexico and Panama in cost than Guatemala or Nicaragua. Mid-range accommodation runs $70-150/night; adventure tours (zip-lines, white-water rafting, canopy tours) add $50-150 per activity. Food is reasonable if eating at sodas (local restaurants); tourist restaurants are international prices. Budget $100-200 per person per day all-in for a mid-range trip.What is pura vida?The literal translation is “pure life,” but in Costa Rica it functions as a greeting, a farewell, a general affirmation, and a philosophy. “Pura vida” expresses contentment, positivity, and a general satisfaction with life — it is considered a genuine cultural attitude, not just a tourist phrase. Costa Rica consistently ranks among the happiest countries in the world in international surveys.Is Costa Rica good for wildlife?Exceptional. Costa Rica has 500,000 species representing 5% of the world’s total biodiversity in a country that covers 0.03% of the earth’s surface. Common wildlife encounters: sloths (reliably in Manuel Antonio and at Sloth Sanctuary near Tortuguero), howler monkeys (audible before visible everywhere), quetzals (Monteverde, San Gerardo de Dota), sea turtles (Tortuguero, Ostional), humpback whales (Drake Bay, August-October). Birders consider Costa Rica one of the world’s five must-visit destinations.