Top-Rated Traveler Attractions in Costa Rica. Costa Rica is a heaven of all-natural attractions, with volcanoes, beaches, cloud forests, and also distinct wildlife. This is a country that charms as a lot to bird-watchers and high-end tourists as it does to web surfers and backpackers.
The active city of San Jose is home to the nation's ideal galleries and beautiful squares, but the genuine treasures exist past the funding, in the forests and tiny coastal villages.
Unlimited stretches of beach line the Pacific Shore, with towns that satisfy surfers and also sun seekers. Inland, the forest-covered hills offer their very own experiences, from volcanoes and also falls to ziplining and phenomenal wildlife watching. For something totally various, have a look at the Caribbean coastline with its calm waters, bountiful wild animals, and various cultural ambiance.
Find suggestions for areas to go to with our list of the leading traveler destinations in Costa Rica.
1. Manuel Antonio National Park
Manuel Antonio National Park|Image Copyright: Lana Law
Manuel Antonio Park and the bordering location are recognized for lovely coastlines, lush forest, as well as varied wildlife that lives in the location.
As quickly as you venture right into the park, you will certainly have no trouble finding rainbowlike butterflies as well as colorful birds flitting about. Howler monkeys, squirrel apes, sloths, as well as the hard-to-miss capuchins can be seen from the tracks. For an extra comprehensive experience take into consideration signing up with a Manuel Antonio Park Nature Directed Trip. Guides typically know specifically where the animals are and also carry tripods as well as telescopes, suitable for watching and photography.
A lot of the action areas in the area is centered around the gorgeous oceanfront coastline, where noontime time soccer matches break out, as well as internet users appreciate the generally gentle waves. (This is a preferred place for novices to take surf lessons.).
Across the road from the coastline and also higher on the hillside are restaurants and also shops, a few of which can get loud at nights. For those who want to leave from the activity of the main beach, similarly eye-catching beaches are inside the park.
You can discover most hotels in Manuel Antonio, but the location is additionally residence to among the top beach hotels in Costa Rica.
2. Arenal Volcano (Volcan Arenal).
Arenal Volcano (Volcan Arenal).
The Arenal Volcano National forest, discovered in the tough Cordillera de Tilarán, is one of the leading volcano checking out areas in the country. The piece de resistance right here is the Arenal Volcano, a conical mountain with big ash columns regularly streaming from the crater.
Arenal was dormant from AD 1500 up until an enormous eruption on July 29, 1968, which eliminated 82 people and ruined 2 towns. Ever since, it has seen routine activity and also, depending upon the day or week, visitors can expect to see anything from a cloud of ash to radiant red lava moving down the mountain.
The park is also recognized for its wide range of biodiversity, with about half of all Costa Rican birds, reptiles, amphibians, as well as creatures represented someplace within its boundaries.
The Arenal Observatory Lodge, originally a private observatory developed in 1987, is the only lodge within the Arenal Volcano National Park boundaries. It lies on a macadamia nut farm on the south side of the volcano. From the lodge, check out the superb views of the volcano and Arenal Lake in the opposite instructions. Many hiking trails are in the area; many result in waterfalls as well as old and also recent lava flows.
Accommodation: Where to Stay in Arenal Volcano National Park.
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3. Monteverde and also the Cloud Woodlands.
Monteverde as well as the Cloud Woodlands.
The Cloud Woodlands near Monteverde as well as Santa Elena are some of the best places to see in Costa Rica for ecotourism. If you are itching to immerse yourself in nature and also see special plants and wildlife without venturing too away the ruined course, this is absolutely the place to come.
The clouds covering these woodlands provide the moisture needed to maintain the area's distinct habitats. While lots of people come simply for the bird watching, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Book as well as the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve maintain numerous mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. Watch out for vivid frogs and also wailing apes. Jaguars as well as pumas are a lot more elusive. Organized walkings are one of the very best methods to see the woodland. One more choice are canopy excursions that might include ziplines or bridges and also also wire cars and trucks.
Monteverde as well as Santa Elena are both main resort in the area, with accommodation, dining establishments, as well as also stores and musicians' galleries. This area, located northwest of San Juan, is a little more than four hours by bus. It can be cold up right here, so make sure to bring cozy clothing.
Holiday accommodation: Where to Stay in Monteverde.
4. Dominical.
Dominical|Image Copyright: Lana Legislation.
Dominical is an exotic backpacker's haven, with dust streets, gorgeous coastlines, inexpensive lodging, casual al fresco dining establishments, and also a wonderful ambiance. Domincal is among the most effective areas in Costa Rica for browsing. Web surfers who come here discover it tough to leave, and also check outs typically turn into extended keeps.
Dominical also draws in an upper-end crowd that can discover small high-end inns and also b and b on the borders or in the hills ignoring the community. These areas are commonly triggered on their own and permit close-up wildlife watching, with howler apes waking guests in the morning as well as toucans flying by the swimming pool.
Back from the coastline under the unethical trees, vendors established tables as well as sell crafts and also other things. Outside of town are quieter beaches where it's feasible to find your very own special area.
Because of Dominical's southerly place, it is lavish and also steamy even in the dry period when north locations are dusty and the trees have dropped their leaves.
Accommodation: Where to Stay in Dominical.
5. Tamarindo.
Tamarindo.
Tamarindo, situated on the Nicoya Peninsula is a top destination for surfing, beaching, as well as good times. Once a silent angling village, Tamarindo is now a tourist place where you can find good food as well as a variety of holiday accommodations.
The community is spread out along Tamarindo Beach, which competes around 1.5 kilometers. The area is understood for searching, with a variety of breaks excellent for both knowledgeable internet users and students. The largest waves are normally found right here in November and also December.
The location around Tamarindo is additionally understood for environmentally friendly journeys and tasks that consist of snorkeling, diving, horseback riding, ziplining, and turtle enjoying in period. Neighboring Playa Grande is among Costa Rica's crucial nesting grounds for leatherback turtles. Throughout October as well as March, more than 100 turtles can be seen nesting and also laying their eggs overnight.
Accommodation: Where to Remain in Tamarindo.
6. Mal Pais and also Santa Teresa.
Mal Pais as well as Santa Teresa.
Mal Pais on the Nicoya Peninsula, is a location along the shore known for great waves that attract surfers from around the globe. The town of Santa Teresa is the primary hotspot in the location, nevertheless a chain of towns and also coastlines lie along the Mal Pais, including the villages of Mal Pais as well as Manzanillo.
Today, the location is a mix of backpackers, web surfers who never handled to leave, and tourists that desire they had prepared a much longer trip. The location is more trendy and has more of a scene than places like Dominical, and also growth in the location has actually transformed it more high end.
Accommodation: Where to Remain In Mal Pais.
7. Jaco.
Jaco.
Jaco is an excellent option for anybody aiming to leave San Jose yet still wanting the comforts and facilities of a larger town or city. The beach right here is spacious as well as pleasurable, yet average at ideal by Costa Rican requirements.
The searching as well as swimming below are both very good, with smaller sized waves than various other locations along the shore. What Jaco does have that sets it apart from the countless seaside towns along this stretch of the Pacific is modern houses and also shops, a solid selection of excellent restaurants and also hotels, and various other modern-day benefits that have actually made it a prominent choice with deportees and also retired people.
Lodging: Where to Remain in Jaco.
8. Tortuguero National Park.
Tortuguero National Park.
For something a little various and a little off the beaten path, site visitors may intend to head to Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean Coastline. This area, obtainable only by watercraft or aircraft, is just one of the wettest locations in the nation and provides something different than the rest of Costa Rica. The park is a vital breeding ground for the environment-friendly sea turtle and therefore, turtle watching is the main task here.
While there are many coastlines, the coastal area is not appropriate for swimming as the surf and also currents are rough and solid. Sharks are common. Hundreds and also even countless environment-friendly and also leatherback turtles can be watched (overviews are required) nesting and also laying propel the coastlines overnight. Current preservation initiatives have actually increased the number of turtles nesting in the location.
From the treking routes or watercraft trips along the canals, it's possible to find monkeys, sloths, and kinkajous. Peccaries as well as tapirs are also existing yet harder to see. Freshwater turtles, reptiles, serpents, frogs, toads, and also various other amphibians are also usual.
Accommodation: Where to Remain near Tortuguero National Park.
9. Osa Peninsula and also Corcovado National Forest.
Osa Peninsula and also Corcovado National Park.
In southerly Costa Rica, past the stunning coastlines of Dominical, is the remote Osa Peninsula and also Corcovado National Forest.
The park, established in 1975, safeguards what is thought about to be the best continuing to be stretch of Pacific coastal rainforest in Central America. It has an extensive path system and also is prominent with tourists that appreciate long-distance walks.
Along with browsing, various other preferred activities in the region are diving, snorkeling, and fishing. Puerto Jiménez is the location's biggest community, as well as several great lodges are discovered in the Drake Bay location.
Holiday accommodation: Where to Stay in Corcovado National Forest.
10. The National Movie Theater in San Jose.
The National Movie Theater in San Jose.
Costa Ricans take pride in the National Movie theater, which is considered to be the most impressive structure in San José. In the 1890s, the ruling coffee barons chose a tax obligation on coffee exports in order to fund the construction of the cinema, as well as European craftsmens were imported to develop the structure.
Finished in 1897, the building includes a classical Renaissance columned façade topped by statues signifying Dancing, Songs, as well as Fame. Inside, the pink marble foyer includes allegorical numbers of Funny as well as Disaster, as well as painted murals illustrating motifs in Costa Rican life.
The most popular of the paints is one showing coffee harvesting and also export repainted by Arturo Fontana in Milan in 1897.
Lodging: Where to Remain In San Jose.
11. Irazu Volcano National Forest.
Irazu Volcano National Forest.
The Irazú Volcano is the highest energetic volcano in Costa Rica at 3,342 meters. The summit of the volcano is a lunar-like landscape with craters. Irazú's Principal Crater is 1,050 meters in diameter and 300 meters deep, and the Diego de la Haya Crater is considerably smaller and includes a little lime-green lake that in some cases appears red.
Marked tracks lead to these craters as well as two other smaller ones, one of which also has a lake. A pyroclastic cone can additionally be seen, which has been formed from fragmented volcanic rock. From the summit, it's possible to look out to the Pacific as well as Caribbean on clear days.
12. Braulio Carrillo National Park.
Braulio Carrillo National Park|Picture Copyright: Lana Legislation.
Braulio Carrillo National Forest, a 30-minute drive from busy San Jose, includes sturdy mountains, waterfalls, canyons, dormant volcanoes, and virgin rain forest. The park's distance to the country's major gateway implies it is a very easy means to see a few of Costa Rica's unique plants and wildlife.
Various environments exist in the park as a result of the variety in altitude, which ranges from the top of the Barva Volcano (2,906 meters) to much less than 50 meters in the Caribbean lowlands. The park is home to creatures such as jaguars, pumas, tapirs, sloths, and also monkeys, yet less complicated to see as well as listen to are a number of types of birds consisting of the Quetzal (national bird), toucans, and also eagles.
Accommodation: Where to Stay in San Jose.
13. Rincón de la Vieja National forest.
Rincón de la Vieja National forest.
The Rincón de la Vieja Volcano is the main attraction in this park. Among one of the most popular things to do is a hike to the summit. This 9.6-kilometer route leaves from Las Pailas and also travels through a selection of environments as it climbs to the top. The views are magnificent. You can see the the Nicoya Penisula, and on a clear day, right into Nicaragua.
Other less strenuous tracks bring about falls and thermal springs. The park is additionally home to a variety of wildlife, with tapirs; sloths; monkeys; as well as big felines such as the jaguar, puma, and ocelot populating the park.
Lodging: Where to Stay near Rincón de la Vieja National Park.
14. La Paz Falls Gardens.
La Paz Falls.
This independently possessed nature park is a must-see tourist attraction in Costa Rica. Expand over 70 acres, the park is home to a wide range of wildlife including monkeys, butterflies, hummingbirds, as well as others.
The emphasize of the park is La Paz waterfall. Rain from the cloud forests tumble off a high walk, going down 37 meters right into a swimming pool below. Along with the waterfall, your admission ticket consists of accessibility to the serpentarium, butterfly observatory, jungle cat exhibition, and ranarium (frog display).
Authorities website: www.waterfallgardens.com.
15. Wildlife.
Wildlife|Picture Copyright: Lana Legislation.
Costa Rica is just one of those rare nations where the wildlife alone can be worth the trip. What the nation might lack in social attractions, it more than offsets with interseting and prevalent wild animals experiences.