Costa Rica Bucket List

Costa Rica is famous for its stunning beaches, unique forests, and endless waterfalls. There are five active volcanoes, a temperate climate, and the sun rises and sets at almost the same time all year round. It is the land of Pura Vida, a way of life that creates an infectious energy for travelers, and possibly why Costa Rica is one of the top Blue Zones in the world. 

Nestled in the heart of Central America, with the Pacific on its western coastline, and the Caribbean on the eastern coast, this small country is a world leader in conservation and biodiversity. It hosts over half a million species of wildlife, many of which are protected in extensive national parks and reserves, and the national animal is the sloth.  It is a democratic country with no military, at all. Education is free in Costa Rica, and because of this the country has one of the highest literacy rates in Latin America. 

Travel around Costa Rica may be geographically close, but it takes more time to get around due to the country roads and slower paced lifestyle. Embrace the unhurried culture and plan to take your time getting around. For efficiency, I am organizing this bucket list by region, on the assumption you will fly into Liberia, and home from San Jose, and stay to explore for several weeks. Here we go!

The North-West Coast 

1. Visit Tamarindo: Although we recommend staying near Playa Grande as it is nicer, quieter, and better situated for fun activities. 

2. Explore the Mangroves Las Baulas National Marine Park: Rent a kayak and spend the afternoon in the quiet tranquility of this biodiverse hotspot 

3. Go Surfing at Playa Grande: The long gentle swells and warm waters make a great surfing experience for beginners. 

4. Check out the Grateful Hotel: This funky hotel and restaurant offers unique cocktails in a groovy environment. A perfect place to lunch between surfing and mangroves! 

5. Go Deep Sea Fishing: This area of the Pacific Ocean is teeming with yellowfin, dorado, grouper, snapper, wahoo and tuna. Spend a day out on the water trying to catch your dinner.

6. Visit the Turtles at Reserva Conchal: Take a turtle tour and see baby turtles hatching, or watch the mommy turtles laying their eggs, depending on the season. 

7. Day trip to Playa Dantita: take the hike from Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas to the beautiful secluded coves along the north coast. Don’t forget your snorkel gear and some snacks! 

8. Take a Sunset Sailing Cruise: A popular tour from Tamarindo, this relaxing experience is the perfect way to end the day. 

En Route to the Central Rainforest

9. Hike to Llanos de Cortez Waterfall: After some time in the car, take a break and a trek down to these lovely waterfalls.

10. Admire the Rio Celeste Waterfall: For your second stop of the day, hike through the jungle to this stunning and unique sight. The legend says the gods dipped their paint brushes into the river after painting the sky. 

11. Order Casado and Pipa Fria at a Soda: After your morning hikes, treat yourself to some cold coconut water and an authentic Costa Rican dish. This “fast food” consists of rice, beans, plantains, and a protein of your choice. 

The Central Rainforest

12. Visit Fortuna/Arenal: Fortuna is a hectic and touristy city in the heart of the rainforest. Opt to stay in Arenal for some quieter, more authentic accommodations. 

13. Go Canyoning: have you ever considered rappelling down waterfalls and dangling 200 ft over the forest floor? If not, you are missing out. This was hands down my favorite activity in the whole country and I highly recommend it! 

14. Soak in the Arenal River Hot Springs: Wether it’s visiting the bougie Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa or jumping in the hot river just off the side of the road, you have to take some kind of dip in these rejuvenating hot springs.

15. Take an ATV Tour: Even if you ATV regularly, its so fun to splash through the muddy jungle, listening to the howler monkeys and chasing your friends around the next bend. 

16. Swim at La Fortuna Waterfall: take a dip in the refreshing and clear waters of this waterfall pool to cool off after a hot day. 

17. Lake Arenal Stand Up Paddle board Tour: What better way to admire the enormity of the lake than on its surface? And you’ll get a great view of the next item… 

18. See a Volcano: Arenal Volcano dominates the landscape here, so its pretty hard to miss. But take the time to appreciate its beauty from one of the great viewpoints or by taking a hike right up on the volcanic rocks. 

 The Cloud Forest

19. Visit Monteverde: Cloud forests are a rare microclimate and Monteverde is situated in one of the only remaining ecosystems of its kind. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience this unique experience for yourself! 

20. Go Bird Watching at Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve: Here, the warm air from the Caribbean and the cooler winds from the Pacific collide to create a unique habitat. Over 400 species of bird live here, along with many other animals and biodiverse plant life. 

21. Enjoy the Hanging Bridges: A fun and exhilarating place to be, suspended in the clouds with the birds. 

 22. Hike to the Ficus Trees: the ficus trees here are colossal, its hard to explain until you are standing under them. It may seem silly but they are worth the hunt to find them. 

23. Go Zip Lining: We loved our tour with 100% Aventura Tours Zip Lining, especially the Tarzan Swing! There is nothing like sailing through the clouds superman style, for 5,216 feet! Halfway through the zip line I thought to myself “when will this end?!” 

En Route to the South West Coast: 

24. Cruise to Isla Tortuga: Take a 5-hour round trip cruise with lunch and drinks to a beautiful lush paradise on earth. 

25. See the Crocodiles at Crocodile Bridge: Stop for a quick smoothie and a lookout to admire the dinosaurs below. 

The South West Coast

25. Visit Manuel Antonio: This is a MUST DO. If you only have time for two stops in the whole country, make one of them Manuel Antonio. It is magical.

26. Take a Guided Tour of Manuel Antonio National Park: Normally I balk at guided tours but this is for sure one place you cannot go without a guide- they are trained to find so many animals you will never see on your own, and it is so worth it! This is tied for my second favorite experience in the country, mostly because of the plethora of sloth encounters and the super entertaining monkeys.

27. Day trip to Punta Uvita: Spot Humpback whales at the Whales Tale at Marino Ballena National Park.

28. Enjoy some Parasailing: With a beach start and water ending, your sure to enjoy the views and adrenaline spike from this fun activity. 

29. Surf at Espadilla Beach: a long sandy beach dotted with little bars and lots of locals, this is a perfect place for a sunset surf sesh. 

30. Go Diving or Snorkeling at Isla del Cano: Although we never made it here on our trip, this is on my bucket list for next time!

En route to the East Coast: 

31. Irazu Volcano National Park: Check out the highest volcano in Costa Rica and admire one of its 5 craters. 

The East Coast

32. Visit Playa Puerto Viejo: A lively Caribbean town, full of Rastafarian bars, wildlife, and stunning topography. 

33. Wiggle your toes in the Black Sandy Beaches: It’s fun to see such diverse landscape in such a short span of land, take the time to stop and enjoy all the beaches!

34. Learn about Coffee and Chocolate at a traditional Bri Bri Village: The tour to the village was a culturally impactful experience and my other second favorite thing we did in Costa Rica. The indigenous people were warm and welcoming and happy to share their lifestyle with us. They harvested the cacao and showed us how to make coffee and chocolate, which was shockingly great! 

35. Snorkel at Playa Manzanillo: The hike to this beach was really nice, and the reward of a secluded snorkeling spot did not disappoint. 

36. Enjoy the White Sand Beaches of Playa Punta Uva: dont forget to take that romantic photo!

37. Wander at Playa Cahuita: A great place to stay in the area with nice beaches, great surf, and an opportunity for scuba/snorkel tours off the coast. I especially loved the restaurants right on the water to enjoy my drink and unwind!

The Abbreviated Trip: 

We love Costa Rica. The people are amazing, the culture is addicting, and the adventure is unmatched! There is so much to do, and it takes time to see it all! I commonly get asked what are the very best things to do and so I will answer that, begrudgingly. If you are short on time and looking to cut some things out, I would suggest leaving out Tamarindo. Although there are a lot of cool things to do in that region, it was not as impactful as the south western coast of Manuel Antonio. In addition, most people choose to leave out the East Coast and Playa Puerto Viejo because they are just so far from everything else. It would be disappointing to miss it, but if were being choosy then you really must see the regions of Arenal and Monteverde. Therefore, an alternative to my bucket list itinerary above would be this: 

Fly in to San Jose

La Fortuna/Arenal: 3 days

Monteverde: 2 days

Manuel Antonio: 3 days

Fly home from San Jose

This itinerary would ensure plenty of adventure and some time at both the beaches and unique forests of Costa Rica. 

Getting Around: The short of it is: get a rental car. Many people have heard the roads in Costa Rica are terrible, and I just think that is not true. There are several major highways around the capital that are continuously being improved for smoother, faster travel. Most of the other roads are two lane highways that are decently maintained, but they do get slower traffic and have lower speed limit laws, so it makes travel slower. There are some dirt roads but its not that common. However, much more common are the one-way bridges over every small stream, river, and other water crossing. These can get a bit tedious but again, embrace the unhurried lifestyle! Yes, the rental cars are expensive. Use Adobe rental cars and be sure you have insurance on your travel credit card so you can save on the fees. Yes, there are tour companies that you can use as an alternative. No, I would not recommend them. No, I would not rely on public transportation (Okay if you are an avid backpacker and you want to have the adventure of busses and hitchhiking then go for it). But really there is no better way to explore this country! 

Costa Rica stole my heart. I can easily see why there are so many expats that came for a visit and never left. We almost didn’t leave either! From the volcanos to the waterfalls, the beaches to the rainforests, beauty and tranquility are sure to be found.