Costa Rica is a piece of heaven on Earth. Though covering only 0.03% of Earth’s surface, Costa Rica is home to 5% of the world’s biodiversity. To top it off, Costa Rica is a perfect mix of volcanoes, waterfalls, national parks, hot springs, wildlife, aquatic life, adventure sports, stunning beaches, and much more. This makes Costa Rica one of the most-visited countries in Central America by tourists from the US, Canada and Europe.
Now, if you are wondering about the top activities to do in Costa Rica, we’ve got you covered. We will not only talk about the 10 best things to do in Costa Rica but also tell you where to do them, along some tips and recommendations. We are sure by the end of the blog, you will have a fair idea about what to expect from Costa Rica. So, let’s begin!
List of Best Things To Do In Costa Rica
1. Ziplining
Imagine flying over the lush green forests, bursting through a thick cover of clouds! Home to one of the best ziplining cables in Central America, Costa Rica offers excellent opportunities to tourists and locals alike for world-class ziplining. And Monteverde is one of the best places to experience Costa Rica ziplining!
There are many parks in Monteverde offering competitive tours and packages for ziplining. Although services and amenities may differ from one park to another, all of them have something unique to offer. We have been to Monteverde several times and have tried out a different park each time. And, we have never been disappointed!
Other popular places for ziplining in Costa Rica are La Fortuna and Guanacaste. Numerous resorts and hotels in other parts of Costa Rica offer canopy tours on their premises too. There are different levels and various types of packages for ziplining. So if you are a family with kids, you are quite likely to find something that suits your needs.
Please note, Costa Rica zipline is popularly known as “canopy tours” in Costa Rica. So you will frequently come across this term while booking tours and hotels.
2. Hot Springs
Who wouldn’t like to squeeze out some rejuvenating time from an action-packed vacation in Costa Rica? Bathing in hot springs is not only refreshing but also allows us to slow down and soak in the beauty of the surroundings.
La Fortuna is home to some of the best hot springs in Costa Rica. With Arenal Volcano towering over La Fortuna town, a multitude of resorts here host hot springs with breathtaking views of the Arenal Volcano. If your budget allows, you should experience staying at one of these resorts. And even if it doesn’t, worry not as you can buy a day pass to enjoy the hot springs at a high-end resort.
And the best part is that there is something for everyone here! If you are a solo traveler, a couple looking for some romantic time, or a family with kids looking for some activities to keep the kids entertained, there are plenty of options for you to choose from in La Fortuna. Therefore, hot springs are one of the best things to do in La Fortuna Costa Rica.
It is common to find hot springs in the towns surrounding volcanoes in Costa Rica. Therefore, many other areas too, like Rincon de la Vieja in Guanacaste and Orosi in Cartago, boast hot springs. So wherever you are going, check for hot springs nearby!
3. Whale Watching
Costa Rica has one of the longest whale watching seasons in the world i.e. more than 6 months. The most commonly sighted whales are the humpback whales. Costa Rica acts as a haven for these whales coming from the northern hemisphere from December to March and from the southern hemisphere from July to October. The credit goes to its warm, tropical waters that act as perfect breeding grounds for these whales when they are facing harsh winters in their homes.
One of the best places to go whale watching in Costa Rica is Uvita. A small beach town in the South Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, Uvita has an abundance of whales around the year. The Marino Ballena National Park in Uvita was created to specifically protect the waters from human activity for the whales.
There are several tour operators running whale watching tours during the season. You can either book a tour directly from the Central Valley or go to Uvita by yourself and take a tour.
Other popular places for whale watching are Drake Bay and Golfito in the Osa Peninsula, Tamarindo and Flamingo in Guanacaste, the Gulf of Papagayo, the Gulf of Nicoya, and Manuel Antonio.
4. Turtle Nesting
Is watching a turtle lay eggs on your bucket list? Then Costa Rica is the perfect place to tick that off your bucket list! Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse places on earth, and it is no wonder that female turtles too choose Costa Rica as a safe ground for laying eggs.
There are two most popular places for turtle nesting tours in Costa Rica. The first one is Tortuguero, a remote town on the northern Caribbean coast. The most commonly sighted turtle is the Green Sea Turtle and the turtle nesting season in the Tortuguero National Park lasts from July to October.
There are no roads to the town, and you can reach Tortuguero only by boat or a small plane. Almost all hotels here offer turtle nesting tours and you can either prebook the tour or book one on arrival. It is a nocturnal tour and generally takes around 2 hours.
The other popular place is Ostional Beach on the Pacific coast. It is one of the seven most important turtle nesting sites in the world which hosts the natural phenomenon of “arribada” (Spanish for arrival). During a span of 5-7 days, thousands of Olive Ridley Sea Turtles come at the same time to lay their eggs. The turtle nesting season in Ostional lasts from July to December.
Asociacion de Guias Locales de Ostional (AGLO) runs turtle nesting tours during “arribada”. They have a Facebook page with the same name and give regular updates about the arrival of the turtles and information on tours.
Other places to see turtle nesting is Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge on the South Caribbean coast, Nancite Beach in Santa Rosa National Park, and Las Baulas Marine National Park near Tamarindo.
5. Bioluminescence
Bioluminescence is a magical phenomenon caused by the emission of light by marine plankton due to disturbance in water. For bioluminescence to take place, there should be perfect weather conditions and the right conditions underwater for plankton to thrive.
Although bioluminescence can be experienced only at a few places in the world and only a few times in the year, the Gulf of Nicoya, in the Pacific Ocean, is one place in Costa Rica with the right conditions throughout the year. Therefore, this activity makes its way into the 10 best things to do in Costa Rica!
We have taken bioluminescence tours at Isla Gitana and Isla Jesusita. While you can experience bioluminescence right at the beach of Isla Gitana, they take you in a motorized boat into the water to witness bioluminescence at Isla Jesusita. There are many other islands offering bioluminescence tours in Costa Rica and tour operators generally pick you up from Puntarenas.
6. Hanging Bridges
Walking on hanging bridges is one of the best things to do in Costa Rica! These are suspension bridges built at a great height that offer stunning views of the lush green forests below. And if you’ve got an eye for spotting wildlife, you may even be able to see some wildlife while walking on the bridges. The view, combined with the thrill of walking on a swaying bridge, makes this experience unforgettable.
The most popular hanging bridges are in Monteverde. The two parks, Selvatura Park and Treetopia Park Monteverde (formerly known as Sky Adventures Monteverde), are great places to experience walking on hanging bridges. These bridges are built above dense cloud forests and the feeling of walking through a cloud cover is surreal!
Other popular parks are Mistico Hanging Bridges and Sky Adventures in La Fortuna, Rainmaker near Manuel Antonio, and Heliconias Rainforest Lodge in Bijagua.
7. Volcanoes
When visiting Costa Rica, make sure you add at least one volcano trip to your itinerary. The most famous volcanoes in Costa Rica are Arenal, Poas, Rincón de la Vieja, Turrialba, and Irazu. Except for Arenal, the other 4 volcanoes are active. Other popular volcanoes are Tenorio, Orosi, and Barva.
Most of the volcanoes have a national park dedicated to them. Some national parks like Rincon de la Vieja National Park offer ample opportunities to witness volcanic activity from a distance, while some parks like Arenal Volcano National Park in Costa Rica offer mesmerizing views of the volcano.
You will often find hot springs in the towns surrounding the volcano in Costa Rica. Our recommendation is to combine your volcano trip with refreshing hot springs. And, one of the best places to do that is La Fortuna!
8. Canal Tour
Known as the “Amazon of Costa Rica”, Tortuguero is popular for its vast network of canals passing through lush green rainforests. The Tortuguero National Park has boat-only access and is a haven for exotic species of flora and fauna. The canals are part of the national park and one has to purchase tickets for entering the waterways.
Most hotels in Tortuguero offer guided tours through the canals to see the wildlife. The guide helps you spot numerous species of birds, animals, and reptiles that the naked eye can easily miss.
We booked the canal tour with our hotel. There are generally 2 slots for tours, morning and afternoon. The tour lasts about 2 hours. The morning tour is a better option if you wish to see a higher number of animal species. You can either choose to kayak through the canals or sit in a motorized boat.
9. White Water River Rafting
If you are someone who loves adventure sports, this activity is for you! From class I to class V rapids, Costa Rica offers some of the best places for white water river rafting in Central America.
One of the best rafting destinations in Costa Rica is Pacuare River. The river runs along the Talamanca mountain range near the Caribbean coast and offers sightings of various exotic species of birds and animals.
Other popular rafting destinations include the Naranjo River near Manuel Antonio, the Tenorio River in Guanacaste, the Balsa River and the Sarapiqui River near La Fortuna.
Before booking any rafting tour, do remember to enquire about the class of rapids and the minimum age requirement in case you are with kids. Wear fast-dry clothing and water shoes, and carry only waterproof cameras.
10. Snorkeling
If you love the ocean and marine life, you should definitely go snorkeling in Costa Rica. With the Pacific Ocean on the left side and the Atlantic Ocean on the right, Costa Rica has a vast shoreline spanning over hundreds of kilometers. This makes it an ideal destination for spotting various species of aquatic animals.
Some of the best places for snorkeling are Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, Cahuita National Park, Caño Island, Islas Murciélagos, Isla Tortuga, Gulf of Papagayo, Las Catalina Islands, and Playas del Coco.
We recommend you take a snorkeling tour with a tour operator rather than trying it by yourself off the beach. The tour guides take you deep into the water and know the best spots to see marine life and coral reefs.
We hope you enjoyed reading the list of top activities in Costa Rica. It is important to remember that your itinerary doesn’t have to be fully packed with activities. It is also important to relax and unwind in between activities, recover from the fatigue, and be recharged for the next activity or destination. Also, if you are traveling through public transportation in Costa Rica, there may be unexpected delays in your journey. So, having some room in your itinerary will save you the hassle of rebooking everything.
Have a safe vacation!
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