Costa Rica is one of Central America’s most diverse travel destinations, combining tropical rainforests, spectacular volcanoes, long sandy beaches, fascinating wildlife and a relaxed lifestyle known as Pura Vida. From the Pacific coast to the Caribbean Sea, Costa Rica offers ideal conditions for individual holidays, adventure trips, family vacations, luxury travel and active experiences.
Costa Rica offers a wide choice of accommodation, from stylish city hotels and boutique lodges to exclusive jungle retreats and luxury beach resorts. Many properties are located in spectacular natural surroundings, close to national parks, volcanoes or the coast.
Luxury resorts combine elegant accommodation with wellness, fine dining, private excursions and activities such as surfing, hiking, wildlife observation and water sports.
Private holiday homes, villas and apartments are available in many of Costa Rica’s most attractive regions. They are particularly suitable for couples, families and small groups looking for more privacy and flexibility.
Beach villas, jungle lodges and mountain properties provide an excellent base for exploring the country’s natural attractions at your own pace.
For travellers who want to experience Costa Rica’s landscapes even more closely, camping and glamping are exciting alternatives. Comfortable glamping accommodation combines the feeling of sleeping in nature with modern facilities and often spectacular views.
Costa Rica is well suited to flexible individual travel. Rental cars and organised transfers make it possible to combine several regions during one trip, for example San José, Arenal, Monteverde, the Pacific coast and the Caribbean.
Travelling independently allows visitors to combine national parks, beaches, wildlife experiences and outdoor activities according to their own interests.
Costa Rica offers attractive golf experiences in tropical surroundings. Golf resorts are concentrated particularly around the Pacific coast and the Central Valley. Courses combine challenging layouts with views of mountains, forests or the Pacific Ocean.
Golf holidays can easily be combined with luxury hotels, wellness, beach stays and excursions.
Costa Rica is an excellent destination for active holidays. Tennis and other sports are available at selected hotels and resorts.
Cycling is particularly attractive in the mountainous regions, while road cycling and mountain biking provide opportunities for both experienced cyclists and recreational riders. E-bike tours are also becoming increasingly popular.
Hiking is one of the best ways to discover Costa Rica. Trails lead through tropical rainforests, cloud forests, volcanic landscapes and national parks.
Popular experiences include hiking around Arenal Volcano, exploring Monteverde Cloud Forest and discovering the wildlife of Corcovado National Park.
Costa Rica also offers rafting, ziplining, canyoning, kayaking, surfing, diving, snorkelling and horseback riding.
Costa Rica is famous for its extraordinary biodiversity. Rainforests and protected national parks are home to monkeys, sloths, toucans, colourful frogs, crocodiles and many other species.
Wildlife experiences can be found throughout the country, with particularly impressive opportunities in Corcovado, Tortuguero, Manuel Antonio and the Monteverde region.
Costa Rica has two very different coastlines.
The Pacific coast is known for beautiful beaches, spectacular sunsets, surfing and stylish beach resorts. The Caribbean coast offers a more relaxed atmosphere, tropical vegetation, colourful villages and a distinctive cultural character.
Popular beach destinations include Guanacaste, Tamarindo, Manuel Antonio, Santa Teresa, Puerto Viejo and the Nicoya Peninsula.
Volcanoes are among Costa Rica’s most impressive natural attractions. Arenal is particularly famous for its perfectly shaped volcanic landscape and surrounding hot springs.
The volcanic regions combine hiking, adventure activities, wellness and thermal bathing and are ideal for multi-centre holidays.
Costa Rica’s natural environment provides an exceptional setting for wellness holidays. Many resorts offer spa treatments, yoga, thermal pools, massages and relaxation surrounded by rainforest or mountains.
The volcanic hot springs around Arenal are particularly popular for combining sightseeing with relaxation.
Costa Rican cuisine reflects the country’s tropical climate and agricultural traditions. Rice, beans, fresh vegetables, fruit, seafood and locally produced coffee are important elements of the country’s culinary culture.
Coffee plantations in the Central Valley offer tours and tastings, while coastal regions are ideal for fresh seafood and tropical cuisine.
San José is Costa Rica’s capital and the country’s main gateway. Museums, markets, historic buildings, restaurants and cultural attractions make it a useful starting point for a Costa Rica itinerary.
La Fortuna is the main base for exploring Arenal Volcano, hot springs and adventure activities.
Monteverde is famous for its cloud forest, hiking trails and biodiversity.
Tamarindo is one of the best-known Pacific beach destinations and is particularly popular with surfers.
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca combines Caribbean beaches, tropical vegetation and a relaxed multicultural atmosphere.
Costa Rica has an impressive network of national parks and protected areas. Among the best-known are:
Each region offers a different combination of landscapes and wildlife.
Costa Rica has a relatively peaceful political history compared with many other countries in the region. The country abolished its army in 1948 and has since focused strongly on education, social development and environmental protection.
Traditional culture, indigenous heritage, music, food and the famous Pura Vida philosophy are important parts of the Costa Rican identity.
Costa Rica is increasingly attractive for incentives, corporate events and small meetings. The combination of modern hotels, international air connections, tropical landscapes and extraordinary outdoor experiences creates excellent opportunities for incentive programmes.
Companies can combine meetings with rainforest excursions, rafting, volcano tours, beach activities, wellness and private nature experiences.
Most international visitors arrive through Juan Santamaría International Airport near San José or Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport near Liberia.
Liberia is particularly convenient for holidays on the northern Pacific coast and in Guanacaste, while San José is the main gateway for Central Costa Rica and many multi-region itineraries.
Costa Rica is ideal for tailor-made travel. A typical itinerary can combine the capital, rainforest, volcanoes, cloud forest and Pacific or Caribbean beaches.
For couples, families and small groups, private transfers, boutique hotels, luxury lodges and individually arranged excursions create a highly flexible travel experience.
Whether you are looking for adventure, wildlife, beaches, golf, cycling, hiking, wellness or luxury, Costa Rica offers the opportunity to combine several experiences in one journey.
Costa Rica stands for extraordinary nature, biodiversity, adventure and relaxed enjoyment. Few destinations make it so easy to combine rainforest and beach, volcanoes and wellness, active holidays and luxury resorts within a single trip.
