Tell us how you like to travel and Pura Vida Compass will help you discover where to go, what to do, how much it may cost, and how to turn it into an unforgettable Costa Rica trip.
A few details now, then the full matcher fine-tunes the result.
Explore Costa Rica
Every profile includes who a place is good for — and who should skip it.
Volcanoes • Wildlife • Hot Springs
Costa Rica's adventure capital sits at the foot of a near-perfect volcanic cone. Hot springs, waterfalls, hanging bridges and rafting are all within a 40-minute drive, which is why almost every first-time itinerary starts here.
Cloud Forest • Wildlife • Adventure
A misty mountain town wrapped in cloud forest, founded in part by Quaker settlers and now one of the most biologically studied places in the tropics. Cool, green, and unlike anywhere else in the country.
Beaches • Wildlife • Easy Exploring
Costa Rica's most efficient wildlife-and-beach combination: a small national park where monkeys and sloths live above white-sand coves, ten minutes from a road lined with restaurants and hotels.
Whales • Waterfalls • South Pacific
The gateway to Marino Ballena National Park and its famous whale-tail sandbar. Greener, wilder and cheaper than the Central Pacific, with waterfalls in the hills behind town.
Caribbean • Culture • Beaches
Costa Rica's Caribbean coast runs on a different rhythm: Afro-Caribbean and Bribri culture, reggae on the beach road, rice and beans cooked in coconut milk, and a string of beaches you reach by bicycle.
Surfing • Restaurants • Nightlife
Guanacaste's most developed beach town: consistent beginner-friendly surf, the widest restaurant selection on the coast, and an easy 75-minute drive from Liberia airport.
Wildlife • Rainforest • Remote Adventure
The wildest corner of the country and one of the most biologically intense places on the planet. Corcovado National Park holds tapirs, all four monkey species and the largest scarlet macaw population in Central America.
Turtles • Jungle Canals • Wildlife
A roadless village between jungle canals and the Caribbean, reachable only by boat or small plane. Green turtles nest here in enormous numbers, and boat safaris at dawn are the main event.
Brown-throated three-toed slothFrequently seen with a guide
Hoffmann's two-toed slothFrequently seen with a guide
Scarlet macawOften seen
Resplendent quetzalUncommon
Keel-billed & chestnut-mandibled toucansOften seen
White-faced capuchinOften seen
Mantled howler monkeyOften seen
Geoffroy's spider monkeyUncommon
Central American squirrel monkeyFrequently seen with a guide
Sea turtlesFrequently seen with a guide
Humpback whaleFrequently seen with a guide
Bottlenose & spotted dolphinsOften seen
American crocodileOften seen
White-nosed coatiOften seen
Baird's tapirRare
Poison dart frogsFrequently seen with a guide
Red-eyed tree frogFrequently seen with a guideCosta Rica side by side
Volcanoes • Wildlife • Hot Springs
Cloud Forest • Wildlife • Adventure
Build a realistic budget by lodging level, travelers and days.
Month-by-month rain, crowds, wildlife and pricing patterns.
Rental car, shuttle, bus or plane — and whether you need to drive.
A list generated from your month, destinations and activities.
