Costa Rica is one of the most beautiful and pristine countries in Central America. With a very diverse natural landscape and nestled in between the Caribbean and Pacific oceans Costa Rica is a true gem for nature lovers. That coupled with its economic and political stability, in contrast to its neighbours, means it sees a constant flow of tourist coming over its borders and arriving into its airports.
There are opportunities to stay in stunning Costa Rica beach house rentals, eco-lodges in the dense jungle or simple guest houses with a local family. You can participate in wildlife hikes or discover active volcanoes. The sheer number of places to see and things to do can be overwhelming. Many people find themselves extending their stay or making numerous return visits as one just does not seem enough.
Due to the huge volume of activities that you can do in the country we have come up with a list of our top choices of activities to do. We have tried to be as diverse as possible, so you can get a good grounding of the country no matter your length of stay.
1. Check out some volcanoes
Lying on the Pacific Ring of Fire means that Costa Rica is home to some amazing volcanoes, many of which are active. A visit to this country would not be complete without a visit to one of these Volcanoes.
Arenal is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and as it stands at over 5000 meters it is probably one of the ones you should try to fit into your itinerary. Although it is not possible to hike this volcano there are opportunities for others.
For Arenal, a visit to its observatory will give you an understanding of the sheer size and power that this volcano wielded in the not too distant past.
2. Hike through a rainforest
Much of the landmass of Costa Rica is made up of protected lands and rainforest. This is one of the reasons for the country’s popularity and another must do activity is to visit at least one of these areas.
Corcovado National Park is one of the largest and most visited parks in the country. Stretching over 11000 km this park will give you all the nature and biodiversity that you could want.
Day trips or multi-day hikes are the best options for those who want to see as much wildlife as possible. There are several ranger stations and campgrounds in which you can enter the park. With admission to the park being only $15 spending a couple of days here will not ruin your budget.
As usual, the larger animals are always the hardest to spot but you will come across insects and birds at every turn. It is a true nature lovers paradise.
3. Experience the Caribbean coast
As a country with so much diversity, it is best to try and experience as much as possible. The Caribbean is famous the world over for its nightlife, joyful music and laidback feel. That is exactly what you can experience in Costa Rica without having to venture any further than the country’s own beaches.
Villages such as Puerto Viejo de Talamanca come to life with the sound of Reggae music and wild beach parties. A nice break from all the hiking and sightseeing. But still it as all the natural beauty that you could want to see.
This part of the coast is where you come when you want to explore at your own leisure and still interact with like-minded travellers. There is plenty of surf, hiking and water sports activities to keep you in the area. Once you have had enough of the coast it is only a short walk back into the jungle and wildlife.
4. Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge
If you didn’t get the opportunity to spot some larger wildlife in one of the country’s numerous parks, then a visit to Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge will fill that void.
With everything from sloths, alligators, turtles and jaguars in the confines of this refuge spending a day here will be great for you and whoever you are traveling with. Try to avoid visiting between the months of January and April as dry season means many animals will migrate to other areas in search of food. The rest of the year though is perfect for bird and animal lovers.
The staff can fill you in on the best viewpoints, what creatures are within the refuge and how they ended up there and what the refuge does to protect and nurture these animals.
5. See what is below the surface
As you can see from this list much of Costa Rica’s incredible draw to visitors is the abundance of wildlife and its natural beauty, but what about under the water? Well, you won’t be surprised to discover this is just as impressive and with two oceans to discover you can tick off a few bucket list items in one go.
Both oceans offer the ability to snorkel and scuba dive with some of the most beautiful and untouched coral in the world. Depending on the time of year you may also spot schools of whales and dolphins as they pass by on their way to new locations.
For all nature lovers and those inquisitive about how wildlife protection can truly benefit the world then a Visit to Costa Rica is a must.
