Travel Tips for Costa Rica
Costa Rica rewards travelers who plan thoughtfully and move slowly. These tips cover the practical realities of getting around, choosing what to see, and making the most of your time — whether you have one week or one month.
How much time do I need to see Costa Rica?
One week is enough for one or two regions done properly. A week trying to see everything results in exhaustion and a lot of windshield time. Two weeks is ideal for first-timers wanting to combine a volcano area (Arenal), wildlife (Manuel Antonio or Caribbean), and a beach. A month or more allows for slow travel — settling in one or two places and really experiencing them.
Costa Rica is the size of West Virginia, but a 150km drive can take 4+ hours on mountain roads. Always budget more time than the map suggests.
Itinerary Planning
Quality Over Quantity
The most common mistake first-time visitors make is trying to see too much. A condensed 10-day itinerary hitting Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, the Caribbean, and Guanacaste involves more than 25 hours of driving or shuttle time. Pick fewer destinations, stay longer in each, and actually relax.
1 Week: The Classic Route
The most popular first-timer itinerary that balances volcano scenery, wildlife, and beach without excessive driving.
- Days 1–2 San José / Arrive — Settle in, adjust, explore the city or take a day trip to Poás or Irazú volcano
- Days 2–4 La Fortuna / Arenal — Hike in the national park, visit hot springs, do a canopy or rafting tour
- Days 4–7 Manuel Antonio — Drive south (3.5–4 hrs from Arenal via San José or boat/taxi across Lake Arenal), explore the national park, relax on the beaches
2 Weeks: Add a Third Region
With two weeks, add Monteverde, the Caribbean coast, or the Osa Peninsula to the classic week-one itinerary.
1 Month or More: Slow Travel
A month allows you to actually live in Costa Rica rather than just visit it. Consider basing yourself in one region for a week or two before moving on. This is the only way to experience places like:
- — Nosara or Sámara — Settle into Guanacaste beach life, take daily surf lessons
- — Puerto Viejo — Rent a house, bike to different beaches, explore Manzanillo
- — Uvita / Dominical — Uncrowded beaches, whale watching, Nauyaca Waterfalls
- — La Fortuna — Full exploration of Arenal, Río Celeste, Caño Negro by rental car
Getting Around
Rental Car
The most flexible option. Required for reaching remote beaches, the Osa Peninsula, and anywhere outside major shuttle routes. A 4x4 SUV is strongly recommended for the rainy season and for destinations like Osa, Monteverde, and northern Guanacaste. Book early in high season — 4x4s sell out.
Shuttle Services
Shared and private shuttles (Interbus, Grayline, Monkey Ride) connect all major tourist destinations door-to-door. More expensive than public buses but far easier and faster than navigating bus terminals. Ideal if you don't want to drive. Book ahead in high season.
Public Buses
Costa Rica has an extensive public bus network with very low fares ($2–$15 for most routes). Comfortable for the main routes from San José to Jacó, Manuel Antonio, and Liberia. Slower and requires navigating bus terminals, but great for budget travelers and those with flexibility. No reservations needed for most routes.
The Jeep-Boat-Jeep Transfer (Arenal to Monteverde)
The iconic "jeep-boat-jeep" transfer crosses Lake Arenal by boat and connects La Fortuna to Monteverde in about 3 hours — far faster than driving around the lake (4–5 hours on rough roads). The boat crossing is one of the most scenic parts of the trip. All major shuttle companies offer this route; cost is approximately $25–35/person.
When Do You Need a 4x4?
A standard sedan is fine for San José, Arenal, most of Guanacaste's paved roads, and Central Pacific. But a 4x4 with high clearance is essential — not optional — for:
- Osa Peninsula — roads flood and wash out regularly; some beaches require river crossings
- Monteverde — the road from the Pan-American Highway is unpaved and rocky, challenging in any season
- North Guanacaste beach towns (Playa Avellanas, Junquillal, Ostional) in rainy season
- Any destination with a river ford crossing — ask locals about current conditions
- Rural mountain roads in the rainy season (May–November) throughout the country
- Accessing remote lodges and eco-lodges off the main highway network
Tourist Circuit vs. Hidden Gems
The Popular Circuit
Well-developed, easy to reach, excellent infrastructure
- Arenal / La Fortuna — best volcano-hot springs combo; can feel busy in high season
- Manuel Antonio — easiest wildlife park; very popular, can feel crowded
- Monteverde — iconic cloud forest; established tourism with many options
- Tamarindo — most developed Guanacaste beach; surf lessons, nightlife, restaurants
- San José — entry point; worth 1–2 days for museums and food
Less-Visited Gems
Fewer tourists, more authentic, require more planning
- Osa Peninsula — the most biodiverse place on earth; requires advance planning and effort
- Tortuguero — accessible only by boat/plane; extraordinary canal and turtle experience
- Puerto Viejo (Caribbean) — culturally distinct; good food, great reef, relaxed pace
- Dominical — sleepy surf town between Manuel Antonio and Osa; uncrowded beaches
- Nicoya Peninsula interior — Sámara, Nosara — calmer than Tamarindo, strong expat communities
- San Gerardo de Dota — valley near Cerro de la Muerte; world-class quetzal watching
Booking Lodges & Accommodation
Costa Rica's accommodation ranges from $15/night dorm beds to $800+/night luxury ecolodges. Planning ahead matters more than budget.
Remote Lodges Book Up Far in Advance
Many ecolodges in the Osa Peninsula (Corcovado area), Tortuguero, and remote Guanacaste beaches have limited rooms and book out months ahead during high season. Drake Bay and Corcovado-area lodges often include meals and guided activities in their rates. Confirm what is included before booking.
Some lodges require a minimum 2–3 night stay. Check cancellation policies — many remote lodges have strict policies due to the difficulty of refilling rooms.
Semana Santa — Book Months Ahead
Semana Santa (Holy Week, the week before Easter) is the single busiest travel period in Costa Rica. Virtually every Costa Rican family travels during this week. Beaches, popular destinations, and hotels fill up completely — sometimes months in advance. If your trip falls during Semana Santa, book everything immediately upon planning.
Practical Tips on the Road
Navigation: Use Waze and Download Offline Maps
Waze is by far the preferred navigation app in Costa Rica — locals use it and it's regularly updated with road conditions, potholes, and police checkpoints. Before leaving cell coverage (which happens quickly in remote areas), download offline maps in Google Maps or Maps.me for your destination area. Many roads, particularly in the Osa and northern Guanacaste, have no cell signal.
Note: Costa Rica uses address systems based on landmarks and distances ("200 meters north of the old mango tree") rather than formal street addresses. Waze handles this well; traditional GPS units often do not.
Cash: ATMs Are Not Everywhere
In San José, Liberia, Jacó, and other towns, ATMs (cajeros automáticos) are plentiful. In remote areas — the Osa Peninsula, much of Tortuguero, small Caribbean beach towns, rural Guanacaste — ATMs may be scarce, broken, or completely absent.
Always carry sufficient cash (USD or colones) before heading into remote areas. Ask your accommodation in advance whether they accept cards — many smaller lodges and restaurants are cash-only. See the Currency & Exchange page for more detail.
Car Break-Ins: Never Leave Valuables in Your Car
Vehicle break-ins are the most common crime affecting tourists in Costa Rica. This happens at beaches, national park trailheads, viewpoints, and even busy streets. The rule is absolute: never leave anything of value in a parked car, even in the trunk, even for five minutes.
This includes: passports, cameras, laptops, bags (even empty ones), sunglasses, and anything that looks like it might contain something valuable. Take everything with you or leave it at your accommodation.