Arenal Volcano above the lava field in La Fortuna, Costa Rica
Almost every week, I see someone in a Costa Rica travel group ask where they should go. The honest answer is that it depends on the kind of trip you want. Costa Rica is a small country, but every region feels like a different world, so the right one for you depends on whether you want adrenaline, quiet, a beach, or a bit of everything.
This guide covers the six regions I recommend most, who I would send to each one, and how to fit them together. If you want to see how a full route comes together, I wrote about my own Costa Rica honeymoon, which went from La Fortuna to Samara at the start of green season. You can read it here: my Costa Rica honeymoon story.
La Fortuna: Best for Adventure and Jungle
Arenal Volcano above the lava field in La Fortuna, Costa Rica
La Fortuna is best known for its hot springs, but it is also the place for high adrenaline. Ziplining, canyoning, and white water rafting are all here, and the wildlife is incredible. If you want a trip with a lot to do, this is where I start.
On our honeymoon we rafted the Balsa River, canyoned down waterfalls, and hiked toward Arenal Volcano until we reached the 1,633 meter marker, which made every view feel earned. One of our tours included a local lunch in a covered, open-air dining hall deep in the rainforest. Halfway through the meal the rain started, and we sat dry with our plates, listening to it hit the canopy above us. It’s hard to describe that moment to anyone who wasn’t there.
Hiking the lava rock trail at Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna, Costa Rica
In the evenings, skip the tourist restaurants and look for a local soda, the small family-run places that serve some of the best food on the trip. If you want a nicer dinner, order a steak, because Costa Rica takes its beef seriously. The coffee also deserves a mention. It is usually served with warm milk, which keeps it hot until the last sip. I wrote much more about our days here in my honeymoon story.
We stayed at Volcano Lodge and Springs, and the hot springs on the property became our nightly ritual. For my clients, I suggest a minimum of four nights in La Fortuna, and I would send you to Tabacon Thermal Resort and Spa, where the hot springs are part of the resort itself. Travelers who book through me receive added perks, such as a hotel credit.
Monteverde: Best for Cloud Forests and a Slower Pace
Walking a hanging bridge in the Monteverde cloud forest, Costa Rica
Monteverde feels different from La Fortuna. It is much cooler, with beautiful cloud forests and hanging bridges, and it is much quieter. It is a great pick for travelers who want to slow down and be surrounded by nature.
The hiking here is extraordinary, with hanging bridges winding through the canopy, and we saw more monkeys in Monteverde than anywhere else on the trip, including a howler monkey with her baby. Do not skip the night hike, because the rainforest after dark is something else entirely.
A giant strangler fig in the Monteverde cloud forest, Costa Rica
Some of our best memories here were small ones. We stumbled into the best meal of our trip at a tiny restaurant run by a young couple who sat down with us and shared their story, and we went back the next night. If your accommodation has a kitchen, use it, because grocery shopping in a small Costa Rican town is its own kind of adventure. You can read more about Monteverde in my honeymoon story.
We stayed at Rainbow Valley Lodge, a local family-run lodge in the cloud forest, and it felt personal and warm in a way big hotels rarely do. For my clients, I suggest three nights in Monteverde, and I would book you at Koora Hotel, a design-forward property that feels at home in the cloud forest.
Samara: Best for a Walkable, Local Beach Town
Kayaking to Isla Chora from Samara, Costa Rica
Samara is the one for travelers who want a walkable beach town with a local feel. The people are friendly, the beach is calm, and you can wander without needing a car. If you want a little more adventure, you can kayak out to Isla Chora, a mile offshore. We had it to ourselves, which was pretty incredible.
Our afternoon on Isla Chora was completely unplanned and completely perfect. We found a stranded raccoon, cracked open a couple of beers, and watched hundreds of hermit crabs come out of the sand the moment we dropped a crumb.
Hermit crabs on Isla Chora near Samara, Costa Rica
The rest of Samara is about slowing down. Spend your time talking to locals and expats, floating in the ocean, and thinking about everything you have just seen. By the time you arrive, you will have earned it. The full story of our Isla Chora kayak trip is in my honeymoon story.
Four nights is a good fit here, and I would send you to Residencias Samara, right in the heart of town.
Playa Conchal: Best for a Quiet Beach Stay
Playa Conchal on Costa Rica's Guanacaste coast
Tamarindo is the well-known name in Guanacaste, but I steer travelers toward quieter beaches, and Playa Conchal is a beach I would point you to. It is known for its crystal blue water and is a beautiful place for a relaxing beach stay. I would take one day trip into town for souvenirs and good restaurants, and otherwise I would stay right on the beach.
We spent time in Tamarindo ourselves. It is louder and more touristy than the rest of our route, but it earns its place as the best spot for souvenir shopping, and the gentle waves are good for beginner surfers. We found a Pura Vida sign at the Tamarindo market that now hangs on our front door in Mammoth Lakes. If you are not a crowds person, one night in Tamarindo is plenty.
Our favorite moment in the area was at Playa Minas, nearby, when we drove onto a beach with sand so soft and white it barely felt real. Nobody else was there, so we sat with the windows down and took it in.
Sunset at Playa Minas near Playa Conchal, Costa Rica
Three nights works well here, and I would send you to The Westin Reserva Conchal, an All-Inclusive Golf Resort & Spa. Booking through me comes with added perks here too.
Manuel Antonio and the Central Pacific: Best When You Do Not Want to Move Around Much
A beach in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
I have sent multiple clients to Manuel Antonio, and it is the one I recommend when someone doesn’t want to change hotels often, because it brings the jungle and the beaches to you in one place. You can take a guided park tour, go on a night hike, try a zipline, or simply lounge on the beach. Nearby, Dominical is a surf town worth a visit, and Uvita is a good base for whale watching.
When I build a Manuel Antonio stay for clients, I start with a guided morning in the national park, because a guide helps you see the wildlife you would walk right past on your own. From there I layer in the rest. Hanging bridges and ziplining give you the canopy from above, a guided night hike shows you a completely different rainforest after dark, and natural warm springs are the perfect way to end an active day. For a bigger outing, the Nauyaca Waterfalls tour leaves from Manuel Antonio and fills a whole day. I book tours with pick up included, so once you arrive at your hotel, getting to the fun parts is easy.
A mantled howler monkey in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
If you have extra time, consider adding a few nights in Uvita. It is the easiest way to experience Corcovado National Park when you do not have the time for the long journey to the Osa Peninsula. I have sent clients who dreamed of the Osa but whose itineraries could not make room for it, and this has worked well for them. A small-group boat tour leaves from Uvita and takes you to San Pedrillo Station on the park's coast, where you spend the day on guided rainforest hikes with a naturalist guide. It makes for a full day, so most travelers plan it as the one big excursion of their Uvita stay. For those nights, I would send you to Cristal Ballena Boutique Hotel & Spa. If you would rather keep the trip simple, Manuel Antonio works as your home base and Uvita stays an optional extra.
I suggest five nights in Manuel Antonio, and I would send you to Los Altos Resort. It is one of my favorites for how flexible it is: the larger accommodations have a full kitchen with chef services available, breakfast is included daily, and the hotel closes off any rooms your group will not use. Travelers who book through me receive added perks here as well.
Puerto Viejo: Best for September and October Beach Trips
Manzanillo beach near Puerto Viejo on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast
Puerto Viejo, on the Caribbean side, is the one I suggest for September and October travel. It is a wonderful option when you would like a beach trip during months that tend to be wetter on the Pacific coast. I have sent a honeymoon couple here.
The town itself is lively, with restaurants, shops, and surf, while the beaches around it are quieter, so you can mix easy beach days with an evening out. When I planned that honeymoon, I wanted the days to blend adventure and culture instead of being only beach time.
Early in the stay, I book a half-day hidden gems tour: a short hike to The Cliff lookout, a visit to the Iguana Project, a green iguana sanctuary on a Bri Bri farm, and a swim at the Bri Bri Waterfall. The evenings are where Puerto Viejo shines for couples. A private Caribbean cooking class at a local host's home, where you make coconut milk from scratch, and a sunset rum and chocolate pairing on the beach were the two I loved building in.
Then I leave one day open for Punta Uva. A reef point keeps the water calm enough to wade in with a rented mask, and if snorkeling is on your list, this is the side of the country I would do it on, because I find the Caribbean far more impressive than the Pacific. You can also paddle the calm river behind the beach, with a good chance of spotting sloths and river turtles.
Most couples I work with want to be right on the beach, so for a honeymoon I would send you to Le Cameleon Boutique Hotel and book you into the Romantic Suite, Beachfront, which has a private pool and sea views. On your last night, Ocho y Medio at Le Cameleon is a romantic dinner tucked into the jungle, where you can often spot howler monkeys from your table.
Four nights feels right here.
How to Plan Your Costa Rica Trip
Getting between regions. Google Maps is not always accurate in Costa Rica because the road infrastructure is outdated, and rain during the green season plus regular traffic can turn a simple-looking drive into a long one. For the long hauls between regions, I always book a private transfer for my clients. You can still rent a car locally in each destination if you want some independence, and between the transfers and a local rental, the total often comes out cheaper than renting a car for the whole trip.
Booking tours. I try to book tours with pick up included, so once you arrive at your hotel, getting to the fun parts is easy.
Your arrival day. If your flight lands early enough, you can often head straight to your destination without needing a night near the airport.
Timing. December through April is peak season, and the best rooms and tours go early, so it is worth starting the conversation sooner than you think.
Choosing your regions. If you have 7 days, I would stay in Manuel Antonio, which brings the jungle and the beach together in one place. With 10 days, I would pair La Fortuna with Samara, or swap Samara for Puerto Viejo depending on the season. With 14 days, I would add Monteverde and Playa Conchal, so your route runs through La Fortuna, Monteverde, Playa Conchal, and Samara.
A trip with this many regions has a lot of moving parts, including transfers, lodging in several places, and tours. Putting those together is the part I do for clients, so the plan is ready before you leave home.
Want My Exact Route?
If you would like to see how I put these regions together, download my free 10-Day Costa Rica Itinerary, which goes from La Fortuna to Samara: Get the 10-Day Costa Rica Itinerary.
And if you would rather talk through your own trip, my consultation is a free 30-minute call, a real conversation, not a sales pitch: Plan My Costa Rica Trip
Not ready to plan yet? Join my newsletter for new trip stories and planning ideas, and I'll send you the next one when it's ready: Join the Newsletter