Highlights of Costa Rica – What To See in a Week!

Highlights of Costa Rica….how could I possible choose from so many!

One of Central America’s jewels, Costa Rica remains a favourite destination for solo and group travellers alike. With its golden beaches, nature reserves, rainforest, wildlife, cloud forests, volcanoes and abundance of outdoor activities, it’s not hard to see why Costa Rica is one of the world’s major ecotourism destinations.

I visited Costa Rica on a group tour and if, like me, you’re short on time, it is still possible to enjoy so much of what Costa Rica has to offer, even in a week!

In this post I’ll share my highlights of Costa Rica and provide answers to a few FAQs. I’ll give you some suggestions for alternative activities to include in your one week Costa Rica itinerary and provide a general Costa Rica travel guide and some travel tips to help you get the most out of your Costa Rican experience.

Whatever the length of your visit and whether you’re travelling as a group, on your own or as a family, there’s definitely something for everyone in Costa Rica.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is 7 days in Costa Rica enough? The more you spend time somewhere the more you will see. That said, I spent a little over a week in Costa Rica and saw a lot. In my view, 7 days is a great amount of time to see and experience Costa Rica first the first time.

2. When is the best time to go to Costa Rica? There are 2 seasons in Costa Rica – the wet season and the dry season. The 2 seasons do differ by region however. Generally speaking, the best times are December to April on the Pacific Coast and March to September on the Caribbean Coast.

3. Which side of Costa Rica is nicer? I’ve written a separate section on just this…read on for my thoughts.

Getting to Costa Rica

There are 2 international airports in Costa Rica – Juan Santamaria (SJO) in the capital, San José and Daniel Oduber (LIR) in Liberia, the capital of the northern Guanacaste region.

San Jose Airport is the largest and most popular of the airports. There are direct flights from the United States and Canada with some European airlines also now offering direct flights. I flew from London to SJO via Toronto.

You can research your available flight options and book here:

Where to Stay in Costa Rica

There are a wide variety of accommodation options available in Costa Rica. From backpacker hostels to luxury hotels, retreats and eco lodges, the choice is yours! That said, if, like me, you plan to travel on an organized trip, then accommodation will have been selected by the tour company and included in the price. If you are wanting to experience a range of accommodation types, then I would suggest raising this with your tour company as they may have different trip options.

For those looking to select their own accommodation, you can explore all options and book here:

Currency

The currency in Costa Rica is the Costa Rican Colon (₡). Each Colon is divided into 100 centomis.

Costa Rican banknotes come in denominations of 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000, 20000 and 50000. The centimo comes in coins of 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 500.

The United States dollar (USD) is also widely accepted in Costa Rica – take small notes in good condition and expect your change in Colones. I took and used both currencies during my Costa Rica trip.

Pacific Coast or Caribbean Coast?

Costa Rica has the benefit of both a Pacific Coast and a Caribbean Coast …so all you have to do is to decide which to visit! Those with more time of course may choose to visit both!

The Caribbean Coast is a little less developed and less expensive than the Pacific Coast. Puerto Viejo is known for its nightlife and, although there are less National Parks on the Caribbean Coast, the wildlife is no less spectacular. On the Caribbean Coast you will find the Tortuguero National Park where 4 different species of sea turtle nest on the beaches. You will also find the Jaguar Rescue Center.

My visit to Costa Rica did not, unfortunately, extend to include the Caribbean Coast. This post will therefore focus on those highlights of Costa Rica I experienced in the Central Valley, Northern Zone and Central Pacific Coast regions.

Although I have not spent time on the Caribbean Coast, I definitely feel that the places I did visit during my time in Costa Rica were incredible and rich in much of what the country is well known for. I am therefore content in knowing that if I do not get back to Costa Rica, my time on the Pacific Coast was in no way wasted and was, in fact, the best region I could have explored.

Highlights of Costa Rica

Whether you’re thinking about joining a tour as I did, going it alone and backpacking or grabbing a rental car and embarking on a self drive Costa Rica road trip, here are my highlights to include in your Costa Rica itinerary:

1. San Jose

As I mentioned earlier, San Jose is Costa Rica’s capital. It’s also its largest city and the gateway into the country for most visitors.

Some people may choose not to spend time in San Jose, however I think, if you have the time, then 1-2 days here is worthwhile.

A walking tour is a great way to see this city and I can recommend the tips based San Jose Free Walking Tour. From historic buildings to street art San Jose is an interesting introduction to military free Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is known for many things including chocolate and coffee.  If your walking tour does not include a stop to explore both of these or you decide against doing a walking tour, then you may want to consider this Cacao & Chocolate Workshop.

For those looking to spend your time in another way, then you may want to consider a day trip to the Caribbean Coast, La Paz Waterfall Gardens or the Poás Volcano National Park to name but a few.

If your time in Costa Rica is likely to be limited to five days for example, then my advice would be to either shorten your time in San Jose or eliminate it altogether. Costa Rica’s natural environments and wildlife are likely the real reason for your trip so these should be the focus.

2. Arenal Volcano

No trip to Costa Rica is complete without a visit to see Arenal Volcano….provided the rain stays away! The volcano is located in the Arenal Volcano National Park in the La Fortuna district, approximately 90km North West of San Jose. Standing 1,633 metres high with a 140 metre wide crater, the volcano has been dormant since 2010.

Hiking at the base of the volcano is a definite must do. The walk will take you through rainforest, over lava fields and through lush vegetation.

When you’re in a rain forest, you expect it to rain and during my visit, it didn’t disappoint! The cloud cover also meant I wasn’t able to get a clear view (or photo!) of the volcano. That said, it was still worth it.

The local town of La Fortuna is well known for its hot springs – a perfect way to relax after your hike! Other outdoor activities can also be booked from La Fortuna including:

• trips to the La Fortuna waterfall
• Mistico hanging bridges and Sky Adventures Hanging bridges
• zip lining and other adrenaline pumping activities
• Arenal volcano hikes
• chocolate tours
• day trip to Rio Celeste

and many more options!

3. Monteverde

Take a scenic trip over Arenal Lake en route to Monteverde, home of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve and the Bosque Eternal de los Ninos.

The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve has its origins with the Quaker settlers who arrived in the area in 1951. They agreed to preserve part of their property in order to protect the watershed above Monteverde.

The Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve was founded in 1989 by the community of Santa Elena and the Bosque Eternal de los Ninos Reserve was founded by school children!

There are numerous activities available for visitors to the cloud forest reserves including:

• hikes through the forest including hanging bridge canopy walks
• zip lining
• coffee and chocolate tours – I can recommend the El Trapiche Tour
• butterfly garden visit
• night walks through the forest – keep an eye open for tarantulas!

and so many more…!

The beautiful landscape, lush vegetation and wildlife make Monteverde one of the premier destinations in Costa Rica so do not expect to be there alone!

Leaving Monteverde you will want to head to the famous Manuel Antonio National Park but first you will need to cross Crocodile Bridge! The bridge spans the Tarcoles River, on the banks of which are any number of American crocodiles sunning themselves. It’s become a bit of a tourist stop and the road it’s on is very busy so take care when stopping here.

4. Manuel Antonio National Park

At 16 square kilometres (7.5 square miles), Manuel Antonio is Costa Rica’s smallest National Park. Located on the Pacific Coast just south of the town of Quepos, the Park is rich in rainforest, beautiful coastline and wildlife.

There is plenty to do in the Park and surrounding area including:

• Hiking through the Park – many of the paths are boardwalks and there is good signage throughout explaining the flora and fauna in the area
• relaxing on the beach – the main beaches are Playa Manuel Antonio and Playa Espadrille Sur
• wildlife spotting – from two toed and three toed sloths and squirrel, capuchin and howler monkeys in the trees to iguanas on the beach there is plenty to see (and hear!)
• kayaking in nearby mangroves
• night walks through the forest
• canopy excursions

Do check the official Manuel Antonio National Park website for details of more excursions and up to date entry/visitor information.

You can also explore the very many other activities on offer and book here:

More Time in Costa Rica?

If you have more time to spend in Costa Rica then you may want to consider visiting:

• the Osa Peninsula – located in southwestern Costa Rica, this area is where you will find Corcovado National Park, home to the giant anteater, tapir and all of Costa Rica’s large cats
• the Nicoya Peninsula – located on the Pacific Coast, this is where you’ll find the white sand and surf of Santa Teresa

Final Thoughts

A week isn’t a long time in any country but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit. It just means that you need to identify its highlights and create an itinerary that maximizes your time and opportunity to experience them. I hope that this post has gone a long way to helping you plan your multi day Costa Rica itinerary.  

Located as it is between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, Costa Rica has an incredible array of things to see and do. Whilst your week may be busy, there’s still plenty of time to sample what the Costa Ricans call Pura Vida, pure life.

If you need any further assistance in planning your Costa Rica adventure, do check my Resources page. If you are considering travelling elsewhere in Central America, either before or after visiting Costa Rica, then do read the other posts on my Central America page.

Disclaimer: Information correct at the date of publishing, but do check before you travel.