Costa Rica

Costa Rica concentrates cloud forest, active volcanoes, two coastlines and dense wildlife into a country you can drive across in a day, with a long-established conservation system behind it. It is the most expensive country in Central America and the most straightforward to travel independently. Roads to the best places are often slow and unpaved.

Cities

La Fortuna

La Fortuna sits below the Arenal volcano and is the country's adventure base: hanging bridges, waterfalls, hot springs fed by the volcano and rafting on nearby rivers. The cone is visible from town on clear mornings. It connects to Monteverde by a jeep-boat-jeep transfer across the lake.

Monteverde

Monteverde is a cloud forest zone at 1,400 m, permanently damp and misted, with two reserves protecting resplendent quetzals and an extraordinary density of epiphytes. Zip lines were invented here for research access and remain the signature activity. Roads in are rough and slow by design, to limit traffic.

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Puerto Viejo is a Caribbean-coast town with Afro-Caribbean food, reggae and a string of beaches south towards the Panamanian border. Sloths, toucans and howler monkeys are easy to see in the surrounding refuge. It rains often, but September and October are the driest months here, opposite to the rest of the country.

When to go

See all seasons

• Green season: Afternoon rain, lush forest, lower prices, good wildlife.
• Heavy rains: Wettest months on the Pacific; the Caribbean side is at its driest and best.
• Dry season: Sunny on the Pacific side, peak season and prices.

Entry & visas

Entry rules for this country aren't published here yet.

Always confirm entry rules with the official source before you book.