Tips for a 20-day Costa Rica discovery itinerary

Planned arrival on Sunday evening, November 16, 2025, in San José. Staying 3 nights, then taking a bus to Tortuguero for 2 nights. Looking for a shared shuttle to La Fortuna for 2 nights, then a van-boat-van combo to Santa Elena for 2 or 3 nights. Heading to Quepos for 4 nights for day trips using local buses—Jaco, San Antonio, Uvita. After that, a full-day bus ride to Cahuita. I’m booking hotels as I go, which gives me the flexibility to stay longer in places I like. I’m looking for accommodations in city centers near restaurants and not too far from the bus station. Budget: 50 € for a room with a private bathroom (if you’ve got any great tips!). For my finale, I’ll cross the land border to Panama City for 4 days. Thanks for your suggestions! 😉

Scheduled arrival on Sunday evening, November 16, 2025, in San José. 3 nights, then a bus to Tortuguero for 2 nights. Looking for a shared shuttle to La Fortuna for 2 nights, followed by a van-boat-van to Santa Elena for 2 or 3 nights. Heading to Quepos for 4 nights for day trips using local buses—Jacó, San Antonio, Uvita. Then a full-day bus to Cahuita. I’m booking hotels as I go, which gives me the flexibility to stay longer in places I like. I’m looking for accommodations in city centers near restaurants and not too far from the bus station. Budget: 50 € for a room with a private bathroom (if you’ve got any great tips). For the finale, I’ll cross the land border to Panama City for 4 days. Thanks for your suggestions ;)

Hey, in Costa Rica, I used a solidarity network run by French folks for some of my cheapest stays (https://www.toutcostarica.com/)—especially at this really modest hotel for a week (https://www.toutcostarica.com/hotels/caraibes-sud/cahuita/colibri-rouge.html). After that, I also stayed in a few luxury chalets in Monteverde, but I’ll admit I preferred the Caribbean coast for the much more varied food. For 4x4 rentals, I went through the same solidarity network where everything’s cheaper (because, let’s be real, this country isn’t exactly budget-friendly) 😅

Hi there, For 4x4 info and bookings, I recommend toutcostarica.com. For accommodations, Booking.com is more than enough.

A favorite spot in Cahuita: https://www.booking.com/Share-WOu7aF Kim and Flo are French and took over this place, just steps from the bus station and the entrance to the park.

I also preferred the Caribbean coast—it’s much less "Americanized," except for Bahía Drake (my favorite there!).

Hi Catherine, If it’s not too late to tweak your travel plan, I’d *highly* recommend Samara on the Pacific coast. A few impressions and photos on our blog: https://frenchiesinamerica.travel.blog/