What to See in Costa Rica
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Location

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Costa Rica has three sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Pacific Coast

Natural Heritage

Mountain Ranges, Plains, and Central Valleys

Natural Heritage

Caribbean Coast

Natural Heritage

Must-see & highly recommended

Corcovado National Park
★★★★ While Corcovado is one of the least accessible parks to visit, it is also among the most rewarding in terms of landscapes, wildlife, and…
Tortuguero National Park
★★★★ Although it's only accessible by plane or boat, it's one of the country's most visited parks, with the small village of the same name as…
Nicoya Peninsula
★★★★ This large mountainous peninsula is a popular tourist destination with its many beaches, some of which are deserted, its small seaside…
Poás Volcano
★★★★ With two small lakes in its craters, Poás is one of Costa Rica’s active volcanoes, regularly experiencing minor eruptions and…

Recommended

Isla del Cano
★★★ This island off the Osa Peninsula is a popular tourist destination for ecotourism, diving, and whale watching.
Monteverde
★★★ The area is considered a major ecotourism hub in the country and attracts large crowds. Its tourism revolves around the Monteverde Cloud…
Braulio Carrillo National Park
★★★ One of the country's largest and most spectacular parks, featuring jungle, waterfalls, volcanoes, and especially its rich wildlife and…
Cahuita National Park
★★★ Bordering the village of the same name, it is both a terrestrial and marine park. Beyond its beaches, the site attracts visitors for its…
Manuel Antonio National Park
★★★ This is the country's most visited park, home to the Poás Volcano. Visitors come to explore its landscapes, beaches, hiking trails, and…
Rincon de la Vieja National Park
★★★ Visitors love this site for its wildlife (birds, monkeys, jaguars) and landscapes featuring geysers, fumaroles, volcanic mud pots, and…
Irazú Volcano
★★★ Though less active or spectacular than other volcanoes like Poás or Arenal, this one is just as popular with visitors. The fact that its…
Guanacaste Conservation Area
★★★ This UNESCO-listed natural area covers nearly 1,500 km² and includes Santa Rosa, Guanacaste, and Rincón de la Vieja National Parks, as well…

Worth a look / Other

Cahuita
★★ This "Afro-Caribbean" village, which has grown into a small town over time, is primarily known for its eponymous park, its beaches, and its…
Cartago
★★ It’s the greater suburb of San Jose and the country’s religious "capital". It is home to the Basilica of Los Angeles and the…
La Paz Waterfalls
★★ A developed set of waterfalls (with butterfly and hummingbird farms) north of Alajuela.
Montezuma
★★ Despite its current upscale development, this coastal village on the Nicoya Peninsula has long been an excellent "base for backpackers"…
Chirripó National Park
★★ At 3,820 m, Chirripó is Costa Rica's highest peak. Its main attraction for tourists lies in its landscapes and a relatively easy ascent…
Carara National Park
★★ This forest park a few kilometres north of Jacó is renowned for its birdlife, particularly its large population of parrots. Carara is also…
Cocos Island National Park
★★ A UNESCO-listed island home to significant wildlife and lush tropical rainforest, also renowned for diving. Access is tightly regulated.
Santa Rosa National Park
★★ Although the area offers a fairly beautiful environment, various animal and plant species, and peaceful beaches, it was designated a…
La Amistad National Park
★★ Spanning both Panama and Costa Rica, the site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It boasts rich plant diversity and offers numerous trekking…
Tapantí National Park
★★ A vast rainforest with diverse wildlife and flora, extending from the Orosi Valley.
Esterillos Beach
★★ Not far from Jaco, the beach and its surroundings are popular for their tranquility and opportunities for surfing, diving, and walking or…
Puerto Viejo
★★ Officially known as Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, this small coastal resort is popular with tourists, surfers, and to a lesser extent divers…
Quepos
★★ The oldest tourist resort in Costa Rica. Though it offers only moderate interest, its proximity to Manuel Antonio Park and its tourist…
Ostional Wildlife Reserve
★★ This small reserve is renowned as the world's top site for sea turtle nesting. Activity peaks between July and December.
San Jose
★★ While not a must-see, the Costa Rican capital has a few interesting buildings and museums.
Orosi Valley
★★ A traditional outing spot from the capital, the small valley offers beautiful landscapes with its numerous coffee plantations, as well as…
Arenal Volcano
★★ It spewed lava for over forty years until 2010. Now less dramatic, the site is still visited from the village of La Fortuna for its…
Turrialba Volcano
★★ This is another active volcano in the San José region. Harder to reach and farther from the capital than Poás or Irazú, it is also much…
Alajuela
★ While not a major tourist destination in itself, this city near the capital is used by many travellers as an alternative to San Jose for…
Bribri
★ This large town on the Panamanian border is the center of the Indigenous community of the same name.
Ciudad Quesada
★ The town is surrounded by several hot springs, some of which have been developed into tourist areas.
Dominical
★ Originally a fishing village, the place is now renowned for surfing. You can also fish, see whales, or enjoy some outdoor activities in the…
Golfito
★ This small town near Panama has recently become a hotspot for deep-sea fishing. It’s also a duty-free zone, a stop for some cruise…
Guyabo
★ The site of Guyabo is one of the few pre-Columbian remains in Costa Rica. While not the most "spectacular," its value lies more in its…
Heredia
★ A university town on the outskirts of the capital with a few more or less historic buildings.
Isla San Lucas
★ This island in the Gulf of Nicoya is a former prison that can still be visited. Also worth seeing are some small pre-Columbian remains and…
Jaco
★ This is "the" spot on the Pacific coast for those who love surfing and nightlife in a setting and atmosphere (plus prices) very much "Surf…
Lankester Gardens
★ Near Cartago, this place is home to over 3,000 plant species, including orchids.
La Fortuna
★ This village has always been the tourist base for discovering the Arenal Volcano and its surroundings, particularly the beautiful La…
Liberia (Costa Rica)
★ The large city in the northwest has an international airport and is primarily a good base for exploring the parks in the Guanacaste…
Limón
★ Also known as Puerto Limón, this is the main city on the Caribbean coast. Aside from its carnival, held every year on October 12 (the date…
Los Chiles
★ This large town is the starting point for reaching neighboring Nicaragua by boat along the rivers. The Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge, with its…
Guanacaste National Park
★ In the northwest of the country, this park is home to many birds and monkeys.
Tenorio Volcano National Park
★ This volcanic area offers stunning landscapes with waterfalls, geysers, hot springs, and small lakes.
Ballena Marine National Park
★ The area is renowned for humpback whale watching, snorkeling, and its surrounding beaches.
Puntarenas
★ The main city on the west coast is primarily a road hub, the departure point for boats to Nicoya, and also a docking location for some…
Sarchi
★ This town north of San Jose is essentially the country’s craft capital (and home to the famous decorated wooden carts), with its many…
Tamarindo
★ A town near Liberia known for sea turtle nesting. But like Jacó, it’s also—and especially—a favorite spot for surfers and…
Turrialba
★ The small town near the volcano of the same name is known for its canyoning, hydrospeed, and especially rafting on the Pacuare or…
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