Exploring Costa Rica From the Rainforest to the Pacific

Necessary information for planning your trip:

The cologne is the official currency of Costa Rica, but the dollar is so widely used that there is no need to bring cologne with you. Just keep in mind that the exchange ratio is about 500:1 to the dollar, and if you pay with dollars, you may get change in colognes.

Costa Rica operates on the same electrical voltage as the United States. Thus, there is no need to bring an adapter.

Restaurant bills automatically include a 10% gratuity, and it’s up to you if you would like to leave anything additional. We tipped tour guides $5 per person and drivers $5 per hour of the transfer. And we also tipped valets $1 per bag and housekeeping $2 a day.

The roads in Costa Rica are narrow and winding with lots of potholes and unmarked speed humps in places you would not expect them. There is a lot of passing taking place on two-lane roads. Additionally, gas stations are sometimes few and far between. Unless you don’t mind driving in these conditions, I would recommend setting up transfers for your first trip to Costa Rica. The taxi system is good and can be arranged through your resort, and the tour operators offer hotel pickup/drop-off. Ride shares are also available but more limited in certain areas.

La Fortuna

Fly into Liberia or San José airports and head to the La Fortuna area in the Guanacaste region for a great selection of resorts. We stayed at Tabacòn Resort and Thermal Spa. This resort was ideal for us as we loved doing an excursion every day and then relaxing back at the resort in the thermal baths, which are fed by Arenal Volcano. In fact, premium rooms boast a volcano view. Additionally, Travel+Leisure recently voted the spa at Tabacón as one of the best in the world, and their prices are very reasonable.

Popular excursions in the area: Zip-lining and hiking through the rain forest, especially to Rio Celeste Waterfall, cooking classes, chocolate and coffee tours, tubing and canyoning.

Santa Teresa

Next, go to 4,000 feet above sea level, crossing the continental divide on your way to Santa Teresa. Santa Teresa is located on the Nicoya Peninsula in the Puntarenas Province of Costa Rica. This area is along the Pacific Coast and is known for its beautiful beaches and a vibrant surf community. Santa Teresa is lesser-known than some other areas in Costa Rica, but the Nicoya Peninsula has one of the Blue Zones — five regions of the world where people tend to live significantly longer lives compared to the global average.

We stayed at Nantipa. Nantipa is oceanfront and in the center of the main street in town, making it very walkable to many shops and restaurants. It is a great place for adults, singles, couples or families. Families are restricted to a couple of different buildings on the property, which is likely appreciated by those not traveling with children. Nantipa also has a spa and surfboard rentals. Rooms are spacious with a great Costa Rican vibe.

Activities in the area: Curú Wildlife Refuge, spend a half day working on an authentic Blue Zone family farm and eating with the family and snorkeling and diving around Tortuga Island.

Papagayo Peninsula

Another popular area to visit is Papagayo. Papagayo, often referred to as the Papagayo Peninsula, is in the northwestern region of Costa Rica, within the province of Guanacaste and on the Pacific Ocean. This area is known for its beautiful beaches and luxury resorts, making it a popular destination for tourists. The Gulf of Papagayo contains numerous bays and beaches and is renowned for its stunning natural scenery and opportunities for outdoor activities such as water sports, hiking and wildlife watching. However, visitors also love the large resorts and all the amenities in this area.

We stayed at the Four Seasons Resort. This impressive resort boasts excellent service and amenities including three pools, two beaches and six restaurants. The spa includes hot and cold plunge pools that can be used by resort guests at any time. And the gym is open 24/7. There are many free amenities and classes and others for a fee, including tennis, pickleball and golf. If you are staying here for a short time, I don’t recommend booking a lot of outside excursions so that you can enjoy and take advantage of all the resort offers — including some luxe down time!

Popular activities in the area: Boating, diving and snorkeling, whale and dolphin watching, hiking, electric biking, jet skiing, paddle boarding, kayaking and racquet sports.