
OurDestinations
WhereToGoAndWhy
Costa Rica’s mountains split it into regions with their own weather, wildlife and way of life. These guides explain what each is like, who it suits and how it fits into a wider journey.
ArenalandtheNorthernPlains
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Northern lowlands. A volcano that holds the view, and warm rivers at its feet. A near-perfect volcanic cone, forest trails across old lava flows and hot springs fed by the heat below. One of the most versatile bases in the country.
MonteverdeandtheCloudForest
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Tilarán mountains. Mist, moss and the cool air of the continental divide. High, cool and often in cloud. A forest of mosses, orchids and bromeliads, best walked slowly and with a naturalist beside you.
GuanacasteandtheNorthPacific
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North Pacific. Dry forest, broad bays and the country's sunniest coast. Gold hills in the dry season, protected bays, volcanoes inland and an international airport close by. The easiest coast to reach and the most reliably sunny.
TheNicoyaPeninsula
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Pacific peninsula. Surf towns, quiet coves and long, slow afternoons. Small surf towns, long empty beaches and rough roads that keep things slow. Come to stay put rather than tick things off.
ManuelAntonioandtheCentralPacific
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Central Pacific coast. Forest that runs straight down to the sand. Rainforest trails, pale beaches and close wildlife encounters in one small park, with whale-watching coasts and mangroves further south.
TheOsaPeninsula
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South Pacific. Remote, raw and astonishingly alive. Lowland rainforest at its most intense, Corcovado National Park, and lodges reached by boat. Harder to reach, which is part of its appeal.
TheCaribbeanCoast
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Limón province. Another rhythm entirely. Turtle beaches and canals in the north, reef and forest in the south, and a culture shaped by Afro-Caribbean and Indigenous communities.

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