• Province(s): Limón

• Vegetation: Tropical Rainforest

The main place to visit in the North Caribbean is Tortuguero National Park. This national park is one of the most beautiful parks in Costa Rica and well known for turtles nesting on the beach or for boat and kayak tours to spot wildlife, as you can best compare this area with the Brazilian Amazon, with rivers and channels which people use to get around. Tortuguero cannot be reached by car. The most common way to get to the park is by boat via La Pavona. At La Pavona there is a restaurant where you can buy your ticket and secured parking where you can leave your car. The boat trip from La Pavona through the channels to the town of Tortuguero takes approximately one hour. There are also boats leaving for Tortuguero from Moín, which is located close to Puerto Limón. The town of Tortuguero is small but has various hotels, some restaurants and shops and is the main hub for tours. In the park outside the town there are various lodges usually offering the possibility to book the same or similar tours as are offered in the town of Tortuguero. Other interesting places in the North Caribbean are Sarapiqui, which is often used as a stay over by people traveling from the South Caribbean to the Northern Zone, and Boca Tapada. Read the Tortuguero and The North Caribbean page for more information on this region. 

• Province(s): Limón

• Vegetation: Tropical Rainforest

The South Caribbean part of Costa Rica offers a great opportunity to experience nature. Cahuita National Park is a very nice and easily accessible park with the main entrance near the town of Cahuita with a nice beach to relax for when you're done with your hike. Cahuita is a nice town with some hotels, restaurants and a cool reggae vibe. Talking about reggae vibes, further down south you will find Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. This is the main town when it comes to tourism in the southern Caribbean. Here you will find many hotels, restaurants, tour operators and night-life. Nice beaches like Playa Negra, Playa Cocles, Punta Uva and Playa Manzanillo start at this town all the way down south along the coast to the town of Manzanillo. At Manzanillo, you will find the entrance of Gandoca-Manzanillo National Refuge, another nice national park that is worth visiting. Another attraction near Puerto Viejo is the Jaguar Rescue Center, and from Puerto Viejo you are able to visit the Bribri indigenous tribe. Read The South Caribbean page for more information on this region. 

• Province(s): Alajuela, Heredia

• Vegetation: Tropical Rainforest, Cloud Forest

Arenal, the iconic cone-shaped volcano, is one of the most famous attractions of Costa Rica and can be found near the town of La Fortuna in the Northern Zone. From La Fortuna, there are many places you can visit and tours you can do in one of the parks or private reserves. From most of which you are able to see the majestic Arenal volcano. Close to La Fortuna, there are also a couple of luxurious hot spring resorts like Tabacon and Baldi that are worth a visit. Day passes are available. If you are a more adventurous hiker and nature lover, Red Lava Tours offers a two day during hike from La Fortuna all the way to Monteverde. Further up north you will find Tenorio Volcano National Park, home to the beautiful Rio Celeste. You can visit this national park while staying at La Fortuna or you can stay near Rio Celeste in for example the Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel. Arriving in the morning, taking half the day to hike the Rio Celeste trail, relax in the afternoon at the hotel in the middle of nature and leave the next morning to go to your next destination. Somewhat in between the Northern Zone, the Central Valley, Guanacaste and the Central Pacific you will find Santa Elena and Monteverde with plenty of hiking opportunities and canopy tours through amazing cloud forest reserves. Read The Northern Zone page for more information on this region. 

• Province(s): San José, Cartago

• Vegetation: Cloud Forest, Tropical Rainforest

In the central valley you will find the biggest cities of Costa Rica, including the capital San José. Although San José is home to some nice museums, it is not the main attraction in this region. North of San Jose you will find Poás Volcano National Park where you have an easy walk all the way up to the crater. South-east of San José is the second-largest city of Costa Rica, Cartago. Again some things to visit in the city but not the main attraction. East of Cartago you will find Irazú Volcano National Park where, just like Poás you will have an easy walk to witness the crater. South-east of Cartago and a nice place to stay is Orosí, a nice town in a beautiful valley which is home to various coffee plantations. South of Orosí the beautiful Tapantí National Park begins. Also recommended in this area is Guayabo National Monument, close to the Turrialba volcano, which is an archeological site of a pre-Columbian settlement. When you have time to spare you can visit Ujarras with the ruins of a 17th century colonial church. Both Orosí and Ujarras have a lookout point that offer a great view over these beautiful valleys. Read The North Central Valley and The South Central Valley page for more information on this region. 

• Province(s): Guanacaste

• Vegetation: Tropical Dry Forest

Guanacaste is the driest region of Costa Rica, and the second international airport of Costa Rica can be found near the town of Liberia. Guanacaste is home to some famous resorts like the Four Seasons, Riu Guanacaste, Marriot Resort & Spa, Secrets Papagayo and Dreams Las Mareas. However, if you're not into all-inclusive resorts, there are some nice places to visit along the pacific coast of Guanacaste like Playas del Coco, Playa Hermosa and Playa Ocotal. Further south you will find Brasilito with Playa Conchal and Tamarindo with Playa Tamarindo and Playa Langosta. There are various national parks in Guanacaste, but I would like to name two. Rincón de la Vieja National Park is located north of Liberia. This park that is home to several volcanos, of which one is active, and has nice and accessible hiking trails from which you can witness various types of volcanic activity. Palo Verde National Park is located south of Liberia. A beautiful tropical dry forest and wetland sanctuary. Read the Guanacaste page for more information on this region.

• Province(s): Guanacaste, Puntarenas

• Vegetation: Tropical Dry Forest

The Nicoya Peninsula, a favorite on the pacific side if you are looking for some nice laid-back coastal towns with a more Bohemian lifestyle in an area full of nature and nice beaches. Your first stop when travelling the Peninsula might be the town Paquera from which you can visit Refugio de Fauna Silvestre Curu. Here you can book a tour to Isla Tortuga, a beautiful bounty island where you will be able to spend a nice part of your day. Further west, Montezuma is a nice place to stay and relax. From Montezuma, you can hike to the Montezuma waterfall or visit Cabuya with the Cabuya Island Cemetery. From the Cabuya area, you can hike the Cabo Blanco Natural Reserve. North-west of Cabo Blanco you will find Santa Teresa with numerous nice beaches like Playa Santa Teresa, Playa Carmen, Mal Pais and Playa Cuevas. Another great place to stay with the same kind of vibe, but further up north, is Samara. Another reason why you might want to stay in Samara is that it is within a one-hour drive from the Ostional Wildlife Refuge if you want to go turtle watching. Read The Nicoya Peninsula and the Southwest Guanacaste page for more information on this region. 

• Province(s): Puntarenas

• Vegetation: Tropical Dry Forest, Cloud Forest, Tropical Rainforest

Moving down south you will find the town of Puntarenas with the ferry from and to the Nicoya Peninsula and more south the surf town Jaco known for its nightlife. The beaches in this area are the closest to the capital San José and therefor popular by locals to visit during the weekend or holidays. To get to Jaco you will cross a bridge over Rio Tarcoles. You will recognize this place as there are several souvenir shops at the beginning of the bridge, a tourist walking on the side. The reason why is that you can see a lot of crocodiles from this bridge. You are able to make a Crocodile safari tour from the nearby town of Tarcoles.. Nearby is the easy accessible Carara National Park. The main attraction in this region however is Manuel Antonio National Park, one of the oldest national parks of Costa Rica. The park is easily accessible, but be aware that it can be crowded during high season and reservations must be made. Read The Central Pacific page for more information on this region.

• Province(s): San José, Puntarenas

• Vegetation: Tropical Rainforest

Moving down the coastline from the central pacific, you will get to Dominical, a laid-back surf vibed town and a great stop when going to or coming from the Osa Peninsula in the south. Further down you will find Uvita with Marino Ballena National Park with the characteristic Punta Uvita, a beach shaped in the form of a whale's tale. Down south on Peninsula de Osa there is one of the most impressive and adventurous national parks of Costa Rica, Corcovado National Park. One of the best places to experience Corcovado is from Bahia Drake. There are several hiking trails in the surroundings of Drake Bay and you can arrange for guides hikes in Corcovado. You can get to Drake Bay by boat from Sierpe or you can drive there by yourself, although the last part to Drake Bay on the peninsula is recommended with a 4WD and not during September and October when the rainy season reaches its peak in the South Pacific. This region is also famous for whale watching and mangrove tours. Read The South Pacific and The Osa Peninsula page for more information on this region.