The Final Costa Rica 2 Week Itinerary

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Volcanoes and sizzling spring rivers. Misty cloud forests. Howler monkeys swinging by means of the treetops. White sand seashores. Costa Rica is a tropical, eco-friendly paradise, crammed with colourful wildlife and luxurious forest canopies simply ready to be explored on ziplines and hanging bridges and vibrant coral reefs teeming with marine life. 

Over the various journeys we’ve taken and the weeks we’ve spent backpacking by means of this lovely nation, we’ve realized a couple of issues.  Like that you simply want REALLY good bug repellant (I swear by this mixed with this). Or that there are a LOT of issues no person tells you about Costa Rica. 

And at last, we’ve mixed all of our experiences into one epic route that visits all of our favourite locations: the final word Costa Rica two week itinerary! You’ll be visiting visiting three nationwide parks; mountaineering in cloud forests, rainforests and jungles; snorkeling and swimming in crystalline waters; traversing the tree cover on ziplines and hanging bridges; exploring volcanoes, canyons, sizzling springs and rivers; and befriending sloths, monkeys, macaws, toucans, and extra. And if you happen to’re something like us, you’ll most likely be reserving your subsequent journey to Costa Rica as quickly as you come back house once more.

Able to dive in? Pura Vida!

Psst: Take a look at a few of our different posts earlier than your journey:

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Costa Rica 2 Week Itinerary Abstract

The route you’ll be taking over this Costa Rica itinerary is San José > La Fortuna > Monteverde > Manuel Antonio > Corcovado > San José

Right here’s the route damaged out by days:

• Day 1, San Jose to La Fortuna
• Day 2 & 3, La Fortuna
• Day 4, Journey to Monteverde 
• Day 5 & 6, Monteverde
• Day 7, Journey from Monteverde to Manuel Antonio
• Day 8 & 9, Manuel Antonio
• Day 10, Manuel Antonio to Drake Bay
• Day 11 & 12, Drake Bay
• Day 13 & 14, Drake Bay to San Jose and fly house

Notes and Options

• In case your arrival flight lands within the night, it is advisable to lose a day someplace – or fly again from Drake Bay and take a night flight house.
• If you wish to add further time to one of many locations within the itinerary, you might go to Manuel Antonio for only one full day moderately than two, particularly if you happen to get an early begin within the morning.
• You’ll observe we don’t have you ever spending a lot time in San Jose. We’ve now been to Costa Rica a number of occasions and the town simply isn’t probably the most thrilling half concerning the journey.

Costa Rica Itinerary: Issues to Know

• This itinerary combines a number of journeys we’ve taken over time. You’ll be visiting La Fortuna (together with Arenal Volcano Nationwide Park), Monteverde, Manuel Antonio Nationwide Park, Corcovado Nationwide Park, and San José. Sure, y’all: that’s THREE of Costa Rica’s beautiful nationwide parks in ONE epic itinerary.
• This Costa Rica itinerary focuses on the Pacific aspect of the nation – there aren’t any Caribbean-side locations. That stated, you may be visiting two phenomenal snorkeling/swimming locations with heat, clear blue water!
• You do NOT have to hire a automobile. Buses and van shuttles join all around the nation for a low value, though they’ve very particular schedules or run occasionally. A lot of the shuttles on this itinerary are bookable on-line prematurely by means of Bookaway or different on-line tour operators, and lots of will embrace direct lodge pickup and drop-off. In contrast to many locations, the value to e-book on-line prematurely would be the identical as the value you’d pay in individual to e-book final minute, so we strongly advocate reserving all your transit prematurely! We’ve included particulars about tips on how to get to every cease all through the itinerary.
• It’s useful to talk Spanish, however English talking is widespread. You received’t have a lot issue speaking within the places on this itinerary – the tourism trade is strong and most tour guides, lodge employees, and bus drivers will converse some English. That stated, studying some Spanish is at all times useful – to not point out well mannered!

For extra issues to know, head to our information to issues no person tells you about Costa Rica. We even have a Costa Rica packing listing that can assist you pack to your journey!

Two Weeks in Costa Rica

Visiting Costa Rica makes you wish to get a “pura vida” tattoo and a lifetime provide of salsa lizano – it’s a tough place to depart.

Which is why I’ve been again 4 occasions! The primary time I visited Costa Rica with my household, I used to be simply 8 years outdated and in absolute awe. I’d by no means imagined a spot like this might actually exist – it was a literal paradise, crammed with journey and toucans and monkeys and orchids. I keep in mind galloping on horseback alongside the seashore, kayaking by means of rapids on a river, chewing sticks of recent sugarcane, befriending a child squirrel monkey, and plucking a candy starfruit from a tree. Our household journey was crammed with wildlife and journey, which cemented a lot of what would later grow to be my most well-liked journey type. 

And on the 4 subsequent journeys to Costa Rica I’ve taken over time, my awe has by no means gone away: Costa Rica is actually one of the crucial lovely locations on earth. 

As an grownup, I do know that Costa Rica’s pure magnificence is rigorously maintained, because of complete and conscientious sustainability insurance policies: Costa Rica is without doubt one of the world leaders in moral and sustainable tourism. So whereas it’s not as low cost of a vacation spot to go to as most of its Central American neighbors, for me, that further price is price it as a result of I do know that my presence as a vacationer will not be negatively impacting native communities or wildlife!

With out additional ado, let’s soar into the Costa Rica 2 week itinerary.

Day 1: San José to La Fortuna

I’m gonna be trustworthy right here: San José is the least thrilling a part of this Costa Rica itinerary. Once we go to Costa Rica, we just about bounce as quickly as we hit the tarmac – though to be truthful, we are likely to want smaller cities and extra rustic locations to large cities as a rule. 

In case you like large cities greater than we do, we advocate exploring San Jose on the finish of your journey, once you’ll have a while to kill earlier than your flight.

So, the primary day of your itinerary is definitely a journey day: you’ll arrive in San Jose after which instantly hop on a bus or shuttle and head to La Fortuna!

Verify into Lodge Los Lagos Spa & Resort, situated just some miles exterior of the city heart. With a number of hot-spring-fed swimming pools and a shocking mirador searching to Arenal Volcano, this surprisingly budget-friendly resort is an absolute dream and the proper place to base your self for the subsequent 2 days of journey in La Fortuna.

Arrival

• The way to Get to San Jose: There are two airports you possibly can fly into: Liberia and San Jose. We advocate San Jose. In case you can, attempt to arrive within the morning: most flights from the West Coast are red-eyes, that means you’ll be sleeping on the aircraft (our lengthy haul flights packing listing will assist with that). The sooner you arrive, the sooner you will get to La Fortuna, and also you would possibly have the ability to squeeze in a day/night exercise in your first day!
• The place to Keep in San Jose: Critically, don’t spend the evening in San Jose. Adventures in La Fortuna are ready for you! But when your flight arrives late and it is advisable to spend the evening in San Jose earlier than flying out, we advocate reserving certainly one of these budget-friendly flats in downtown San Jose.

Departure

• The way to Get to La Fortuna: A bus or shuttle from San Jose to La Fortuna takes about 3 hours. There are many choices out there on Bookaway – decide a time that works together with your arriving flight.
• The place to Keep in La Fortuna: Lodge Los Lagos Spa & Resort has a number of on-site sizzling spring-fed swimming pools and a shocking view of Arenal Volcano.

Day 2 & 3: La Fortuna

Pure sizzling springs, forest canopies crammed with wildlife, energetic volcanoes, and gushing rivers and waterfalls: welcome to La Fortuna, aka Arenal. Surrounded by a lush jungle, and situated on the base of two volcanoes – Arenal Volcano, which continues to be energetic, and Chato Volcano, which is dormant – this little city is the gateway to the Arenal Volcano Nationwide Park and is called Costa Rica’s finest journey city! 

An journey city is actually a spot the place you are able to do a bunch of journey journey actions, like white water rafting, ziplining and cover excursions, canyoning, horseback driving, and extra – and La Fortuna (and Arenal, which is what number of guests check with the overall space) has all of it. Along with exploring the jungles and canopies, because of the thermal exercise coming from the volcano, the world can be filled with thermal sizzling springs – and one sizzling spring river.

In case you got here to Costa Rica on the lookout for journey and wildlife (and, after all, you probably did, proper?), you’ll be off to an excellent begin right here.

We advocate spending 2 full days in La Fortuna. The way in which we sometimes construction our days in journey cities is with one adrenaline-rush, high-intensity exercise and one much less exhausting, extra enjoyable exercise every day – say, canopying within the morning and a soothing river safari within the afternoon. So, it is best to have the ability to decide 2-4 actions to fill your days in La Fortuna. 

Under are one of the best issues to do in La Fortuna:

You wouldn’t assume mountaineering is a high-octane journey exercise, would you? Effectively, we disagree: this 6-hour tour additionally contains 3 of La Fortuna’s finest sights in a single really epic day. You’ll hike by means of the jungle, scramble up lava rocks on a volcano, cross hanging bridges throughout forest canopies, go swimming on the beautiful La Fortuna waterfall, and finish your day with a cocktail in a pure sizzling spring (which is by the way the one factor you’ll really feel like doing after a full day full of journey). 

The tour contains transportation, lunch, a bilingual information who will each be sure that you reside and in addition assist level out wildlife within the jungle, and the aforementioned cocktail-in-the-hot-springs state of affairs. In case you’re up for the problem, that is THE tour to do throughout your journey! Notice that it’ll take up one full day of your keep.

Canyoning combines a bunch of various actions into one thrilling journey. Primarily, it includes going right into a canyon after which getting again out of it, by means of a mixture of mountaineering, rappelling, cliff diving, mountain climbing, and just about the rest you possibly can consider – it’s thrilling, and Jeremy completely loves it. 

He recommends this half day tour, on which you’ll journey a 4×4 into the forest, rappel down waterfalls, rock climb up a hidden rain forest canyon, and zip line throughout the canyon! Plus, the tour contains lunch and transportation. 

This Balsa River white water rafting tour covers class II and III rapids – straightforward to intermediate if you happen to take pleasure in white water rafting, superior if you happen to’re afraid of something greater than completely nonetheless water, like me.

Your guides will decide you up out of your  lodging and drive about 45 minutes exterior of city to a personal put-in of the Balsa River, adjoining to non-public restrooms and altering rooms.

You’ll be taught the fundamentals of white water rafting, gear up, and hop in for six miles of rolling rapids! Throughout lulls, your information will level out wildlife like monkeys, sloths, and toucans within the lush greenery alongside the river.

After your tour, you’ll eat a refreshing lunch subsequent to a phenomenal waterfall and swimming gap – be happy to hop in and revel in!

One factor to notice: I’m fairly certain I obtained an ear an infection from this river, so I might extremely advocate carrying ear plugs – as long as you’re nonetheless capable of hear the information’s directions, after all.

River safaris are excellent scaredy cats like me who simply wish to be on a river with out all the terrifying bits. You’ll float down the river for about 2 hours with a wildlife information, who will assist spot toucans, sloths, caymans, kingfishers, and extra. 

Your information will navigate the river utilizing poles or paddles, so you possibly can sit again and chill out and hearken to the sounds of calling birds and buzzing bugs jungle round you and the water gliding previous you. 

And, er, howler monkeys: we glided proper beneath a pack of them! They sound like Godzilla and are legitimately nerve-wracking – they received’t like, damage you, however they may completely fling poo at you and make actually loud noises, which is sufficient for my anxiousness to behave up.  This half day tour contains snacks and low at an area farm!

There are tons of sizzling springs to soak in round La Fortuna, starting from rustic to luxurious. Lots of them are situated at inns or resorts, so you possibly can truly e-book lodging that comes with sizzling spring entry – or simply purchase a day move. 

Tabacón River Sizzling Springs is fabulous however dear, round $100 for a day move that features lunch or dinner – a splurge, however a worthy splurge. However there may be additionally a free public entrance to the Tabacón River, situated throughout from Tabacon Resort: search for a small parking zone filled with locals strolling all the way down to the river! 

Baldi Sizzling Springs is sort of a sizzling spring waterpark and appears superior, however trying on the views we had been a bit delay … it appears a bit … er, sketch? Not tremendous clear? Not completely secure? Perhaps we had been simply being too cautious? 

Anyway, this information to sizzling springs in La Fortuna will assist you determine the place to go!

There are a LOT extra issues to do in La Fortuna, however we’ve lower out a number of actions that you simply’ll be doing in a while within the itinerary, together with Hanging Bridges and ziplining, which you’ll be doing in a cloud forest in Monteverde; and horseback driving, which you’ll be doing by means of the jungle and on the seashore in Corcovado. 

We did say this was the final word Costa Rica two week itinerary, didn’t we??

After an action-packed two days, you’ll head up into the clouds – er, cloud forest, that’s – to Monteverde!

Day 4: La Fortuna to Monteverde

Right this moment is a journey day: you’ll be departing La Fortuna and heading up into the mountains to close by Monteverde. However despite the fact that these locations seem shut on a map, there’s a large volcano, an enormous lake, and a Nationwide Park separating them!

 An Interbus direct shuttle takes about 4 hours and departs solely as soon as per day, arriving in Monteverde at midday. The shuttle will decide you up and drop you off at your lodging.

However there may be one other transit possibility which includes taking a ship throughout Lake Arenal moderately than driving round it. It cuts a few half hour off your complete transit time, plus you get a pleasant enjoyable ferry boat journey to interrupt up the lengthy automobile journey! 

The price is comparable for both possibility, so it actually simply comes down to non-public desire. You’ll e-book your entire van-boat-van/taxi-boat-taxi transport service with a single firm. This taxi-boat-taxi transit service picks you up and drops you off at your lodging.

Journey Tip: No matter which possibility you select, there are some curvy roads on this route, and the final half of the journey is on bumpy roads winding up into the mountains. We advocate taking a non-drowsy Dramamine to assist keep away from nausea!

When you arrive, test into Camino Verde B&B. The small, budget-friendly lodge provides lovely views from its out of doors deck: when the morning and night fog clears, you possibly can see all the way in which to the Pacific Coast, the ocean and islands on one aspect, and Monteverde city on the opposite! The b&b is situated a brief stroll into city (down a brief hill and up a brief hill). 

One factor we liked about this lodge was the unbelievable service: everybody was tremendous pleasant and accommodating, and after we checked in, the entrance desk clerk sat us down and booked us all the excursions we wished to take action our itinerary was all organized for us.

Plus, a scrumptious and filling breakfast is included every day with a number of choices like gallo pinto, scrumptious pancakes, and fruit. We might positively keep right here once more!

• The way to Get to Monteverde: There are two choices: an Interbus direct shuttle will take about 4 hours to drive round Lake Arenal, and a taxi-boat-taxi transit service will take about 3.5 hours with a ferry journey throughout the lake. 
• The place to Keep in Monteverde: We advocate Camino Verde B&B, situated a really brief stroll from city. The small, budget-friendly lodge provides lovely views from its out of doors deck and a scrumptious breakfast is included together with your keep.

Day 5 & 6: Monteverde

Welcome to the mountains of Costa Rica! Monteverde is a high-elevation city positioned immediately on the Continental Divide amongst a dense cloud forest. The climate is way cooler than the remainder of the nation – you’ll positively wish to pack some hotter layers and a rain jacket for this portion of the journey.

However taking a break from the heat of the low-elevation tropics is nicely price it to discover a totally completely different ecosystem in Monteverde. Inside the extremely biodiverse cloud forests orchids, ferns, and bromeliads climb up towering avocado and strangler fig timber as monkeys, sloths, hummingbirds, Quetzal birds and butterflies flit among the many treetops. 

Plus, because of the dense forest cover, Monteverde is house to a few of the longest zip traces and hanging bridges within the nation! 

I’m going to out myself as a large Lord of the Rings nerd right here, however one of the simplest ways I can describe the cloud forests of Monteverde is that it is sort of a real-life Lothlorien: image monumental hole timber hiding pure ladders, boughs laden with flowers and crops, and hanging bridges criss-crossing by means of a misty cover … it’s otherworldly, y’all. And if that doesn’t make you wish to go, you positively want to observe LotR once more!

The very best issues to do in Monteverde – very similar to the remainder of Costa Rica – contain wildlife and out of doors journey. Right here’s what we advocate throughout your two days in Monteverde:

I’ll be trustworthy: orchids had by no means me earlier than this journey. However the Monteverde Orchid Backyard modified my thoughts. The small backyard is packed with a very mind-blowing number of orchids that I didn’t understand existed. 

We looked for teeny tiny orchids with magnifying glasses – together with the smallest orchid on the planet, which is concerning the dimension of a freckle. We discovered orchids formed like hearts and orchids that appear to be alien squids. Do you know that vanilla is an orchid?! I didn’t. Orchids are dope, y’all! 

I like to recommend making this a soothing afternoon cease in your first half-day in Monteverde, after you arrive and test into your lodging. Positioned a really brief stroll away is one of the best Tico (conventional Costa Rican) restaurant on the town, Sabor Tico – head right here for lunch or dinner!

Costa Rica invented ziplining, and whereas you are able to do it virtually anyplace within the nation, it’s really particular contained in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. From a shocking one-mile lengthy superman swing over the tree cover – the longest and highest zipline route in all of Latin America – to a spine-tingling Tarzan swing, that is positively not your primary zipline course. 

The route is without doubt one of the longest in Costa Rica and winds by means of the tree cover throughout hanging bridges. (Notice that there’s a 250lb weight restrict on the Tarzan swing. Which *ahem* means Jeremy skipped it – however nonetheless had a good time.) 

Notice that there are two most important locations to go ziplining in Monteverde, Aventura Park and Selvatura Park – we advocate Aventura.

Confession: we’re obsessed with sloths, however we normally solely get to see their little fuzzy butts hanging out of timber by means of binoculars. On the Sloth Sanctuary, you possibly can see them up shut! 

Importantly, breeding sloths is illegitimate in Costa Rica, and also you completely can’t contact or work together with the sloths – so, splendidly, that is an moral animal expertise. 

The Sloth Sanctuary at Selvatura Park is just one of two working in Costa Rica, and takes care of sloths that had been rescued as infants and can’t be launched again into the wild due to their dependence on people. (That is completely different from a rescue heart, which takes in injured sloths and nurses them again to well being earlier than releasing them again into the wild.) 

We extremely advocate this expertise for sloth lovers like us!

Along with the sloth sanctuary (and adjoining butterfly backyard), the park additionally options hanging bridges and ziplines by means of the Monteverde Cloud Forest tree cover. 

We extremely advocate taking a self-guided stroll by means of the cover. You’ll be traversing an easy to comply with stone path. The route has a couple of small hills, however will not be difficult. Take it sluggish if you happen to’re a slower hiker (like us) – it ought to take round 1.5-2 hours if you happen to’re not in a rush. Apparently some folks do it in 1 hour, although I don’t know the way.  

Alongside the way in which, you’ll cross hanging bridges of various lengths spanning the treetops. For a non-adventure lover like me, the hanging bridges had been scary at first. Attempt to stroll slowly and within the very center to keep away from swinging the bridge, and maintain onto the edges. I additionally waited to start out every bridge till the ppl forward of me had been completed. However by the previous couple of bridges I used to be used to it and it wasn’t so scary anymore!

Deliver a pair of binoculars and hold an eye fixed out for monkeys taking part in within the timber! In our case, we didn’t even want our binoculars: on the longest bridge, a bunch of howler monkeys popped up into the cover throughout us, munching on leaves like 2 ft away from us within the bridge, completely unbothered. So freaking cool!! We may have stayed there watching them endlessly. 

A ticket to Selvatura Park contains transportation from native inns – your lodging ought to have the ability to organize it for you, or you possibly can e-book immediately on-line on the Selvatura Web site. 

• Journey Tip: We made the error of heading to Selvatura on the afternoon shuttle at 2pm. However the final bus again into city is at 4:30pm. So round 4pm we had been nonetheless on hanging bridge #5 of 8 having a second with some monkeys within the treetops after we realized we had been working late. We RAN and made the bus, however we didn’t get to totally recognize half of it! Give your self ample time particularly if you’re a sluggish hiker like we’re, and depart earlier within the day.

• Discover a Cloud Forest on foot

It’s one factor to expertise a cloud forest from a dangling bridge or zipline within the treetops, but it surely’s fairly one other to stroll by means of it on the very base of the forest. To totally recognize the cloud forests, we advocate taking the time to do each.

There are a number of cloud forests and reserves you possibly can go to in Monteverde, and it’s onerous to select only one to go to – however time is restricted. There’s the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve and the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (which you’ll be ziplining by means of at Aventura Park), the 2 hottest choices.

You’ll be able to even do a guided evening hike within the Santa Elena Cloud Forest – evening is the time when wildlife is most energetic, so that is a tremendous alternative to see a totally completely different aspect of the forest!

After which there’s the Curicancha Reserve, a a lot smaller attraction that permits fewer folks to go to every day. We are likely to keep away from crowds and folks – they scare off the wildlife! But in addition sure we’re sort of misanthropic like that – so we selected to go to Curicancha. We booked a guided tour by means of our lodge with Monteverde Consultants, and our naturalist information made the forest come alive as he defined the wildlife, the historical past, and identified wildlife.

One factor we liked concerning the Curicancha Reserve is how accessible it’s: the strolling paths are good and broad, though rocky (they’re at the moment working to enhance oath accessibility for wheelchairs.) There are loos and benches all through, and you’ll even hire 4x4s so that you don’t must stroll. The strolling itself goes slowly as you’re continuously stopping to have a look at wildlife, and there are a couple of small hills, however the route could be very doable at a mild tempo even for non-hikers. Simply you’ll want to costume for rain and dirt!

• Get pleasure from native meals & espresso

We have now a couple of options for the place to eat and drink in Monteverde:

• Tree Home Restaurant & Cafe: This restaurant constructed into a large ficus tree is freaking attractive. Understand that you don’t go right here for the meals, you go for the ambiance. However nothing is sort of like eating in a tree surrounded by paintings whereas birds name and play within the branches overhead. Y’all: it’s very Lothlorien! We extremely advocate making this a cease throughout your journey.
• Cafe Monteverde is a unbelievable specialty espresso store on the town serving Costa Rican brews in a wide range of preparation strategies. You can too pattern a number of completely different roasts and purchase a bag to deliver house with you! This space is a espresso area, and if you happen to like, you possibly can even e-book a espresso farm tour by means of the store.
• Sabor Tico: Positioned up on a hill near the Orchid Backyard, this was one of the best Costa Rican meal we ate throughout our keep in Monteverde. The parts are large, the view is beautiful, and the meals is scrumptious. It’s a little bit of a schlep on foot, although – 10 minutes or so, however with a few brief hills – so we advocate consuming right here once you go to the Orchid Backyard so that you solely must make the journey as soon as.

Day 7: Monteverde to Manuel Antonio

Right this moment you’ll be leaving very first thing within the morning to move about 4 hours from Monteverde to your subsequent vacation spot, Manuel Antonio, house of Manuel Antonio Nationwide Park.

You’ve got two choices. The simplest approach is to e-book an Interbus shuttle leaving at 8am. The shuttle will decide you up and drop you off proper at your lodging.

The cheaper however barely extra sophisticated possibility is to take 2 buses. First you’ll board an early morning bus from the bus station in Santa Elena to Punta Arenas. From there, you’ll take a bus to Quepos, the most important city adjoining to Manuel Antonio. From there you’ll have to hail a taxi to get you to your lodging (there might be loads close by, and Quepos is simply about quarter-hour from Manuel Antonio). Yow will discover the bus schedules and costs on Rome2Rio.

For what it’s price, we’ve discovered that the general public buses in Costa Rica are each snug and dependable, and the bus stations are straightforward to navigate with clear signage and many useful attendants, so don’t fear – even if you happen to aren’t acquainted with taking public transit in Costa Rica, you’ll be simply advantageous!

Whenever you arrive in Quepos, test into your lodging. We’ve stayed on the cheap however lovely Hostel Plinio twice now – every time in a personal ensuite room, although their dorms are additionally unbelievable! The hostel is located up a hill with ocean views from a lot of the rooms, an on-site restaurant and pool, and an open-air lounge the place breakfast is served. It’s a unbelievable hostel! 

That stated, it’s a bit removed from the primary cause you’re within the space, Manuel Antonio Nationwide Park. Public buses heading to the park run each quarter-hour proper previous the hostel till 7:30 PM, so it’s straightforward to hop on one and take a reasonably brief, cheap journey to the park.

In case you’d want to be nearer to the park and the seashore and don’t thoughts paying extra, Lodge Manuel Antonio is a good decide, strolling distance to the doorway of the Nationwide Park and throughout the road from the seashore!

• The way to Get to Manuel Antonio: You’ll be able to e-book an Interbus shuttle with lodge decide up and drop-off, or take a public bus. First you’ll board an early morning bus from the bus station in Santa Elena to Punta Arenas. From there, you’ll take a bus to Quepos, then take a taxi to your lodging. Yow will discover the bus schedules and costs on Rome2Rio. 
• The place to Keep in Quepos: We love Hostel Plinio, a phenomenal, cheap hostel a brief bus journey from the Nationwide Park. Instead, Lodge Manuel Antonio is strolling distance to the doorway of the Nationwide Park and throughout the road from the seashore.

Day 8 & 9, Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio Nationwide Park is Costa Rica’s smallest, however one of the crucial common – and for good cause. With lovely seashores, well-maintained trails working by means of the forest and mangroves, and ample wildlife, the park is without doubt one of the finest locations on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. You’re extremely prone to see Capuchin, Howler, and Squirrel Monkeys, plus sloths, iguanas, agoutis, and tons of birds!

You’ll arrive in Manuel Antonio with a lot of the day left to chill out or hit the seashore. The very best seashores on this space, after all, are inside the Nationwide Park – however that’s an entire day exercise.  Two, in actual fact!  

Right here’s what you’ll be doing in Manuel Antonio:

On the half day of your arrival, head to Playa Espadilla Norte, the seashore exterior of the park within the city of Manuel Antonio. You’ll discover distributors on the seashore providing chair and umbrella leases, surf classes, and even meals supply. The water is superbly heat and swimmable, and also you’ll see surfers having fun with the waves, too. Throughout from the seashore, there are many small outlets to browse for trinkets and snacks. Chill out and revel in!

Alternatively, you possibly can head to the way more secluded (and subsequently a lot emptier) Playa Biesanz. Search for a jungle path that begins by the aspect of the street near Lodge Parador. You’ll head by means of a small opening in a fence and down a steep hill with unfastened pebbles for about 10 minutes. When you arrive, the seashore might be all yours – nicely, yours and a buzzing jungle crammed with monkeys, sloths, lizards, and birds, after all.

To entry the park entrance, you’ll have to stroll from the street up a rocky dust path and over a bridge. It is going to really feel type of such as you’re going the flawed approach however there are indicators directing you to the general public park entrance!

On the entrance, you’ll pay the doorway payment (test the positioning for the present price) and have the choice of reserving a guided tour. It prices 10,000 colones per individual, and actually, if you happen to actually wish to spot animals, that is your finest likelihood! It’s very onerous to identify critters with no information, and the park guides have fixed stories about the place all of the wildlife is hanging out all through the day. That stated, in case your objective is simply to go mountaineering and swimming, then the tour isn’t price it.

Apart from on the lookout for wildlife, there are two most important actions in Manuel Antonio: mountaineering and swimming on the seashore!

Attending to the seashore in Manuel Antonio takes about half-hour down a large, largely flat path – the primary path within the park. Sure sections of the path additionally dovetail to boardwalks by means of the mangroves, which personally I discover to be much less crowded and extra scenic. (The boardwalks are a part of the El Perezoso path, and run parallel to the primary path.)

Simply up the hill from the seashore, you’ll a restaurant, altering rooms, loos, and lockers to retailer your stuff. These are the one amenities, so don’t head all the way in which down the hill to the seashore till you’re actually prepared!

The seashore is gorgeous, scenic, and heat. That stated, do watch out for excessive tides and swells.

The opposite most important exercise in Manuel Antonio is mountaineering. The park is stuffed with trails, most of that are brief (although not essentially straightforward). Right here’s a fast information:

• La Catarata Path: Positioned near the park entrance, this medium depth .6 mile lengthy path results in a small waterfall (therefore the title: catarata means waterfall in Spanish). Maintain an eye fixed out for frogs alongside the way in which!
• El Perezoso Path: These are the boardwalks that run parallel to the park’s most important path. Because the title suggests, hold an eye fixed out overhead for sloths!
• Punta Catedral Path: This mile-long path results in one of the crucial iconic elements and scenic of the park, a excessive peak that divides the seashore exterior the city and the park’s seashore. Though the hike is comparatively brief, it’s steep – deliver loads of water and be ready to climb! You’ll discover the trailhead on the finish of the seashore
• Playa Gemelas Path: This brief, straightforward path from the primary seashore will take you to a second seashore, Playa Gemelas. It additionally connects to the opposite trails and to the western portion of the park. Throughout low tide, you possibly can see a view of Punta Catedral on this path.
• Mirador Path: This mile-long path results in a scenic lookout of Punta Serrucho, a rocky landmark. Heads up, this path is difficult!
• Congo Path: This brief path connects Playa Gemelas and the Mirador Path and it may be used instead return route.

One, another factor: there are gonna be monkeys, they usually’re gonna need your stuff. I might discourage you from bringing in any snacks or meals – the primary time we visited Manuel Antonio, we watched a monkey snatch a backpack off of somebody’s shoulder, run up a tree with it, and proceed to dig out all of her snacks! 

The park has since enforced stricter rules about meals. There’s a small restaurant close to the seashore that sells sandwiches, drinks, ice cream, pastries, and souvenirs – and whether or not you deliver your personal meals or not, that is the one place that’s secure so that you can eat it. You must NEVER, EVER feed a wild animal – even inadvertently!

When it comes to what to deliver with you, you’ll need a day bag full of mountaineering sneakers/sandals, a swimsuit, a towel, sunscreen, a rain jacket and journey umbrella, and bug repellant. Put on garments which can be snug to hike in and dry rapidly – we’ve obtained particular options in our Costa Rica Packing Listing.

Apart from the nationwide park, there are a number of different issues to do in Manuel Antonio:

Costa Rica’s wildlife residents are most energetic at evening, and the jungle is a completely completely different place after the solar goes down! This tour will lead you thru a close-by rainforest the place the extinct harlequin frog reappeared and was rediscovered, an thrilling scientific discovery.

Throughout your journey you might even see bats, Jesus Christ lizards, arachnids, owls, tons and many frogs, snakes and all kinds of fascinating bugs. You’ll be supplied with every part it is advisable to navigate safely and see wildlife with out disturbing them.

The evening stroll contains lodge pickup and drop-off in addition to a meal, and takes about 2-2.5-hours. 

In case you’re up for locating the critters that fill the rainforest once you’re not trying, you’ll want to put on close-toed sneakers (in order to not get bitten by something). If the concept of bugs and spiders provides you the heebie-jeebies, perhaps simply skip it!

Youngsters Saving The Rainforest runs the one authorized rescue heart that rehabilitates wounded, sick and deserted rainforest animals on the Pacific Coast. The non-profit, situated about quarter-hour exterior of Quepos, protects and rehabilitates wildlife, conducts scientific analysis, and supplies outreach and training about conservation and moral tourism. 

The middle rescues greater than 100 animals annually, focusing totally on rehabilitating and releasing wild animals again into their habitats every time doable.

For animals that can’t be launched again into the wild, the middle has an onsite wildlife sanctuary which guests can tour. You’ll see 5 forms of monkeys, together with Spider Monkeys, White Confronted Monkeys, Squirrel Monkeys, Tamarins, & Marmoset; Coatis; Two-toed sloths; Nocturnal Kinkajous (if they’re awake); and Parrots!

Notice that you simply’ll have to e mail to make a reservation prematurely to your tour – extra info right here.

Head out on the ocean for two.5 hour kayaking and snorkeling journey! On and off your kayak, you’ll see marine birds and their nesting grounds, parrot fish, starfish, angelfish and probably a couple of sea turtles.  The tour will give you snorkeling gear, so simply deliver a towel. 

I extremely advocate carrying swim leggings and a rash guard so that you don’t want to fret about sunscreen besides in your arms, face, and ft – plus, it’s the proper outfit for leaping and and out of the water!

The tour contains pickup and drop off out of your lodge and a scrumptious meal!

Manuel Antonio Nationwide Park encompasses some mangroves, however simply 10 minutes away is Damas Island, an infinite protected mangrove forest with unimaginable biodiversity. Throughout your enjoyable journey in a 12-person coated boat, you’ll wind by means of lush inexperienced vegetation as you information helps spot white-faced monkeys, anteaters, boa constrictors, iguanas, birds, and colourful mangrove crabs!

The tour contains pickup and drop-off and a meal. I extremely advocate placing on loads of bug repellent for this tour, and bringing your personal pair of binoculars, since you by no means know when a critter would possibly disappear earlier than you’ve had an opportunity to look by means of your information’s!

Day 10: Manuel Antonio to Drake Bay

Manuel Antonio and its neighboring city, Quepos, is simply up the Pacific coast out of your subsequent vacation spot, however you possibly can’t drive all the way in which there. Your subsequent vacation spot is, er, a bit distant. Like, on a tiny bay, on a tiny peninsula, proper subsequent to an enormous nationwide park which you can solely entry by boat. Yup: it’s superior!

From Quepos, you’ll take a shuttle to the boat dock in Sierpe. On the Sierpe boat dock, you’ll board a ferry that may take you down a river to Drake Bay and drop you off on to the dock of your subsequent lodging.

Truthfully, the schlep is all a part of the journey of attending to the vacation spot: the boat journey takes about an hour and travels by means of lovely mangroves alongside the Sierpe River, earlier than crossing over the mouth of the river connecting to the Pacific Ocean after which heading to a different, a lot smaller, river. The primary time I visited, the ferry boat was tiny – actually like, a tiny little boat with room sufficient for a cooler filled with Fanta, the boat captain, our baggage, and my household of 4. However extra vacationers go to the world now, and right this moment the ferry is a big, snug boat with ample seating, loads of area for baggage, and a canopy to guard you from the solar.

Although it could sound a bit sophisticated, don’t fear – you don’t want to rearrange any of this by yourself: your lodging can set all of it up and e-book it for you! 

For the ultimate cease in your journey, you’ll be staying on the Aguila de Osa Rainforest Lodge, a sustainable eco-lodge on the mouth of the River Agujitas simply exterior Corcovado Nationwide Park. 

The entire rooms and the open-air lodge function sweeping views of Drake Bay and the Osa Peninsula. The lodge is a 1 minute stroll away from a small seashore, and also you’ll have the ability to e-book all the excursions and actions you need immediately from the lodge once you arrive.

Notice that this cease on the itinerary is unquestionably the most costly, however actually? It’s an extremely worthy splurge. The lodge is like an all-inclusive resort, besides rustic and eco-friendly and sustainable. Your entire meals are included in the price of your room – breakfast, lunch, appetizers, and dinner – and have recent, domestically sourced elements, like no matter recent fish was caught by native fisherman that morning and natural greens picked from the lodge’s close by farm. Meals are served within the beautiful, open-air nice room and are actually one of many highlights of every day.

There’s additionally no have to e-book any excursions prematurely: your lodging will allow you to plan your itinerary and e-book every part for you when you arrive.

That stated, there are cheaper locations to remain in Drake Bay (have a look right here), and all the lodging within the space will supply roughly the identical tour choices. Simply don’t look forward to finding any large inns close by: every part right here is small, rustic, and deep within the rainforest. In case you e-book an lodging that doesn’t supply assist organize transportation, you possibly can contact Transportes Alvarez to rearrange a shuttle.

• The way to Get to Drake Bay: From Quepos, you’ll take a shuttle to Sierpe. Then, you’ll board a ferry that may take you down a river to Drake Bay and drop you off on to the dock of the lodging at your subsequent cease. You must have the ability to e-book every part by means of your lodging, but when not, contact Transportes Alvarez to rearrange your shuttle.
• The place to Keep in Drake Bay: Aguila de Osa Rainforest Lodge is an unimaginable, sustainable eco-lodge within the rainforest overlooking the ocean – mainly, paradise! It’s a splurge, however belief us after we say that it’s a spotlight of this itinerary and nicely price it. Your meals are all included.

Day 11 & 12, Drake Bay/Corcovado

It may be onerous to imagine after the adventures you’ve been having for the final two weeks, however we truly saved one of the best for final. We needed to: if we put this vacation spot earlier within the itinerary, in all places else would have felt like a downer. 

Corcovado Nationwide Park – house to the most important rainforest in Central America – and the tiny city of Drake Bay are, arms down, our favourite locations to go to in Costa Rica. The crystalline waters of the ocean are full of colourful coral reefs and marine life, bordered by jungle stretching all the way in which to the seashore. And subsequent to this beautiful and distant Nationwide Park are a tiny handful of eco-lodges and resorts and the teeny tiny little city of Agujitas. It’s not the simplest place to get to, but it surely’s nicely well worth the journey!

Personally, that is the place the place I first fell in love in Costa Rica (and with journey usually) on two unimaginable household holidays, a long time in the past. My mother and father booked this superior eco-lodge within the jungle, strolling distance from the seashore. We rode horses on the sands of Corcovado Nationwide Park, snorkeled in excellent heat, clear blue water, and woke as much as monkeys, scarlet macaws and toucans and laughing hawks calling and taking part in exterior the home windows of our bungalow every day. Every evening we watched the solar set from the open air lodge over dinner, and drifted off to sleep lulled by the scent of ylang ylang timber and the sound of buzzing cicadas. It was heaven.

It was such a phenomenal and memorable journey for our household that my sister returned on her honeymoon … and at last, after years of telling Jeremy about this unimaginable place, we determined to make it our first journey after COVID. Why did we wait so lengthy? As a result of it’s sort of a splurge, and we’re like… hostel folks, not resort folks. However after 2 years of being caught at house, we had been able to ball. I used to be terrified that I’d constructed it up in my head, that we’d arrive and it wouldn’t be something like I remembered it.

However. Y’all. It was precisely as magical as I remembered it being! This unimaginable little place, on the foot of a river opening as much as the ocean – accessible solely by boat – is a dream. Actually: it’s the place I think about in my head after I’m attempting to go to sleep, listening to rain and jungle noises on a Spotify playlist I made for this actual objective. (Enjoyable truth: in 2020, my Spotify most performed listing was actually all simply rain/jungle noises. It was a tough 12 months, okay??!)

And to not make it bizarre, however let’s simply say that I lastly sat down to put in writing this publish 8.5 months after our journey… and a couple of weeks earlier than welcoming a tiny new member to our household. You do the maths. And sure, we absolutely intend to deliver our baby right here and level at numerous issues and inform them it’s the place they had been conceived. As a result of what’s the level of getting a toddler if to not embarrass and probably traumatize them??

Anyway. My private historical past with this place apart, you HAVE to go. I do know, it’s onerous to get to. I do know, it’s pricier than the remainder of the locations on this itinerary. However don’t skip it! Belief us – you’ll thank me later. (Otherwise you’ll come again right here and depart me a strongly worded remark telling me about your expertise, one or the opposite. However I actually assume you’ll have a tremendous time!)

Right here’s what we advocate doing throughout your keep in Drake Bay. (Notice that a lot of the excursions might be shared with a number of native resorts/inns, and every part will be booked on arrival at your lodging.)

• Snorkeling or Scuba Diving

The clear waters of Caño Island Organic Marine Reserve are an unimaginable place for each scuba diving and snorkeling. You’ll see wholesome coral reefs, faculties of vibrant tropical fish, turtles, reef sharks, and rays.

I’m a snorkeler and Jeremy is a licensed PADI scuba diver, so we break up up for this exercise – and we had been each deeply glad with our separate experiences!

Your lodging will present all of the gear you want and e-book and organize your boat tour.

• Go on a wildlife hike in Corcovado Nationwide Park

Corcovado Nationwide Park is the crown jewel of this area, and a visit into the rainforest is a spotlight of any journey to the Osa Peninsula! Hikes start and finish at San Pedrillo, Corcovado Nationwide Park’s northernmost ranger station – however first, it’s a must to get there by boat. The journey is about 25 minutes, and also you’ll wish to put on sandals and quick-drying pants: there might be a moist touchdown (and it’s slightly little bit of a nail biter – however don’t fear, your boat captain does this actually day-after-day). 

Your naturalist information can have binoculars and can level out wildlife alongside the way in which. On our final hike in Corcovado we noticed white-faced, spider and howler monkeys, an lovable white-lipped peccary mother and child pair, scarlet macaws, and a coati.

The hike isn’t difficult when it comes to distance and is sort of flat, however it’s sizzling, humid, muddy and sweaty – deliver loads of water, put on breathable clothes, and slather on bug repellant prefer it’s your job. Halfway by means of your hike, you’ll go to a swimming lagoon on the base of a small waterfall to take a brief swim (so you’ll want to put on or deliver a swimsuit!)

• Journey Tip: Put on breathable, quick-drying garments and a swimsuit, and produce each sandals and durable mountaineering sneakers with good grip. Trekking poles are useful on muddy days, although we did with out and had been advantageous. Plenty of water, sunscreen, and bug repellent are a should as nicely. And pack a light-weight rain jacket and journey umbrella simply in case – it’s referred to as the rainforest for a cause!

Certainly one of my favourite actions in Costa Rica is horseback driving, because of their very small, closer-to-the-ground-than-usual Palomino horses, that are MUCH much less scary to journey than tall thoroughbreds (or Clydesdales, which we rode precisely one time – it felt like driving a T-Rex).

And it’s nice that the horses are small and delicate, as a result of horseback driving on this space is unquestionably extra on the adventurous aspect. 

You’ll journey your horse immediately by means of a river, on winding paths by means of the rainforest, and throughout the seashore – and your horse will virtually actually break right into a trot or canter on the seashore. (For what it’s price, Palominos are the ONLY horse I’ve ever felt snug cantering on!)

The tour provided by Aguila de Osa ends at a waterfall and a seashore the place you possibly can swim and chill out earlier than driving again!

• Kayaking on the Agujitas River

Borrow a kayak out of your lodging and take a self-guided kayak tour at excessive tide! You’ll be able to head upriver deeper into the rainforest, or depart the river and head down the coast to discover sandy seashores.

Though it is a fairly relaxed exercise, don’t get too complacent: the river can get slightly uneven in elements and is house to very small, reportedly innocent crocodiles that however scared the residing daylights out of us – particularly after we hit a few tough patches of water. (It seems that Jeremy and I are BOTH scaredy cats with regards to tiny crocodiles.)

Additionally, I wouldn’t swim within the river – and take care to not get your ears moist, both. Each my dad and I contracted gnarly ear infections (a few a long time aside) as a direct results of our ears coming into contact with river water in Costa Rica. In case you’re susceptible to ear infections like we’re, you would possibly wish to put on a pair of earplugs simply to be secure.

Truthfully, if you happen to’re able to not flipping your kayak, you’ll be advantageous… however perhaps don’t do that as your very first kayaking journey ever. Let’s name this an intermediate kayaking expertise.

• Take an evening wildlife tour

Do you know that Costa Rica’s wildlife residents are most energetic at evening? You may not see a lot exercise in the course of the day, however you’re just about assured to see critters at evening!

​​Our tour was led by an area scientist, the Bug Woman. And though we didn’t journey far (a lot of the tour is simply on paths across the resort) we noticed a couple of snoozing sloths, a number of tree frogs, sleeping birds, moths, opossums, owls, and a bunch of fascinating bugs and arachnids! 

Sure – I stated arachnids. On this tour, you’ll positively want to have the ability to recognize that spiders are bros – or at the very least that they’re lovely and various creatures! Essentially the most memorable arachnid pals we noticed on our evening hike had been trapdoor spiders, which stay in tiny little hobbit holes. Our information gently opened a wonderfully hidden spherical door, and slightly spider arm got here out and SLAMMED it shut. I’m guessing he had most likely learn the Hobbit and knew to not let a bunch of strangers in, lest he find yourself on an extended journey with the destiny of the world resting on his tiny spider shoulders. What number of LotR references in a single weblog publish is just too many? 

Anyway: if you happen to’re up for locating the critters that fill the rainforest once you’re not trying, you’ll want to put on close-toed sneakers (in order to not get bitten by something). And if this part gave you the heebie-jeebies, perhaps simply skip this one!

San Josecito is arms down probably the most lovely seashore on the Osa Peninsula: image a sandy cove with splendidly swimmable water, ringed with palm timber filled with scarlet macaws. Many excursions cease right here at one level, however you too can hike, horseback journey, or take a ship to get right here.

In case you select the two.5 hour hike, you’ll discover the trailhead on the hanging bridge throughout the Rio Agujitas close to the mouth of the river. This information will assist you understand what to anticipate. Gown appropriately and put on water/mountaineering sandals, as a result of there’s a water crossing at one level – we extremely advocate a pair of Tevas for each ladies and males.

In case you’d like to go to San Josecito by horseback or boat, simply ask your lodging: they’ll know who to name and what to rearrange to get every part arrange for you, and inform you what it should price.

• Actually simply chill out, take a look at the view and hearken to the rain

Staying in a phenomenal eco-resort is a big a part of why the journey to this a part of Costa Rica is so price it, so take full benefit! 

All of the rooms on the  Aguila de Osa Rainforest Lodge have an outside patio with beautiful ocean views. Some have rocking chairs, others have hammocks. 

We extremely advocate spending a day out on the patio, listening to the sounds of the tropical rainforest and simply enjoyable. Bonus factors if you are able to do it throughout a heavy rain. Annnd I simply turned on my Spotify playlist once more…

There are additionally a couple of different actions you are able to do throughout your keep, together with zip lining, hen watching, visiting the native city, and mountaineering to the seashore. Ask your lodging for different choices if you happen to’re !

Day 13 & 14: Return to San Jose and Fly Residence

Leaving Drake Bay is a little more sophisticated than the way in which you arrived, since at this level you’ve traveled fairly a methods from San Jose! 

The simplest, quickest, and most fun solution to get again is by taking a teeny tiny little aircraft (positively an journey in and of itself) from both Drake Bay or Palmar Sur. (Notice that if you happen to fly out of Palmar Sur, you’ll have to repeat the boat journey again from Drake Bay to Sierpe – the airport is about quarter-hour exterior of Sierpe.) 

You’ll be able to e-book your flight by means of Sansa Airways or Aerobell. In case you time issues excellent and your flight house is after 4PM or so, you possibly can depart immediately from San Jose when you arrive on the airport! (That additionally means you may have an additional day if you happen to’d like so as to add time someplace on this itinerary.)

That stated: flying can be the most costly possibility.

A less expensive possibility is to take a shuttle again to San Jose. You’ll first hop again on the boat to Sierpe, you then’ll be taking the Costanera (Coast Street) all the way in which again up the Pacific Coast earlier than turning inland to San Jose. The drive takes about 4.5 hours. In case you’re reserving this feature, ask your lodging for help or reserve a shuttle on-line on Bookaway.

The most cost effective possibility is to take a public bus. You’ll first have to take the ferry again to Sierpe, then a taxi to the bus station, the place you’ll board a bus to Quepos. From there, you’ll board a bus again to San Jose. You should utilize Rome2Rio to determine the precise route. It’s positively extra sophisticated, however if you happen to can pull it off, you’ll save a bunch of money. 

Nevertheless, your most important problem is timing: buses from Sierpe to Quepos depart at 7:30 AM, however the boat from Drake Bay to Sierpe leaves at 7:15 AM, so that you received’t make it – that means you’ll want to remain in a single day in Sierpe. And at that time, it’s most likely price it to simply e-book the dang shuttle. (We do that math each time we go to Costa Rica, and we at all times find yourself taking the shuttles!)

As a result of it takes fairly a while to get from Drake Bay to San Jose on the shuttle, we ended up needing to remain the evening in San Jose. In case you’re wanting to discover the town, e-book your self a later flight or contemplate including an additional day – however we actually don’t advocate it.

We wished to spend as little time as doable in San Jose, so we booked a cheap place near the airport and an early morning flight. Sadly, the place we booked had some type of reserving difficulty and turned us away on the door. We ended up having to stroll a number of blocks on foot with all of our baggage to a different close by lodge to see if that they had room for us. And there was completely nothing round to do or see within the space, so we simply sat in our low cost lodge for the remainder of the day feeling unhappy about our journey ending. It was not one of the simplest ways to finish a visit!

Finally, it could have been higher for us to remain in an space with extra inns and extra issues to do close by, even when it meant waking up earlier to take a taxi to the airport within the morning (our least favourite factor ever – we’re serial oversleepers). 

Our freakish dangerous luck most likely received’t occur to you (we’re journey catastrophe magnets, it’s scientific truth) however however, we advocate staying in a extra walkable a part of city so that you at the very least get some exploration in in your final evening and may say a correct goodbye to Costa Rica! We advocate reserving certainly one of these budget-friendly flats in downtown San Jose proper on Central avenue. It’s conveniently situated inside strolling distance of a number of of the town’s finest museums, together with the Jade Museum, the Costa Rica Nationwide Museum, and the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum. When you have time earlier than your flight, decide one to discover!

• The way to Get to San Jose: The simplest, quickest, and most fun solution to get again is by taking a teeny tiny little aircraft from both Drake Bay or Palmar Sur. You’ll be able to e-book your flight by means of Sansa Airways or Aerobell. In case you time issues excellent, you possibly can depart immediately from San Jose when you arrive on the airport! A less expensive possibility is to take a 4.5 hour shuttle again to San Jose; you possibly can reserve a shuttle on-line on Bookaway or ask your accomodation to assist make preparations.
• The place to Keep in San Jose: If it is advisable to spend the evening in San Jose earlier than flying out, we advocate reserving certainly one of these budget-friendly flats in downtown San Jose.

Necessities to Pack for Costa Rica

• Bug Repellant: We take a two-pronged method to avoiding bug bites: Insect Repellant Lotion and handled clothes. Earlier than your journey, spray all the garments you’ll be bringing with Permethrin Spray, a bug repellent which adheres solely to materials, leaves no scent or residue on garments, and doesn’t hurt human pores and skin. Throughout your journey, slather all your unclothed pores and skin in light-weight Picaridin lotion. It’s extremely efficient, the protection of the lotion is MUCH higher than spray-on bug repellant (to not point out much less dangerous for the surroundings) and it doesn’t depart a gross oily residue in your pores and skin. Between these two repellants, we not often get bitten!
• Reef-Secure Sunscreen: You must put on reef-safe sunscreen each time you go into the ocean. Reef-safe sunscreen is designed to biodegrade and never hurt marine life. Common sunscreen bleaches coral and ensures humanity’s swift demise from local weather change. So please, for the love of society’s inevitable collapse, put on reef-safe sunscreen if you happen to’re going into the ocean! Notice that though reef-safe sunscreen is at all times mineral, not all mineral sunscreens are reef-safe. Sunscreen should use “non-nano zinc oxide” particles to be reef secure(extra particulars right here). That is my favourite reef-safe sunscreen, and I take advantage of this light-weight sunscreen on my face. Higher but, deliver a rash guard so that you want much less sunscreen general!
• Swim Leggings: This itinerary includes numerous hikes and horseback rides to the seashore, which implies it is advisable to be carrying one thing that may dry rapidly. Personally, my pores and skin chafes simply excited about carrying a moist swimsuit, so my go-to decide is swim leggings, that are mainly like leggings produced from swimsuit materials! They’re fast drying and very snug to put on whereas moist (sure, you possibly can truly hike in them even after they’re soaking moist). Plus, they supply glorious solar safety, so that you don’t want to fret about sunscreen even once you’re butt-up on a snorkeling tour. For extra info, head to the complete overview of my favourite pair of sustainable swim leggings!
• Binoculars: Each tour information in Costa Rica can have a pair of binoculars or a large telescope. However then it’s a must to share it between everybody else on the tour, and critters don’t like to face round ready for full viewers appreciation. So, stick some travel-friendly binoculars into your day-bag!
• Journey Towel: You’ll wish to deliver a full-sized, quick-drying journey towel. Towels usually are not sometimes supplied on excursions, and also you’ll be going to a number of seashores!
• Teva Sandals (his & hers): Not solely are these rugged sandals snug and rugged sufficient to stroll and hike for miles comfortably, however additionally they double as water sneakers. They keep strapped tightly to your ft within the water and are excellent for journey sports activities like canyoning or rafting. Plus, they’re light-weight, sturdy, and legitimately cute!
• Rain Gear: From rainforests to cloud forests, you ought to be ready for it to rain at any second! At all times hold an Extremely-Gentle Rain Jackets (His & Hers) and a teeny tiny light-weight Journey Umbrella in your day bag, simply in case.
• Day Bag: Jeremy and I every carry a day bag on journeys. This cute backpack is ideal for some snacks, a few jackets, a journey umbrella, cameras, telephones, and no matter we want for the day. It additionally doubles as our lockable carry-on valuables bag whereas on transit, which is essential for security (by no means let your passport, digicam, or laptop computer out of your sight on journey days)! For extra energetic days, we pack up a Camelbak Hydration Pack that matches 70oz of water along with all our gear. It’s excellent for hikes or exploring on sizzling days once you’ll want to remain further hydrated!

We’ve obtained a ton extra packing suggestions and particular options in our Costa Rica packing listing!

We’ve additionally created a FREE Printable Packing Listing with every part it is advisable to plan your journey to Costa Rica. We’ll additionally ship you suggestions that can assist you put together to your journey! Simply join beneath.

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Able to pack your luggage and take off for 2 weeks in Costa Rica? Do you may have any questions on our Costa Rica 2 week itinerary? Drop us a remark beneath!

Psst: Take a look at a few of our different posts earlier than your journey: