Places You Must Visit While You Spend Your Vacation in Costa Rica

Though belonging to a rugged Central American terrain, Costa Rica, with expansive coastlines on the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans, has been an emerging popular tourism spot. Though being home to a rain forest, Costa Rica’s capital has become a popular tourist attraction owing to cultural institutions like the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum. Costa Rica also attracts a fair share of attention owing to the volcanic mountains it houses and the rich biodiversity there. But mostly, Costa Rica is famous for its beaches, the pristine waters and its picturesque and soothing landscape. There are many Costa Rica luxury homes which are available, suitable for every tourist in accordance with their travel budget. Apart from that, roughly a quarter of Costa Rica is made up of protected jungles, teeming with wildlife including spider monkeys and quetzal birds and other exotic fauna. As a tourist, here are the things which must be in your itinerary when you are visiting Costa Rica.

1. Manuel Antonio National Park

This is the place where the biodiversity of Costa Rica meets the beauty of its natural beaches. Floored with pristine white sand, Manuel Antonio National Park is a home to the rich biodiversity and exotic birds and animals of Costa Rica. From playful monkeys to lazy sloths rolling around in the sand and sun, if you want a fun place to hand out with your friends and family in Costa Rica, the Manuel Antonio National Park is a must visit.

2. Monteverde

National Geographic has called the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve "the jewel in the crown of cloud forest reserves" and rightly so because Monteverde is breathtaking and awe-inspiring. Monteverde takes merely half an hour by car to reach from Central Valley and is one of the major spots which promotes eco-tourism in America.

3. Arenal Volcano

Volcanoes, albeit dead and latent ones, are one of the most exquisite sights to see in the world. Though the Arenal Volcano is latent by now, the Arenal National Park, which is an adventure playground where you can fly through the canopy on zip wires, visit hot springs or take the hanging bridges to get as close as possible to the crater.

4. Tortuguero National Park

Tortuguero National Park is nestled in the northeast of the country and can be accessed through boats or light aircrafts. This is one of the most scenic national parks and a must-include in any traveller’s itinerary. The green turtle, which is almost extinct, is a resident of this park as are the hawksbill, loggerhead, and leatherback varieties. It is a sight to watch them drag their huge forms through the pristine beach at night. It is a truly soothing and magical sight, as they give birth to their tiny hatchlings who make their way through to the water, for the first time in their lives.

5. Manzanillo

If rugged, rusty beaches are your cup of tea, especially if they are loaded with Carribean charm, beautiful, pristine sand beaches and roads filled with dust, this corner of the east coast is made for you. This beach is surrounded by the Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, it is one of the most ideal water sports like snorkelling amongst the picturesque coral reef offshore.

6. Golfo Dulce

Golfo Dulce is a tropical fjord situated on the Pacific coast of the Pacific Ocean, it is also famous for being one of the wettest places on the face of the earth. This part of Costa Rica is full of rainforests which Costa Rica is home to, and it is perfect for lone travellers who love bird watching. Exotic fauna is a common sight here, from scarlet macaws and toucans to hummingbirds and the water sports are also very popular at Golfo Dulce.

7. Corcovado National Park

Corcovado National Park is one of the most biologically rich national parks in Costa Rica, a testimonial to its exquisite biodiversity. The area is mostly consistent of rainforest and mango swamps and is the home to animals like jaguars, tapirs as well as giant ant-eaters. The rivers of this area are also home to crocodiles and bull sharks. It is one of the most adventurous places to stay while you are visiting Costa Rica.

8. Guanacaste

This is another picturesque locale in Costa Rica which is the home to an active volcano, namely the Rincón de la Vieja. It is situated in the northern tract of land which leads to the Nicaraguan border. This part of Costa Rica boasts of savannah and tropical forests, and also home to some of Costa Rica’s famous beaches. There are a plethora of residential options here for the tourists, from beach house rentals to hotels and plush resorts to Pacific retreats. There are also national parks by the sea like Santa Rosa National Park, and undeniably, you are spoilt for choice when you are in Guanacaste.

9. Central Valley Coffee Plantations

Surrounded by soothing cool and green mountain peaks, which are ideal for coffee plantations and consist of small and traditional tows, the Central valley coffee plantation area is your go-to place if you are fond of tranquil and serene places. When here, one must visit beautiful plantations to learn about coffee production in the state. They can always stay overnight at some of these plantations which have been turned into boutique hotels, especially for the tourists.

Costa Rica is a beautiful place and boasts of many other places to visit other than the ones listed. It is truly one of nature’s most unique and awe-inspiring places to visit as a tourist, consisting of a truly diverse terrain. From forests to beaches, from plantations to cool peaks, Costa Rica is truly a heaven for any and all kind of travellers.