Before you go
Before you go
Places to stop
Places to add
Arenal Volcano National Park
Arenal Volcano National Park protects Costa Rica's most iconic active volcano, Arenal, a perfectly conical 1,670-meter stratovolcano that erupted continuously from 1968 to 2010 and remains sporadically active. The park's cloud forest and surrounding thermal hot springs — fed by the volcanic heat — make the area one of Costa Rica's top ecotourism destinations. La Fortuna town at the volcano's base offers zip-lining, whitewater rafting on the Balsa River, waterfall hiking, and hanging bridge canopy walks.
San José · Costa Rica
La Fortuna Waterfall
La Fortuna Waterfall is a stunning natural water feature , where visitors can enjoy the beauty of its aquatic environment set within the surrounding landscape. Popular for photography, nature walks, and experiencing the serene atmosphere of this remarkable natural setting.
San José · Costa Rica
Manuel Antonio National Park
Manuel Antonio National Park is Costa Rica's smallest but most visited national park, located on the Pacific coast in the Quepos region. The park combines pristine beaches with primary rainforest, creating a unique habitat for an exceptional diversity of wildlife including capuchin and squirrel monkeys, three-toed sloths, scarlet macaws, and over 350 species of birds. Its accessible trails and swimming beaches make it ideal for families, while the sunsets over the Pacific from its headlands are legendary.
San José · Costa Rica
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve in Costa Rica is one of the world's premier ecotourism destinations, protecting 10,500 hectares of pristine cloud forest at 1,440 meters elevation. The forest is famous for its extraordinary biodiversity—over 400 bird species including the resplendent quetzal, 100 mammal species, and thousands of plant varieties. Hanging bridges, zip-lines, and guided night walks allow visitors to experience this magical misty ecosystem.
San José · Costa Rica
Poás Volcano National Park
Poás Volcano National Park protects one of the world's most accessible active volcanoes, where a dramatic 1-km-wide crater lake of vivid turquoise acidic water bubbles and fumes just a short walk from the car park at 2,700 meters elevation in Costa Rica's central highlands. The park also features a serene secondary crater lake, Botos, whose cooler waters support cloud forest vegetation. The volcano has been intermittently closed due to activity, so checking conditions before visiting is essential.
San José · Costa RicaRelated reading