Just in time to beat the winter blues, Costa Rica’s summer season is beginning, offering affordable winter vacation destinations for northern travelers. Costa Rica is a fun and easy tropical… Read more » Continue reading →
Just in time to beat the winter blues, Costa Ricas summer season is beginning, offering affordable winter vacation destinations for northern travelers.
Costa Rica is a fun and easy tropical adventure for winter sun-seekers. Miles of beaches on both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts make for great beach vacations. Rainforests, cloud forests and active volcanoes give you thrilling jungle adventures. Two international airports allow for numerous daily flights to Costa Rica.
Get your Costa Rica Guide and pack your suitcase. Costa Rica is calling your name.
5 Off-the-beaten-path Winter Getaways in Costa Rica
Montezuma Beach
Set right on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula on the Costa Rica Pacific Coast, this once tiny fishing village is now a funky international beach destination popular with eco-tourists. Montezuma offers pristine, untrammeled beaches, spectacular waterfalls in the rainforest, and wildlife encounters at the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve, the Curú Wildlife Refuge and nearby Tortuga Island. See where to stay in Montezuma. Get there by either ferry from Puntarenas or by taxi boat out of Herradura Beach by Jacó.
Rincon de la Vieja Volcano
Costa Rica is part of the infamous Pacific Ring of Fire, a great swath of volcanoes sweeping in an arc from Asias Pacific Rim to Antarctica. As a result, Costa Rica is blessed with a wealth of volcanoes. With the most famous volcano Arenal in a resting phase since 2010, the most spectacular show is now being put on by Rincón de la Vieja in the northern Pacific province of Guanacaste. Rincon de la Viejas active crater forms bubbling mud pits, volcanic hot springs, rivers and waterfalls. See where to stay at Rincon de la Vieja Volcano. The Liberia International Airport is less than an hour away; or it is a four-hour-plus drive from San Jose.
Sarapiqui
Thick jungle and rainforest rivers are the heart of Sarapiqui in the northern Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica. Sarapiqui is paradise for adventure travelers, eco-tourists and bird watchers. The area is also known for its banana and pineapple plantations. Exciting day tours include whitewater rafting on the Sarapiqui River, hiking on trails and hanging bridges in the rainforest, and a unique night walk into the forest to see exotic nocturnal wildlife such as kinkajous, bats, frogs and snakes. See where to stay in Sarapiqui. The area is a short two-hour drive from the capital city of San Jose.
Puerto Viejo
Puerto Viejo is a vibrant Caribbean seaside town with gorgeous clear turquoise waters, palm-fringed beaches, and waves that tempt surfing pros. Known for its laid-back attitude and Afro-Caribbean lifestyle, Puerto Viejo is less crowded than the Pacific beaches. Nearby Cahuita National Park and Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge let you observe the areas incredible wildlife on land and in the sea. See where to stay in Puerto Viejo. Its an easy four-hour drive from San Jose to the Caribbean Coast.
Osa Peninsula
On the southern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, the Osa Peninsula is renowned for its amazing biodiversity and dense jungle. The area stays off the beaten path because it is so remote. This also means the Osa is one of the most pristine wilderness areas left in Costa Rica. Cabo Matapalo at the tip of the peninsula is perfectly positioned to explore the marine life in the Golfo Dulce and the wild Corcovado National Park. See where to stay on the Osa Peninsula. The best way to get to the Osa is by domestic flight from San Jose to Puerto Jimenez.
Costa Rica Guides assists with hotel reservations, Costa Rica tours, Costa Rica vacation packages, private transportation, rental cars, shuttle services and local flights in Costa Rica.
Article by Shannon Farley
Shannon Farley writes English-language blogs and handles social media marketing for Enchanting Costa Rica and Profimercadeo in San Jose, Costa Rica.