Top attractions in Costa Rica – what is worth seeing?

The Rich Coast (Spanish: Costa Rica) – this is how Christopher Columbus described the land he arrived at during his fourth expedition at the end of September 1502. It was probably related to the wealth of gold ornaments worn by the original inhabitants of this land – the Indians. Indeed, this land is famous for its wealth, but not for the gold mines that the great discoverer expected in this place, but for the abundance and amazing biodiversity of the local animate nature, as well as the unique inanimate nature.

It is estimated that as much as a quarter of the country's surface is covered by nature reserves and park systems, which protect the unique natural environment. It is no wonder that tourism, especially in its "eco" version, is the largest sector of the economy, relatively quickly replacing agriculture. The country has also focused on the safety of tourists arriving in it and is widely considered the safest in the region.

The most convenient way traveling around Costa Rica is to rent a car, which gives you a lot of freedom and the opportunity to see more than during a rigid, imposed program of stay. It would be a travel sin to miss this unique country. What to see in Costa Rica? We have prepared for you a list of some of the most important attractions and interesting places in this charming Caribbean country.

Costa Rica attractions – holiday guide 

Tortuguero National Park 

Green! Everything green – the green jungle around the meandering riverbeds, green mangroves, lagoons, even the green macaws and turtles (both endangered and protected species) – everything green. In Tortuguero National Park There is no road infrastructure, and travel in this area is only possible by water, through countless rivers and canals. This place has the character of a flood plain covered with jungle. The coast is dominated by coastal vegetation with a predominance of coconut palms. This is one of the most interesting natural places you will see during your trip to Costa Rica.

As the name suggests (tortuga - turtle in Spanish), this protected area was originally created as a habitat for several species of turtles that have been present here for centuries; mainly green, but also others - hawksbill, loggerhead and others. It is on the local beaches that females build nests, where the little turtles hatch, then dart playfully into the water. Observation of these behaviors can be carried out during specially organized trips, only under the care of a local licensed guide.

Tortuguero National Park is also home to numerous rare animal species living in their natural habitat, including the legendary jaguar, which is difficult to see but is present here, tapirs, monkeys and birds, especially paradise parrots.

Visiting Costa Rica in this region, we recommend renting a boat, preferably with a quiet electric engine, in a smaller group, making less noise. Such an intimate trip will certainly allow you to feel and appreciate the beautiful circumstances of nature more fully.

Tenorio Volcano National Park – Guanacaste 

An interesting place on the map of Costa Rica is the Tenorio volcano (1916 m above sea level), slightly higher than our Giewont, with the surrounding national park area, established only thirty years ago – one of the youngest parks in this country, located in the Costa Rican province of Guanacaste.

If you are wondering, what to see in costa rica, the wonders of the Rio Celeste flowing in the park should definitely be at the top of the list. The Rio Celeste is a river with waters that shimmer in turquoise-blue, almost heavenly shades. It will take you about an hour to walk quite intensively along a jungle trail, including hanging bridges, to an amazing waterfall with azure water, the color of which is created by the mixing of waters from two tributaries. Nearby you will also find several natural hot springs.

With a bit of luck, you can come across incredibly beautiful birds here – trogons and the almost unreal looking three-stalked mountain bellbirds. There are also monkeys, tapirs, anteaters, and even extremely rare pumas and many other larger and smaller organisms. All this paradise life takes place in the multi-storey rainforest, and higher up, due to the condensation of clouds at this altitude – the fog forest.

This park is one of the most interesting places to visit during holidays in Costa Rica, you can enter between morning and early afternoon. Trekking through the entire park will take you about 5-6 hours, although of course you can limit yourself to just walking on one of the trails. Remember to stock up on water, snacks and insect repellents beforehand!

Costa Rica – what is worth seeing?

The city of San Jose - the capital of Costa Rica

There is no denying that few tourists visit Costa Rica for city tourism; it is rather the nature and exoticism that arouse greater curiosity. However, your adventure in this country will probably begin with a flight to San Jose – the capital of Costa Rica and its largest city, perhaps spending a night or two here, in the heart of Costa Rica.

Colonial times will be recalled by the buildings of the Barrio Amon district, which are currently in various states of disrepair, whose glory days have long since passed, but the place has retained its nostalgic charm. Here and there you will find art galleries, shops, boutique hotels and pubs. The coffee from the café in the National Theatre building has already become legendary, although other cafés in San Jose are a good place to experience the unique taste of Costa Rican coffee.

Energized by liquid ebony, treat the pigeons to crumbs and stroll through the city's main square - Plaza de la Cultura and its somewhat chaotic, yet interesting surroundings. Here, next to tourists, you will meet families with children, artists and merchants; you will feel the rhythm of the capital. And finally, being in, as it was said - the Columbus capital Costa Rica, it is worth seeing the most interesting museum in the city – the Gold Museum located in the basement of the Plaza de la Cultura, with an interesting collection of pre-Columbian art. The 1983th-century city cathedral, destroyed in past centuries by earthquakes, eclectically combines different architectural styles. Tourists from Poland may be interested in the fact that in XNUMX it was visited by Pope John Paul II.

The city of Liberia – the "white city" 

You might start or end your Costa Rica trip at the airport in Liberia, located about 12 km from the city center. Called the White City because of the widespread use of white volcanic earth building materials and bricks in the XNUMXth century, La Ciudad Blanca It is a city of just under seventy thousand people, the third largest in the country. It is also an excellent base for trips to other places in the northern province of Guanacaste.

What is worth seeing? Walking among the colonial, 19th-century buildings, it is worth visiting the white building Casa de Cultura, the local cultural center with a museum exhibition, organizing various concerts and cultural events. You will also find a tourist information point here. A few minutes walk from this place is one of the oldest churches in Costa Rica - La Agonia from the mid-19th century, which houses an exhibition of religious sculptures (unfortunately often closed, but worth checking out). An interesting, characteristic element of the local landscape are the white, low buildings made of volcanic brick scattered around the center, some with so-called "sun doors" allowing natural light to illuminate the dark interiors at certain times of the day.

Self drive – treasures of untouched Costa Rica

Costa Rica Self Drive – Treasures of Untouched Costa Rica | Alajuela, Arenal, Monteverde, Pacific Coast, San Jose
Costa Rica is like one big national park. Its natural wealth, biodiversity, dense tropical forests create a unique kingdom of exotic nature. During this trip to Costa Rica, you will travel the country independently, in a 4×4 car. Don't worry - Costa Rica is the safest country in Latin America. The national motto is "pura vida", translated - a beautiful, happy and carefree life. Equipped with our Escape Book, you will discover a whole wealth of various attractions: natural, sports, culinary, historical and many, many others.

In the center, among the perpendicular streets, you'll find quite a few restaurants and taverns of all kinds. Since corn is king here, be sure to try one of the tortillas, tanelas, or tayuyas. A trip to Costa Rica wouldn't be complete without tasting gallo pinto, arguably the most popular dish in Costa Rica and neighboring countries. It consists of rice mixed with red beans (in Liberia, of course), red peppers, onions, garlic, and garnished with cilantro.

Costa Rica – what to visit?

Monteverde Tropical Cloud Forest 

Looking for a nostalgic wallpaper for your computer desktop? Browse through photos of the cloud forest of this interesting place; it is one of Costa Rica's top tourist attractions!

Monteverde (Engl. Green Hills) is a major ecological tourism region located in the northern part of the country, at an altitude of 1500 m above sea level, in the Cordillera de Tilarán mountain range. Immersion in misty clouds for a long time shapes the species composition of the cloud forest, which is characterized by lush, evergreen vegetation and great biodiversity. The quickly moving mists and clouds among the tropical forest create an incredible, nostalgic mood.

In this relatively small area (over 4000 hectares), the presence of over 3200 species of plants has been recorded - for comparison, this is as many as in the whole of Canada! The richness of the animal world, finding ideal living conditions here, is represented by all classes, from small invertebrates to mammals. This area is inhabited by many frogs, unique, endemic butterflies and birds, led by the famous quetzal, a bird considered by the Mayans and Aztecs to be a messenger of the gods, and by many - the most beautiful bird in the world.

For visitors, the biggest attraction of the park, and at the same time the best way to admire the local flora and fauna, is the sky walk, or walks on special bridges hanging in the treetops, thanks to which you can feel like a part of this ecosystem. Among the many tourist attractions in Costa Rica, you simply cannot miss this one!

Cerro Chato Volcano

Costa Rica travel guides have large sections devoted to volcanoes. Among the most interesting places, definitely worth seeing, are the Arenal Volcano and its slightly lower and lesser-known neighbor, the Cerro Chato Volcano. Both are part of Arenal National Park.

Although officially the ascent of Chato is rather for more experienced hikers and, especially after heavy rainfall, muddy and sometimes dangerous, as indicated by signs on the trail, many tourists do not bother too much with it, of course at their own risk. The authorities have periodically prohibited the ascent of this volcano and it is worth checking the current regulations in this regard.

The ascent itself, initially flat, then steep, takes about 2 hours, although in a tropical climate it is not the "same" 120 minutes as, for example, in our Tatra Mountains. If the weather conditions are good, the peaks offer a wonderful view of the Arenal volcano and the rainforest at its foot. At the top you will find a charming volcanic lake. On the way back, be sure to see the over seventy-meter-high, impressive La Fortuna waterfall on the slopes of Chato, probably one of the most popular attractions in Costa Rica. From this point, it will be another 5,5 kilometers to the town of La Fortuna.

If you have the opportunity to trek Chato, be sure to wear appropriate clothing and footwear; you probably won't come back down in clean clothes.

Costa Rica Exclusive

Costa Rica Exclusive | Alajuela, Monteverde, Arenal, Tortuguero, Caribbean Coast, San Jose
There is no need to convince anyone that the beauty of Costa Rica's nature is breathtaking. During this trip, you will see the lush green landscape of the safest country in Central America with your own eyes. Majestic volcanoes, sun-drenched tropical beaches, wild animals and unique national parks - all of these attractions await you on this exclusive trip to Costa Rica.

Costa Rica - Tourist attractions

Hot springs on the Tabacon River 

After an intense workout, to regenerate your muscles, take advantage of a bath in the natural hot springs, heated underground by the Arenal volcano. The most famous are probably those on the Tabacon River. Part of the area has been annexed by nearby hotels, and there, in luxurious conditions, on a fenced area, you can enjoy bathing, massages and spa treatments (you don't have to stay there overnight, you can buy a pass for just the bath).

However, you do not have to look for intermediaries between nature and man! You can use this interesting place in Costa Rica completely free of charge in a public area, where in the bosom of nature you can simply immerse yourself in naturally hot water, enjoy the tropical greenery around you and undergo a primary, ecological hydromassage.

A relaxing bath in water naturally heated to 30–50°C will surely put you in a blissful, carefree mood, and your tailor-made holidays in Costa Rica will be what you have always dreamed of – a combination of carefree relaxation with exploring new places, experiences, flavors and full regeneration of body and mind, during which you will again make plans for more interesting trips.

There are many fascinating places in Costa Rica. The above selection is just a few of the wide range of options that this Central American country, slightly larger than Slovakia, has to offer.

The singing of paradise birds, the colors of butterflies, the noise of primeval tropical waterfalls and the heavenly landscapes of the most beautiful places in Costa Rica will transport your imagination five hundred years back and you will discover for yourself this authentic dimension of Columbus Gold Coast.