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Arenal Volcano
Arenal Volcano in northern Costa Rica

Monteverde Reserve
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve was settled by a group of Quakers looking for a peaceful place to live in the 1950s.

Caribbean Coast
Bribri thatched roof cabin

Pacific Coast
Coconut trees line Tamarindo Beach.

Home arrow Destinations arrow Costa Rica arrow About Costa Rica arrow Places To See

Places To See In Costa Rica

There are many places to see in Costa Rica. Options range from cosmopolitan cities, to active volcanoes, to tropical rainforests, to tranquil Caribbean towns to exotic wildlife and much, much more.

San Jose

San José is the international hub and the capital of Costa Rica. The majority of restaurants, stores, businesses and places to stay are in San Jose. The city was founded in 1737, but not much is left from the colonial era. The most appealing aspect of the city is the friendliness of the Costa Ricans compared to other capital cities around the world.

Central Mountain Chain

Poás Volcano National Park, located to the northwest of San José, is has volcanic crater that is bubbling and steaming with activity. The last minor eruption occurred in 1995.

Irazú Volcano is the highest active volcano in Costa Rica. The last eruption was March 19, 1963, the same day that U.S. President John F. Kennedy arrived to Costa Rica for a state visit. Irazú Volcano National Park is located to the east of San José.

Arenal Volcano National Park is home to about half of the birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians known to Costa Rica. The volcano was thought to be dormant since the 1500s, until an eruption in 1968 spewed lava and ash from the volcano. The volcano retained its perfect cone shape and spews lava and smoke almost daily and so has become known as the picture perfect image of a typical volcano.

Tropical Rainforest

The tropical rainforest of Costa Rica offers incredible biodiversity and exotic adventures for visitors. The nature reserves offer a range of adventurous activities from exploring wild untouched rainforest to bird watching to canopy tours.

Caribbean Sea

Puerto Limon is the largest city on the Caribbean Sea. Typically not a tourist destination, but rather a bustling port, the city does offer a large selection of hotels and is a good place to plan trips exploring the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is a mellow town developed under the influence of the Bribri indigenous culture. The shoreline is lined with cabinas, bars and craft stalls, which pretty much sums up the priorities of this town.

Pacific Ocean

The Nicoya Peninsula juts out into the Pacific Ocean in northern Costa Rica and offers majestic ocean views, opportunities to view marine life many, many surf spots. One of the most popular is Playa Tamarindo.