Costa Rica: A Backpacking Adventure
Costa Rica Top Tips
- Costa Rica is made up of beaches, volcanoes and rugged jungle, with about a quarter of the countries wild landscape within protected national parks. Make the most of being able to see a variety of landscapes by moving between different parts of the country.
- When visiting make sure you are embracing the Pura Vida lifestyle, having a positive outlook, relaxing into a slow pace of travel and respecting the people, culture and nature around you!
- Make sure to know at least a few Spanish phrases before you go, many places understand English but the basics do come in handy and its friendly to greet and thank people in their local language.
- Take cash, both local Costa Rican Colón and USD will be helpful.
- The local bus network is well connected from San José but between towns the journeys are often long with multiple changes. There are shuttles between many of the tourist hotspots which are expensive but can save you travel time.
San José
Day 1-3
Costa Ricas capital city is a vibrant and bustling city. It sits right in the centre of the country making it the perfect connection to all other locations. This means that you will likely pass through a few times but I dont think you need longer than a night or two to see the city.
Avenue 1 is the Main Street in the city centre for shopping, you will find the central market along here which is great for souvenirs. But its a busy place so keep an eye on your belongings and travel buddies so you don't get lost!
The bus stations are fairly big and wide spread through out the city so make sure to have the correct one in your map and research to ensure the stop you are heading for has the correct bus. The bus network from San Jose is extensive and there is usually 1 or 2 buses a day to each location. The bus to Norsara goes from Terminal 7 for example.
Hostels:
Where to eat:
La Fortuna
Day 3-6
La Fortuna is a beautiful town at the base of Arenal Volcano. It has lots of restaurants and a fun night life to go along with the incredible volcanic landscape. I would recommend staying for 2 or 3 nights. The public bus from between La Fortuna and San José goes via Quesada.
What to do:
One of the most famous sites here is the La Fortuna waterfall, sitting amongst dense jungle with a 75m drop along the side of a volcano its very impressive!
There is also a free waterfall that you can go to if you take the path to the right of the La Fortuna waterfall carpark. There is a gate that leads to a jungle path, follow along it for about 10/15 min until you hit an obvious left hand turn. Go down this and carefully cross the small river, the path continues on the other side going up the river. When you reach a huge rock and the paths dead end you are at this pool of water with a little waterfall. Its really beautiful and lovely to swim.
Another adventure is to hike around the foot of the volcano. I would recommend the Arenal 1968 route. It's a great path, easily completed in a few hours. Explore the 1968 lava flows surrounded by nature and the stunning views of the volcano and lake. There is an entrance fee into the national park when you arrive. On your way back into town make sure to check out the hot springs. The rivers that run down the sides of the volcanos are heated by underground thermal activity. They are free to access, although some parts are within hotels and you can only access if you stay there. But there is plenty of space and if you go at a quiet time you can enjoy the springs to yourself. The springs are easily accessible from the road via a path next to a bridge. Most accommodations offer a map and free shuttle service, although by the end of the day it is busy enough to hitch hike back into town!
Accommodation and restaurants:
Monteverde
Day 6-8
Monteverde is a small village situated in the most incredible cloud forest. It's a national park filled with beauty and high up adventures. The best way to get here from La Fortuna is via the Jeep-Boat-Jeep service as the public buses are not very well connected, its also a fun way to see the jungle and lake with views of Arenal volcano. The journey is approximately 2 hours, leaving at 8am or 2pm and costing $30 USD. Make sure to come prepared with cash to the village as the ATMs are not very reliable.
Activities:
Tamarindo
Day 8-10
A great place to learn how to surf. Grow your water skills for as long as you feel like before heading down the coast to catch the waves of other surfing towns. Very busy with a fun night life, with lots of bars and restaurants to choose from, such as Pacifico.
Where to stay:
Nosara
Day 10-13
Nosara is one of my favourite stops, it's peaceful and lined by beautiful beaches. It is slightly spread out so if you are traveling with a car it will make it a lot easier or enjoy a slower pace of walking and hitchhiking.
- Playa Guiones is a great beach for surfing, with lots of options for lessons or board hire. The continuous rolling waves make it a great place to learn or develop your skills and have a good day out on the water!
- Playa Pelada is beautiful for relaxing walks and sunbathing.
- Playa Ostional is located in a protected area as it is a famous turtle nesting location. The arriabada is a mass nesting event where thousands of Olive Ridley turtles come to shore to lay their eggs. If you are there around that time I would highly recommend as it is an incredible event to witness, but make sure to check in with the local nature reserve to learn about how you can visit while following the strict rules that protect the wildlife. This beach is also know for its black sand and strong swell, if you are an advanced surfer these waves are worth checking out.
Where to stay:
Where to eat:
Santa Teresa
Day 13-15
Santa Teresa is known for its beautiful long beaches, ideal for sunbathing and surfing! It also has great shopping, food and dancing!
The easiest way to get here from Nosara is via shuttle, costing around $45 USD. There is a bus for San Jose, but most other destinations dont have buses connecting them to Santa Teresa. If travelling in a group check for shuttle discounts!
If its still open La Lauras club is a great place to dance!
Where to stay:
Montezuma
Day 15-17
This is one of my favourite stops in Costa Rica. A small town nestled between beaches and mountains covered in dense jungles and waterfalls. Its filled with friendly people and great food.
A shuttle between Santa Teresa and Montezuma is $10 USD.
Other than spending your days on the beach you have to take some time to hike into the jungle and find the epic waterfalls. Walking from the town follow the marked trail up the river and you will reach the main waterfall. It's not a long walk but it does get quite rocky. This is great to hang out, swim and jump off the rocks! Then you can climb up stairs to some other waterfalls, there is a ranger at this point who charges around C1000 for the entrance into the protected area. They are smaller water fall but definitely worth the hike up. There are also some hanging bridges you can cross to see jungle canopy.
Manuel Antonio
Day 17 - 20
The gem of the area is The Manuel Antonio National Park. It is an absolute must do to see amazing wildlife, beautiful beaches and breathtaking viewpoints. Get there as early as possible for its opening at 7:00 am to make the most of your day and beat the crowds. The park is open everyday apart from Tuesdays and tickets which you can pre-purchase online are $18 USD. You can also hire a guide to take you around if you would like to learn more about the wildlife and spot animals with binoculars.
As you walk around look out for a huge number of species including sloths, monkeys, lizards, deers and birds. Then enjoy the beach, jungle hikes and viewpoints. The park is well maintained and the paths are clear to follow. Before you go check the rules as there are certain things that you can't take inside.
The main beach outside the park is also lovely with blue waters for swimming. Find a beach side bar for delicious piña coladas.
There is a bus from San José to Manuel Antonio, it stops at Quepos and then you can hop on a local bus that takes you down to the town and national park. The bus that runs between Quepos and Manuel Antonio is easy and frequent, it costs around C345 (which you will need cash for).
If you are coming from Montezuma I would recommend getting the boat across to Jaco. Then from Jaco jump on the bus to Quepos. This will save you a lot of time rather than getting the bus all the way around the peninsular. It costs $40 USD and it a fun way to be travelling while seeing the sites from the water. We even saw dolphins and rays jumping out of water!
Accommodation:
Corcovado National Park
Day 20-24
This incredible National Park protects varied tropical ecosystems, considered one of the world's most biodiverse regions. Its wildlife includes scarlet macaws, tapirs, jaguars and squirrel monkeys.
Spend a few days adventuring into the jungle on guided hikes and animal spotting. As well as out into the ocean for whale and dolphin watching. If you are a confident scuba diving there are also some great dive sites.
Direct buses run from San José taking around 3 hours or you can go from Manuel Antonio (Quepos crucero stop) and the journey is 2.5 hours. There is also an airport in Drakes Bay if you wish to fly!
Where to stay:
Puerto Viejo
Day 24-27
This beautiful sea side town has a strong Caribbean influence with stunning beaches and a well known surf break.
Getting to Puerto Viejo is a long journey but absolutely worth it. From San José via a direct bus it takes around 4.5 hours. There is a cheaper route where you change buses at Limon, and usually docent take much longer but worth checking before hand incase the times dont line up. There is also the option of getting a shuttle which takes 3.5 hours, its usually the more expensive option but they do have deals and if you are travelling in a group its worth looking!
Where to stay:
If you are an experienced / advanced scuba diver I would also recommend looking into a live aboard trip to the Cocos Islands. They are protected islands off the west coast of Costa Rica out in the Pacific. I haven't been myself but a friend of mine went and said every second was incredible!
Enjoy your trip and reach out if you have any questions or would like help planning a personalised adventure!
Thanks for reading my Backpacking Costa Rica itinerary, if you found it helpful please leave a tip or review! Its very helpful!
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