Top Costa Rica How to Get Around in 2026

Enjoy a 1.5 hour tour through Arenal Volcano National Park, La Fortuna de San Carlos, and learn all about sloths. These little animals are threatened and may soon be extinct, due to destruction of their habitats. Your guides are passionate about the sloths and eager to teach you all about why they should be protected.

Ideal for travelers searching for outdoor adventures, this zipline experience includes access to hot springs and swimming pools. Your guide picks you up from your Fortuna area hotel, takes you to the Los Cañones Canopy adventure park, and helps holster you up to zipline through the jungle canopy. After soaking in hot springs, choose to visit a butterfly and amphibian conservatory or crocodile farm—perfect for families with children.

A 4-hour hike gets you off the beaten track and closer to the stunning natural attractions that make Costa Rica so special. As you hike to Rio Celeste Waterfall with a guide, stop to admire a picturesque lagoon and the multi-colored waters of Los Tenideros. Lunch is included to fuel this adventure.

Turn your vacation vibes up a notch with this catamaran tour from Jaco to the secluded Fantasia Beach. Relax in a premium catamaran as you sail out on the ocean, and then catch sight of wildlife like turtles and monkeys while eating a lunch prepared by a private chef on a forested beach only accessible by boat. This tour even includes a bar for the ultimate in relaxation.

Visit the Irazú Volcano National Park in just half a day with this excursion from San José. Your driver will pick you up early in the morning and take you to the volcano, where you can see the crater and learn about the history of the area from a local guide. Next, you'll head to the Los Angeles Basilica, a church and museum with a holy water source.

Costa Rice is known for its lush scenery and incredible biodiversity, but you need your own transportation to get off the beaten track and find the most scenic locations. On this multi-stop full-day tour, soak up Guanacaste’s nature as you visit Tenorio Volcano National Park and Celeste River, and get a peek at slow-moving sloths.

Get close to animals in their natural habitat on this river cruise through Palo Verde National Park. After a scenic drive through the park, see exotic birds, crocodiles, monkeys, iguanas, and other animals on a 2-hour river cruise on the Tempisque River. Then, enjoy a lunch of typical Costa Rican dishes cooked over a fire. On the return journey, make short stops to learn about indigenous pottery techniques and taste local coffee.

Discover La Paz Waterfall Gardens near San José on a nature-focused tour showcasing waterfalls, rainforest trails, and native wildlife in one destination. Explore butterfly, hummingbird, orchid, and frog gardens, visit wildlife-focused exhibits, and admire five waterfalls surrounded by a lush cloud forest. Complete with transfers and a buffet lunch, this experience offers a convenient way to experience Costa Rica's lush biodiversity in a single day.

Combine a jungle cruise with a zipline adventure on a tour that explores the Tortuguero Canal and lush rainforest, giving you sweeping views of ‘Costa Rica’s Amazon’ from 11 zipline cables and 12 platforms. Dense foliage can make wildlife hard to see from the forest floor, but taking in the rainforest from the water and air gives you the perfect vantage point for spotting everything from howler monkeys to crocodiles.

If you’re short on time in Costa Rica but want to see the country’s famous biodiversity beyond the concrete capital, this day trip to the Tortuguero National Park is ideal. Travel through the canals and lagoons on a boat and look out for toucans, crocodiles, sloths, iguanas, and much more. The highlight, though, is seeing the sea turtle nesting sites on the beaches, which give the park its name.

When your cruise ship docks in Limon, spend the day exploring highlights of Costa Rica's Caribbean side on this combo shore excursion. Taste farm-fresh tropical fruit and learn about the region's sweetest export and see a banana plantation. You'll also get an up-close look at Costa Rican wildlife like birds, monkeys, and frogs on a rainforest boat safari tour down the biodiverse Tortuguero Canals. Swim or sun at a local beach and take a tour of the bustling port city of Limon before getting back on your ship.

Ideal for travelers short on time, this tour of the La Fortuna and Arenal area offers a day packed with activities: Hike the lava trails at the base of Arenal Volcano, swim in the waters of the La Fortuna Waterfall, and relax in the mineral waters of local hot springs with gardens. What’s more, this tour includes lunch and dinner.

Experience the best of the Costa Rican rainforest on a combination canopy and hanging bridge tour, with entry to delightful butterfly gardens, too. Take a guided tour of the canopy, looking out for birds and wildlife and learning more about the biodiversity as you go. The hanging bridges provide unparalleled views of the canopy. Transfers from Monteverde hotels add extra convenience.

This group tour near Manuel Antonio takes you into the jungle for a yoga and hiking excursion, followed by lunch and even learning to make corn tortillas. You’ll start with a hotel pickup to keep things running smoothly, then your guide will organize yoga, a hike, a waterfall visit, and a well-earned lunch in a local’s home.

Discover the natural beauty and heritage of Nicaragua with a full-day tour that travels round-trip from northern Costa Rica. Visit the active Masaya Volcano and the extinct Apoyo Volcano, view picturesque Spanish colonial architecture in Granada, watch monkeys in the jungle, and more. You’ll benefit from border-crossing assistance and hassle-free transportation that allows you to make the most of your day.

Its a hike at a very unique and virgin Cloudforest, with great views and many beautifull Waterfalls, the songs of the tropical birds mixed up with the sound of the water makes the experience unique and unforgettable.

Cruise along one of Costa Rica’s most scenic coastlines on a sailing and snorkeling tour of Manuel Antonio. Relax on deck and sip unlimited drinks from an open bar as you get a new perspective on the unspoiled nature preserve and try to spot dolphins, turtles, and migrating whales. Stop to swim and snorkel among tropical fish in the clear waters off Biesanz Beach, and then reward your efforts with a gourmet lunch prepared right on board.

Take this private full day waterfall experience in Curubande where you can do some tubing, cliff jumping, swimming, cave exploring, hiking, and enjoy a delicious lunch, too. You’ll have a few stops today, including the Rio Blanco, La Leona Waterfall, Curubande town for a local casado lunch, and the Llanos de Cortes waterfalls for cliff jumping and swimming.

Come relax on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world on our secluded section of beach in Manuel Antonio where the scarlet macaws fly over head and monkeys leap from the trees. Conveniently located along the main stretch of beach, but tucked away enough to offer a little privacy from the busyness of the main section of beach further down. Please keep a couple of things in mind: Beach Vendors: Our beautiful setting is a public beach, which means you'll encounter various independent vendors. While we focus on providing top-notch water activities, we cannot regulate the vendors' presence or their offerings. Dining Recommendations: We often point guests to a convenient local spot for food and drinks. This is purely a recommendation for your comfort. Please be aware that Dante's Water Sports is not connected to the restaurant's ownership or pricing. To help you manage your budget, we strongly encourage you to review the menu and confirm all prices before placing your order.

Leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind and spend the day exploring Manuel Antonio National Park on a group tour. Walk jungle trails, observe wildlife like macaws and crocodiles, and relax on the beach. This guided tour helps you avoid crowded areas and includes hotel pickup and drop-off for convenience.

Maximize your port day in Puntarenas with this jam-packed combo tour that introduces you to the best of the Gulf of Nicoya. Drive through the Costa Rican countryside to a nature reserve, explore the rain forest canopy on hanging bridges, and spot crocs on a cruise down the Tarcoles River. Check out local culture with shopping stops at a replica Spanish Village and fun souvenir store, and finish with a city sightseeing tour.

Leave the party-boat behind and set sail on a serene half-day sunset cruise on a semi-private, 50-foot (15-meter) boat. With only 13 passengers on board, sail the Gulf of Papagayo enjoying swimming, snorkeling, and fishing. Unwind with a cocktail from the open bar and look out over the lush coastline. Enjoy lunch served by the crew and watch the sunset over the horizon before heading back to shore.

Wildlife enthusiasts will love touring the Costa Rican rainforests by rafting down the Corobici River. With a small group of like-minded travelers, you’ll float down the river on the lookout for sloths, tree frogs, crocodiles, and many varieties of birds. You’ll get a different perspective of the jungle that many travelers miss.

Guanacaste’s tropical dry forest is one of Central America’s most vulnerable ecosystems, home to a rich variety of wildlife including howler monkeys, deer, and parrots. On this guided hiking tour, stroll through Werner Sauter Biological Reserve while your guide teaches you about the region’s wildlife and the history of indigenous people who once called these forests home. Your guide navigates, leaving you free to enjoy the scenery and spot native wildlife.