Costa Rica hits different. It’s not loud or flashy. It’s green, warm, real. You don’t visit it only to relax or hike trails. You come to breathe deeply. It’s too slow your pace. To be able to feel the rain and listen to trees move around in ways that you weren’t aware of. In this country, nature speaks, and you’re lucky enough to listen. If you’re hunting for the waterfalls or watching turtles scurry from the sea, there’s a lot of magic to be found in the smallest of moments. If you’re unsure what to do next, there’s a checklist of authentic things to do in Costa Rica, the ones that will stay inside your bones.
1. Arenal Volcano National Park
The volcano appears real at first. It’s perfect. It’s just this huge triangle popping out of the ground. You travel the trails around it, dirt squeezing beneath your shoes. It’s like everything is more expensive than it really is. Birds shout.
Trees hang low. The air smells of steam and earth. Hot springs erupt around, and who can resist soaking in warm water and an active volcano visible in the distance? It’s not bad. Sometimes it’s cloudy, and you’re unable to even discern the top.
Doesn’t matter. You can feel it. Arenal is now quiet, but there’s a little bit of fire within its tummy.
2. Manuel Antonio National Park
It’s wild and calming simultaneously. In one moment, you’re in the jungle, and it feels like it’s threatening to devour you. Then you’re at a beach that is so beautiful it appears fake.
The monkeys here are frenzied. They’ll be staring at you like you’re a tourist. Sloths dangle like sleeping smiles within the treetops. It’s warm in the water. The sandy beach is soft.
The trails are also compact enough that you do not have to be a walker in order to experience the same feeling. The area is tiny; however, it delivers.
3. Monteverde Cloud Forest
Monteverde seems like someone turned the volume of the world way down. The mist is floating through the trees as if it has forgotten the way to drop. Everything’s green. Not just green–deep green.
You cross hanging bridges high up in the canopy, and there’s no sound with only the sound of birds. You take a break. Check your surroundings. There are layers of forest beneath your feet. Cool air and a pleasant scent of fresh rain.
There’s a chance that you don’t see a lot of wildlife, but you’ll be able to feel it everywhere you go. It’s as if you’re watching the trees. It’s stunning.
4. Tortuguero National Park
There are no cars in the area. Only canals, boats and the sound of water rushing. It’s like floating through a jungle that is so dense you could slice it with the edge of a knife.
Monkeys call out like distant sirens, while colourful birds flit across the sky. It’s the right season, and you’ll see turtles at night, massive ones, and drag themselves on the sand in order for eggs to hatch.
It’s slow. Peaceful. A little ghostly. The town is small and friendly. It’s a peaceful place to live in. You do not hurry through Tortuguero. You move along with it.
5. Corcovado National Park
If Costa Rica had a beating heart, this could be the one. It’s messy. Wild. Unfiltered. You sweat, walk, and pray that the rain does from come down, but it does not. Then you hear a limb crack, and you look up to see scarlet macaws flying like paint.
The park is full of creatures that don’t mind that you’re there. Tapirs, monkeys, even jaguars if luck’s on your side. It’s not an area you only go to. It’s a place where you have to live with it for a bit. You’ll be amazed by this.
There’s nothing polished about this album. That’s the reason it’s real.
6. Tamarindo Beach
Tamarindo isn’t putting in too much effort. It doesn’t need to. The waves roll in slowly and steady, perfect for novices. Surfboards are dotted along the beach. The music spills out of bars on the beach.
It’s got a touch of buzz and cool. Locals call it “Pura Vida” and mean it. When the sun begins to set, people go to the beach as if it’s church. The sky turns bright, red, and orange. For a moment, no one says anything.
After that, it’s dinner, drinks and dancing, if you’re up for it. You can also just lie down, listening to the sounds of the ocean in your ears.
7. La Fortuna Waterfall
It’s not easy to reach the bottom of the stairs, and my legs are burning for a while, and the sound starts to come. The sound intensifies as you go down the stairs. You finally notice it.
The white water flowing into a blue-green lake like it’s been going on since forever. The mist is present before you’ve even reached. A few people take a dive; however, it’s frigid.
It’s really cold. But that doesn’t stop them. Some people just sit on the rocks, take off their shoes and let the moment hit them. It’s loud, wet, and perfect.
8. Poas Volcano
You exit your car, and the wind pounds you. Cold. Fast. You stroll up to the edge, and you see a massive hole in the earth with steam rising like ghosts.
The crater is enormous and, if clouds do not move and you can see a beautiful, clear, turquoise lake inside. It appears tranquil. However, you can feel it bubbling under the surface. It’s alive. It’s not long before you leave.
The weather is swift, and the sulphur smell is a strong one. But for the five, ten-minute period? It’s as if you’re in the middle of the universe.
9. Rio Celeste
It’s as if someone spilled a blue paint bottle into the river. It’s a bright, unreal colour. You’re hiking in Tenorio National Park, muddy and dirty, and also green. Then, suddenly, this flash of blue is visible–a waterfall straight from an imaginary world.
People stand and look at it. The colour isn’t believed by everyone initially. Minerals, they say. Science and technology. While standing there, with you’re covered in mist, it is as if you’re in the middle of a fairytale. Try to take an image. The photo won’t do justice to the experience.
10. Santa Teresa
It’s a slow time here. The roads are filthy. Beaches are long and empty. It’s a good time to wake up to the sun and maybe go into a yoga class, after which you eat breakfast in a tiny café that makes the perfect coffee.
Surfers are already there. The mood is peaceful, like a whisper that you wouldn’t want to disturb. There’s not a rush. There are no noisy parties. Only the gentle sounds of the waves, the gentle breeze on the palms of your hands, as well as a feeling that everything is fine. Santa Teresa doesn’t shout. It doesn’t need to.
11. Cahuita National Park
This one is personal. It’s as if it’s been waiting all along for you. A short trail runs along the shoreline, a jungle on one side, and the sea on the opposite side. You walk slowly. You gaze at the surroundings.
There are sloths sleeping in the trees, Raccoons play in the sand, and crabs move around. The reef is calm, shallow and colourful. It is possible to snorkel at the beach. In town, the scene is moving along the Caribbean rhythm.
Reggae is floating in the air. The food’s spicy. People are happy and smile easily. It’s filled with soul. Real, relaxed, barefoot soul.
12. San Jose City
Yeah, it’s noisy. Kinda crowded. However, it’s also got heart. The museums are solid: gold, jade, and history. The National Theatre? Straight-up gorgeous. The markets? Filled with loud voices and fresh fruit, all for cheap food.
You won’t stay all night, but you can spend a few minutes. Take a stroll around the city. Have a cup of local coffee. Listen to a street band. Purchase something random. San Jose City is not about the sights.
It’s about feeling. San Jose feels alive in its own manner: flaws, quick and, at times, surprisingly enjoyable.
13. Orosi Valley
You go through it driving with the windows shut. The hills roll by, covered with coffee farms. The air is sweet, as if it had been soaked by rain. The churches of the past remain, secluded and cracked.
Locals wave when you pass simply because. There’s no rush in this area. You can stop for a few minutes at an icy hot spring, in the small café, or in the most insignificant of places. Just sit back and let it go.
Orosi isn’t concerned about whether this is on your bucket of yours. It’s waiting, serene like ever.
14. Jaco Beach
Jaco’s got a lot of energy. Waves crash hard. The beach is huge and bustling. Bars, surf shops, scooters whizzing by. It’s not a quiet place, but a “let’s go” kind of spot.
You can have a party and eat a delicious meal, or go ziplining or ride an ATV on dirt trails. Many people come here to have entertainment, but not peace. However, if you get away from the city centre, take a walk, and discover a peaceful spot.
Sit, Take a look at the waves that roll through. Jaco will surprise you with that kind of speed.
15. Nosara
Nosara feels like a secret. Roads with dirt. Barefoot travellers. Surfboards and smoothie bowls. You can hear the ocean before you can see it. The beach is long and open. It is golden, clear, and wide.
The people here are slow. They surf, stretch, and the read books beneath palm trees. There aren’t any huge hotels or blaring music. You’ll find quiet. Space. Sunsets that break your sentences mid-sentence.
Nosara is for those who have had enough of the noise and simply want to feel. For peace, waves, and a true taste of laid-back living, Nosara is one of the best things to do in Costa Rica.
Useful Travel Tips for Visiting Costa Rica
- Bring quick dry clothes and a rain jacket.
- Use insect repellent especially in humid areas.
- Always carry cash (colones and USD).
- Rent a 4×4 if exploring off the beaten path.
- Don’t try to see everything in one trip.
- Respect the wildlife don’t feed or touch.
- Drink local coffee it’s some of the best in the world.
- Plan turtle watching during nesting season.
- Start your hikes early.
- Embrace Pura Vida.
Final Thoughts
Costa Rica isn’t one big moment. It’s just a few tiny ones. A sloth blinks. A crash of waves. A strong cup of espresso in the early morning fog. It’s true that the things to do in Costa Rica aren’t all described in guides.
You can discover. This is the true appeal of it. It’s a place where you can go for the beach or the volcanoes, perhaps you’ll even see wildlife. But you’ll remain because of the experience. After you’ve gone, some of you will remain there, somewhere among the trees or the ocean, in the midst of watching.