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Top 10 Things to do in Costa Rica

If you've never experienced the Latin American culture, Costa Rica is a comfortable country to start in. Right from rich green jungles, to powerful waterfalls, to pristine beaches, Costa Rica's landscape is very diverse and simply beautiful. A country filled with tourists still manages to maintain the core aspects of Latin American culture. Locals are very warm and welcoming and the traditional cuisine is authentic and cheap. Explore the rainforests, rugged mountains, serene beaches of Costa Rica and connect with nature while traveling, the country has lots more to offer. Visit Costa Rica and its quite touristy with plenty of people speaking English, lots of hostels & hotels, and accessible public transportation options.  

This article will highlight the 10 best things to do in Costa Rica and we could've elongate the list but we'll focus on the top Costa Rica tourist attractions:

Hike up the Volcano Poas

Hike up the Volcano Poas

Perched within the Poas Volcano National Park, this active and massive volcano is almost 3000 meters high and it even erupted this year. Guided tours are available and tourists can easily visit and climb to the top of the peak. It's the coolest hike and has the best scenic views of tropical rainforests of Costa Rica. Visitors can see the sulfuric, bubbling, green rain fed lake at the bottom which is surrounded by smoke and steam rising from fumaroles.

Relish the White Water Rafting

Relish the White Water Rafting

With many rainforests and lots of humidity, Costa Rica has plenty of rivers having high rapids around Costa Rica for white water rafting. An adventurous way to experience the jungle, visitors should enquire about the level of intensity of the rapids and stay near your comfort zone. If you're staying near the Caribbean coast, the Pacuare River is considered to be the best river rafting destinations. For the tourists having accommodations near the central Pacific coast, Rio Naranjo is a highly recommended spot. Tourists staying near the Guanacaste region can go rafting in the Tenorio River.

Enjoy Snorkeling in Costa Rica

Enjoy Snorkeling in Costa Rica

Interested in catching the glimpse of the aquatic wildlife, snorkeling is a splendid way to spend quality time in water. Check-out the best snorkeling spots in the southern Caribbean Sea and best time to explore is in September or October. Best spots to do snorkeling is where the coast is calm and waters are very clear and in Costa Rica you can easily find in southern Caribbean Sea. Get close to the Pacific side, the Osa Peninsula in the southern area offers the best snorkeling conditions. Meanwhile, Corcovado National Park and Playa San Josecito in Drake Bay and are amazing snorkeling destinations, and there are many small islands in the area with lots of wildlife to see. 

Amazing day trip to a waterfall

Amazing day trip to a waterfall

The tropical landscape of Costa Rica is packed to the brim with waterfalls and they are scattered all over the country. You can locate some amazing ones no matter where you are staying in Costa Rica. La Paz, Marveling at the La Fortuna and Bajos del Toro Waterfalls in the Cloud Forests are few of the best waterfalls to visit in Costa Rica, and you can also find other lesser known waterfalls near the coasts. Plan to visit the Rio Celeste Waterfall and the Llanos De Cortes Waterfalls and both of them are located in the Guanacaste region. Best part is even if you're visiting on a hot day, you can swim and cool down in refreshing fresh water of the waterfalls.

Adventure on the Zip line through the forest

Adventure on the Zip line through the forest

Blessed with plenty of greenery and different elevations, Costa Rica has become an ideal destination for adventure in zip lining. The thought of zooming high over the jungle, strapped in safely of course, gives the feeling like you can fly. Visitors can checkout plenty of amazing locations for zip lining in Costa Rica, most of them being inland near the Cloud Forests. Aerial Tram and Canopy Zip Line or the Monteverdi Sky Aerial Tram located in Arenal Reserve offers a unique zip lining experience through the rainforests.

 

Sunbathing on the Costa Rican beaches

Sunbathing on the Costa Rican beaches

With a huge coastline, Costa Rica has some of the amazing beaches and it would be a pity not have at least a few beach days in this beautiful country. Travelers here have that tranquillizing effect whenever they have been visiting the postcard-worthy beaches and enjoy the water sports and activities or just lounge on the sand. It's supposed to be the best things to do in Costa Rica and no trip will ever be complete without spending time on the beach. The Punta Uva Beach and Manzanillo Beach located on southern Caribbean coast really have calm waters and great for snorkeling and kayaking. The most amazing and noteworthy beaches lie on the Pacific Coast such as San Juanillo Beach, Santa Teresa Beach, Herradura Beach, Matapolo Beach and Linda Beach. Don't miss out on the Uvita Beach, which is shaped like a whale's tail because of a sandbar that cuts into the ocean.

The adventures of canyoneering

The adventures of canyoneering

For the adventurous souls, one should try the courageous sport of canyoneering in Costa Rica. This sport involves exploring a rocky canyon using ropes and harnesses, so you need to climb, jump, and scramble up and down a rocky landscape. This is commonly practiced next to a waterfall and it should be called waterfall rappelling. This is regarded as a high-risk activity and should be undertaken with a highly rated, expert tour company who knows what they are doing. If you are a pro at the sport, be always more cautious. Visitors can also checkout canyoneering in Uvita, also located on the southern Pacific Coast.

Splash out in hot springs

Splash out in hot springs

Active volcanoes of central Costa Rica have produced lots of natural hot springs and some of them are top Costa Rica tourist attractions. Almost all of the hot springs are located in central Costa Rica, as this is the area where most of the volcanic activity is. So if you've taken accommodation near the Arenal Volcano or in the La Fortuna Area, you can explore plenty of natural hot spring options. Checkout the most popular destinations, the Tabacon Hot Springs, near the Arenal Volcano and the La Fortuna Waterfall. In the same neighborhood there are other less-crowded hot springs, such as Eco Termales, Titoku Hot Springs, and Rio Agua Caliente. The natural hot springs produce nutrient-rich clay and mud that people like to rub on themselves for a natural skin treatment.

 

Revel in paddle boarding

Revel in paddle boarding

Stand up paddle boarding is a super thrill activity to try when the water is relatively flat. Even though Costa Rica is a pretty famous surfing destination, you can still have merry on the beaches without waves by stand up paddle boarding. The optimal places for stand up paddle boarding in Costa Rica are Sámara Beach and the Peninsula Papagayo, both are located in the Guanacaste region of the northern Pacific coast. The shores being protected ensure the waves don't get as big, making the water calm and perfect for paddle boarding.

Surf the high waves

Surf the high waves

Lots of travelers come to Costa Rica just enjoying the high tide surf. Surfing is surely one of the best things to do in Costa Rica, regardless of your skills in surfing. If you're a beginner in surfing, Playa Tamarindo in Guanacaste is the ideal place to learn. The waves are pretty small, the beach is long and spacious, and there are plenty of surf schools available where you can take lessons. Getting surf lessons or enrolling a surf camp is easily one of the best things to do in Tamarindo, Costa Rica. If you're an expert surfer, make a trip to other beaches nearby to Tamarindo that include Playa Negra, Playa Avellanas, Playa Langosta, and Playa Grande. Other great advanced surfing options such as Esterillos Beach on the Central Pacific Coast and Dominical Beach on the south Pacific Coast are both known for having great waves as well.