Travel tips for Costa Rica

Travel tips for Costa Rica

Responsible ways to explore Costa Rica, smart packing, route ideas and local advice to make the most of Arenal, Monteverde and beyond.

Plan Your Trip

Sustainable & smart

Build an itinerary that balances adventure with rest. Choose certified operators, reduce plastic, and time your moves to avoid traffic and crowds. Our team can help you connect Arenal with Monteverde, Guanacaste or the Caribbean—responsibly.

Costa Rica map

Itineraries by the kind of trip you want

Beach, adventure, wildlife or a mix of the three. Pick the shape of the trip and see the itineraries we build most often around it.

Essential travel tips

The questions travellers send us most often, answered at length. Written by the team in La Fortuna that runs the tours, and updated as things change on the ground.

The best time to visit Costa RicaWhen to go
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The best time to visit Costa Rica

What the dry and green seasons actually feel like month by month, and which regions stay pleasant when the rest of the country is wet.

Why the green season is worth itWhen to go
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Why the green season is worth it

Fewer people, lower prices and full waterfalls. What rains in the afternoon really means for your plans, and how to build a day around it.

How to get to La FortunaGetting around
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How to get to La Fortuna

Shuttle, private transfer, public bus or rental car from San José and Liberia — what each one costs, how long it takes and when it is worth it.

La Fortuna with kidsFamily travel
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La Fortuna with kids

Which tours have age and height minimums, how to pace an activity day with young children, and where the easy wins are.

Snakes in Costa Rica: what to knowSafety
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Snakes in Costa Rica: what to know

The species you might actually meet, how to tell them apart, and the simple habits that make an encounter unlikely in the first place.

Pura vida and the Tico slang you will hearCulture
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Pura vida and the Tico slang you will hear

What locals mean by pura vida, plus the everyday expressions that make conversations easier — and warmer — once you recognise them.

Practical information

Money, food, health and what to pack — the everyday logistics that are easier to sort out before you land than after.

Ready to put it together?

Pick a tour, start from a ready-made itinerary, or tell us your dates and we will draft the whole trip for you.

Costa Rica coast

Customize your ideal vacation package

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