Costa Rica
126 places in Costa Rica, sorted into the categories that matter when you are planning: what each place is, when it is worth going, how long to allow and how to reach it.
AI illustration
RegionCentral America
CapitalSan José
Places written126
Categories covered5 of 5
Plugs and voltage
Type A, B · 120 V travel adapter
CurrencyColon (CRC)
LanguagesSpanish
Driving sideright
Plugs and voltage: Wikipedia, «Mains electricity by country» (after the IEC World Plugs list), read 15 October 2026.
Nature & outdoors (69) Landmarks & history (11) Museums & culture (17) Attractions & fun (20) Food & drink (9)
UNESCO heritage World Heritage Sites and living traditions on the UNESCO lists
UNESCO · World Heritage
Bat Islands
UNESCO · World Heritage 
Cocos Island
UNESCO · Intangible heritage
Día del Boyero
UNESCO · World Heritage 
Guanacaste Dry Forest
UNESCO · World Heritage 
La Amistad
UNESCO · World Heritage 
Rincón de la Vieja
UNESCO · World Heritage 
Santa Rosa National Park
UNESCO · World Heritage 
The Diquís Stone Spheres
UNESCO · Intangible heritage
The Painted Oxcarts of Sarchí
Nature & outdoors Waterfalls, lakes, canyons, national parks, beaches, caves and the trails that reach them.
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Arenal Volcano
waterfall 
Bajos del Toro
lake 
Barra del Colorado
cave 
Barra Honda
volcano
Barva Volcano
dive site
Bat Islands
national park 
Braulio Carrillo
beach 
Cahuita and the Caribbean Coast
lake 
Caño Negro
national park 
Carara National Park
dive site
Catalina Islands
mountain 
Cerro Chirripó
mountain 
Cerro de la Muerte
ridge
Cerro Pelado
island
Cocos Island
national park 
Corcovado National Park
wildlife refuge
Curu Wildlife Refuge
waterfall
Diamante Waterfall
national park
Diria National Park
waterfall
Dominical and Nauyaca Falls
national park 
Gandoca-Manzanillo
viewpoint 
Golfo Dulce
national park
Guanacaste Dry Forest
biological reserve
Hitoy-Cerere Biological Reserve
mountain 
Irazú Volcano
island 
Isla del Caño
beach 
Jacó and Playa Hermosa
national park
Juan Castro Blanco National Park
national park
La Amistad
national park
La Cangreja National Park
waterfall 
La Fortuna Waterfall
forest 
La Selva Biological Station
crater lake
Laguna Hule
lake 
Lake Arenal
beach 
Las Baulas
waterfall
Llanos de Cortes Waterfall
bird sanctuary
Los Cusingos
national park 
Manuel Antonio National Park
beach 
Marino Ballena
mountain 
Miravalles
national park 
Montezuma and Cabo Blanco
beach 
Nosara
beach 
Ostional
national park 
Palo Verde
national park
Piedras Blancas National Park
beach 
Playa Conchal
mountain 
Poás Volcano
beach 
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
national park
Rincón de la Vieja
waterfall 
Rio Celeste
beach 
Sámara
forest 
San Gerardo de Dota
forest 
Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
national park
Santa Rosa National Park
beach 
Santa Teresa and Mal País
trail 
Sarapiquí
beach 
Tamarindo
national park 
Tapantí
hot spring 
The Arenal Hot Springs
forest 
The Children's Eternal Rainforest
forest 
The Monteverde Cloud Forest
beach 
The Nicoya Peninsula Beaches
forest 
The Osa Peninsula
trail 
The Pacuare River
forest 
The Sierpe-Térraba Mangroves
viewpoint 
The Tárcoles River Crocodiles
national park 
Tortuguero National Park
mountain 
Turrialba Volcano
cave 
Venado Caves
Landmarks & history Castles, ruins, old towns, monuments and the places where the history actually happened.
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Museums & culture Museums, galleries, open-air heritage sites and the collections worth planning a day around.
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Atenas
indigenous village
Boruca
island
Chira Island
festival
Día del Boyero
tradition
Guaitil Pottery
city
Liberia
festival 
Limón Carnival
indigenous territory
Maleku Territory
village
Parismina
port city
Puntarenas
museum 
San José Museums
town
Santa Cruz
tradition
The Bribri Territory
museum 
The Jade Museum
tradition
The Painted Oxcarts of Sarchí
museum 
The Pre-Columbian Gold Museum
theatre 
The Teatro Nacional
Attractions & fun Theme parks, zoos, aquariums, towers and the built attractions families actually queue for.
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Bahia Salinas
botanical garden
CATIE Botanical Garden
island
Isla Tortuga
botanical garden 
La Paz Waterfall Gardens
botanical garden
Lankester Botanical Garden
planned town
Las Catalinas
peninsula
Papagayo Peninsula
surf beach
Pavones
surf beach
Playa Avellanas
beach
Playa Flamingo
beach
Playa Junquillal
surf beach
Playa Negra
beach
Playa Ventanas
beach town
Playas del Coco
canopy walkway
Rainmaker Aerial Walkway
cable car 
The Monteverde Canopy
rainforest park
Veragua Rainforest
zoo 
Wildlife Rescue Centres
botanical garden
Wilson Botanical Garden
botanical garden 
Zarcero
Food & drink Market halls, food streets and the dishes a country is genuinely known for - areas and traditions, not single venues.
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Plan your trip
Where to start if Costa Rica is going on the list.
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