What can you do in Costa Rica? What are the destination's top activities?
Let's start with a brief, non-exhaustive summary of the most popular activities:
1. sports activities
-Hiking/Trekking
-Accrobranche/ Tyrolienne
-Rafting/ Tubing/ Floating
-Canyoning/ Abseiling
-Scuba diving
-Sport fishing
-Horseback riding
-MOUNTAIN BIKING
-Surfing
-Suspension bridges
Nature outings
-National parks and protected areas
-Private reserves and national parks
-Whale and dolphin watching
-Botanical gardens
-Bird watching
-Serpentariums and butterfly farm
-Turtle and snake watching
Cultural and leisure outings
-Archaeological monuments
-Museums
Pre-Columbian art
-Native reserves
-Costa Rican crafts
-Rural and community tourism
-Coffee growing
-Cocoa tour
-Hot springs
-Massage/ Spa/ wellness
Costa Rica is also particularly well known for these activities
Hiking/ Trekking
Costa Rica has an almost inexhaustible supply of hiking opportunities. With its network of protected areas, national parks and private reserves, hikers of all levels have plenty to enjoy, all in exceptional natural settings.
Accrobranche/ Canopy tour
Tree-climbing courses are particularly attractive in Costa Rica, as they offer the chance to indulge in a thrilling activity while discovering whole swathes of canopy. In
Arenal or to
Monteverde are the most numerous, but you'll find them all over the country.
Rafting/Kayak
With such a rich hydrographic network, it's not surprising that Costa Rica has over 800 km of rivers suitable for rafting. Rios Pacuare, Reventazon,
Sarapiqui offer the best rapids in the country, with sections ranging from class I to class V.
The same applies to kayakers, whether they prefer sporty rapids on these rivers or family kayaks on Lake Arenal, for example.
Scuba diving
Would you like to explore the seabed, with its 123 species of multicolored fish? Here are just a few of Costa Rica's best-known spots for this activity, where professionals in the discipline operate: South Pacific: Parc National Marino Balllena, Isla del Cano and
Bahia Drake on the Osa Peninsula. Playa Ocotal, Playa del Coco on the North Pacific coast or the Cahuita region on the south Caribbean coast, where there are still a few coral relics to be seen.
Sport fishing
Depending on the season, fishing trips can be organized in many of Costa Rica's rivers, or from resorts on the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, through authorized and accredited companies. Fish available include tuna, trout, sea bream, guapote and the famous gaspard, a prehistoric fish that swims in the waters of the Rio San Juan near the border with Nicaragua.
Horseback riding
Whether on the beach, in the mountains or at festivals and traditional "topes", horse-riding enthusiasts will find plenty to enjoy in a country where the horse has been an integral part of the culture for decades.
Surf
Malpais and
Santa TeresaWitchs rock and Ollies point near Playa Naranjo, Playa Avellana and Playa Negra, Cabo Matapolo and the famous Salsa Brava in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca are just some of the spots known to the continent's top surfers. Costa Rica is a destination of choice for beginners and experienced surfers alike. To find out more
Costa Rica's best surf spots.
Suspension bridges
Finding yourself in the treetops, overlooking the immensity of the rainforest or observing the ballet of birds are all pleasant sensations to discover once perched from a suspension bridge. In Arenal and Monteverde
Ecotourism
It's undoubtedly the buzzword, if not the primary motivation, for many travellers choosing Costa Rica as their destination. In fact, the country is well ahead of other tourist destinations in this respect. The socio-economic and political conditions in which Costa Rican tourism has developed have meant that tourism and the conservation of natural resources have always been closely linked. There are certainly many criticisms to be made of the way in which the protected areas system works and the way in which tourism has been integrated into it, but Costa Rica has the merit of having developed a network of protected areas that is among the most successful in the world.
National parks and protected areas
25 % of Costa Rican territory is organized into protected areas of various types; only half of these are accessible to the general public. In theory, all national parks are accessible to tourists, but some have better infrastructure than others. A good guide is often recommended to enrich a walk or simply to avoid getting lost. In the photo, the sign at the entrance to the
Cahuita National Park.
Private reserves, botanical gardens and organic farms
Private ecotourism companies abound in Costa Rica. The vast majority make a point of preserving natural resources, whether plant or animal. Private reserves with reforestation projects or pro-environmental volunteer actions, botanical gardens specializing in orchids or any other type of plant, agrobiological farms are all part of our address book.
Birdwatching
Costa Rica is one of the world's favorite destinations for birdwatchers and travelers, with over 850 species of birds concentrated in an area of just 50 km². So it's easy to understand why the country is such a biodiversity hotspot. A good pair of binoculars will enable you to appreciate birds of all colors, macaws, parrots, jays, waders, migratory birds, ...
Whale and dolphin watching
Whale and dolphin watching is a popular activity in Costa Rica. For decades, humpback whales have been breeding off Costa Rican coasts, particularly around Bahia Drake, Punta Uvita and Marino Ballena National Park.
Turtle sightings (leatherback, green, olive ridley, etc.)
Costa Rican beaches are faithful landmarks for five of the eight turtle species. Private and public conservation projects support the difficult reproduction of these endangered species. At Tortuguero and Las Baulas national parks, you can enjoy this impressive and even moving spectacle.
Museums
Costa Rican museums are admittedly far less numerous and well-stocked than those in Europe. However, some of them, mainly concentrated in San José, are well worth a visit. The National Museum, the Gold Museum, the Jade Museum and the Costa Rican Art Museum are just some of the cultural outings you can enjoy while in San José.
Archaeological remains
Costa Rica doesn't have as many prestigious sites as its Central American neighbors, inherited from the Mayan and Aztec civilizations. The country''s most important archaeological site is located in Guayabo, some 20 km from Turrialba, where petroglyphs and a sophisticated network of aqueducts have been discovered.
Native reserves
Often neglected or even forgotten, Amerindian cultures are still very much present in Costa Rica. Of course, the percentage of the population of indigenous origin is very low, but some tribes still live cut off from the "modern" world, while others are working hard to preserve a few traditions. Most are concentrated in the south of the country, on the edge of the Talamanca mountain range. Meetings can be arranged on request through contacts in the communities. ...In the photo, a palenque of the
indigenous village Bribri.
Café
Coffee was the country''s economic flagship until the late 80s. With the arrival of new large exporters on the international market, sales of Costa Rican coffee collapsed and the country switched to other economic sectors such as tourism, while diversifying its production towards higher quality coffee.
Crafts
Costa Rican handicrafts are best known for woodworking. Sarchi, a small town 30km north of San José, is the national capital of handicraft production. Miniature replicas of coffee carts and ox carts are very popular with tourists.
Thermal springs
Straight out of the country''s extensive volcanic activity, bathing in a hot-water river or in a thermal spa complex is a must-do activity during your stay in Costa Rica. Spa establishments and their associated massages are legion throughout the country, and you''ll have no trouble treating yourself to a moment of relaxation after a good day''s hiking. ...
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activities in Costa Rica
