{"id":25179,"date":"2018-02-16T05:38:07","date_gmt":"2018-02-15T18:38:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/?p=25179"},"modified":"2025-10-06T09:41:59","modified_gmt":"2025-10-05T22:41:59","slug":"best-of-costa-rica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/best-of-costa-rica\/","title":{"rendered":"10 reasons why Costa Rica should be on your bucket list"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Would it be too extreme to say that&nbsp;Costa Rica is the perfect destination for everyone?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Call me biased (I did live in the Central American gem for a few blissful months), but I think not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you\u2019re a new or veteran traveler, aiming to get active or looking to relax, this country has what you\u2019re looking for. This Central American country is one of my favorite destinations for a reason: the best of <strong><a href=\"\/costa-rica\" data-wpil=\"url\">Costa Rica<\/a> <\/strong>will blow your mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-25398\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costa-rica_puntarenas_grooming-session-monkeys.jpg\" alt=\"best of costa rica monkeys\" class=\"wp-image-25398\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costa-rica_puntarenas_grooming-session-monkeys.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costa-rica_puntarenas_grooming-session-monkeys-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costa-rica_puntarenas_grooming-session-monkeys-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costa-rica_puntarenas_grooming-session-monkeys-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The local wildlife monkeying around<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">There are cool critters everywhere<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With over 25% of the country being protected land and over 5% of the world\u2019s biodiversity, Costa Rica is a wildlife-lover\u2019s paradise. Spot sloths, monkeys and birds in Manuel Antonio National Park, see sea turtles hatching in Tortuguero, and watch out for the quetzal (the bird that\u2019s hard to pronounce and harder to spot) in Monteverde\u2019s cloud forest.&nbsp;(Tip: visit all these wildlife hot spots on <strong><a href=\"\/costa-rica\/classic-costa-rica-160448\">this 15-day trip<\/a><\/strong>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you take a safari float, go on a night tour or simply take a good old-fashioned hike through the forest, you\u2019ll surely spot animals wherever you go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">You\u2019ll be surrounded by natural beauty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>That much biodiversity doesn\u2019t come without a ton of varied land and climate. Which means lots of microclimates and environments to experience. The landscape seamlessly transitions from forest (both cloud and rain) to jungle to beach to mountains and everything in between. As your trip progresses, your pictures will look like you visited way more than just one country!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-25396\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costa-rica_monteverde_cloud_forest.jpg\" alt=\"best of costa rica rain\" class=\"wp-image-25396\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costa-rica_monteverde_cloud_forest.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costa-rica_monteverde_cloud_forest-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costa-rica_monteverde_cloud_forest-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costa-rica_monteverde_cloud_forest-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The rain won&#8217;t prevent this traveler from exploring<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The weather is fantastic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The weather in Costa Rica can change dramatically based on elevation and season, but in general, since the country is only about 10 degrees north of the equator, the country is fairly warm year-round. There are two seasons: the dry season (which runs from December to April) and the rainy season (which runs from May to November). I was there in the rainy season and found the rain didn\u2019t ever dampen (ha) my plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"\/adventures\/san-jose-guide\/\"><strong>READ MORE: WHY YOU SHOULDN&#8217;T SKIP SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA&#8217;S COOL CAPITAL<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">They are all about green living<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Costa Rica is one of the greenest countries in the world. It has become a model for ecotourism and environmentally friendly practices in general. It\u2019s predominantly powered by renewable resources and plans to be the first country to become completely carbon neutral and ban all single-use plastics by 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"\/subscribe\"><strong>SUBSCRIBE TO INTREPID&#8217;S NEWSLETTER FOR TRAVEL TIPS, COMPETITIONS, GIVEAWAYS &amp; MORE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The food is fresh and tasty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-25397\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costarica_PuertoViejo_food_casadotipico.jpg\" alt=\"best of costa rica food\" class=\"wp-image-25397\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costarica_PuertoViejo_food_casadotipico.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costarica_PuertoViejo_food_casadotipico-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costarica_PuertoViejo_food_casadotipico-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costarica_PuertoViejo_food_casadotipico-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A typical casado<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Like most of Central America, rice and beans are staples here, and Costa Ricans sure know how to make them tasty. Their variation on the dish is called <em>gallo pinto<\/em> and is made of rice, beans, peppers, onions and spices. You\u2019ll find the most common thing on the menu at a soda (traditional restaurant) is a <em>casado<\/em>. The word means \u201cmarried\u201d in Spanish, but in Costa Rica it also means a plate of gallo pinto, choice of protein, fried plantains, a salad and a drink (usually delicious, fresh fruit juice).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Speaking of fresh fruit, the produce you\u2019ll find in Costa Rica is unbeatable. Farmers\u2019 markets and local produce stands always have the best deals on avocados, mangos, passionfruit and more. Plus, this country has the perfect elevation for growing coffee and the perfect climate for growing chocolate, so be sure to sample some freshly-made brews and bars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"\/adventures\/costa-rica-week-guide\/\"><strong>READ MORE: COSTA RICA IN ONE WEEK&nbsp;\u2013 THE ULTIMATE GUIDE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Life\u2019s a beach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone wp-image-25394 size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-Costa_Rica_Family_Playa_Carmen_girl_looking_at_ocean.jpg\" alt=\" best of costa rica beach\" class=\"wp-image-25394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-Costa_Rica_Family_Playa_Carmen_girl_looking_at_ocean.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-Costa_Rica_Family_Playa_Carmen_girl_looking_at_ocean-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-Costa_Rica_Family_Playa_Carmen_girl_looking_at_ocean-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-Costa_Rica_Family_Playa_Carmen_girl_looking_at_ocean-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">One of Costa Rica&#8217;s many beaches<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"\/adventures\/best-beaches-in-costa-rica\/\"><strong>READ MORE: THE BEST BEACHES IN COSTA RICA<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Have you seen this country? It\u2019s basically all coastline. It may not be large, but it\u2019s fairly skinny, which gives it ample amounts of coast and therefore many, many beaches. With over 800 miles (1200 km) of coastline between the two coasts, both the Pacific and the Caribbean side of Costa Rica have incredible beaches to offer. And there\u2019s endless ways to enjoy them \u2013 take a boat ride, go snorkeling, participate in a beachside yoga class, try your hand at surfing or simply relax on the golden sand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><figure><a href=\"\/costa-rica\" data-wpil=\"url\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-25449\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Costa-Rica-banner.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"150\"><\/a><\/figure>The location is ideal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re from North America, Costa Rica is basically a hop, skip and a jump away from any major airport. My flight from Toronto to San Jose only took about five hours. If you\u2019re not in North America, it may be a bit more of a trek, but one great thing about <a href=\"\/central-america\"><strong>Central America<\/strong><\/a> is that there are so many countries in a relatively small area, that while you\u2019re here, you can string them together and hit up a few.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"\/mexico\/best-central-america-160422\"><strong>TRAVEL THROUGH THE BEST OF CENTRAL AMERICA ON THIS TRIP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-25399\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costa-rica_rafting-white-water-1.jpg\" alt=\"best of costa rica rafting\" class=\"wp-image-25399\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costa-rica_rafting-white-water-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costa-rica_rafting-white-water-1-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costa-rica_rafting-white-water-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costa-rica_rafting-white-water-1-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">White water rafting down the Pacuare River<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">It\u2019s the best active destination<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I will say that Costa Rica is without a doubt the best place for <a href=\"\/multi-active-adventures\"><strong>an active holiday<\/strong><\/a>. There are mountains to hike, rivers to raft down, waves to surf and so much more. You can go trekking, biking, zip-lining, kayaking, canyoneering and stand-up paddle boarding all over this country. And since Costa Rica is a pioneer in ecotourism, you can be pretty sure that whatever activity you\u2019re doing, it will be eco-friendly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">It\u2019s one of the happiest places on the planet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When you go on vacation, you want to be happy \u2013 that\u2019s just a given. So why not surround yourself with the happiest people in the world. Costa Ricans are consistently ranked among the happiest people on Earth. And it makes total sense why! Costa Rica has a literacy rate of 97% and an extremely high life expectancy; they are the oldest and most stable democracy in Central America; they have no standing army (it was abolished in 1949 with all funds reallocated to create an \u201carmy\u201d of teachers instead); and they are generally one of the most progressive and prosperous nations in Central America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-25400\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-CostaRica_SanJose_Market_Local-2.jpg\" alt=\"best of costa rica smile\" class=\"wp-image-25400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-CostaRica_SanJose_Market_Local-2.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-CostaRica_SanJose_Market_Local-2-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-CostaRica_SanJose_Market_Local-2-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-CostaRica_SanJose_Market_Local-2-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">One of Intrepid Travel&#8217;s friendly local leaders<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The people are the best<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ok, I know it\u2019s a huge clich\u00e9 to talk about the \u201cfriendly locals\u201d, but Costa Ricans or Ticos and Ticas, are a delightful bunch! From the boy who showed my friend and me to our hotel when we got off at the (super) wrong bus stop, to my co-worker who showed me around <a href=\"\/adventures\/san-jose-guide\/\"><strong>San Jose<\/strong><\/a> and gave me tips on where to travel in Costa Rica, to the woman at the local coffee shop who was patient with my awful Spanish, I always felt welcomed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, no, I don\u2019t think it\u2019s too much of a stretch to call Costa Rica the perfect destination. It really does have it all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Want to experience the best that Costa Rica has to offer?<\/strong> <a href=\"\/costa-rica\" data-wpil=\"url\"><strong>Check out Intrepid\u2019s range of small group adventures there.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>(All images courtesy of Intrepid Travel.)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Would it be too extreme to say Costa Rica is the perfect destination for everyone? Short answer: no. Whether you&#8217;re aiming to get active or looking to relax, this country has what you\u2019re looking for. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16004,"featured_media":25401,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[455],"tags":[952,275,88],"class_list":["post-25179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature","tag-beaches","tag-central-america","tag-costa-rica"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.3.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The Best of Costa Rica: 10 Reasons to Visit ASAP | Intrepid Travel Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Would it be too extreme to say Costa Rica is the perfect destination for everyone? We think not. Whether you\u2019re a new or veteran traveler, aiming to get active or looking to relax, this country has what you\u2019re looking for. This country is a favorite for a reason: the best of Costa Rica will blow your mind.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/best-of-costa-rica\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"10 reasons why Costa Rica should be on your bucket list\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Would it be too extreme to say Costa Rica is the perfect destination for everyone? Short answer: no. Whether you&#039;re aiming to get active or looking to relax, this country has what you\u2019re looking for.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/best-of-costa-rica\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Good Times by Intrepid\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/intrepidtravel\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-02-15T18:38:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-05T22:41:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costa-rica_corcovado-rainforest-beach-tropical.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"450\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Christina Campo\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Intrepid_Travel\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Intrepid_Travel\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Christina Campo\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/best-of-costa-rica\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/best-of-costa-rica\/\",\"name\":\"The Best of Costa Rica: 10 Reasons to Visit ASAP | Intrepid Travel Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/best-of-costa-rica\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/best-of-costa-rica\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Intrepid-Travel-costa-rica_corcovado-rainforest-beach-tropical.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-02-15T18:38:07+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-05T22:41:59+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/#\/schema\/person\/223255f0fc5f051f4dc43a93d9f1d366\"},\"description\":\"Would it be too extreme to say Costa Rica is the perfect destination for everyone? 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