Posts
April 17, 2026 / April 17, 2026 by Zachary Ellison
Jaco, Costa Rica: What’s Covered Jaco is Costa Rica’s most accessible beach town—60 miles (97 km) from San José Airport on a fully paved highway, about 1.5 hours with no 4×4 needed. The 2.5-mile (4 km) beach has consistent waves for all surf levels and a full town behind it with restaurants, nightlife, and services. […]
Read more »
April 15, 2026 / April 17, 2026 by Zachary Ellison
Zarcero, Costa Rica: Quick Guide Zarcero is a mountain town in Alajuela province, 45–60 minutes from San José on the route toward La Fortuna and Arenal. Its centerpiece is Parque Francisco Alvarado — a free topiary garden featuring 60+ years of hand-sculpted cypress sculptures by artist Evangelista Blanco. A standard rental sedan handles the drive; […]
April 3, 2026 / April 17, 2026 by Zachary Ellison
Buena Vista Adventure Center Costa Rica: Quick Guide Buena Vista del Rincón packs ziplines, a 1,378-foot waterslide, horseback riding, volcanic mud baths, and hot springs into one full-day combo. Located 30 minutes from Liberia Airport, passes run $95.70–$115 per adult plus tax with lunch included. The final 6.8 miles are unpaved—a compact SUV from a […]
April 3, 2026 / April 3, 2026 by Zachary Ellison
Cocos Island National Park: What’s Covered Cocos Island National Park sits 340 miles (550km) off Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, reachable only by a 36-hour liveaboard from Puntarenas. Expeditions cost $5,000–$8,000 per person for 8–11 days and require Advanced Open Water certification with 50+ logged dives. This UNESCO World Heritage Site delivers the world’s densest hammerhead […]
Los Quetzales National Park: What’s Covered Los Quetzales National Park sits 2 hours south of San José on Route 2, protecting 12,355 acres of cloud forest at 6,600–9,800 feet elevation. Entry is $10 USD for adults — pre-booked online through SINAC before arrival, as no walk-up sales exist and there’s no cell service at the […]
March 27, 2026 / April 17, 2026 by Zachary Ellison
Miravalles Volcano: What’s Covered Guanacaste’s tallest volcano at 6,653 ft (2,028 m) sits 40 miles from Liberia Airport—and most travelers drive right past it. Miravalles powers Costa Rica’s largest geothermal plant and offers a rare walk among its volcanic activity at Las Hornillas. No buses serve this area; a rental car is essential. Quick Facts: […]
Rio Celeste, Costa Rica: What’s Covered Rio Celeste is a turquoise waterfall inside Tenorio Volcano National Park in Costa Rica’s northern lowlands, about 1.5 hours from Liberia Airport. Adult admission is $12 USD — purchase online via SINAC before arriving since the park sells no walk-up tickets. The 4.3-mile trail takes 3 hours and includes […]
Curi Cancha Reserve: What’s Covered Curi Cancha Reserve is an 83-hectare (205-acre) private wildlife refuge in Monteverde open daily 7 AM–3 PM ($25 adults). It’s the top pick for resplendent quetzal sightings—particularly February through June at the Alondra Trail aguacatillo tree. Fewer crowds than the main cloud forest reserve and open habitat edges keep birds […]
March 27, 2026 / March 27, 2026 by Zachary Ellison
ATV Tours Costa Rica: What’s Covered ATV tours in La Fortuna run 2-3 hours through private rainforest trails with Arenal Volcano views, costing $95-$130 per person, including hotel pickup, helmets, and bilingual guides. No experience needed—operators provide safety briefings and practice circuits. Most tours stop at the Maleku Indigenous Village, river viewpoints, and jungle waterfall […]
March 19, 2026 / March 27, 2026 by Zachary Ellison
Ostional Wildlife Refuge: What’s Covered Ostional Wildlife Refuge on Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula hosts the world’s largest mass nesting of olive ridley turtles—called arribadas—bringing up to 500,000 females to one beach. Entry is ~$10 USD with a mandatory guide. It’s 15 minutes from Nosara and 2h 15min from Liberia Airport; Route 160’s unpaved section requires […]
Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve: Quick Guide Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve is a 766-acre (310-hectare) community-run reserve on the Caribbean slope of Costa Rica’s Continental Divide, 4.3 miles (7 km) from Santa Elena town. Entry is $18 for foreign adults, open daily 7 am–4 pm, no advance booking required for self-guided visits. You’ll need […]
March 12, 2026 / March 27, 2026 by Zachary Ellison
El Tigre Waterfalls Monteverde: What’s Covered El Tigre Waterfalls is a self-guided 5-mile (8 km) waterfall hike about 20 minutes from Santa Elena in Monteverde, featuring four waterfalls, ten rustic bridges, and natural swimming pools through the cloud forest. The Full Package costs $66 per adult (includes horseback/4×4 return and lunch), while the Big Hike […]
Rincon Thermals & Adventures: What’s Covered Rincon Thermals & Adventures (formerly Vandara) packs hot springs, ziplining, horseback riding, a 1,300 ft (400 m) waterslide, and volcanic mud baths into one day on 350 acres of Guanacaste rainforest near Rincón de la Vieja volcano. The Explorer Pass (~$95/adult) covers everything; the Nature Pass (~$65/adult) focuses on […]
La Paz Waterfall Gardens: What’s Covered La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park packs five waterfalls, Costa Rica’s largest animal sanctuary, and 2.2 miles of paved trails into a 70-acre rainforest property just 45 minutes from SJO airport. Admission runs $52–$78 per adult, depending on whether you add the buffet lunch. No 4×4 or guide needed […]
AI Overview Box: Hacienda La Chimba Costa Rica Hacienda La Chimba is a 65-hectare working coffee farm and adventure park in Santa Ana, Costa Rica, about 25 minutes from San José. It offers hiking trails, an immersive coffee tour through a solar-powered Beneficio, ziplines, high ropes, and a traditional restaurant — all on one property. […]
February 26, 2026 / March 27, 2026 by Zachary Ellison
Llanos de Cortes Waterfall: What’s Covered Llanos de Cortes is absolutely worth the detour if you’re anywhere near Guanacaste’s Golden Coast. This stunning 12-meter-wide cascade tumbles into a refreshing swimming hole just 35 minutes from Liberia Airport, making it one of the most accessible waterfalls in Costa Rica. Unlike Rio Celeste’s blue waters, where swimming […]
February 26, 2026 / February 26, 2026 by Zachary Ellison
Jaguar Rescue Center Puerto Viejo: What’s Covered The Jaguar Rescue Center is a working wildlife rehabilitation facility in Playa Chiquita, just 3 miles south of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. This isn’t a zoo—it’s where 500-700 injured, orphaned, and displaced animals receive care annually, with your $25 entrance fee directly funding their survival since the center […]
February 23, 2026 / March 27, 2026 by Zachary Ellison
La Fortuna Coffee Tour: What’s Covered La Fortuna coffee tours offer something the big Central Valley plantations don’t—an intimate, hands-on experience where you actually pick, peel, and roast the beans yourself. While La Fortuna sits at a lower elevation than Costa Rica’s premium coffee regions, small family farms like Arenal Vida Campesina combine coffee, chocolate, […]
February 23, 2026 / February 26, 2026 by Zachary Ellison
Peñas Blancas Safari Float: What’s Covered The Peñas Blancas Safari Float is one of the best ways to see Costa Rica’s wildlife without hiking for hours through humid rainforest. This gentle river float takes you through the Tilarán Mountain Range, just 30 minutes from La Fortuna, where monkeys, sloths, caimans, and dozens of bird species […]
100% Aventura Monteverde: What’s Covered If you’re looking for a zipline experience that pushes your limits without throwing you completely off the deep end, 100% Aventura in Monteverde delivers exactly that. This family-owned adventure park has been perfecting its canopy tour for over 18 years, and they’ve figured out something important: the best way to […]
February 19, 2026 / March 27, 2026 by Zachary Ellison
Boat Tours from Playas del Coco: What’s Covered Boat Tours from Playas del Coco: What’s Covered Playas del Coco sits in a protected cove in the Gulf of Papagayo, but the real magic happens when you leave the main beach behind. Just around the corner from Coco’s dark sand shores lie some of Costa Rica’s […]
January 26, 2026 / April 17, 2026 by Zachary Ellison
Guayabo National Monument: What’s Covered Guayabo National Monument is Costa Rica’s most significant pre-Columbian archaeological site—a 576-acre protected area near Turrialba containing the remains of a city occupied from roughly 1000 BCE to 1400 CE. Entry is $5 for foreigners, the site opens daily from 8 AM to 3:30 PM, and it’s about 52 miles […]
January 19, 2026 / January 19, 2026 by Zachary Ellison
Sierpe to Drake Bay Boat: What’s Covered The boat ride from Sierpe to Drake Bay takes about 1 to 1.5 hours, costs $20 USD per person on the public colectivo, and runs twice daily at 11:30 AM and 3:30 PM. You’ll cruise through the Sierpe River mangroves, then merge into the Pacific Ocean before landing […]
January 12, 2026 / January 12, 2026 by Zachary Ellison
Peñas Blancas Border Crossing: What’s Covered The Peñas Blancas border crossing sits about 90 minutes north of Liberia on the Pan-American Highway, making it Costa Rica’s only land crossing into Nicaragua. You’ll need your passport (valid for at least six months), small USD bills for various fees totaling around $25-27, and proof of onward travel […]
