Costa Rica Vibes · The Costa Rica travel blog from a couple who call it home

Plan your Costa Rica trip, one step at a time

We’re Sarah & Thomas, and Costa Rica Vibes is our Costa Rica travel blog. We’ve lived here since 2016 and share everything you need to plan your Costa Rica vacation: start with our free step-by-step planner, or skip the research with the one-week itinerary we recommend to every first-timer.

Where are you in the planning process?

Just dreaming Early planning Ready to book Already here

Start the free planner →

Skip the research

Get our one-week first-timer itinerary →

Read our whole story →

Living here since 2016

Not just visiting

Honest, handpicked advice

Every recommendation researched and vetted by us

Hundreds of thousands of travelers

Have planned their trip with our guides

Featured in many publications

such as Huffington Post

Free step-by-step planner

Plan your Costa Rica trip in four stages

Open the planner →

Step 01

Just dreaming

Is Costa Rica right for you? Costs, seasons and what a trip really looks like.

Step 02

Early planning

How many days, which airport, and which towns fit your travel style.

Step 03

Ready to book

Flights, hotels, car rental, insurance and tours, in the right order.

Step 04

Already here

Emergency numbers, this month’s weather and last-minute tours.

Must-know before you go

Costa Rica at a glance

All must-know guides

Costa Rica right now

Costa Rica month by month

See what the weather is like and what’s in season each month of the year.

Costa Rica weather by month →

Weather

Dry season Dec–Apr, green season May–Nov

Currency

Colón (CRC), US$ widely used

Language

Spanish, English in tourist areas

Airports

San José (SJO) · Liberia (LIR)

Plugs

Type A / B, 120V

Time zone

UTC−6, no daylight saving

Tipping

10% service already added in restaurants

Emergency

911

Best time to visit Is Costa Rica safe? Getting around Money & currency Which airport? How many days? Packing list National parks

Updated monthly

This week’s Costa Rica travel deals

All deals

Costa Rica shuttles (Bookaway)

Shared & private shuttles · 5% off with code SARAHMC5

Compare routes & book

Get deal →

El Mangroove Hotel

Hotels · 20% off stays of 5+ nights (select dates)

Subject to availability

Get deal →

GetYourGuide

Tours & activities · 10% off your first booking

New users, code sent by email

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G Adventures: Costa Rica Adventure

16-day guided trip · Up to 25% off · Rated 4.7/5

Small groups of 10–16

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Our car rental pick

Adobe Rent a Car

The local company we rent from ourselves. Readers get:

10% off every rental
Free second driver
0% deductible on liability cover

Check Adobe rates →

One small country. So many vibes.

Why we’re called Costa Rica Vibes

Costa Rica vibes

/ˌkō-stə ˈrē-kə ˈvībz/ · noun

1. The feeling that every corner of Costa Rica has its own personality. A surf town, a misty cloud forest village and a laid-back Caribbean beach can all be just a few hours apart.

2. What you get when you pack 12 life zones and countless microclimates into a country smaller than West Virginia.

“We left the chilly cloud forest after breakfast and were watching the sunset in a surf town by dinner. Totally different vibes.”

Find your vibe

Surf town · Santa Teresa Cloud forest · Monteverde Volcano & hot springs · La Fortuna Caribbean chill · Puerto Viejo Jungle & wildlife · Manuel Antonio Beach & sunsets · Tamarindo Remote & wild · Drake Bay

Destinations

Where to go in Costa Rica

See all Costa Rica destinations

Arenal Volcano on a sunny day, La Fortuna, Costa Rica

Arenal & La Fortuna

Volcano views, hot springs, waterfalls

Monteverde

Cloud forest, hanging bridges, zip lines

Guanacaste

Dry-season sun, Tamarindo, Playas del Coco

Nicoya Peninsula

Santa Teresa, Nosara, Sámara

Central Pacific

Manuel Antonio, Jacó, Quepos

South Pacific & Osa

Uvita, Dominical, Corcovado

Caribbean Coast

Puerto Viejo, Cahuita, Tortuguero

Central Valley

San José, coffee farms, volcanoes

Your first time in Costa Rica

The Best of Costa Rica one-week itinerary

The exact trip plan we recommend to every first-time visitor. One week through Costa Rica’s top highlights, with a full PDF guide, an interactive Google Map, hotel and restaurant picks for every budget, and a complete planning packet.

Full PDF guide · Day-by-day plan with drive times
Interactive Google Map · Every stop, hotel and restaurant pinned
Hotels for every budget · Places we’ve stayed and would book again
Planning packet · Checklists so nothing gets missed

Get the itinerary · $27 →

Instant download

FAQ

Costa Rica travel questions, answered

Dry season runs from December to April and is the sunniest and busiest time. Green season, May to November, is cheaper and greener, with afternoon rain in most areas. See our Costa Rica weather by month guide.

Plan on 7 to 10 days for two or three stops, such as a volcano, a cloud forest and a beach. Driving is slow, so fewer stops makes for a better trip. Our how many days guide has sample routes.

US dollars are widely accepted in tourist areas and cards work in most hotels and restaurants. Carry some colones for small shops, sodas and parking. More in our Costa Rica currency guide.

San José (SJO) is best for Arenal, the Central Valley and the Caribbean. Liberia (LIR) is best for Guanacaste beaches. Compare them in our Costa Rica airports guide.

Not always. A rental car gives you the most freedom, while shuttles and tours work well if you are visiting two or three popular towns. Read our guide to renting a car in Costa Rica.

Free printable

Get our free Costa Rica trip planning checklist

Pick your destinations, map your route and book everything in the right order. Sign up and we’ll send the checklist straight to your inbox, plus step-by-step planning tips.