First off, we’ve got to say, congrats on getting married and if you are considering a Costa Rica honeymoon, you’ve come to the right place! We have traveled Costa Rica in depth and have learned how to plan the most romantic and kick ass honeymoon trip. As always, this guide to planning your honeymoon in Costa Rica is geared towards budget travelers. Also, if you are thinking about getting married in Costa Rica we have a full guide to planning all of that here.
Alright, let’s get to planning your dream worthy honeymoon!
Costa Rica Honeymoon – Best Parts of the Country to Visit
La Fortuna
We have to put La Fortuna on this list because there is something for everyone in this area. There are beautiful resorts and budget accommodations, adventure activities and things for people who want a little relaxing romance.
Montezuma
We like Montezuma because the beaches are beautiful and it is more relaxed than some other beach areas in the country. The only downside to Montezuma is that it is kind of a pain to get to, but that just means fewer people visit and it has more of a romantic Costa Rica vibe.
Tamarindo
Tamarindo is a much busier beach than Montezuma, but it is the perfect spot if you want some luxury accommodations and food options coupled with tons of fun activities. In fact, Tamarindo is where Thomas and I chose to get married for exactly those reasons.
San Gerardo de Dota
San Gerardo de Dota is our top pick for a cozy stay in the woods. If you are looking for tropical heat, this is not the place to go. If you are looking for hiking, sitting by the fire, birding, spa days and relaxation this will be perfect.
Uvita
We love Uvita because it has a true Costa Rican vibe. We love the beautiful beaches and dense jungle. Plus, it is a great honeymoon location because it is more relaxed than some other parts of the country.
Costa Rica Honeymoon – Hotels vs. Resorts vs. Airbnb
Your options are endless for accommodations in Costa Rica. First lets go through all your options and some suggested places if money is not an issue. Then we will talk about how you can still have great accommodations while sticking to a tight budget.
Hotels
We personally think boutique hotels are the perfect place to have your honeymoon. They tend to be small and more attention is given to each customer.
Gaia Hotel and Reserve in Manuel Antonio
This is a beautiful luxury boutique hotel that is for adults only. It’s the perfect place for amazing sunset views. It is really close to one of our favorite beaches, Playa Biesanz, and is a short drive to Manuel Antonio National Park.
Nayara Springs in La Fortuna
OK, not only is this place pretty much the definition of jungle luxury, but each villa has it’s own dipping pool. There is also an amazing spa on site.
Hotel Grano de Oro in San Jose
If you find yourself in San Jose for a few days, this is the kind of luxury you need in your life. The wooden decor just feels so classy to me. They also have an amazing restaurant.
Hotel Villa Caletas in Jaco
This place is total view goals. The infinity pool is seriously insane. We don’t particularly love the Jaco area, but if you want a place somewhat close to San Jose, this a perfect option.
Oxygen Jungle Villas in Uvita
We absolutely love the Uvita area and this is our top pick in the area for your honeymoon. Their infinity pool is absolutely beautiful.
Le Cameleon Boutique Hotel in Puerto Viejo
This is everything I want from a boutique hotel. It is cute, classy, and modern. Plus, it is the only spot on our list over on the Caribbean coast.
Makanda by the Sea in Manuel Antonio
OK, the rooms here are what I dream about. This is an adults only hotel and they also offer spa services.
Resorts
Resorts in Costa Rica tend to not be cheap, but sometimes you can find some good deals. One of the nice things about staying in a resort is there are several adult only resorts in Costa Rica as well as some places with all-inclusive options. A few great resorts are….
Ylang Ylang Beach Resort in Montezuma
Ylang Ylang is our top pick for your honeymoon because not only is it in beautiful Montezuma, but it is also a small resort and they genuinely really care about making their customers happy.
Secrets Papagayo in Papagayo
This is an all-inclusive resort right next to the beach with amazing ocean views. This is a larger resort with over 200 rooms. There are also multiple restaurants and bars on the property as well as a spa, two pools, and more good stuff!
Tabacon Thermal Resort and Spa in La Fortuna
This is “the place to go” in La Fortuna. The property is amazing, you get access to their hot springs, the restaurants are great, and I have heard that they may upgrade you to a nicer room when they hear it is your honeymoon. ?
The Springs Resort and Spa in La Fortuna
Another absolutely amazing option in La Fortuna. I feel as though I need to stay here at some point. Just click the link and you will see what I mean. It is just so incredibly beautiful. By staying here you get access to their hot springs. There is also a spa, several restaurants, and more!
Andaz Resort in Papaguyo
I like Andaz because it has a more cozy feel than some resorts. The staff are incredible and will help you with whatever you could possibly need. The beach is a 2 minute walk from the resort. There are also great amenities such as spa services, several restaurants, tennis courts, and more!
Zephyr Palace in Jaco
Zephyr Palace is not what you would expect to find in Costa Rica. It feels more like a Grecian palace than a Costa Rican resort. Also, the views here are incredible. There is a restaurant, fitness center, and private beach on site.
Hotel Tamarindo Diria in Tamarindo
This spot is a lot larger than some of the other places on our list, but it is amazing. They have three outdoor pools, five restaurants, four bars, a spa, a casino, and more!
Airbnb
If you are not particular about having some of the amenities that a hotel or resort can have, booking an Airbnb could be a really great idea for you. The nice thing about Airbnb is that you can rent an entire house for yourself. If you are looking for privacy, this is the way to go.
We absolutely love using Airbnb in Costa Rica and book almost all of our accommodations through the site. You can read more about using Airbnb in Costa Rica here. Also, if you are new to Airbnb, click here to get up to $35 off your first stay.
Cloud Forest Sanctuary in Monteverde
I would really love it if I could live here when I grow up. Cozy mountain homes are my fave and this one is just perfect (plus there are a lot of books in there). Seriously, if you want cozy mountain vibes, go here!
The Serenity Beach House in Nosara
This spot is perfect and secluded. The pool is absolutely beautiful as well.
Osa Beachfront Bamboo House in Puerto Jimenez
This is a really unique open-air house. If you want an experience that is a bit out of the ordinary, this is a great option.
Luxury Tropical Villa in Uvita
This place is way bigger than you would need for two people, but the price is comparable to a lot of the hotels and resorts in Costa Rica, so why not? It’s beautiful and has a lovely pool.
Another cool option that is not on Airbnb, but is also not a hotel or resort is Finca Bellavista. This is an entire treehouse community located in the southwest part of the country. One of these treehouses would make a ridiculously cool treehouse stay.
OK, if you’d like to keep it a bit more on budget, definitely check out our guide to budget accommodations in Costa Rica.
We also suggest finding ways to make your not so fancy accommodations a bit more romantic. We like to find more remote listings on Airbnb where we won’t have loud neighbors next door. We also like finding places with a kitchen so we can make nice meals on our own. Grab some wine and candles and you’ll be good to go!
Costa Rica Honeymoon – The Perfect Romantic Activities
Visit a hot spring
We definitely have to suggest visiting a hot spring in La Fortuna. It is the quintessential honeymoon in Costa Rica experience. We usually visit the budget hot springs, but if you’d like to splurge for your honeymoon, we suggest visiting Tabacon Resort. You can get a day pass with two meals included for between $105 and $115 per person. They also have a spa package if you’d like to add a spa treatment to your day.
Take a sunset catamaran tour
Along the Pacific coast, you can always find companies to take you on a sunset catamaran tour. Tamarindo or Playas del Coco are our top location picks for a romantic Costa Rica catamaran tour because there are several companies that offer this service. In fact, some even provide all inclusive alcoholic drinks and snacks. Our personal favorite is Seabird Sailing in Playas del Coco.
Visit a spa
Almost all resorts in Costa Rica have a spa. You often do not need to be staying at the resort to take advantage of their spa services. In Costa Rica, you can try unique spa treatments like volcanic mud wraps and Costa Rican coffee scrubs. So cool!
Find a secluded beach
There are a lot of secluded beaches (especially in Guanacaste) where you can have the whole beach to yourself. Between Nosara and Tamarindo there are tons of empty beaches. In northern Guanacaste, we really like Playa Penca between Playas del Coco and Playa Hermosa.
Watch the sunrise/sunset
If you are on the Caribbean coast, you should definitely enjoy and early morning wake up to see the sunrise. It is always so peaceful and beautiful. On the Pacific coast, don’t miss the sunset. We like to bring a few drinks with us and sit on the beach to enjoy the Costa Rica sunset.
Enjoy a sunset dinner
On the Pacific coast there are tons of great places where you can enjoy a nice sunset dinner. One of our favorite spots for this is Manuel Antonio because there are a lot of restaurants in the hills. You can get a great high up view of the sunset from here.
Costa Rica Honeymoon – Our Tips
– Don’t overdo it
Costa Rica is a small country, but it can take forever to drive between locations. For your honeymoon in Costa Rica, I’m sure you want to keep stress to a minimum and just enjoy your time. For that reason, we find it best to spend at least three nights at each location you plan on visiting. This will give you time to relax and really enjoy a spot.
– Plan everything ahead of time
We tend to go with the flow as far as traveling, but with your honeymoon, it is a good idea to be a bit more organized. You don’t want to have any stress on your honeymoon!
– Tell your hotel it is your honeymoon
I hate being showy and trying to get stuff for free, but hey, it’s your honeymoon! When you book your accommodations don’t hesitate to leave a comment on your booking along the lines of, “We are visiting your hotel for our honeymoon. Do you have any suggestions of things we can do to make it extra special?” That way you are not asking for anything for free, but still letting them know that it is your honeymoon. You never know, they may at least put a free bottle of champagne in your room.
– Don’t forget the budget
Yes, it is your honeymoon and of course, you should splurge on some things, but don’t completely forget your budget. I’m certainly guilty of thinking, “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity I’ve got to just go for it” and sometimes that is a good mindset for here in Costa Rica, but I like to try and make a strict budget ahead of time and stick to it. You don’t want to start married life struggling to pay for your nice wedding and honeymoon. I like to try to balance it out with some splurge-worthy things and some budget activities.
– Travel at off-peak times
You probably would like to head out to your Costa Rica honeymoon right after your wedding, but you can potentially save a lot of money by traveling at off-peak times. Hotels all over the country have a peak season rate and an off-season rate. We like to travel between May and August because everything is cheaper. You will likely have afternoon rainstorms, but the mornings tend to be beautiful.
– Sometimes it’s worth it to talk to a travel agent
Sometimes travel agents have special discounts for hotels that you won’t find on the internet. It is worth at least talking to a travel agent to see what they come up with. You can then do your own research before you make a final decision.
I hope this guide to planning a honeymoon in Costa Rica was helpful. Please feel free to ask any questions in the comment section below. We are happy to help you out! Also, if you had your honeymoon in Costa Rica and have tips for other travelers, we’d love to hear your advice!
You might also like:
The Perfect Costa Rica Packing List
Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Costa Rica
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