Highlights
- Go on wildlife hikes and boat tours to spot monkeys, sloths, birds, and more
- Visit local farms and learn the secrets to producing great coffee and chocolate
- Explore the highlights of Arenal volcano, from its waterfalls to its hanging bridges
- Enjoy romantic catamaran rides on the Pacific coast and try surfing
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in San José, Explore Barrio Escalante Neighborhood | San José |
| Day 2 | Transfer to Tortuguero, Guided Village Tour | Tortuguero |
| Day 3 | Tortuguero National Park Boat Tour | Tortuguero |
| Day 4 | Transfer to Sarapiquí, Rainforest Night Hike | Sarapiquí |
| Day 5 | Sarapiquí Finca Tour, Fishing & Farm Lunch | Sarapiquí |
| Day 6 | Transfer to Arenal, Hot Springs & Cooking Class | Arenal/La Fortuna |
| Day 7 | Coffee Farm Tour, Hanging Bridges & Waterfall Hike | Arenal/La Fortuna |
| Day 8 | Transfer to Tamarindo, Catamaran Tour & Snorkeling | Tamarindo |
| Day 9 | National Park Guided Hike & Liberia City Tour | Tamarindo |
| Day 10 | Transfer to Liberia, Depart |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in San José, Explore Barrio Escalante Neighborhood
Welcome to Costa Rica! You've chosen the perfect country for a honeymoon in paradise. This Central American nation features four biosphere reserves and plenty of national parks—plus, it's home to a staggering 4% of the world's plant and animal life. You'll witness plenty of exotic wildlife over the next 10 days; for now, things kick off with your arrival in the capital city of San José. After touching down at San José International Airport, a driver will pick you up at the terminal and transfer you to your hotel in the city.
The fun starts when, after dropping off your bags, you and your partner will meet a local guide for a tour of Barrio Escalante. This trendy enclave near the city center is a famous nightlife hub, and its array of diverse eateries attracts serious foodies. While here, you'll sample famous Costa Rican coffee and stop at one of the area's gastropubs, fusion restaurants, chic cafés, and French-inspired bakeries. You can also browse the Mercado Escalante food hall to sample various dishes all under one roof.
Day 2: Transfer to Tortuguero, Guided Village Tour
Rise and shine! It's an early start as you meet your driver for the five-hour ride northeast to Limón province and the village of Tortuguero. This is the hub for excursions to Tortuguero National Park, a 194 square-mile (312 sq km) protected area encompassing ocean, coastline, wetlands, and rainforests. Tortuguero is best known for its nesting beaches, where four species of sea turtles—green, loggerhead, hawksbill, and leatherback—come ashore to lay their eggs. In this region, there are more canals than paved roads, so upon arrival at the village dock, you'll transfer by boat to your small, secluded ecolodge.
After settling in, head out on a two-hour tour of Tortuguero. Along with your bilingual guide, you'll meet locals and learn about their settlement history in this Caribbean outpost. The region's first inhabitants were the Zambo-Miskito people, who escaped enslavement and lived off the land through farming and turtle hunting. Today, Tortuguero's 1,500 residents have traded turtle hunting for turtle conservation and ecotourism. You'll learn more at the town's Turtle Museum before returning to your hotel.
Day 3: Tortuguero National Park Boat Tour
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Take to the water this morning on a private two-hour boat ride to discover the miraculous array of flora and fauna in Tortuguero National Park. Accompanied by a local naturalist guide, you'll travel along the canals to the more remote sections of the park, where you can glimpse rare wildlife species. The freshwater creeks and lagoons here are home to crustaceans, river turtles, spectacled caiman, southern river otters, and dozens of freshwater fish species. If you're lucky, you might spot the endangered West Indian manatee.
At the end of the tour, the boat will drop you off back at your hotel. Spend the rest of the morning and afternoon enjoying leisure activities like kayaking on the river or hiking up Cerro Tortuguero, a nearby hill that offers panoramic views of the park. Or, if you prefer, relax by the pool as you sip on a tropical drink. Dinner will be a romantic meal at the hotel served amid the sounds of the tropical rainforest.
Day 4: Transfer to Sarapiquí, Rainforest Night Hike
Say goodbye to Tortuguero as you hop in a private car and head east about 4.5 hours to Sarapiquí. This region stretches from Costa Rica's central volcanic mountain range across the vast northern plains to Nicaragua and is studded with national parks. The Río Sarapiquí, popular with kayakers and rafters, brings life to the landscape, which is blanketed in pre-montane rainforests and plantations where locals grow everything from bananas to coffee and cacao.
Enjoy the scenery during the drive as you pass green mountains, vast canyons, and palm plantations. Upon arrival, you'll check into your eco-hotel nestled within a rainforest reserve and have the rest of the afternoon free to settle in. In the evening, meet a naturalist guide and venture into the reserve on a two-hour hike to spot nocturnal animals. Equipped with headlamps and flashlights, you'll spot exotic specimens ranging from spiders and reptiles to porcupines and red-eyed tree frogs.
Day 5: Sarapiquí Finca Tour, Fishing & Farm Lunch
Day 6: Transfer to Arenal, Hot Springs & Cooking Class
It's another travel day as you meet your driver for the 1.5-hour ride south from Sarapiquí to La Fortuna. This small town sits at the base of Arenal, an active volcano whose iconic cone is perpetually snorting great plumes of white smoke. Though highly active, the town is safe from Arenal's fury, and, in fact, it's precisely this geothermal activity that fuels the area's famous hot springs.
Speaking of which, after checking into your nearby spa hotel, you'll transfer to the nearby EcoTermales Hot Springs, a sanctuary of six thermal pools nestled in the rainforest. Spend a few hours away from mass tourist crowds as you and your partner soak in mineral-rich waters ranging from 90°F to 106°F (32°C to 41°C).
Later in the afternoon, you'll participate in a cooking class at a local farm. There, you'll pick fresh ingredients from the garden and, under the guidance of your chef/host, learn to prepare tropical cocktails and traditional Costa Rican dishes, like picadillos, tortillas, and guisados. For dinner, you'll sit down with fellow travelers and enjoy the dishes you've prepared.
Day 7: Coffee Farm Tour, Hanging Bridges & Waterfall Hike
This morning, you'll visit a local coffee plantation to learn about one of the country's most famous staple crops. From seed to cup, you'll experience firsthand the love and dedication that goes into making the perfect cup of organic Costa Rican coffee as you participate in all steps of the process—harvesting, peeling, roasting, and grinding. The best part of the tour is, of course, sampling the fruits of your labor.
Later, you'll transfer to the famous Arenal Hanging Bridges. This rainforest trail system features a network of bridges above the forest canopy, affording incredible views of the Arenal volcano. Some elevated walkways are hundreds of feet long and up to 180 feet (55 m) above the rainforest floor. The route is 2 miles (3 km) long, crossing 10 fixed bridges and six hanging bridges with lengths between 16 and 328 feet (5-100 m). It's also great for birding, as there are more than 350 avian species in the area, including various motmots.
Afterward, you'll visit La Fortuna Waterfall, a 210-foot (64 m) cascade in lush primary rainforest just 15 minutes outside La Fortuna. When you arrive, you'll descend some 500 steps to the bottom of the falls, where you can sit back and enjoy the romantic scenery or take a dip in the turquoise lagoon at the base of the falls. Return to the hotel in time to enjoy another romantic dinner.
Day 8: Transfer to Tamarindo, Catamaran Tour & Snorkeling
After an early breakfast, your driver will pick you up for the scenic three-hour drive west from Arenal to the coast of Guanacaste province. You're headed to the Pacific coast and the famous Nicoya Peninsula, which features some of the best surf beaches in the country.
You'll arrive at the most famous of all, Tamarindo, a wildly popular beach town filled with upscale resorts, oceanfront restaurants, and plenty of nightlife. After checking into your luxurious beachfront accommodation, you'll have most of the day free to enjoy Tamarindo on your own. Since this is one of the country's premier surf destinations, feel free to book a private lesson and hit the waves or grab a paddle for a standup paddleboarding session.
Later in the afternoon, head over to the pier, where you'll embark on a memorable private catamaran ride. This four-hour ride follows Costa Rica's Gold Coast, famous for its white-sand beaches, secluded bays, and tropical jungles. So kick back, relax, and keep an eye out for exotic wildlife like dolphins, sea turtles, and flying fish as the crew serves up tropical drinks. There will also be a stop for snorkeling before returning to Tamarindo after sunset.
Day 9: National Park Guided Hike & Liberia City Tour
Meet your driver this morning and leave Tamarindo on a full-day tour to discover the highlights in and around the coast. First, you'll visit Santa Rosa National Park, the site of Costa Rica's most important monument, Hacienda Santa Rosa. Known locally as La Casona (meaning "large house" in Spanish), this monument commemorates the victory of a local peasant army in 1856, and there's a museum here dedicated to the battle. While in the park, you can also take a short nature hike through tropical dry forests, where you can spot monkeys, birds, sloths, and more.
Following the hike, you'll get back in the car and continue to Liberia, the capital of Guanacaste province. Here, you'll explore the center and marvel at its abundance of white adobe houses and white roads, which earned Liberia the nickname the "White City." While here, you'll also tour historic places and can browse for souvenirs. You'll return to Tamarindo in time to enjoy one more romantic seaside dinner in Costa Rica.
Day 10: Transfer to Liberia, Depart
It's been a whirlwind 10 days in paradise, but now, unfortunately, the honeymoon has come to an end. Savor one more decadent breakfast at your hotel in Tamarindo, then meet your driver for the two-hour ride back to Liberia and the airport. There, you'll catch your flight home. Safe travels!
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