28 Best things to see & do in Costa Rica

Fascinating insider tours to see how some of the world’s finest coffee and chocolate is grown, harvested and prepared.

Stringently protected, crawling with life, astonishingly diverse, Costa Rica’s protected forests and reefs have inspired successful conservational tourism worldwide.

Costa Rica’s volcanoes, oozing hot springs and even hot rivers, make it one of the best places in the world for a natural spa, and full geothermal pampering.

Come to see ancient stone spheres left in the Pacific jungle by the Diquis people, and pre-Columbian gold artefacts.

Located 30 minutes outside of San Jose, this cloud forest park has a riot of dense vegetation, as well as a small network of trails for day hikes, zip-lines and an aerial tram. Book online here.

A boutique hacienda near the airport that produces excellent home-grown Arabica coffee – served throughout the day, at breakfast and after meals – alongside farm-to-table organic food. They organise their own tours around the coffee farm. Stay overnight for the full immersive experience.

A spectacular steaming volcanic rim you can almost drive up to – easy to visit on your way to or from the airport.

One of the world’s only rehabilitation and rescue centre for sloths, where you’ll see adult and baby two and three-toed sloths. Fascinating tours – which keep the project alive – include behind-the-scenes visits to the nursery, where rescued babies are weaned.

550km off the Costa Rican coast, Cocos Island is a world-class dive site famous for huge congregations of rays which converge in the swirling currents welling up from deep water. Access is on 11-day live-aboard dive trips, from December to May, departing from Puntarenas.

Shrouding Costa Rica’s most impressive volcano, this forested national park is cut with hiking trails, filled with waterfalls and offers adventures from zip-lining to canopy walkways.