Costa Rica

Costa Rica

Costa Rica is one of the world’s great ecological wonders. In an area only two and a half times the size of Wales and a population just over 5 million, there are smoking volcanoes, verdant rainforests, stunning tropical beaches and beautiful cloud forests, all complemented by endless warm welcomes from locals. Costa Rica holidays are a popular choice due to the abundant wildlife you can spot: the tiny Central American nation is home to monkeys, sloths, iguanas, turtles and over 850 species of birds: more than in Europe or North America. 

The Arenal area is one of the main attractions in Costa Rica due to the volcano, as well as several other attractions nearby, including hot springs, waterfalls, and cloud forest trails. Arenal Volcano erupted in 1968, and has had frequent activity ever since, although the volcano has recently been less active, with the last major eruption coming in 2010. 

San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, is wonderfully located in the central valley, surrounded by volcanoes, mountains and plantations producing some of the finest coffee in the world. The city itself is bustling and modern, with attractions including the Plaza de la Cultura, Teatro Nacional and several museums. 

Situated within the larger Los Angeles Cloud Forest Reserve, the Villa Blanca Cloud Forest sits at an altitude between 700 and 1770 metres, which creates a unique, well-preserved cloud forest habitat home to myriad species. The hotel here is the only one around, and numerous endemic flora can be found, such as bromeliads and orchids, as well as over 280 bird species and a range of monkeys and sloths.

The Corcovado National Park is one of Costa Rica’s most spectacular and pristine areas, encompassing numerous biomes, and as a result, seemingly infinite species of wildlife, including jaguars, tapirs, scarlet macaws, monkeys and sloths. It boasts some of the most diverse ecosystems in the whole world, with everything from lowland rainforest, highland cloud forest and palm forest, to mangrove swamps and coastal marine and beach habitats. Caño Island has the best snorkelling in the area, with interesting coral reefs.

Manuel Antonio, the smallest national park in Costa Rica, is a fantastic place to end your holiday to Costa Rica. The park is six square miles and consists of white sand beaches fringed with tropical forest, home to unique wildlife. Activities in Manuel Antonio include walking on the well-maintained trails to spot sloths, coatis, monkeys, toucans and macaws, or relaxing on the beach and swimming in the warm waters, with temperatures reaching 30ºC all year. 

There are limited direct options when flying from the UK to Costa Rica. A direct flight from London to San Jose takes around 11.5 hours. Indirect options, generally flying via the US, tend to take between 13 and 15 hours, including layover time. On arrival, Costa Rica is 6 or 7 hours behind the UK, depending on the season of the holiday, so we recommend a stay in San Jose on arrival to acclimatise.

Our Costa Rica FAQs answer the most common queries we hear from customers considering a holiday to Costa Rica. If you are ready to explore our small group, great value tours of Costa Rica, you can do so here.