The best routes with all the highlights for your Costa Rica round trip

How much time should you plan for your Costa Rica round trip

When traveling to Costa Rica, it’s far too bad to stay in just one place. That’s why it’s great that you’re thinking about a round trip – and you should definitely do it.

We have found that three weeks is perfect for a vacation in Costa Rica. During this time, you can really immerse yourself in nature and life.

But you only have two weeks? That’s good too! But you should have at least that. In 14 days you can see the most important sights and try the best dishes.

Round trip in Costa Rica by car or bus?

We recommend that you do your round trip in a rental car. With a car, you are more flexible and, above all, much faster and more comfortable on the road.

We prefer to book our rental car via Check24. The site is very clear and you can compare the price-performance ratio directly.

And the service staff on the phone are also super nice and helpful if you have any questions or need help with your rental car booking.

Book a rental car on Check24

Our tip: Download the Costa Rica map from Google Maps or Maps.me before your trip so you can use the navigation system offline.

Of course, you can also do your round trip through Costa Rica by bus. The bus system in the country is relatively well developed, you have less responsibility and it is cheaper.

The disadvantage, however, is that most routes take longer and you won‘t reach all the places. Most of them are – but you have to make compromises.

We’ll tell you how to travel through Costa Rica without a car at the end of this article.

Always start your Costa Rica round trip in San José

No matter which means of transportation you choose, you will always start your round trip in San José. This is because Juan Santamaría International Airport is located around 20 kilometers north of Costa Rica’s capital.

It is also best to pick up your rental car directly at the airport, saving you the bus ride into the city and the search for the rental car station in San José.

At the end of your trip, simply return the car to the airport station. That’s really relaxed!

Our route suggestions for 2 and 3 weeks as a self-driver in Costa Rica

We will now present you with our route proposal for 3 weeks in detail. Then we’ll show you which places you can skip if you’re only in Costa Rica for 14 days.

Our route through Costa Rica for a 3-week road trip with time to swim in the sea

Our route for your 3-week road trip through Costa Rica at a glance:

• Day 1-2: San José
• Day 3-4: Corcovado National Park
• Day 5-6: Manuel Antonio National Park
• Day 7-8: Santa Teresa
• Day 9-10: Monteverde
• Day 11-12: Arenal Volcano National Park
• Day 13: Rio Celeste
• Day 14-16: Tortuguero National Park
• Day 17-19: Puerto Viejo with the Cahuita National Park
• Day 20: Poás Volcano National Park
• Day 21: Alajuela and departure

Three weeks round trip through Costa Rica on one map

We have marked everything on a map so that you can see where the round trip takes you and where exactly the places in Costa Rica are located.

You can also download the map with the 3-week route for your Costa Rica round trip here

Day 1-2: San José

On the first day, you first land at Juan Santamaría Airport. After passing through customs, you pick up your rental car and drive to your hotel in San José. You will stay here for two nights.

After the long flight, you should take it easy. We prefer to go out for a meal and get some rest. You shouldn’t plan much on this day.

Our tip: try to stay awake until at least 8 pm. The time difference in Costa Rica is 7-8 hours behind German time. If you go to bed too early, you will wake up in the middle of the night.

On day 2, your Costa Rica trip can really get going. You start with a sightseeing tour in San José. You can even explore the most important places on foot.

Our top sights in San José

• Mercado Central: Weekly market with fresh fruit, meat and decorations. But also snack stalls with delicious food.
• National Museum: Exciting museum on the history and culture of Costa Rica.
• National Theater: One of the most beautiful buildings in the city.
• City of Color Murals: Here you will find super beautiful street art. Located directly behind the National Museum.

If you ask us, there aren’t many top must-see sights in San José. We discovered the city in about 3 hours with a free walking tour.

That was more than enough. But you don’t go to the central market on the tour, you should definitely go there and eat something.

Free walking tour in San José

Our hotel tip for San José

Casa De Las Tias: Small hotel in a charming wooden house. The rooms are lovingly furnished.

We have written all the detailed information about the sightseeing tours and further tips on how to get here, hotels and more in a separate article on San José.

Day 3-4: Cocorvado National Park

Day 3 is the start of the road trip. You drive directly to the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica, to the Corcovado National Park. Your destination is Puerto Jiménez. You will stay here for two nights.

Take a relaxed approach to the journey, because at around 400 kilometers, this is the longest stretch you will drive in one go on your trip. Plan at least 6 hours without breaks.

The small town of Puerto Jiménez is the perfect starting point for your tour of Corcovado. It is the largest national park in Costa Rica with a dense rainforest.

On day 4, you take the guided tour through the national park. You can’t get in without a guide. However, you can book the tour online or at your accommodation on the day of your arrival in Puerto Jiménez.

Our tip: If you fancy even more adventure, choose Drake Bay as your starting point. You will have to cross 1-2 rivers on the way there – not for the faint-hearted.

Our hotel tips for Drake Bay and Puerto Jimenéz

Hotel Finca Maresia in Drake Bay: cozy and modern cottages. With hammocks to relax in.

Danta Corcovado Lodge near Puerto Jiménez: Originally furnished lodges in the middle of nature.

In our separate article on Corcovado National Park, we explain everything you need to know about getting there, hotels, the tour with a guide and more.

Day 5-6: Manuel Antonio National Park

On day 5, you will travel from Corcovado to Manuel Antonio, which will take you around 3.5 hours. You will also spend the night there. You will stay for a total of two nights.

On the sixth day, you will head to Manuel Antonio National Park early in the morning. It is the smallest, but also the most popular national park in Costa Rica.

With a guide, you will get your money’s worth here and can observe numerous birds, insects and sloths. And here you can get really close to monkeys.

After your tour, you can stay in the park for the afternoon, hike to viewpoints and chill out on one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful beaches, swim in the sea, snorkel and relax.

You stay the night once again in your hotel in Manuel Antonio.

Our hotel tip for Manuel Antonio

Hotel Plaza Yara: Individually furnished hotel with pool. In the middle of the jungle.

In a separate article, we have written down all the information and tips on how to get to Manuel Antonio National Park, tours and more.

Day 7-8: Santa Teresa

After the exciting hikes, you continue north to Santa Teresa on day 7. The journey from Manuel Antonio takes around 6 hours.

The small coastal town is a popular hotspot for surfers. And that’s exactly what you should take advantage of in the afternoon. Grab a surfboard and try your hand at surfing.

We have written down our best tips for surfing courses, the best beaches and all the information you need about getting here in our special article on Santa Teresa.

On day 8, you can take a day trip to Montezuma. The trip only takes 30 minutes.

There are the Montezuma Falls. These are three waterfalls, one on top of the other, which you can even jump down. And the best thing is: it’s completely free, really good!

We give you all the important information about the waterfalls and other tips for your time in Montezuma in our separate article.

In the afternoon, you can stroll through the small village before heading back to Santa Teresa. Because that’s where you’ll spend another night.

Our hotel tip for Santa Teresa

Casa Cecilia Beach Front: Stylish, small hotel right on the beach.

Day 9-10: Monteverde

On the ninth day of your trip, you wake up once again in Santa Teresa. We recommend starting the day with a yoga class and some surfing. There are numerous providers for both in Santa Teresa. You’ll love the feeling afterwards.

Then you will travel by car to Monteverde, more precisely to the town of Santa Elena. You will stay here for two nights.

There are three cloud forest reserves in the Monteverde region – and it’s so mystical there, really cool!

Relax a little in the afternoon, stroll through Santa Elena and be sure to have a coffee. We had the best coffee on our trip in Santa Elena.

On day 10, you will then discover the rainforest. Our recommendation: Hike through the Santa Elena Reserve in the morning, which is the cheaper and less touristy alternative to the well-known Monteverde Reserve.

Because that’s exactly what you experience in the afternoon from above, on a zipline tour over the treetops. We haven’t had this much adrenaline anywhere else in Costa Rica.

Zipline tour in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Our hotel tip in Santa Elena

La Guayaba Monteverde: Modern rooms with a breathtaking view of the rainforest.

In two separate articles, we have written down all the information and our best tips on the Monteverde Cloud Forest and the Santa Elena Reserve.

Day 11-12: La Fortuna

On the morning of the eleventh day, you continue from Monteverde to the Arenal volcano.

You drive past Lake Arenal, the largest lake in Costa Rica, and suddenly the Arenal volcano rises up in front of you. The highlight of the national park. Unique!

Most of the hotels are in La Fortuna, the town right next to the national park. The journey takes just over 2.5 hours.

You can organize the rest of the day and day 12 however you like. You can really do a lot around the Arenal Volcano National Park.

Our highlights around the Arenal Volcano National Park

• Hike through the national park: The hiking trails are well signposted. You need about 3 hours
• Coffee and chocolate tour: Both are incredibly delicious in Costa Rica and the tours are really interesting. There are also combination tours.
• Hot springs: You’ll find them mainly in the numerous spas & resorts – super relaxing after a day full of action.
• Mistico Suspension Bridge Park: Experience the rainforest from above and walk across the bridges. Great spot for beautiful travel photos.

Our hotel tip for La Fortuna

Hotel Roca Negra Del Arenal: Affordable and beautiful bungalows with a large pool and beautiful views of the volcano.

We have written down detailed information on the activities in La Fortuna and around the Arenal volcano and other tips on how to get there in a separate article:

Day 13: Day trip to Rio Celeste

On day 13, we head to Rio Celeste for a day trip. Translated, this means sky-blue river – and that’s exactly what it is. The Rio Celeste is a beautiful, turquoise-blue river that ends in a waterfall.

It is located north of La Fortuna and only takes just over an hour by car. The Rio Celeste is in the Tenorio Volcano National Park.

It is open daily from 8 am to 4 pm, last admission is at 2 pm. Admission costs 12 dollars. We recommend you get there early so you can avoid the crowds.

Then you drive back to La Fortuna.

Day 14-16: Tortuguero

Day 14 dawns. Wow, you’ve already experienced so much in 2 weeks of your Costa Rica round trip. And believe us, it stays this good! It’s off to Tortuguero. You’ll stay here for two nights.

If you are out and about between July and October, you have the chance to watch giant tortoises lay their eggs. For us, this is one of the best experiences and definitely a highlight.

But Tortuguero is also one of the most beautiful sights in Costa Rica. The national park is unique, with its many waterways and canals.

But let’s get back to the journey. Your first destination with your rental car on this day is La Pavona. It will take you about 3 hours from La Fortuna to La Pavona.

You have to park your car in a parking lot there. It costs 10 euros per day and is monitored.

You then continue by boat to the village of the same name, Tortuguero, which is located in the middle of the national park. The last boat departs at 4 pm.

Day 15 and the morning of day 16 you are in Tortuguero and can explore the national park extensively. In the afternoon at the latest, you must take the boat to La Pavona.

From there, you drive all the way to the south of Costa Rica: to Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast. Allow about 4 hours for the drive. You will also spend the night there.

Our highlights in Tortuguero National Park:

• Watch turtles: You can only do this with a tour in the evening. We recommend booking a tour for the first evening. If you don’t see any turtles, you can try again the next day.
• Boat tour on the canals: Take a tour to experience the national park from the water. Be sure to do it early in the morning!
• Hike through the national park: A relaxed walk through the rainforest and along the beach.
• Hike to the summit of Cerro Tortuguero: Breathtaking views of the national park.

Our hotel tip for Tortuguero

Budda Home: Lovingly designed, modern rooms with a fantastic view of the river.

You can find out exactly how to get to Tortuguero, the best places to stay and other tips in our separate article on the national park.

Day 17-19: Puerto Viejo with the Cahuita National Park

On day 17, you wake up in the Caribbean. A day full of palm trees, sand, sea and coconuts. Wonderful! In the small coastal town of Puerto Viejo, you can relax for two days (almost) at the end of your round trip.

Just grab a bike, ride along the coast and discover the many beautiful beaches. Our favorite beach is Playa Punta Uva.

Or lie down in a hammock with a coconut. In the evening, make sure you go to the Puerto Pirata tiki bar. It serves the best piña coladas with a view of the most beautiful sunset.

We have written more tips and detailed information on how to get here, the best beaches and all the activities in a separate article about Puerto Viejo.

You should spend another morning in Cahuita. It is one of the oldest and smallest national parks in Costa Rica, but one of the most interesting for us. It only takes 20 minutes to get there by car.

We have written down everything you can do in Cahuita and how you can prepare for the national park in a separate article.

Our hotel tip for Puerto Viejo

Hotel Indalo: Beautiful rooms in a simple boho style. With pool and view of the jungle.

On day 19, you will head north again, to Alajuela to be precise. This is where you will spend your last two nights in Costa Rica. Allow around 4.5 hours for the journey.

Day 20: Poás Volcano

On day 20, you will drive to Poás Volcano National Park in the morning. The drive takes about an hour.

Don’t let the touristy and ugly entrance put you off. Because you will experience something that you can hardly experience anywhere else in the world.

Poás has one of the largest and most active craters in the world. And the best thing is: the crater is one of the few that you can still get really close to.

When the weather is nice, the crater is really impressive. In bad weather, however, you won’t see anything! We’ll keep our fingers crossed for you.

As you only need an hour for the Poás, you could then drive to the La Paz waterfall, which is only half an hour away by car.

In the evening you sleep again in Alajuela.

In our separate article, we have written down all the information and tips for your journey and your time at Poás.

Our hotel tip for Alajuela

Alice y Juancito Boutique Hotel: Simple but cozy boutique hotel in the center of Alajuela.

Day 21: Alajuela and departure

The last day begins. Enjoy your breakfast in Alajuela and prepare everything for your return flight. If you have time, take a stroll around the area.

In Alajuela, you can observe the typical life of the locals or sample exotic fruits at the weekly market.

The good thing about Alajuela: the center is only 3 kilometers from the airport. It takes about 15-20 minutes by car, depending on traffic.

We recommend that you still allow enough time for the journey – after all, you still have to return your rental car.

This was our suggested route for a three-week round trip through Costa Rica

We know that some car journeys are quite long, so if you want to travel a little more relaxed, skip 1-2 places.

And if you really want to see turtles: You can see them in Tortuguero between July and October. If you make your trip at a different time, the turtles will be on the Pacific coast.

You have the best chances from December to March, when they are on the beaches of Samara and Tamarindo. You have two options:

#Option 1: Go to Samara or Tamarindo instead of Santa Teresa.

#Option 2: Remove Tortuguero from your itinerary and extend your time on the Pacific after Santa Teresa and travel to Samara or Tamarindo (or both). After Monteverde and the Arenal volcano, head straight to Puerto Viejo.

Our route through Costa Rica for a 2 week road trip

You only have 2 weeks for your road trip through Costa Rica? No problem either. We have also come up with an ideal route for 14 days.

• Day 1: San José
• Day 2-4: Corcovado National Park
• Day 5: Manuel Antonio National Park
• Day 6: Monteverde
• Day 7-8: Arenal Volcano National Park
• Day 9-11: Tortuguero National Park
• Day 12: Puerto Viejo
• 13-14: San José

2 weeks round trip through Costa Rica on one map

To give you a better overview, we have also marked all the places on your 14-day road trip through Costa Rica on a map.

Here you can download the map with the route for 2 weeks round trip through Costa Rica

That changes on the Costa Rica round trip in 2 weeks:

• You are only in San José on the day of your arrival and on the morning of the second day.
• You are not going to Santa Teresa. Instead, you go straight to Monteverde after the Manuel Antonio National Park. And it’s a bit shorter there too.
• You don’t go to Rio Celeste. Or you spend less time at the Arenal volcano.
• You’re only in Puerto Viejo for one day.
• You’re not going to Alajuela and the Poás volcano. That’s a shame, but a visit to Poás is also very dependent on the weather.
• Instead, go back to San José and take a walking tour. You’ll have seen the most important things in the capital.

Of course, there are many other route alternatives. You can also skip Tortuguero and head to the northern Pacific coast to Santa Teresa, Samara and Tamarindo. Especially if you want to see turtles in the dry season.

Of course, if you leave something out, it will be less stressful. If we had to choose, we would most likely skip Tortuguero because of the long journey, as long as it is outside the turtle season.

Otherwise Manuel Antonio or Monteverde.

The two trips all the way south to Corcovado or Puerto Viejo also take up a lot of time. But we really don’t want to miss these places and they are definitely among our highlights.

Costa Rica round trip by bus

If you don’t want to hire a car, you can also do both routes by bus. Only the Rio Celeste is not accessible by bus.

The bus system in Costa Rica is quite well developed and the bus tickets are cheaper than a rental car. In our Costa Rica travel report, we tell you more about our experiences with the buses.

But what we personally find quite annoying is that San José is the hub of almost all bus routes. So you pretty much always have to go back to San José to get to the next place.

There are only alternatives for a few routes. So you need to plan more time for both routes if you are traveling without a car in Costa Rica.

We have summarized the most important bus connections with prices in Costa Rica in an overview

You can buy most tickets directly at the bus terminal.

Our tip: Shuttle buses also run on almost all of our routes. They are more expensive than the buses, but they are faster and you avoid the detour via San José. It’s best to ask your accommodation what options are available. You can often share the shuttle with other travelers.

What is the best time to travel to Costa Rica?

The best time to travel to Costa Rica is from December to April. This is the dry season, it rains very little and the sun almost always shines. However, we think you can plan your Costa Rica round trip all year round.

We were in Costa Rica in June and July, in the middle of the rainy season, and mostly had really good weather. What’s more, the national parks are particularly green in the rainy season, prices are cheaper and the turtles are in Tortuguero.

In a separate article, we have written everything you need to know about the climate, dry and rainy seasons and the best time for turtles, hiking, swimming and more in Costa Rica:

How safe is a round trip on your own?

Costa Rica is generally considered a safe country to travel to. Nevertheless, there is crime here too and you should be particularly careful and vigilant in some places.

What you should always look out for to avoid dangerous situations in Costa Rica:

• Avoid being alone on the street after dark in San José and especially in tourist areas.
• Also, if possible, do not walk alone on remote paths during the day. Unfortunately, there have been sexual assaults from time to time in the past.
• If you are traveling alone, always join a group if possible.

If you are traveling by car:

• Never leave valuables in a rental car. Even in monitored parking lots.
• However, most of the danger when driving comes from the road conditions. As these are sometimes only so-so. No crash barriers, gravel roads, bumpy and winding. Drive with foresight and rather drive too slowly than too fast.

If you are traveling by bus:

• Try to avoid driving in the dark, especially if you are traveling alone as a woman.
• Also be careful when you get into a cab after the bus. Don’t get distracted and keep an eye on your belongings.
• It’s best to always keep your valuables in a fanny pack that you wear under your clothes.
• Always take good care of your belongings at the bus stations. If you have to stow your bag at the bottom of the bus or on the roof, always keep an eye on it during stops.

Our tip: Try to take your rucksack with you on the bus. Sometimes there are free spaces where you can put it down. If you are only traveling with hand luggage, it often fits between your legs. It may be a little uncomfortable, but it makes for a more relaxed bus journey.

Of course, these are all worst-case scenarios and should not deter you from traveling to Costa Rica.

Costa Rica really is a great country for women traveling alone and the sexual assaults are fortunately only exceptions. Nevertheless, it is important that you are careful. We never felt unsafe as women.

Check the current travel and safety information from the Federal Foreign Office before your trip. These can always change.

These were our tips for your round trip in Costa Rica

Have you ever done a round trip through Costa Rica? Which route did you take? Let us know in the comments. And of course, if you have any questions.

In our Costa Rica travel tips article, we give you even more information and tips for your vacation. Find out everything you need to know about entering the country, costs, vaccinations, typical food and much more.