Travel between the Caribbean and Pacific Coasts of Costa Rica stopping at hidden gems, remote national parks and spectacular beaches along they way.
This 17-day self-drive coast to coast journey allows you to explore fascinating southern Costa Rica, which is somewhat less visited than the north of the country. Travelling by car allows flexibility and freedom to visit the region’s beautiful beaches, more remote cloud forests and traditional towns. After spending time in laidback Puerto Viejo de Talamanca on the Caribbean Coast, drive through the hills of the Central Highlands to the verdant Turrialba Valley and then onto the lesser visited cloud forest of San Gerado de Dota. As you cross to the Pacific Coast, spend time in stunning Uvita, known for its ‘whale tail’ sandbar and excellent whale watching before finishing your coast to coast Costa Rican road trip in beautiful Manuel Antonio.
San Jose – Puerto Viejo de Talamanca – Turrialba – San Gerado de Dota – Uvitia – Manuel Antonio
Trip Highlights
- Enjoy the laidback Reggae vibes of the small beach town of Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean Coast
- Embark on a day trip to Cahuita National Park where you can snorkel in the colourful coral reefs
- Explore the coffee plantations and small authentic towns that make up the Continental Divide
- Search for the elusive resplendent quetzal bird in the less-visited cloud forest of San Gerado de Dota
- Take a boat trip in Bahia Ballena National Park for the chance to spot whales, dolphins, turtles and seabirds
- Witness where the rainforest meets the Pacific Ocean in the iconic Manuel Antonio National Park
Itinerary
Day 1
UK to San Jose
Your flight from the UK will arrive in San Jose in the evening. You will be met at the airport and transferred in a private vehicle to your hotel a short distance away where you will spend the night.
Alta Hotel
Day 2
San Jose to Limon – by air / Limon to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca – 55kms
Return to the airport this morning for your flight to the town of Limon on the Caribbean Coast. Upon arrival, collect you hire car at the airport and drive along quiet coastal roads to the small town of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. Check into your hotel for a four-night stay with your vehicle at your disposal to explore the region. Puerto Viejo is a laid-back Caribbean town where reggae rhythms, palm-lined beaches and dense jungle create a vibrant, bohemian atmosphere unlike anywhere else in Costa Rica.
- Breakfast
Cariblue Beach and Jungle Resort
Day 3
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
This morning join a shared guided tour of Cahuita National Park to see the wildlife of Costa Rica both on land and at sea. Your tour will start with a gentle hike through the rainforest with the beach just a short walking distance, before setting off by boat to snorkel in what is probably Costa Rica’s most colourful and pristine stretch of coral reef.
- Breakfast
Cariblue Beach and Jungle Resort
Day 4
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Today is free to explore the Caribbean Coast at leisure in your hire car. This region has a very different feel from the rest of Costa Rica, with a distinctly Reggae vibe, Caribbean food on offer and a laidback surf culture. You can head along the coast as far as Manzanillo, which boasts beautiful beaches and an important national park, or inland towards the Panama border, a region of forests and waterfalls home to the indigenous Bribri community.
- Breakfast
Cariblue Beach and Jungle Resort
Day 5
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
A day at leisure to enjoy further time in Puerto Viejo and the surrounding area.
- Breakfast
Cariblue Beach and Jungle Resort
Day 6
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca to Turrialba – 161kms
After breakfast set off in your hire car into the mountainous interior of Costa Rica. Drive along the coastal riad to the port town of Limon before heading inland on the highway to the town of Siquirres where you will drive along the valley of the Rio Pacuare to Turrialba. You will be spending the next two nights in your hotel in the lush and fertile valley at the base of Turrialba Volcano, an area which is also known for its diverse birdlife and coffee plantations.
- Breakfast
Casa Turie
Day 7
Turrialba
Today is a free day to explore the Turrialba Valley either by car or with activities arranged through the hotel. This region of Costa Rica is known for its tropical rainforests which offer excellent birding and impressive rivers and waterfalls. The fertile volcanic soil makes it a breadbasket of Costa Rica, and extensive plantations line the rivers, some of which you may wish to visit. As well as exploring the small town of Turrialba you may wish to partake in a traditional cooking class.
- Breakfast
Casa Turie
Day 8
Turrialba to San Gerado de Dota – 107kms
Departing Turrialba, your route today will take you along the spine of the Continental Divide, through cloud-shrouded hills and small towns to San Gerado de Dota. This region is known for the Los Quetzales National Park, home to the resplendent quetzal. Stay in a lodge in the cloud forest close to the park.
- Breakfast
Trogon Lodge
Day 9
San Gerado de Dota
Early this morning join a shared birdwatching tour to Los Quetzal National Park led by a naturalist guide where you will explore the cloud forest birdlife. This region is one of the birding hotspots of Costa Rica, and there are many species to see including the fiery-throated hummingbird, long-tailed silky-flycatcher, collared redstart and black guan, as well of course as the resplendent quetzal. The rest of the day is then free to explore the cloud forest trails at your own pace if you wish.
- Breakfast
Trogon Lodge
Day 10
San Gerado de Dota
Today is at leisure. You may wish to travel to the paramo, the highland region above 3,000m altitude with its own unique flora and fauna.
- Breakfast
Trogon Lodge
Day 11
San Gerado de Dota to Uvita – 120kms
This morning’s drive drops rapidly from the highlands of the Continental Divide to the Pacific Coast, staying in a lodge just past the town of Uvita. Here the mountains come right down to the ocean, and in the grounds of your lodge you can find a mix of both coastal and mountain species.
- Breakfast
Cristal Ballena
Day 12
Uvita
Uvita is famous for the Bahia Ballena National Park, and today you will take a boat trip of the marine reserve famed for its sightings of humpback whales. The northern population of humpbacks are usually found in the region from December to March, while the southern population arrive on an epic journey from Antarctica from July to October. Even when the whales are not present, you are likely to see dolphins, rays, turtles and seabirds, with a break for snorkelling if the water conditions permit.
- Breakfast
Cristal Ballena
Day 13
Uvita
Today is a free day to explore Uvita and the surrounding region. Take a drive to one of the nearby beautiful beaches or explore the trails around your lodge. Palma Sur a short drive away is home to an important pre-Colombian archaeological site where numerous mysterious stone spheres have been found and also includes a small museum onsite.
- Breakfast
Cristal Ballena
Day 14
Uvita to Manuel Antonio – 73kms
Take the short drive north along the coast today to Manuel Antonio, home to one of Costa Rica’s most important national parks. Along the way you might want to stop at Dominical with its impressive beach popular with surfers or the small town of Quepos with is vibrant farmer’s market. Stay for the next three nights in your hotel in the hills overlooking the Pacific Coast.
- Breakfast
Si Como No
Day 15
Manuel Antonio
Today enjoy a shared guided tour of Manuel Antonio National Park. Despite its small size, the park has an incredible amount of wildlife and you are likely to see sloth hanging from the branches and a variety of monkeys including the white-headed capuchin and mantled howler swinging from the treetops. Explore the walking trails that lead you through the rainforest to sheltered beaches where you can swim and snorkel before returning to your hotel.
- Breakfast
Si Como No
Day 16
Manuel Antonio
Enjoy your last full today in Costa Rica. You can explore the beaches around your hotel by foot or if you’d prefer something more adventurous the hotel can organise a wide range of activities including boat trips, kayaking or surfing.
- Breakfast
Si Como No
Day 17
Manuel Antonio to San Jose – 156kms
Today you will drive back towards San Jose, arriving in time to drop off your car at the airport and check in for your evening flight home. The journey should take about 3 hours to the airport, but you may want to allow time to stop at the Tarcoles River along the way. The bridge over the river offers the chance to see the crocodiles who make the river their home, while nearby Carara National Park is one of the best places in Costa Rica to see colourful scarlet macaws.
- Breakfast
Extending your stay...
The Osa Peninsular is a short drive from Uvita and is one of the most biodiverse places in Costa Rica, with dense rainforest, mangroves and remote beaches supporting remarkable wildlife.
Tortuguero National Park can be included at the start of the tour, flying into Tortuguero and collecting your hire car from Guapilles to continue down the Caribbean Coast.
The Central Highlands can be visited at the end of your tour, allowing you to explore the towns around San Jose and the Poas Volcano.
Guide to Price
17 days from £5350 per person
What's Included
- International flights
- Domestic flight in light aircraft
- Transfers at the start of the tour as indicated
- Car hire as specified
- Shared guided tours as specified
- Hotel accommodation and taxes
What's Not Included
- Visas
- Travel Insurance
- Expenses of a personal nature
- Meals unless specified
- Deposit, fuel and tolls for car hire
from £5350
Travel Information
Getting There
British Airways offers frequent direct flights from London to San Jose during the peak season from October until March. There are also indirect flights via Europe with airlines including Iberia, KLM, Air France and Lufthansa, as well as flights via Canada and the United States.
Flying Time
The direct flight between London and San Jose is about 10-11 hours, with indirect flights slightly longer depending on where you are flying via and the stopover time.
Time Zone
Costa Rica -6 hours GMT.
Visa Requirements
British citizens do not need a visa to visit Costa Rica for stays of up to 90 days.
Do’s and Don’ts
Greet locals with a friendly ‘buenos dias’ or ‘buenas tardes’ and understand that eye contact is valued in conversation. ‘Pura vida’ is the most common saying throughout Costa Rica, translating to the ‘simple life’ or ‘everything is good’ and recognises a relaxed, optimistic and grateful lifestyle.
Embrace the slower pace of life and expect service in restaurants and bars to be slower than the UK and Europe.
If self-driving, don’t underestimate travel times as when driving in more rural and remote areas roads can be windy and/or unpaved. Also avoid driving at night.
Do not touch or feed wildlife and do not remove natural souvenirs such as taking rocks, shells or plants from their natural habitats.
It is polite to ask permission of any local people before taking any photographs.
Money
Costa Rica has its own currency, the Costa Rica Colón, which is divided in 100 centimos. The US dollar is also very widely accepted in Costa Rica and can be used in most hotels, restaurants and shops as well as for tips. There are ATMs in larger towns and cities and credit cards are also widely accepted, but in remote rainforest lodges it is best to have US dollars cash or local currency.
Tipping
Tipping is common in Costa Rica as with the rest of Latin America but is at your discretion. The amount of tip should depend on the service received. A 10% service charge is always included in restaurant bills. As a guideline, a tip of around US$5 to US$10 per person per day for a guide is about the right amount, and about S$5 per person per day for a driver. Tips to guides and drivers are normally given in US dollars cash. Please note that American travellers to Costa Rica do often tip much higher than this amount, but you should not feel pressured to overtip.
Food and Drink
Costa Rica is known for its abundance of fresh tropical fruits and vegetables as well as excellent seafood. Many dishes were brough to Costa Rica by Spanish settlers but adapted to local ingredients, although the Caribbean coast does have more of an Afro-Caribbean influence. Gallo Pinto, the local version of the ubiquitous Latin American staple of rice and beans is one of the most common dishes, often served for breakfast, but can also be found for lunch and dinner. Grilled meat and fish with rice or salad is served in most restaurants, with ceviche, raw marinated fish, common on the Pacific Coast and rondón, a meat and vegetable stew common on the Caribbean coast.
Copo, shaved ice flavoured with fruit syrup is a great way to cool down, and there is an abundance of fresh fruit juices as well as excellent local coffees. The national alcoholic drink is guaro, made from sugar cane, although American-style beers are more common, with some excellent craft beers produced in San Jose.
Shopping
Local handicrafts such as the woodwork and handmade jewellery can be found in the Mercade Central in San Jose as well as the markets of Tamarindo and Sarchi. Costa Rica is known for its excellent local coffee and chocolate which can often be purchased directly from plantations as well as in Britt stores.
Travel Advice
Costa Rica is generally regarded as a safe country, although petty theft such as pickpocketing and purse-snatching is not uncommon, especially in San Jose and you should remain vigilant. For current information on Costa Rica the best resource is the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice) which is a comprehensive resource and updated regularly. We would also recommend visiting the Safer Tourism Foundation website (www.safertourism.org.uk) before you travel and will be happy to address any questions or concerns you may have.
Suggested Reading
Lonely Planet and Rough Guides have excellent guide books for Costa Rica. The ‘Birds of Costa Rica’ by Richard Garrigues is an excellent guide to the birdlife of the country, although many lodges have their own field guides.
Health
Costa Rica is considered to have the best healthcare system in Latin America with a comprehensive public health system supported by reputable private clinics. Your doctor is the best person to advise you on staying healthy whilst abroad but current recommended vaccinations are Hepatitis A and Tetanus. Yellow Fever is not present in Costa Rica, but a Yellow Fever certificate is required if travelling from countries with a risk of Yellow Fever. This includes all destinations with Latin America with the exception of Panama and Argentina. There is a low risk of malaria on the Caribbean Coast and very low risk elsewhere in the country - antimalarials are not usually recommend except in exceptional circumstances. For current information on health advice you may wish to visit the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website Travel Health Pro on https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/. The Medical Advisory Services for Travellers Abroad (MASTA) website (www.masta.org) is also a useful resource.
Accommodation
Costa Rica offers a wide range of accommodation, from city hotels to rainforest lodges to boutique beach resorts and private villas, all with a wide range of standards. While there are some large beach resorts, most accommodation tends to be small and focuses on providing excellent service. Outside of San Jose, visitors to Costa Rica rarely stay in large towns or cities and most often stay in more remote locations to soak up the wildlife and scenery. Due to the remote location and small size of the hotels and lodges, accommodation needs to be booked well in advance.
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