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Have a unique and authentic experience when you plan your next vacation; a Costa Rica off the beaten path itinerary is the perfect way to see a different side of Costa Rica. Tell the most original stories when you mention the cities even the seasoned travellers in your group haven't been to. The best off the beaten path Costa Rica destinations offer beautiful views, interesting sites, and welcoming hosts. Some are a challenge to get to, while others are just around the corner from main travel routes, but all are worthy of your time.
You can explore Costa Rica's Caribbean-Creole roots (and cuisine) when you the village of Cahuita. Avoid the crowds whilst enjoying an outdoor adventure in Guanacaste's Tenorio Volcano region. In Sarchí, you can do incredible shopping as you peruse the town's handicrafts. There are plenty of things to do in Costa Rica off the beaten path, so it's still possible to design any kind of vacation you want — from romantic getaway to rugged adventure. The best part about Costa Rica off the beaten path vacations? Because these locations are outside of the usual tourist zones, you may save a little money without sacrificing your vacation experience.
Destinations
Costa Rica highlights: Costa Rica Off The Beaten Path
Not sure where you want to go yet? Get inspired and browse the best places to visit in Costa Rica
Uvita
For a less crowded beach vacation, Uvita may be the ideal location. Sitting 11 miles (17 km) south of Dominical along Coastal Highway 34 (Costanera Sur), this tropical hamlet possesses great charm in an unspoiled, serene atmosphere. With palm trees swaying in the wind, providing shady relief from the intense Pacific sun, it may seem surreal that this environment is as uncorrupted as it is. It won't stay like this forever though, conditions will one day change and the secret of the Bahia Ballena will be out.
Explore DestinationNosara Costa Rica
Nosara's beach town of Guiones is a tucked-away delight with lucrative real estate, vibrant flora, and a world-class white sand beach. The town, which has a sizeable population of ex-pats, presents no shortage of accommodations. Many of these accommodations are private, luxurious, and immersed in natural beauty.
Explore DestinationTortuguero
The Caribbean Coast is home to the beautiful town of Tortuguero and it's National Park. This sun drenched zone with its sparsely spaced coastal villages offers a completely laid back and relaxed atmosphere. The culture is vastly different on this coast compared to the rest of the country with its prominent Afro-Caribbean influence notable as well in the delicious cuisine found here.
Explore DestinationPuerto Viejo de Sarapiqui
Surrounded by lush green forests and banana plantations, this main city was once just a small port town. Located at the junction of the Puerto Viejo River (Rio Puerto Viejo) and Sarapiqui River (Rio Sarapiqui), this growing area is quickly becoming a main destination for adventure-seeking tourists and nature enthusiasts. And for good reason as this area has soo much to offer.
Explore DestinationPuerto Jimenez
Puerto Jiménez might be the best town from which to access Corcovado National Park. Located on the eastern coast of the Osa Peninsula, on the Dulce Gulf, this small town has plenty of hotels and activities to offer as well as being favorably located. From Puerto Jiménez, you can explore just about everything there is to offer, even take a ferry across the gulf to the colorful city of Golfito. Exploring the history of this small unhurried city may give you the impression of the Wild Wild West.
Explore DestinationTenorio Volcano Area
The Tenorio Volcano area is located in the northern highlands along Guanacaste's eastern border within the Alajuela Province. With many rivers, waterfalls, dense and dry tropical forests, rainforests, and primary cloud forests, the area hosts an abundance of wildlife.
Explore DestinationCahuita
Cahuita is a laid back and vibrant little village in the setting of Costa Rica’s unique Creole culture, brought about by its Afro-Caribbean heritage. Only 27 miles (43 km) south of Puerto Limón, Cahuita is an easy drive down Highway 36 along the Caribbean coast, despite a few potholes here and there. It is assuredly a must-see destination for visitors already in the Limón Province. This village is a hit amongst the young and free-spirited, or those simply seeking the easy life for a few days.
Explore DestinationSan Gerardo de Dota
A haven for birdwatchers and hikers awaits visitors around the town of San Gerardo de Dota, huddled up against the roaring Talamanca Mountain Range. Nestled in the Savegre River Valley, tourism hasn't quite hit this quaint settlement which provides quick access to the recently named Los Quetzales National Park.
Explore DestinationPlaya Danta (Las Catalinas)
Playa Danta is a black-sand beach on the Guanacaste coast, located about 45 minutes north of Tamarindo and 15 minutes north of Playa Flamingo. It’s on the Catalinas Bay, which has calm water that makes it an excellent spot for swimming and Stand-Up Paddleboarding.
Explore DestinationCabo Matapalo
Situated on the tip of the Osa Peninsula in southern Costa Rica, the small town of Cabo Matapalo provides visitors with backdoor access into some of the country's most beautiful and least visited places: Corcovado National Park, Golfo Dulce, and Isla del Cano
Explore DestinationManzanillo
The mellow village of Manzanillo is set along the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica. It’s located within the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife and Marine Refuge and is known for its pristine white sand beaches.
Explore DestinationBoca Tapada
Boca Tapada Costa Rica is located in the northern lowlands nearby the mouth of the San Carlos River. This off-the-beaten-path part of Costa Rica is home to hundreds of pineapple and sugar cane plantations as well as a rich biodiversity of plants and animals.
Explore DestinationCarate
Carate is situated along Costa Rica's southern Pacific coast in the wonderfully isolated Osa Peninsula. Lying about 31 miles (50 km) south of Drake Bay, right next to the lush Corcovado National Park, Carate is off the grid for most tourists, and as such is one of the country's most pristine natural areas.
Explore DestinationPacuare
People visit Pacuare to see a remote area of Costa Rica’s rainforest. This tropical coast has hot and humid weather, and teems with diversity in the forest and just off the coast. Pacuare’s beach serves as an important nesting site for several varieties of sea turtle.
Explore DestinationPaquera
Paquera is one of the quaint towns on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. There is a ferry between Puntarenas and Paquera.
Explore DestinationPlaya Lagarto
Playa Lagarto is on the Pacific Coast, an hour north of Nosara and an hour south of Tamarindo. This is a remote area with fewer crowds and good surf.
Explore DestinationBarra del Colorado
Barra del Colorado is located in the north eastern corner of Costa Rica. This remote region is only accessible by plane or boat and is surrounded by the 400,000 acre Barra del Colorado nature Reserve. The region is a combination of rivers, canals, mangroves and rainforest that teems with wildlife. One of the biggest draws to the area is the giant Tarpon fish that lurk in the waters around Barra del Colorado.
Explore DestinationLagarto
Lagarto is a small town on the coast of the Gulf of Morales, on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Go here for nature and wildlife tours, especially bird watching. It's also a good spot for surfing and getting off the beaten path.
Explore DestinationManzanillo Beach
Due north of the surfer's paradise, Santa Teresa, is the rural beach hamlet of Manzanillo, a late comer to tourism that is just now coming into its own. While tourism services are few, this tiny village overlooks a stunning white-sand beach that makes its way to the blue green waters of the Pacific.
Explore DestinationPlaya Palo Seco
This is the beach on the central coast, located about a 45-minute drive west of Quepos and about a 3-hour drive from San José.
Explore DestinationCulebra Bay
The large arc-shaped Culebra Bay (Bahia Culebra) epitomizes the world-class beaches of northwestern Guanacaste. In the back drop of these pristine aquamarine waters is the majestic Rincon de la Vieja Volcano, just beyond the scrub covered highlands that rises from the warm Pacific.
Explore DestinationPlaya Zancudo
A long stretch of black sand backed by coconut palms and almond trees forms the idyllic setting for Playa Zancudo. Located along the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica in the Golfo Dulce, Playa Zancudo is a beautiful and untouched area that sees significantly fewer tourists than other parts of the country. The atmosphere here is laid-back, and a variety of activities ensures that visitors will be occupied as much (or as little) as they'd like to be.
Explore DestinationGuapiles
Located in the heart of Costa Rica's banana growing region, Guapiles is the nations gateway between the central highlands and the Caribbean coast. It is the first town of any significance along Highway 32 (the Guapiles highway) when coming from San Jose in route to Puerto Limon.
Explore DestinationBahia Salinas
Bahia Salinas is located in the far northwestern corner of the Guanacaste Province, near the border with Nicaragua. It is a remote and often windswept destination with scenic bay views and charming, untouched beaches. It is a relaxing place to experience rural Costa Rica and nature, and it can be a thrilling location for world-class wind surfing and kite boarding.
Explore DestinationCerros de Turrubares
Cerros de Turrubares, which means Turrubares Hills in Spanish, is a rural area in Costa Rica’s Central Pacific region. Cerros de Turrubares is definitely off-the-beaten-path, but it provides easy access to the Carara National Park and the central Pacific coastline.
Explore DestinationNaranjo
The town of Naranjo, settled in 1830, was originally known as “Los Naranjos” (the Orange Groves) due to the abundance of orange trees in the surrounding area. Although the name has been shortened and the amount of orange trees lessened, this city of 35,000 has remained an important agricultural hub for Costa Rica.
Explore DestinationPalo Verde
Palo Verde National Park consists of a tropical dry forest, covering 45,492 acres (18,417 ha). To the west of the park, the Río Tempisque flows with salt water from the Gulf of Nicoya. Depending on the season, the environmental conditions in this park vary greatly. In the wet season (May to November) the Río Tempisque rises, filling up the park’s swampland. From January to March you won’t get much rain, but the forest will be lush and full of visiting birds. If you visit during the wet season, the hiking trails will be either soggy or underwater.
Explore DestinationLa Paz Waterfall Gardens
The splendid gardens of La Paz are located on the slopes of the Poas volcano, just an hour from San Jose, in the central highlands. This area is rich in bio diversity thanks to an altitude of that varies between 4,000 and 5,000 feet, allowing for both cloud forest and rain forest to co-exist. Be prepared for a truly magical experience. Here, visitors will find the largest butterfly observatory in the world, hummingbird and bromeliad gardens, a serpentarium, frog pond, and 5 striking waterfalls.
Explore DestinationPlaya Bejuco
Playa Bejuco is only about 35km north of Manuel Antonio and about 30 km south from Jaco but the atmosphere could not be more distant from the more popular destinations. The beach is pristine and clean with a Blue Flag rating, is a popular nesting area for birds and even has some pretty good surf from time to time.
Explore DestinationCaño Blanco
The town of Caño Blanco offers visitor services near national parks on Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast. Parasmina River runs through the town, bringing visitors to the area by boat. This river has a busy dock where boaters drop anchor so they can visit the local hotels, shops, bars, and restaurants.
Explore DestinationLimon
Puerto Limón, or simply Limón, is the heart and soul of the Caribbean coastal province of Limón. This is the region's largest city, with a population of approximately 85,000, including the surrounding districts. The inhabitants are mostly comprised of Afro-Caribbean ancestry, giving the city a completely unique appeal in a country that is over 90 percent mestizo. Although not considered a very touristy city, Puerto Limón is not without its charm.
Explore DestinationSanta Clara de San Carlos
Santa Clara de San Carlos is near some of the premier places to see the Costa Rican rainforest. It is right between Arenal Volcano National Park and Juan Castro Blanco National Park, approximately an hour’s drive away from both.
Explore DestinationOrosi
Orosi is a village in the midst of Costa Rica’s coffee-growing region. Visitors come here to see where this country's rich-tasting coffee plants grow.
Explore DestinationGarza
Garza is a quiet beachside town on the coast of the Nicoya Peninsula, right next to the Pacific Ocean. At the local beach, palm trees and white sand border a bright blue ocean. Under the right conditions surfers can catch chest-high waves in Garza Bay, although the waves are usually fairly gentle. Large cliffs frame both ends of the beach.
Explore DestinationPlaya Ostional
Ever since the 1960s, Playa Ostional has been a major nesting site for Ridley sea turtles, and leatherback turtles frequent this beach in smaller numbers. This beach is an essential part of sea turtle conservation in Costa Rica.
Explore DestinationTres Rios de Cartago
Tres Ríos de Cartago is a small town in central Costa Rica. It is located in Costa Rica’s Valle Central (Central Valley), just 7.5 miles (12 km) from the capital city of San José.
Explore DestinationSarchí
The small and quaint town of Sarchí is famed throughout Costa Rica for its brightly colored, intricately constructed handicrafts. At only an hour’s drive from San José, a visit to Sarchí is the perfect daytime diversion while traveling through the beautiful Central Valley.
Explore DestinationPlaya Blanca Costa Rica
Playa Blanca (or “White Beach” in English) sits on the coast of the isolated Osa Peninsula, on a body of water called the Golfo Dulce. This environment is hot, humid, and tropical. Rain falls here frequently, and it is one of the top 25 most bio-diverse locations in the world.
Explore DestinationSixaola
Sixaola lies on the Caribbean Coast in the largest banana producing region of the country, the Province of Limon. This wild and beautiful region is a complete Caribbean Paradise of breathtaking beaches mixed with incredible rainforest that kisses to the coastline. This part of the country is distinct and unique because of its blend of Latin, Afro-Caribbean and Bribri indigenous cultures.
Explore DestinationGolfo de Santa Elena
Situated within the northwestern reaches of the Guanacaste region, the Golfo de Santa Elena provides visitors with sun-dappled beaches, thriving forests, and a bountiful Pacific Ocean. The small fishing village of Cuajiniquil is the largest population center nearby, meaning that a trip here is sure to be both tranquil and secluded.
Explore Destination
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Your insider team designs the trip around what you care about, then supports you in-country with private logistics, vetted partners, and concierge help when plans change.
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