Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica
The Caribbean coast moves at a different pace. Reggaeton instead of mariachi. Chocolate instead of coffee. Calm lagoons instead of surf breaks. Wildlife so dense it seems designed to be seen.
💎 Hidden Gems
Punta Uva
At the quiet end of the Caribbean road — the beach the bus doesn't reach
Puerto Viejo
🏊 Swimming
Parque Nacional Cahuita
One of Costa Rica’s most beautiful Caribbean national parks
Cahuita
🦜 Wildlife
Canales de Tortuguero
Boat through rainforest canals watching caimans, sloths, and river otters
Tortuguero
🦜 Wildlife
Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Gandoca
Diverse coastal wilderness where lush rainforest, pristine beaches, coral reefs, and mangrove lagoons come together in a spectacular Caribbean setting.
Talamanca
🌊 Waterfalls
Cataratas Bribri
Cascading jungle waterfalls tumble into crystal-clear pools surrounded by the lush rainforest.
Talamanca
🌊 Waterfalls
Catarata Chindama
A true wilderness adventure where a towering waterfall plunges into a secluded jungle canyon deep within Costa Rica’s Caribbean rainforest.
Pococi
🌊 Waterfalls
Catarata Las Golondrinas
A towering waterfall cascades into a crystal-clear pool surrounded by lush tropical rainforest.
Guácimo
🏊 Swimming
Playa Bonita
Known for its scenic rocky shoreline, palm-fringed coast, turquoise Caribbean waters, surf breaks, and tropical coastal landscapes.
Limon
🏊 Swimming
Playa Chiquita
A Caribbean shore where cacao farms meet black sand and almost nobody comes before noon
Talamanca
🦜 Wildlife
Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge
Caribbean coast protected as wildlife refuge — coral reef, sea turtles, cacao groves
Manzanillo
🏊 Swimming
Playa Manzanillo
One of the most beautiful beaches on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast
Manzanillo
🏊 Swimming
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Afro-Caribbean town, the heaviest wave in Costa Rica, chocolate culture, punta on weekends
Puerto Viejo
💎 Hidden Gems
Playa Limón
Long stretches of sand, coconut palms, river mouths, and a distinctly wild Caribbean atmosphere
Matina
🏊 Swimming
Playa Cahuita
One of the most beautiful and culturally rich beaches. It combines white-sand beaches, coral reefs, rainforest wildlife, and Afro-Caribbean culture
Talamanca
🏊 Swimming
Isla del Caño Biological Reserve
The finest reef on the Pacific coast of Central America, twelve kilometres offshore
Drake Bay
🦜 Wildlife
Playa Grande
Leatherback turtles nest here in darkness — the beach is theirs first
Playa Grande
🏊 Swimming
Playa Conchal
A beach made entirely of crushed shells — no sand, only conchitas
Brasilito
💎 Hidden Gems
Playa Escondida
A small hidden beach near Manuel Antonio and Quepos
Quepos
💎 Hidden Gems
Playa Biesanz
One of the calmest and most scenic beach
Quepos
💎 Hidden Gems
Bahía Drake
One of the wildest and most biodiverse destinations
Drake Bay
🏊 Swimming
Playa Jobo
Calm, crystal-clear water, beautiful scenery, and relatively low visitor numbers
La Cruz
🏊 Swimming
Playa Rajada
A hidden paradise where white sand, turquoise waters, and tropical forest create one of Guanacaste’s most beautiful beach escapes.
La Cruz
🏊 Swimming
Playa San Josecito
A hike or boat-access only beach where the jungle ends at the waterline and the snorkelling begins
Osa
🏊 Swimming
Playa Nosara
A long, wild stretch of coastline featuring abundant wildlife, peaceful atmosphere, nature, and some of Guanacaste's most beautiful coastal scenery.
Nicoya