Romantic
Made for two
The best version of romance in Costa Rica is the accidental kind — a guesthouse with a view neither of you planned for, a thermal pool at dusk that you find by following a footpath, a beach where the only sound is waves. These places don't manufacture atmosphere. They have it already.
When to visit
The dry season (December through April) is the classic time — reliable weather, spectacular sunsets, Pacific beaches at their best. A cloud forest in green season has its own kind of intimacy.
More places worth lingering
🌊 Waterfalls
Catarata La Fortuna
A dramatic 70-metre waterfall, tropical rainforest, wildlife, and swimming
La Fortuna
🌊 Waterfalls
Cataratas Llanos de Cortez
The most accessible major waterfall in Costa Rica — and the most generous
Bagaces
🌊 Waterfalls
Cataratas Nauyaca
Two-tier 45-metre falls, three hours deep in the jungle south of Dominical
Dominical
🌊 Waterfalls
La Paz Waterfall Gardens
One of Costa Rica’s most famous eco-attractions, located in the cloud forest between Poás Volcano and Sarapiquí
Heredia Province
🚗 Scenic Drives
Valle del Río Orosi
A 37-kilometre valley loop through coffee terraces, colonial churches, and four ecosystems
Orosi
🏊 Swimming
Playa Hermosa (Jaco)
One of the most famous surf beaches and beautiful stretches of coastline on the Central Pacific
Jacó
🏊 Swimming
Nacientes Palmichal
Crystal springs and natural swimming pools
Acosta
☕ Scenic Cafés
Café Finca Los Sueños
Espresso on a working coffee farm with valley views
Naranjo
🌅 Sunset Spots
Playa Santa Teresa
Bohemian surf village with the finest sunsets on the Nicoya Peninsula
Cobano
👨👩👧 Family Friendly
Termales del Bosque
Thermal pools in old-growth forest, best after the sun goes down
Ciudad Quesada
🔭 Viewpoints
Parque Eólico Valle Central
A ridge of spinning turbines above San José where the city finally makes sense at your feet
Santa Ana
🦜 Wildlife
Uvita
The whale-tail sandbar at low tide — humpback nursery from August to October
Uvita
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