Costa Rica squeezes rainforest, cloud forest, volcanoes and two coastlines into a country the size of Wales — and does it with more national parks per square mile than anywhere on earth.
Where to stay
A classic 10-day loop: 2 nights La Fortuna (Arenal), 2 nights Monteverde, 3 nights Pacific coast (Manuel Antonio or Nosara), then back via San José.
How to get there
Direct from London Gatwick to San José (SJO) on British Airways in 11h, or one-stop via Madrid or the US year-round.
Don't miss
A dawn zipline through the Monteverde canopy. Sloths at Manuel Antonio. A hot-spring soak below Arenal after a long hike.
Highlights
- Arenal Volcano
- Monteverde cloud forest
- Manuel Antonio
- Nicoya Peninsula surf
What to pack for Costa Rica
Tried-and-tested kit. Links go to Amazon UK.
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