Arenal & Monteverde, Costa RicaBy ArrivLast checked
Plan a trip to Costa Rica
A volcano, a cloud forest, and a coast, usually in that order, though you should pick two. Driving times run long on mountain roads, and two bases beat four every time because the trip improves the moment you stop packing every second morning.
- Adventure trips
- Couples
- Wildlife
- Honeymoons
Free to run, and you keep editing after. Add who's coming or a pace like “slow mornings” to shape the result.
Costa Rica at a glance
You want Costa Rica in 6 to 10 days, which is enough time to start with Arenal Volcano National Park and let the rest fall in around it. Pick between La Fortuna, Santa Elena / Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio for a base, and read the month notes before you book a flight. The three remaining stops fit in where they land. It all goes onto one map you can send to whoever is coming.
- How long
- 6–10 days
- When to go
- December to April is the dry season and the busiest, though you should pack a rain shell anyway. May and November are shoulder months with lower prices and rain that shows up in the afternoon and clears. September and October are the wettest on the Caribbean side, though they often stay fine on the Pacific.
- Getting around
- Rent a 4x4 for the mountain roads, or use the shared shuttles between towns, which are cheap and take the stress out of the driving. Domestic flights save a day if you can afford them.
What to build the plan around
- 1
Arenal Volcano National Park
Lava trails with the cone overhead when the clouds cooperate, which they are most likely to do in the morning.
- 2
Tabacón hot springs
A thermal river fed by the volcano, and the standard reward after a hiking day, so go once it is dark.
- 3
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
Hanging bridges and canopy walks in permanent mist. A guided dawn walk finds far more wildlife than you will on your own, because the guide is the difference between a bird list and a blurry branch.
- 4
Lake Arenal crossing
The jeep-boat-jeep transfer between Arenal and Monteverde takes three hours and replaces a five-hour drive, so book it.
Where to stay in Costa Rica
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- La Fortuna
- The base for Arenal, with a walkable town center and most of the tour operators, and booking is easy once you arrive. Browse stays in La Fortuna
- Santa Elena / Monteverde
- The base for the cloud forest, cool in the evenings, and small enough to cross on foot before you finish a coffee. Browse stays in Santa Elena / Monteverde
- Manuel Antonio
- A Pacific coast add-on three hours south, which is where the beach and the monkeys happen. Browse stays in Manuel Antonio
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More itineraries to copy
Each one opens as a map with every stop already placed.
Costa Rica planning questions
- How many days do you need in Costa Rica?
- Plan on 6 to 10 days, though how you split them matters more than the total. Six days handles Arenal and Monteverde properly, once you account for the transfer between them. Ten lets you add a stretch of coast without spending every other day in a van on a mountain road.
- What is the best time to visit Costa Rica?
- December to April is the dry season and the busiest, though you should pack a rain shell anyway. May and November are shoulder months with lower prices and rain that shows up in the afternoon and clears. September and October are the wettest on the Caribbean side, though they often stay fine on the Pacific.
- Where should I stay in Costa Rica?
- Depends what you want to be able to reach on foot. La Fortuna: The base for Arenal, with a walkable town center and most of the tour operators, and booking is easy once you arrive. Santa Elena / Monteverde: The base for the cloud forest, cool in the evenings, and small enough to cross on foot before you finish a coffee. Manuel Antonio: A Pacific coast add-on three hours south, which is where the beach and the monkeys happen. Nightly rate and walking distance pull against each other in all three, so you have to pick the version of that trade you mind least.
- How do you get around Costa Rica?
- Rent a 4x4 for the mountain roads, or use the shared shuttles between towns, which are cheap and take the stress out of the driving. Domestic flights save a day if you can afford them.
- What should I see first in Costa Rica?
- Start with Arenal Volcano National Park, Tabacón hot springs, Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Schedule the first of those before anything else, because it is the one that suffers most from a late start. Lava trails with the cone overhead when the clouds cooperate, which they are most likely to do in the morning.
- Is there a free Costa Rica itinerary I can copy?
- Yes, and you can read it without an account. The Costa Rica itinerary on Arriv puts every stop on a map in a suggested order. Duplicate it and you get an editable copy for your own dates and your own group, so you can cut whatever you would skip.