Five Alternative Destinations To Visit
It's well known that Costa Rica is a popular tourist destination. In fact, its popularity continues to increase overall, as more travelers learn about the Land of Pura Vida.
But here's the thing. Most tourists to Costa Rica visit a few select areas, which end up being busier than anywhere else. Now there's nothing wrong with any of these areas at all—their natural physical beauty, range of activities, and accommodation options make them true bucket list destinations for anyone planning a Costa Rican vacation. We thoroughly recommend the popular area because they're popular for many good reasons.
But sometimes we want to get off the beaten path, right? Sometimes we want to avoid as many other tourists as we can and visit lesser-known places. In this article, we look at some Costa Rica travel alternatives to the most popular tourist spots in the country.
Popular Spot #1 - Arenal Volcano/La Fortuna
Home to the iconic Arenal Volcano, this region offers stunning views, thrilling adventures like zip lining and white water rafting, and relaxing soaks in natural hot springs. It's usually the number one location on most Costa Rica vacation itineraries and is home to some of the best hotels in the country.
Alternative to Arenal: Rincón de la Vieja
Located in Guanacaste, Rincón de la Vieja National Park offers volcanic activity, diverse ecosystems, and adrenaline activities for nature lovers and adventure seekers. Visitors here can experience various volcanic phenomena like steam-spewing fumaroles, bubbling mud pots, and craters. The park's landscapes include both dry tropical forests and cloud forests, with hiking trails and hidden waterfalls to explore. Adventure activities include horseback riding, zip lining, and relaxing in natural hot springs. For travelers arriving in and out of Guanacaste International Airport in nearby Liberia, Rincón de la Vieja offers a convenient alternative to Arenal.
Where to Stay in Rincón de la Vieja:
Popular Spot #2 - Manuel Antonio
Alongside Arenal and the beaches of Guanacaste, Manuel Antonio on the Central Pacific coast is one of Costa Rica's most touristy areas. Manuel Antonio National Park itself is both the smallest and most visited National Park in the country. There's more to see and do here than most other parts of Costa Rica—plenty of activities, beaches, and nature all over the place. In short, Manuel Antonio finds itself on many vacation itineraries, and that's all to the good.
Alternative to Manuel Antonio: Dominical & Uvita
Located around an hour or so south of Manuel Antonio, where the Central Pacific zone becomes the Southern Pacific zone, are the communities of Dominical and Uvita. Now, while these areas are getting more and more popular in their own right, compared to Manuel Antonio, they're still way more off-the-beaten-path.
Travelers choosing to head south of Manuel Antonio and stay down here will find untamed Pacific beaches and far fewer tourists. Dominical, known for its laid-back surfer vibe and consistent waves, attracts adventure seekers with its surf camps, local restaurants, and beachfront accommodations. Uvita is home to the Marino Ballena National Park, a renowned spot for whale watching. Lush rainforests surrounding both towns provide opportunities for hiking, nature exploration, and wildlife spotting.
Easily accessible by car from the capital city of San José, Dominical and Uvita offer a range of accommodation options, from budget-friendly hostels to luxurious boutique hotels, villas, and eco-lodges.
Where to Stay in Dominical/Uvita:
Alternative to Manuel Antonio: Esterillos
Esterillos is another alternative to Manuel Antonio on the Central Pacific coast. Located north of Manuel Antonio, on the way to Jacó, Esterillos is four vast beaches connected by estuaries (hence the name) and the tiny communities of Esterillos Oeste, Esterillos Centro, Esterillos Este, and Bejuco. Most travelers drive straight past these beaches on the way to Manuel Antonio, but anyone seeking something super quiet and laid back—especially if they're into surfing—should consider Esterillos as a place to check out.
Where to Stay in Esterillos:
Popular Spot #3 - Monteverde
There's no doubt that Monteverde is one of our most popular and famous tourist destinations. This cloud forest area high up on the Continental Divide is where the concept of eco-tourism began in Costa Rica. Hikers, birdwatchers, and nature lovers flock here to experience the biodiversity this area has to offer, from quetzals to orchids. The cool highland climate is refreshing and the cloud forest trails are enticing. Oh—and this is also the original home of Costa Rica zip lining!
Alternative to Monteverde: San Gerardo de Dota
High up in the Talamanca Mountains of Southern Costa Rica, San Gerardo de Dota is a haven for nature enthusiasts and birdwatchers alike. Located at 2,200 meters above sea level, the area offers stunning scenery and diverse wildlife. Explore cloud forests along well-maintained trails, spotting over 300 bird species , including the quetzal. Outdoor activities here include white water rafting, trout fishing, and horseback riding. Like Monteverde, the climate here is cooler, so be prepared for that. Travelers basing their vacation in the south of Costa Rica will find San Gerardo de Dota a convenient place to explore and experience the highland cloud forests of Costa Rica.
Where to Stay in San Gerardo de Dota:
Alternative to Monteverde: Volcán Poás
For those seeking another cloud forest alternative to Monteverde but, say, don't have the time to get too far out of San José and the Central Valley, then the area around the Poás Volcano is also good. Here, you'll find waterfalls, cloud forest trails, and that fresh cool climate that feel so beautiful.
Where to Stay in the Poás Volcano Area:
Alternative to Monteverde: Bajos del Toro
There’s another spot for cloud forest enthusiasts to check out, also close to the Central Valley, on the other side of the aforementioned Volcán Poás. Bajos del Toro is a vast area of highland cloud forests crisscrossed by waterfalls, many undiscovered to most tourists, who simply don’t come here. If you want some pristine hiking and exploration to yourself in the cloud forests, then Bajos del Toro might well be worth getting to.
Where to Stay in Bajos del Toro:
Popular Spot #4 - Corcovado National Park
Corcovado National Park is located on the Osa Peninsula in southwestern Costa Rica. It's Costa Rica's largest national park and encompasses a diverse range of ecosystems, including lowland tropical rainforest, mangrove swamps, and coastal marine habitats. The park is home to an array of wildlife including jaguars, tapirs, scarlet macaws, monkeys, and more. Corcovado's remote location contributes to its status as one of the most biologically intense places on Earth, attracting nature enthusiasts and researchers alike, who stay at eco-lodges around the park, in Drake Bay to the north and Puerto Jiménez to the south.
Alternative to Corcovado: Piedras Blancas National Park
It might sound a little churlish to come up with lesser-visited alternatives to Corcovado, given how remote and off-the-beaten-track this part of Costa Rica is in the first place. But travelers really seeking a lesser-known alternative can't go wrong with Piedras Blancas National Park.
This is a 14,000 hectare stretch of rainforest across from the Osa Peninsula, on the mainland, where it sits on the shores of the Golfo Dulce. Similar to Corcovado National Park, Piedras Blancas is renowned for its rich biodiversity and range of wildlife. The park offers visitors opportunities for hiking, birdwatching, and wildlife observation, with several well-maintained trails to explore. The calm waters of the Golfo Dulce are also great for snorkeling, kayaking, and whale/dolphin watching.
Think of Piedras Blancas National Park as Corcovado's lesser-known twin—they're both in the same part of Costa Rica (one on the Osa Peninsula, one on the mainland) and have pretty much the same range of biodiversity. But Piedras Blancas receives far fewer visitors.
Where to Stay in Piedras Blancas:
Popular Spot #5 - Guanacaste Beaches
The beaches of Guanacaste are easily some of the most visited tourist spots in Costa Rica. With year-round hot, sunny weather and easy access to the Guanacaste International Airport, it's easy to understand why. We're not talking about one specific location here, more a range of beach communities and surf towns that have grown more popular than ever in recent years. This is the part of Costa Rica where you'll find most of the luxurious beach resorts and all-inclusive hotels. And there are many places to go to find them! Tamarindo, Flamingo, Playas del Coco, Playa Hermosa, Playa Conchal, and other locations all offer a perfect beach experience for both local and foreign tourists. We love these places ourselves and will always recommend them a lot for the right type of client who’ll like the ambiance in these locations.
Alternative to Guanacaste Beaches: Nicoya Peninsula
Anyone seeking something a little less touristy might want to continue south from Guanacaste into the Nicoya Peninsula. As you get deeper into the Nicoya Peninsula you find hot sunny weather and beach vibes but with fewer crowds than in Guanacaste. Look at Nosara, Samara, and all the way down to Santa Teresa and Montezuma if you want an off-the-beaten-path experience surrounded by good vibes and stunning landscapes.
It's also worth pointing out that most of the Nicoya Peninsula is geographically also part of Guanacaste, if you look at a map. However, the distances between the northern Guanacaste area and the peninsula are large enough to make a distinction, and you can certainly feel it in the way the towns and beaches change their atmosphere. You leave behind the resorts expected in Guanacaste and find more boutique options for a true taste of this area. So, for the sake of clarity, we're counting anything north of Tamarindo as Guanacaste, and Nicoya Peninsula as anything south of it.
Where to Stay on the Nicoya Peninsula:
Some Other Alternatives to Consider in Costa Rica
The five locations listed above are among the most well-known places in Costa Rica. And don’t get us wrong—they’re all amazing places to visit. But it’s also good to keep your options open, explore similar options, and discover amazing places you might not have heard of. Other alternatives include considering Cahuita over Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast or—if you’re looking for something more urban in the Central Valley—the cities of Alajuela, Heredia, or Cartago instead of San José.
Whatever you’re looking for in Costa Rica, the mainstay options are very rarely the only options. Speak to our expert Travel Consultants about your Costa Rican vacation plans and they’ll be happy to help and discuss destinations that work out perfectly for you.
