Costa Rica Travel Guide

Plan your unforgettable adventure to Costa Rica with our collection of travel guide resources. Here you'll find loads of useful information on the top attractions from biologically diverse national parks to volcanoes and beaches, plus an overview of when to go for the best weather conditions. There's also a section dedicated to visas so you won't be caught out and you can also learn more about the style of travel of our group tours in Costa Rica and the rest of Central America with details on transport and accommodation.

Arenal-Volcano-Costa-Rica

Best Places to Visit

Places on our must-see list for any visit to Costa Rica with national parks and beaches

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Best Time to Visit

Plan your visit with the best beach weather or with the rains for lush landscapes

Currency

Top Travel Tips

Perfect for those wanting to know about the currency, food, voltage, duty free and more

Costa Rica's Best Beaches menu tab image

Costa Rica's Best Beaches

Our choice of top beaches in Costa Rica, when best to visit and recommended hotels

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Costa Rica Wildlife Guide

A guide to the country's favourite species & where to find them from big cats to birds

Plan your trip to similar destinations!

Get to know Costa Rica

Recommended Reading

  • The Ticos: Culture and Social Change
    by Richard Biesanz
  • Mamita Yunai
    by Carlos Luis Fallas
  • Tropical Nature
    by Adrian Forsyth
Did you know...?

Facts about Costa Rica

  • Costa Rica is host to more than 5% of the world's biodiversity with 20,000 different kinds of spider alone!
  • The country claims a 96% literacy rate with classes taught over national radio for poorer communities.
  • Costa Ricans have at least a dozen terms for rain - from drizzly pelo de gato (cat hair) to a baldazo or aguacero (downpour).

Costa Rica Travel Advice for New Zealand Travellers

The safety of our travellers is paramount and we keep informed of current travel guidance on Costa Rica. We recommend that you check the latest travel updates from Safe Travel New Zealand when planning your trip.

Flying to Costa Rica from New Zealand:

The flight time between New Zealand and Costa Rica can vary from 27-32 hours depending on which city you depart from and which day of the week you fly. The vast majority of airlines require two transit stops en route to San Jose, the capital city of Costa Rica and primary transport hub. One stop is usually in Australia and the second in America. From Auckland one of the quickest options is with Qantas via Sydney and Los Angeles.

Useful Online Resources:

The official Costa Rica Tourist Organisation site and the latest Costa Rica Weather Updates from the BBC.