Costa Rica 3-week Itinerary: The Ultimate Travel Guide
PURA VIDA – Welcome to Costa Rica. The country is filled with infinite green landscapes, deep jungles, vibrant coastal villages and a laid-back culture, that will inspire you almost immediately after your arrival. Costa Rica is not only known for the pura vida lifestlye, but also for its diverse adventures for anyone travelling the country in Central America. While you can enjoy the surfer lifestyle on the picturesque beaches on one day, you can hop off to an unforgettable adventure in the green jungle the next day. This 3-week Itinerary takes you through the beautiful Costa Rica.
3 weeks in Costa Rica is the ideal amount of time to see all the highlights of the country. 3 weeks will allow you to avoid rushing through the itinerary and spend some more days in places you enjoy the most.
Arrival / DAY 1
There are two international airports in Costa Rica. The main airport is in San José, the capital of the country. The second airport is located in Liberia and much smaller. If your flight route allows it and offers reasonable prices, book a flight to Liberia. This allows you to start your route through the country immediately. If you decide to fly into San José, you can still follow the same itinerary as suggested below. Alternatively, another option is presented at the end of this guide.
Both Liberia and San José offer the option to stay for a day. Personally, I recommend to skip both cities and head to your first stopp on the route. But if you want to dive into the Costa Rica city life, one night should be enough.
Option 1: DAY 2 / ROAD TO TAMARINDO
From Liberia, you can book a shuttle directly from the airport or the city center to Tamarindo. The small surfer village is located on the Northwest Coast of Costa Rica. It takes about 1,5 hours to get there. Both private and shared shuttles are available. Make sure to book them in advance, especially if you arrive late in the evening.
Tamarindo itself is not a 100% recommendation in Costa Rica. As it is still popular, it is an optional stopp on this 3-week itinerary. Tamarindo is vibrant and full of tourists. However, it will allow you to get settled in the country. You can easily organize your sim card and plan your next few days. The farmers market is a great place to stroll and in the evening, you can watch the sunset at the main beach. One full day in Tamarindo is enough, as there are more beautiful places awaiting on your itinerary through Costa Rica.
From Tamarindo, you can book a shuttle to Santa Teresa via your hostel/hotel or on bookaway.com. The price is usually around 50 USD.
Option 2: DAY 2 / ROAD TO SANTA TERESA
By beautiful places, this is what I mean. Santa Teresa is one of those places you travel to and do not want to leave. It is located right at the top of the Nicoya Peninsula and known as the place to be for surfers, yogis and any traveller who wants to fall in love with Costa Rica.
DAY 3-6 / SANTA TERESA
During your time in Santa Teresa, there are a few things you cannot miss out on. Make sure to take some surf lessons. Especially the Playa Hermosa is well-known to be a great beach for beginners to get used to the waves. You can book your surf lessons directly with your hostel or look out for good offers along the main road.
A day trip to Montezuma is also among the best things to do in Santa Teresa. The most fun way to do this is to rent an ATV, which is basically the main means of transport in the area. You can rent them for 24 hours and drive along the beautiful coast until you reach the small village of Montezuma. Hike to the waterfalls or simply enjoy the laid-back atmosphere on the beaches.
Rule No. 1 in Santa Teresa: Never miss out on a sunset. During the sunset, everyone gathers at the beach and heads to the bars and restaurants afterwards.
DAY 7 / ROAD TO MONTEVERDE
After the surfer and beach life in Santa Teresa, it is time to get to know a different side of Costa Rica. Book yourself a transportation to Monteverde. This journey on your Costa Rica itinerary does not only include quite a long trip in a mini van, but as well a boat ride over the Gulf of Nicoya. Make sure to bring enough to drink and eat, as this will take you almost the whole day.
But at the same time, it includes a scenic route through the country. Not only the boat trip over the gulf is beautiful, but the road up the hills of Monteverde will give you a first impression of what awaits you.
DAY 7-8 / MONTEVERDE
Two full days in Monteverde are the ideal length of your visit. Actually, you could spend a whole week in the mountain village without getting bored, but you will quickly notice that the activities are anything but cheap. Monteverde combines adventures in nature with adrenaline and offers a huge variety of things to do. It is best to get an overview of the offers on the day of your arrival and already book your experiences. Depending on the time of the year you visit, they tend to sell out quite quickly.
A must-do is the zipline over the jungle of Costa Rica and the hike to the El Tigre Waterfall. You can also choose between the Hanging Bridges Hike, the Cloud Forest and the Butterfly Garden. Monteverde itself is a cute little town with some coffee places and restaurants inviting you to process the adventures of your day over a nice meal.
DAY 9 / ROAD TO LA FORTUNA
The journey from Monteverde to La Fortuna is a short one compared to the other travels on your itinerary. Again, you can book your transport online or directly in Monteverde. A minivan will bring you to the nearby Lake Arenal which you will cross by boat and then continue the last few kilometers to La Fortuna. Depending on where you stay in La Fortuna, you can still head out for an adventure on your travel day.
DAY 10 / LA FORTUNA
One day and a half (which is the rest of the day you arrive) is great to explore the area of La Fortuna. The main attraction is the volcano, which offers spectacular views. You can hike to a fantastic viewpoint in the Parque Ecologico Volcan Arenal (entry fee is 15-20 USD) and enjoy not only the view of the volcano but also a jungle experience. The trail leads through the green forest up the hill and rewards you with a viewpoint.
Afterwards you can visit the free hot springs, join a night walk to spot some wild life or hop into the cold water of El Salto.
La Fortuna itself offers not much to see. There are some shops and bars spread along the main road. You can go out for a nice dinner, but do not expect a lovely town to spend more than an evening.
DAY 11 / ROAD TO MANUEL ANTONIO
Day 11 of your Costa Rica journey will involve quite some time in the bus. You will leave La Fortuna quite early and arrive in Manuel Antonio in the late afternoon. Make sure to always plan some extra time and do not make any plans according to the bus schedule. They might arrive upon two hours later at the destination than expected.
DAY 12-13 / MANUEL ANTONIO
Manuel Antonio is known as the best national park in the country. If this place is on your list and you plan to visit the national park, make sure to make a reservation in advance. There is only a certain amount of visitors allowed each day and the slots tend to sell out quite quickly. If you don´t get the chance to visit, no need to panic. Costa Rica is full of national parks and places, such as Puerto Viejo are equally beautiful. In fact, some travellers describe the Manuel Antonio Park as too crowded to spot wildlife.
Nevertheless, you might want to check it out. Otherwise, there is a nice beach near the center of the town. With a bit of luck, the monkeys will visit the beach and you get a wildlife experience for free.
One day in Manuel Antonio is enough. It will allow you to visit the national park and relax at the beach. The next stop, Uvita has more things to do and you can continue your trip the next day.
DAY 14 / ROAD TO UVITA
From Manuel Antonio to Uvita is not too far and probably the shortest trip of your 3-week Itinerary. The cheapest way is to take the public bus. This is fairly easy and recommended by most hostels. It takes about two hours, depending on how many passengers are on board. If you leave around midday from Manuel Antion, you will the rest of the day to explore Uvita.
DAY 15-16 / UVITA
Including the day you arrive, two and a half days are ideal for your time in Uvita. The small village offers quite a lot to do and also has a nice vibe to hang out for a bit. Especially after La Fortuna and Manuel Antonio, this is a nice contrast. A small place with a lot of charm which invites you to stay and take it all in.
Uvita is mostly known for the sand passage, which has the shape of a whale´s tail at low tide. It is called Marino Ballena and part of the Uvita National Park. Be aware, that the whole beach around the town is part of the park and costs around 6 USD entry fee. However, if you arrive in the evening during just to watch the sunset, they might let you in for free.
Make sure to visit the National Park during the low tide to walk along the sand passage. Another must-do are the Nauyaca Waterfalls. You can take the public bus to the start of the trail or book a private taxi.
From mid-December to the end of April, and mid-July to mid-November you have pretty good chances of seeing whales in Uvita. There are multiple tours which you can book directly in Uvita.
DAY 17 / ROAD TO PUERTO VIEJO
To make it to Puerto Viejo from Uvita, you basically have to cross the whole country. As there is no direct route, the journey leads you to San José and afterwards to the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. The cheapest version for this part of your Costa Rica itinerary is to take the public bus from Uvita to San José and then change either to another public bus or to a shuttle to Puerto Viejo. This will take a whole day, therefore be prepared for a looong travel day.
DAY 18-20 / PUERTO VIEJO
Puerto Viejo is a paradise in the Caribbean. Upon arrival, you might ask yourself if you are actually still in Costa Rica or changed to another country. It is totally different from the places you´ve visited so far.
Two full days are ideal to visit Puerto Viejo. However, if you have more time left, this is a great place to stay for a while. The small village has a special character and offers many different activities. You can chill at the beach, visit the black beach just outside of the town or plan a day trip to the Cahuita National Park. This is among the best national parks in Costa Rica and the hike along the 8km trail is beautiful.
Puerto Viejo also offers a vibrant night life, different shops and restaurants. Fancy cafés invite you for a delicious breakfast and you can rent a bike to explore the area.
DAY 21 / ROAD TO PANAMA OR THE AIRPORT
After Puerto Viejo, your 3-week itinerary through the beautiful Costa Rica has come to an end. Most travellers continue their journey to Panama, as the border is only an hour away from Puerto Viejo. Alternatively, you can return to San José.
Click here to check out your ideal itinerary for 3 unforgettable weeks in Panama.
Alternative Route:
If you are flying into San José and this route does not fit your plans, this is another option:
San José –> Puerto Viejo –> Monteverde –> La Fortuna –> Santa Teresa –> Manuel Antonio –> Uvita –> back to San José
