Costa Rica is the most visited Central American country. Partly this is because it is considered one of the safest and most stable countries in the region, but primarily it is due to the extensive range of incredible adventure activities in stunning locations. We're listing our top 3 things to do in Costa Rica to inspire you to visit and explore this wondrous country. Each of these can easily be found using our
Costa Rica GPS Map.
1. Ride the Sky Trek
Sky Trek is one of the most amazing zip line experiences in the world, and possibly the longest. Nine zip line cables take you 3 kilometers in two hours through the jungle, over Arenal Lake, and past Arenal Volcano. You will begin your journey by taking the Sky Tram to the top, so you will have magnificent views of your surroundings on the way up and zip lining down. Extend your trip with two additional options. Sky Walk is a combination of suspension bridges (up to 1,000 feet long) and trails that take you above the cloud forest. Sky River Drift adds 3 zip lines, a free style jump to the river, and a 3.7 kilometer raft descent.
2. Swim the Rio Celeste
Legend has it that after He finished painting the sky, God cleaned off his paintbrush in the Rio Celeste. The color of the water could certainly give that impression. Located in the Tenorio Volcano National Park, the Rio Celeste is off the beaten path for most visitors to Costa Rica. Depending on your hiking speed and weather, the trip from the Park entrance to the Rio Celeste waterfall will take 45-90 minutes of tough hiking, and it's worth every step. Once you arrive at the falls, take a few moments to dip your feet in the water, jump off a nearby rock, or just go for a swim. Once you've cooled off, you can head upstream to find the spot where crystal clear water combines with volcanic minerals to produce the incredible blue waters of the river. Along the way, stop off and visit one of the many hot springs. The hike from this confluence back to the Park entrance is about an hour and a half.
3. Drake Bay Adventures
Drake Bay is a great destination for those travelers seeking a combination of adventure and escape from the more touristy locations. In Drake Bay you can find it all: kayaking, scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, hiking, horseback riding, bird watching, sport fishing, bird-watching, or walks on the beach. Drake Bay is an excellent jumping off point for visits to Punta Río Claro National Wildlife Refuge or the Campanario Biological Reserve. Or you can head over to Cano Island for a variety of activities, including snorkeling, visiting the Caño Island Biological Reserve, examining mysterious pre-Columbian artifacts, or catching a glimpse of Ridley sea turtles laying their eggs.
Whether you follow our suggestions or create your own adventures, Costa Rica is the place to go for great adventure, beautiful scenery, and getting away from it all.
Learn more about Costa Rica, including other Top Destinations, Major Cities, hotels, and restaurants in our
Costa Rica Travel Guide.
Before You Go...
Pick up our
Costa Rica map. This GPS map will give you turn by turn directions to your destination using a point of interest (POI), city point, and/or latitude and longitude, with the ability to preplan driving destinations before getting into your car.
The easy to follow instructions allow you to download and install the map into Garmin BaseCamp desktop software and transfer it to your Garmin GPS in minutes. This installable map is compatible with ALL Garmin GPS units .
It's like having your own personal travel guide with you on your trip!
