Written by Alice McLeod on 12 / 12 / 2023
Gap Year Advice
We describe Costa Rica as a backpacking 'soft landing', meaning that if you haven't done a huge amount of backpacking before then this won't be too difficult for you to navigate, and also won't be too much of a culture shock. Costa Rica is famous for its biodiversity and you're sure to see a vast range of plants and animals here, from toucans watching you from nearby trees to colourful fish, dolphins, sharks, and rays offshore. It's not a huge country, which means with a carefully planned backpacking itinerary you can see most of this beautiful country within a relatively short space of time.
Start your Central American adventure in Costa Rica, the land of
waterfalls, rainforests, and world-class surfing. Costa Ricans, or Ticos
as they prefer to be called, are proud of their slice of paradise, and
invite visitors into the easy-going rhythms of the
pura vida.
Fly into San Jose, the country’s capital. It’s not the most beautiful city, so only spend a day or two here to acclimatise and get over any lingering jetlag. You can visit the National Theatre and Gold Museum, check out the street art, and enjoy some of Costa Rica’s best restaurants. About an hour northwest of San Jose is the Poás region and National Park, where you can hike to the crater of the large and accessible Poás volcano. Also explore La Paz waterfall gardens for stunning waterfalls and rescued monkeys, tropical birds, and wild cats.
San Jose isn't as sketchy as some of the other Central American capitals, but you probably don't want to be walking alone at night.
Backpacking from Poás to Monteverde, where you need at least
two/three days to explore the pristine Cloud Forest. Often shrouded in
mist, this is a vibrant and beautiful place of natural beauty, mossy
vines, and abundant wildlife. You must do the canopy tour through the
trees (keeping your eyes peeled for sloths!), and if you're feeling
brave you can zip line and bungee jump too.The town of Monteverde has lots of cool cafes and fun nightlife for backpackers, and there are lots of funky hostels. Make sure you pack your raincoat though as downpours in the Cloud Forest are sudden and intense!
North of Monteverde is the Arenal Volcano, which is worth exploring (do the climb to Cerro Chato), as are the hot springs nearby (some are free, some are fancy). You don't need a guide to enter the Arenal Volcano National Park, and it's very easy to navigate on your own.
After your time backpacking in the centre of the country you’ll be ready to head to the beach, and the Nicoya Peninsula is the place to go. Santa Teresa is famous for its beaches, many of which have blue flag status, and you can catch some truly spectacular sunsets from the beaches here. There are some of the best surf beaches in the world, so if you're a keen surfer already then rent a board, and if you're not then take a lesson or two. Santa Teresa has a very trendy vibe, with a vibrant arts scene and yoga and juice bars galore. Tamarindo is a little more buzzy, especially in terms of nightlife, but with equally stunning beaches.
Montezuma is a little bit harder to reach for backpackers than other parts of the Nicoya Peninsula, but it's worth the added effort of getting there. Picture surfing, waterfalls, and yoga vibes.
You could wind your way back to the Manuel Antonio National Park, where you can explore clearly marked trails through the rainforest, even more beautiful beaches with views to the outer islands, along with plenty of wildlife. It’s definitely worth taking a guided tour to get the most out of CR’s smallest but most popular national park, but get up early to avoid the crowds. If you're Quepos over a weekend then there's a cool farmer's market to check out.
From Quepos it's not too hard to head inland to get to Cerro Chirripo, which is CR's highest mountain at 12,533 feet. It's an 11 mile hike to the summit, but worth it as on a clear day you can see both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts from the highest point.
If you're wanting to explore the Caribbean side of the country then head to Puerto Viejo for lots of diving and surfing, as well as a vibrant party scene. You'll find lots of accommodation options here to suit every budget, but something to note is you can't drink the water in Puerto Viejo and have to buy bottled, which can be expensive.
If you want some quiet after the rowdy party scene of Puerto Viejo then head down the coast to Manzanillo for some great beaches and hiking. If you have the budget, then a cool thing to do is stay in a treehouse in the forest for the night. This is expensive, but you'll be surrounded by monkeys, birds, and all other jungle-dwelling animals, so it's a really cool experience if you love nature and don't mind shelling out for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It doesn't necessarily have to be done in Manzanillo, but whilst you're in Costa Rica staying in a treehouse is a really fun experience.
Fly out of San Jose and onto your next country…(read our 3 month Central America itinerary here for inspiration). Costa Rica links well with Guatemala, and Panama.
Want to explore all the highlights of Costa Rica without having to plan the logistics yourself? Join one of our Costa Rica team programmes, where the planning is all done for you and you'll still get to see many of the highlights of this lush and vibrant country. From turtle conservation to surfing lessons, you'll get to do it all.
When is the best time of year to go backpacking Costa Rica? The year in Costa Rica is divided into the wet and dry season, with dry season running December - April, and wet season running May - November. Don't discount travelling to CR in the wet season though, as rains are often short and sharp and quickly clear. It will also be a cheaper time to travel.
Is Costa Rica safe for backpackers? On the whole Costa Rica is a safe country to travel with low rates of violent crime. Like all countries you're most at risk if you're drunk and walking alone at night, so be mindful if you're drinking and always have a plan for getting home.
Is Costa Rica expensive for backpackers? There's no denying that Costa Rica is an expensive country. There are ways you can save money as a backpacker (staying in hostel dorms, making your own meals etc), but expect CR to be an expensive country, especially if you want to do some of the big-ticket experiences.
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