Costa Rica pairs La Fortuna's hot springs and cloud-wrapped Arenal volcano with Manuel Antonio's sloths-and-surf coastline a few hours away. It's built for movement — ziplines, hikes and wildlife spotting between two very different landscapes.
Good to know
- Distances are short on the map but roads are winding — allow 3.5 hours to drive between La Fortuna and Manuel Antonio, or fly domestically.
- Book Manuel Antonio National Park entry online in advance; daily visitor numbers are capped and tickets sell out.
- Rainy 'green season' (May–Nov) brings near-daily afternoon downpours — plan outdoor activities for the morning.
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Places the planner can use
Mark places as a must or something to skip. The itinerary is built only from this list; ★ marks the destination’s highlights.
Trails through Arenal Volcano National Park's old lava fields with the near-perfect cone looming overhead, dormant since 2010 but still dramatic.
Volcanically heated river pools set in rainforest, some with swim-up bars — the Ecotermales option is smaller and less resort-like.
A canopy-level trail of suspension bridges through primary rainforest — good odds of spotting toucans, sloths and monkeys.
A twelve-cable zipline circuit finishing with a Tarzan swing over the Fortuna canyon — book the morning slot for cooler temperatures.
A 70-metre waterfall dropping into a swimmable pool, reached by a steep staircase of about 500 steps.
Red-light headlamp tour spotting sleeping birds, tarantulas, red-eyed tree frogs and glass frogs after dark.
A no-frills local diner plate of rice, beans, plantain, salad and a protein — the everyday Costa Rican meal, and the best value in the country.
Family-run farm tour covering coffee, cacao and sugarcane processing by hand, ending with tastings.
Costa Rica's smallest, most visited park — rainforest trails opening onto white-sand coves, with sloths and white-faced capuchins overhead.
Twin beaches inside and beside the park — calm water, and monkeys that will steal food left unattended.
Half-day sail out from Quepos with snorkeling stops and a rum-punch sunset back into the bay.
Small marina town market and stalls for ceviche and whole grilled fish, the transit hub for Manuel Antonio.