Costa Rica is highly known for its beaches and the impressive amount of water that its has around it. But those are just some of the best locations that Costa Rica has to offer, there is a ton more that are a must visit. On this list, there are some of the greatest location to discover within the Costa Rica land.
Arenal Volcano
The Arenal Hanging Bridges are one of the best mountain location throughout Costa Rica. The area is full of various activities to enjoy, including hiking! A series of trails with wonderful hanging bridges that will take you through the rainforest reserve beneath the impressive Arenal Volcano. Giotours propose to go through the trails early when the wildlife is in its most active time of the day. We suggest as well going with a naturalist guide companion who will be able to spot numerous highlights, animals and will also be able to explain you about the amazing flora that surrounds the area.
- Monteverde
The high altitude of the Monteverde Mountain brings moisture, making it a king of biodiversity and receiving the name of Cloud Forest. The magic quetzal is among one of the 400 species of birds in the area, with a companion of thousands of insect species, an impressive amount of plant species and over 130 mammal species.
Monteverde Reserve is one of the most known cloud forest reserves around the world, as well as one of the most important protected areas in Costa Rica. The reserve provides a life habit of over 4000 hectares of cloud and rainforest, where visitors can find surprising biodiversity due to the unique geography, topography and climatic condition of the place.
- Poas Volcano
The green Poas Volcano is one of the deepest and active craters around the world, and you can actually walk right up to it! The Poas Volcano has a trail that will lead you, early in the morning, to the crater when you can see it as clear as it is. There is also a lake within and exciting volcano crater, are a gorgeous addition to the national park in the mountains, dont miss it! The trail to the lagoon can be it more challenging because of it is higher elevation, but is you like or walk, its totally worth it! And, as always, you will get the most of it with a guide. The guide will be able to show you about the history and amazing places that rest in here. The Poas Volcano Hike is great to combine with some other tours of the area.
- Waterfall Gardens
Hide in the mountain is the impressive Waterfall Gardens with over 3 kilometers of walking trails and animal exhibits that will teach you about it, Giotours recommend at least two hours of visit. However, if you have some time maybe you would like to see every trail and walk throughout the entire location. Spend time in the Aviary, frog exhibit, the butterfly observatory, the hummingbird garden, the serpentarium, jungle cats exhibit, and the lake, with this you will probably stay the whole day.
Waterfalls Gardens is normally a self-guide tour, allowing visitors to proceed directly to the area of interest, but still, Giotours highly recommends a guided tour, to receive a most of it all, learning and discovering about the greatness of the garden.
- Chirripo
The Chirripo is the ultimate mountain location in Costa Rica because is its highest peak! They say that in clear days you can see both the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean from the top. While you hike towards the top, the sunrise stream on clouds will lurk above you. Soon you will see the peak shallow while walking through the mist, you start hearing the birds all around you and some of the times, one will pop out in the trial, just to disappear again.
The mountain is dominated by two seasons; the dry season that lasts from December to April and the wet season from may to November. The park is one of the coldest places in Costa Rica, in fact, the coldest temperature ever recorded is 15F (-9C).
- Sarapiqui
Today the Sarapiqui Valley has known for its amazing adventures, both extreme aquatic activities, and extreme terrestrial. Some of them are white water rafting, kayaking, zip lines, rappelling, horseback riding and mountain biking. And it gets more and more popular as you read. The destination remains wonderfully active. In the Sarapiqu Valley, all this rain sustains a green expanse of lowland tropical forest known for its rich biodiversity.
- Irazu Volcano
At the top of the Irazu, you will discover that is the tallest volcano in Costa Rica, the main crater looks like it was stuck by an enormous meteorite that disappeared on impact, leaving behind a semi-spherical blast zone. The crater is today leafy around the edges and sandy at the bottom. The volcano has a diameter of 1,050 m (3,400 feet) and a deep of 300 m (1,000 feet).
Irazu is an active volcano but is hard to tell because the gases it vents emerge from the far side of the main crater, opposite the viewing area. As at any volcano, its common for the crater to be clouded, but the best time to visit it is in the morning, where you are going to get the best of it.
