The top places to visit in Costa Rica are San José, Arenal Volcano, Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Tortuguero National Park, and Corcovado National Park. Costa Rica logged 2,943,991 international tourist arrivals in 2025, according to the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT), the national tourism board. These five span the capital, volcano country, cloud forest, Caribbean wetlands, and the country’s most remote rainforest.
- San José — Costa Rica’s capital and main international gateway; most itineraries start and end here.
- Arenal Volcano National Park — Home to the volcano that erupted violently on July 29, 1968, and stayed continuously active until its last reported eruption in October 2010, when it returned to dormancy.
- Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve — Founded in 1972 and now covering over 10,500 hectares, reached by suspension bridges and known for its density of orchid species.
- Tortuguero National Park — A roadless, canal-laced Caribbean coast hosting the largest green turtle nesting rookery in the Western Hemisphere, per the Sea Turtle Conservancy.
- Corcovado National Park — The Osa Peninsula wilderness National Geographic magazine called “the most biologically intense place on earth,” reachable only by boat, plane, or a long hike.
Planning note: Arenal and Monteverde sit close enough to combine in one loop, but Tortuguero and Corcovado are on opposite coasts with no direct road link — pick one for a 7–10 day trip, or budget two weeks-plus to fit both.
Sources
- ICT via La Nación — Visitación turística en Costa Rica cierra 2025 con aumento de 0,8%
- Wikipedia — Arenal Volcano
- Wikipedia — Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
- Sea Turtle Conservancy — Tortuguero, Costa Rica
- National Geographic — Living in Sync with the Natural World
Read the Top 10 Countries to Visit in 2026 roundup for how Costa Rica compares globally.