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ULTIMATE 1 Week Itinerary in Costa Rica | Perfect 7 Day Travel Guide 2025 — Transcript

by Emma Terra · 6,182 words · 890 segments · language en · Watch on YouTube

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0:00Are you planning a trip to Costa Rica?
0:02If so, you've probably seen dozens of
0:04itineraries online, but let's be honest,
0:07most of them cram in way too much and
0:10you end up spending half your trip in a
0:12car and missing out on what makes this
0:14country actually feel special. I've been
0:17visiting Costa Rica for the last 15
0:19years and in this video I'm going to
0:21share my ultimate one-week itinerary.
0:25This itinerary is what actually makes
0:27sense. What's realistic and what will
0:30give you the best and most unforgettable
0:32experience to this beautiful country. No
0:35overwhelm, no chaos, just adventure and
0:39pura vida times. As someone who spent 7
0:41years as a flight attendant and has
0:43traveled to almost 50 countries, I know
0:46what's worth your time and what isn't.
0:48I've backpacked through Southeast Asia,
0:51couch surfed in Madagascar, and have
0:53stayed in some seriously bougie and
0:56luxury Airbnb's and hotels and I can
0:59honestly say that I think I know how to
1:01do Costa Rica just right in one week.
1:04This video is going to save you hours of
1:07planning. I'm going to show you exactly
1:09where to go, how long to stay, and how
1:13to avoid the most common mistakes that
1:15most travelers make. And make sure that
1:17you stick around to the very end because
1:18I'll actually be giving you two versions
1:20of the most perfect one-week itinerary.
1:23One that departs from Liberia Airport,
1:26which is in the north of the country,
1:28and one that departs from San Jose,
1:30which is the capital of Costa Rica and
1:32is more central. Why this is important
1:35is because based on whatever city you
1:38are flying out of will determine where
1:40you get the best flight options and
1:42deals to. Maybe it's easier for you to
1:44fly to San Jose or maybe there are more
1:46direct flights for you to Liberia. And I
1:48think that this is a really important
1:50factor to consider when you're planning
1:53out your perfect one-week trip. But
1:55trust me, I'm going to make it super
1:57simple, so let's get into it. Now, Costa
2:00Rica may look small, but the roads are
2:02slow. The terrain is mountainous, and
2:05distances that seem short on Google Maps
2:08often take hours. And that's why I've
2:10structured both of these itineraries
2:12based on flow, so that you can see the
2:15best of the country without rushing. And
2:18I think that that's really important,
2:19because Costa Rica just has so much to
2:22offer between jungles, hot springs,
2:25volcanoes, wildlife, surfing, incredible
2:28beach towns. There is so much to see and
2:31do, and that can feel really
2:33overwhelming. And you know, the last
2:35thing you want is to go away on a 1-week
2:37trip and feel super anxious the entire
2:39time of wanting to check all of those
2:41boxes, and then returning home just to
2:43feel completely depleted. So, I do think
2:46it's important to be realistic about
2:48what you can accomplish in a week, and
2:50also really reflect on what is important
2:53to you. Like, what is your dream vision
2:56of Costa Rica? Is it seeing sloths? Is
2:58it seeing volcanoes? Is it soaking in
3:00hot springs? Or are you more a beach,
3:04surf town sort of person? Are you
3:07traveling with your family? Do you need
3:09easy access to places? Is accessibility
3:12important? So, again, while this may all
3:14feel very overwhelming, just know that
3:17you, right now, sitting in front of this
3:19video with me, you're doing your due
3:21diligence to better understand the lay
3:23of the land, and really piece together
3:25what your perfect itinerary is going to
3:27look like. Because as much as I can sit
3:29here and tell you, "Do this, drive here,
3:31stay here."
3:33That's great and all, but I do also very
3:36much think it's important for you as a
3:38traveler to think about what is
3:40important to you. Is it accommodations?
3:42Okay, prioritize finding the most
3:45comfortable accommodations for you, and
3:48then base your trip out around that. I
3:50actually find that I've been doing that
3:52recently, where I will find a beautiful
3:54Airbnb that suits my comfort level, and
3:57from there I'll kind of plan my trip
3:59around that. The thing about Costa Rica
4:01is it is a little bit more on the pricey
4:03side. So, finding an Airbnb that works
4:07in your budget and is also location
4:09friendly can take time. I am going to be
4:12putting out a video next about Airbnbs
4:14versus hotels, so make sure that you're
4:16subscribed to my channel so you don't
4:18miss that video. Again, planning your
4:19perfect 1-week itinerary takes time. It
4:22takes research. So, also make sure that
4:24you check out any one of my other
4:26amazing videos that I've made about
4:27Costa Rica. Hot springs, whether or not
4:30to rent a car, my ultimate guide to
4:32Guanacaste, La Fortuna. I have spent so
4:34much time in these places and have made
4:37videos that are specific to those
4:39regions to better help you plan your
4:41trip. I'm also going back down in a few
4:42weeks. I'll be visiting Manuel Antonio
4:44and creating the ultimate Manuel Antonio
4:47guide, as well as experiencing more of
4:50La Fortuna's luxury accommodations and
4:53experiences. Because as much as I've
4:55lived through my era of being a budget
4:57traveler, I also do like the finer
5:00things in life, especially when you have
5:02a 1-week unforgettable,
5:04once-in-a-lifetime trip, you want to do
5:06it right. So, if any of those items are
5:08on your list of travels, you are in the
5:10right place. Okay, let's start out with
5:12itinerary one, and this is departing
5:14from San Jose Airport. In my opinion,
5:16this route gives you the perfect mix of
5:20rainforest, volcanoes, mountain, and
5:23beach, all within a realistic week. So,
5:26your first day in Costa Rica will be
5:28spent in San Jose. Unless you land super
5:31early in San Jose, I would plan to spend
5:34at least one night there. San Jose is a
5:36big city. In my experience, it's been a
5:38place that I really do want to get in
5:40and out of. So, depending on when your
5:41flight lands, stay just one night or
5:44leave right right Because I recommend
5:46your first stop after San Jose be La
5:49Fortuna. But I really do not recommend
5:51driving to La Fortuna right after you
5:53land because you're going to be
5:54exhausted, you're going to be wanting to
5:56relax, chill, and that really is the
5:58Pura Vida vibe is to just chill. And
6:01also, do not drive under any
6:04circumstances to La Fortuna in the dark.
6:07The navigation can be tricky and the
6:09roads are winding. You're really
6:11seriously driving into the jungle. There
6:13are also lots of shuttle companies and
6:15bus companies that can arrange your
6:16transportation for you. So, depending on
6:18if you're renting a car or wanting
6:20somebody else to drive for you, you got
6:22to keep this in mind. The drive from San
6:24Jose to get just about anywhere worth
6:26going is about 3 hours. So, just
6:29mentally prepare for the fact that going
6:31to Costa Rica does mean quite a bit of
6:33time in a vehicle. It's not really a
6:36place where you can just land and be on
6:38the beach in 20 minutes. The closest you
6:40can be on a beach directly from an
6:42airport is from Liberia to say Playa
6:45Panama right directly to the coast, and
6:48that is 30 minutes. So, just keep that
6:50in mind. And Playa Panama I would say
6:52isn't really like super high on most
6:55people's list of places to go,
6:57especially if you've never been to Costa
6:58Rica before. You really do want to hit
7:00these iconic spots, which you know,
7:03they're iconic for a reason. They check
7:05all the boxes. Okay, let's get back to
7:07the itinerary. So, day one is San Jose.
7:09Day two, we're now in La Fortuna. Day
7:12two would be a great day to visit the La
7:14Fortuna waterfall, which is a really
7:16easily accessible waterfall to see. Like
7:19all shapes and sizes are really easy to
7:21access and view this waterfall. There's
7:24about a thousand steps that you can walk
7:25all the way down to the base of it where
7:27you can swim in the waterfall, see
7:29monkeys and everything. It is absolutely
7:31beautiful. But if your point is to just
7:33view and see it and you maybe don't have
7:36the accessibility to walk up and down a
7:38thousand stairs, it's still a really
7:41good option. Now, not far from the La
7:42Fortuna waterfall is Northfields Coffee
7:46and Cacao Farm. I mean, what a great way
7:49to spend your day, too, is by tasting
7:52some of Costa Rica's most iconic
7:54flavors, coffee and chocolate. This tour
7:57is about 46 US dollars per person and
8:00runs about 2 and 1/2 hours. You'll get
8:02to see how coffee is grown, how it's
8:04brewed, harvested. It's absolutely
8:07amazing. You'll then also get to see how
8:09cacao is grown, how it's harvested,
8:12fermented, and then you yourself can
8:14taste a few different types of their
8:15cacao, mixing it with different flavors,
8:18nuts, cinnamon. It's honestly amazing.
8:21And this is maybe about a 10-minute
8:23drive from the La Fortuna waterfall.
8:24Now, I recommend you staying two nights
8:26in La Fortuna. By staying two nights, it
8:29lets you explore without feeling rushed
8:31and really getting an opportunity to
8:33check some of those really big boxes.
8:35So, now in your first day of being in
8:37Costa Rica, you have seen a waterfall,
8:40probably swam in it, tasted coffee, seen
8:43how it's grown, tasted cacao, and also
8:46viewed a volcano, which I'll get to
8:48next. Now, the reason why La Fortuna is
8:49so well known is because of Arenal
8:52Volcano. Now, you can't actually hike
8:54this volcano because it erupted just
8:57around 50 years ago, and so that
8:59ecosystem is still really delicate and
9:01fragile. It's also still very much an
9:04active volcano. But, the town of La
9:05Fortuna gives you absolutely stunning
9:08panoramic views of this volcano. And
9:11what comes with that are hot springs.
9:13Now, for me, this is definitely one of
9:15my favorite parts about Costa Rica is
9:17soaking in these mineral-rich hot
9:20springs. And also, after a long flight,
9:22this is a fabulous way to hack the jet
9:25lag. Pro tip is to make sure that you
9:27are booking your hot spring experience
9:29ahead of time, especially if you only
9:31have a 1-week itinerary where your dates
9:34are not super flexible because these hot
9:37springs do book up quickly because
9:39they're absolutely incredible. Some of
9:41the best hot springs in La Fortuna are
9:44the Springs Resort and Hotel. This place
9:47is by far the bougiest, most luxe
9:50experience, followed closely by Tabacon.
9:53I believe a one-day pass is around 80 US
9:56dollars. There's also EcoTermales, which
9:59I believe was about 50 or 60 US dollars
10:02a day. There's Baldi Hot Springs, which
10:04is meant to have a fantastic buffet as
10:06well. Lots of slides and fun spaces for
10:09children, so if you're a family, that
10:11might be a really good option. And then
10:12there's also the free hot springs, which
10:15is totally worth checking out just for
10:17the experience. I actually made an
10:19entire video about the free versus paid
10:21hot springs, which is right here. And
10:23I'll also be visiting the Springs and
10:26Nayara Resort this month, so stay tuned
10:28for that review. Okay, day three of this
10:31one-week itinerary still has us in La
10:33Fortuna. Thank you're waking up, you're
10:35enjoying beautiful hot Costa Rican
10:38coffee, the sound of toucans, macaws are
10:41all around you because really La Fortuna
10:43is one of the best places to witness
10:46wildlife. After your morning coffee and
10:48Costa Rican breakfast, you can head out
10:50on a hike. I really enjoyed the 1968
10:54Arenal Lava Hike, which is a super easy
10:57terrain. Like if you want something that
10:59is, again, accessible, manageable for
11:02like a 2 and 1/2 hour gorgeous walk
11:04through the jungle. This is a great hike
11:06option. There's also no entry fee, you
11:08just pay to park your car, which I
11:10believe was about 20 US dollars. This
11:13hike gives you the most stunning
11:15panoramic views of Arenal Volcano. You
11:18hike through coffee fields, botanical
11:21gardens, and the actual trail itself is
11:24full of lava rock. You're basically
11:26hiking through the lava fields from when
11:28Arenal last erupted in 1968. The trail
11:32ends off at what I consider to be the
11:35most beautiful place to have a coffee in
11:37La Fortuna with gorgeous views of Arenal
11:39Lake, volcano, coffee fields everywhere.
11:43You can have an iced coffee, a hot
11:45coffee, read a book, and just take in
11:48the glorious nature around you. I think
11:50that's a pretty epic way to start a day.
11:52From there, you can head to another one
11:54of my favorite spots in La Fortuna,
11:56which is Mistico Hanging Bridges. This
11:59is a great way to see wildlife, take
12:01some epic photos, and really feel like
12:03you are in the heart of the jungle. I
12:05spent an extra $35 for a guide, and I'm
12:08so glad I did because they have the
12:11equipment necessary and the knowledge
12:13and eyesight to actually spot some of
12:16Costa Rica's most unbelievable wildlife.
12:19Like you would walk right past something
12:22and not even see it because these locals
12:25have grown up in these habitats, right?
12:28So they have the ability to recognize
12:30even just a slight shadow and say, "Wow,
12:32that's a tree snake up there. Here's a
12:34telescope to look through." Like they
12:35really do guide you through the jungle.
12:38It is absolutely worth it to have a
12:40guide. And that goes for any place that
12:42you go, to be honest. Because again,
12:44you're only there for 1 week, you want
12:46to make the most of it. So I really
12:48don't recommend on cheaping out or
12:50trying to stretch your dollar in places
12:53where it counts like this. Book an
12:55official Costa Rican guide, it will
12:57absolutely be a night and day
12:58experience. Now, of course, there are so
13:01many other things to do in La Fortuna.
13:03So if coffee tours aren't your thing, if
13:05hiking isn't your thing, if hot springs
13:07aren't your thing, just know that you
13:09can swap out any of the other numerous
13:12experiences instead. If you'd rather go
13:14white-water rafting, zip-lining, like
13:16what does your dream vacation look like
13:19and prioritize those things because
13:21you've only got 2 days in La Fortuna.
13:23Because on day 4, we're heading to
13:26Monteverde Cloud Forest, which is about
13:28a 3-hour drive from La Fortuna. Long,
13:31but stunning. Afternoon, you can check
13:34into your Airbnb or hotel. I'll actually
13:37be staying at a really epic Airbnb in
13:39just a few weeks and leaving a full
13:41review for this spot. If you are a
13:43family, this is where you got to stay.
13:45Again, make sure that you're subscribed.
13:47That video will be going live in just a
13:49couple of weeks. I really do try to make
13:51an effort to research, seek out, and
13:54book my stays at places that I believe
13:56are the best spots to stay so that I can
13:59share them with my community here on
14:01YouTube. So, just know that anywhere
14:02that I'm recommending is a place that I
14:04myself have gone to and stayed, and I
14:07will always give you my most for real
14:10review. Monteverde is well known for
14:12being the cloud forest. There's lots of
14:15hanging bridges here. You're really
14:17going to feel completely and totally
14:20engulfed in the spirit that is Costa
14:23Rica. A little bit different from La
14:24Fortuna because La Fortuna is a bit more
14:26of a town. It's more developed. There
14:29are There is a little bit more diversity
14:32to what you can do there. Where
14:33Monteverde is really dedicated to
14:36spotting wildlife and being in the
14:38jungle. You're literally walking through
14:40the clouds. You'll see so many different
14:42species of frogs, of birds, of mammals.
14:46It really is a super biodiversity
14:49hotspot. I also think it's really
14:51family-friendly. Like, you can
14:53definitely go here with your kids and
14:55not have any problems. And that's also
14:56the same for La Fortuna. But here you're
14:58going to want to make sure that you're
14:59booking nocturnal night hikes because
15:02there are so many species of nocturnal
15:05animals that you can only see at night.
15:07I actually think you would be very
15:09remiss to go all the way to Costa Rica
15:10and not do at least one night hike
15:13because it is just a totally different
15:15experience. Like, the jungle just comes
15:17alive in a very different way. Also,
15:19keep in mind that Monteverde is cooler.
15:22So, make sure that you're packing long
15:24sleeves, long pants, and a light
15:26sweater. You don't want anything too
15:27heavy because it is still the the
15:30tropics, but something that can kind of
15:32keep you a little bit warmer at night,
15:33and also definitely bring a rain jacket.
15:36Okay, this now brings us into our day
15:39five of our itinerary out of San Jose,
15:41and we are still in Monteverde Cloud
15:43Forest. In the morning, I would
15:45recommend you book a zip-lining tour and
15:47or a canopy walk. You cannot go to
15:49Monteverde and not walk through the
15:51stunning canopies. Alternatively, you
15:54could also spend your morning doing a
15:56bird-watching tour because this is one
15:58of the best places in the world to see
16:00birds. And of course, when you're
16:02looking for birds, you're going to see
16:03lots of other animals, too. I wouldn't
16:05be surprised if you spot one of the four
16:07different species of monkeys that are in
16:09Costa Rica, or one of the two species of
16:12sloth. It's just when you think of Costa
16:13Rica, first thing that comes to mind is
16:15wildlife. So, getting outside, the more
16:18you look, the more you find. Going on
16:20multiple opportunities to spot wildlife
16:22is really what's going to check that
16:24wildlife box for you, you know? And
16:26Monteverde is truly one of the best
16:28places in Costa Rica to do just that.
16:31You can also go to the Santa Elena
16:32Reserve to see unique flora and fauna,
16:35or check out the Curi-Cancha Reserve,
16:37which is another option for wildlife
16:39viewing. There's also butterflies and
16:41hummingbirds to see in their various
16:43butterfly gardens. And Monteverde is
16:45another great spot for you to check out
16:47coffee and cacao tours. So, if you
16:50didn't get a chance to do this in La
16:51Fortuna, Monteverde is also an
16:53opportunity to do this. Keep in mind
16:55that you can really only do coffee and
16:58chocolate tasting tours inland where
17:00there's mountains because that is the
17:02biome in which coffee and cacao actually
17:05can grow. So, if you're thinking of
17:06heading just to the beach, keep this in
17:09mind because you won't really have the
17:11opportunity to taste these delicious
17:13Costa Rican flavors. Also, on the coast,
17:15you won't see as much wildlife. So, this
17:19is why we're really packing in all of
17:21the wildlife in these first two towns to
17:24optimize your experience. Our day five
17:26in Monteverde will come to an end with a
17:29three-hour drive to Manuel Antonio. The
17:33reason why I recommend doing this drive
17:35before your sixth day of your itinerary
17:37is because Manuel Antonio is one of
17:40Costa Rica's most well-known national
17:42parks and with good reason. It's this
17:45absolutely stunning vista where the
17:47jungle quite literally meets the beach.
17:49And you want to make sure that you're
17:50entering the park first thing in the
17:52morning for your best chance to see as
17:54much wildlife as possible. And don't
17:56forget on your drive from Monteverde to
17:59Manuel Antonio that you stop at the
18:02Tarcoles Bridge. The Tarcoles Bridge is
18:05really hard to miss. There will be tons
18:06of people stopped there because it is
18:09one of the few places in the country
18:11where you can just see hundreds and
18:13hundreds of massive crocodiles. So,
18:16that's definitely worth a stop. Keep in
18:17mind that Manuel Antonio Park only
18:19releases a limited number of daily
18:22tickets. So, buy these in advance and
18:24make sure that you have your date
18:25scheduled accordingly. The cost of entry
18:27is around 18 US dollars for adults and
18:30around 5 US dollars for children. Manuel
18:33Antonio gives you the opportunity to
18:35spot sloths, monkeys, so much beautiful
18:38wildlife is here. You can also get in
18:41some serious beach time at Espadilla
18:43Beach, which is the most popular beach
18:46in Manuel Antonio. There are a few
18:47others, but this one is the most
18:49stunning. The town of Manuel Antonio is
18:52really quite busy. I remember I went to
18:54this really cool restaurant called El
18:57Avion. Even if you go there for lunch,
18:59it's literally inside an airplane. So,
19:02it's just a really cool unique spot to
19:03check out that if you only really have
19:05one day in Manuel Antonio, I think it's
19:07worth it to go to this place. There's
19:09also beautiful views of the ocean. And
19:11just as a reminder, I'm going to be
19:13doing a full ultimate guide to Manuel
19:15Antonio in just a few weeks, so
19:17subscribe to my channel so that you can
19:19catch that video. Okay, our last and
19:21final day of our San Jose 1-week
19:24itinerary is really just us driving back
19:27to San Jose. This is again about another
19:293-hour drive, and keep in mind as I
19:31mentioned, you do not need to rent a
19:33car. There are shuttles that will take
19:35you from all of the locations that I
19:37recommended in this 1-week itinerary.
19:39Because these are the most highly
19:41visited tourist destinations, there are
19:44tons of different companies that will
19:46take you from point A to point B to
19:48point C, no problem. I know that
19:51transportation can really stress people
19:53out, but believe me, Costa Rica's
19:55economy completely relies on tourism.
19:58They have these things so dialed in that
20:01honestly, it makes for such an enjoyable
20:04experience because they have all the
20:06infrastructure in place to make your
20:08trip as seamless as possible. When you
20:10drive back to San Jose, you can stop at
20:12the Britt Coffee Farm. Britt, B R I T T,
20:16is kind of like the Costa Rica
20:18Starbucks. It's like their international
20:21brand. They do so many different things
20:23from chocolate-covered cherries,
20:24chocolate-covered coffee beans,
20:26chocolate, coffee, like again, more
20:28chocolate, more coffee. So if you didn't
20:30have an opportunity to do that in the
20:31last two towns, you can do that here on
20:34your drive back to San Jose. In my
20:36opinion, this 1-week itinerary gives you
20:39the best of Costa Rica's diversity. You
20:41get to check out the volcanoes, the
20:43jungles, cloud forest, and beach all in
20:46one smooth loop. And just because I
20:48think it's worth mentioning an
20:50alternative option to Manuel Antonio, if
20:53you really are like all wildlifed out,
20:55you don't want another national park,
20:57you kind of just want a beach town, you
20:59could go to Jaco Beach. Of course, there
21:02are so many other little beach towns.
21:03There's Dominical, there's Uvita,
21:05there's Quepos, there's Playa Hermosa,
21:08there's lots of other little towns. Jacó
21:10Beach is just very well known. It's
21:12super developed. It's actually really
21:14the first developed beach city in all of
21:16Costa Rica. So, it has a lot of
21:19infrastructure. There's lots of hotels,
21:20there's all-inclusive resorts there. I
21:22actually did a video about all-inclusive
21:24resorts here, and I'll link it in the
21:26description down below. But, Jacó Beach
21:28is another option that you can consider
21:30for your final day in your 7-day
21:32itinerary. Okay, now let's get into our
21:34one week itinerary when landing into
21:36Liberia. In this one week, I have
21:39planned you to go to the Rincón de la
21:41Vieja, Tamarindo, and Nosara. This
21:45itinerary gives you more beach time and
21:47less driving. I would say that itinerary
21:50one is definitely more for the
21:52adventurous souls, where itinerary two
21:55is a little bit more low-key. Okay, day
21:58one, you're going to land in Liberia.
22:00You can pick up your rental car or grab
22:02your shuttle, head to your hotel, and
22:05ideally head right to the beach. You can
22:07stay at somewhere like Playa Hermosa,
22:09Playa del Coco. Those are really quick
22:12and easy access beach points. And it's
22:14only about a 30-minute drive. You can
22:15also definitely take a taxi. Trust me,
22:18you're going to land at Liberia Airport,
22:19and there will be tons of transportation
22:22opportunities there. I think this is a
22:23great first day. You can have a chill
22:25beach evening, watch the sunset, have
22:28some cocktails while overlooking the
22:30ocean. And you can have your first
22:31casado plate, which is a Costa Rican
22:34Tico typical dish that has fried
22:36plantains, rice, beans, and your choice
22:40of protein. Ideally, some fresh fish.
22:43Okay, day two, I recommend that you head
22:45to the National Park of Rincón de la
22:48Vieja. This is a volcano national park,
22:51and it's only 1 hour drive away. Here,
22:54you can hike through the park,
22:56definitely have opportunity to spot lots
22:57of wildlife. There's bubbling mud pools
23:00here, where you can kind of have this
23:02really cool experience of covering
23:03yourself in mud and it is like a
23:06therapeutic spa-like experience. Like
23:09the mud is full of all of these
23:11incredible minerals that are super good
23:12for your skin. All of these minerals
23:14which are released from the volcano.
23:16There's also hot springs and waterfalls
23:19here. It really is like a fabulous
23:21one-day excursion that is easy access
23:24from the beach. So you can either plan
23:26to spend a night in this area or head
23:28back to whatever Airbnb or hotel you've
23:31booked on the coast. I definitely
23:32recommend that you pack closed-toed
23:35shoes for any of these options that you
23:37select when going to Costa Rica. You
23:39have to bring a good pair of hiking
23:40shoes or a really good pair of walking
23:42sandals. Okay, on day three I'm going to
23:44recommend that you take a 1 and 1/2 hour
23:47drive further south down the Costa Rican
23:50Pacific coastline to Tamarindo. And
23:53while Tamarindo is also nicknamed
23:56Tamagringo because there are so many
23:58tourists and gringos there, it is with
24:01good reason. It's a very developed town.
24:03There's lots of restaurants to eat at,
24:06bars to go to, lots of shopping. There's
24:08surf lessons. There's diving excursions.
24:11You could have also gone to Playa
24:13Flamingo, which is another great spot
24:16that's a little less touristy, a little
24:18less developed. But I think if it's your
24:20first time going to Costa Rica, this is
24:22kind of the iconic one-week itinerary
24:25and with good reason just due to
24:27accessibility. If you're really looking
24:29for unique experiences in Costa Rica, I
24:32have other videos about Corcovado
24:34National Park that I would recommend or
24:36Ojo Chal,
24:38Uvita, Dominical. So just keep in mind
24:41like a one-week itinerary can look so
24:43different. It's really just all based on
24:45personal preference. Tamarindo has
24:47really cute little beach cafes. Oveja is
24:50one of my favorite little cafes,
24:52especially if you are a digital
24:54entrepreneur like me. There's also an
24:55incredible restaurant in Tamarindo. It
24:57might be like low-key my favorite
24:59restaurant in all of Costa Rica and it's
25:01called Falafel Bar. You have to go
25:04to this restaurant. It is amazing. It is
25:07like the most delicious falafel, hummus,
25:10shrimp skewers, like their whole all the
25:12spreads that they do are amazing and
25:14it's just kind of like a different type
25:16of food to have in Costa Rica. Like yes,
25:18you want to have all of the local
25:20amazing Tico style meals, but you know,
25:22you kind of get sick of like having
25:24pizza or having pasta. Like I just think
25:26for a really fresh delicious meal,
25:27Falafel Bar is unbelievable. Okay, on
25:31day four, we're going to head out on a
25:32mangrove and wildlife tour. This is a
25:35really awesome activity to do is take a
25:37guided kayak tour through the Tamarindo
25:40Estuary or the Iguanito Refuge. You're
25:43going to see crocodiles, monkeys, birds,
25:46lots of wildlife here and it gets you on
25:48the water, which is nice. A small
25:49sustainability tip is to book with
25:52operators that use smaller boats.
25:55They're ultimately better for the
25:56ecosystem and better for your
25:58experience. Okay, day five, you're still
26:00going to be in Tamarindo, but here you
26:02can do an optional day trip to a new
26:05beach nearby. Playa Avellanas is really
26:08not far from Tamarindo. It's maybe a
26:1020-minute drive or if you're feeling
26:12super adventurous, you can head further
26:14south down to Nosara. Nosara is the area
26:18that's known as the blue zones, which is
26:20an absolutely beautiful area. If you
26:22really want to prioritize surfing, I
26:25would recommend you head to Playa
26:26Guiones. It is one of the most
26:28world-renowned spots for surf and it's
26:31just a beautiful town. Another area you
26:34can consider going to is Playa Samara or
26:37Sámara. This is definitely a little bit
26:38more family-friendly, but I personally
26:41love it. There's wild horses on the
26:42beach. It's just a really chill beach
26:45vibe town with lots of fabulous
26:47restaurants, boutiques, little ice cream
26:49shops, coffee shops. It's like a
26:51quintessential Costa Rican vibe. Now, if
26:53you're visiting during turtle season,
26:55which is August to December, you can
26:58also head to Ostional, where you can do
27:01a night turtle watching tour. I've
27:03honestly seen turtles all over Costa
27:06Rica, whether it was in December,
27:07January, February. I Maybe it's because
27:10I've been very lucky, but you can see
27:13turtles in so many different areas.
27:16Honestly, speaking to locals is one of
27:18the best ways to find out these secret
27:20special spots or contact the closest
27:23conservation or wildlife rehabilitation
27:26center, cuz they can likely point you in
27:27the right direction. Okay, day six, we
27:30are going and chasing waterfalls to one
27:33of Costa Rica's most iconic waterfall,
27:35which is Rio Celeste. I went to Rio
27:37Celeste on maybe my second or third trip
27:40to Costa Rica and
27:42it absolutely blew away my expectations.
27:44Rio Celeste is a river in Costa Rica
27:47that is famous for its vibrant turquoise
27:49blue water located with the Tenorio
27:51Volcano National Park. The unique color
27:54is due to an optical illusion caused by
27:56the presence of aluminosilicates,
27:59which are suspended in the water from
28:01the mixing of two other nearby rivers
28:04and a volcano. The mixing of these two
28:07separate water sources is what makes
28:09this water seem so vibrantly blue. Now,
28:12there is no swimming here, but the hike
28:14is absolutely worth it. And this is
28:17another opportunity to work with a tour
28:19guide, a one-on-one individual who can
28:22take you through the park and point out
28:24different species of wildlife. This is
28:26about a 2 and 1/2, maybe 3-hour drive,
28:28so it is a bit of a commitment, but
28:30honestly, I think it's totally worth it.
28:32Like, there are just not many places in
28:34the world where you can see waterfalls
28:36like this. You can then have a picnic,
28:38go for a swim, or grab lunch at a
28:40roadside soda. Sodas are another word
28:43for local Costa Rican restaurant. They
28:45have the best prices and honestly, the
28:47best food. Do not go all the way to Rica
28:50and not eat in a soda. You can end your
28:52day back at your hotel accommodations or
28:54closer to Liberia because on day seven
28:57your final day will be you transporting
28:59yourself back to the airport to fly
29:01home. You can grab any last minute
29:03coffee beans, chocolates, t-shirts,
29:06souvenirs, or wooden crafts before
29:08boarding. Definitely get all of your
29:10souvenirs before you get to the airport
29:11because everything is so overpriced
29:13there. In my opinion, this itinerary is
29:16perfect if you want to experience sun,
29:18surf, and nature without having to cover
29:20half of the country. Okay, this is my
29:23bonus section for a few extra tips.
29:25First is driving. Keep in mind that the
29:27roads are slow and curvy. Download the
29:30app Waze instead of Google Maps because
29:33it just works a lot better in Costa
29:35Rica. And you really do want to avoid
29:37driving at night. Okay, now let's talk
29:39about weather. December to April is
29:41considered the dry season. There really
29:43isn't a whole lot of rain. But do keep
29:45in mind whenever you are inland, so in
29:47places like La Fortuna or Monteverde,
29:49that you are in a rainforest. So do
29:52expect there to be some rain and a
29:53little bit of colder temperatures.
29:55However, if you're staying on the
29:56coastline, it is super hot, super dry.
30:00Trust me, you do not need a pair of
30:01jeans. You barely even need a light
30:03sweater because it really is that hot.
30:05Now when it comes to money, you're going
30:06to be using colones or USD. There are
30:09ATMs all throughout Costa Rica, so you
30:11really don't have to stress too much
30:13about how you're going to get money out.
30:15If you're not sure about how to use your
30:16cell phone when you're in Costa Rica,
30:18you either going to want to check with
30:19your cell phone provider to see if they
30:21have travel packages or you can download
30:24a free app called Airolo. This is not
30:26sponsored in any way. I genuinely use
30:28Airolo all over the world. Mexico,
30:30Colombia, Japan, Costa Rica, it works
30:34seamlessly and it doesn't require you to
30:36go out and buy a SIM card. You can
30:37install it directly onto your phone and
30:39I I that the rates are so much more
30:41affordable. Like you'll probably pay $30
30:45for a whole week of unlimited calls,
30:47texts, and data. And my last few tips
30:50are to be a mindful traveler. Don't
30:53forget to bring your reusable water
30:54bottles. Say no to plastic and plastic
30:56bags. Even bring reusable plastic bags
30:59because you'll probably be doing some
31:00grocery shopping. They work great for
31:02storing your wet bathing suits in. They
31:04make great beach bags that you don't
31:06have to worry about getting dirty.
31:08Support local guides and local
31:10businesses and make sure to always
31:12respect the local wildlife. Costa Rica
31:15rewards travelers who go slow and stay
31:18curious. If you travel with intention,
31:20you will leave with more than just
31:22photos. Okay, so that is your complete
31:25ultimate one week itinerary in Costa
31:27Rica designed to maximize adventure
31:30without burnout. Let me know in the
31:31comments, are you team jungle or are you
31:33team beach? And if you've been craving
31:35something a little bit different, I'm
31:37actually launching my very first citizen
31:39scientist expedition to Costa Rica in
31:42April 2026, which is going to be a
31:44hands-on conservational trip to an area
31:48just outside of La Fortuna. This will be
31:50an opportunity for you to truly step
31:52foot into what it feels like to be a
31:54real field biologist and contribute
31:57directly to scientific research. I'm
31:59actually offering this trip through my
32:01business, which if you don't already
32:03know, is called The Urban Botanist. The
32:05Urban Botanist is a brand that I founded
32:07about 8 and 1/2 years ago now that
32:09inspires people to connect with nature
32:11on a deeper level. So I'm really pairing
32:13my love and passion for Costa Rica with
32:16my business and my love and passion for
32:18encouraging people to grow their green
32:20thumbs. What better place to do that
32:22than in Costa Rica? If you want to learn
32:23more about that, I will leave that
32:25linked in the description down below.
32:27And don't forget to subscribe to my
32:28channel, especially if you are planning
32:30on going to Costa Rica. Like really, I
32:31do feel that this is the best way to get
32:34information is through these long format
32:36style videos. So if you have any
32:38questions at all, leave them in the
32:39comments down below or you can send me a
32:41DM on Instagram. Again, if you're
32:43sending me super detailed DMs like me
32:46and my 17-year-old son, my 14-year-old
32:48daughter, my 87-year-old I genuinely,
32:51and I'm so sorry, don't have time to
32:52answer all of those questions. I'm I'm
32:54not actually a travel agent. I'm just a
32:56passionate Costa Rican traveler and I do
32:59have a full-time business that I
33:00operate. I just make these videos for
33:02fun and I make them to help you. So, if
33:05you do have more questions, like I
33:07honestly just recommend that you watch
33:08more of my videos or connect with a
33:10trusted travel agent. I really do hope
33:12that one day I can help people on more
33:14of a one-on-one basis, but right now
33:16it's really just all being put into
33:17these videos. So, really again it does
33:20mean the world to me if you leave me a
33:21comment, like the video, and of course
33:24subscribing because it really does help
33:26my growing channel and it helps me to
33:28bring more fabulous and well-rounded
33:30content to people like you that are
33:32planning their first once-in-a-lifetime
33:34unforgettable trip to Costa Rica. Like I
33:37mentioned, I'll be back down there this
33:39month filming more helpful videos like
33:41this, so we'll see you in the next one.
33:43Bye.

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