5 Days in Costa Rica Itinerary: How to Plan a Short Trip

Costa Rica is a beautiful country that offers a diverse range of visitor activities and attractions. When we look around trying to find the options, with its stunning beaches, lush rainforests, and impressive volcanoes, we find it difficult to pack even the highlights into 5-day itineraries. That is why, with only 5 days in Costa Rica, planning your itinerary carefully is important.

If you are on a business trip or a short family, couple, or group vacation, this will help you to design your itinerary. In this blog, we will walk through samples of 5-day Costa Rica itineraries that focus on 1 or 2 destinations, allowing you to make the most of your time in Costa Rica.

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If you have more time, check out these Costa Rica itineraries:

• Costa Rica 10-day Itinerary from Liberia
• Costa Rica 2-week Itinerary from San Jose

Essential Resources to plan your Costa Rica Trip:

Check the best flight prices here – Skyscanner. Costa Rica has 2 international airport in San Jose and Liberia, with excellent connectivity in the Americas and Europe.

Renting a Car is the best way to explore Costa Rica, when you are on a short vacation. We recommend Adobe Rent A Car, a 100% Costa Rican company, a trusted name offering transparent pricing. Avail a ~10% discount and additional benefits by booking through this link, with the discount automatically applied.

If you are wondering about packing, check our Costa Rica Packing Guide.

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Are 5 days Enough for Costa Rica?

The short answer is “No”.

While 5 days in Costa Rica can give travelers a sneak peek into the country’s natural wonders, it won’t allow you to explore all that the country has to offer. A longer stay is recommended if you want to immerse yourself in everything Costa Rica has to offer fully.

That being said, if planned well, 5 days in Costa Rica can be a great way to experience the highlights of the country.

As your time is limited, the itineraries need to be focused on 1 or 2 destinations and your interests or priorities.

Check out our YouTube video below to get glimpses of what the beautiful country of Costa Rica holds for you.

Things to Consider while Planning a 5 day Costa Rica Itinerary

Before getting into the details of 5-day Costa Rica itinerary ideas, let’s address some questions that may help you organize the logistics and plan the trip better.

What to Do in Costa Rica in 5 days + What to Pack

Well, of course, you can’t do everything in just 5 days. But if you can pick a few priorities, then comes the next step – plan. This will help you to finalize your destinations and focus on the day-to-day activities. As Costa Rica has a lot to offer, find out if you are looking for a beach, mountain, waterfalls, wildlife, surfing, zip-lining, rafting and we can go on. Read our article here on the Best Things to Do in Costa Rica.

Also, finalizing your activities and destinations will help you decide what to pack for the trip. Check our Packing Guide for Costa Rica for detailed recommendations and FREE checklist that you can refer to when you actually start packing your bags for Costa Rica. But, wherever you go do not forget your sunscreen and insect repellent.

When are You Traveling to Costa Rica?

If you have created your bucket list from the list of activities or possible destinations, the next step is to check if those activities are possible during the time you wish to travel. Costa Rica is a country of micro-climates and the weather is largely unpredictable. Mid-December to April are the dry months when you will ‘mostly’ find sunny days. May to mid-December is the wet or ‘Green’ period in Costa Rica, but also the time when the country turns lush green. Read our article on Best Time to Visit Costa Rica and a guide on choosing the best activities by time of the year.

Airport Selection: Flight Prices (San Jose vs Liberia)

While thinking about a general structure for 5-day itinerary, you need to first decide the airport of arrival – Juan Santamaria International Airport (San Jose airport) or Daniel Oduber International Airport (Liberia Airport). Either airport provides you access to several destinations within 3-4 hours drive, reasonable for a 5 day trip.

San Jose International Airport is the main airport in Costa Rica. It is located 10 miles from downtown San Jose and has direct flights to many major cities in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Several airlines offer direct flights from Mexico and other Central American countries like Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Panama. If you’re flying from South America, there are good connections from or through Colombia and Peru as well.

Liberia Airport lies in the Guanacaste province, in the northern part of Costa Rica. It has good connections with the US, Canada, and Europe with rapid expansion.

Tip: For 5 days in Costa Rica, we recommend leaving from the same airport to avoid too many transfers within this short period of time.

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Thinking about where to spend the night near San Jose Airport: Here is a guide to the hotels near SJO Airport

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Ground Transportation

The best way to travel in Costa Rica is to rent a car, particularly when you are on a short trip. You can book it beforehand and collect it from the airport upon arrival or later in San Jose or Liberia.

There is also a public transportation system, but it is not very convenient for visitors as it does not go everywhere and sometimes takes a long time to get from one place to another.

5 Days Costa Rica Itinerary Structure (Starting and Ending in San Jose)

If you are arriving at the San Jose Airport, you can plan your days in 2 ways. In the first one, you can choose one destination where you spend the most amount of time apart from San Jose. In the second option, you base yourself in San Jose and take multiple day trips to explore nature within not-too-long driving distances of San Jose.

Option 1 (San Jose + Another Destination)

Spend a day in the city exploring the museums and central market binging on some Costa Rican food.

You can check this highly-rated San Jose Walking Tour on Get Your Guide or Viator where you can sample the local food, and explore the busy Central Market and streets along with the city landmarks.

Next 3 days explore another destination. There are several options within 4 hours drive from San Jose. Some of the popular options are:

• Manuel Antonio (National Park, Wildlife, Beach, Waterfalls)
• La Fortuna (Arenal Volcano, Hot Springs, Rainforest, Wildlife (Sloths!), Birding, Waterfalls, Lake, Hanging Bridges, Zip-lining)
• Monteverde (Cloud Forest, Birding, Ziplining, Hanging Bridges)
• Puerto Viejo de Talamanca (Caribbean Coast Beaches, Waterfalls, Culture)

Option 2 (San Jose + Day Trips from San Jose)

In this option, you can have San Jose as your base and visit different places as day trips.

There are several options for day trips from San Jose. You have to keep in mind that some of these will be bit exhausting as they are 3-4 hours drive from San Jose, which will make it 6-8 hours drive in a day.

Some of the popular day trip options are:

Easier Trips closer to San Jose (Recommended)

• Poas Volcano, La Paz Waterfall Gardens and Coffee Tour. This is the most popular day trip to get some of the natural highlights close to the city. Check these similar tours for this activity on Get Your Guide and Viator.
• Irazu Volcano and Cartago (Volcano, River). Check these day tours on Get Your Guide and Viator
• San Gerardo de Dota (Quetzals, Birdwatching)

Long Day Trips (For Travelers who want to catch at least one popular destination)

• La Fortuna & Arenal (It can be a day trip from San Jose. You can see the Arenal volcano and pick some of the activities suitable for a day trip. These Full-day tours from Get Your Guide and Viator take you to La Fortuna town where you get to see the Arenal volcano and experience the volcanic hot springs.
• Manuel Antonio (Explore the National Park on a day trip) – check out this day trip on Viator.

A Detailed 5 Day Costa Rica Itinerary Sample (San Jose – La Fortuna – San Jose)

Day 1: Spend the day in San Jose or take day trip from San Jose

You will hear this a lot! ‘Avoid San Jose’. If you are in Costa Rica to explore nature then the city may not be your top priority. However, if you are in Costa Rica for the first time then San Jose is the best place to start. It’s the capital and has a lot to offer as well as being an ideal base for exploring the rest of the country. There is plenty of nature near San Jose so you can easily get out into it from here too. So you can either explore the city or if you are keen to explore the amazing nature of Costa Rica, you can start with one of the day trips from San Jose.

Option 1: Museums of San Jose, Teatro Nacional, La Sabana Park, Local Food

In the morning, start with a visit to the National Museum, that displays artifacts and collections demonstrating the history and evolution of Costa Rica over time. Then, head to Museo de Oro (Gold Museum) or Museo del Jade (Jade Museum), or time permitting, both. These are must-see museums for anyone interested in Costa Rica’s pre-Columbian history. The museums have impressive collections of gold artifacts and jade pieces respectively that date back thousands of years and are still actively being excavated today.

Afterward, head to Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica for a tour of its ornate interior and a cup of coffee in a luxe setting.

The next stop is La Sabana Park to check out the greenest park in the middle of the city and watch some Costa Ricans practice the favotite sports and some others pull a picnic.

End your day at Mercado Central where you can find souvenirs and try authentic Costa Rican cuisine from one of its many local eateries.

Option 2: Day Trips from San Jose

If you want to ditch San Jose city, then you can choose from one of the day trips. If you are a first-time visitor or have not explored the country much, you can pick one of these day trips that are excellent natural highlights close to the city.

• Poas Volcano, La Paz Waterfall Gardens & Coffee Tour – check these tours on Get Your Guide and Viator
• Irazu Volcano & Cartago – check these tours on Get Your Guide and Viator

Either trip can give you an opportunity to see a volcano, crater lake with incredible landscapes on the way.

Day 2: Transfer from San Jose to La Fortuna

La Fortuna is the home to the Arenal Volcano, located around 115 km from San Jose, a 3 to 4 hours drive.

It is also the perfect place to start your adventure and get a feel of what Costa Rica has to offer. La Fortuna is a small town but has plenty of activities to do. You can go on a zip line tour, visit the Arenal Volcano, hike in one of the many trails around the area, or simply enjoy a relaxing day at its hot springs.

Day 3: First Day in La Fortuna

You can observe some of the Costa Rican wildlife in their natural habitat on one of the Sloth & Wildlife Trails of La Fortuna, Bogarin Trail. The trail is located just outside of La Fortuna town center and is an easy 1.5 km trail. You will have an opportunity to see sloths, monkeys, birds including aquatic birds like boat-billed herons, red-eyed tree frog, and other wildlife in their natural habitat. It’s one of the best places to observe them up close and personal! Try visiting during the morning hours for the best opportunity for sightings.

You can follow it up with a hike in the Arenal Volcano National Park. The park has 2 sectors with multiple trails. The first sector is near the Arenal Volcano and offers a chance to walk on the solidified lava rocks from previous eruptions.

You can end the day with a dip in the volcanic hot springs. If you are not staying in one of the hotels in Arenal that have in-house hot springs, you can book a night at one of the nearby resorts and hot springs properties that offer day and night passes. Read our review of one such beautiful independent hot springs, Eco Termales.

Day 4: Second Day in La Fortuna

You can make your second day an active one by starting with a hike on the hanging bridges trail above the rainforests. You can choose between the Mistico Hanging Bridges and Sky Adventures. Sky Adventures has ziplining as well as options for getting a combo tour of hanging bridges and canopy tour.

Optional: The La Fortuna waterfall is a great place to spend the second half of the day, if you are willing to go for another activity. But remember that you will not have much time after the hanging bridges and ziplining. You have to brave the stairs of the waterfall to reach the pool at the bottom of the waterfall, but the views along with the surrounding forests make it worth the hike.

If you still have the energy to keep going you can take a night tour to find the nocturnal gems of La Fortuna.

There are several other activity options that you can choose from in La Fortuna. We have provided samples above, however, you can tweak them based on your interests. Other common trips include visiting Rio Celeste Waterfall, hiking Arenal 1968 trail, river rafting, kayaking, or paddle boating in Lake Arenal.

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If you want to pre-plan your days in La Fortuna and Arenal, consider these combo tours on Viator or Get Your Guide that include the Arenal Volcano National Park, La Fortuna Waterfall, and volcanic hot springs

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Day 5: La Fortuna to San Jose

If you are not flying out on the same day, you can make a couple of interesting stops between La Fortuna and San Jose. This will be possible if you rent a car and take the La Paz waterfall route. Otherwise, the buses or shuttles take the common route through San Ramon town.

Optional: If you are taking the La Paz waterfall route, you can stop for a meal at Soda y Mirador Cinchona. The soda has delicious tipico meals and offers beautiful mountains and a waterfall views. Also, the feeders and trees around the soda attract lots of birds – tanagers, toucans, hummingbirds, and barbets.

The second stop can be the La Paz waterfall. It lies on the way and you will not be able to miss it. This is a free waterfall where you can walk behind the flowing water in a tiny cave. If you have enough time, La Paz Waterfall and Gardens gives access to more waterfalls and rescued wildlife. You can purchase tickets to explore the gardens and waterfalls.

Day	Activities
Day 1	Explore San Jose: Museums, Central Market, Parque Sabana [Culture, Local Food]
Day 2	San Jose to La Fortuna [Travel Day]
Day 3	Explore La Fortuna & Arenal [Volcano, Waterfalls & Hotsprings]
Day 4	Explore La Fortuna & Arenal [Volcano, Waterfalls & Hotsprings]
Day 5	La Fortuna to San Jose [Travel Day]

Hotel Recommendations for 5-day Itinerary in Costa Rica from San Jose

There is no dearth of hotel and stay options in Costa Rica and available at various price points. Given the short itinerary, you can choose your hotels such that you have easy access to the city center while in San Jose and other attractions while in another destination.

San Jose Hotels

• Hotel Bougainvillea: Located in a quiet neighborhood of San Jose, this mid-range hotel with an in-house restaurant, has rooms overlooking their beautiful tropical garden perfect to start your vacation in Costa Rica. Book your stay here.

• Gran Hotel Costa Rica, Curio Collection by Hilton: If you wish to stay close to San Jose City Center, the Gran Hotel from the Hilton Group is a great option. You can walk to the important landmarks of the city while enjoying the elaborate in-room and common amenities and decor. Book your stay here.

La Fortuna & Arenal Hotels

If you are planning to visit La Fortuna and Arenal, you can consider a resort with in-house volcanic hot springs. On the other hand, if you are looking for budget options, stay closer to La Fortuna town. Here are some of our top picks of hotels/resorts in La Fortuna / Arenal area – Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa, Arenal Observatory Lodge, Hotel El Silencio del Campo, Los Lagos Spa & Thermal Resort.

Here is a detailed guide on where to stay in La Fortuna and Arenal, and what points you can consider before finalizing the place.

Manuel Antonio Hotels

Since Manuel Antonio is another destination, that can be covered in shorter holidays in Costa Rica, here are some options to consider.

• Tulemar Resort: The luxury resort boasts bungalows and private villas that give the true essence of a tropical paradise like Costa Rica. Book your stay at Tulemar Resort here.

• San Bada Hotel & Spa: Located just in front of the Manuel Antonio National Park entrance, the San Bada Hotel is perfect in such short stays due to the proximity. Book your stay here.

5 days Costa Rica Itinerary Structure (Starting and Ending in Liberia)

If you are arriving at the Liberia Airport, you can plan your days in 2 ways:

Option 1 (1 Beach Destination near Liberia Airport + Day Trips)

You do not necessarily need to stay in Liberia, but pick one of the destinations within 1-2 hours drive of Liberia. The options are –

Playa del Coco, Tamarindo, Rincon de la Vieja, Gulf of Papagayo.

• Playa del Coco (Beach Town, Beach Hopping, Snorkel, Scuba)
• Tamarindo (Beach Town, Beach Hopping, Restaurants)
• Rincon de la Vieja (Volcano, Hotsprings, Waterfalls)
• Gulf of Papagayo (Beach Town, Beach Hopping, Snorkel, Scuba)

Each of these destinations is great as a base and you can explore your place of stay and take 1 or 2 daytrips to the other destinations.

Option 2 (1 Beach Destination near Liberia Airport + La Fortuna / Monteverde)

If you want to explore a destination deeper in Costa Rica, pick La Fortuna or Monteverde for the first 2 days after you reach.

Then you can spend the last 2 days in one of the beach destinations near Liberia (Playa del Coco, Tamarindo, or Papagayo) before you fly out.

A Detailed 5 Day Costa Rica Itinerary Sample (Liberia – Playa del Coco – Day Trips)

Day 1: Liberia to Playa del Coco

The Playa del Coco beach town is located just 30 minutes (~25 km / 16 miles) from the Liberia Airport. You can stay at Playa del Coco and plan your 5 days from there. It is a beach town with several restaurants, pubs, and cafes offering different cuisines. Also, it is a good base to explore other beaches around and day trips to volcano and waterfalls.

Day 2: Spend Your Day at the Beach & Explore the Town

If you want to have a slow start to your vacation, relax at Coco beach or go to the nearby Ocotal beach. In the evening, try craft beers or international cuisines at one of the beach town’s restaurants.

If you want to go for a sunset cruise, here is a fun sunset and snorkel tour that includes food and beverages.

Day 3: Take a Day Trip

There are several options for day trips from Playa del Coco. If you want a combination of Volcano, hotsprings and waterfalls, we recommend taking a day pass at Hacienda Guachipelin that includes entrance to Rio Negro Hotsprings and Oropendola waterfalls.

You can visit the Rincon de la Vieja National Park on the same trip. The Las Pailas trail of the national park is an easy hike where you will witness secondary volcanic activities due to its proximity to the Rincon de la Vieja volcano. If you want to go for a longer, but not too difficult hike, take the La Cangreja waterfall trail.

You can check this tour for hiking in the Rincon de la Vieja National Park, Hotsprings, and Waterfalls. Also, if you’d like to add some adventure activities, this tour adds zip-lining and tubing experiences.

Day 4: Go Beach Hopping around Playa del Coco – 5 beautiful beaches

If you wish to venture out and check some of the other beaches in the area, there are a few you can check out. While some require a little bit of walking, others are easy to access. Playa Bonita is our favorite of the lot, a little away from the crowd. Here is our list of beaches that you can pick to break away from Coco.

Alternative Day Trip Option: The La Leona Waterfall is beautiful waterfall hike just 20-minute from Liberia, in Curubande town. It is 3-hour guided hike, where you go for a easy-to-moderate hike in the forest, then swim through a canyon to reach the La Leona Waterfall.

You can avail a 5% discount using our coupon code paradise if you book the tour directly here. You can choose private or group tour, with or without transport.

If you do not have your own transport, you can choose the ‘transport’ option, to get a pickup from the beaches or hotels / resorts near Liberia and Papagayo.

Day 5: Playa del Coco to Liberia

Coco is not too far from the Liberia airport, but make sure you start well ahead of time as the road towards the Liberia town can get crowded sometimes based on the time of the day.

Day	Activities
Day 1	Liberia to Playa del Coco [Beach, Local Food]
Day 2	Explore the Beach and Town [Beach, Sunset, Snorkel]
Day 3	Day Trip to Rincon de la Vieja National Park [Volcano, Waterfalls & Hotsprings]
Day 4	Beach Hopping [Beach]
Day 5	Playa del Coco [Wrap Up]

Hotel Recommendations for 5-day Itinerary in Costa Rica from Liberia

• Playas del Coco Hotels: Here are some options close to the beach – Hotel Villa del Sol, Laura’s House B&B, Villa Vilar.

• Tamarindo Hotels: Cala Luna Boutique Hotel, Jardin del Eden Boutique Hotel, Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort are some upscale options. Sueño del Mar B&B, Hotel Luna Llena, Tamarindo Backpackers are among mid-range and budget options.

• All-inclusive Resorts: There are several all-inclusive options near Liberia airport. Occidental Papagayo, CC Beach Front Papagayo, RIU Palace Costa Rica are some of the popular ones.

Final Thoughts

The best way to plan a 5-day itinerary in Costa Rica is to stick to 1 or 2 destinations. Preferably travel through one of the airports. Raw nature is the best thing that you can experience in this country. While 5 days may be short, it is a great way to start one of the many visits.

If you are new to Costa Rica, or planning your first trip to Costa Rica, start here.

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