Costa Rica 10 Day Itinerary (From Liberia): The Best Highlights

White clouds float over green mountains. Hanging bridges sway deep inside mist covered tropical forests. Ocean waves crash on pristine beaches. White waterfalls plunge into turquoise pools. There is never a dull scenery in Costa Rica! The abundance of natural resources in the country and a conscious effort of conversation also make it home to several species of birds and animals. It comes as no surprise that this Central American country is a bucket list travel destination for many people around the world. If you are among them, we have got you covered for your trip planning. We created this Costa Rica 10 day itinerary covering the best highlights of the country.

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Watch our YouTube video below about the essence of Costa Rica and get inspired to book that ticket!

Costa Rica 10 Day Itinerary

To help you plan how to best spend your 10 days in Costa Rica, we shortlisted an assortment of destinations that will give you a glimpse of different diverse ecosystems. The itinerary has been optimized in such a way that you get a taste of beaches, cloud forests, waterfalls, hot springs, volcanoes, wildlife, but without much hassle of long distance travels.

This itinerary is perfect for you if you plan to enter and exit via Liberia airport, one of the two international airports in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica Trip Planning Resources:

Check out Costa Rica Activities to plan your Costa Rica trip. If you have a shorter vacation in mind, consider these 5-day itinerary options.

You can check this Costa Rica itinerary for 2-weeks, if San Jose airport works better for you as points of arrival and departure.

The most convenient way of getting around in Costa Rica is to rent a car.

Must-have things on your Costa Rica packing list: Reef Safe SunscreenInsect Repellent, and Rain Poncho. You can read our full packing guide and download the free packing checklist for the Costa Rica trip.

Day 1: Fly in to Liberia – Rio Negro Hot Springs and Waterfalls

After flying in to Liberia airport during the first half of the day, reserve your afternoon for some relaxation and rejuvenation, typical Costa Rica style! Go on a lazy nature walk to explore the Rio Negro series of waterfalls in the jungle. Then pamper yourself by soaking in the Rio Negro hot springs by the river. The setting is therapeutic. During your time at the hot springs, you can also try a volcanic mud bath, which is fun and healing at the same time.

For the first couple of days, you can base yourself in the Rincon de la Vieja area, about 30 minutes drive from the Liberia airport. Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin is a good accommodation option because it is located near the Rincon de la Vieja National Park. Also, the stay here includes free access to all the waterfalls of the area as well as the Rio Negro hot springs, which otherwise you would need to purchase a pass for.

If you arrive in Costa Rica during the second half of the day, treat it as your Day 0. Relax with a nice dinner and a good night’s sleep before you begin your travel adventures the next day.

A couple with volcanic mud on their skin, posing for a selfie at Rio Negro Hot Springs in Costa Rica.
Volcanic mud on us :-). At Rio Negro Hot Springs.

Day 2: Rincon de la Vieja National Park and Oropendola Waterfall

Start early on Day 2 of your Costa Rica trip to visit the Rincon de la Vieja National Park. The park has two main sectors, Santa Maria and Las Pailas. The latter is the one next to the Hacienda Guachipelin property and thus the one you can visit easily on this day. Las Pailas sector has a few trails – the crater trail of Rincon de la Vieja volcano, trails to couple of waterfalls and a trail by the same name as the sector, Las Pailas.

However, if you have 10 days in Costa Rica, you may not want to spend multiple days hiking on different trails of the same national park. So, you need to choose a trail or two for your hikes.

Easy Hike

If you are looking for a nice and easy hike, choose the Las Pailas sector for your hike in the Rincon de la Vieja National Park. It is a circular trail of 3.2 km (2 miles) going through tropical rain forests and tropical dry forests. While walking on the well paved trail admiring the interesting vegetation, look out for birds and animals, particularly howler monkeys and spider monkeys, hanging out discreetly around you. But the most interesting part of this Las Pailas trail is the variety of secondary volcano activities like volcanic mud pots, water pots, fumarolic lagoon and more. It is fascinating to watch how amusing our planet is.

A zoomed in view of volcanic mud pots, secondary volcanic activities at Rincon de la Vieja National Park in Costa Rica.
Volcanic mud pots – secondary volcanic activities at Rincon de la Vieja National Park.

Difficult Hikes

If you want a tougher hike, consider one of the waterfall trails or the volcano crater trail. If you decide to do the waterfall hike but are spoilt for choice between the two waterfalls, Catarata La Cangreja and Catarata Escondido, we would suggest La Cangreja waterfall. The gorgeous white waterfall tumbling into a turquoise natural pool is totally worth the effort of the 10 km (6.2 miles) hike.

A long exposure shot of La Cangreja waterfall, a great inclusion in Costa Rica 10 day itinerary.
La Cangreja waterfall.

Oropendola Waterfall

On your way out from Rincon de la Vieja National Park, take a quick trip to the Oropendola waterfall located just outside the boundaries of the national park. From the parking lot, you can access the waterfall by an easy walk, including few shaky minutes on a constantly swaying hanging bridge.

Enjoy the views of this wildly beautiful waterfall from the viewing deck. Or take the iron stairs to go down into the emerald pool for a swim and for enjoying the splash of the waterfall.

Oropendola waterfall tumbling into a turquoise pool in a scenic jungle setting.
Oropendola waterfall.

If you prefer organized guided tours, you can also check the following tour options that offer guide, lunch and transportation including free pick and drop from hotels in the Tamarindo, Conchal, Flamingo areas and/or the resorts in the Gulf of Papagayo.

If you prefer a private tour, here is an option –

There are ziplining and river tubing options in the area apart from the hot springs. So you can check this tour for these experiences.

Day 3: Liberia to Monteverde – Monteverde Night Walk

On Day 3, check out from your hotel in Rincon de la Vieja and start your journey towards Monteverde, the cloud forest haven of Costa Rica. The trip should take between 2 and 2.5 hours, without any stop.

Apart from its cloud forests, this mountain town is also known for several exciting activities and attractions, and hence your next couple of days in Monteverde are going to be packed. So you might as well take the first day easy.

Afternoon Relaxation and Sunset

After arriving in town, treat yourself to a filling lunch at one of the many nice restaurants of Monteverde. Post lunch, spend a cozy relaxing afternoon in your hotel room or at a coffee shop, sipping a cuppa and reading a book, while enjoying the cool climate and lush mountain views. This afternoon in Monteverde can be the epitome of your much needed tranquility.

As the afternoon progresses, head towards one of the vantage sunset points in Monteverde to see the perfect orange sun setting over the Gulf of Nicoya with the backdrop of the mountain landscape.

Perfect round sun and a fiery red sky during sunset in Monteverde, Costa Rica.
Sunset in Monteverde.

Monteverde Night Walk

If you are re-energized after all the day’s rest, you can still fit in a Monteverde activity on this Day 3 of your Costa Rica 10 day itinerary. With various ongoing conservation efforts, Monteverde has retained its natural biodiversity and thus is home to several species of flora and fauna. So, you are never far from the elements of nature in Monteverde.

But, as the sun goes down, a layer of mystery seems to engulf the forests of Monteverde which come alive with all kinds of sounds in the darkness of the night. This is when you get the chance to spot several nocturnal birds, mammals, arthropods, amphibians and reptiles. The best way to experience this night time forest of Monteverde is by going on a guided night tour. Check this out for all the details on how you can plan your Monteverde night walk.

Rufous-eyed Brook Frog sitting on a green leaf.
Rufous-eyed Brook Frog.

Day 4: Monteverde – Zip-lining and Hanging Bridges

This day of your Costa Rica 10 day trip is bound to give you the ultimate adrenaline rush.

Go on a zip-lining and hanging bridges combo tour. Experience the cloud forests of Monteverde from close quarters and get transported to a different world of solitude and serenity, while still experiencing an adrenaline boost.

Based on your preferences, you can also choose to go for either the hanging bridges walk or the zip-lining tour, if not both. Most adventure parks in Monteverde offer both the tours, individually and as combo, which you can also pair with some other lighter activities, based on the package you purchase. Sky Adventures and Selvatura Park are the most prominent among all the adventure parks in Monteverde.

Monteverde Hanging Bridges

Walking on the hanging bridges is a hiking activity of about 2 to 2.5 hours. You follow the well marked nature trail which also takes you through a series of high and long suspension bridges. As the bridges are constructed near the canopy level, you can enjoy unique perspectives of the forests, including eye level sightings of several birds and monkeys at the forest canopy.

Typical of cloud forests, the forests often wear blankets of passing clouds. So, when you walk on the hanging bridges, some of which are as high as 164 feet, you get the feeling of walking over the clouds!

You can go for a self-guided tour or a guided tour. While you can definitely enjoy the hanging bridges on a self-guided walk, on a guided tour, the naturalist guide can help you with better wildlife sightings. And you also get to learn more about the natural biodiversity of the area.

For comparisons of different hanging bridges tours of Monteverde, and details on how to book the tour, what to expect and how to prepare for the tour, read this post on hanging bridges of Monteverde.

A man wearing grey t-shirt, sunglasses and red cap, and a woman wearing navy blue t-shirt, sunglasses and beige cap, posing for a selfie on a hanging bridge of Monteverde.
Us, on a hanging bridge at Selvatura Park, Monteverde.

Monteverde Zip-lining

If walking over the clouds on the hanging bridges gives you a high, how about taking the experience one notch higher? On the zip-lining tour in Monteverde, you get the feeling of flying over the cloud forest!

The zip-lining tour also takes about 2 to 2.5 hours. Staying attached to the zip-line through a harness, you zip across from one platform to another. As you glide in air, enjoy the views of the vast expanse of the cloud forests. Some tours include an optional Superman zip-line at an extra fee. If you opt for this, you get to experience a bird’s eye view of the forest as you slide along the zip-line in a Superman like position.

Zip-lining in Monteverde is a guided activity (of course!). The group of zip-lining tour customers is always accompanied by a professional crew. They will guide you about safety features, assist you with the gear, and help you with take-off and landing on every line.

For comparisons of different zip-lining tour providers of Monteverde, and details on how to book the tour and what to expect, read this post on zip-lining in Monteverde.

Here are some snaps from our zip-lining adventures at Sky Adventures and Selvatura Park in Monteverde.

For organized guided tours, check out these options here and here. Also, you can check the tours on Viator below –

Day 5: Monteverde – Bird-watching and Cloud Forest Hiking

The next day in Monteverde is also filled with activities, but they are more calming than thrilling, like birding and hiking. But you will be burning a lot of calories as the day involves quite a few hours of walking.

The previous day you walked over the clouds of the cloud forest and zip-lined high above the cloud forest canopy. Today, it is time to keep your feet on the ground (pun intended). Explore the cloud forests of Monteverde from inside. Go for hiking in the cloud forest reserves, after going for (an optional) birding tour in the morning.

Curi Cancha Reserve

Around 400 species of birds have been recorded in Monteverde. Many of these birds, with their brilliant colors and amusing behavior, are a delight to watch. One such bird is the elusive Resplendent Quetzal. Monteverde is one of the very few places in Costa Rica where you can spot this majestic looking bird. Otherwise, you can spot Quetzals in San Gerardo de Dota or Los Quetzales National Park, which are not part of this Costa Rica 10 day itinerary.

The best way to enjoy the birds of Costa Rica is by going on a bird-watching tour. Curi Cancha Reserve in Monteverde is a great birding destination as it has several nature trails including some along open landscaped spaces, which make bird sighting easier.

Go for an early morning tour for better chances of birding and also to fit in other activities for later in the day. You can go for self-guided tour from 7:00 am onward, whereas the guided tour starts at 6:30 am. Read this post for details on the trails and viewpoints of Curi Cancha reserve and how to book the tour.

This guided bird-watching tour with a local guide includes entry tickets. If you have transport and bought the entrance tickets, here is another excellent option.

If you are not a birding enthusiast, you can skip Curi Cancha and instead start the next activity earlier.

A hummingbird at Curi Cancha Reserve. Birding at Curi Cancha is must include activity in the Costa Rica itinerary for birding enthusiasts.
A hummingbird at Curi Cancha Reserve.

Hiking in the Cloud Forest Reserve

There are 3 major reserves in Monteverde, each special in its own way. You can include any one of these 3 reserves in your Costa Rica 10 day itinerary. None will disappoint the nature lover in you.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve

Established by the Quakers, the pioneers of the Monteverde community settlement, this reserve has 8 trails of lengths varying between 0.2 km (01. mile) and 2 km (1.12 miles), with some intersections/ connections among them. Apart from the cloud forests, Monteverde Reserve has several other attractions like diverse vegetation, wildlife sightings, river trail and waterfall. But the major highlights of this reserve are a hanging bridge and a viewpoint of the Continental Divide.

Elfin forest near the Continental Divide at Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve - a unique perspective during Costa Rica 10 day trip.
Elfin forest near the Continental Divide at Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve.
Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve

Situated at a higher elevation, Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve gives you an immersive cloud forest experience. The reserve has 5 different trails covering a distance of 12.5 km (7.8 miles) in total. One of the highlights of the Santa Elena Reserve is the observation tower. From the tower, you can see 4 volcanoes, including the Arenal Volcano on a clear day. For more details, read our complete guide to Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve.

Black Guan, at Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve in Monteverde, Costa Rica.
Black Guan, at Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve.
Bajo del Tigre Reserve, Children’s Eternal Rainforest

Bajo del Tigre is a small sector of the largest reserve in Costa Rica, Children’s Eternal Rainforest. The reserve has 3.7 km (2.3 miles) of trails which are mostly flat and easy to walk on. There are also benches in some parts for resting. This reserve is perfect for families with kids and elderly people. Bajo del Tigre reserve is positioned in a transition zone of wet to seasonal moist. Thus, you also get to enjoy the rain forest experience here. For planning your trip to this reserve, read our complete guide to Bajo del Tigre Reserve.

The trail at Bajo del Tigre Reserve of Children's Eternal Rainforest in Monteverde.
The trail at Bajo del Tigre Reserve of Children’s Eternal Rainforest.

Day 6: Monteverde Coffee Tour – Monteverde to Playa Avellanas

On your last morning in Monteverde, spend some time learning about the other thing Monteverde is famous for. Its coffee. Sign up for a coffee farm tour which lasts for about 2 to 2.5 hours. On this tour, you will get to learn more about coffee farming, processing and roasting. El Trapiche and Don Juan Monteverde offer 3-in-1 combo tour of coffee, cocoa and sugarcane, while Cafe Monteverde gives a more in-depth coffee experience mapping it against social and economic context.

After wrapping up the coffee tour by afternoon, it is time to say good bye to Monteverde and proceed to your next destination, Playa Avellanas. It is a less developed beach in a village of the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica. The drive from Monteverde to Avellanas takes around 3 hours. So, you may reach town just in time to catch a beach sunset at Playa Avellanas.

The entrance of Monteverde Coffee Center. Coffee tour is an interesting activity to include in the Costa Rica itinerary for in-depth insights about coffee harvesting and roasting.
The entrance of Monteverde Coffee Center.

Alternative Destination Recommendation for Monteverde: Days 4 to 6

You can swap Monteverde with La Fortuna. It is an equally exciting destination, and takes around the same amount of time to reach from Liberia as Monteverde.Monteverde is great for cloud forests, cool mountain climate, wildlife sighting opportunities, hanging bridges and zip-lining. Lying in the northern plains region, La Fortuna is known for the famous Arenal Volcano National Park, Arenal Lake, rain forests, hanging bridges, zip-lining, bird-watching and sloth-sighting opportunities, La Fortuna waterfall and volcanic hot springs among others. From La Fortuna, you can also take a side trip to the magical Rio Celeste waterfall.

La Fortuna activities and tours: You can check the tours that pack multiple activities in a day. This tour has the La Fortuna highlights or this one that includes the volcanic hot springs as well, in case your stay does not have a hotspring. Also, the coffee tour, sloth-watching tours, and night tour are other interesting activities in La Fortuna and Arenal.

If you are up for some adventure activities, below are some options.

Watch our YouTube video below about La Fortuna waterfall.


Day 7: Playa Avellanas – Beach Hopping

Avellanas Beach

Although Playa Avellanas is a favorite beach among the locals of Costa Rica, organized tourism is yet to catch up here. And that is what we like the most about Playa Avellanas. You get to enjoy a long stretch of soft sand beach, without the intervention of many beach side constructions. Take a stroll on the beach and watch a perfect beach sunset. Also, walk on the Insta-famous Avellanas Bridge. This wooden bridge is great for photo ops and to see the mangrove marshlands up close.

A man wearing red t-shirt, sunglasses and red cap, and a woman wearing a denim dress and sunglasses, posing for a selfie at Playa Avellanas in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.
Us, at Avellanas beach.

Beach Hopping around Avellanas

Since this is effectively your first beach day in Costa Rica, you may consider scouting the area for other nice beaches that you can return to later. If you keep driving southwards from Playa Avellanas, you will come across a few other beaches within a distance of 10 km (6.2 miles), each having its own character.

At around 2 km (1.2 miles), Playa Lagartillo is the closest to Avellanas. With no souls in sight at this secluded beach, it turned out to be our favorite.

Playa Negra is located around 4.6 km (2.8 miles) south of Avellanas. There is a hotel property by the same name, Hotel Playa Nagra right on the beach, which makes activity at Playa Negra a little more prominent.

Located about 6.7 km (4.2 miles) from Playa Avellanas, Playa Blanca is a beautiful white sand beach. Due to the positioning of the adjacent small cliffs, you can enjoy the clifftop views of the beach. Some luxury residential project development in the area makes the facilities at Playa Blanca a little more organized, like guarded parking.

Playa Junquillal is a 4 km (2.5 miles) stretch of tan sand beach, the main beach of the town of Junquillal. There are quite a few hotels, guesthouses and eateries near this beach. But it still retains a raw beach town flavor.

A man wearing blue and white floral shirt and red cap, and a woman wearing a red spaghetti top and brown hat, posing for a selfie at Playa Lagartillo in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.
Us, at Lagartillo beach.

Day 8: Playa Avellanas – Swimming and Surfing

Spend Day 8 of your Costa Rica trip enjoying the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean.

Surfing is one of the best things to do at Playa Avellanas. So, if you are a seasoned surfer, just rent a surfboard and start taking on the waves. If you are a newbie or a beginner, you can sign up for surfing lessons from one of the surf schools. Or just sit on the beach, watching the surfers hone their skills.

Swim in the ocean or laze around under the shades of the trees. When you are hungry or thirsty, grab a bite and a drink at the iconic Lola’s restaurant on the beach.

There is not much of a nightlife at Avellanas. So you can conclude the day with a dinner at a nice restaurant. Kon-Tiki near Playa Negra has great wood-fired pizza which you can pair with a glass of wine.

A drone shot of surfers waiting for the wave at Avellanas beach. Surfing is a great activity to include in the Costa Rica itinerary for surfing beginners as well as surfing pros.
Surfers waiting for the wave at Avellanas beach.

Read about other surfing beaches of Costa Rica:

Playa Carmen, Playa Hermosa, Playa Dominicalito, Malpais, Santa Teresa.


Day 9: Playa Avellanas / Tamarindo

To get the feel of a busier beach town, head to Tamarindo for your last night in Costa Rica. Tamarindo also has great surf breaks, a nice beach, several other great beaches within an hour’s driving distance and great sunsets. But Tamarindo is always bustling. There are scores of hotels, restaurants, stores, souvenir shops, all packed in the town center, and spread out in the vicinity as well. That is why the nighttime is also quite active in Tamarindo.

Tamarindo is around 40 minutes drive from Avellanas. So, if you check out before noon from Avellanas, you can grab lunch at Tamarindo, surf and swim in the afternoon, watch sunset from a rooftop bar and then end the day with fine dining at one of Tamarindo’s finest restauarants.

But if you enjoy the slow pace at Playa Avellanas, you can skip Tamarindo. Stay back at Avellanas for another day of surf, swim and sunset.

Two empty beach chairs under the shade of trees. They are facing the blue ocean, where many yachts are anchored. This is a typical sight at Tamarindo on quieter mornings. Tamarindo is a popular beach destination on Costa Rica itineraries.
A quiet morning at Tamarindo.

Check out a couple of interesting tour options from Tamarindo. This sunset and snorkel tour gives you a break from the beach on a catamaran cruise in the Pacific. If you want to have a full-day tour of the neighboring Nicaragua, you can consider the tour below.


Alternative Destination Recommendation for Avellanas Beach: Days 7 to 9

If you prefer bustling beach towns over quieter ones, replace your Avellanas days with Tamarindo. If you prefer something in between, like not too touristy, neither lacking development, consider Nosara. Choose between Playa Guiones and Playa Pelada in Nosara. Another great beach town in Guanacaste is Samara.


Day 10: Fly out from Liberia

Keep the agenda wide open for the last day of your Costa Rica 10 day itinerary. You need not schedule any activities in advance. But depending on the time of your flight, you may be able to sneak in one last ocean swim or one last nature walk.

The duration for transfer to Liberia airport will depend on your last destination. It can take between 1:15 hours and 1:30 hours from Playa Avellanas or Tamarindo, around 2 hours from Samara and 2:15 hours from Nosara. So, plan your airport transfer accordingly.

As you conclude this Costa Rica itinerary, reflect on the experiences you have gathered from this land of Pura Vida. It is time to say goodbye for this time and start preparing for the next trip to Costa Rica!

The view of a plane flying in the sky near Liberia airport.
Fly high.

Hotel Recommendations for 10 Days in Costa Rica

In Costa Rica, you can find hotels, hostels and guesthouses of various budget ranges. But almost everywhere, you can expect decent service, clean premises and friendly staff. Here are some of our accommodation recommendations for your Costa Rica 10 day itinerary.

Rincon de la Vieja Hotels

  • Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin: It is located in a big property right next to the Las Pailas sector of the Rincon de la Vieja National Park. The hotel offers dozens of rooms, with varying accommodation types such as Standard Room, Superior Room, Family Superior Room, Legacy Suite and Suite. The rooms are nothing too fancy, but work fine with comfortable bed and hot shower. The hotel has a swimming pool, a restaurant and offers secure free parking and free WiFi. But the best part about the stay at Hacienda Guachipelin is that the price of the stay includes free access to the Rio Negro Hot Springs and all other waterfalls of the region. Book your stay here.

Monteverde Hotels

  • El Establo Mountain Hotel: It is a high-end hotel with incredible views, two onsite restaurants, a spa and a swimming pool. You can choose from four different accommodation options, Deluxe Double Room, Junior Suite, Suite and Honeymoon Suite. Book your stay here.
  • Rainbow Valley Mountain Lodge: It is a mid-range option located on the highway few miles ahead of Monteverde. The accommodation options are Chalet, Budget Double Room, Double Room with Mountain View or Balcony, Suite with Mountain View, Family Room with Mountain View and Suite with Hot Tub. Each accommodation is an independent unit with kitchenette. Book your stay here.
  • Cabañas Hoja Verde: It is a private cabin in the woods, great for isolated stays. The cabin features a living room, bedroom, balcony, fully equipped kitchen and a secure parking. Book your stay here.
  • Greemount Hotel: It is a family-run budget hotel offering basic no frills accommodation. But you will find everything that you need for a comfortable stay. Comfortable bed, hot water, homemade breakfast, parking, WiFi, a common area with reading nooks and games. The room options are Double Room, Quadruple Room and Family Room. Book your stay here.

For more hotel recommendations, check out this “Where To Stay” section of our Monteverde travel guide.

Playa Avellanas Hotels

  • Drift Away Eco Lodge: (This hotel is now the Blue Zone Resort) It is an eco-conscious property, around 1.6 km from Avellanas beach. This sustainable eco-lodge offers King Room, Queen Room, Twin Room and Two Bedroom Villa, each carefully appointed with rustic furniture, sustainably made bed and bath linens and toiletries. The property has beautiful landscaped gardens, a yoga center, a recreation room and a swimming pool surrounded by sculpted statues and fountains. Fair warning, Drift Away Eco Lodge may become the highlight of your days at Playa Avellanas. Book your stay here.
Swimming pool at Drift Away Eco Lodge near Playa Avellanas.
Swimming pool at Drift Away Eco Lodge near Playa Avellanas.

Tamarindo Hotels

  • Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort: It is a beachfront property offering more than 200 rooms with ocean or pool views. The resort has 4 onsite restaurants, 1 gelateria, 1 lounge bar and 2 wet bars. There are several pools too, 1 beachfront pool, 1 children’s pool, 1 adults-only quiet pool, 1 scenic pool and 1 hydrotherapy pool. Diria Reosrt also has a casino! Book your stay here.
  • Ten North Tamarindo Beach Hotel: It is a mid-range hotel located in the heart of Tamarindo. For your stay, you can choose from room and apartment options, some with pool view or balcony. Book your stay here.
  • Jardin del Eden el Boutique Hotel: It is an adults-only boutique hotel, with carefully curated rooms, gardens and pools. This is a great romantic accommodation option, with some rooms offering private spa tubs. The nightly tariff includes breakfast and dinner for all room types. Book your stay here.
  • Cala Luna Boutique Hotel & Villas: Located closer to Langosta Beach, it is a boutique hotel with secluded deluxe rooms, private villas with pools for families and luxury adults-only suites. With various well-being offerings like spa treatments, yoga sessions and farm-to-table dinners, you are likely to have an intimate connection with nature at Cala Luna. Book your stay here.

You can search for more Tamarindo hotels here.

What to Pack for 10 Days in Costa Rica?

Check out our comprehensive packing guide for Costa Rica, with a FREE checklist included that should help you at the time of packing your bags.

How to Get Around in Costa Rica?

The most convenient way of getting around in Costa Rica is to rent a car. It gives you the flexibility of timing, routes, and scenic stops. Due to the road conditions in some parts of the country, driving here can turn out to be adventurous. However, for the destinations we covered in this Costa Rica 10 day itinerary, you do not really need a 4X4. A car with high ground clearance should suffice. Compare the prices before you book the rental car, and remember to check the insurance coverage.

We have a Costa Rica Car Rental Deal for you

Our Car Rental Partner: Adobe Rent A Car, 100% Costa Rican company and a trusted name, with transparent pricing.

Click here to make your reservation, with the discount automatically applied. For the details of the deal, read this article.

Car Rental Deal Highlights: ~10% discount on base rate (varies by dates and demand), free extra drivers, booster seats and baby seats at no extra cost, free door-step delivery of rental car to houses, condos and hotels near Adobe Rent A Car offices.

If you are not comfortable driving in a foreign country, you can ask your hotels to arrange for airport transfers and pick-up and drop-off between destinations. Alternatively, you can opt for public buses for traveling between destinations. For different tours, check with the tour providers if they can include hotel pick-up and drop-off.

Unpaved road lined by trees, a common sight in the rural areas. Expect to drive on such roads.
Unpaved roads can be common during your Costa Rica road trips. Pictured above: Road to Nosara.

Final Thoughts on Costa Rica 10 Day Itinerary

Costa Rica is a great destination for nature seekers. It offers exciting activities and attractions for all kinds of travelers, families, couples or solo travelers. Ranging from tropical dry forests to tropical rain forests and cloud forests, from mountains to beaches, volcanoes to waterfalls, we explored various landscapes in this Costa Rica 10 day itinerary. Yet there is so much more to discover in this beautiful country in Central America. So, this could be the first of your many trips to Costa Rica. Or, who knows, this trip might as well turn out to be your temptation for moving to Costa Rica!

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Travel Planning Logistics

  • Accommodation: For several years now, Booking.com has been our platform of choice for booking accommodation while traveling. You can apply all the desired filters and shortlist the ones that meet your criteria. On continued use, you will keep unlocking their Genius benefits. For long term stays, we use Airbnb. Of late, we have also started browsing Hostelworld for finding hostels.
  • Tours: When traveling to new destinations, you can plan ahead and book your activities. Check for highly rated tours on Viator and Get Your Guide.
  • Packing: From swimwear to sunscreen, hiking pants to insect repellents, buy your vacation packing essentials on Amazon.
  • Flights: We always start our flight searches with Skyscanner and Momondo. They are aggregators that display flight options, compiling information across airlines and combinations. What we like the best about these flight aggregators is that you can put “Anywhere” as your destination, so that you find the best flight deals from your city of departure.


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Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase or a booking through these links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you.

Paradise Catchers

We are Pubali and Indranil, an Indian couple living in Costa Rica and slow traveling Latin America and Caribbean.

8 thoughts on “Costa Rica 10 Day Itinerary (From Liberia): The Best Highlights”

  1. Excellent description. Quite precise itinerary. Nice photographs. The presentation must force people to take a trip to Costa Rica.

    Reply
  2. This is fantastic. We are tempted to follow this almost entirely!

    If we are looking to squeeze in La Fortuna, should we swap out Monteverde or Rincon de la Vieja?

    Reply
    • Thanks Nitin. You can choose to replace Rincon de la Vieja with La Fortuna, as thematically, both have volcano, hot springs and waterfalls, whereas Monteverde is more of a cloud forest, hiking and adventure kind of destination. Hope this helps 🙂

      Reply
    • Hi Russ. Welcome to Costa Rica. How much you spend during10 days in Costa Rica will depend on your accommodation type, transfer/commute modes and chosen activities. Please note, we are not a tour company – so, we do not offer any excursions ourselves but will be happy to share recommendations of noted local tour operators in Costa Rica. Please feel free to send us an email. Thank you.

      Reply
  3. we are planning a trip for this January and I wonder if you have this itinerary mapped out so I could see it on a map? Thanks – would weather be Ok in early – mid January? Assume we’d need to be prepared for rain regardless since it is a rainforest~. Thanks appreciate your response.

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    • Hi Laurie, we haven’t created a map for this itinerary yet, but good idea – we’ll put it on our things to do for enhancing this itinerary article. Thanks to you! 🙂 Meanwhile, if you need one sooner, please feel free to send us an email with the map request and we’ll respond.

      January weather should be fine. Beaches will be hot and humid, but overall lesser chances of rain all over the country. And you are right, pack a raincoat in any case and you will be fine. Enjoy your Costa Rica trip! 🙂

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