Destination

With two gorgeous shores – on the Pacific and on the Caribbean – and with a coast shaped by dramatic volcanic rock, Costa Rica is a beach lover’s paradise. Coated with sugary sand and kissed by white surf that kicks up from crystalline waters, our beaches (or playas in the local language) are pristine and soothing. Many of the most beautiful line the Pacific coast. At Playa Tamarindo, fiery sunsets close out each day while at Playa Santa Teresa, surfers head out to find the perfect wave.

The lush rainforests of Costa Rica are home to an astonishing 5% of the world’s biodiversity. Dense jungles, from Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean coast to Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific, greet eco-conscious explorers with zip-lining, walkways through treetop canopies, and wildlife safaris by land and by river. For a thrilling adventure, embark on a whitewater rafting excursion along the Pacuare River, perhaps spotting toucans and scarlet macaws on the water’s edge.

Costa Rica’s Teatro Nacional is a spellbinding venue, an architectural masterpiece built in 1897 in grand neoclassical style. Tours of the theater begin every hour on the hour. Guides share stories of its construction and the magnificent artwork on its walls and lead you into rooms typically reserved for staff and performers. After, settle into the theater’s Alma de Café to sample delicious crepes, quiche, cappuccino, and an ambience the evokes an early 20th-century Vienna coffeehouse.

The Pre-Colombian Gold Museum near our San Jose hotel chronicles the story of Costa Rica’s indigenous peoples. This fascinating collection showcases almost 700 precious gold pieces, as well as ceramic and stone works curated from throughout the country. Its priceless repository serves as a springboard for exploration into the region’s settlement, social structure, metallurgy, iconography, gender, and environment, creating a richly layered view of both the past and present.