Exploring Costa Rica: Guanacaste, Santa Rosa and Rincón de la Vieja

San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica, located in the central valley region. It serves as the country’s political, economic, and cultural center. The city is known for its museums, theaters, and lively urban atmosphere surrounded by mountains. San José blends modern development with historic architecture and local traditions. It is also a major gateway for travelers exploring the rest of Costa Rica.

Puerto Caldera is an important seaport located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. It serves as one of the country’s main ports for trade and cruise ships. The town is known for its warm climate, coastal views, and nearby beaches. Puerto Caldera is a gateway for travelers visiting central Costa Rica. It plays a key role in the nation’s economy and tourism.

Drop anchor off the remote Papagayo Peninsula, where you’ll spend the day soaking up the sun and enjoying beach time alongside waters fringed by offshore islets, which create dynamic habitat for a variety of tropical fish. Or choose to walk along a rarely used four-wheel drive track, which takes you back into a beautiful gallery forest. The area is rich with bird and plant varieties, and your naturalists will describe the intricate web of life in these oceanside ecosystems.

After lunch on board, continue to explore the coastline of Bahía Huevos and Playa Celestia. Zodiacs take you on an exploration of the bay and the peninsula. If conditions permit, explore the nearby mangroves by kayak or paddleboard.

Weather permitting, don a snorkel and fins to discover a rich underwater world or hike into the upper reaches of the Guanacaste Conservation Area for commanding views over the full length of this rarely-visited archipelago.

Back on board, sail toward the mainland while enjoying a delicious lunch. Depending on conditions, you may choose to explore Santa Elena Bay in Santa Rosa National Park, Junquillal Wildlife Refuge or Cuajiniquil Bay, all part of the extraordinarily biodiverse Guanacaste Conservation Area. While venturing out by Zodiac, immerse yourself in the tropical environment, alive with color. Yellow and black great kiskadees sally from exposed perches looking to capture a flying insect for an evening meal, and orange-fronted parakeets chatter overhead. Predators such as mangrove hawks may take wind, setting out on a late afternoon hunt, while ringed kingfishers, richly colored in brick red and deep blue, wait patiently, watching the shallows for a fish’s silvery flash.

The Guanacaste Province is a beautiful region in northwestern Costa Rica, known for its sunny climate and stunning Pacific coastline. It features famous beaches, national parks, and rich wildlife. The province has a strong cultural identity influenced by traditional music and festivals. Popular activities include surfing, wildlife watching, and exploring nature reserves. Guanacaste is one of the country’s top tourist destinations.

Your adventure continues as you set off inland to explore Rincón de la Vieja National Park. This mountainous region is also a part of the Guanacaste Conservation Area and encompasses more than 34,000 acres. The area, with its forests carpeting the sides of two active volcanoes, is alive with geothermal activity as gurgling, bubbling mud pots spout and steam rises above the canopy. Choose between several enticing options today, including a hike through the transition zone where tropical dry habitat meets the temperate cloud forest. Here, keep an eye out for exotic wildlife, with the possibility of encountering mantled howler monkeys and regionally special birds including the noisy and conspicuous white-throated magpie-jay. Alternatively, after a short hike into the forest, opt to swim below Las Chorreras Waterfall or soar through the canopy by zipline. Afterwards, enjoy a sumptuous lunch served poolside at Hacienda Guachipelin, including fresh ceviche.

Hacienda Guachipelin is a nature-focused eco-lodge located in northwestern Costa Rica. It sits near the foothills of the Rincón de la Vieja Volcano. The property is known for its adventure activities like hiking, zip-lining, and hot springs. It is surrounded by tropical dry forest and diverse wildlife. Hacienda Guachipelin offers visitors a mix of relaxation and outdoor exploration.

Along the coast of the Nicoya Peninsula, and in many ways demarcating the line between the wetter jungles of the south and Guanacaste’s drier environment, sits Curú National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica’s first private national wildlife reserve. Learn about the hundreds of species of birds, reptiles and mammals that inhabit this thriving ecosystem while exploring the park’s tracks and trails. Look for white-faced capuchin monkeys, turquoise-browed motmots and with luck, scarlet macaws. The northern tamandua resides here, and while often elusive and quiet, this primarily arboreal member of the anteater family may be spotted.

Later, as you enjoy lunch on board, you'll cruise to a cluster of offshore islets collectively called Isla Tortuga. Relax on the beach shaded by swaying palms and tropical vegetation, then celebrate the finale of your Guanacaste adventure with afternoon refreshments and hors d'oeuvres on the beach.

Located on the southeast tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, the Curu Wildlife Refuge is known for its pristine, white-sand beaches and impressive variety of species ranging from monkeys to sand crabs. In total the refuge covers 3,707 total acres and 656 feet of coastline. Travelers to the Curu Wildlife Refuge will quickly notice that they are in the minority at the site, with only a few people in the area among the abundance of animals and sea creatures. All of your senses will be captivated by this overwhelming amount of wildlife at the reserve, which offers some of the best eco-tourism in Costa Rica. Curu officially received support from the Costa Rican government to protect its wildlife in 1981 and the area officially became known as the Curu Wildlife Refuge in 1983. Today, the refuge is privately owned, extremely-well cared for and even more exclusive than many of the national parks in the country. If you're looking to participate in some of the vast eco-tourism opportunities in Costa Rica, the refuge should be a top priority because of its exclusivity and the ability of visitors to personally interact with the diverse animal population. The refuge also features 17 peaceful trails, where travellers can check out this abundant wildlife in a number of different ecosystems, including mangrove swamps and both dry and wet tropical forests.

Named after its turtle-shaped volcanic rock formations, Isla Tortuga is a small island set just off the tip of Nicoya Peninsula’s southern coast. The island offers a unique combination of white pristine beaches, palm trees, red volcanic rocks, verdant jungles and sparkling crystals that line the shores. Sunlight reaches right through the crystal clear waters at Isla Tortuga, making it a sought-after destination for snorkelers and scuba divers. Just east of the island is the Curu Wildlife Refuge offers some of the region’s best wildlife watching, including sightings of capuchin and howler monkeys, river otters, and deer on the ground, and a diverse ecology of underwater wildlife that can be accessed via snorkeling. Most commonly seen species are mantarays, reef sharks, octupus, stingrays, angle fish and spinner dolphins.

Puerto Caldera is an important seaport located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. It serves as one of the country’s main ports for trade and cruise ships. The town is known for its warm climate, coastal views, and nearby beaches. Puerto Caldera is a gateway for travelers visiting central Costa Rica. It plays a key role in the nation’s economy and tourism.

San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica, located in the central valley region. It serves as the country’s political, economic, and cultural center. The city is known for its museums, theaters, and lively urban atmosphere surrounded by mountains. San José blends modern development with historic architecture and local traditions. It is also a major gateway for travelers exploring the rest of Costa Rica.