Northwestern Costa Rica

What did you come to Costa Rica for? To lounge on pristine beaches and ride glorious waves? To hike up volcanoes and soak in geothermal springs? To spy on birds and monkeys and get lost among ancient trees? The northwestern corner of Costa Rica packs in all this and more. Unlike any other part of the country, Guanacaste – in the far northwest – is a wide, flat expanse of grasslands and dry tropical forest, where savanna vistas are broken only by windblown trees. Further east, the Cordillera de Guanacaste rises majestically out of the plains in a line of sputtering, steaming volcanic peaks that beg exploration. Further south, higher altitudes create misty, mystical cloud forests, teeming with life. What did you come to Costa Rica for? Here it is...

Explore Northwestern Costa Rica

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Reserva Santa Elena
The exquisitely misty 310-hectare Reserva Santa Elena offers a completely different cloud forest experience from Monteverde. Cutting through the veiled…
Reserva Biológica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde
This beautiful cloud forest reserve came into being in 1972, when the Quaker community (which had already set aside a third of its property for…
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Parque Nacional Palo Verde
At the head of the Golfo de Nicoya, the 198 sq km Parque Nacional Palo Verde is a wetland sanctuary in Costa Rica’s driest province. The park’s shallow,…
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Cerro Pelado
A fabulous mountain for hiking if you've got your own wheels and a keen sense of adventure. It's best to scale this at sunrise or sunset, and to avoid it…
Llanos de Cortés
If you're pressed for time and in search of a quick, easy waterfall visit, Llanos de Cortés will do nicely. From the entrance, which is now guarded, you…
Butterfly Garden
Head here for everything you ever wanted to know about butterflies. There are four gardens representing different habitats; they're home to more than 40…
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Sector Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa is the southern sector of the Área de Conservación Guanacaste. Some 30km of hiking trails weave through this tropical dry forest, offering…
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Parque Nacional Rincón de la Vieja
Given its proximity to Liberia, this park (about 160 sq km) feels surprisingly uncrowded and remote. Named after the steamy main attraction – the active…
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El Arbol Hueco
There's no sign, no website, and last we checked, nobody was collecting any money for this delightful roadside attraction. It's simply a hollowed-out fig…

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Reserva Santa Elena
The exquisitely misty 310-hectare Reserva Santa Elena offers a completely different cloud forest experience from Monteverde. Cutting through the veiled…
Reserva Biológica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde
This beautiful cloud forest reserve came into being in 1972, when the Quaker community (which had already set aside a third of its property for…
P
Parque Nacional Palo Verde
At the head of the Golfo de Nicoya, the 198 sq km Parque Nacional Palo Verde is a wetland sanctuary in Costa Rica’s driest province. The park’s shallow,…
C
Cerro Pelado
A fabulous mountain for hiking if you've got your own wheels and a keen sense of adventure. It's best to scale this at sunrise or sunset, and to avoid it…
Llanos de Cortés
If you're pressed for time and in search of a quick, easy waterfall visit, Llanos de Cortés will do nicely. From the entrance, which is now guarded, you…
Butterfly Garden
Head here for everything you ever wanted to know about butterflies. There are four gardens representing different habitats; they're home to more than 40…
S
Sector Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa is the southern sector of the Área de Conservación Guanacaste. Some 30km of hiking trails weave through this tropical dry forest, offering…
P
Parque Nacional Rincón de la Vieja
Given its proximity to Liberia, this park (about 160 sq km) feels surprisingly uncrowded and remote. Named after the steamy main attraction – the active…
E
El Arbol Hueco
There's no sign, no website, and last we checked, nobody was collecting any money for this delightful roadside attraction. It's simply a hollowed-out fig…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Northwestern Costa Rica.

See
Reserva Santa Elena
The exquisitely misty 310-hectare Reserva Santa Elena offers a completely different cloud forest experience from Monteverde. Cutting through the veiled…
See
Reserva Biológica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde
This beautiful cloud forest reserve came into being in 1972, when the Quaker community (which had already set aside a third of its property for…
See
Parque Nacional Palo Verde
At the head of the Golfo de Nicoya, the 198 sq km Parque Nacional Palo Verde is a wetland sanctuary in Costa Rica’s driest province. The park’s shallow,…
See
Cerro Pelado
A fabulous mountain for hiking if you've got your own wheels and a keen sense of adventure. It's best to scale this at sunrise or sunset, and to avoid it…
See
Llanos de Cortés
If you're pressed for time and in search of a quick, easy waterfall visit, Llanos de Cortés will do nicely. From the entrance, which is now guarded, you…
See
Butterfly Garden
Head here for everything you ever wanted to know about butterflies. There are four gardens representing different habitats; they're home to more than 40…
See
Sector Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa is the southern sector of the Área de Conservación Guanacaste. Some 30km of hiking trails weave through this tropical dry forest, offering…
See
Parque Nacional Rincón de la Vieja
Given its proximity to Liberia, this park (about 160 sq km) feels surprisingly uncrowded and remote. Named after the steamy main attraction – the active…
See
El Arbol Hueco
There's no sign, no website, and last we checked, nobody was collecting any money for this delightful roadside attraction. It's simply a hollowed-out fig…

Guidebooks

Purchase our award-winning guidebooks

Get to the heart of Northwestern Costa Rica with one of our in-depth, award-winning guidebooks, covering maps, itineraries, and expert guidance.