Costa Rica beach - Rafting Costa Rica - Zip line Costa Rica - Costa Rica kayaking - biking Costa Rica

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Finding adventure in Costa Rica is easy, fitting it all in may take several Costa Rica vacations. Sampling a Costa Rica beach on both coasts is a start, but to truly experience the country you'll need to grab a paddle and go rafting on the mighty Rio Pacuare or at least kayaking along the mangroves and canals. Biking Costa Rica is another way to get off the beaten track.

Naturally we've included our favorite things to do in the Macaw: Costa Rica wildlife adventure (year round) Quetzal: Costa Rica adventure (runs May - Nov) and the Iguana: Costa Rica travel tour (runs Dec - Apr), so have a look at the complete itineraries and our suggestions below for adventures and other popular activities while you're in Costa Rica.

Beaches

Ah, Costa Rica beaches. you could be forgiven if you spent your entire vacation in search of that perfect beach. Trouble is, there are too many to choose from, on both the Caribbean and the Pacific coasts. Water temperatures are inviting year round and although you could just about set your clock to the heavy tropical showers in the afternoons, you can also expect plenty of sunshine as well.

At the resorts on the Nicoya Peninsula and Tamarindo you'll find dry, arid temperatures and sugar white sand beaches that stretch for mile after glorious mile. Then as you travel down the Pacific coast where lush rainforests hug the coastline, it gets more rugged and the golden sand beaches become dotted with native wildlife as well as surfers. The black sand beaches on the Caribbean side groove to a Reggae beat and feature simple shacks rather than five-star cabanas.

Biking/Cycling

As with everything else in Costa Rica, the biking in Costa Rica is all about diversity within a small area, especially when it comes to terrain. Plenty of hotels around the country rent bikes if you feel like exploring on 2 wheels for a change. From deserted palm tree lined beaches and plenty of two- lane country roads to swift volcano descents and slogging up then flying down gnarly single tracks through the rainforest, there's a ride to suit any level of experience or daring.

Diving/Scuba Diving

As you might expect, there is as much happening under the sea as there is on land around here. There are plenty of amazing dive sites, mostly on the Pacific coast where the big stuff like sea turtles, sting rays and nurse sharks are often seen and if you're lucky, you'll spot hammerhead or white tip sharks as well as pilot and humpback whales. Both Cocos Island near the Galapagos and Caño Island near the Osa Peninsula are where serious divers go, but you can still see plenty under the sea at Tortuga Island, which is closer to San Jose., if you don't want to devote several days to the pursuit.

Hiking

With roughly a quarter of the country protected in national parks and reserves, you'd be crazy not to pack a sturdy pair of hiking boots on your Costa Rica vacation. Sure there are plenty of walks you can do on your own, but to get the most out of your time, you'll definitely want to invite along an experienced guide who can spot wildlife and give you the rundown on natural history, local lore and other interesting tidbits as you're working up a sweat on the trail.

Kayaking/Canoeing

In Costa Rica, kayaking is not only a fun activity, it's a necessity to get around in some areas. There are many parts of Costa Rica - such as Tortuguero - where the terrain is so dense and soggy, hiking boots just won't cut it if you want to get up close to the wildlife. Gliding nearly soundless on the water in a kayak is the ideal way of exploring the mangroves and swamps as well as the lush boggy canals of Tortuguero.

Rafting

Rafting Costa Rica's Rio Pacuare (Class IV) is an unmatched combination of exciting rapids, lush scenery, exotic wildlife, and accessibility for novices as well as more experienced rafters. It's probably one of the most scenic rivers of its class in the world and you'll agree when a blue morpho butterfly as big as your hands tags along for the ride. There are other options, such as the Rio Reventazon (Class III) if you're more into scenery than a thrill.

Weddings and Honeymoons

Costa Rica is the spot for destinations weddings, and the growing popularity of "weddingmoons". There are a plethora of boutique hotels and romantic accommodation options around the country that offer all-inclusive wedding packages for couples eloping or bringing their whole tribe. You'll be spoilt for choice if you're searching for the perfect backdrop for your special day, whether you'd like to say your "I Do's" from high up in the rainforest canopy or barefoot on a wild, deserted beach.

Wildlife

Most people come to Costa Rica expecting to see wildlife and are still surprised by how accessible and abundant the wildlife is here. From the chorus of the birds in the early morning to the chatter of the monkeys at dusk and the frog symphony at night, it's hard not to encounter the native wildlife if you keep your senses open. But that's just the obvious, you'll want to find an experienced naturalist guide to show you who's hiding just out of sight.

Zipline Canopy Tours

Canopy or zipline tours are popping up faster than weeds all over the country, but they all operate on the basic premise that the jungle looks quite different from the top as opposed to from the bottom of the trees. That said, zipline or canopy tours come in two fairly distinct flavours - adrenaline vs. education - so it's best to sort out which will suit you while you're still firmly on the ground.

In the jungle, a whole other world exists high up in the tree tops that bears little resemblance to the one on the forest floor. The education canopy tours were designed to get you up to the top of the trees, whether it's by ladder, bridges, chairlifts, gondolas or some combination thereof, to hang out and observe the various species, both plants and animals, that prefer to be closer to the sun.

Then some adventurer must have decided that sitting high up on a platform in the trees was ok, but it would be so much more fun if you could glide between trees like the monkeys, and the adrenaline canopy tour was born! Yes, your guide may point out some orchids or a sloth tucked high up in the trees as you're working your way up to the first platform, but chances are once you've got your rock climbing harness on and you are clipped into the pulley and about to propel yourself to the next platform across the ravine or just below the treeline, you probably won't be too focused on the nature talk.

Read more about Costa Rica adventure activities including birding, coffee plantation tours, horseback riding, hot springs, sportfishing and surfing.