Costa Rica birding - Surfing Costa Rica - Coffee plantations - Sportfishing Costa Rica
ACTIVE's trips always give me a whole new perspective on my life, recharges
my mind and gives me experiencesof a lifetime.
- Stacy Rothenberg (USA), Nov 2008 Jaguar
More Activities: Adventure in Costa Rica
For more on our favorite things to do in Costa Rica, have a look at the complete itineraries for our Quetzal: Costa Rica adventure (runs May - Nov), Iguana: Costa Rica travel tour (runs Dec - Apr) and Quetzal: Costa Rica wildlife adventure (runs year round).
Birding
Costa Rica is pretty much birdwatching nirvana so you'll encounter many people ticking off their checklists, binoculars hanging from their necks, scope under their arm and eyes scanning the trees. For the uninitiated, birding may appear to be a hobby akin to stamp collecting, but it's easy for novices to catch the birding bug in these parts. Almost 900 bird species have been recorded in Costa Rica - many only found here - so it's nearly impossible not to see and hear birds wherever you go, especially in the company of an experienced naturalist guide.Coffee Plantation Tours
Costa Rican coffee is some of the most popular in the world so if you want to see where your cuppa Joe comes from, head to the Central Valley near San Jose. Several coffee farms and processing stations here will offer tours.Horseback Riding
Costa Rica has strong equestrian roots and you'll find lots of opportunities to saddle up, from sunset horseback rides along deserted beaches to slogging uphill through a cloudforest. Horses are still considered a main form of transport in some parts around here, so you can expect good steady horses that are well taken care of.Hot Springs
Soaking in therapeutic hot water after a big day of adventure is luxury, doing it while watching the Arenal Volcano's mini eruptions is truly an experience. There is lots of geothermal activity in Costa Rica, and therefore plenty of secluded hot springs to be found.Sportfishing
Costa Rica is a sportfishing mecca, but be prepared to do some damage on the credit card if you want to charter a boat and experience hooking world-class billfish. Charter boats are readily available on the Central Pacific coast as well as down at the wilderness lodges on the remote Osa Peninsula.Surfing
With 1,290km (or 800 miles) of coastline in Costa Rica, the surf is guaranteed to be up somewhere in the country any time of year. Young surfers tend to congregate on the Central Pacific coast, in the popular surf town of Jaco and further down to Quepos, where you can surf off the stunning beaches of Manuel Antonio National Park. For a truly memorable surfing safari, fly down to the remote Osa Peninsula to experience one of the longest left breaks in the world at Pavones (second only to Chicama, Peru). If you hit the right conditions, you can catch a ride for more than 2km!Read more about Costa Rica adventure activities including beaches, biking/cycling, diving/scuba diving, hiking, kayaking/canoeing, rafting, weddings and honeymoons, wildlife and zipline canopy tours.






