Costa Rica 5-Day Tour|Preparation Before the Trip
Honestly, I didn’t have high expectations before the trip, but after going, I was amazed by the clear mountains and clean waters, the locals are simple and friendly, and all the activities were so much fun. I definitely want to come again next time!
🗺️ Detailed Itinerary
Day0️⃣ ✈️SJO
Day1️⃣ San Jose🚗La Fortuna, passing by Starbucks Park, horseback riding in the afternoon
Day2️⃣ Canyoning + Whitewater rafting
Day3️⃣ ATV in the morning, La Fortuna🚗Monteverde in the afternoon, dinner at San Lucas in the evening
Day4️⃣ Bird watching near Curi Cancha Reserve, cloud forest hiking, Monteverde🚗Waldorf in the afternoon
Day5️⃣ Relax at the hotel, LIR✈️fly home in the afternoon
🚗 Rental Car vs Private Car
Experienced drivers: Renting a car offers more freedom, most road conditions are acceptable, only the roads near Monteverde have many potholes, just drive slowly
Not familiar with mountain roads or driving at night: Private car is recommended for safety
🚘 Rental Car
No international driver’s license needed, a US driver’s license can be used directly. Download credit card insurance waiver CDW from the cardclaimcenter website.
Arrived late at night, no staff at Budget counter, could only pick up the car the next day. They strongly pushed for third-party liability insurance even after explaining I already had it, causing a long hassle. Although the booking was in local currency, the final bill was charged in USD, about 15% more expensive, and a $2000 deposit was taken. When returning the car, the inspection was extremely strict, even tiny scratches invisible in photos were claimed as damages caused by us, likely to cause disputes later.
Suggestion: Record a full video of the car when picking it up
💵 Cash
Local currency CRC is basically not needed, small shops and restaurants accept cards. Tours charge a card fee, so it’s good to have some US dollars cash prepared.
🥾 Gear
Wear canyoning shoes for canyoning; ordinary water shoes are not enough for hiking through water. Bring a few clothes and shoes that can be thrown away if dirty. During the rainy season, ATV rides can get you soaked in mud. Bring a raincoat and mosquito repellent spray.
🏨 Hotels
Day 0: Fairfield at SJO airport is okay, with free shuttle to and from the airport
Day 1-3: Tabacon, highly recommended, the environment is amazing, exquisite tropical rainforest and various waterfalls, soaking in the hot springs after activities every day is incredibly comfortable
Day 3-4: Senda Monteverde, hotels in this area generally have simpler facilities but good attention to detail, with turndown service, free mini bar, and prepared heating pads with hot water. The hotel has various animals like raccoons, capybaras, and many birds, so you don’t really need to book animal tours
Day 4-5: Waldorf Astoria, although known as the worst Waldorf worldwide, our experience was quite good. We were upgraded to a suite for free, the view was very nice, and the staff were extremely friendly, often giving free rides when passing by, which was a great experience.
Travel time: Thanksgiving 2025