One Week in Costa Rica – Self-Launched

Touch down in San Jose and make your own way from Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) to your hostel in the Los Yoses or Barrio Escalante neighbourhood — a metered taxi or Uber costs around £10–12. Spend the afternoon exploring at leisure: wander through the Mercado Central for fresh seafood and local snacks, visit the Museo del Oro Precolombino (Gold Museum, ~£10 entry), or simply find a café and sample Costa Rica's world-famous coffee. In the evening, head to the Central Market area or Barrio Escalante for dinner and bar-hopping — no group meeting required, just go at your own pace.

🚌Uber or metered taxi from SJO airport to city centre – ~£10–12

🛏Selina San Jose or Hostel Pangea – dorm from £14/night, private room from £35/night

• →Explore Mercado Central for street food and fresh produce
• →Visit the Museo del Oro Precolombino (Gold Museum) – ~£10
• →Wander Barrio Escalante for café culture and street art
• →Optional: Book the San Jose Bites & Sights walking tour via GetYourGuide – ~£38

Catch the public bus from San Jose's Terminal 7-10 (Calle 12, Avenida 7-9) to Monteverde/Santa Elena, departing around 6:30am. The journey takes roughly 4–5 hours with a transfer in Puntarenas or via the Tilarán route and costs around £5–8. Arrive in Santa Elena and check into your hostel before heading out to explore. In the afternoon, consider a self-guided walk through the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve (cheaper than the more famous Monteverde Reserve, ~£13 entry). For evening entertainment, book a night walk with a local guide through GetYourGuide or directly with a local operator (~£30–40).

🚌Public bus from San Jose Terminal 7-10 to Santa Elena – ~£6, ~5 hours

🛏Sloth Backpackers or Camino Verde B&B – dorm from £13/night, private from £30/night

• →Take the public bus from Terminal 7-10, San Jose to Santa Elena/Monteverde – ~£6
• →Self-guided walk in Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve – ~£13 entry
• →Optional: Cloud forest night walk with local guide via GetYourGuide – ~£35
• →Optional: Butterfly Garden and Insect Farm – ~£17
• →Optional: Coffee & Chocolate tour – ~£36
• →Browse Santa Elena village for sodas (local eateries) and craft shops

The classic 'jeep-boat-jeep' shared transfer from Monteverde to La Fortuna is the most scenic and efficient way to make this journey — bookable directly through your hostel or local agencies in Santa Elena for around £20–25 per person. It takes roughly 3–3.5 hours total, crossing Lake Arenal by boat with stunning views of Arenal Volcano. Arrive in La Fortuna by early afternoon and check in, then spend the rest of the day exploring the town, visiting the free viewpoint of Arenal Volcano, and scoping out the hot spring options for tomorrow. In the evening, grab dinner at a local soda and try sopa negra (black bean soup) or gallo pinto.

🚌Shared jeep-boat-jeep transfer (Monteverde → Lake Arenal by boat → La Fortuna) – ~£22

🛏Arenal Backpackers Resort or Gringo Pete's – dorm from £12/night, private from £32/night

• →Shared jeep-boat-jeep transfer from Monteverde to La Fortuna – ~£22
• →Walk to the free Arenal Volcano viewpoint near town
• →Explore La Fortuna town and the local market
• →Optional: Visit Arenal 1968 Volcano View and Lava Trails – ~£19 entry

A full free day to explore La Fortuna and the Arenal area — one of Costa Rica's most rewarding adventure zones. Head to La Fortuna Waterfall in the morning (short hike down to the base, ~£13 entry, bookable on arrival). In the afternoon, soak in natural thermal pools: Tabacón Hot Springs is pricey (~£50+), but Eco Termales (~£38) or the free 'Baldi Rio' thermal river near the base of the waterfall trail are excellent budget alternatives. For the more adventurous, book white water rafting on the Balsa or Toro rivers via GetYourGuide (~£50–60), or rent a paddleboard on Lake Arenal (~£35/hour).

🚌Local taxis or walking within La Fortuna – ~£5

🛏Arenal Backpackers Resort or Gringo Pete's – dorm from £12/night, private from £32/night

• →Visit La Fortuna Waterfall – ~£13 entry (self-guided hike)
• →Soak in natural hot springs – free at the Río Chollin thermal river or ~£38 at Eco Termales
• →Optional: White water rafting via GetYourGuide – ~£50
• →Optional: Stand-up paddleboarding on Lake Arenal – ~£35
• →Optional: Arenal Hanging Bridges guided walk – ~£55
• →Optional: Caño Negro Wildlife Boat Tour – ~£70
• →Dinner at a local soda – try casado (rice, beans, salad and protein) for ~£5–8

This is a long travel day (~6–7 hours) across Costa Rica to the Caribbean coast. Book a shared shuttle from La Fortuna to Puerto Viejo via operators like Interbus or Caribe Shuttle (~£35–45), which stops at Cahuita along the way — confirm with your shuttle operator that a Cahuita stop is included, or take the public bus and hop off at Cahuita. Spend 2–3 hours hiking the flat, wildlife-rich coastal trail through Cahuita National Park (entrance is donation-based at the Puerto Vargas entrance, or free at the Kelly Creek entrance). Spot capuchin monkeys, iguanas, crabs and sloths, then swim at Playa Blanca. Continue to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, check in and spend the evening reggae bar-hopping on the beach strip.

🚌Shared shuttle La Fortuna → Cahuita, then local bus/taxi to Puerto Viejo – ~£43 total

🛏Rocking J's Hostel or Pagalu Hostel, Puerto Viejo – dorm from £11/night, private from £28/night

• →Shared shuttle from La Fortuna to Cahuita – ~£40
• →Self-guided hike in Cahuita National Park coastal trail – free (donation entry at Kelly Creek) or ~£10 at Puerto Vargas
• →Swim at Playa Blanca within the park
• →Wildlife spotting: capuchin monkeys, iguanas, sloths, toucans
• →Local taxi or bus from Cahuita to Puerto Viejo – ~£3
• →Evening: reggae bars and sunset at Playa Negra, Puerto Viejo

Rent a bicycle from one of the many hire shops in Puerto Viejo for the day (~£8) and pedal the flat, palm-lined coastal road south toward Manzanillo — one of the most scenic and enjoyable cycles in Central America. Stop at Playa Cocles, Playa Chiquita and Punta Uva Beach (look for the small hidden cave with ocean views). You can snorkel off Punta Uva's reef with rented gear (~£8). In the afternoon, book a Caribbean cooking class via GetYourGuide or directly with a local Afro-Caribbean cooking instructor in Puerto Viejo (~£35–45) — learn to make rice and beans with coconut milk, patacones and fresh ceviche. Alternatively, head to Manzanillo for a medicinal plants and forest therapy experience (~£35). End the day with dinner using what you've cooked, or head to a local soda.

🚌Bicycle hire for the day – ~£8

🛏Rocking J's Hostel or Pagalu Hostel, Puerto Viejo – dorm from £11/night, private from £28/night

• →Rent a bicycle and ride the coastal road to Manzanillo – ~£8 hire
• →Swim and snorkel at Punta Uva Beach – snorkel hire ~£8
• →Explore the hidden sea cave at Punta Uva
• →Book a Caribbean cooking class via GetYourGuide or local operator – ~£40
• →Optional: Medicinal plants forest therapy experience, Manzanillo – ~£35
• →Evening drinks at local reggae bars

Take a public bus or shared shuttle back from Puerto Viejo to San Jose. The public bus departs from the MEPE terminal in Puerto Viejo and goes to San Jose's Gran Terminal del Caribe (~£8, ~4.5 hours) — a perfectly comfortable and scenic option. Shared shuttles via Caribe Shuttle or similar cost ~£25–30 and are faster and more comfortable. Arrive in San Jose by early afternoon and check back into your hostel. Spend the afternoon strolling the historic Barrio Amón district, visiting the neoclassical Teatro Nacional (guided tours ~£8), and browsing artisan stalls at the Plaza de la Democracia market. Tonight, get a final dinner at one of Barrio Escalante's excellent restaurants — Costa Rica's capital has a thriving food scene.

🚌MEPE public bus from Puerto Viejo to San Jose Gran Terminal del Caribe – ~£8, or shared shuttle ~£28

🛏Selina San Jose or Hostel Pangea – dorm from £14/night, private from £35/night

• →Public bus or shared shuttle from Puerto Viejo to San Jose – ~£8–28
• →Walk through Barrio Amón to admire historic mansions and street art
• →Visit Teatro Nacional for a guided tour – ~£8
• →Browse Plaza de la Democracia artisan market for souvenirs
• →Final dinner in Barrio Escalante – budget ~£10–15
• →Optional: San Jose By Night food and culture tour via GetYourGuide – ~£55

Your trip wraps up today after breakfast. Depending on your flight time, you may have a few hours to squeeze in one last San Jose experience — the Museo del Jade (Jade Museum, ~£8) is excellent for a morning visit, or simply relax with a final Costa Rican coffee in Barrio Escalante. Head to Juan Santamaría International Airport by Uber or metered taxi (~£10–12). If you have an afternoon or evening flight, consider booking the San Jose Bites & Sights walking tour via GetYourGuide (~£38) to make the most of your final morning. ¡Pura Vida!

🚌Uber or metered taxi to SJO airport – ~£11

• →Optional: Visit Museo del Jade (Jade Museum) – ~£8
• →Final coffee and breakfast in Barrio Escalante
• →Optional: San Jose Bites & Sights walking tour via GetYourGuide – ~£38
• →Uber or taxi to Juan Santamaría Airport (SJO) – ~£10–12