Giorgio

The first time I spotted Isla del Caño from a boat’s bow, somewhere off Drake Bay, I knew this place was different. A green silhouette rising from the Pacific, surrounded by water of startling clarity, protected since 1978 by the Costa Rican government. The Reserva Biológica Isla del Caño spans 320 hectares of land and … Read more

Drake Bay is one of the most pristine destinations in Costa Rica. Nestled at the northern tip of the Osa Peninsula on the Pacific coast, it draws travellers seeking raw nature, far removed from typical tourist circuits. You can reach it by boat from Sierpe, by plane from San José, or by 4×4 for the … Read more

The first time I soared over the Monteverde canopy on a zip line at Selvatura Adventure Park, I understood why thousands of travellers make the journey every year. At over 1,500 metres above sea level, the cloud forest stretches endlessly below, wrapped in a light mist that gives every moment an almost surreal quality. This … Read more

Costa Rica is one of the best places in the world to observe hummingbirds with remarkable ease and diversity. These tiny birds, capable of hovering flight and endowed with an extraordinary metabolism, are an integral part of the country’s forest ecosystems. Whether you are a seasoned ornithologist or simply a curious traveller, encountering them in … Read more

Corcovado National Park is one of the few places on Earth where nature still feels truly untouched. Tucked at the tip of the Osa Peninsula in southwestern Costa Rica, this park harbours a density of wildlife that defies imagination. Tapirs, jaguars, scarlet macaws, four species of monkeys — all living within a primary tropical forest … Read more

Tortuguero National Park is one of the most singular destinations in Costa Rica. Tucked along the northern Caribbean coast in Limón Province, this territory of nearly 77,000 hectares can only be reached by boat or plane. No roads, no cars: just a labyrinth of canals, a tropical rainforest that seems to stretch on forever, and … Read more

The Guanacaste province occupies the north-west of Costa Rica, along the Pacific coast. This territory of approximately 10,140 km² concentrates an exceptional diversity of landscapes, experiences and cultures that sums up the best of what the country has to offer. From white sandy beaches to active volcanic craters, via tropical dry forests unique in Central … Read more

Chirripó National Park is one of Costa Rica’s most remote and demanding natural areas. Nestled in the Talamanca mountain range, it is home to Cerro Chirripó, the country’s highest point at 3,820 metres above sea level. Every year, thousands of hikers come here seeking the challenge of the ascent, the richness of the ecosystems they … Read more

Before packing your bags for San José or dreaming about the forests of Monteverde, one question almost always comes up: do you need a visa for Costa Rica? The answer depends on your nationality, but for the vast majority of European and North American travellers, the good news arrives quickly. The country welcomes millions of … Read more

The Puntarenas to Paquera ferry is one of the most practical maritime connections in Costa Rica for travellers heading to the Nicoya Peninsula from the central Pacific coast. Operated by Naviera Tambor since 1992, this ferry covers 11 nautical miles across the Gulf of Nicoya in around 70 minutes. Whether you are travelling on foot … Read more

Tenorio Volcano National Park is home to one of the strangest rivers in the world. Rio Celeste flows in a saturated turquoise blue, almost unreal, through the dense tropical forest of northern Costa Rica. It’s not a filter or an optical illusion. It’s a chemical reaction produced by two tributaries mixing at the foot of … Read more

Palo Verde National Park, nestled in the province of Guanacaste, is one of Costa Rica’s most ecologically rich protected areas. With its wetlands listed as a RAMSAR site, its tropical dry forests and its lagoons teeming with aquatic birds, it offers a naturalist experience of rare intensity. I have known this place for several years, … Read more

Perched at around 1,400 metres above sea level in the Tilarán Mountains, Santa Elena is the true urban heart of the Monteverde region. This is where hotels, restaurants, tour agencies and shops are concentrated, serving as a base for all travellers who come to explore the cloud forest. Behind its quiet village appearance, this Costa … Read more

Cocos Island, known in Spanish as Isla del Coco, is one of the most remote and best-protected territories on Earth. A national park since 1978 and UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, this volcanic island in the Pacific draws a select few divers, researchers and adventurers each year. Difficult to access, with extraordinary marine life … Read more

The province of Puntarenas stretches along Costa Rica’s Pacific coast like a standing invitation to slow down. A port capital, the Nicoya Peninsula, the cloud forest of Monteverde, wild beaches on the Nicoya Peninsula: this region concentrates a geographic and cultural diversity that few other corners of the country can rival. I still remember my … Read more

When planning a trip to Costa Rica, the first thing that strikes you is just how much is packed into a small space. Within just 51,100 km², you’ll find active volcanoes, primary rainforests, two ocean coastlines, Caribbean lowlands and mountains reaching over 3,800 metres. To make sense of it all, a good map of Costa … Read more

Arenal Volcano is one of the most iconic landmarks in Costa Rica. Its nearly perfect cone rises above the province of Alajuela, just a few kilometres from the lively town of La Fortuna. Whether you want to hike its slopes, admire its silhouette from the lake shore, or soak in the thermal springs that warm … Read more

Guanacaste brings together everything that has made Costa Rica famous: Pacific beaches with white or golden sand, active volcanoes, wildlife-rich national parks, and an authentic sabanero (cowboy) culture unique to this province. Liberia, the provincial capital, serves as the natural base for exploring this vast region in the north-west. From the Daniel Oduber international airport, … Read more

The Poás volcano is one of the most spectacular natural sites in Costa Rica. Accessible from San José in under two hours, this active stratovolcano rises to 2,708 metres above sea level and hosts one of the most impressive craters on the planet. The national park surrounding it attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every … Read more

Carara National Park holds a unique place in Costa Rica’s natural landscape. Nestled on the Central Pacific coast, 90 kilometres from San José, this 5,242-hectare territory is home to the only transition forest on the Central Pacific, where the humid tropical forest of the south meets the dry forest of the north. This ecological singularity … Read more