Map
Every guide and region on one map. See where Costa Rica's northern gems actually are and plan your route.
Places on the map
11 places
Bajos del Toro
Jurassic Canyon: The Most Spectacular Hidden Place in Costa Rica
A Complete Guide to Quebrada Gata & Barroso Waterfall in Bajos del Toro
WaterfallsChallenging4–6 hours (full morning)
Bajos del Toro
Blue Falls of Costa Rica
Six turquoise waterfalls with swimming pools on a 126-acre private reserve. The water color isn't photoshopped, it's even more vivid in person.
WaterfallsModerate2–3 hours (main circuit) / 3–4 hours (all six)
Bajos del Toro
Catarata del Toro
A 90-meter waterfall plunging into an extinct volcanic crater, and you can hike to the bottom. One of the tallest and most dramatic waterfalls in Costa Rica.
WaterfallsModerate1.5–2 hours
Bajos del Toro
Río Agrio, Pozas Celestes & Dino Land: The Complete Guide
A 50-meter volcanic waterfall, naturally blue swimming pools, and life-sized mechanical dinosaurs, all on one property.
WaterfallsEasy3–5 hours for all three attractions
Bajos del Toro
Vuelta del Cañón: Bajos del Toro's Most Rewarding Hike
An 11 km jungle trek to a two-tier waterfall with a turquoise pool inside a canyon you'll have entirely to yourself.
Hiking & TrailsChallenging5–7 hours round trip
La Fortuna
EcoTermales La Fortuna: Eight Hot Pools, One Booked Slot, $49
Eight pools between 32 and 41 °C, a freshwater waterfall, and a hard cap on how many people are in the water with you. That is what $49 buys at EcoTermales.
Hot SpringsEasyYou book a fixed slot: either 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., or 5:00 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. Most visitors stay two to three hours of it.
Sarapiquí
Night Wildlife Tours in Sarapiquí: Poison Dart Frogs, Sleeping Toucans & Red-Eyed Tree Frogs
When the sun goes down in Sarapiquí, a completely different rainforest wakes up.
Nature & WildlifeEasy2–3 hours; tours start at 7:00 PM.
Sarapiquí
Whitewater Rafting on the Río Sarapiquí: Costa Rica's Best Kept Rafting Secret
Class II to Class V rapids through a jungle gorge, with named rapids like "The Terminator" and "Dos Locos."
AdventureChallengingHalf day (~4 hours) or full day (~8 hours).
Venecia & Río Cuarto
Laguna de Hule: Costa Rica's Hidden Volcanic Crater Lake
Three ancient lakes inside a collapsed volcano, surrounded by untouched rainforest, visited by almost no tourists.
Nature & WildlifeChallenging3–5 hours round trip
Venecia & Río Cuarto
Laguna de Río Cuarto: A Perfect Volcanic Crater Lake
Emerald-green water in a perfectly circular volcanic crater, with kayaking, paddleboarding, and almost no tourists, 75 minutes from La Fortuna.
Nature & WildlifeEasy1–3 hours
Venecia & Río Cuarto
Recreo Verde Hot Springs: Costa Rica's $10 Alternative to Tabacón
Natural mineral hot springs in the cloud forest, with canopy tours, hiking, and a spa, at a fraction of La Fortuna resort prices.
Hot SpringsEasyHalf to full day (pools open 7 AM–9 PM).