Costa Rica Going Incognito

Be warned: people have been known to disappear here—they come for a week but end up staying for years. This slice of paradise has a knack for attracting travelers and holding onto them, and idyllic outposts like Dominical and Golfito are full of expats who decided to settle here for good. If you’d like to spend more than a few weeks in Costa Rica, you’ll find plenty of opportunities for study, work, and play—everything from protecting hatching turtles at Tortuguero and Parismina to taking surfing and nature photography lessons in Jacó. Enroll in a summer-long Spanish classes or teach English to schoolchildren in a remote, rural village for a year. Check out Beyond Tourism for more options.

Best Wildlife: Take a boat through Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Caño Negro, an aquatic wonderland of mangrove labyrinths full of snakes, iguanas, and even prehistoric fish. Explore the last frontier at Parque Nacional Corcovado, which protects half of the country’s resident species.
Best Wilder Life: Hit up the beach-fiend party scene on the streets of Jacó or venture north toward the buzzing surfer clubs of Tamarindo. The beaches of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca bring reggae rhythms and a Caribbean twist to the traditional Costa Rican party scene, while students rock the pulse of la vida urbana in San Pedro, near San José.
Best Places To Get High: Costa Rica’s mountains offer hikes to breathtaking viewpoints for every skill level. A simple, easily accessible day hike to the steaming crater atop Volcán Poás is just hours from San José. Day hikes can also be found in the trails surrounding Volcán Arenal, which lead to waterfalls, hot springs, and views of the active volcano. Adventurous (and skilled) hikers can spend anywhere from three days to a week navigating the trails of Mt. Chirripó. At 3820m, it is the country’s tallest peak, with views to both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts.
Best Beach Bumming: Where to begin? The waters of Punta Uva are perfect for swimming, and the tree-lined shores beckon those looking for a place to relax. Enjoy spectacular waterfalls, wildlife, and waves at Montezuma. Don’t miss the warm, powdery white sands and pristine blue waters of Sámara. Short hikes through the rainforest lead to four of the most beautiful beach coves on the Pacific at Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio .
Best Diving And Snorkeling: Visit Cahuita to enjoy the largest coral reef on the Caribbean coast, or explore underwater wonderworlds at Playa del Coco and Playa Hermosa. More remote Sierpe and Isla de Caño offer some of the best diving in Central America.
Best Surfing: Dominical and Playa Pavones are essential stops on true surfers’ itineraries. Playa Negra and Playa Tamarindo, with their silvery waters, are also celebrated by surfers of all skill levels.
Best Place To Lend A Hand: Turtle conservation volunteers at Tortuguero work alone for six-hour night shifts to guard turtle eggs from poachers who steal them for sale on the black market. At the Sanctuario Silvestre Wildlife Sanctuary, volunteers spend time nursing orphaned baby animals back to health before re-releasing them into the wild. If animals aren’t your thing, reforestation efforts in many of Costa Rica’s national parks are always looking for volunteers.
Best Ways To Lose An Arm: The swamp below the Río Tárcales Bridge , a.k.a. Crocodile Bridge, near Parque Nacional Carara, usually hosts 20-30 crocodiles. They have been known to prey on nearby farm animals or even the occasional hapless tourist. Adrenaline junkies can’t stay away from the “Tarzan swings” at the Monteverde Reserve, where the canopy tours are not for the faint of heart or limb.
Best Way To Get It Back: The Cartago Cathedral has a room full of miniature metal body parts dedicated in gratitude to La Negrita, Costa Rica’s patron saint, who has been given credit for curing thousands of bodily maladies.