Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica Overview

The Central Pacific shore is Costa Rica’s poster child: snapshots of its sunsets grace the covers of travel brochures and postcards, man-sized marlin lure sportfishermen from all over the world, and rugged rainforests sprawl just steps from the region’s soft, sandy beaches. From vacationing ticos and foreign backpackers to resort-hopping honeymooners, a diverse group of travelers flocks to costal towns where they can take advantage of a well-developed tourist infrastructure. Popularity brings inevitable drawbacks, and major beach towns like Jacó, Quepos, and Manuel Antonio are invariably more crowded and more expensive than Costa Rica’s more-remote Caribbean side. Diehard peace-seekers, however, need only move on to Playa Esterillos Oeste or Uvita for unspoiled, magnificent scenery and long stretches of deserted beach.

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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.