This is where most Costa Rican adventures begin. San José, the capital, is where you fly in, a busy, workaday city in the Central Valley that few travellers linger in, but a useful gateway with a couple of worthwhile museums and a genuine slice of Costa Rican life. The real magic starts a few hours north, in La Fortuna, the small town that sits in the shadow of the near-perfect cone of the Arenal Volcano. This is Costa Rica at its most postcard-perfect: a steaming volcano, natural hot springs, thundering waterfalls, hanging bridges through the rainforest canopy, and wildlife everywhere, from sloths and toucans to howler monkeys. It's the country's adventure heartland and the embodiment of pura vida, the local philosophy of the good, simple life.
Here's the honest budget picture: Costa Rica is the most expensive country in Central America, so adjust expectations if you're coming from cheaper neighbours, but it's still far better value than the Caribbean or Western Europe, and it delivers some of the best nature on earth. The two places work as a pair: San José is cheap and quick to pass through, while Arenal is where you'll spend your money on the experiences that make the trip. The trick is knowing which activities are worth paying for and which nature is free, since much of Costa Rica's beauty costs nothing to enjoy. We'll show you how to do both well.
