arlight

My husband and I have some time at the end of December into early January and are thinking about CR. I know that it is really crowded during that time but wondering if you have any places you would recommend that would allow us to experience the country. We don’t need to be at a beach (although that would be fine) and we are not into white water rafting. Hiking, nature and cultural are what we are seeking. Thanks!!

volcanogirl

I'd recommend checking out the Arenal area - the Arenal Observatory Lodge has a free guided hike every morning and lots of wildlife on site. If you want to go more off the grid, take a look at the Osa Peninsula. We loved Bosque del Cabo; it's pricey though. If you decided you wanted some beach time, Manuel Antonio is nice and offers lots of creature comforts; we like Tulemar Bungalows there.

mlgb

There isn't a whole lot of "cultural" in CR.

I agree with expert volcanogirl. Another spot not too far away from San Jose is the San Gerardo de Dota area which is in the highlands. Savegre has some onsite trails and naturalist guides.

Jeff_Costa_Rica

There are no official COVID measures in effect any longer. Individual businesses might have their own requirements, such as masks or temperature checks.

lovethecaribbean

December is one of the most beautiful months in Costa Rica. On the Pacific side, the heavy rains are gone and even the drier Pacific Northwest Guanacaste area is lush green I would recommend the Monteverde or Arenal/La Fortuna area.

gordonnichols5759

It you can, definitely wait until after the 5th of January. That is when things start to calm back down after the two peak weeks surrounding Christmas. If you can venture out, check out the Mal Pais/Santa Teresa area in the southern part of the Nicoya Peninsula. It is very laid back.

familyvac

We went last December to Manual Antonio and stayed at the Tulemar and then to Arenal and stayed at the Springs Resort and Spa. We LOVED MA and Tulemar. Arenal was great, but Springs a bit to Americanized for us.

leandroeh

There are many places you can visit, in the south of the country you can go to Corcovado on the Osa Peninsula, a place with the greatest biodiversity on the planet, take animal sighting tours and nature in general, in the southern zone of Costa Rica you can visit the Domincal and Uvita areas, with beach areas, some mountains and tourism, if you want to live an experience a little further away from the tourist movement that prevails in these areas, you can go to a canton like Coto Brus, you will find impressive mountainous areas, waterfalls, bird watching, an exuberant botanical garden, visits to coffee farms to learn about the entire coffee process, learn about the process for grinding sugar cane, along with many other more cultural experiences and a more small-town experience. In the northern area you can visit the Arenal area, La Fortuna, with its volcano, and hot springs, this area is very touristy. You can also go to the South Caribbean and enjoy the impressive beaches of the Caribbean Sea. In the North Pacific you can also find a great variety of exotic beaches.