Unleash your inner eco-adventurer on a cruise to Costa Rica, a vibrant nation full of colorful scenery and breathtaking vistas. When cruising to Costa Rica, you might have to opportunity to tour cities like Limon, Puerto Caldera, Puntarenas and San Jose – each equally charming and in close proximity to Costa Rica’s real treasures like rainforests, jungles, waterfalls and volcanoes. Fuel your wild side with a whitewater rafting tour through the jungle, or zip line over the canopy of a lush rainforest. For something a little less strenuous, catch a show at the National Theater or enjoy a scenic boat tour—just watch out for those playful monkeys! Like many Central American nations, Costa Rica has two major coastlines, the Caribbean on the east and Pacific Ocean on the west. The experience can vary depending on which side you cruise along, with the Caribbean coast being less populous with more secluded beaches and nature preserves. Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast, on the other hand, offers more opportunities for popular tourists activities like horseback riding, fishing and surfing. Regardless of which coast you sail to, Costa Rica is sure to impress.
Things to Do on a Cruise to Costa Rica
Many of the most popular excursion activities on Costa Rica cruises revolve around exploring the environment and ecosystem. Most give you a chance to experience sites and sounds—including animals—that you might never encounter back home. Get your hands on some fresh Costa Rican coffee while touring a local plantation, hike along an active volcano crater, journey into the rainforest or soothe your mind, body and soul in a geothermal spring. Highlighted below are a few of the best ways to spend your time while cruising to Costa Rica:
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Tackle some rapids with a white water rafting adventure near Limon, Costa Rica. You’ll have relaxing scenic stretches of calm waters intertwined with wild rapids that are sure to get your adrenaline rushing.
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Hike through pristine protected rainforests and lush jungles as you take in all the mesmerizing wildlife, including several species of monkeys, frogs, birds, snakes and more. Costa Rica is a nature-lover’s paradise, so don’t be afraid to step off the path and take it all in!
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Enjoy an excursion that celebrates one of Costa Rica’s most appreciated exports – coffee! Tour a coffee plantation near Puerto Caldera and discover how the beans are carefully grown, harvested and roasted to create the perfect cup of Costa Rican coffee.
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Visit Poas Volcano National Park where you’ll be able to see the massive main crater, as well as the many steam vents letting sulfur escape from the Earth. Keep in mind that the availability of select volcano tours can depend on recent (or anticipated) volcanic activity.
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Explore Costa Rica from horseback on a tour around Drake Bay. Keep your hands on the reigns and your eyes peeled for wildlife as you trot along rivers, streams and beaches. Some excursions focus on the rugged Costa Rican highlands while others keep to the more tropical regions.
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Learn to surf at a number of Costa Rica's most picturesque beaches. The water and waves off the shoreline of Manuel Antonio Beach are especially suited for beginners with their seemingly never-ending supply of small-barrel waves.
Map of Costa Rica: