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Costa Rica / Destinations

Where to go for wildlife in Costa Rica

17 towns, from turtle beaches on the Caribbean to cloud forest and whale water on the Pacific. Pick one to see what lives there and which field guide covers it.

All 17 towns ↓

What do you want to see?

17 towns, by region

Each animal links to its field guide, at that town’s own entry.

Caribbean coast

Turtles, canals and reef

Arenal and the north

Volcano, rainforest and rivers

Cloud forest

Quetzals and hummingbirds

Central Pacific

Macaws, monkeys and whales

Osa Peninsula

The wildest corner

Guanacaste and Nicoya

Dry forest and nesting beaches

Central Valley

Day trips from the capital

Most trips combine two or three towns

The country guide has a field guide for every headline species and the sites that deliver it.

Costa Rica guide