Costa Rica is a country that is full of natural wonders. Even though it is a fairly small country, there are enough amazing natural features in Costa Rica that it may be difficult to narrow down just what you should visit on a vacation there.

While there are many other opportunities than the three listed here, these are the ones that you should definitely make it a point to see. Your vacation will be unforgettable, and you’ll return home with memories, photos, and great stories to tell.

Lake Arenal and Volcano Arenal

This lake and volcano are located in the north central part of Costa Rica. Volcano Arenal is the most active volcano in the country. It erupts daily and makes beautiful natural glowing lava shows at night. Forty years ago, the volcano had a major eruption that buried the old town in soot and ash.

That area has since been flooded by the Costa Rican government to form Lake Arenal, Costa Rica’s biggest lake.

Lake Arenal is home to excellent rainbow bass fishing – some of the best in the world – and there are plenty of local tour guides that will help you find the best fishing spots. Lake Arenal is not just known for its bass fishing, however. It is also internationally known for windsurfing.



In the area of Lake Arenal and Volcano Arenal are a number of choices in accommodation, ranging from fancy five star resorts to small, budget oriented hotel rooms. There is something for every possible budget. One fun activity in this region is a canopy tour on which you zip down a cable over top of the rainforest canopy.

This part of Costa Rica is like a slice of paradise, with an impressive volcano over a beautiful lake surrounded by rainforest, and you’ll be glad you went.

Manuel Antonio National Park

Manuel Antonio National Park is easily the best national park in Costa Rica. You don’t want to miss it. Manuel Antonio National Park is located south of Quepos, which is on the central Pacific coast. It is a few hours’ trip from San Jose. When compared to other National Parks in Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio National Park is small, but it is also the most popular national park in the country, and it is easy to see why.

This park has clean powder beaches backed by gorgeous, steep mountains that plunge right into the water. It has become such a popular destination that it is now limited to 600 visitors on weekdays and 800 visitors on weekends. But it is well worth the wait. You can see a variety of wildlife in the park, including monkeys, marmosets, sloths, ocelots, otters, caimans, and over 200 bird species. The beaches are considered to be the most beautiful in all of Costa Rica.



The region was first discovered by Europeans in 1519 as Ponce de Leon searched for a fountain of youth. While it may not be that, it is a stunningly beautiful geographic area that you will find unforgettable. Make it a point to visit Manuel Antonio National Park when you visit Costa Rica.

Nauyaca Falls

Nauyaca Falls is a beautiful collection of waterfalls located between two surfing villages on the central Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Nauyaca Falls are owned privately, and you can take a guided horseback tour called the Don Lulu Tour that includes both breakfast and lunch and costs only around $40 US. This tour begins on a highway where you get on your horse and begin the three mile trip to the falls.



On the way, you stop at the home of Don Lulu (after whom the tour is named) for breakfast of fruit, beans, and rice. When you are close to the falls, you dismount and descend a steep, hand cut stairway to arrive at a stunning sight. The upper falls tower over 500 feet, and the lower falls are a wider cascade of over 100 feet falling into a beautiful natural pool.

Guides will help you climb into the lower falls where you can jump into the pool below. The tour includes some time swimming and relaxing near the falls before you climb back up the staircase to your horse. On the way back, you stop for lunch at Don Lulu’s house before proceeding back to the highway.

While there are numerous things to see and do in Costa Rica, you definitely don’t want to miss Lake Arenal and its volcano, Manuel Antonio National Park, and the tour of Nauyaca Falls. All three will provide unforgettable experiences and memories that will last for a lifetime.

In case you are looking for other great places like Costa Rica, we can recommend you Holiday in Gran Canaria. When you are there, make sure to visit Loro Park.