Toorizta Articles

Travel stories, guides and tips from Toorizta and its community of Costa Rica travelers.

Aerial view of a white van on a winding two-lane road curving through dense green forest

Getting to Limón, Costa Rica: Fly 40 Minutes, or Give Route 32 Half a Day

Sansa flies San José to Limón in about 40 minutes; Route 32 takes half a day and sometimes closes in rain. Every way into Limón, compared. Ask us.

Rincon de la Vieja Waterfall

Things to Do in Liberia, Costa Rica: Pick the Day of the Week Before the Tour

Rincón de la Vieja, Palo Verde, canyon rafting and tubing: what each Liberia day takes and costs, who it suits, and what to book first. Ask us.

Tree-lined street with a speed bump and a dark reclining sculpture on a roundabout, with office buildings and green

Hotels in Escazú, Costa Rica: San Rafael, the Old Town, or the Hills

Most Escazú hotels sit in San Rafael, by Avenida Escazú and Multiplaza. Which base fits a first night, a family stay or a quiet hill. Ask us.

Aerial view of Puntarenas peninsula with a red and white lighthouse, rock-lined dark sand shore, pools, town and ferries at

Getting to Puntarenas: the Bus From San José, the Bus From Liberia, and Every Other Way In

Hourly buses from San José, ten a day from Liberia, eight ferries to Paquera: every way into Puntarenas with schedules, and when a driver wins. Ask us

Red metal suspension bridge stretching into misty green cloud forest in Monteverde

Things to Do in Monteverde: Book the Clock, Walk Into the Rest

Cloud forest walks, hanging bridges, ziplines, night tours and dawn birding in Monteverde: time, cost and season for each, and what to book first. Ask

Four riders in yellow helmets sit on horses with arms raised, smiling on a grassy path lined with palms and trees.

Where to Stay in Jacó With Kids: Pick the Water First, Then the Hotel

Jacó and Playa Hermosa are surf beaches; Herradura is the calm cove. Which Jacó base suits a family, who can walk to dinner, and where kids swim. Ask

Aerial view of a white van driving along a winding paved road with yellow center lines through dense green forest

How to Get to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica: Bus, Shuttle, Flight or Private Driver

From SJO it is 4.5 to 5 hours by road, or a 40-minute Sansa hop to Limón. Every way into Puerto Viejo, from Liberia and Bocas too. Ask us which fits.

Aerial view of Arenal Volcano rising above green forest and farmland, with a small round lagoon and a lake in the distance

Things to Do at Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica: What to Book Ahead, and What to Walk Into

Arenal Volcano tours compared by time, cost and traveler type: hikes, rafting, bridges, hot springs and lake. What to book ahead in La Fortuna. Ask us

White shuttle van drives along a curving paved road through green hills with a volcano rising in the distance at sunset.

Getting to Arenal and La Fortuna: Every Way In, From SJO, Liberia or Your Last Stop

From SJO or Liberia, Monteverde or the beach: every way into La Fortuna and Arenal by shuttle, private driver, bus, plane or lake boat. Ask us.

Spirit, Avianca, Delta and American airliners parked at airport gates beside a red-roofed terminal under a blue sky with

Getting to the Papagayo Gulf: Land at Liberia, Not San José

Land at Liberia and the Papagayo Gulf is a short private ride away. From San José it's a flight or a half-day drive. Every way in, compared. Ask us.

Man riding a small wave on a blue surfboard, with another surfer paddling in the background

Things to Do in Tamarindo: Sort the Week by Where Each Tour Starts

Estuary at dawn, Catalinas by boat, La Leona inland: every Tamarindo tour worth booking, by time, cost and season, and which ones to lock in early.

Sprawling valley town seen from a green hillside, with mountains and clouds in the distance near San Jose

Getting to San José: the Airport Is in Alajuela, and That Changes the Ride

SJO sits in Alajuela, not San José, and Liberia is a long drive away. Every way into the capital and onward, with live transfer prices. Ask us.

Palm trees shade a sandy beach with lounge chairs and blue umbrellas, with ocean waves and a blue sky in the distance.

Getting to Tamarindo: Land in Liberia, or Give San José Half a Day

Liberia is about 75 minutes from Tamarindo by road; San José is 4.5 to 5 hours. Shuttle, private driver, bus or a 50-minute flight: ask us which fits.

Montezuma, Costa Rica

Things to Do in Montezuma: Book the Boat and the Night Paddle, Walk to Everything Else

Waterfall, Cabo Blanco, Isla Tortuga, ATV and the glowing night paddle: what each takes and costs in Montezuma, and the three to book before you arriv

Pink and orange sunset sky over forested green hills and a wet sandy beach at low tide near Tambor

Where to Stay in Tambor: the Resort, Los Delfines, the Village, or Montezuma

Tambor is a resort, a gated golf community, a quiet village and Montezuma down the road. Which base fits your week, and when you need a car. Ask us.

Aerial view of Puntarenas peninsula with a red and white lighthouse, rock-lined dark sand shore, pools, town and ferries at

Where to Stay in Puntarenas: the Ferry Tip, the Paseo, or El Roble

Puntarenas is a port on a sandbar, and the province is half the coast. Which base fits a 4 a.m. ferry, a cruise or a family resort night. Ask us.

Aerial view of a curved dark-sand beach with turquoise water and dense green rainforest along the Drake Bay coastline

Things to Do in Drake Bay: What to Book, and in What Order

Corcovado, Caño Island, whales and a glowing night paddle: which Drake Bay tours to book first, how long each takes, and what fits in four nights.

Aerial view of Jaco beach with a high-rise tower, beachfront hotels, palm trees and ocean waves

Getting to Jaco: Easy From SJO, a Long Day From Liberia

Jaco is about two hours from SJO by road. From Liberia it is a long day with no Interbus shuttle. Every way in, compared, plus the boat. Ask us.

Tourists in life jackets ride a small motorboat down a narrow, murky jungle canal lined with dense green trees and palms.

Things to Do in Tortuguero: Book the Paddle and the Turtles, Then Leave Room

Six Tortuguero tours compared by time, cost and season, plus the SINAC park rules that decide what to book ahead. Two nights, done right. Ask us.

Spirit, Avianca, Delta and American airliners parked at airport gates beside a terminal, with a runway and mountains beyond.

Getting to Liberia: Land at LIR, or Spend a Day Getting There From San José

Fly into LIR or SJO? Shuttle, private driver, bus or rental car? Every way into Liberia and on to Tamarindo, Papagayo and Arenal, with real drive time

A man and woman ride small whitewater waves on surfboards near shore in Nosara

Things to Do in Nosara: Book the Surf Morning and the Turtle Night, Leave the Rest Loose

Nosara runs on two clocks: the morning surf at Guiones and the dark-moon turtle nights at Ostional. What to book ahead and what to walk into. Ask us.

Aerial view of a sandy tombolo splitting turquoise ocean waves, with dense green palm forest in the foreground

Things to Do in Uvita: Let the Tide and the Morning Boats Set Your Days

The Whale's Tail only shows at low tide and the Caño Island boat leaves at 7. What to book in Uvita, what it costs, and which day suits each. Ask us.

Aerial view of a curved sandy beach and turquoise bay with small boats anchored, beside a forested hill and hillside

Where to Stay in Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste: On the Sand, Up the Hill, or Next Door in Coco

Beachfront row, hillside condo, or Coco next door? How each Playa Hermosa base works for couples, families and groups, and the one mix-up to avoid. As

Thatched-roof wooden villas with decks and small pools on a steep, densely forested hillside

Where to Stay in Puerto Jiménez: Town, the Gulf, Dos Brazos, Matapalo or Carate

Town, the gulf, Dos Brazos, Matapalo or Carate: each Puerto Jiménez base reaches a different Corcovado entrance. Pick the gate, then the bed. Ask us.

Quiet town street at sunset with cafés, a blue car, a pedestrian and power lines under an orange and pink sky

Where to Stay in Alajuela: the Airport Ring, the Town, or the Coffee Slopes

Juan Santamaría airport is in Alajuela, not San Jose. Four bases compared by how early your alarm is, and whether you need the night at all. Ask us.

Passengers ride under a canopy on a boat cruising a river lined with mangroves near Sierpe

Getting to Sierpe: Every Way In, and the Boat You Are Racing

Sierpe is a river dock with a timetable. The drive from San Jose, the Tracopa bus, the flight to Drake Bay, and which one catches the 11:30 boat.

Aerial view of a resort nestled among trees on a forested peninsula with a pool and sandy beaches

Where to Stay in Papagayo: There Is No All-Inclusive Inside the Gate

The Papagayo Peninsula has three hotels and not one of them is all-inclusive. Where the real all-inclusives sit, and which base fits your week. Ask us

A forested coastline curves around a calm turquoise bay with a sandy beach and small rock outcrops

Getting to Santa Teresa: the Ferry Sails Eight Times a Day

The Puntarenas ferry to Paquera sails eight times a day, and the last hour into Santa Teresa is the slow one. Which arrival to book. Ask us.

Cruise ship Zuiderdam docked at a pier with a mooring bollard and rope in the foreground, Puerto Limón

Off the Ship in Puerto Limón: How Far You Can Actually Get

The Limón cruise pier sits in town, but the good stuff is 30 to 90 minutes out. What fits your all-aboard time, and what does not. Ask us first.

Couple embracing in an infinity pool overlooking the ocean, with a thatched-roof cabana and palm trees nearby

The Papagayo Peninsula Has No All-Inclusive Resort. Here Is Where They Actually Are.

Four Seasons, Andaz and Nekajui are a la carte. The real all-inclusives sit around the gulf at Arenilla and Playa Manzanillo. Which one to book, and w