Quepos

Manuel Antonio is the small town on the Central Pacific coast south of Quepos, where the national park of the same name begins, approximately 157 road kilometers from San José. You come for the park, where rainforest borders directly on bright sandy coves and sloths, capuchin monkeys, and squirrel monkeys are often seen up close.The national park, founded in 1972, covers almost 2,000 hectares of land and a significantly larger marine area. Although it is one of the smallest national parks in the country, it attracts the most visitors: Between 2012 and 2022, approximately 4.4 million people visited. Four beaches are located within the park, including Playa Manuel Antonio and Playa Espadilla Sur, separated by a land bridge leading to the rock formation Punta Catedral.The town itself consists of hotels, restaurants, and tour operators along the winding road that leads from Quepos over the hill down to Playa Espadilla. You can visit the public Playa Espadilla in front of the park entrance without a ticket.Important for planning: The park is closed on Tuesdays and otherwise open from 7 AM to 4 PM; the beaches within the park close an hour earlier. Tickets are available exclusively online through the SINAC national park authority system and not at the entrance; they are limited and often sell out early on many days.

The Central Pacific is the stretch of coast between the Tárcoles River and Quepos, the quickest to reach from San José. You come here for Manuel Antonio National Park with its rainforest right on the beach, the surf beaches around Jacó, and sport fishing off Quepos.Jacó is approximately 100 kilometers from San José, about a two-hour drive via Route 27 and coastal Route 34. You reach Quepos and Manuel Antonio by continuing further south on the same road, a journey of around 157 kilometers from San José.The region is more developed than the Nicoya Peninsula: Paved roads, regular bus services, and a domestic airport near Quepos make it practical even for short stays.

Cartago is the first capital of Costa Rica, located in the east of the Central Valley, southeast of San José at the foot of Irazú Volcano. You visit here for the Basílica de los Ángeles, the country's most important sanctuary, and as a starting point for Irazú National Park.Juan Vásquez de Coronado founded the city in 1563, and it is considered the country's first permanent Spanish settlement. Cartago served as the capital until 1823, when the seat of government moved to San José. Earthquakes in 1822, 1841, and 1910 severely damaged the city, which is why little of its colonial cityscape remains.The city center can be explored on foot in half a day. To the east stands the Basilica with the Marian figure La Negrita; about seven blocks west, on the Plaza Mayor, are the Ruinas de Santiago Apóstol, a never-completed church whose walls now enclose a garden. In between, you'll find the Centro Cultural, housed in the neo-Gothic building of the former Banco Crédito Agrícola from 1924, and the municipal market with simple eateries.The city is situated at an elevation of approximately 1,435 meters, making it noticeably cooler than the coasts. From here, the road leads up to Irazú; southeast of the city lies the Lankester Botanical Garden.

Jacó is the largest beach resort on the Central Pacific coast, about 100 kilometers and a two-hour drive from San José. You come here for surfing on a four-kilometer-long dark sand beach, for the nightlife, and as a base for Carara National Park with its wild macaws.The town is the main settlement of the Garabito canton in Puntarenas province and had just under 12,000 inhabitants in 2011. Life centers around Avenida Pastor Díaz, the main road running parallel to the beach, where bars, restaurants, surf shops, and tour operators are packed closely together.On the southern stretch of the beach, the waves are gentler and suitable for beginners; in the north, the sea is rougher. Experienced surfers head to Playa Hermosa a few kilometers south, where the waves break hard and fast.Jacó has a reputation as a party town, but in recent years, quieter accommodations and upscale restaurants have also emerged. From here, day trips can be made to Isla Tortuga, Carara, and the Crocodile Bridge on the Río Tárcoles.

Uvita is a small town on Costa Rica's southern Pacific coast and the main gateway to the Marino Ballena National Marine Park. You come here for the whale tail beach of Punta Uvita and for whale watching boat tours; from San José, you'll reach it via the Costanera Sur in about three and a half to four hours.The town itself is situated along the coastal road and stretches from the main road into the hilly hinterland. Supermarkets, cafés, restaurants, and tour operators are close to each other, so those staying centrally can reach many places on foot. The beach and national park are just a few minutes away.The sea off Uvita is part of the Marino Ballena National Park. Humpback whales migrate past the coast from approximately July to October and from December to April; you can book tours with local providers. The Punta Uvita Tombolo can only be accessed at low tide, as the tides dictate daily life here.Uvita also serves as a great base for excursions along the Costa Ballena, for example, to beaches like Playa Ventanas or to the Nauyaca Waterfalls, which are about an hour's drive away.