Self-drive – Highlights of Costa Rica & beach holiday at Playa Sámara

Departure from your chosen airport and travel to the capital of Costa Rica, San José, with connecting flight(s) along the way. On your arrival, you will be picked up at the airport and driven to your hotel. The drive into the city takes around 45 minutes. The rest of the day is then yours to do as you please.

Founded in the early 18th century, San José became the country’s capital in the early 19th century. Today, it is a modern big city with bustling commerce and resplendent art and architecture.

The city is located at an altitude of 1,172 metres and is known for its mild, spring-like climate all year round.

After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel and driven to the office of our partner, where there will be a welcome meeting when you go through your tour itinerary together and get answers to any questions you may have. You can either choose to explore the city on your own or purchase an extra excursion.

San José has many exciting museums where you can learn about the country’s history and the pre-Columbian era and see modern art. The city also has a fantastic park, Parque Metropolitano La Sabana, where the local Costa Ricans, known as “ticos”, like to exercise or meet with family and friends for a picnic.

You’ll be picked up early from your hotel this morning and set off towards the Caribbean coast and Tortuguero National Park. On the way, you’ll pass countless banana plantations, which are so important to Costa Rica’s economy, as the country is one of the world’s largest exporters of bananas.

Along the way, you’ll make a brief stop in Guapiles to enjoy breakfast surrounded by lush greenery and peaceful surroundings. If time allows, you can take a short stroll down the path through the verdant vegetation to the rushing stream that flows nearby before your journey continues.

As it’s not possible to drive all the way to your lodge, your transport switches to a boat when the road ends. You’ll travel along narrow canals to reach the lodge, which is nestled right in the heart of Tortuguero’s lush wetlands.

Upon arrival and after checking in, a delightful lunch awaits you in the lodge restaurant.

In the afternoon, you’ll visit the small village of Tortuguero accompanied by a local guide.

As you sail towards the village, your guide shares what life is like in a remote place such as Tortuguero. The village is accessible only by boat or by plane. Once there, you’ll have free time to explore the main street at your own pace, lined with quaint cafés and souvenir shops side by side.

After dinner, you can unwind on your veranda to the soundtrack of the jungle's wildlife and insects, which never seem to sleep.

Today, you will go on a boat trip along Tortuguero’s canals in search of the park’s exciting wildlife. You may be lucky enough to see sloths, caimans, river otters, turtles, tapirs and several different kinds of monkeys, including spider monkeys, howler monkeys and capuchin monkeys. You are accompanied by a skilled guide to help you spot the exotic animals. He will also tell you about the park’s fascinating flora.

At midday, you return to the lodge, where lunch will be served in the restaurant. The rest of the day is yours to do as you please, and you can spend it relaxing by the pool or walking along the beach or along small paths in the rainforest around the lodge. It is possible to purchase extra excursions at the lodge.

Tortuguero National Park is famous for its sea turtles, and its name comes from the Spanish word “tortuga”, which means “turtle” or “tortoise” in English. During the period from February–July, you may be lucky enough to witness the green sea turtle, the leatherback sea turtle, the hawksbill turtle and the loggerhead turtle laying their eggs on the Caribbean coast at Tortuguero National Park. The turtles usually lay their eggs when the sun has gone down, so you may only go on the beach with an experienced guide in the evening. It is important not to disturb or frighten the sea turtles when they come ashore to lay their eggs. For that reason, no torches or flash cameras should be used, and you must be as quiet as a mouse.

From the unique nature of Tortuguero National Park, you head to yet more stunning scenery at Arenal volcano and La Fortuna. After breakfast, you leave the lodge and are transported first by boat and then bus to the small town of Guápiles, where you make a stop for lunch before picking up your rental car. This is where your self-drive adventure begins, and you drive the last stretch from Guápiles to La Fortuna, which lies at the foot of the beautiful cone-shaped Arenal volcano, Costa Rica’s most famous volcano.

The volcano was inactive for more than 400 years until a violent eruption one day in 1968, which caused mass destruction and buried several small villages. However, the volcano has remained calm since 2010 and is described as a dormant volcano that is safe to visit.

You arrive in La Fortuna in the afternoon, where the rest of the day is spent at your leisure.

Driving distance Guápiles – La Fortuna: approx. 120 km

Driving time: approx. 2–2½ hours

See the size and picture of your included rental car, as well as options for upgrading car categories here.

You have the morning to yourself when you can, for example, drive up to the north-western part of Arenal Volcano and walk in the beautiful Arenal Volcano National Park, or you can drive to a private reserve near the volcano, where a vantage point affords stunning views of the volcano, Laguna Verde and Lake Arenal. In the forest area around the volcano, you also have a good chance of spotting toucans, peacocks, various reptiles and monkeys.

In the afternoon, you will enjoy the treat of Arenal’s hot springs, which are naturally heated by the volcanic activity in the area. The water is 37–41 degrees hot, so you can enjoy a natural wellness experience. Don’t forget your swimwear!
After relaxing in the warm pools, you dress for dinner (included), which you enjoy in the scenic surroundings. You drive back to the hotel after dinner.

The whole day is yours to do as you please. You have the option to buy some extra excursions from home or drive out to explore the area on your own.

We recommend a visit to La Fortuna waterfall, situated at the foot of the dormant Chato volcano. You can drive out to the waterfall yourself. From the car park, there is a 20-minute walk down to the waterfall through lush rainforest where you may be lucky enough to spot monkeys, toucans and other exotic animals.
The waterfall cascades 70 metres into a small lagoon where you have the opportunity to enjoy a refreshing dip.

After breakfast, a scenic drive awaits you around Lake Arenal and up into the Cordillera de Tilarán Mountains to Monteverde, which is located at an altitude of around 1,400 metres. Monteverde is better known as the “forest in the clouds” due to its elevated location and the low cloud and the thick fog that enshrouds the forest.

Driving distance La Fortuna – Monteverde: approx. 115 km

Driving time: approx. 3–3½ hours

Today, you will experience Monteverde Cloud Forest from above, where a thrilling 2.5-kilometre walk along hanging bridges in the treetops awaits you. From up here, you can see and feel the unique and mysterious ambience created by the mist. You are in a fairytale landscape surrounded by large trees, ferns, orchids, moss and myriad plant species growing on the tree trunks.
The national park is home to over 400 species, including rare ones such as the resplendent quetzal and the tiny coppery-headed emerald hummingbird. You’ll be accompanied by an experienced guide who will share fascinating insights into the region’s flora and fauna.

After a couple of hours, you’ll be driven back to your hotel, and the rest of the day is yours to spend as you wish.

You can choose to book one of our optional tours or explore the local area independently. Perhaps take a stroll to the main square in the centre of Santa Elena, or visit the nearby orchid or butterfly gardens.

From Monteverde, you drive to Costa Rica’s Pacific coast where your journey ends in a paradise setting at one of our favourite destinations on the Nicoya Peninsula, Playa Sámara.

Playa Sámara is surrounded by lush nature, and everything takes place at a calm pace in the small holiday town. You really get a feel for the Costa Ricans’ famous “Pura Vida” life philosophy here. Despite its popularity, Sámara has managed to retain its charm, and though the demand for rooms is high here, you will only find small hotels.

The town’s big draw is the wonderful beach surrounded by palm trees – and of course the beautiful sunsets. The beach is made for both relaxation and water sports activities, and the relatively shallow, calm water makes it very child-friendly.

The day’s mileage: approx. 145 km

The days at Sámara are yours to do as you please. Relax by the hotel’s swimming pool or laze on the wide, golden sandy beach. Explore the town’s dusty main street and soak in the bohemian atmosphere. Small shops selling jewellery and beachwear lie side by side local bars and restaurants.

You can also drive over to the neighbouring beach, Playa Carrillo, a mere 10-15-minute drive from Sámara. At Playa Carrillo, there are no hotels or restaurants on the beach, and the pristine beach is a lovely place to relax, swim and snorkel.

You also have the option of purchasing a kayak tour to the small island of Chora, with its exciting underwater life, or heading off on a boat trip to experience playful dolphins in their natural element.

End the day with a drink in your hand and your feet buried in the sand at a cosy beach bar, while the sun slowly goes down over the horizon, painting the sky in a palette of orange and purple hues.

The time has come to say goodbye to the wonderful Playa Sámara and Costa Rica. You drive back to San José and drop the car off near the airport. A shuttle bus will take you from the car rental office to the airport, where the return journey home begins.

The day’s mileage: approx. 230 km

You will arrive at your chosen airport after an eventful holiday in Costa Rica.