A complete guide to visiting the South Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

Experience the true untouched beauty of the best area in Costa Rica for adventure-minded, slow travel.

Where to stay and what to do including gorgeous beaches, hidden waterfalls and stunning national parks.

Puntarenas Province, Uvita, Costa Rica

Costa Rica: Southern Pacific

Costa Rica is one of the most visited countries in Central America, and for good reason! But, where in the country is the best to go?

The country’s West Coast is more developed, so it has more amenities and activities for you to take advantage of. It has access to the Pacific Ocean, where you can find many beach towns and optimal surfing conditions. This area is also closer to the international airports, so travelling to and from your flights is much easier!

Northern Guanacaste - Amazing beaches & close to airports! 

Southern Guanacaste - A popular area for tourists & big-name hotels

Nicoya Peninsula - Great for surfing & laidback beach towns

Southern Pacific Coast & Osa Peninsula - Access to jungles and beaches like no other in the world

Out of all the areas, the southern pacific coast and the Osa Peninsula are my absolute favourite and will be the focus of this guide. It has all the rainforest and beach vibes you could want with views and experiences that are unmatched

The southern West coast of Costa Rica brings the beautifully laid back, Pura Vida vibes that you hope for from Costa Rica. The coast is lined with some great small towns and hidden gems, lets get into it:

We HIGHLY recommend renting a car in Costa Rica and specifically one with 4-wheel drive. No having a vehicle greatly limits the places that you can travel. Many of the most magical locations are deep within bumpy curvy roads. The driving is slow and if you're moderately comfortable driving, you won't regret renting a vehicle.

Most of these activities will be centred out of Uvita, however, we will highlight serval day trips including Manuel Antonio and Corcovado. Most of the towns are only a short drive away, so if you choose to stay near by, you can still enjoy these magical activities.

We loved Uvita as a home base for your trip. However, here's a small over view of some of the other towns to make your decision:

*Uvita - By far our first choice. The town itself is a bit spread out, but offers plenty of options for incredible restaurants, nightlife, and activities, while still maintaining the nature and small-town tranquility of Costa Rica.

Quepos & Manuel Antonio - Manuel Antonio National Park resides next to the harbour town of Quepos. The park is known to be incredibly biodiverse. We will talk more about visiting the park in this guide, but you can choose ton stay in the park or in Quepos and have plenty of opportunity to surf and explore the wildlife.

Drake Bay - A great place to stay if you are planning on visiting Corcovado. Another top pick to settle in for a few days or as home base for your trip. Kilometres of beautiful beach and quaint lodging.

Corcovado - Part of the Osa peninsula and an area beyond your wildest imagination. We talk more about visiting Corcovado as an excursion later in this guide, but you can also choose to stay and camp in the park

Jaco - Known for its nightlife, this commercialized area of Costa Rica has some great surf. However, It's not our first recommendation for experiencing the true tranquility of Costa Rica.

Airbnb - We couldn't even begin to list the number of incredible Airbnb's in Uvita and the surrounding area. If you aren't looking for the 5 star treatment, search Airbnb for your desired dates and find the perfect space for you.