Costa Rica has two very different coastlines; the rugged Caribbean Coast, which offers a more wild feel with plenty of nature and wildlife, and the Pacific Coast is perhaps a more picture perfect coastline with stunning white sand beaches. We were lucky enough to travel from the Caribbean Coast to the Pacific Coast but if you only have time for one, it helps to know which one might suit you. We visited Tortuguero on the Caribbean side, a remote rainforest wilderness that treated us to our first sloth sighting, and we finished in Sámara on the Pacific, a small but stunning coastal town with a beautiful beach and a chilled out vibe. Here’s how I’d choose between them (if you have to of course).
The quick answer
Both coasts are great for most travellers, whether you’re a family or a couple.
- Choose Tortuguero (Caribbean) if you want adventure, wildlife, rainforest and a back-to-nature experience.
- Choose Sámara (Pacific) if you want a slower pace, beautiful beach time and the ocean.
The Caribbean Coast: Tortuguero
Families and couples who want adventure and wildlife in the tropical rainforest will love Tortuguero. The fun is deep in the jungle, and you can spend days exploring, on the hunt for wildlife or soaking up the culture. We mixed rainforest tours on foot with time out on the canals in small boats that allowed us to get close to the banks and the wildlife.
Tortuguero is remote, and we found it to be a place where the wildlife simply happens around you. We stayed in the lovely Evergreen Lodge, which offered the perfect base from which to explore. And, even during our downtime, we saw a troupe of monkeys swing over the pool and a group of capuchin monkeys joined us for breakfast.
You can read my full region review in the Tortuguero post, and there’s also the Evergreen Lodge review covers our stay.
The Pacific Coast: Sámara
Those same groups might also love Sámara, but for very different reasons. Its slower place, beautiful beach and of course, the ocean, give it a very different feel but it still has plenty in the way of adventure on offer. If you love water, sea life and ocean-based activities, the Pacific coast has it all – from surfing and kayaking to boat rides to see whales and dolphins riding the waves.
We spent our time in Sámara relaxing on the beach, sea kayaking and whale watching. The town’s chilled vibe was just what we needed after a busy self-drive itinerary from Tortuguero to La Fortuna and onto Monteverde.
Read more on our time here in the Sámara post.
The weather
- If you can handle the tropical temperament of the rainforest (rain, moisture and a bit of damp), you’ll be at home in Tortuguero. And it does truly deliver on feeling and understanding Costa Rica’s nature and biodiversity.
- If you’re a sun lover, head for Sámara and the Pacific coast. Palm tree fringed, white sand and turquoise waters – everything you want from a tropical beach stop.
We travelled in August and did hit some pockets of rain in Tortuguero. To be clear, though, this absolutely did not stop us experiencing everything we had planned. We even added two additional activities to our original itinerary. Go with the right equipment and you’ll be fine.
Sámara offered the perfect beach and pool weather throughout our stay.
If you’d like more on travelling at this time of the year, my August weather post provides the full picture.
If you’re travelling with younger children
My children are 10 and 14, so both were more than capable of dealing with the adventures we had planned. If you are travelling with younger children, the Tortuguero stop needs little consideration. It’s remote, and the transfer from San José was one of our longer ones so ensuring those younger minds are occupied will be key. It’s also quite an active area, because the fun is deep in the rainforest, and that means lots of exploring on foot. Parents will know the capabilities of their children, and there’s no reason younger children wouldn’t love Tortuguero too, they perhaps just need a little more downtime.
If you know your children might not cope with lots of walking the Pacific Coast is, in my opinion, the better option. There’s still plenty of excitement and various wildlife opportunities to keep younger ones interested.
For more detail on our 12-night itinerary with kids, the Costa Rica with kids post has more on how we paced the trip.
Can’t choose? Do both
If you have the time and budget, I’d highly recommend doing both coasts. We started in the rainforest and finished on the beach, so that all of our adventure happened up front and we then ended with some relaxation on the beach. My 12-night itinerary shows the full route.
Which should you choose?
- Choose the Caribbean Coast if you want rainforest, wildlife and a truly unique adventure; and, of course, be prepared for some rain with a slightly longer journey.
- Choose the Pacific Coast if you want sun, beach time and ocean activities, especially if you’re travelling with younger children.
Keep planning your trip:
- The Costa Rica Itinerary That Actually Works: Caribbean to Pacific
- Costa Rica in August: What the Weather Was Really Like
- Self-Driving Costa Rica: What You Need to Know
- What to Pack for Costa Rica (and What We Didn’t Need)
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