Costa Rica Volcanoes and the Pacific: San Jose, Arenal and Manuel Antonio, 6 Nights

A driver meets you outside the terminal at Juan Santamaria airport and takes you to your hotel in or near San Jose, the capital, which sits in a green valley ringed by volcanoes. Most flights from India arrive after long connections through the US or Europe, so the rest of the day is for rest. The weather in the Central Valley is mild all year, and evenings can be cool.

A shared tour climbs into the hills north of the city. First a coffee estate, to follow the bean from the plant to the roaster. Then Poas Volcano National Park, where a viewing platform looks into a wide crater of steam and sulphur; cloud often rolls in by late morning, entry is by advance e-ticket, and the park closes when activity rises, as it did from March to July 2025. The day ends at La Paz Waterfall Gardens, where forest trails lead past several falls.

A shared transfer carries you north over the central mountains, through dairy country and small farming towns, to La Fortuna at the foot of Arenal volcano. The cone is near-perfect when the cloud lifts, which it often does in the early morning or late afternoon. Spend the rest of the day in town, or at a hot springs resort if you cannot wait; the pools are fed by volcanic heat.

A full day with a naturalist guide. Hike through rainforest and across lava flows left by the eruptions that began in 1968, with the volcano above you. Then La Fortuna waterfall, dropping around 70 metres into a jungle pool; the path down has about 500 steps, and climbing back up is hard work. The tour usually breaks for a casado, the everyday Costa Rican plate. The day ends in a hot springs resort, soaking in warm pools.

A shared transfer takes you south-west from the mountains to the Central Pacific coast, with stops on the way. The Tarcoles bridge, where crocodiles bask on the river bank below, is a common one. Manuel Antonio is a small resort on a forested headland above white beaches, and the afternoon is free for the pool, the beach at Espadilla, or a sunset drink looking over the sea.

The morning is a guided walk in Manuel Antonio National Park on an easy trail of a few kilometres; the park is closed on Tuesdays, so days may be swapped. The guide carries a telescope to pick out sloths, capuchin and squirrel monkeys, iguanas and birds; there is time for a swim at one of the park beaches. In the afternoon, a catamaran cruise along the coast with drinks and snacks aboard and a stop to snorkel. Dolphins are sometimes seen.

Breakfast, then the transfer back to Juan Santamaria airport near San Jose, timed from your flight. The drive takes several hours and traffic around the capital can be slow, so a late-morning or afternoon flight works best. If your flight is early, we can suggest a final night near the airport instead.