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Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala
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Acatenango, Guatemala
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Lake Atitlán, Guatemala
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San Agustín Lanquín, Guatemala
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Flores, Guatemala
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Tikal, Guatemala
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Rio Dulce, Guatemala
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La Ceiba, Honduras
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Utila, Honduras
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Pico Bonito, Honduras
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Copan Ruinas, Honduras
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Suchitoto, El Salvador
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Santa Ana, El Salvador
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San Alfonso, El Salvador
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León, Nicaragua
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Las Peñitas, Nicaragua
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Granada, Nicaragua
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Ometepe, Nicaragua
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Popoyo, Nicaragua
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Santa Teresa Beach, Costa Rica
We’re leaving the forests and impressive landscapes behind and making our way to the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica. This small bohemian village on the Pacific coast is the perfect spot to watch magical sunsets and learn how to surf! Surrounded by tall palm trees, the beaches of Santa Teresa are among Costa Rica’s best and attract surfers from all over the world.
Spend a few days here relaxing on the beach, improving your surf skills, and trying out the healthy lunch spots in town.
For surfing, I recommend walking into some stores in town and asking about their rates for surf lessons. Most of them offer classes for either beginners or more advanced.
Having some extra time left in Santa Teresa? Rent an ATV and explore the nearby Montezuma.
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Monte Verde, Costa Rica
Located high up in the mountains and home to the only cloud forest in Costa Rica, lies Monteverde. Cloud forests are extremely rare and represent only a fraction of the world’s existing rainforests! For nature lovers, Monteverde can’t be missed on your 3 weeks in Costa Rica itinerary.
Take at least a full morning exploring the cloud forest of Monteverde. They’re full of wildlife and a huge variety of flora and fauna. If you’re lucky, you may spot the Quetzal bird, which is world-famous! This beautiful bird is considered the symbol of Monteverde and people come from all over the world to spot this specific bird here.
Another cool activity to do is ziplining through the canopies of the forests. Unfortunately, it was raining almost non-stop when we were in Monteverde, causing all the tours to be canceled.
- Reserva Biológica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde
- Cafe Colibrí
- Café Monteverde
- Taco Taco
- Bon Appetit!
- Stella's Cafe
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La Fortuna, Costa Rica
La Fortuna Center is very focused on tourists, but the activities here are the reason to put this place on your 3 weeks in Costa Rica itinerary. For example, visit La Fortuna Waterfall or admire El Arenal Volcano! The views of the El Arenal volcano are seen from every out corner of the city, that’s why hiking in one of the many national parks is one of the best activities in La Fortuna!
I highly recommend taking a full-day tour that brings you to the Arenal 1968 trail including hot springs (not the free ones). I joined a tour organized by our hostel, so I don’t have the exact tour. However, this tour takes you to the same trail – where you can spot snakes, monkeys, frogs, and sloths! – and visit the hot springs!
Free Hot Springs
Thanks to the nearby volcano, there are natural hot springs to be found in La Fortuna and they’re completely free to visit. Many locals head here in the late afternoon, catching up with friends with some beers and that’s exactly what we did as well.
Looking for more comfort and luxury? Many resorts in La Fortuna have beautiful hot springs, where you can buy a day ticket without staying there.
Hanging Bridges
If you’ve already done some research about La Fortuna, you may have seen lots of photos of hanging bridges. You can find these at Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park where you’re able to walk through the dense jungle with views over the Arenal Volcano!
If you want to hear more about the flora and fauna or even wildlife spotting, opt for a guide! As for us, we had some other amazing national parks for wildlife spotting on our 3 weeks in Costa Rica itinerary – therefore we went on our own.
Hidden inside the Tenorio Volcano National Park, lies the magical, intense blue waterfall ‘Rio Celeste’. It’s a small detour from your way from La Fortuna to Monteverde, therefore only possible to visit this way if you have a rental car. When you don’t have your own car, no worries as enough day trips are leaving from La Fortuna like this tour that brings you to the beautiful national park!
- Reserva Catarata de la Fortuna
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Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
Manuel Antonio National Park is Costa Rica’s most visited national park and also the smallest! Not only that, but it’s also one of the world’s best national parks. It’s home to pristine beaches, dense jungle, and an amazing variety of wildlife.
Manuel Antonio National Park may be the best park in Costa Rica for spotting sloths, together with many other wildlife. For example, monkeys, snakes, tucans, and iguanas inhabit the park as well! Manuel Antonio is also home to some stunning beaches so make sure to bring your swimming suit 🙂 Spend at least 1 full day inside the national park to explore it properly.
- Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio
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Uvita, Costa Rica
Head further south along the coast and make your way to Uvita. Uvita is a small village on the South Pacific coast and is becoming very popular among travelers, I can understand why!
Spend your time in Uvita whale watching, exploring insane waterfalls, seeing the iconic whale-tail beach, and spotting wildlife!
You may want to visit Costa Rica at a slower pace, therefore you could also skip Uvita and stay longer in other places on this 3 weeks in Costa Rica itinerary. We couldn’t fit Uvita into our itinerary anymore, but I’ve seen amazing photos and heard great stories from fellow travelers about this place!
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Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica
a small village named Puerto Viejo. Your days here will be filled with some beach time, spotting epic wildlife, and relaxing. Located a bit off the route, this laid-back village is often skipped by many travelers. It turned out one of my favorite places in Costa Rica and it’s unmissable for your trip!
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Bocas del Toro, Panama
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Boquete, Panama
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Santa Catalina, Panama
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Playa Venao, Panama
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Valle de Anton, Panama
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Panama City, Panama
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San Blas Islands, Panama
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Panama City, Panama