Costa Rica is an ideal destination for couples seeking a diverse and down-to-earth honeymoon experience.
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Whether your dream getaway involves luxurious Costa Rica honeymoon resorts, beautiful beaches, adventurous escapades, or simply basking in the natural beauty of rainforests, Costa Rica caters to all tastes.
We know because we chose to get married in Costa Rica and choose to explore many of its corners on our own Costa Rica honeymoon!
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Where To Spend Your Costa Rica Honeymoon
You could stand in front of a map of Costa Rica, close your eyes, and stick a pin at random, and you’d still hit paradise. Of course, for the perfect Costa Rica honeymoon, you might want a little more control!
What we are trying to say is that you really can’t go wrong by choosing to honeymoon in Costa Rica. The whole country is filled with beauty and activities to enjoy Costa Rica’s laid-back vibe.
Here are our top picks for destinations and activities to include in your ideal Costa Rica honeymoon!
Arenal and La Fortuna
Arenal is a great destination to add to any Costa Rica honeymoon, no matter the time of the year. It offers a perfect combination of activities, seclusion, relaxation, and beauty.
Spend a day wandering the trails of the Arenal Volcano National Park. You can hike through the lush forest and over lava rocks to a mirador (viewpoint). On a clear day, you’ll be able to enjoy a great view of Arenal Volcano from the comfort of your hotel room! This destination is worth it to include in your list of where to go in Costa Rica.
If you want to take it easy and soothe the muscles after your trek, take a trip to the Tabacon Hot Springs. The Hot Springs in Tabacon are Costa Rica’s largest naturally flowing thermal mineral springs and offer a perfect place to spend at least one romantic afternoon of your Costa Rica honeymoon.
Many travellers consider Arenal Volcano a highlight of their trip, so adding it to your Costa Rica honeymoon itinerary is a must!
Where to Stay: Tabacon Resort & Spa
Stay a night or two at the luxurious Tabacon Resort & Spa. The hotel is set right in the middle of the magical rainforest, ideal for a romantic stay and offers on-site hot springs. Relax in the thermal waters or enjoy spa treatments like a couples massage for a truly relaxing Costa Rica honeymoon experience.
Tabacon Hotel is also a great option for those who are conscious about their impact on the environment when they travel. The resort has been awarded “5 Leaves”, the highest category in the Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST), by the Costa Rican Tourism Board.
Manuel Antonio National Park
A visit to the Manuel Antonio National Park is a must for nature and animal lovers. Plan to spend a whole day exploring this Costa Rica attraction. Manuel Antonio National Park is home to many endangered species, and you can spot sloths, howlers, white-faced monkeys, toucans, snakes, and iguanas in their natural habitat in Manuel Antonio.
Where to Stay in Manuel Antonio: Costa Verde Hotel
Spend a few nights at the Costa Verde Hotel to explore the national park and have a unique Manuel Antonio Costa Rica honeymoon experience. You can even stay in their famous Boeing 727 suite! This vintage plane is a unique hotel suite that boasts stunning ocean views.
The plane isn’t the only vintage thing in the Costa Verde Hotel. They take items destined for the scrap heap and up-cycle them, and use them to decorate and furnish the hotel. This is just one of the many reasons it is one of our favourite Costa Rica honeymoon hotels.
They do the same with empty glass bottles they collect from restaurants, using them to make lighting fixtures and wall designs. It’s creative recycling and adds an extra charm to this unique hotel.
North Guanacaste
After enjoying a few relaxing nights in Arenal and recovering from the wedding day stress, why not take your honeymoon up to Costa Rica’s sunny side?
Head to the North Pacific Coast for some sun and sand, and add at least one Blue Flag-status beach to your itinerary while you’re at it. A Blue Flag is a prestigious ecological award given to the cleanest and best-maintained beaches in Costa Rica.
Luckily, you’ll find many of these spectacular beaches in Guanacaste!
Playa Tamarindo draws in tourists for its good surf, vibrant social scene, and stunning sunsets (which, in our opinion, are best experienced on a sunset cruise).
Meanwhile, more laidback beaches like Playa Hermosa and Playa Conchal are perfect for post-wedding unwinding.
If you love nature, don’t miss a visit to Playa Grande. It’s a key area of the Marino Las Baulas National Park and is home to the leatherback turtles. If you’re honeymooning between May and October, you’ll be there just in time for turtle nesting season.
Beyond the beaches, there are also tropical forests and national parks waiting to be explored.
Rincon de la Vieja National Park is at the top of the list, spanning 34,000 acres and encompassing 2 volcanoes, 32 rivers and streams, and an exotic collection of flora and fauna. Experience the forest views through a hike, or amp up the adrenaline and go down the zipline.
Las Catalinas is another perfect honeymoon destination guaranteed to make you feel like you’ve teleported to a small town in the Mediterranean. The charming beach town is car-free and fully walkable, with plenty to do. The architecture was specifically designed for outdoor living, functional yet beautiful in a way that enhances its natural surroundings.
Spend a night at Casa Chameleon, a secluded adults-only luxury hotel with 21 private villas. Enjoy tropical paradise with peaceful views of the horizon and surrounded by lush forest, hills, and valleys. It’s easy to see why it’s a constant on the list of the World’s Top 100 Hotels!
Where to Stay in North Guanacaste
Tamarindo Bay Boutique Hotel is a contemporary and sophisticated adults-only hotel. It was designed to combine charming hospitality and eco-friendly function with “rancho” style outdoor living areas, a custom outdoor swimming pool, and a dining, yoga and exercise deck.
W Conchal is a luxury 5-star hotel on the sugar-white sands of Playa Conchal. Expect nothing less than VIP treatment at this modern oasis, with 2 outdoor swimming pools, 3 hotel restaurants, a day spa with rejuvenating spa treatments, a world-class golf course, and even private plunge pools in select suites.
Harmony Hotel in Nosara strikes a balance between vintage glamour and tropical escape. Each guest room has its own private outdoor space, which means there’s a chance you’ll wake up to a wildlife sighting right out your window. The property has a beautiful on-site yoga shala, an award-winning Harmony Healing Centre, a restaurant that uses fresh, local ingredients, and a refreshing Juice Bar.
Four Seasons offers eco-luxury in the newly-developed Papagayo Peninsula, less than an hour’s drive from the Liberia Airport. The Four Seasons Costa Rica Private Residences come with kitchens and panoramas of the peninsula, and they can even create custom itineraries like Costa Rica honeymoon packages.
Honeymoon activity options are seemingly endless, and you can easily fill the rest of your Costa Rica honeymoon itinerary with lots of activities in Guanacaste. But if you do have more time, then there is so much more to discover on a Costa Rica all-inclusive honeymoon…
Nicoya Peninsula
Pristine beaches, rows and rows of palm trees, deep forests–the Nicoya Peninsula has a distinct pura vida way of life that keeps you in a state of calm.
Fun fact: Nicoya is known as one of the world’s five “Blue Zones,” or places around the globe where people are thought to live the longest and healthiest lives. That goes to show how seriously they take R&R in this region!
When it comes to beaches, you’re spoilt for choice. One of the most popular destinations is Santa Teresa, a quaint coastal town home to many beautiful beaches. Its namesake, Playa Santa Teresa, was recognized as one of the best beaches in the world by Forbes Magazine. Aside from the usual swimming, tanning, and relaxing, you can also make memories while horseback riding, going on an ATV tour, or enrolling in a class like yoga or cooking.
On the southern coast of the peninsula is Montezuma. This honeymoon destination is off the beaten path, so expect a longer journey to get here, but it’s worth it for the relaxed, bohemian atmosphere, quiet beaches, thick forests, and wildlife.
Try sunbathing or camping under the palm trees at Playa Montezuma. If you prefer adventures on land, hike to the Montezuma Waterfalls or a zipline experience on the Montezuma Canopy Tour.
Samara is often nicknamed the “hippie commune” of Nicoya. It’s one of the safest beaches in Costa Rica and even has a lifeguard on the beach, making it a popular choice for families. The waves in this area are relatively small, which is good for beginner surfers. In town, you’ll find many places of interest, such as markets, souvenir shops, restaurants, and nightclubs.
Where to Stay in Nicoya Peninsula
Dreamcatcher Hotel – Atrapasueños is just 100 metres from Playa Santa Teresa. The property comes with an outdoor pool, spa, and wellness centre that offer guests a quiet recluse while still being close to shops and restaurants. Couples will enjoy the lush gardens, BBQ facilities, and an array of activities that the hotel can arrange, like cycling, horseback riding and fishing.
Amor de Mar is Montezuma’s “small hotel in paradise.” The rustic-style interiors are made by artisans, while the on-site restaurant serves healthy, organic dishes made from local and homemade ingredients. The rooms have patios with either a river or sea view, while common lounge chairs offer panoramic views that extend down to the Pacific Ocean.
Amaj Eco Lodge in Samara is great for couples who love nature as much as they love comfort. They have luxury tents with breakfast, air conditioning, a flat-screen TV, and a private bathroom. Up in the mountains, you’re as close as you can get to Costa Rican wildlife and not too far away from the beach and the Belen Waterfall.
Monteverde
For a change of scenery, set your course to the heart of the Cordillera de Tilaran Mountain Range. There, you’ll find Monteverde, a prime ecotourism destination in Central America that boasts a tropical rainforest and an impressive assortment of flora and fauna.
Monteverde Cloud Forest is one of the biggest attractions in Costa Rica (and, in our opinion, one of the most unforgettable honeymoon destinations). The biological reserve is home to over 100 species of mammals, 400 species of birds, and 1,200 species of amphibians and reptiles.
Wildlife lovers and outdoor enthusiasts will fall in love with the unique cloud forest, which you can explore by hiking, horseback riding, and even ziplining. You can also get to know the rest of Monteverde’s natural landscapes and wildlife through other guided tours, trails, and walks at places like Frog Pond, Bat Jungle, and Valle Escondido Nature Reserve.
Foodies will also enjoy the range of culinary experiences in the region. Sign up for coffee, chocolate, and sugar cane plantation tours or cooking lessons that pass on the local traditions.
When all that’s done, have your pick at the many delicious restaurants lined up in downtown Santa Elena.
Where to Stay in Monteverde
Book a stay at Cloud Forest Lodge for the perfect balance between being alone with nature and staying close to Monteverde’s facilities. The lodge is dedicated to preserving biodiversity and maintaining the essence of Monteverde over time.
It’s a large, spacious, rustic accommodation that happily co-exists with the forest. You get a good view of the edge of the forest from the bar terrace, while the dining area is a great spot for birdwatching.
Osa Peninsula
Corcovado National Park is the premier wildlife destination on the Osa Peninsula. The park holds 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity and over 50% of all the species in Costa Rica. National Geographic even called it one of the most biologically diverse places on earth!
It’s the crown jewel of wildlife viewing in Costa Rica.
In the remote rainforest, you can find tapirs, a number of felines like jaguars, pumas, ocelots, and coatis, all four species of Costa Rican monkeys. Meanwhile, hammerhead sharks and crocodiles lurk in different bodies of water, while some beaches see all four sea turtle species during nesting season.
There are many tours to choose from in Corcovado National Park, ranging from a quick day tour, an overnight tour, and even multi-day tours.
Where to Stay in Osa Peninsula
Imagine spending a night or two in the most remote rainforest lodge in Costa Rica. That’s Jaguars Jungle Rainforest Lodge, a 130-acre beachfront property that shares its jungle with Corcovado National Park. They have an in-house tour company that can arrange eco-tours, as well as a private beach, an exotic garden, and a restaurant that serves vegan and vegetarian dishes.
Caribbean Coast
On the southern Caribbean Coast lies the quaint port town of Puerto Viejo, also known as Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. This side is more remote than the usual tourist destinations; it feels like an untouched gem with a completely different vibe from the other regions of Costa Rica.
Puerto Viejo is a 4 to 5-hour drive from San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital. The town has a reggae hippie vibe and a true pura vida lifestyle. The magnificent coastal town offers a glimpse into a unique kind of bohemian diversity that’s been beautifully kept intact.
Playa Negra and Playa Punta Uva are popular beaches in town. Surfing and scuba diving are worth a try here, and you can always find places that offer lessons and tours.
If you want to see sea turtles, plan a visit to Tortuguero National Park. Green sea turtles, leatherbacks, and hawksbill turtles nest on the beaches here at specific times throughout the year. There are marked trails along the beach where guests can observe turtle nesting, though the best way to appreciate the park is on a boat.
Where to Stay in Puerto Viejo
There aren’t a lot of 5-star luxury hotels in Puerto Viejo, which is why Agua Claras isn’t like any of the other Costa Rica honeymoon resorts.
This boutique luxury hotel turns bungalows and themed suites into curated spaces furnished with artwork and interiors made by local artists. The rooms have air conditioning, wifi, private bathrooms, and a private balcony with a garden view.
What’s truly impressive is that the staff at Agua Claras don’t just provide top-notch service at the hotel. They also join regular cleanups at the Cahuita National Park and the nearby beaches.
What to Budget for Costa Rica Honeymoon
Planning and budgeting for a honeymoon is much like planning and budgeting for your wedding. Choosing high-end resorts and going for the best honeymoon resorts in Costa Rica can drive up the price. But it all depends on the length of your honeymoon, your itinerary, the time of year you visit Costa Rica honeymoon destinations, and of course, your personal preferences.
Do you wish to splurge on your accommodations and skimp on activities, or do you want to explore as much as possible and stay in a budget-friendly hotel? Splurge on the things that are important and skimp on things that won’t be as memorable to you post-honeymoon.
A comfortable hotel can start at USD $300+ per night, while food can range from USD $20-30 per person per meal. Roundtrip transfers from the airport start at $115 per person, depending on where you’re staying, and you might spend around $100 per activity.
Flights To/From Costa Rica
The cost of flights will depend on where you are flying from and how far in advance you book. Return flights can be anywhere from $800 to $2000 for two. Try to plan ahead and keep an eye for good deals to score the best flights to Costa Rica.
Costa Rica Honeymoon Resorts Accommodation
This is where the majority of your budget will likely be spent. There are hotel options for Costa Rica honeymoons for every budget and personal preference. You don’t need to stay in all-inclusive resorts the entire time- you can mix it up as you travel.
This is the good thing about independent travel over Costa Rica honeymoon packages – you have control of your accommodation options and can even save a little money. Deciding where to stay in Costa Rica for a honeymoon can have a big impact on your finances.
If sticking with low or mid-range hotels, budget around $800 for a 1-week stay. If you want to splurge, you could be looking at upwards of $3,000 for accommodations for your honeymoon.
Food And Drink
Food and drinks in Costa Rica can cost as much as $100-200/day. With all-inclusive Costa Rica honeymoon packages, all your food and drinks will be taken care of, leaving less stress about money and surprises along the way.
Independent travellers will find that breakfast is almost always included in your stay, but lunch and dinner must be accounted for as an additional expense. You can get a cheap lunch for $5-8 from a ‘soda’, traditional local eateries serving typical Tico food. Dinner can range from $50-$80 for two in a fancy restaurant or $20 in a local, family-style restaurant.
Transportation
Distances between locations in Costa Rica are long! If you aren’t spending your Costa Rica honeymoon in an all-inclusive resort, we highly recommend renting a car. It gives you the freedom to explore the country and to go off the beaten path on your honeymoon.
Budget roughly $100 per day for a 4×4 SUV for a week, but know that if you book in advance, you can get a car for as little as $50/day. Don’t forget you’ll also need gas to get around!
READ NEXT: Renting a Car in Costa Rica: Tips, Advice, & More
Sightseeing And Activities
The good thing is that much of what makes Costa Rica the perfect honeymoon destination is free. Romantic walks on the beach at sunset, breathtaking scenery, and untouched natural beauty are just some of those priceless experiences that can make for a truly amazing honeymoon.
But, there are lots of activities in Costa Rica that are worth the splurge. For example, the Monteverde Cloud Forest is a must-see and will set you back USD $50 for 2 people.
Whitewater rafting in Arenal can cost around USD $122. If you decide to take up surfing while in Playa Avellanas, lessons start from $50 per person.
The Bottom Line
For two weeks, a mid-range budget starts at USD $5,000 and can easily go up to USD $10,000 if you’re willing to splurge.
A honeymoon to Costa Rica can take you from the depths of the sea to the peaks of the rainforest. Exciting, relaxing, and romantic all at once, we can’t recommend it enough as an incredible honeymoon destination.
Our two cents? Don’t be afraid to open yourself up to new experiences—that goes for your Costa Rica honeymoon adventure and your new adventure as a married couple!
Also recommend the Osa Peninsula! Lots of beautiful, remote lodges there – which make for a very romantic ambiance – and the wildlife is spectacular.
Agreed! Osa is a great destination, but a bit more remote and hence the accommodation/food/etc ends up being more expensive. If budget allows, it’s a great destination for a honeymoon!
Wow! Such a beautiful place! ♥ Thanks for the details tour guide. Your memories captures are splendid. I will must visit there soon.
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it to a few friends ans also sharing in delicious.
And of course, thanks to your sweat!