Overview

Eastwards from San José and the coffee-growing highlands sprawl the banana plantations of the sultry coastal plains fronting the Caribbean Sea. Long isolated from the rest of the Latin-influenced country, this region has a predominately English-speaking, Afro-Caribbean culture: a very informal, relaxed atmosphere pervades. Here there are exquisite volcanic beaches at Cahuita and Puerto Viejo.

Accessible only by boat is the partly submerged Tortuguero National Park, with its network of canals, lagoons and swamps defined by a profusion of tangled tropical vegetation. It’s alive with several species of monkey, iguanas, sloths, river otters, poison dart frogs and hundreds of species of birds.

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Holidays Caribbean coast

From expertly designed Private Journeys to trail-blazing Group Tours, browse our range of carefully crafted holidays.

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Costa Rica

Costa Rica Wildlife Discovery

15 days from £5,020pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

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Costa Rica

Family Costa Rica: Jungle walks and turtle spotting

14 days from £3,610pp

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Sarapiqui

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Self-drive Costa Rica: Coast to coast adventures

14 days from £2,170pp

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Private Journeys

Costa Rica

Signature Costa Rica: The natural highlights

14 days from £4,350pp

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Things to do

Enjoy activities on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. Great for kayaking, wildlife spotting and white-water rafting. Book now with Journey Latin America.

Accommodation

Discover our range of accommodation on Costa Rica’s relaxed Caribbean coast. Book now with Journey Latin America.

Where to go when - our guide to Caribbean coast

Tortuguero

The weather in Caribbean coast is wide and varied

While Tortuguero in the north is perhaps the best known destination on the Caribbean coast, there are gorgeous hidden spots to visit all the way south to the Panamanian border. The equatorial climate means rain can fall at any time of year, while temperatures remain hot year round.

View our Caribbean coast weather guide

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Your edit for Latin American inspiration

Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

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Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Paul Winrow Giffin
    Paul Winrow-Giffin - Travel Expert

    After graduating in Computer Science, Paul spent seven months travelling from Colombia to Argentina and came home hooked on Latin America.

  • Sophie
    Sophie Barber - Travel Expert

    Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia and beyond to Antarctica.

  • Juliet
    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

  • Hannah
    Hannah Donaldson - Travel Expert

    Having spent part of her childhood in Colombia and worked in Brazil and Costa Rica, Hannah's ties to Latin America run deep. Hannah is a much valued Travel Expert in our Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tours sales team.

  • Heloise
    Heloise Buxton - Travel Expert

    Heloise started her Latin American journey as an exchange student in Santiago, Chile. With extended summer holidays this was the perfect opportunity to backpack through Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

  • Mary
    Mary Anne Nelson - Travel Expert

    Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.

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