Costa Rica Caribbean coast

  • Caribbean beach
  • Tortuguero
  • COSTA RICA EXPEDITIONS ©
0 1 2

Visit exquisite volcanic beaches, verdant banana plantations and the wildlife rich Tortuguero National Park, submerged in a network of canals, lagoons and swamps.

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.

Read More

THE UK’S NO. 1 SPECIALIST IN TRAVEL TO LATIN AMERICA

What our clients say Contact Us

Holidays Caribbean coast

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

Water and jungle in Tortuguero National Park

Private Journeys

Costa Rica

Costa Rica Wildlife Discovery

13 days from £4,550pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Boys standing on hanging bridges in Costa Rica

Private Journeys

Costa Rica

Family Costa Rica: Jungle walks and turtle spotting

14 days from £3,825pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Sillhouette of a car on a road in Costa Rica

Private Journeys

Costa Rica

Self-drive Costa Rica: Coast to coast adventures

14 days from £2,400pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

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.

Aguas Claras
Cariblue
Le Cameleon
Namuwoki Lodge Resort

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

Papagaio

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.

View Extraordinary Inspiration
Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Chris
    Chris Rendell-Dunn - Travel Expert

    Anglo-Peruvian Chris grew up in Lima and spent much of his adult life in between London and Cusco as a tour leader, before settling permanently in our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours sales team.

  • Kathryn
    Kathryn Rhodes - Travel Expert

    Kathryn backpacked across Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru before joining us. She has a degree in Philosophy and French and is a keen netball player.

  • 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!

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Sallly
    Sally Dodge - Travel Expert

    A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.

0 1 2 3 4 5