Costa Rica's Ecotourism is Wildly Popular. Embrace the Country’s Northern Region and Discover Why.

Costa Rica is top on the list of countries with strong ecotourism. Costa Ricans (Ticos) proudly value and protect their homeland’s biodiversity. As proof, more than 25% of Costa Rican land is designated as a national park, reserve, or protected area. This effort has helped maintain the country’s impressive rainforests, sweeping beaches, and abundant wildlife. But ecotourism is not only altruistic. It’s profitable.

Ecotourism supports responsible travel to natural areas and uses tourism revenue for its sustainability. It also helps sustain or improve the well-being of locals by preserving their livelihoods and culture. Tico culture is laid-back, polite, optimistic, and focused on family and friends. The phrase commonly used by locals is ‘Pura Vida’ which means ‘pure life’. Ticos believe in enjoying life instead of rushing through it.

Every guide we had on our trip spent time educating us on the environment, wildlife, the history of the country, its cultural heritage, and the importance of ecotourism. That’s in addition to educating us on the flora and fauna (and spotting hidden wildlife).

There are many areas worth visiting in Costa Rica. This article focuses on activities available in the country’s northern region—specifically in the areas of Arenal and Monteverde.

Hike the Base of Arenal Volcano

Arenal Volcano has been in a resting phase since 2010. (Photo: MillerGruppe from Pixabay)

Arenal Volcano is active but since 2010 has been in a resting phase. Don’t expect to see any lava flowing or smoke coming from its top (even though a web search and some brochures still show these dated images). Think of the volcano as a cone-shaped backdrop for all your activities in the Arenal area.

Arenal Volcano National Park offers several easy hiking paths along the volcano’s base. Just wear good walking/hiking shoes or sneakers. It is currently illegal to hike to the top.

See Lots of Wildlife

Sometimes the best wildlife sightings occur in busy areas. This White-Nosed Coatis was one of a troupe of about 15 members crossing the street in Arenal, Costa Rica. (Image: Edie L Kramer)

Every day spent in Costa Rica is an opportunity to observe wildlife. We found early morning hikes offered the most sightings.

Sometimes we saw wildlife where we did not expect to see it. After leaving our hotel in Arenal, we came across a troupe of about 15 White-Nosed Coatis on a secondary road. A number of cars stopped, and the cell phones came out. Later that day, we saw our first monkey cross the highway we were on.

We also saw very little wildlife in one rainforest we visited that we thought would yield multiple sightings. We had not hired a guide—a lesson in what not to do. Guides work together in letting each other know where, for example, a sloth or anteater has been seen. They walk these areas multiple times a day and can point out wildlife hidden in plain view. Take a small-group guided tour or hire your own personal guide for the best experience.

Get an Adrenaline Rush

Adventure tours, including ziplining, are popular in Arenal, Costa Rica. (Photo: A. Arcelus from Pexels)

Arenal is a popular tourist destination. It offers a range of adventure tours including ziplining, aerial hanging bridge walks for canopy exploration, white-water rafting, and more.

Most tours are available out of La Fortuna, a small town near the base of Arenal Volcano.

Ziplining is popular, with many groups advertising that you’ll see birds and other wildlife in the canopy. One nature guide we spoke with actually believed that ziplines were too intrusive for wildlife (particularly monkeys) and that the noise, in particular, sent most away from the immediate area. If you decide to zipline, go for the adrenaline rush. Realistically, you’ll be going so fast that you might miss some nearby wildlife anyway. That said, if you do see wildlife, consider it a bonus.

If you’re not into speed but seek a canopy experience, one option is to visit Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park. A guide will be able to show you animals you wouldn’t spot on your own. Bring binoculars.

Relax and Rejuvenate in Natural Hot Springs

Day passes are available at Tabacon Resort and Spa. Surrounded by rainforest, the interconnecting pools and streams offer different temperatures (warm to hot). (Photo: O. Mederos from Pexels)

There’s nothing more relaxing than soaking in a naturally flowing thermal mineral spring in a rainforest. You definitely feel one with nature.

Several hotel spas in the Arenal area take advantage of the volcano’s hot springs. One example is Tabacon Resort and Spa. Imagine interconnected streams, natural pools, and waterfalls of different temperatures (warm to hot) surrounded by lush vegetation and the sound of cascading waterfalls. It’s an awesome experience for the body and soul.

One thing I particularly like about Tabacon is how clear the water is. I didn’t wonder what was lurking below the surface (let alone the bottom of the river or pool) like some other thermal springs I’ve visited in other countries. (Some hot springs can be opaque and orangey-brown due to the minerals so what lies below the surface is a mystery.)

Tabacon has done a fantastic job leveraging nature without losing its natural beauty. There’s a bathhouse and a café for non-guests. In 2023, a day pass cost $80/pp (not cheap!), but we found it was a great way to spend our first day in Costa Rica transitioning to the ‘Pura Vida’—the pure life—that the country and people are all about.

Walk Through Mist in Monteverde Cloud Forest

The constant mist in the Monteverde Cloud Forest creates a tangle of vines and moss around every tree. The quiet is magical. (Photo: Erik J Kramer)

Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve is a relaxing take. The constant mist and thin veil of clouds hovering just below the canopy make the experience a bit surreal. You’ll see all kinds of flora, from trees covered in vines and moss, and hundreds of orchid varieties. It’s also a great place for bird-watching. If you’re lucky like we were, you’ll see the Resplendent Quetzal—a colorful (bright red, green, and turquoise) endangered bird.

Hire a guide at the entrance if you haven’t booked one before your visit. It’s worth it. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the plants, birds, ecotourism, and more. The trails are easy and well-marked but wear sneakers or hiking shoes as it can get slippery. Also, it’s quite cool in the forest (we wore sweatshirts in April) and you’ll want to bring a raincoat. Bring binoculars.

Learn About Coffee from the Source

When the Arabica bean turns red, it’s ripe for picking by hand. (Photo: Edie L Kramer)

Costa Rica is one of the world’s leading producers of coffee—the Arabica bean is an agricultural staple with most plantations located in the Central Valley. Many offer tours as part of their operations.

Depending on the plantation, you’ll learn a bit about the history and culture of Costa Rican coffee and the coffee-making process. Once you realize the amount of labor involved in handpicking the beans and what goes into the extraction, drying, and roasting process, you may not complain as much about the price of your latte each morning.

While in Monteverde, we toured the Don Juan Coffee Plantation which focused on the Arabica bean but included a cacao and sugarcane portion of the tour. They also have a location in Arenal. Both locations are wheelchair accessible.

Have you visited Costa Rica’s northern region? What did you enjoy most?