Flights to Costa Rica (SJO and LIR)

Most air traffic coming into Costa Rica comes through San Jose’s airport, Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO). San Jose is the largest city in the country and offers a centralized launching point into the rest of the country. SJO is one of the busiest airports in Central America and offers a variety of flight options into and out of Costa Rica’s capital city.

The other option visitors have is to fly into the smaller town of Liberia through Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport (LIR). In the northern part of the country, LIR offers a quicker route to Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast and the surrounding volcanoes. With new expanded terminals, flights to this airport continue to grow.

RAINFORESTS

One of the most densely jungled countries in Central America, Costa Rica’s rainforests are one of its primary tourist attractions. Whether visitors are looking for wildlife, waterfalls, volcanoes or unique vegetation, Costa Rica offers incredible hikes through its dense rainforests. Cloud forests are their own attraction, scaling up the side of volcanic mountains. Visitors to these can book unique canopy and zipline tours, seeing the forest world from above.

SAN JOSE

Costa Rica’s largest city and capital, San Jose is the perfect launching-off point for visitors to see the city’s old sites and the rest of the wild countryside. With a variety of museums and galleries throughout the city, San Jose is certainly Costa Rica’s cultural hub. Meanwhile,quality nightlife and dining of the busy city offer a more cosmopolitan experience, away from the more nature-focused tourist activities of the rest of the country.

BEACHES AND OUTDOORS

While the rainforests and volcanoes often steal the attention of those looking to visit Costa Rica, the long shorelines on both sides of the country offer a perfect beach destination for tourists seeking more tropical vibes. A surfer’s paradise on the west coast, towns like Tamarindo attract those who are seeking the larger swells of the turquoise waters. But for those seeking a quieter luxury, resort areas like Playa Conchal offer a relaxed vacation getaway. Diving and fishing are also popular activities in Costa Rica. Shipwrecks along the coastline of beaches like Playa Montezuma offer amazing diving opportunities, while sport fisherman looking for big catches like marlin and sailfish flock to the Pacific coast each year.

The rainforests of Costa Rica are supported by the area’s warm, wet climates. Temperatures typically average in the 70s throughout much of the year, as the close proximity to the equator essentially eliminates seasons from the country’s climate. With a wet season in May through November, average rainfall is around 100 inches a year.