Full of adventure and natural beauty, Costa Rica is a bucket list destination for a lot of us. However, with so many points of interest, it can be tricky to figure out the best things to do in just one trip.

Whether you want to learn to surf on the stunning Tamarindo Peninsula, spot whales off the coast of Uvita, or wander the cloud forest trails of Monteverde, there are so many amazing tours and excursions in Costa Rica. However, these can soon add up. That’s why I’ve collated my list of the best budget tours and excursions in Costa Rica. Let’s dive in and learn more.

Tamarindo

The beautiful peninsula to the west of the country is a popular party area, with a ton of surf camps and peaceful yoga retreats.

Learn to Surf

One of the most popular things to do in or around Tamarindo is learning to surf. There are dozens of surf schools and hire places where you can get gear and gain some wave riding skills.

The best budget surf tours include:

Turtle Hatching Tours

The Pacific coastline offers some of the best spots for experiencing turtle hatching season. While you can find turtle hatching tours on the mainland, as well as the peninsula, the miles of sandy beaches around Tamarindo make it a prime destination.

The best budget turtle hatching tours include:

La Leona Waterfall Hikes

Hike through slot canyons, wade through hip-height water, and stay in wonder at awe-inspiring waterfalls. If you’re looking for a cool hike that combines with a swim, the La Leona Waterfall hike is one of the best things to do in Tamarindo.

The best budget La Leona hiking tours include:

Monteverde

Known for its gorgeous green canopy, mountainous adventure, and volcanic scenery, Monteverde is a must-visit on your trip to Costa Rica. From ziplining to nature walks to hiking through the treetops, the best budget excursions in Monteverde are all about natural beauty.

Food Tours

Thanks to its location high in the mountains, the Monteverde area is home to amazing coffee fincas, chocolate, and sugar farms.

Some of the best budget food tours in Monteverde include:

Cloud Forest, Canopy, and Zipline Tours

If you’ve ever seen a photo of the Monteverde Cloud Forest, chances are that you’ll see the iconic red hanging bridges.

Some of the best budget canopy, zipline, and Cloud Forest tours in Monteverde include:

Nature Tours

One of the main reasons why people visit Monteverde is to experience the amazing wildlife. From colourful birds to relaxing sloths to monkeys that run around the treetops, there’s always something new to see.

Some of the best budget nature tours in Monteverde include:

La Fortuna

Located in the shadow of the mighty Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna is known for its geothermal hot springs, fun river-related adrenaline activities, and, of course, plenty of nature excursions to enjoy!

Food Tours

If you wander around La Fortuna for any length of time, you’ll see plenty of locally-sourced coffee and chocolate places. So, it’s little wonder that there are so many delicious food tours on offer here.

Some of the best budget food tours in La Fortuna include:

Hot Springs Tours

While there are a couple of places around La Fortuna where you can find free hot springs, if you want to spend a day somewhere with safe lockers for your stuff and decent facilities, these hot springs tours are some of the best.

Some of the best budget hot spring tours in La Fortuna include:

Water Activities and Tours

Home to the Rio Celeste river and waterfall, there is no shortage of awesome water-based activities in La Fortuna. Whether you want to spike your adrenaline with white-water rafting or canyoning, or prefer a relaxing hike and dip near the waterfalls, I’ve got you covered.

Some of the best budget water tours in La Fortuna include:

Manuel Antonio

With one of the most popular national parks in Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio is well worth staying for a few days. Explore the beaches, mangroves, and forest trails around this region, relax on the Pacific coastline, and meet the friendly sloths and monkeys.

Manuel Antonio National Park Tours

Let’s be honest, the Manuel Antonio National Park is the prime reason to come to this part of Costa Rica. The national park is home to amazing nature trails, gorgeous, unspoilt beaches, and plenty of wildlife.

Some of the best budget national park tours in Manuel Antonio include:

Jungle Night Tours

While Manuel Antonio is beautiful in the daytime, some of the region’s most interesting residents come out to play when the sun goes down. Head out into the surrounding jungle with an expert and see the nocturnal natural world in all its glory.

Some of the best budget jungle night tours in Manuel Antonio include:

Mangrove Kayaking Tours

One of the coolest things we did in Costa Rica was go out on a kayaking tour of the mangroves around Manuel Antonio. We saw monkeys up close and the guides were super knowledgeable about the local ecosystem and the animals that lived there.

Some of the best budget mangrove kayaking tours in Manuel Antonio include:

Published by Rebecca Crowe

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