Travel + Leisure has named Costa Rica as Destination of the Year for 2024! The country is the ninth winner of the prestigious magazine´s annual award, selected by T+L´s editors, and comes accompanied by a treasure chest of articles diving into topics like culture, nature, resorts, and culinary highlights. In an Instagram comment, Editor-in-Chief, Jacqui Gifford, cited Costa Rica´s responsible approach to its natural wealth as a big draw, “The destination we all need right now. A place where environmental quality of life is written into the constitution. Where the wildlife is unparalleled, and the eco-lodge was arguably born.”  

We´re closing 2023 on a high, celebrating Journey Costa Rica´s first year of operations and seeing Costa Rica get this well-deserved recognition for the year ahead. To top it off, Costa Rica´s bragging rights extend to a spot on Virtuoso´s list of ‘The Best Places to Travel in 2024’, and a gold medal for ‘Most Desirable Country for Nature and Wildlife’ on the Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards 2023. 

Whether you´ve visited the country before, are dreaming of your first trip, or just starting to get curious, we pride ourselves on designing creative, personalized itineraries that meet each of our travelers’ individual needs and preferences, all at a top luxury level. Our website is a great resource for getting familiar with the essentials before getting in touch with our expert team to chat about your ideas. Now, who´s ready to visit 2024´s Destination of the Year? 

Costa Rica Travel Guide: What to do in Costa Rica 

We reimagine the must-sees, take you on exclusive adventures, and link it all together with seamless logistics. How? Through relentless exploration and creativity! Our team regularly gets out and about, exploring from coast to coast to uncover hidden gems, fine-tune, enhance, and innovate. Why? Our extensive first-hand, in-country knowledge allows us to dream up unique luxury experiences for our discerning guests. 

To give you an idea, we´ve put together some example itineraries to spark inspiration. And remember, all our trips can be personalized – this is your journey, after all! 

Our Nature, but Make it Fancy itinerary travels from the foothills of the Talamanca Mountains in the Central Valley Highlands to the volcanic wonders of the Northern Region, and the luxurious Papagayo Peninsula in Guanacaste. We´re talking horseback rides with Costa Rican cowboys and soaks in nature-hugged herbal baths; rainforest hikes at the base of Arenal Volcano, hot springs and wine tasting; morning spa sessions and evening wildlife walks; heli transfers, world-class golfing, and sunset cruises decked out with water toys. 

Sustainability is one of Journey Costa Rica´s pillars, and our Help the Planet itinerary showcases why Costa Rica is a trailblazer when it comes to protecting the natural world. Learn about green sea turtle preservation at Tortuguero National Park, a remote area in the northern Caribbean Region, and meet the conservation experts at Caño Palma Biological Research Station. Spot quetzals and monkeys in the ethereal, ancient cloud forests of Monteverde in the Northern Region, and get ready to be awestruck by the Eden-like beauty of the Osa Peninsula, one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. Think wild beaches, big cat conservationists, waterfall hikes, and the raw nature of Corcovado National Park.  

Explore more angles on how to experience Costa Rica with our itineraries: Bring all the Kids, Brand New You, Leave the Kids Behind, and Adrenaline Junkie. 

Costa Rica Travel Guide: Where to Stay in Costa Rica

Or team´s ´leave no stone unturned´ approach to what we do also allows us to unearth Costa Rica´s most extraordinary properties (we´d jump at the chance to stay at these too!). Our curated portfolio of hotels and villas in Costa Rica is proudly handpicked and personally inspected; we know every single property we offer firsthand and that allows us to play cupid, matchmaking our guests with the right accommodation for them. We´re excited for you to peruse our collection; we´ve got exclusive private estates like Hacienda Costa Rica and Hacienda Montezuma, cutting-edge contemporary villas, super-sustainable lodges, luxurious resorts, and everything in between. 

We caught up with our co-Founder, Javier Echecopar, for a quick fire round on his top picks: 

Family Fun: Playa Cativo 
Multigen: Pasha Villa 
Adventure: Pacuare Lodge 
Grandeur of Nature:  El Remanso Rainforest Lodge
Community Connection: Hacienda Alta Gracia 
Wellness: The Retreat 
Romance: Kura 
Private Paradise: Villa Oasis 
Extra Eco: Tortuga Lodge 

Costa Rica Travel Guide: When to go to Costa Rica

When to block out your vacation time on the calendar really depends on what you want to get out of your trip. 

For all the beach bums out there craving some winter sun, you can´t beat the clear skies and warm weather that reign supreme from December to April. Dry season is high season in Costa Rica, so this is also the period that hosts more travelers. There´s pretty much unlimited possibility for activities, from whitewater rafting on the Pacuare River and wildlife watching at national parks, to lush rainforest hikes, world-class surfing, mountain biking, and ziplining over thick canopy. If you don’t mind a bit of rain and humidity, skip the crowds and come over the summer months when it´s super green and much quieter – walking across an empty wild beach as the heavens open is its own mood! 

On the animal front, whale lovers should know that the mighty humpbacks make their annual migrations along the Pacific coastline around August, traveling north, until they return south around January. July is an important month for turtles in Tortuguero National Park in the northern Caribbean Region where green sea turtles, leatherbacks, and even the critically endangered hawksbill turtles can be seen nesting and hatching in this remote area, reached only by plane or boat. Ostional Wildlife Refuge on the Nicoya Peninsula is one of the few sites in the world where mass annual nesting migrations take place, seeing hundreds and thousands of Olive Ridley turtles come ashore to lay their eggs in August. 

Read more about the best times to visit Costa Rica with our month-by-month snapshots (scroll below the map). 

TAKE ME TO COSTA RICA IN 2024! 

If we´ve got your wanderlust flowing, contact our team of passionate travel planners and let them know how we can personalize an unforgettable trip for you in Costa Rica.