For travel businesses Take the quiz
DestinationsTripsWhen to goHoliday typesRegionsHow it worksSearchSceneryCollectionsMethodPrivacyAboutContactFor travel businesses

Costa Rica · 8-14 days

Costa Rica: Arenal-Monteverde-Manuel Antonio

9.9°N · 84.1°W
At a glanceVolcano, cloud forest, then Pacific beach and wildlife, the classic Costa Rica triangle. Dry season Dec-Apr. 4x4 helps on rough roads.
~11h flight estimate8 to 14 days£45 to £260+ per dayStraightforward
Before bookingEntry rules, health advice and local conditions change. Always check current official advice.Check current FCDO advice

The itinerary

  1. Arenal (La Fortuna)3 nights
  2. Monteverde2 nights
  3. Manuel Antonio3 nights

Why this trip works

This itinerary combines natural landscapes, adventure, beaches and coastal time, switching off, road trips, and wildlife watching across Arenal (La Fortuna), Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio. Bringing the stops together gives the holiday a clearer progression and makes better use of the outward journey than booking each place separately.

How flexible is it? This itinerary can credibly be planned with a active to very active daytime pace, serene to quiet evenings and mixed to hotspot crowd settings within its fixed route. The typical version has very active days, quiet evenings and a popular setting. The quiz selects the closest credible version rather than treating it as one fixed product.

Best time to go

The strongest travel period is December to April. May and November are good quieter alternatives. Getting around is mainly by road transfers or a hire car.

Jan31°CBest
Feb31°CBest
Mar32°CBest
Apr32°CBest
May31°CShoulder
Jun30°COther
Jul30°COther
Aug30°COther
Sep30°COther
Oct30°COther
Nov30°CShoulder
Dec30°CBest

Cost

On the ground, including accommodation and everyday spending, allow roughly £45 a day at the budget end, around £90 a day mid-range, and £260+ for high-end travel. Including estimated return travel from London, a typical version of this itinerary is best treated as a planning range of £1370 to £1910 per person. These are planning estimates rather than live quotes. Available accommodation spans cheap & cheerful, simple, comfortable, premium and luxury. The quiz prices the highest available tier that fits your selected minimum and total budget.

Frequently asked questions

How long do you need for Costa Rica: Arenal-Monteverde-Manuel Antonio?

This itinerary works best over 8 to 14 days across 3 stops: Arenal (La Fortuna), Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio.

When is the best time for this trip?

The strongest travel period is December to April. May and November are useful quieter alternatives.

How much does it cost?

On the ground, including accommodation and everyday spending, allow roughly £45 a day at the budget end, around £90 a day mid-range, and £260+ for high-end travel. Including estimated return travel from London, a typical version of this itinerary is best treated as a planning range of £1370 to £1910 per person. These are planning estimates rather than live quotes.

Other multi-stop trips

Costa Rica: Volcanoes, Cloud Forest & Coast Costa Rica · 9-14 days ~11h flight estimate£50+/day3 stops Sri Lanka Loop: Kandy-Ella-Yala-South Coast Sri Lanka · 8-14 days ~11h flight estimate£25+/day4 stops Bush & Beach: Kruger-Mozambique South Africa, Mozambique · 7-11 days ~11h flight estimate£75+/day2 stops Indian Ocean: Mauritius & Réunion Mauritius, Réunion · 8-14 days ~14h flight estimate£75+/day2 stops Indonesia: Bali-Gili Islands-Flores/Komodo Indonesia · 9-14 days ~15h flight estimate£25+/day3 stops Australia & New Zealand Combined: Sydney-Queenstown Australia, New Zealand · 9-16 days ~20.5h flight estimate£65+/day3 stops
Torn between ten tabs?Two minutes of questions, up to seven strong matches, realistic cost ranges and every trade-off spelled out.
Find my trip