How I Backpacked Across Costa Rica At 19

I remember the evening like it was yesterday; my two best friends and I were sitting at my kitchen table during Thanksgiving break our freshman year of college, with one computer between us. The idea had been in our minds for a while: a girls trip full of adventure, good food and, as cheesy as it sounds, a story that we would one day tell our kids as “mom lore.” Before we knew it I was calling my parents into the kitchen to petition for permission to go to Costa Rica with my friends for 9 days. We would be staying in hostels, Airbnbs and sleeping in the jungle, at the age of 19. My supportive parents told me three things, “Be safe, have fun, and figure out how you’re going to pay!” That night my friends and I booked the plane tickets that would take us on one wild ride. 

While our trip wasn’t perfect and we experienced more than one bump in the road, here’s our nine day itinerary (along with some side quests taken along our way). So, if you are looking for a once in a lifetime adventure, follow these directions below: 

Day 1: Depart from the United States to San Jose  – the capital of Costa Rica. 

From the time I could see the town from my seat in the plane above, I was hit with a wave of vibrant colored rooftops and fruit stands below. Upon arriving in San Jose we met up with a driver (which I absolutely recommend setting up ahead of time as local transportation can be difficult to obtain along the route we chose) and made our way down the coast to an airbnb in Manuel Antonio. In this small town, nestled between the jungle and beach, you will find numerous Soda’s – local family owned restaurants with traditional Costa Rican food. We ate at these restaurants almost every day for as little as $10. After a delicious meal, make sure you get a good night’s sleep for an early start the next day. 

Day 2: Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio 

My friends and I booked a timed entrance to the national park online the night before and got up early to eat breakfast before spending our day in the jungle and on the beaches. Take a local bus from the town center to the park entrance and be prepared for a white-faced capuchin monkey chasing you down for snacks (speaking from experience). Outside the park, enjoy the local market and the items that they have to offer. We each bought a handmade bowl made from clay from the park and enjoyed a relaxing meal by the water. 

Day 3: Nauyaca Falls 

From Manuel Antonio, catch a local bus to Quepos and then to Dominical. From there you may be hard pressed to find transportation to the entrance of the falls (you may have to hire a local to take you there). Enjoy the day at the falls and eat at a Soda right outside of the park entrance! You can stay in the town of Dominical on the coast for the evening for cheap.

Day 4: Depart for Cave camping at Diamante Falls 

From Dominical take an uber (or hire a local) to drive you to the Pacific Journeys Tours office. My friends and I went on a fairly inexpensive guided cave camping tour. Despite the venomous snake that also decided to sleep in the cave, we had an amazing experience sleeping behind a roaring waterfall. If nothing else, this is what you absolutely cannot miss on your Costa Rica Trip.

Day 5: Exit cave and arrive in Uvita

Hiking back from the falls only took us half of the day so afterwards we headed from the tour office to Uvita (check in with the staff for transportation). There are many great hostel options here and lots of restaurants to choose from. We spent the remainder of our day at Marino Ballena National Park – found right off of the main road in Uvita. Marino Ballena park is famous for its surfing lessons so I highly recommend partaking. While I couldn’t quite master surfing, my friend got up on her first wave and surfed until sundown!

Day 6: Depart for La Fortuna 

After spending the night in a hostel, my friends and I got up early to enjoy the beach for a couple of hours before we spent the day in the car. This was another portion of our trip where we made sure to have transportation arrangements ahead of time. You are able to bus hop from town to town for very cheap but the trip will most likely take you around eight hours. We ended up taking a taxi, which cost us about 40 USD each, to take us five and a half hours to La Fortuna. We were able to grab a late dinner and enjoy the town before turning in for the night.

Day 7: Horseback riding in La Fortuna

La Fortuna is famous for Arenal Volcano, so I recommend either hiking around the volcano or taking a horseback tour. We opted for a horseback riding tour that we found online. It ended up getting canceled the night before, but they rebooked us through another stable which also granted us access to hot springs. This quickly became one of our favorite parts of the trip. Though it rained for a portion of the afternoon, relaxing in the springs with the volcano looming over you is something you will not want to miss. 

Day 8: Ziplining in La Fortuna

This was the last full day of our trip and we decided to spend it by ziplining over the jungle canopy. Once again, you can find tours by just searching online. We were able to take 10 zip lines over waterfalls, valleys and gorgeous flowering trees – all while Arenal Volcano was in view. We even saw some wildlife on the trails to and from the ziplines. After our excursion we were able to walk around town before heading back to San Jose to spend the night. 

Day 9: Depart from San Jose for the United States 

After a quick breakfast we took a taxi to the airport to head back home.

All in all our Costa Rica trip was a 10/10 experience. Despite a cancelled horseback riding tour, some transportation setbacks and even a partially flooded Airbnb (make sure you read reviews) we had the time of our lives. If you are considering a Costa Rica adventure anytime soon, my best advice is to make sure you have all of your transportation and activities set up ahead of time for a smooth vacation. I would also recommend renting a car (if possible) instead of trying to figure out local transportation as it can be difficult. Lastly, just remember to have fun and enjoy the little evenings spent at local family restaurants with tortillas in hand!