Costa Rica Guided Tours: Are They Necessary, Valuable, And/Or Worthwhile?
Curious if you need a tour guide in Costa Rica? We explore whether Costa Rica guided tours or unguided tours are better, and why.
FOR YOU, FOR FREE: 17 years' worth of firsthand Costa Rica trip planning and travel advice compiled into hundreds of articles, plus exclusive discounts. Created by a Costa Rican and a four-time published Costa Rica guidebook author. Welcome, amigos, and as we say in Costa Rica, pura vida!
Browse our Costa Rica blogs to learn everything you need to know about volcanoes in Costa Rica, including where to tour volcanoes in Costa Rica and why you should experience the activity.
Curious if you need a tour guide in Costa Rica? We explore whether Costa Rica guided tours or unguided tours are better, and why.
Watch Nikki Solano cover 10 of the most sought-after Costa Rica destinations (and standout experiences at each) on Rick Steves’ Monday Night Travel Show.
Browse our photo galleries to view free Costa Rica trail maps for national parks, reserves, waterfalls, and other areas of interest!
We detail the 30 most popular things to do in Costa Rica (with photos) and describe the attractions, beaches, cities, and towns that offer them!
Our Costa Rica guidebook, Moon Costa Rica, is full of tips, recommendations, photos, maps, and itineraries. Learn more!
We outline how to reserve and buy tickets for the Poas Volcano National Park, complete with screenshot photos that show every step!
Have some free time to spend in Alajuela Costa Rica? Our list of the top 5 things to do in Alajuela span volcanoes, waterfalls, wildlife exhibits, and more!
We’ve visited both sectors of the Arenal Volcano National Park in Costa Rica several times. Here’s everything you need to know, plus free Arenal Volcano tour discounts!
Our free La Fortuna city guide covers everything we’ve learned from living in and exploring La Fortuna Costa Rica for years.
We detail (with photos!) which destinations and beaches to pick, and things to do if you want to experience Costa Rica off the beaten path!
Looking for the best Arenal hanging bridges? We compare and contrast the Mistico Park bridges and the Arenal Sky Walk bridges.
We explain when and why you should (or shouldn’t) reserve Costa Rica tours and activities in advance, with recommendations month by month.
Want to experience Costa Rica without a guide? We outline which tours and activities do and do not allow for unguided adventures. Learn more!
Wondering which Costa Rica volcano is the best to visit? We compare Costa Rica’s top 5 volcanoes, outline ways to visit each, and answer popular volcano-related questions!
We outline what to know about hiking Cerro Chato, the lagoon, and our sweet engagement story. Plus, free discounts for Cerro Chato tours!
Plan to travel to Costa Rica with kids? We outline the best things to do and provide child and student discounts!
✓ We choose not to display ads, sponsored content, or affiliate marketing on our blog. Because we prioritize your privacy, we don't earn money when you visit us, when you sign up for our e-course, or when you click on our links, which means the time and work we put into this blog is entirely voluntary.
✓ Ricky is a born-and-raised Costa Rican and Nikki (married to Ricky) has explored Costa Rica since the mid-2000s.
✓ We've operated our Costa Rica-based business, Pura Vida! eh? Inc., for 16 years (and counting!).
✓ Our Costa Rica guidebooks are published by the prestigious Moon Travel Guides brand.
✓ We only ever write about experiences we know firsthand, and we never stuff our blog with general information about Costa Rica that is widely available elsewhere.
✓ We never copy or plagiarize other writers' content. How we wish other writers would show us the same respect!
✓ Unless stated otherwise, every photo displayed on our blog was taken by us, and with our own two hands. (Unlike some other bloggers, who rely on drones to travel and conduct research for them, we actually visit and explore the places we write about.)👍🏽
✓ We're active in promoting Costa Rica around the world. We've written about Costa Rica for Wanderlust Magazine (UK), presented Costa Rica on Rick Steves' Monday Night Travel Show and podcast/radio show (US), and served as a Costa Rica Destination Editor for Essentialist (Spain).
✓ Our work is backed by hundreds of positive reviews and testimonials (read some here)
✓ We are not overly active on social media. Instead of fixating on our own popularity, we spend the majority of our time exploring and researching Costa Rica, updating our various Costa Rica resources, and working with travelers one-on-one. We're focused on the quality of your travel experience, not the quantity of our followers. ❤️