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10 days itinerary

10-day Costa Rica itinerary

Arenal volcano, Monteverde cloud forest, and Manuel Antonio beaches.

Ten days is the sweet spot for Costa Rica: a volcano, a cloud forest, and a Pacific beach without spending your trip in a rental car. Roads are slow — leave buffer between regions.

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Canonical: https://haienaplan.com/itineraries/10-day-costa-rica-itinerary

Best time to go

December–April (dry season) for beaches; May–November for greener rainforests and lower prices.

Trip length

10 days

Estimated budget

Budget

$60–90 / day

Total: $600–900

Mid-range

$130–200 / day

Total: $1,300–2,000

Comfort

$300+ / day

Total: $3,000+

Per person, excluding international flights.

Day-by-day plan

  1. Day 1: Arrive San José. Overnight near the airport.
  2. Days 2–4: Drive to La Fortuna. Arenal volcano hike, hanging bridges, hot springs.
  3. Days 5–6: Transfer to Monteverde. Cloud forest reserve, night walk, zip line.
  4. Days 7–9: Drive to Manuel Antonio. National park hikes, beach days, sunset at El Avion.
  5. Day 10: Return to San José, fly out.

Local tips

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