Luxury Costa Rica Holidays 2025/2026

Costa Rica has so much to offer all year round, so the best time to visit depends on what you're looking to get out of your trip and where you're exploring.

If you're visiting the Pacific coast for an exclusive beach getaway, you'll get the driest and brightest weather between December and April. On the Caribbean coast, the dry season is between March and September.

While many people choose to experience a holiday in Costa Rica during the dry season, we'd recommend an adventure in May or June, during the 'green season'. As well as avoiding the crowds, you'll be able to witness the true magic of Costa Rica as the seasons transition. Visiting at this enchanting time of year means you'll encounter the luscious national parks at their best.

Costa Rica's tropical climate means you should be prepared for rainfall at any time of the year. Even the driest seasons experience some rain, but these sharp downpours are usually short-lived.

Find out more about the best time to visit Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is all about adventure, being amongst nature and seeing magnificent, colourful wildlife. Hike through rainforests looking out for birds, monkeys and sloths. Be daring as you walk across sky bridges miles above the forest canopy, then whizz back down on a zipline. Tackle rapids white-water rafting or choose a slower pace in a kayak. Go sailing among dolphins or learn why canyoning is so fun. There’s horseback riding, coffee plantations, and local villages to discover too. And of course, Costa Rica is big on surfing, with both the Pacific and Caribbean Oceans waiting for you. There are so many different things to do and places to visit while on a luxury holiday to Costa Rica.

Food in Costa Rica is mild and fresh, it makes the most of the ingredients that it grows. There are a lot of rice and bean dishes, along with exotic fruits and vegetables, like coconuts, plantains, passion fruit and guava. Tortillas filled with meat or seafood, cheese and vegetables, and ceviche are two big dishes in Costa Rica, like in other Central American countries. And of course, the coffee is delicious.

Depending on your route, it is generally easiest to get around by private car transfers, organised by Scott Dunn with trusted drivers. However, you can also travel by small Cessna airplane, which saves time.

Holidays in Costa Rica are brilliant for families with children of all ages but best for those with teenagers and older kids who will love the action-packed itineraries. Small children will enjoy the beaches and wildlife like turtles and dolphins, while the older kids can make the most of the adventurous things to do such as canyoning, crossing suspension bridges, hiking, and going on zip-wires.

Yes, you can book Costa Rica for your honeymoon. It makes a fantastic destination for couples who want an off-the-beaten-track honeymoon adventure, that will combine excitement with downtime on the beach. The hotels are wonderfully romantic too, located high above the ground in the trees or perched on the beach.

There are so many beaches in Costa Rica, and all are very different. For calmer waters, head to the Papagayo Peninsula. For good surf and rugged, jungle-style beaches, places like Santa Teresa and Nosara are great, they also have laid-back beach towns nearby. Meanwhile, Manuel Antonio is great for combining beach with wildlife, snorkelling and surfing, and is the most accessible beach from San Jose.

While we don’t do adult-only trips, we can put together a fantastic, adult-centric holiday to Costa Rica, selecting where to go, stay and what to experience. Nayara Springs, for example, is a hotel we work with, which is for adults only, while Amor Arenal is for children aged 13 and over, and places like Lapas Rios Lodge or Origins Lodge are more geared towards adults so don’t tend to attract young children.

Our luxury Costa Rica holidays last between 10 and 15 nights. Each holiday is completely bespoke, so we can make your itinerary match the length of time you have. Speak with one of our dedicated travel experts to discuss what you're looking for in your next trip and we'll do everything we can to help.

British Airways flies direct from London Gatwick to San Jose three times a week. However, we can also arrange indirect flights from wherever you are in the UK.