Where to Stay in Costa Rica for Your Honeymoon

Manuel Antonio sits on the central Pacific coast and squeezes a national park, three swimmable beaches, and jungle hotels into about 7 kilometers of road. Stay along the ridge above Playa Espadilla on the road between Quepos and the park entrance, where places like Hotel Costa Verde and Tulemar perch over the canopy. Mornings are for the park (go at 7am, skip the guides selling tours at the gate). Afternoons are Playa Biesanz, a calm cove a 10 minute walk from the main road. Sunset cocktails happen at El Avion, the converted Fairchild C-123 cargo plane bar. Skip Quepos town for sleeping. It is functional but loud.

Best for

First time visitors who want beachwildlifeand easy logistics in one base

Walk times

Playa Espadilla beach 8 min
Manuel Antonio National Park entrance 12 min
El Avion sunset bar 5 min

Skip if: You hate humidity or you came for surf. Waves here are tame.

Local tip: Buy park tickets online at sinac.go.cr the night before. The booth at the gate often sells out by 8am in dry season.

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Nosara (Playa Guiones)

Barefoot yoga town with consistent surf

Budget $0-$0/night

Nosara is a dirt road jungle village on the Nicoya Peninsula, and Playa Guiones is its 7 kilometer beach. The vibe is yoga teachers on bikes, smoothie bowls at Cafe de Paris, and sunset surf sessions. Honeymooners cluster at The Gilded Iguana, Olas Verdes, and Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort, all within a 10 minute walk of the sand. The road from Nicoya is rough (4WD recommended in green season). Once you arrive you barely use the car. Skip Playa Pelada if you want restaurants close by. Guiones has the density.

Best for

Active couples who want surf lessonssunrise yogaand zero nightlife pressure

Walk times

Playa Guiones main entrance: 6 to 12 min
Cafe de Paris breakfast spot 4 min
Bodhi Tree yoga shala 8 min

Skip if: You want paved roads, a casino, or fancy nightlife. Nosara has none.

Local tip: Fly into Liberia, not San Jose. The drive is 2.5 hours instead of 5, and the last 6 kilometers into Nosara are unpaved either way.

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La Fortuna and Arenal

Volcano views, hot springs, and lodge romance

Budget $0-$0/night

La Fortuna is the town at the foot of Arenal Volcano. Honeymooners stay outside town along the road toward the national park, where lodges like Nayara Springs, Tabacon, and The Springs Resort have private hot spring pools and balconies aimed at the cone. Days are for hanging bridges at Mistico Park, the La Fortuna waterfall (530 steps down, worth it), and zip lines at Sky Adventures. Evenings mean soaking. Tabacon has the most dramatic thermal river. Skip the public Tabacon access road springs unless you want a free shallow soak with locals.

Best for

Couples who want adventure by day and private hot springs by night

Walk times

La Fortuna town center: too far to walk, drive 10 to 15 min
Arenal Volcano National Park trailheads 5 min

Skip if: You want ocean. The closest beach is 3 hours away.

Local tip: Book Mistico Hanging Bridges for 7am. Wildlife is active, the parking lot is empty, and you finish before tour buses arrive at 9.

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Santa Teresa

The boho luxury splurge

Budget $0-$0/night

Santa Teresa is the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, and it has gone from surf secret to design hotel destination in about a decade. The main dirt road runs parallel to the beach, and hotels like Hotel Nantipa, Pranamar Villas, and Latitude 10 sit directly on the sand. Couples surf at Playa Carmen in the morning, eat ceviche at The Bakery for lunch, and watch sunset from Rocamar with a passion fruit margarita. The road from the Paquera ferry is brutal, about 2.5 hours of potholes. Most honeymooners fly into Tambor and shave it to 45 minutes.

Best for

Couples who want designsunset surfand bragging rights over Tulum

Walk times

Playa Santa Teresa beach: 1 to 5 min
Rocamar sunset bar 10 min
The Bakery lunch spot 6 min

Skip if: You hate dust in dry season or mud in green season. The road is unpaved.

Local tip: Take the Sansa flight from San Jose to Tambor (35 minutes, around $130) instead of the ferry plus drive combo. It saves a full day each way.

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Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.