From the volcano views of La Fortuna to the Caribbean rhythms of Puerto Viejo, here’s where to go, what to do, and which Hostelworld-listed hostels<\/strong><\/a> to book when you get there.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t La Fortuna<\/strong><\/a> is built around one thing: the Arenal Volcano<\/strong>, a nearly perfect cone rising 1,670 metres above the surrounding jungle. On clear days it dominates the skyline. On cloudy ones you can still hear it. The town itself is small, warm, and extremely well set up for travellers, with tour operators, local restaurants, and a bus and shuttle network that connects to the rest of the country easily.<\/p>\n The surrounding area is extraordinary. Natural hot springs warmed by geothermal activity. La Fortuna Waterfall, a 70-metre cascade into a blue pool reachable by a steep trail through the rainforest. The Hanging Bridges of Mistico Park, a series of suspension walkways through the forest canopy with wildlife you’ll see at eye level. Kayaking on Lake Arenal. Whitewater rafting on the Sarapiqu\u00ed River.<\/p>\n La Fortuna is the most activity-dense destination in Costa Rica. Give it at least three days.<\/p>\n \nQuick tip:<\/strong> Hot springs range from budget local pools (around $10) to luxury resort experiences ($80+). Ask your hostel which option suits your budget.<\/strong> The local ones are genuinely good.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \n\t\t\t\t The social benchmark in La Fortuna. A pristine pool with a wet bar, direct views of the Arenal Volcano, a large garden full of hammocks<\/strong>, a pool table, tour desk, and 24-hour security. Private rooms, dorms, and a new luxury camping area with double mattresses, fans, and power sockets. The happiest reviews on Hostelworld for La Fortuna belong here. The best pick for travellers who want atmosphere, activity, and people to explore with. \n\t\t\t\t A rustic, social atmosphere with a fully equipped kitchen, free coffee all day, terrace hammocks, and a staff team that organizes nighttime hot springs tours, volcano hikes, rafting, and ziplining. Reviews are warm about Wilson and the female staff<\/strong>, who consistently go above what’s needed to help guests get the most out of the area. Volcano views from the terrace, great for solo travellers. \n\t\t\t\t Right in the heart of La Fortuna, surrounded by lush tropical gardens, with a pool bar that doubles as the social hub of the hostel<\/strong>. Deluxe and budget private rooms plus shared dorms. Free WiFi, a shared kitchen, and a tour desk to organize everything from ATV adventures to hot spring evenings. Reviews consistently praise the friendly staff and the lively atmosphere. \n\t\t\t\t Monteverde<\/strong> <\/a>is where Costa Rica goes quiet. The cloud forest sits at around 1,500 metres, permanently swathed in mist and extraordinary biodiversity. This is one of the best places in the world to see a resplendent quetzal<\/strong>, the iridescent green bird that has become a symbol of Central American conservation, and the surrounding reserve is home to over 400 bird species, big cats, tapirs, and thousands of plant species that exist nowhere else on earth.<\/p>\n The town of Santa Elena is the gateway, small and walkable with good cafes, tour operators, and a community of artists that gives the place a creative energy unusual in a mountain village. From here, zipline tours launch across the canopy. Night walks through the reserve reveal creatures invisible by day. Cheese factories, butterfly gardens, and a cloud forest reserve covering 10,500 hectares are all within easy reach.<\/p>\n Getting there takes time from anywhere: winding mountain roads in every direction. That remoteness is the point.<\/strong> The journey sheds the crowds and adds to the atmosphere.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t In the heart of Santa Elena, five minutes from the bus station and right next to the main supermarket. All rooms have private hot-water bathrooms and lockers. Free coffee and tea available all day. Self-service breakfast from 7:15am. A fully equipped kitchen, Smart TV, fast WiFi, and a staff team that knows every tour, shuttle, and bus connection in the country<\/strong>. The most practical and reliable budget option in Monteverde. \n\t\t\t\t Overlooking the Monteverde forest with panoramic views that make you want to stay longer<\/strong> than planned. Friendly staff who are also experienced tour agents and give genuinely impartial advice on local companies and activities. Pick-and-mix tour packages organized to suit individual budgets. Luggage storage for late departures. Reviews describe it as a home away from home, with a rustic warmth that fits the cloud forest setting. \n\t\t\t\t Santa Teresa<\/strong><\/a> is Costa Rica’s surf town in the best sense: unpretentious, beautiful, and built around the rhythm of the ocean. The Nicoya Peninsula catches reliable swell year-round, making it a destination for beginners learning on the long rolling waves of Playa Hermosa and for experienced surfers chasing Suck Rock. The main road is unpaved, the restaurants are largely open-air, and the evenings follow a natural progression from beach sunset to dinner to bar with effortless ease.<\/p>\n But Santa Teresa is more than surf. Yoga studios, wellness retreats, and a food scene that punches well above its size attract travellers who have no interest in surfing at all. The jungle behind the coast is alive with wildlife, the nearby Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve is a pristine protected forest, and Montezuma, 40 minutes away by ferry, adds waterfall hikes and hippie charm to the itinerary.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t Free breakfast, free welcome shot, a swimming pool, a treehouse, a campfire, a snooker table, and a wood-fired pizza restaurant<\/strong> on site. Reviews describe it as one of the most social hostels in Costa Rica, with a crowd that heads to the beach together for sunset and to the clubs together after dark. Daily yoga classes, pool parties, surf lessons, ATV rental, and bioluminescence tours all organized from reception. The full Santa Teresa experience. \n\t\t\t\t A contemporary refuge surrounded by wild landscapes. Open-air design, a beautiful pool area, a co-working space, and an atmosphere built around bringing travellers from different places together<\/strong>. Reviews talk about friendships made for life. Less party-focused than Lost Boyz, better suited to travellers who want to work, slow down, and explore the peninsula properly. Stunning design throughout. \n\t\t\t\t Puerto Viejo de Talamanca<\/strong><\/a> is a completely different Costa Rica from the Pacific coast. The Caribbean air is heavier, the music shifts to reggae and calypso, the food takes influence from Afro-Caribbean traditions, and the pace drops several notches in a way that genuinely affects how you spend your days. Bicycles, hammocks, and Playa Cocles, a long, palm-lined beach of extraordinary beauty, are the defining features of life here.<\/p>\n The surrounding area includes the Jaguar Rescue Center (volunteers welcome), the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, and some of the most biodiverse marine environments in Central America for snorkeling. The Salsa Brava surf break<\/strong>, one of the most powerful reef breaks in the region, draws experienced surfers from across the world.<\/p>\n Puerto Viejo is the kind of place people arrive in for two nights and leave a week later. Plan for this.<\/p>\n \nWorth knowing:<\/strong> Bring cash. ATMs in Puerto Viejo run out regularly, especially on weekends. Withdraw in San Jos\u00e9 or Lim\u00f3n before arriving.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \n\t\t\t\t Rated 9.4 to 9.5, consistently the top-rated hostel in Puerto Viejo on Hostelworld.<\/strong> Two minutes from Playa Negra, surrounded by lush greenery, with a variety of dorm, single, and double room options. An excellent restaurant and bar on site, free WiFi, and a social lounge where guests reliably end up spending the evening together. Reviews are effusive about both the setting and the service. \n\t\t\t\t Created in 2011 by fellow travellers who wanted a home away from home<\/strong>, and it shows. Five minutes from Salsa Brava and the town center, five minutes by bike from Playa Cocles. Nestled between jungle and ocean, with a peaceful garden that becomes the social heart of every afternoon. The description is precise: it’s a home, not a transit point. Reviews describe it warmly and return visits are common. \n\t\t\t\t A beachfront setting with dorms, private rooms, camping spots, a cabin with its own porch, and free morning coffee. One recent reviewer booked two nights and stayed six.<\/strong> A baby sloth lives in a tree just outside the common area. New owners who are investing in the property and earning enthusiastic reviews for it. The most atmospheric beach option in Puerto Viejo. \n\t\t\t\t Manuel Antonio combines a world-class national park with one of Costa Rica’s most accessible Pacific beaches. The national park has four beaches, resident monkey populations (white-faced capuchins, squirrel monkeys, mantled howlers), sloths you can watch from the trail, and a coral reef for snorkeling, all within a 48-square-kilometer protected area. Wildlife density in Manuel Antonio National Park is among the highest in the country<\/strong>, and the park trails are well-maintained and genuinely rewarding even for casual walkers.<\/p>\n The town of Quepos, a few kilometers away, provides the practical base with good restaurants, supermarkets, and bus connections to San Jos\u00e9. Manuel Antonio village sits between the town and the park entrance.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t Surrounded by wildlife, with an ocean view from the terrace and a pool, bar, and patios that make it genuinely difficult to leave<\/strong>. A rustic hostel that lives up to the “jungle meets beach” promise of Manuel Antonio entirely. Reviews are warm about the good vibes, the staff, and the atmosphere that makes solo travellers feel immediately comfortable. Towels included, tours organized on request. Costa Rica is one of the more expensive destinations in Central America, but budget travel is entirely manageable.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sieuwert-otterloo-WLt_v_mrnD4-unsplash-scaled.jpg\")
<\/a>\ud83c\udf0b La Fortuna: Arenal Volcano Country<\/h2>\n
\ud83c\udfe8 Best Hostels in La Fortuna<\/h2>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nArenal Backpackers Resort<\/h3>\n
\nDorms from around \u20ac17, privates from around \u20ac11<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/ddrdgzr7bhzuq4vfmimt.webp\")
<\/a><\/p>\nAlpha Arenal Hostel<\/h3>\n
\nDorms from around \u20ac11, privates from around \u20ac11<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pjnuvjfzz8jd10uw4c9m.webp\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPoshtel Arenal<\/h3>\n
\nDorms from around \u20ac15, privates from around \u20ac19<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/angela-erick-cWHAW_tjk7Q-unsplash-scaled.jpg\")
<\/a>\ud83c\udf3f Monteverde: Cloud Forest and Canopy Walks<\/h2>\n
\ud83c\udfe8 Best Stays in Monteverde<\/h2>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nMonteverde Backpackers<\/h3>\n
\nDorms from around \u20ac7, privates from around \u20ac16<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/52.webp\")
<\/a><\/p>\nCamino Verde Hostel and B&B<\/h3>\n
\nPrivates from around \u20ac20<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/lisa-van-vliet-SZ0f1Z42Qo-unsplash-scaled.jpg\")
<\/a>\ud83c\udfc4 Santa Teresa: Pacific Surf and Pura Vida Energy<\/h2>\n
\ud83c\udfe8 Best Hostels in Santa Teresa<\/h2>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nLost Boyz<\/h3>\n
\nDorms from around \u20ac20, privates from around \u20ac31<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/d1lgovswibvxlvcdv4u3.webp\")
<\/a><\/p>\nSomos<\/h3>\n
\nDorms from around \u20ac11, privates from around \u20ac17<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/luis-diego-aguilar-bSJWEfOrHps-unsplash-scaled.jpg\")
<\/a>\ud83c\udf0a Puerto Viejo: The Caribbean Side of Costa Rica<\/h2>\n
\ud83c\udfe8 Best Hostels in Puerto Viejo<\/h2>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nPagalu Hostel<\/h3>\n
\nDorms from around \u20ac10<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/boqvocoxivtjmoaq8dms.webp\")
<\/a><\/p>\nLa Ruka Hostel<\/h3>\n
\nDorms from around \u20ac13<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/webhwvy7eyunbalchm3l.webp\")
<\/a><\/p>\nOasis Beachfront Hostel<\/h3>\n
\nDorms from around \u20ac10<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/lisa-van-vliet-kt_fNMwpXgQ-unsplash-scaled.jpg\")
<\/a>\ud83d\udc12 Manuel Antonio: Jungle, Beach, and Wildlife in One Place<\/h2>\n
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\ud83c\udfe8 Best Hostels Near Manuel Antonio<\/h2>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nHostel Plinio<\/h3>\n
\nDorms from around \u20ac17<\/strong><\/p>\n\ud83d\udcb8 What Will Costa Rica Cost?<\/h2>\n
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<\/a><\/h4>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/App-google-1.png\")
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