Costa Rica Islands You Can Visit (And How to Add Them to a Custom Itinerary)

By Silvanna Pacheco, June 24th, 2026.

Costa Rica is world-renowned for its lush rainforests and volcanic peaks, but its surrounding waters hold some of its most enchanting, underrated gems: its islands. From accessible white-sand paradises to exclusive glamping escapes and bucket-list marine sanctuaries, integrating an island experience elevates a standard vacation into an extraordinary, multi-dimensional voyage. Contact us today to begin crafting a personalized, slow-travel journey that introduces you to the magic of Costa Rica’s finest hidden island escapes.

Whether you are seeking a high-energy day of snorkeling or a serene multi-day coastal retreat, here is how to navigate and seamlessly weave Costa Rica’s finest islands into a custom itinerary.

If you are dreaming of classic white sands and bright turquoise water, Isla Tortuga is the gold standard. Protected by the dry tropical forest of the Nicoya Peninsula, its calm, crystal-clear waters act as a natural aquarium, making it one of the country’s premier destination for snorkeling alongside king angelfish, eagle rays, and sea turtles.Typically visited as a full-day excursion, you’ll cruise out on a catamaran or speedboat, spend the morning snorkeling volcanic rock reefs, and enjoy a fresh beachside lunch under the shade of coconut palms.

For travelers who want to skip the crowds and spend the night on an island, the Gulf of Nicoya holds a cluster of tranquil, forested islands. Among these hidden gems is Isla Jesusita, a pristine outpost steeped in local history. Named by local fishermen who believed the island’s striking rock formations resembled a pair of praying hands, it has long served as a spiritual and peaceful sanctuary protected from the open Pacific currents.

Today, Isla Jesusita is home to the Isla Chiquita Glamping Hotel, where you can stay in elevated, ocean view safari tents with private decks. By day, the island serves as a prime eco-tourism base. You can hike through dense tropical dry forests with howler monkeys and iguanas, or take a short boat ride to the neighboring Islas Pájaros, a protected biological reserve whose steep, white cliffs serve as a spectacular nesting sanctuary for hundreds of magnificent frigatebirds and brown pelicans.

By night, the gulf waters reveal their most famous secret: high-density bioluminescence. Because the protected inner gulf creates a perfectly calm, nutrient-rich environment, microscopic dinoflagellates thrive here in massive concentrations. Taking a guided night sea kayaking tour allows you to witness this phenomenon firsthand, watching the water glow an electric neon blue with every stroke of your paddle and every ripple of the tide.

It is impossible to talk about Costa Rica’s islands without mentioning the legendary Cocos Island National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site located 340 miles off the Pacific coast. Cocos Island is often described as the “Galapagos of Costa Rica”, a rugged, emerald island legendary for its prehistoric landscapes, cascading waterfalls, and world-class marine biodiversity.

Because of its extreme isolation, visiting Cocos Island is a highly specialized journey. If you are looking to understand what makes it a bucket list destination and how a trip works, here is an essential overview:

The Diving: Cocos Island is globally recognized as one of the top 10 scuba diving destinations on Earth. It sits at a convergence of nutrient-rich oceanic currents, which attracts schools of hundreds of Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks. You can also regularly dive alongside whale sharks, giant manta rays, marbled rays, oceanic white tip sharks, and massive schools of jacks. This is strictly an advanced, open-ocean diving destination. Divers need an advanced Open Water certification, a Nitrox certification, and a minimum of 25–50 logged hours of open-ocean diving experience.

The Landscape: The island’s terrestrial environment is just as dramatic as its underwater world. It is a dense, cloud-forested volcanic peak that receives massive amounts of rainfall, feeding over 200 spectacular waterfalls that plunge directly into the ocean. Speak with a Costa Rica Travel Expert today to consult on your upcoming journey.

To get to Isla del Coco requires immense planning and a significant budget since there are no commercial flights or hotels. The only structures are a few park ranger stations at Wafer Bay and Chatham Bay to monitor conservation and prevent illegal shark finning. You must book a specialized 10-day live aboard dive expedition. Guests eat, sleep, and prepare for dives entirely on board a large, fully equipped vessel. The expeditions depart from Puntarenas and the boat journey across the open Pacific ocean takes roughly 36 hours each way. While the focus is primarily on diving, live aboard itineraries usually include strict, ranger-supervised day hikes on land to see the waterfalls, historical pirate carvings, and panoramic lookout points.

The best time to visit Isla del Coco is during the Rainy Season (from June to November). Rain increases nutrient upwellings, which draws the highest density of hammerhead sharks and megafauna. However, the sea crossing can be rougher. From December to May the seas are much calmer and visibility is often clearer, making the 36-hour crossing smoother, though pelagic activity can be slightly less intense.

Accessing Costa Rican Islands depends on where you stay. From San José, you can take a 1.5 hour ground transfer to Los Sueños Marina in Jacó or the port of Puntarenas. High-speed catamarans travel across the Gulf of Nicoya to Isla Tortuga in under an hour. If you are staying on Nicoya Peninsula or southern Guanacaste, small, local boats depart directly from the Montezuma to Isla Tortuga, a scenic 20-minute coastal ride.

Here we offer you a couple of itinerary ideas to get the most out of your visit:

Itinerary 1
Days 1–3: Arrive at San José International Airport (SJO) and take a scenic 3-hour private transfer to La Fortuna. Spend your days trekking across the hanging bridges, hiking over ancient lava flows, and unwinding in the natural, mineral-rich hot springs heated by the Arenal Volcano itself.
Days 4–7: Head south down the coastal highway and stay at the iconic Manuel Antonio or the vibrant surf town of Jacó. Spend a morning sailing across the calm waters of the Gulf of Nicoya to get to Isla Tortuga where you can go snorkeling, enjoy a fresh beachside lunch on the white sands and a game of beach volleyball before cruising back to your mainland resort by sunset.
Day 8: Private transfer back to San José for your flight back home.

Itinerary 2:
Days 1–3: Fly directly into the Liberia International Airport (LIR) and go straight to the gold-sand beaches of Guanacaste. Spend these days learning to surf in the consistent waves of Tamarindo, practicing yoga in the wellness haven of Nosara, or relaxing on the crushed-shell shores of Playa Conchal.
Days 4–5: Drive south down the spine of the peninsula toward the small port town of Paquera. Here, you will leave your vehicle at a secure dock and board a private water taxi to Isla Jesusita, home to Isla Chiquita Glamping Resort. Spend your days stand-up paddleboarding between forested islets, and your nights taking a guided sea kayaking tour through the legendary, electric-blue bioluminescent waters.
Days 6–8: Return to the mainland and head to the southern tip of the peninsula. Stay in the bohemian beach town of Santa Teresa, famous for its world-class surf and tide pools.
Day 9: Take a local domestic flight from Tambor back to San José, or enjoy a scenic ferry ride across the gulf back to the mainland to catch your international flight home.

Let’s Design Your Custom Island Itinerary No matter which coast or hidden island calls to you, the key to an extraordinary vacation is balancing smooth travel logistics with authentic, local pacing.

Costa Rica Islands You Can Visit (And How to Add Them to a Custom Itinerary)

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