Costa Rica is full of exotic and tropical places, this makes the task of choosing the best spot for vacationing a really hard task. A good piece of advice is to start by knowing and considering the most popular places and regions of the country.

Here are some good options.

Puntarenas
Tourists who want the best of both worlds—relaxation at “home” and the “party” outside their door—will love Puntarenas! For the beach and a good party, you’ll want to choose an exclusive hotel near Jaco Beach. If it’s a touch of nature you’re looking to soak up though, then consider visiting the Osa Peninsula, Tambor, one of the nearby national parks. Both Corcovado National Park and Manuel Antonio National Park are great places for nature lovers.

Arenal
Located in inland Costa Rica, is a hotspot…literally. The very active Arenal volcano is located in this area along with Lake Arenal and Arenal National Park. You can boat, canoe, horseback ride or even windsurf in Arenal but most people visiting this particular piece of Costa Rica land are looking for the adventure that the volcano brings. If that’s you, you’re in luck because there are plenty of hotels nearby that provide great views of Arenal Volcano. Those who want to get even closer to the volcano can simply visit Arenal National Park.

Guanacaste
An easygoing vacation filled with sunbathing on Costa Rica beaches, is what Guanacaste has to offer you. Waters there are a vibrant blue, the beaches arefilled with soft, golden sand and with Guanacaste being one of the drier areas of Costa Rica, it’s ideal for all sorts of beach activities. Most people enjoy staying by the water and spending the day scuba diving, snorkeling, surfing and fishing but if you do decide you want to take a break from all of that, Santa Rosa National Park isn’t too far away.

Tortuguero
While many tourist locales are located on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, Costa Rica real estate on the Caribbean side isn’t too shabby either. In fact, it’s a great option if you want the Costa Rica experience without all the other tourists. In Tortuguero, you’ll be in a prime location for relaxing at a beautiful Costa Rica beach and you won’t be too far away from Tortuguero National Park, which is one of the nation’s most exotic, all-encompassing nature reserves.