Costa Rica is one of the most biologically diverse locations on the planet. I have been to Costa Rica a few times, and it is a country I would happily come back to again and again. The country has everything a photographer loves—great landscapes, beaches, so many different types of birds and wildlife, rainforests, hanging bridges, volcanos, and wonderful people.

Although the country is small it accounts for 5 percent of the existing biodiversity in the entire world. Twenty-six percent of the country comprises National Parks, Reserves, and Protected Areas so there are lots of places to explore . While Spanish is the main language, a large portion of the population speaks English.

In this post, I will highlight my favorite hotels and photography locations.

Best Time to Visit Costa Rica

The weather in Costa Rica is at its best during the dry season between December and April. Temperatures at this time of year typically range from the low 70s to the high 80s Fahrenheit.

Getting There

It is so easy to get to Costa Rica. Most people will fly into San Jose International Airport or Liberia International Airport. If you are going to the south, then it’s better to fly into San Jose. But if you will mainly staying in the northern areas then Liberia is a better option.

Photography Gear

For photographers, a DSLR or Mirrorless Camera with the longest lens will be your best choice. Here is My Photography Gear Packing List.

Cameras-you will need a camera that is capable of fast-action & wildlife photography, which is basically every DSLR or Mirrorless camera made in the past few years (i.e, Canon R3/R5/R6, Nikon Z9, Sony A1, etc.). I would recommend a camera that can shoot at least 1/2000th and 15 fps (frames per second). I brought my R3 and R5.
Lens: You want to bring the longest and fastest glass that you own or can rent. So what would I bring?
- 1. Canon EOS RF 100-500 mm lens since its so versatile.
  2. Canon RF 400 f2.8 —or I might rent a longer lens like the Canon 600 mm f4.
  3. Canon RF 100 mm f2.8 Macro Lens for Night Photography
Converters—I bought an RF 1.4 TC, so my RF400 becomes 560 mm.
Tripods & Gimbals—I would only bring a Monopod.
Using Flash: could be helpful for night photography in the forest.
Accessories—-micro fiber towels are very helpful to dry your gear. Rain covers are also helpful.

Clothing And Accessories

Here is my clothing photography guide My Safari Packing List

Hiring a Driver

One of the smartest things we did was to hire a driver or guide. It just made the whole trip so much more relaxing and easier.

We used Costa Rica Drivers. The company is owned by Danny Jimenez, and his email address is costaricadriver@gmail.com. Danny and his whole team are fantastic. They are all very safe drivers, bilingual, friendly, and very knowledgeable about Costa Rica. Danny is just a fun person to hang out with. It’s definitely worth it.

Hiring Wildlife Guide

It’s a good idea to hire a professional wildlife guide to take you to all the bird photography locations. An excellent guide is Kenneth Martinez.

Hotels Recommendations

Hotel options depend primarily on whether you are going for serious wildlife photography or a vacation with some photography outings. If you hire a guide like Kenneth Martinez, he will select hotels near all the best wildlife locations.

Four Seasons Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo. It is located about 25 minutes from the Liberia Airport, and it’s an easy drive. Everything about the hotel was fantastic—the food, staff, location, the beach, and activities.

Nayara Spring Hotel is one of the best hotels in the world. Just take a look at the accolades they have received. The location in the rainforest with views of the Arenal National Volcano is out of this world. And the staff are so friendly. They even have a Sloth that lives on the property named “Tony.”

Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Peninsula Papagayo. This is another fantastic hotel right on the beach. We were upgraded to a suite with terrific views.

Fairfield Marriot San Jose - the hotel is a good spot to stay overnight before or after your Costa Rica Trip.

LAGUNA DEL LAGARTO ECO-LODGE - the hotel is very basic, but they have an incredible perch where you can see Toucans.

Hacienda La Isla in Sarapiqui is a very nice hotel in Sarapiqui that is close to the Frog Heaven.

Photography Locations

Here are my Photography Spot Recommendations:

Paraiso Quetzel Lodge for Hummingbirds

Located about 1.5 hours south of San Jose is an incredible spot for Hummingbirds and Quetzals. There are two spots to photograph. The first is right at the Lodge for Hummingbirds.

There are so many great shots you will get from this location

About 10 minutes away is a spot called El Guarco. This is where you can photograph the most beautiful bird in the world, the Quetzel. We went twice to this location and it definitely paid off.

CAÑO NEGRO WILDLIFE REFUGE

No wildlife trip to Costa Rica is complete without visiting Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge. We saw iguanas, crocodiles, toucans, Cormorants, Storks, Howler Monkeys and so many types of birds.

Boca Tapada

We stayed at the Laguna Lagarto Ecolodge. The hotel is basic, but they have an incredible perch for Toucans. There are dozens of toucans and other birds.

You will come back with so many shots from this location

Toucan Rescue Ranch

The Toucan Rescue Ranch’s mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, and release Costa Rican wildlife. It is well worth the trip. The work they do is essential. They have some adorable sloths.

Frog Heaven

Frog Heaven is a family-owned reserve in Horquetas of Sarapiqui. Our guide was the owner, Jose, who was terrific.

I loved our visit to Frog Heaven in Sarapiqui. In Arenal, there is another nice place for Night Photography walks called the Arenal Oasis Frog Night Tour.

There are lots of cool shots of frogs and snakes

Lots and lots of great shots from this location.

PALO VERDE NATIONAL PARK

Through the Four Seasons hotel, we arranged a 6-hour tour of Palo Verde National Park, which is about 1 Hour and 20 minutes from the hotel. Located along the banks of the Tempisque River, the Palo Verde National Park is one of the best places in Costa Rica to view native wildlife.

One of the highlights was the boat trip we took along the river with a naturalist guide. The guide was fantastic and explained all the birds and wildlife we saw. At the end of the boat ride, we enjoyed lunch in their restaurant.

Hanging Bridges in Arenal

The Hanging bridges in Arenal are something you want to experience.

It’s an easy 2-mile hike, and you go over nine different suspension bridges during the walk. The hanging bridges allow you to walk over the Rainforest Canopy below. It is an incredible experience that should not be missed.

OVERALL

Overall, Costa Rica was one of our most incredible places to visit. There are endless photography opportunities. You will undoubtedly come back with amazing images.

If you enjoyed this Photography & Travel Guide my other guides can be found here.

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Travel Photography

My Photography & Travel Guide to Costa Rica