LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL ITINERARY INFORMATION
Itinerary: Coast to Coast
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TWO WEEKS / JACÓ TO UVITA & CAHUITA TO MANZANILLO
You’ll cover 575km on the Pacific side (plus the boat ride to Montezuma) and 580km on the Caribbean side, making this the ultimate road trip. One week on each coast is the bare minimum.
Surfers, sun-worshippers and party-goers may want to catch some waves and some rays on both coasts. First head to Jacó, the quintessential beach-party town on the Pacific coast. Take the jet boat to lovely, laid-back Montezuma for a different vibe. Surfers will want to head to the other side of the Nicoya Peninsula to check out the swells at Mal País and Santa Teresa.
Backtrack to Jacó, and then continue on to Manual Antonio for a chance to see the endangered squirrel monkey at the world famous Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio. If you haven’t yet had enough of the postcard-perfect Pacific coast, continue further south to Dominical to catch some more waves, or to Uvita to escape the tourist crowds.
Now it’s time to explore the Caribbean side, but first you have to make it back to San José. Hop on the first eastbound bus out of the capital and get off at Cahuita, capital of Afro-Caribbean culture and gateway to Parque Nacional Cahuita. Stick around and get your fill of this mellow little village, before moving on to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, the Caribbean’s center for nightlife, cuisine and positive vibes. Rent a bike and ride to Manzanillo, from where you can snorkel, kayak and hike in the Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Gandoca-Manzanillo.
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