I returned this week from my honeymoon in Costa Rica. We did 7 days in Tortuguero, Arenal, and Manuel Antonio. Take some time to do some of the tours in the Tortuguero (by boat/hiking) reserves. I highly recommend the hotel Nayara in Arenal if you're looking for some extra comforts (like a private outdoor shower and hot tub) and excellent service. My wife and I did the volcano hike and definitely do the hot spring add-on. We got the pass to the hot springs at Tabocan and let me tell you, it was well worth it!

8 days is too little for a country like Costa Rica, I was there for 3 and a half weeks and it wasn't enought... you have nice suggestions - Cahuita is good, but Manzanillo, a few km further south is much better, much less tourists. Tortuguero, brilliant! On the Pacific Side, Santa Rosa, avoid Tamarindo! go further to the South... preferably, Drake Bay

Go river rafting, visit the volcanoes, rain forest, Cartago, beaches. Great destination.

we went to costa rica with school and it was amazing!!!!! i would reccomend going to the selvatura ziplines!!! or manuel antonio beach :) the turtle conservation in tortuguero is really good too :) x

i've just been to costa rica and stayed a long time in Cahuita. it's a small but nice place - not that many tourists. there's always live music on weekends and sometimes on wednesdays too. you can go surfing or go to the national park - it's the only free one in CR- there's also a refuge for animals that you can visit by bike and a lot of other tours like canopy etc. Nightlife is always going on in Cocos Bar. and if you want some more action there's always puerto viejo nearby. the caribbean coast mantains a more natural amiance than the pacific coast - there are a lot more big hotels etc.

Jaco is an AMAZING place to visit, definitely worth a visit. Its also close to alot of oter places such as Manuel Antonio and a speedboat ride away from Montezuma, definitely worth going to!

Arenal was my favorite i went coast to coast in costa rica.A must is the Volcano.La Fortuna was nice also.The national park in Cahuita was awesome also.The suspension bridges,there is a place to volunteer to help save the sea turtles..Paradise for sure

My daughter and I took a long bus ride (4 hours) to Cahuita and stayed in simple accomodations. We were able to walk to a national park and spotted a sloth, howler monkeys, snakes, spiders, etc. It was awesome! There were small markets for water, snacks, etc. and a few shops for gifts for family. The restaurants we went to were nice, the people were helpful, etc. There is a black sand beach nearby. Hope that helps.

I've been white water rafting on the Rio Pacuare which was both exciting and beautiful!

Beaches on the Pacific side are better than the Atlantic. Do a rain forest tour with a reputable guide or service.

Hire a guide in a national park... they will be able to spot animals/wildlife that you would otherwise just waltz past. They often have big telescopes to view plants and animals further away without disturbing them in their natural habitats. CR has some of the greatest biodiversity in the world, so try to see as much of it as you can :)

You should hit the beaches, there are many beautiful, tropical, white-sand, blue-sea beaches. I personally enjoy Flamingo or Manuel Antonio, both a 4-hour drive from San Jose. Go to Arenal Volcano, stay there for the night and if you are lucky you will see red lava pouring from the volcano from the safety of your hotel. Next day you should do canopy or white water rafting there as well.

Look up "Shelter From The Storm" villa. It's a smallish out of the way place to stay with villas overlooking the ocean with monkeys, birds, etc. everywhere. They also have a private pool. It's near several beaches, you'll probably need a 4-wheel drive to get around because of mud. The beaches around there are great, the waves are not too high. The villa provides boogie boards, etc. to take to the beach. The villa owners will tell you in detail places to go. The best thing we did was horseback riding in the jungle to a waterfall you can swim in. The ride includes a "native" lunch where you are surrounded by native animals, unforgettable. The guides are very helpful and careful so it isn't too "dangerous". The villa is very romantic too, even if it isn't your wedding!