This blog may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy for more info.
If you’re looking for the best things to do in Liberia you have come to the right place, amigo.
We have explored this area extensively while living in Costa Rica and can’t wait for you to try some of its incredible activities too! There are a lot to choose from and they can all start to look the same after a while so picking one can be tricky.
To streamline the process for you, we’ve made a list of our top 5 favorite experiences in Liberia for a guaranteed good time. All you have to do is quickly read through the choices below and pick the best one for you!
- 1. Full-Day Adventure with Ziplining, Horseback Riding, River Tubing, and Hotsprings
- 2. Rio Celeste Tour with Hiking, Wildlife Spotting, Swimming, Waterfalls and Sloth Sanctuary
- 3. All-Inclusive Tour with Hiking, Hanging Bridges, Waterfalls, Swimming, and Sloth Sanctuary
- 4. Full-Day White Water Rafting on the Tenorio River
- 5. Sloth Sanctuary Experience with Coffee and Chocolate Combo Tour
- Pura Vida!
- Why We Book Tours with Viator
- Getting Around Costa Rica
- Don't Forget Travel Insurance!
1. Full-Day Adventure with Ziplining, Horseback Riding, River Tubing, and Hotsprings
- Price: $135 USD per person (without transportation) and $168 USD per person (with transportation)
- Duration: 10 hours approximately
- Time: 6:30 am (with pickup), 9 am (self-drive to adventure park)
- Highlights: Explore Rincon de la Vieja National Park, Ziplining, horseback riding, tubing, natural hot springs, mud bath
- Inclusions: Bilingual (English and Spanish) guide, air-conditioned transportation (if selected), all entrance and activity fees, bottled water, buffet lunch
- Pickup from: Liberia, Tamarindo, Playa Langosta, Playa Flamingo, Playas del Coco, Playa Hermosa, Playa Panama
- Rating: 5 Stars (Read the 1,025+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: Yes, up to 24 hours before the activity begins
This full-day adventure tour to Rincon de la Vieja National Park had us smiling ear to ear from beginning to end. We soared through jungles on ziplines, explored lush rainforest paths on horseback, tubed down rivers, soaked in hot springs, and so much more! If you’re looking for the ultimate Costa Rican outdoor experience this tour delivers in every way possible.
Since we had our own vehicle we drove to the adventure park and after meeting our guides and group we wasted no time getting into the action. I loved that the day started with some adrenaline-pumping ziplining through the jungle, one of my favorite activities! After yelling my head off it was nice to transition into some easy-going horseback riding where we spotted wildlife and learned about the local flora and fauna.
Of course, it was just a break in the action – next on the epic to-do list was river tubing. I appreciated that it was fun and manageable, and the rapids were not completely terrifying like others in Costa Rica. This experience is a great choice for people of all ages and physical abilities who want to get outdoors. Wink-wink, I’m talking to you with families!
But no adventure day in Costa Rica would be complete without a delicious lunch, a dip in a hot spring, and (surprise!) a mud bath. Oh yeah, I’m a sucker for a good mud bath and it’s the perfect relaxing way to end a day of fun. There’s even more adventure to be had when you take this tour yourself!
Book this highly-rated tour in advance here and get FREE cancellation 24 hours before you go.
2. Rio Celeste Tour with Hiking, Wildlife Spotting, Swimming, Waterfalls and Sloth Sanctuary
- Price: $135 USD per person (without transportation), $145 USD per person (shared transportation), $286 USD per person (private tour with transportation)
- Duration: 12 hours approximately
- Time: 6:30 am (private and shared tours), 9 am (self-drive shared tour)
- Highlights: Rio Celeste Waterfall, Llanos de Cortes Waterfall, jungle hiking, wildlife spotting, sloth and frog sanctuary
- Inclusions: Bilingual (English and Spanish) guide, air-conditioned transportation (if selected), all entrance and activity fees, lunch
- Pickup from: Liberia, Tamarindo, Playa Langosta, Playa Flamingo, Playas del Coco, Playa Hermosa, Playa Panama
- Rating: 4.5 Stars (Read the 800+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: Yes, up to 24 hours before the activity begins
I loved everything about this full-day Rio Celeste Tour. We saw some of my favorite waterfalls in all of Costa Rica, it had some easy but beautiful hiking and guaranteed time with everyone’s favorite native animal, sloths! If seeing wildlife and beautiful nature is on your Costa Rica bucket list you can book this tour with confidence knowing you get plenty of each.
The first stop of the day was Llanos de Cortes Waterfall where we took some stairs down to the falls and had the opportunity to swim. After a short time there we made our way to Rio Celeste for a hike and animal spotting, and we spotted plenty! Toucans, monkeys, coati, snakes, and tons more.
The guides were super informative about all the local flora and fauna and pointed out tons of things the group would have otherwise missed. If you’re nervous about missing animals in nature I highly suggest going with a guide on a tour like this one. The trek to Rio Celeste Waterfall will be easy for most, but if you have knee issues the steps down may prove a little challenging. Don’t miss out on it though, its turquoise-blue waters are stunning!
The cherry on top of this experience however was the sloth sanctuary where we got to see tons of my favorite local inhabitants. All in all, this tour is a nature lover’s dream and the best way to see some of Costa Ricas most famed outdoor sights. You can’t go wrong!
Read the hundreds of 5-star reviews and reserve this tour in advance here.
3. All-Inclusive Tour with Hiking, Hanging Bridges, Waterfalls, Swimming, and Sloth Sanctuary
- Price: $179 USD per person
- Duration: 7 to 9 hours approximately
- Time: 7 am
- Highlights: Jungle Hiking, Heliconias Hanging Bridges, Llanos de Cortes Waterfall, Swimming, Wildlife Spotting, Sloth and Frog Sanctuary
- Inclusions: Bilingual (English and Spanish) guide, air-conditioned transportation, all entrance and activity fees, bottled water, lunch
- Pickup from: Most accommodation in Guanacaste region
- Rating: 5 Stars (Read the 340+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: Yes, up to 24 hours before the activity begins
What made this full-day tour stand out for us was everything it included for such a reasonable price. If you want to have an easy day of exploring the Costa Rican outdoors without having to worry about charges for upgrades or hidden fees this is the best all-inclusive tour out there.
While its dynamite price won us over immediately, it’s the contents of this experience that really make it shine. Our guide Daniel had everyone laughing and learning the whole day as we went from location to location. Speaking of that, our first stop was the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall which has to be one of the prettiest in the country and is a great place to swim! Bring your bathing suit because I guarantee you’ll want to jump in.
After about 30 minutes of swimming, we drove to our next destination the Heliconias Hanging Bridges. I love it here because you get immersed in nature in such a special way since you’re up in the trees compared to on the ground. It’s a great chance to spot all sorts of wildlife and learn about the area’s unique flora and fauna that are specific to Costa Rica.
The final stop of the day was most people’s favorite because we got to get up close and personal with sloths! The sloth sanctuary is the best way to meet these cuites and some other rare species of frogs and butterflies as well. Animal lovers will not want to miss out on this tour!
Check availability and book this tour here, before it fills up!
Why We Book Tours with Viator
Viator is a trusted online booking system for tours around the world! We almost always book our tours using Viator for a couple of reasons:
- Free cancellation on most tours – Most of the tours on Viator allow you to cancel and get a full refund up to 24 hours in advance. This is handy in case plans change, or if booking an outdoor activity, the weather forecast is looking grim.
- Reserve now and pay later – You can secure your spot on some of the most popular tours well in advance and not pay until closer to the day of the tour.
- Lowest price guarantee – If you happen to find the same tour at a lower price elsewhere, Viator will refund you the price difference.
- Pay in your chosen currency – Avoid costly international transaction fees by choosing to pay in your home currency.
- Peace of mind – When booking with tour operators you find in person on the street or in small booking offices, you are often promised one thing and given another. This online platform holds tour operators accountable with a written description of inclusions as well as the opportunity for customers to leave reviews.
Check out the Viator website here! Or, for more info, read our detailed review about Viator here.
4. Full-Day White Water Rafting on the Tenorio River
- Price: $119 USD per person (self-drive), $149 USD per person (shared transportation), $225 USD per person (private transportation)
- Duration: 10 hours approximately
- Time: 7 am (shared and private transportation), 9 am (self-drive)
- Highlights: Rafting down class III and IV rapids, go deep into the jungles of Costa Rica, huge adrenaline rush
- Inclusions: Bilingual (English and Spanish) guide, air-conditioned transportation (if selected), all white water rafting equipment, lunch
- Pickup from: Liberia, Tamarindo, Playa Langosta, Playa Flamingo, Playas del Coco, Playa Hermosa, Playa Panama
- Rating: 5 Stars (Read the 100+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: Yes, up to 24 hours before the activity begins
If you’re anything like me, you love to get your blood pumping and have crazy adrenaline rush experiences in nature. So if that’s the case this white water rafting tour doesn’t just tick all the boxes, it blows them out of the water for a day you’ll never forget!
After checking in we were briefed on raft safety and different commands our guide might give us on the river. While this experience certainly isn’t for the faint of heart it’s still perfectly doable for first-timers and even kids who are willing to give it a shot. I was super impressed by the attention to detail when it came to safety and felt confident going into the day.
After that, it was all hands on deck (or raft) as we climbed in and started making our way down the Tenorio River. I really liked this river because it had a nice mix of calm sections and heart-racing moments. One minute we were spotting animals with our guide and the next there were rapids, drops, and everything that makes rafting one of my favorite activities. It should also be said that you get to go deep into the jungle and see some truly untouched nature, it’s incredible!
Great for all types of travelers in groups both big and small I can’t recommend rafting enough. It’s such an amazing experience and one that you’ll be telling people about for years to come. If you’re ready for some adventure book this tour today!
Secure your spot on this tour now and access FREE cancellation options!
5. Sloth Sanctuary Experience with Coffee and Chocolate Combo Tour
- Price: $140 USD per person
- Duration: 6 to 8 hours approximately
- Time: 7 am and 7:30 am
- Highlights: See sloths, rare frogs, and other animals at a sanctuary, coffee tour, chocolate tour
- Inclusions: Bilingual (English and Spanish) guide, air-conditioned transportation, all entrance and activity fees, lunch
- Pickup from: Most accommodation in Guanacaste region
- Rating: 5 Stars (Read the 150+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: Yes, up to 24 hours before the activity begins
While most of the other tours on this list have you out and about hiking, swimming, and running around I love this particular tour because it’s the opposite. It’s completely laid-back! If you want to experience the beauty of Costa Rica and its animals without all the huffing and puffing this is the perfect experience for you.
Immediately I loved that this tour included round-trip transportation for a truly relaxing experience. The drive can be lengthy depending on where you’re coming from, so I recommend bringing a book and some headphones. Once we arrived at the sanctuary we met our guide Mainor and with his immediate friendliness, we knew we were in for a good day. He showed us around the sanctuary pointing out various animal species like sloths, poison dart frogs, and various colorful birds and snakes.
While one half of the day has you casually exploring the sanctuary, the other half offers a guided coffee and chocolate tour also located in the sanctuary. Yep, foodies and coffee lovers will have a blast! Not only was it super cool to see how they harvested the plants, but there were plenty of samples to be had along the way. I loved chatting with the workers there while we sipped coffee and took in the scenery.
This tour takes some of the most popular experiences in Costa Rica and bundles them together in one easy-to-do experience. Not to mention you get to try some of the best coffee and chocolate you’ve ever had!
Don’t miss out on this tasty tour – book it in advance here.
Getting Around Costa Rica
How you choose to get around Costa Rica is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make when planning your holiday here! How you do it depends on your budget, travel style, and comfort level.
Renting a Car
Without a doubt, the number one way to explore Costa Rica is in a rental car. We book rental cars on the Discover Cars website as we have had good experiences with them in the past.
One of the things you need to watch for when renting a car in Costa Rica is the mandatory insurance that the government requires you to have. There are a lot of very cheap rentals that don’t include this mandatory insurance (TPL) in the original booking price, but there are also ones that do. To avoid additional surprise charges when you pick up your rental car, be sure to rent a car that includes the mandatory insurance when you book.
Thankfully, on Discover Cars it’s easy to tell apart the companies that include the mandatory insurance and those that don’t. The trick is you can’t pick any car on their website. In the picture below, you can see this rental car, with pick up in Jaco, includes the TPL. That means the mandatory insurance is included in the price. Any cover you get above that is extra.
Of course, I still suggest getting the full coverage offered by Discover Cars, which covers you even more.
You can browse cars on Discover Cars here.
Book Shuttles
If renting a car isn’t in your budget, you don’t feel comfortable driving in Costa Rica, or you just don’t like driving, shuttles are the next best option. There are hundreds of shuttle routes available all over the country, and they are very affordable.
Shuttles in Costa Rica are specifically for tourists and often include pick up and drop off at your selected hotels and airports. The drivers also speak some English, and the vehicles have air conditioning. You’ll also be guaranteed a seat when you book a shuttle (which isn’t the case with the public bus system.)
To get the best price, use the website Bookaway. They compare all the offers and prices of shuttle companies in Costa Rica so you get the best price! Honestly, we have saved so much money using Bookaway!
You can search for shuttles online on Bookaway here.
Public Bus
Lastly, you can use the public bus system. On short journeys, such as from San Jose to La Fortuna or Uvita to Manuel Antonio, this system is great. However, the longer the journey the more hassle and time spent on a bus. It’s undoubtedly best to save the public bus in Costa Rica for short and straightforward trips!
The public buses are definitely the cheapest way to get around Costa Rica, but they are not always very reliable and schedules often change without notice and delays are to be expected. The buses can also be very crowded and hot – so just be prepared!
It’s also good to speak some Spanish if you plan on riding the public bus since most drivers and ticket booth operators don’t speak English.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance!
If you’re looking to save money on travel insurance, we currently use and recommend SafetyWing. We’ve been using their coverage since 2018 and they’ve had our backs when we needed emergency flights and got sick overseas.
SafetyWing is one of the cheapest providers out there and covers everything from medical costs to lost luggage, travel delays, and emergency flights. A huge difference we’ve found between them and other companies is that they let you take out a policy AFTER leaving your home country. We’ve also found it handy that it’s a monthly payment rather than a lump sum, and you can get a refund for unused time.
SafetyWing has helped us out in some scary situations before and their affordable coverage has given us peace of mind.
Pura Vida!
There is so much to explore around Liberia, any of these top five activities are sure to be a good time! We’ve tried them all and truly can’t choose a favorite because they are all different, maybe you’ll have to give each one a try.
If you found this article helpful, be sure to check out our other blogs. We’ve covered nearly every corner of Costa Rica and love sharing our favorite experiences and top travel tips. Below are some other popular destinations and things to do to help inspire your travels!
7 Day Costa Rica Itinerary: How to Spend One Week in Costa Rica!
4 BEST Sunset Cruises in Tamarindo + What to KNOW Before You Book
The 3 Best Arenal Volcano National Park Tours from La Fortuna