Hi there, Travellers! Flight Finders Kristi and Kash here, and together we have lived in and/or visited Costa Rica over a dozen times!

Kash's favourite Costa Rica rec is the Osa Peninsula, and that sounds like a great fit for your trip. Tucked away on the country’s Southern Pacific coast, it's the most biologically diverse place on the planet!

To get here, you'll have to drive or catch a bus to Sierpe from San José, and from there take a 1hr boat ride. You'll be treated to the most scenic rides through lush mangroves until you reach the Pacific Ocean— if you're lucky, you might catch a glimpse of some dolphins swimming by the boat.

Make sure you've got empty pockets, though, you'll have to wade your way to shore since the boat can only get so close.

Once you arrive, you'll discover pretty quickly that it was worth the effort to get here. Where else can you see scarlet macaws, capuchin monkeys, and a toucan from your breakfast table?

Travellers mainly come here for the epic hikes of Corcovado National Park, and although this place is pretty remote, there’s more lots to do. Some of our favourites include snorkelling at Cano Island, and a night tour through the jungle.

Tip: Some businesses here will try to convince you that you have to pay $90 for a guide to take you through the park, but it's entirely optional. You can go on your own, so long as you have a good sense of direction!

If your son's dream is plucking exotic fruits from trees, he'll be in competition with the local wildlife. When I said above that they are everywhere, they really are! It was probably the most tropical place I've ever visited, and the best part was seeing all the animals in their natural habitat.

I stayed here, and it was basic, but the view was worth it!

Passing over to Kristi for a breakdown of some road trip route suggestions — and her unsolicited Costa Rica Bucket List — to help you plan your trip.

You mentioned wanting to visit both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Personally, I’m a big fan of the Pacific side, so I’d stick to that. If I were you, I’d land in Liberia instead of San José, and head straight to the beaches in Guanacaste for a few days to recover from your long trip. 

Once you've settled in, make your way inland to one of the two nearby volcanoes, Rincon de la Vieja or Arenal. Both are worth a visit, but Arenal is the classic “storybook” volcano — plumes of ash and all. Don’t skip the hot springs or the Monteverde Cloud Forest while you’re in the area!

From there, head down to Puntarenas and through the lively surf town of Jaco en route to the southern National Parks. Along the way, you’ll cross the Puente Tárcoles, where you can watch crocodiles sunning themselves below.

I would stop for a few days of exploration in Manual Antonio National Park, before moving on to spend a few lazy days in Uvita, home to Playa Ballena (one of my all-time favourite beaches, with calm, bathtub-warm water without a hawker in sight!). From Uvita, you’re just a short hop to Corcovado National Park.

I’ve always rented a car in Costa Rica and found it essential for reaching the quieter, hidden beaches (or natural rock waterslides!). Sure, some roads are slow, and I would recommend getting off the roads before nightfall, but by the time you factor in arriving early, flying, deplaning, and driving to/from the airport, it often balances out.

If it were me, I’d choose the March/April option—spring generally has less rain than summer (which they call their “little green” season). I’d also pick these flights with a stopover in Canada instead of the USA. Yes, the layover may be longer, but it’s nice to break up the trip with a true overnight stop, get a hotel room, and arrive refreshed.

You can fly into either Liberia or San José for about the same price, but I recommend Liberia — it’s closer to the beaches, smaller, and a much more pleasant arrival experience.

Here’s Flight Finder Kristi’s Costa Rica bucket list in case you're still short of ideas (though somehow we doubt it)... 

• Live (for a week) in a treehouse
• Catch a scuba diving liveabord out to Cocos Island to swim with schools of hammerheads
• Float in the bathtub-warm waters of Playa Ballena
• Learn kite-boarding with other newbies in windy Bahia Salinas
• Hike on Arenal's still-smoking volcano. Or for a bolder experience, Poas Volcano is the closest you can get to a live crater in the world. 
• Soak in a bubbling mud pot in Rincón de la Vieja National Park
• Play tug-of-war with rehabilitated jaguars
• Spot wild sloths in screensaver-picture-perfect Manual Antonio National Park
• Get woken up by Howler Monkey alarm clocks
• Learn to surf near Jaco. And then treat yourself to a well-deserved mango con leche batido at the TacoBar.
• Zip (and plunge) down natural rock waterslides
• Frolic with the whales in Drake Bay
• Witness a mass sea turtle nesting event with tens of thousands of turtles in the Nicoya Peninsula
• Spot a shy, iridescent quetzal in the wild
• And finally, spelunking the caves of Barra Honda National Park!

We hope that helps you plan your trip, Louise!

There’s so much to the country that there are undoubtedly even more jaw-dropping vistas and tranquil cloud forest moments to be found. If any of you other lovely readers have tips for this family of intrepid travellers, please drop your tips in the comments below!