Guanacaste, Costa Rica’s northwestern province, is where most of the country’s all-inclusive resorts are concentrated, but the region’s appeal has always rested on what sits beyond the beach as much as the beach itself. Costa Rica’s broader reputation for ecotourism and biodiversity applies directly here, and a handful of specific excursions make up most of what resort guests in Guanacaste actually book.

Rincon de la Vieja National Park

Rincon de la Vieja, an active volcano roughly an hour’s drive from the Papagayo area resort cluster, anchors a national park built around volcanic activity rather than a beach. Visitors can see bubbling mud pots, hike trails through tropical dry forest, and in many cases finish at natural hot springs heated by the same geothermal activity driving the volcano. Some tour operators pair the hike with a canopy zip-line course or horseback riding on the same day, making it one of the more physically active full-day excursions available from the Guanacaste resort area.

Catalina Islands snorkeling and diving

The Catalina Islands, a small group of islets off Guanacaste’s Pacific coast, are known for consistently good visibility and a chance to see manta rays, particularly from roughly December through April when ray sightings are more common in this part of the Pacific. Boat tours run from several points along the Guanacaste coast specifically for snorkeling and diving at the islands, and the trip is generally sold as a half-day excursion rather than a full-day commitment.

Playa Conchal

Playa Conchal, south of the main Papagayo resort cluster, is known for a shoreline made up largely of crushed shell fragments rather than typical sand, giving the beach a distinctive look and texture. The clear, calm water here is also popular for snorkeling directly from shore, which makes it a lower-effort alternative to a boat-based excursion for travelers who want a change of beach without a long tour commitment.

Palo Verde National Park

Palo Verde, inland from the coast along the Tempisque River, is built around wetlands and seasonal flooding that draw a significant concentration of resident and migratory birds, making it one of Costa Rica’s more established birdwatching destinations. Boat tours along the river are the standard way to see the park’s wildlife, including crocodiles and a wide range of waterfowl, and the experience differs noticeably from the volcano and beach excursions elsewhere on this list.

Las Baulas National Marine Park and turtle nesting season

Las Baulas, protecting Playa Grande near Tamarindo, is one of the most significant nesting sites in the eastern Pacific for the leatherback sea turtle, the largest living turtle species. Nesting season runs broadly from October through March, and the park runs regulated night tours during this window that allow visitors to observe nesting turtles under controlled conditions designed to protect the animals from disturbance. Outside the nesting season, the beach itself remains open during the day but the nesting tours specifically are not available.

Surfing at Tamarindo

Tamarindo, a beach town within reach of the Guanacaste resort corridor, has built a reputation as one of Costa Rica’s more established surf towns, with breaks suited to a range of skill levels and a cluster of surf schools offering lessons for beginners. It also functions as a more independent, town-based alternative to a resort day for travelers who want restaurants and nightlife outside the all-inclusive grounds.

Sportfishing out of Papagayo

The waters off Guanacaste are known for sportfishing, with charter boats running from the Papagayo area targeting sailfish, marlin and dorado depending on the season. This is generally sold as a dedicated full or half-day charter rather than a casual add-on, and timing against the specific target species’ season is worth checking with a charter operator directly.

Planning around resort time

Rincon de la Vieja and Palo Verde both involve meaningful drive time and are best treated as full-day commitments, while Playa Conchal and a Catalina Islands snorkeling trip fit more easily around a partial resort day. For the resort side of a Guanacaste stay, see our Guanacaste destination page and all-inclusive resorts in Costa Rica, and for how Guanacaste’s resorts actually differ from each other, our guide to what differs between Costa Rica’s all-inclusive resorts is a useful next read.