Travel in Costa Rica has kept a list of friends since its early days, on a page we called Otro Páginas ("other pages") and in a box on the front page. This is both lists in one place. These are the sites we send friends to when a trip needs more detail than we can give in one place. Every link was checked on 21 October 2026.
Costa Rica guides we like
Costa Rica Eco Lodges
Sleep with the frogs, not next to the parking lot.
A region-by-region guide to Costa Rica's eco lodges, from cloud forest cabins to rainforest hideaways on the Osa. It's the place to look if you want your nights to be part of the trip rather than just a bed between activities.
Scuba.cr
Half of Costa Rica is underwater. Go see it.
A diving portal for the whole country, covering dive sites, sea life, certification and dive shops from Guanacaste's bat islands to far-off Cocos Island. Handy for working out which coast suits your trip and when the big animals show up.
Costa Rica Sportfishing
Bring a camera. Nobody believes the marlin story otherwise.
A guide to fishing charters and outfitters around the country, with write-ups of boats and crews from Quepos to the Nicoya Peninsula. Useful when you're choosing who to head offshore with.
The southern Nicoya Peninsula
Montezuma Beach
Waterfalls before breakfast, tide pools after lunch.
A long-running guide to Montezuma, with places to stay and eat, local news and a soft spot for the town's bohemian side. They also keep useful pages on Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve and Tortuga Island, two of the best day trips on the peninsula.
Malpais Beach
Surf, sleep, repeat.
A travel guide to Santa Teresa and Mal País, with beach notes, local tips and a big list of vacation rentals for groups and families who'd rather have a kitchen than a hotel room.
Santa Teresa Guide
The surf town, minus the guesswork.
An English guide to Santa Teresa, Mal País and Playa Hermosa, covering where to stay, eat, surf and do yoga, plus how to get there without losing a day on the road. A good read before you commit to a rental.
Montezuma Surfing
Know the break before you paddle out.
A guide to the surf spots around Montezuma, with notes on which breaks suit which levels, plus surf camps and lessons nearby. Montezuma's waves are rockier and moodier than Santa Teresa's, so a little reading first goes a long way.
Tropisphere
For the trip that turns into "what if we stayed?"
A real estate company focused on the southern Nicoya Peninsula, from Santa Teresa and Mal País to Montezuma, Cabuya and Tambor. Worth a browse if you're curious about homes, land or eco properties in the area.
Solar Vistas
Off the grid, on the hill.
A small eco village of hilltop lots a short drive above Mal País and Santa Teresa. It's sold out now, but it's still a good look at how people are building quietly and sustainably on the peninsula, and it points the way to its bigger sister project, Rancho Delicioso.
Friends further afield
Retreat Vacations
Downward dog, upgraded.
A guide to the best yoga, meditation, wellness and surf retreat centers around the world, with plenty of Costa Rica picks. Handy if you want to build a few slow days into a busy trip.
I Love Medellín
Same coffee obsession, different country.
An independent English travel guide to Medellín, Colombia, covering neighborhoods, food, coffee and day trips. Plenty of travelers pair Costa Rica with Colombia, and this is where we'd start on the Medellín side.
Old friends around Santa Teresa and Montezuma
Most of the original Otro Páginas crowd were neighbors on the southern Nicoya Peninsula. A few have closed or moved on since then; these are the ones still going.
Dreamcatcher Hotel and Villas
Catch some dreams, then catch a wave.
Back on our first list as Atrapasueños, the Spanish name for a dreamcatcher. It's a boutique hotel with rooms, apartments and villas in Santa Teresa, where the jungle runs down to the beach.
Fuego Lodge
Warm vibes, no actual fire required.
A yoga resort and lodge by the beach in Santa Teresa. A good pick if you want your downward dog and your sunset in the same afternoon.
Don Jon's Surf and Yoga Lodge
Sleep in a treehouse like the grown-up you never had to become.
Don Jon's has moved its website since we first listed it, but it's still right in the middle of Santa Teresa, with treehouses, private rooms and apartments about 100 m from the waves, and yoga classes in the treehouses too.
Del Mar Adventures
Surf camp, all grown up.
We first listed them as Del Mar Surf Camp. These days they run retreats and personalized Costa Rica adventures, including trips designed for women traveling solo.
Casa Divina
Monkeys for neighbors, sunsets on repeat.
An eco villa for rent in the hills outside Montezuma, with a saltwater infinity pool and a view over the countryside. The beaches and restaurants of town are a few minutes away.
Luz en el Cielo
Light in the sky, sloths in the trees.
A small eco B&B and hostel in the jungle at Montezuma, with rental houses too. A nice change from a big hotel.
Bahía Rica
Paddle by day, glow by night.
A small lodge on the gulf side of the peninsula, near Paquera, known for sportfishing, sea kayaking and bioluminescence tours. They also run snorkeling trips to Isla Tortuga.
Zuma Tours
One call, and the whole peninsula is on the itinerary.
A tour operator covering Montezuma and Santa Teresa, with boat trips to Isla Tortuga, sunset and bioluminescence tours, fishing, diving, ATVs and guided visits to Curú. They've been on our friends list since the early days.
Montezuma's butterfly garden
Come for the butterflies, stay for a cold one.
The old Montezuma Gardens, the town's butterfly garden and sanctuary, is these days home to the Butterfly Brewing Company. Montezuma Beach has the story.
Futuro Verde
Recess, but make it rainforest.
An international school in the Santa Teresa area with an eco focus. Not a place for a holiday, but a good example of the community that's grown up on this coast, and a useful link for families thinking about staying longer.
Costa Rican Vacations
Home is wherever the hammock is.
Hand-picked vacation rental houses on the Nicoya Peninsula, from Manzanillo down to Mal País, with surf and yoga lessons and tours arranged for guests.