9. Playa Punta Uva

Tucked away in the southeastern corner of costa rica is playa punta uva. This tropical paradise will get you away from the crowds. Here, lush forests meet soft sand, offering plenty of shady spots to spread out your towels before frolicking in the caribbean. Pack a book, snacks, a cooler for drinks, and a buddy! you may not see another person on this secluded beach all day. The nearest city is puerto viejo, a 15-minute drive away. Many visitors choose to bike back and forth to all the nearby beaches. In puerto viejo, you’ll find plenty of places to eat and sleep. On costa rica’s caribbean coast, just above the panamanian border, playa manzanillo is the prototypical beach with white-sand shores, azure waters, and a backdrop of palm-fringed rainforest courtesy of the gandoca-manzanillo wildlife refuge. But despite the abundance of coral reefs, which can be explored by kayak or swimming thanks to the area’s gentle waves, its remote location has largely kept it off the tourist radar (don’t be surprised if your only neighbors are manatees and dolphins). If you’re looking for low-key luxury, set up camp at the tree house lodge in nearby punta uva, where