Vacances au Costa Rica

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Local travel agency · Since 2014

Costa Rica Motorcycle Tour: 14 Days from the Caribbean Coast to the Nicoya Peninsula

Two wheels, thirteen nights and a country that changes with every bend in the road, from coffee hills and Caribbean beaches to volcanoes, turquoise rivers and the islands of the Gulf of Nicoya.

Coati Motorcycle Tour, Costa Rica

Prices per person

2 travelers, double room

  • Kawasaki KLR 650 USD 4,827
  • Passenger supplement USD 733

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3 travelers, single room and double room

  • Kawasaki KLR 650 USD 4,661
  • CFMoto 450 MT USD 5,136
  • Passenger supplement USD 728

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2 travelers, single room

  • Kawasaki KLR 650 (2 motorcycles) USD 4,566

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1 traveler, single room

  • Kawasaki KLR 650 USD 4,642

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Prices per person, in US dollars, including accommodation, breakfasts and the services listed in the program. For motorcycle tours, the price is per rider, depending on the motorcycle. The passenger supplement applies to a person riding on the motorcycle and sharing a rider’s room. The package details are listed below.

This Costa Rica motorcycle tour is built for riders who want to feel the country rather than watch it through a window. Over 14 days and 13 nights, you ride from San José through the coffee country of Turrialba, down to the Caribbean coast at Cahuita, across the farmlands of Sarapiquí and the remote river landscapes of Boca Tapada, then on to Arenal Volcano, Río Celeste, the dry plains of Guanacaste, Playa Sámara and the Nicoya Peninsula.

This is a self-guided motorcycle tour: you set your own pace on the road, while the agency has arranged your lodging, your included activities and the logistics around them. Your motorcycle comes with unlimited mileage, mandatory insurance, an aluminum rear rack with straps, a handlebar phone mount and 24/7 assistance, so a single call is enough if you need roadside help or a replacement bike.

Along the way, the days alternate between time in the saddle and time on foot or on the water: a coffee farm visit, a family-run heart of palm farm, rafting or a calm float on the Río Sarapiquí, a boat trip to the Nicaraguan border, hot springs, hanging bridges, the Río Celeste waterfall, a dolphin-watching outing, a night kayak through bioluminescent water and a full day around Isla Tortuga.

Our team, based in San Francisco de Heredia since 2014, prepares every detail of your Costa Rica motorcycle trip and remains available throughout your stay, in English.

Your itinerary

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1

Arrival in Costa Rica: picking up your motorcycle

Welcome to Costa Rica! At Juan Santamaría International Airport, in the province of Alajuela, an agency representative waits for you in the arrivals hall with a sign bearing your name. A welcome note from Vincent, who founded the agency and has called Costa Rica home for more than 40 years, sets the tone: leave the watch, the phone and the daily rush behind, the team takes care of the details. A private transfer then brings you to the rental office, where you pick up your motorcycle. Once your bags are strapped to the rear rack, you ride at an easy pace toward San José, a first short stretch to get used to the bike, the traffic and the warm tropical air. Overnight in San José.

Modern white building with a green living wall, covered entrance and red painted cow sculpture in San José, Costa Rica
Day 1 of the Costa Rica motorcycle tour ends at a modern lodging in San José, close to SJO airport.
Day 2

Turrialba: from coffee cherry to cup, then on to the Caribbean

After breakfast, you ride out around 9:00 toward the green Turrialba region, where mountains, plantations and tropical valleys unfold along the road. Around 11:30, you reach a farm devoted to organic coffee, grown and processed according to international standards, with close attention to quality and to the environment. You visit the beneficio, the mill where freshly harvested beans are processed, and follow each step that turns a ripe coffee cherry into beans ready for roasting. The visit ends, naturally, with a cup of Costa Rican coffee and its distinctive aromas. You then continue down to the Caribbean coast and settle in Cahuita for two nights.

Coffee cherries drying on a concrete floor inside a white plastic greenhouse tunnel in Costa Rica
Coffee cherries spread out to dry under a covered tunnel, a stop along a Costa Rica motorcycle tour near Turrialba.
Day 3

Cahuita National Park: forest trails and Caribbean beaches

Today belongs to Cahuita National Park, protected for both its rainforest and its coral reefs. The park is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; the full trail between the Puerto Vargas and Cahuita entrances runs about 11 kilometers, but you can also enter at Cahuita, walk part of the way and stroll back. The path winds through dense vegetation, sometimes just a few meters from the shore, with glimpses of turquoise sea between palms and vines. Walk slowly and watch: monkeys, iguanas, raccoons, coatis, sloths, basilisks and tropical birds live here. At Playa Blanca, pale sand meets clear water, a fine spot for a swim, a rest in the shade or a picnic. Park entrance is optional and paid on site.

Curving sandy beach lined with tropical forest at Cahuita National Park on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast
Day 3 of the Costa Rica motorcycle tour reaches the forest-lined beach of Cahuita National Park on the Caribbean coast.
Day 4

Sarapiquí: family farms and red-eyed tree frogs

Around 8:30, you ride to Horquetas de Sarapiquí, a rural area known for its tropical crops and family farming. At about 11:30, the owner of a small family farm introduces you to palmito, heart of palm, and to the pejibaye, the fruit of mature palms. After tasting fresh palmito, lunch at the family soda lets you try local preparations such as palmito ceviche, lasagna, bread, chorreada or picadillo, depending on the day. Next comes an organic pineapple and sugarcane farm, where you follow the fruit from planting to harvest and plant a young pineapple yourself. From 6:00 p.m., a guided walk goes in search of the red-eyed tree frog as the forest comes alive at nightfall.

Smiling woman in a white cap carrying a bundle of cut sugarcane stalks on her shoulder among tropical plants in Sarapiquí
A local farmer carries freshly cut sugarcane through the tropical greenery of Sarapiquí.
Day 5

Sarapiquí rafting, then into the wild north at Boca Tapada

After breakfast, you ride to an adventure center on the Río Sarapiquí, arriving no later than 9:15. A professional guide gives the safety briefing before a half-day descent through Class II and III rapids, with calm stretches to take in the forested banks. If you prefer something gentler, you can swap the rafting for a safari float of about 2.5 hours, in a non-motorized raft or a motorboat, well suited to spotting birds, monkeys and reptiles. A typical Costa Rican lunch is served back at the center, followed by a visit devoted to leafcutter ants and their surprisingly complex organization. In the afternoon, you ride on to Boca Tapada, a remote and preserved corner of northern Costa Rica.

Group in helmets and life jackets paddling a blue raft through white-water rapids in Sarapiquí, Costa Rica
A group paddles a blue raft through foaming rapids during a rafting excursion in the Sarapiquí area.
Day 6

Boca Tapada to Arenal: river wildlife and volcanic hot springs

After breakfast, a boat leaves right from your lodging and heads to the mouth of the Río San Carlos, where it meets the Río San Juan, here the natural border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. The water slips through lush rainforest, and your guide helps you spot herons, ibises, egrets and kingfishers, and with luck caimans, iguanas, turtles and frogs along the banks. Back on the motorcycle, you ride to the Arenal Volcano area. Your afternoon and evening are spent at a hot springs complex at the foot of the volcano, where pools of geothermally heated water at different temperatures, waterfalls and relaxation areas sit among tropical plants.

Blue wooden riverboat with a canopy and orange life jackets moored on a muddy river bank near Boca Tapada, Costa Rica
A covered blue riverboat waits at the bank, ready for a river excursion during day 6 of the Costa Rica motorcycle tour.
Day 7

Arenal hanging bridges and old lava flows

Around 8:30, you set off on a walk of 1.5 to 2 hours in Arenal Volcano National Park. Most of the trail is easy and nearly flat; a rougher section of 200 to 300 meters crosses rocks from old lava flows, including those of 1992, and leads to a view over the volcano and its lava fields when the weather is clear. Along the way stands a ceibo tree more than 400 years old. Park entrance is optional and paid on site. In the afternoon, about two hours and nearly 3 kilometers of trails take you across 8 fixed and 6 hanging bridges, some 48 to 98 meters long, for a close look at the canopy and views of the volcano.

Arenal Volcano cone under clouds behind the Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal entrance sign in Costa Rica
The entrance sign of Arenal Volcano National Park, with the volcano's cone rising behind it under a blue sky.
Day 8

Río Celeste: a turquoise river in Tenorio Volcano National Park

You ride out around 7:30 toward Tenorio Volcano National Park, in the Guanacaste volcanic range, arriving between 10:00 and 10:30. Park entrance is included. A hike of about three hours leads through dense rainforest of ferns, vines and tall trees, home to many birds and amphibians. To reach the waterfall viewpoint, you walk down, and back up, 253 steps; below, the water pours into a pool of striking sky blue. The color comes from minerals in the water that change the way light is scattered, an effect at its strongest at El Teñidero. After dark, a guided night walk reveals frogs, insects, reptiles and spiders, and your guide explains their role in the forest.

Río Celeste waterfall pouring into a turquoise pool, with a wooden staircase descending through rainforest in Tenorio Volcano National Park
The Río Celeste waterfall drops into its turquoise pool, reached by a staircase through the forest, on day 8 of the Costa Rica motorcycle tour.
Day 9

Cañas wildlife rescue and a float on the Río Corobicí

Leaving around 7:30, you ride across the plains and pastures of northwestern Costa Rica to Cañas, in Guanacaste. Here you visit a rescue center for wild animals that can no longer be returned to the wild, originally created through the work of Lilly and Werner Hagnauer and supported by a foundation since 2003. You can see pumas, jaguars, ocelots, several monkey species and other local wildlife. At 11:30, you board a calm boat trip of about 1.5 hours on the Río Corobicí, where American crocodiles and many birds live along the tropical dry forest, a sharp contrast with the rainforests of earlier days. Lunch is included, before you ride on to Playa Sámara.

Close-up of a puma with amber eyes and an open mouth against a blurred green forest background in Costa Rica
A puma looks on attentively at a wildlife rescue center near Cañas, a stop on day 9 of the route.
Day 10

Playa Sámara: dolphins at sea and a free afternoon

Around 8:00, the boat operator picks you up at your hotel reception for a shared outing off Playa Sámara. You head out onto the Pacific in search of dolphins and, depending on the season, the weather and the animals themselves, humpback whales, always observed with respect. You are back around noon, and the afternoon is yours: the beach, a walk along the shore, a swim. As an option, around 6:30 p.m., you can join a night outing at the Camaronal refuge, dedicated to sea turtle protection, to watch nesting under strict conservation rules. It runs mainly from July to January, sometimes into early February, and is booked directly with the same operator as the boat trip.

Two dolphins swimming side by side at the surface of blue ocean water, backs and dorsal fins just above the waves
A pair of dolphins glides through the open water during an ocean outing on a rest day of a Costa Rica motorcycle tour.
Day 11

Paquera: kayaking through bioluminescent water

Today you continue to Paquera, on the Nicoya Peninsula. At nightfall, you settle into a kayak and paddle away from the lights of the shore across calm coastal water. With each stroke, the water lights up with tiny glittering points, trails of light created by minute marine organisms, like a starry sky turned upside down. In the quiet of the night, with the sounds of the tropical coast around you and often a sky full of stars above, this outing is a gentle, low-impact way to discover another side of Costa Rica, far from the busier routes.

Two people paddling a yellow tandem kayak at dusk on water glowing blue with bioluminescence near Paquera, Costa Rica
Paddling a tandem kayak through glowing bioluminescent water at twilight, an evening excursion on day 11 of the Costa Rica motorcycle tour.
Day 12

Isla Tortuga: islands, snorkeling and spider monkeys

A full day at sea in the Gulf of Nicoya. The boat first stops at Isla de los Monos, where spider monkeys move through the trees, then passes the rock formations of Roca Corazón and Roca Arcoíris. In clear water, with equipment provided and your guide nearby, you snorkel above the sea life hidden below the surface. Next comes Isla Tortuga and its pale sand beaches fringed with tropical greenery: swim, rest in the shade, take your time. Lunch, fresh fruit and drinks are included, a relaxed break in the middle of this day off the Nicoya Peninsula.

Snorkelers swimming in clear turquoise water near a rocky islet off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica
Snorkelers explore the clear turquoise water around a volcanic rock islet during a free day near Paquera.
Day 13

Paquera to Puntarenas ferry, then back to San José

You ride to the Paquera terminal, arriving at least 45 minutes before departure to make sure your motorcycle gets aboard. During the crossing of about 1 hour 10 minutes, you can leave the bike and head out on deck: the peninsula fades behind you while islets, green shores and, in clear weather, the mountains of the Pacific coast come into view. Seabirds are common, and with luck you may spot dolphins. The ferry docks in Puntarenas, saving a long detour around the gulf, and you ride on to San José for your last night. Schedules may change depending on operating or sea conditions.

Aerial view of a car ferry loaded with vehicles crossing the Gulf of Nicoya near Paquera, Costa Rica
A vehicle ferry crosses the Gulf of Nicoya, a sea link on the way from Paquera back toward San José.
Day 14

Departure day: farewell to Costa Rica

After breakfast, your private driver picks you up at the hotel reception for the transfer to your departure airport, Juan Santamaría in San José or Daniel Oduber Quirós in Liberia. Departure is timed so that you arrive at least three hours before takeoff. Depending on your flight schedule, there may be time to explore San José or Liberia: museums, parks, monuments, or simply its streets and daily life; entrance fees are not included. After forests, volcanoes, rivers and beaches, it is time to head home, perhaps with the wish to come back one day and discover another side of this small country. Pura vida!

Where you will stay

San José · 1 night

A comfortable city hotel in San José with a spacious king room, a calm first stop after the flight and the motorcycle pickup. Breakfast included.

Cahuita · 2 nights

A hotel on the Caribbean coast near Cahuita, a relaxed base for two nights within easy reach of the national park, its beaches and the laid-back village atmosphere. Superior room, breakfast included.

Sarapiquí · 1 night

Family-style cabins in the green countryside of Sarapiquí, a simple and welcoming stop in a region of family farms and rainforest. Breakfast included.

Boca Tapada · 1 night

A bungalow in the remote northern lowlands of Boca Tapada, surrounded by rivers and forest; the next morning's boat trip leaves directly from the property. Breakfast included.

Volcán Arenal · 2 nights

A deluxe room in the Arenal Volcano area, a convenient base for the hot springs, the national park trails and the hanging bridges. Breakfast included.

Volcán Tenorio (Río Celeste) · 1 night

Bungalows in the green foothills near Tenorio Volcano National Park, a quiet setting close to the Río Celeste trail and the forest explored on the night walk. Breakfast included.

Playa Sámara · 2 nights

A hotel in the beach town of Playa Sámara, on the Guanacaste coast, ideal for unwinding by the Pacific between the boat trip and a free afternoon. Breakfast included.

Paquera · 2 nights

A deluxe room on the Nicoya Peninsula near Paquera, close to the calm waters of the Gulf of Nicoya, the starting area for the night kayak and the Isla Tortuga outing. Breakfast included.

San José · 1 night

A comfortable city hotel in San José with a king room, for a restful last night before your departure transfer. Breakfast included.

What the package includes

Included

  • Private transfer from the airport to your hotel
  • Nights in the hotels listed, or similar if unavailable before final booking
  • Breakfast every day of the tour
  • Lunches mentioned in the program *
  • Dinners mentioned in the program *
  • The motorcycle of your choice
  • Unlimited mileage
  • Mandatory motorcycle insurance: third-party liability and medical expenses.
  • 24/7 assistance: one call, and we arrange roadside help or a replacement motorcycle.
  • Rear aluminum luggage rack with tie-down straps
  • Phone mount fitted on the handlebars
  • National park entrance fees listed as included in the program
  • Activities and visits listed as included in the program
  • Private transfer to the airport on departure day
  • The 13% hotel tax
  • The 13% tax on tourist activities
  • Our assistance in English throughout your stay

* Meals include a main course and one non-alcoholic drink

Not included

  • International flights to Costa Rica
  • Drinks outside meals and alcoholic drinks
  • Full riding gear (helmet, gloves, jacket and rain gear) is optional, at USD 15 per day.
  • A second helmet for a passenger, if you ride two-up: at no extra cost.
  • Boots are not provided: please bring your own.
  • Rear luggage: please bring your own bags.
  • We recommend waterproof panniers or bags, or suitable rain protection.
  • National park entrance fees listed as optional in the program
  • Activities and visits listed as optional in the program
  • Extensions, variations and suggestions
  • Personal expenses and tips
  • Travel or repatriation insurance
  • Road costs, fuel, parking, ferries and tolls
  • Any other service
  • Note: a deposit of USD 800 per motorcycle is pre-authorized on a credit card at pickup. It covers damage to the motorcycle, for example after a fall, and is released in full if the motorcycle is returned in the condition it left in.

Optional activities

  • Cahuita National Park entrance fee: USD 6, payable on site
  • Arenal Volcano National Park entrance fee: USD 17, payable on site
  • Night sea turtle watching tour: USD 45, payable on site

Who this trip is for

This Costa Rica motorcycle tour is designed for riders who are comfortable on tropical roads and enjoy managing their own day, yet appreciate having lodging, activities and assistance organized in advance. It suits solo riders, couples riding two-up, and friends traveling together, with room arrangements for one to three travelers. Beyond riding, you should be ready for moderate effort on foot: a hike of about three hours with 253 steps at Río Celeste, a short rocky section on the Arenal lava flows, and a half day of rafting, which can be replaced with a calmer float. If you are curious about farming, wildlife and rural Costa Rica as much as about the road itself, riding Costa Rica by motorcycle along this route will speak to you.

Frequently asked questions

What is included in this Costa Rica motorcycle tour?

The package includes the motorcycle of your choice with unlimited mileage, mandatory insurance covering civil liability and medical expenses, 24/7 assistance for breakdowns or a motorcycle exchange, an aluminum rear rack with straps and a handlebar phone mount. It also covers 13 nights of lodging, daily breakfasts, the lunches mentioned in the program (main course and one non-alcoholic drink), the activities and national park entrances listed as included, the private airport transfers, and the 13% hotel and tourist activity taxes.

Do I need to bring my own riding gear and luggage?

A full gear set (helmet, gloves, jacket and rain gear) is available as an option at a daily rate. A second helmet for a passenger is provided at no extra charge. Boots are not supplied, so bring your own. You also need your own luggage for the rear rack; waterproof bags or panniers, or a reliable rain cover, are recommended.

What costs are not included?

International flights, fuel, tolls, parking and the ferry are not included, nor are drinks outside meals or alcoholic drinks, travel or repatriation insurance, tips and personal expenses. Entrance to Cahuita National Park and Arenal Volcano National Park is optional and paid on site. A security deposit per motorcycle is taken on your credit card at pickup and refunded in full if the bike is returned in the condition it left.

Can I see sea turtles during the trip?

Yes, as an option in Playa Sámara on day 10. The night outing to the Camaronal refuge runs mainly from July to January, sometimes into early February, and sightings always depend on nature. It is booked directly with the same operator as the dolphin-watching boat trip.

Is there an alternative to rafting on the Río Sarapiquí?

Yes. Instead of the Class II and III rafting descent, you can choose a safari float of about 2.5 hours on the same river, in a non-motorized raft or a motorboat, a calmer option well suited to wildlife watching.

From the coffee hills of Turrialba to the ferry across the Gulf of Nicoya, this Costa Rica motorcycle tour lets you link the Caribbean, the volcanic heart of the country and the Pacific at your own rhythm, with each evening's lodging already waiting for you. If this motorcycle tour of Costa Rica appeals to you, our team in San Francisco de Heredia will be glad to adapt it to your dates and your riding style; simply ask us for a quote.

Request this tour

Tell us your dates and who is traveling: we will reply with a personalized quote for “Coati Motorcycle Tour”.

A personal reply within 48 business hours, with no obligation, from a travel consultant based in Costa Rica.