Top Puntarenas Attractions & Museums

Encounter the best of Costa Rica's wildlife, cuisine, and famous natural beauty on a combo shore excursion from Puntarenas. Watch adorable white-faced monkeys playing in the trees, and spot crocs and birdlife on a pontoon cruise down the Tarcoles River. Learn the history of the bustling Puntarenas port, and indulge your taste buds with locally grown fruit fresh from the farm, a typical lunch at a local restaurant, and a chance to buy authentic Costa Rican coffee.

Discover Costa Rica's enchanting Pacific rain forest from the air and water on this combo shore excursion from Puntarenas. Walk through the treetops on a series of hanging bridges at a private biological reserve, and then cruise down the Tarcoles River, home to a famous community of crocodiles. In between the eco adventures, enjoy time to shop and snack at a quaint replica of a Spanish colonial settlement.

Check out the nocturnal wildlife in Santa Elena Reserve in Monteverde with this small group night walk tour. You’ll keep costs down by booking in a group, but still have an intimate experience (max 8 passengers). You’ll be given a flashlight to spot the nightlife, and a guide to show you the way. Tour for around two hours, and the rest of the night is free.

Extending across eight distinct biological zones, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is home to more than thousands of species of plants and animals. Look toward the top of the giant trees where more than 500 species of birds live. The most popular birds in this region are the elusive queztal and the three-wattled bellbird. Discover the flora and fauna, including jaguars, toucanets, pumas, monkeys and the red-eyed tree frogs that have come to serve as the poster-animal for Costa Rica. There are also 420 species of orchids and 200 species of ferns. When exploring the forest you will be sure to encounter a variety of these spectacular wildlife. You might even catch a glimpse at the golden toad, a toad species only known to exist here in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, it was last sighted in 1989. Step foot on the Continental Divide, where one foot will be on the Caribbean side and other on the Pacific side. With views of both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

Maximize your port day in Puntarenas with this jam-packed combo tour that introduces you to the best of the Gulf of Nicoya. Drive through the Costa Rican countryside to a nature reserve, explore the rain forest canopy on hanging bridges, and spot crocs on a cruise down the Tarcoles River. Check out local culture with shopping stops at a replica Spanish Village and fun souvenir store, and finish with a city sightseeing tour.

Get your heart racing on this cloud forest adventure on a private reserve in Monteverde. Ride ziplines over the forest canopy, rappel down to the forest floor, climb inside of a tree, and more, for a family-friendly excursion that brings you closer to nature.

Exchange the sun and surf for for a high-flying adventure in the misty Monteverde Cloud Forest on this full-day combo tour. Fly through the forest canopy on a 15-cable zipline course featuring a gravity-defying Superman cable and a Tarzan swing, and slow down for a closer look at Monteverde's rich biodiversity while walking through the tree tops along a series of hanging bridges. In between adventures, replenish your energy with a typical Costa Rican lunch.

Spend a day exploring Costa Rica’s beauty away from the beach on this guided shore excursion from Punta Arenas. Head out with a guide and a small group of 15 people or fewer to discover the region’s highlights, including the tropical fruits grown in nearby “fruit towns,” a wildlife area known for its population of white-faced monkeys, and a sail down the lush Tarcoles River. Tour includes entrance fees and all transportation with port or hotel pickup and drop-off.