Pura Vida Experience

Costa Rica in nine days, moving from volcano country to the Caribbean coast to the Pacific surf town of Tamarindo. It's a good mix for anyone wanting jungle, wildlife and beach without picking just one.

Time around Arenal Volcano gives you the rainforest side of things, while Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean coast is where the wildlife-watching gets serious — this is boat-and-canal territory, reached by water rather than road. From there you head west to Tamarindo, one of the country's better-known surf beaches, for a slower few days by the sea.

Rated easy and partially guided, with family and group departures including over Christmas and New Year, so it suits people wanting a manageable pace rather than a packed itinerary.

What you'll do

• Spend time in the rainforest at the base of Arenal Volcano
• Travel the waterways of Tortuguero National Park to spot wildlife
• Get a look at Caribbean-side Costa Rican culture in Tortuguero
• Unwind on the beach at Tamarindo, a well-known Pacific surf spot
• Option to try surfing at Tamarindo