Costa Rica has been included among 25 of the world’s best destinations for people traveling alone in a 2026 selection by Travel + Leisure, which highlighted the mix of outdoor adventure, beaches and places where visitors can slow down between activities. The list, published June 11, describes Costa Rica as particularly well suited to adventurous solo travelers.
Among the experiences singled out are whitewater rafting on the Reventazón River, ziplining through rainforest, waterfall rappelling and hiking around Arenal Volcano National Park. Travel + Leisure also points to the hot springs around Arenal as an option for travelers looking for a quieter break and highlights Pacific beaches near Manuel Antonio as popular choices for women traveling alone.
Costa Rica was one of 25 countries selected for the list alongside destinations including Thailand, Albania, Germany, Vietnam, Iceland, Japan and Denmark. The publication did not present the countries as a numbered ranking, meaning Costa Rica was included among the recommended destinations rather than assigned a specific position.
The recognition fits Costa Rica’s long-established tourism pitch: a relatively small country where travelers can move between volcanoes, rainforests and beaches while choosing from activities ranging from wildlife watching and hiking to surfing and rafting.
For solo visitors, that variety can be especially attractive because many of the country’s most popular activities are offered as guided day trips. Destinations such as La Fortuna and Manuel Antonio also have well-developed tourism infrastructure, allowing travelers to arrange excursions without necessarily traveling as part of a larger group.
The international recognition comes during a mixed year for Costa Rica tourism. During the first half of 2026, Costa Rica received 1.73 million international visitors through all entry points, up 7% from the same period in 2025. Air arrivals reached 1.61 million, an increase of 7.8%, according to figures from the Costa Rican Tourism Institute. The United States remained by far the country’s largest source market, sending 966,661 air travelers during the six-month period.
June, however, interrupted the upward trend. Air arrivals fell 1.2% from a year earlier, from 217,120 visitors in June 2025 to 214,518 in June 2026. Tourism officials attributed the decline to several factors, including geopolitical uncertainty, higher aviation fuel prices and travel surrounding the World Cup.
That makes international endorsements particularly useful as Costa Rica competes for travelers in an increasingly crowded tourism market. For people considering visiting alone, Costa Rica offers plenty of advantages, but solo travel still requires the usual precautions. Travelers should pay attention to transportation arrangements, avoid leaving valuables unattended on beaches or in vehicles and use additional caution when moving alone at night, particularly in unfamiliar areas.
Travel + Leisure’s selection ultimately focuses less on traveling alone as an end in itself than on destinations where travelers have enough activities and flexibility to build a trip around their own interests. On that measure, Costa Rica remains firmly in the international conversation.
