Something that I really love about Liberia is its close proximity to many different attractions. Liberia itself is a rural city with a mix of horses, bulls, shopping, and restaurants. It has a lot of personality, from old colonial architecture and traditions to modern structures and transportation options that make it easy to get to a bunch of incredible places in no time.
Less than an hour-long bus ride later, and you’re in a totally different environment. In one direction, there is a stunning waterfall that you can actually swim in, called Llanos de Cortés. In another direction, there is an active volcano called Rincón de la Vieja, where you can hike to two more beautiful waterfalls, Catarata La Cangreja and Cataratas Escondidas.
There are lots of gorgeous beaches and national parks 30 minutes to an hour away.
Going a bit further, but still less than two hours away, is an incredible stretch of coast with even more glistening beaches: Playa Potrero, Playa Flamingo, Playa Brasilito, and Playa Conchal. This area is my favorite thus far because despite their proximity, each beach is drastically different than the others and has something unique to offer. Being that they are so close to one another, it’s possible to visit all four in one or two days. Also, a couple hours away are some fantastic opportunities to see wildlife in action at Monteverde, Lake Arenal, Parque Nacional Santa Rosa, and Parque Nacional Guanacaste.
Not only is Liberia a really unique and fun place to visit, but transportation options here make it super easy to explore lots of other amazing areas of Costa Rica!
This blog was contributed by Haley, who is an English teacher at Instituto Estelar Bilingüe in Liberia, Costa Rica.