Costa Rica’s Popularity as Superyacht Destination Rising

Costa Rica is becoming one of the hottest new superyacht destinations on the planet. In Costa Rica, turquoise seas and sugar-white beaches give way to a lush interior of smouldering volcanoes and steamy cloud forests, where inquisitive white-faced monkeys swing through the trees and jaguars stalk silently along the forest floor.

Offshore, tropical islands are scattered like lush gems in a clear emerald sea, ringed by coral reefs that are home to an explosion of marine life so astonishing that it’s often likened to the nearby Galapagos Islands.

Along the central coast, Pacific breakers roll in on soft white sands and lively resort towns cater to an eclectic mix of American celebrities, dreadlocked surfers, and laid-back yoga retreats under the coconut palms.

As you float deeper south, you come to the pristine and secluded Osa Peninsula, home of the elusive tapirs and launching point for some of the best diving, surfing and sportfishing in the Americas.

A yacht charter in Costa Rica allows you to venture into one of the world’s wild places, where vast national parks shelter one of the greatest displays of biodiversity on earth.

Yet for all its breathtaking wilderness, Costa Rica is a place of decadent luxury too, its coasts and jungles dotted with swanky eco resorts promising day spas and fine dining, and new world-class superyacht marinas luring the jet-set to Costa Rica’s glittering shores.

Pacific Beach Bliss

On your Costa Rica yacht charter you can snorkel coral reefs in gin-clear waters, and float through caves to hidden bays on the stunning Papagayo Peninsula.

Horseback ride along the shore of Manuel Antonio National Park, howler monkeys cheering you on from the palms, or watch from your yacht as manta rays launch out of the water, their white bellies shining in the sun before their giant wingspans slap down on the glittering sea.

In Costa Rica, surf one of the world’s top breaks at Nosara or Pavones, dive with humpback whales and hammerheads off Isla del Cano, or cast a line in one of the world’s best sportfishing grounds off Playa Herradura and Golfito.

For a dining experience you’ll never forget, your yacht crew can set up a luxury beach barbecue on a secluded cove, lanterns glowing all around as night falls over the Pacific, galaxies of stars shining in the clear skies.

In Zancudo in the deep south, the bioluminescence in the water glows so bright that you can paddle your yacht’s kayak through it, the oars tracing sparkling constellations though the dark sea.

The Wild Side of Life

In Costa Rica’s tropical interior, easily accessed from your yacht, you might hike giant volcanoes and jump from high cliffs into deep forest pools. Visit coffee plantations in the lush highlands, or sink into a blissful massage and hot spring on the slopes of the Arenal volcano.

Go white-water rafting along Pacuare River through churning maelstroms of froth and boulders before emerging onto glassy calm water, the roar of the rapids soon swallowed by birdsong and the soft splash of paddles as you continue downriver through the jungle.

Stroll along forest paths where orchids bloom vividly in the rainforest gloom, strangler figs wind their way to the sky in a beautiful deathly embrace, and mighty waterfalls flow with the sound of thunder, spray drifting through the trees. Toucans and scarlet macaws flash past in a sudden riot of color and noise, and clouds of electric blue butterflies fill the air with soft wingbeats.

In the secluded and desperately beautiful Osa Peninsula near Golfito Marina, rare tapirs sleep in jungle clearings in Corovedo National Park, their bodies looking like baby rhinos with long protuberant snouts.

Anteaters shuffle in the loamy earth, white-faced monkeys lead the deafening forest chorus, and purple-throated hummingbirds hover over flowers, their tiny wings beating so fast that they blur.

Sloths sleep in the trees, their long toes curled around the branches, and if you’re lucky, you’ll spot a shy jaguar, its orange and black spots hiding in the shadows.

A Costa Rica yacht charter is like living inside a National Geographic adventure, and nature lovers will find their paradise here.

Take a Quick Dip in the Caribbean

The Caribbean coast of Costa Rica is less developed for yacht charters and the high-end lifestyle, but that doesn’t mean you can’t experience its breathtaking beaches and national parks if you’re chartering on the Pacific coast.

Previously, guests had to face the gruelling six-hour car journey to travel from coast to coast. But now they can take a day-long scenic helicopter trip from San Jose across Costa Rica’s rugged interior to the Caribbean coast.

Fly above some of the country’s 112 volcanoes, towering waterfalls and crater lagoons high in the mountains. Touch down on the Caribbean coast, where you can explore the simply extraordinary Tortuegara National Park and swim in the Caribbean before returning to your yacht on the Pacific coast in time for sunset canapés and cocktails on deck.

World-Class Superyacht Marinas

There is no better way to explore Costa Rica than by private yacht, allowing you to skip the often- poor local roads and instead float in tranquil splendour along the Pacific coast.

The increasing number of yachts discovering Costa Rica’s many treasures has led to a recent flurry of marina building and expansions, with four marinas now spaced along the Pacific, from the acclaimed IYG Papagayo Marina in the north to the newly opened Golfito Marina in the south.

When it opened on March 1, 2017, Golfito Marina became the largest capacity superyacht marina in the Central American Pacific, with berths for 5 yachts over 106m. This protected marina tucked away in the deepwater fjord of Golfe Duce looks set to transform the yachting landscape in Costa Rica, providing easy access to the stunning Osa Peninsula and the superb diving, sportfishing and surfing grounds of the south.

Additionally, Golfito is the ideal spot to cross into Panama and transit the canal before journeying up the beautiful Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.

A yacht charter in Costa Rica is to experience our wild planet in all its glory, with a big dash of superyacht luxury on the side. Sure, it may not be a place to go if your holidays require frequent shopping trips to Chanel and dazzling society parties, but it is pure, unadulterated bliss for those who appreciate epic diving, eco-luxury, and landscapes straight out of Jurassic Park.

A Costa Rica yacht charter is the ultimate in wild, glamorous cruising. To find out more about living the Pura Vida with a yachting adventure in Costa Rica, contact the team at Denison Yachting today.