🚙🌴 Pacific Coast- Costa Rica
Rooftop Camping Across Costa Rica – Howler Monkeys, Ocean Dips & Family Memories
If you’d told us a year ago we’d be sleeping in a rooftop tent, brushing our teeth next to iguanas, and waking up to howler monkeys screaming from the treetops—we probably would’ve laughed.
Fast forward, and here we are— just finished one of the most unforgettable adventures yet: road-tripping and camping our way along Costa Rica’s wild Pacific coast in a 4x4 truck.
It was wild. It was beautiful. It was a little sweaty. And it was absolutely worth every minute.
🏕️ Life on the Road (With a Tent on the Roof)
Our little rooftop tent setup became home for 10 days. It popped up with ease, had a pretty comfy mattress, and gave us front-row seats to the jungle every single morning.
We parked up wherever we fancied—beaches, jungle roads, riversides, even a few places that made us say, “Is this legal?” (probably). It felt like proper freedom: no schedule, no bookings, just vibes and Google Maps.
Freedom!
🐒 Wildlife Galore & Wake-Up Calls from the Canopy
If you’ve never been woken up by a howler monkey before—imagine a dinosaur gargling a trumpet. It’s the loudest alarm clock you didn’t ask for… but strangely, you get used to it.
Costa Rica blew us away with its wildlife. On this trip we spotted:
🐸 Frogs (including one that hopped into our cooking pot)
🐊 Crocodiles (from a very safe distance, thank you)
🐒 Howler and capuchin monkeys
🦥 Sloths just chilling in the treetops like pros
🦜 Macaws, toucans and hummingbirds
🐠 Stingrays, tropical fish, and even a cheeky octopus while snorkelling
Every day felt like a documentary, we loved it! Check out our Youtube Video- Camping in Costa Rica| What You Need To Know!
💦 Waterfalls, Hot Springs & Jungle Dips
We didn’t just drive and camp—we packed the trip with adventures. Some of our highlights:
🌊 Waterfalls galore, where we swam in crystal-clear pools and cooled off after jungle hikes
🔥 Hot springs surrounded by thick green canopy (pure bliss after a long day on the road)
🌴 Blue rivers that looked like something out of a fairytale
🦥 Sloth spotting in the trees
🎣 Fishing from riverbanks and beach shores
🏄♂️ Surfing warm waves along the coastline
🤿 Snorkelling in turquoise waters (Tilly’s personal fave)
🛶 Crocodile watching (no swimming there obviously...)
We crammed a lot into 10 days, and somehow still found time to relax, snorkel and have a sunset swim most evenings.
💛 Sunrise Swims & Al Fresco Life
Our mornings usually started around 5am (thanks again, howler monkeys), followed by a quick roll down the ladder and straight into the sea. We swam at sunrise and sunset, cooked meals outdoors, and lived life without watching the clock.
Tilly was in her element—swimming in the ocean, snorkelling with stingray, collecting shells, and roasting marshmallows like a pro. At night we’d lie down in the tent listening to the crashing waves (not always as relaxing as you may think- you may need earplugs if close to the coast 😅). We liked to sit and listen to the jungle noises (and debate whether that was a monkey or a frog… or something else entirely).
💸 Worth Every Penny (Even With a Budget Wiggle)
Costa Rica isn’t exactly backpacker-budget friendly, especially when you’re travelling as a family. We did score a deal with the 4x4 rental company in exchange for a promotional video and some social media posts, but food, fuel, snacks, and all the fun stuff still added up quickly- lets put this politely we annihilated our monthly budget.
Still, this trip gave us more than just memories—it gave us time to really connect, laugh, and live a little differently. That is priceless!
📹 Want to See What We Got Up To?
We captured loads of our adventure on video—from the steamy jungle hikes to surfing fails (and wins), close-up sloth sightings, waterfall trips, hot spring dips, and rooftop tent life.
👉 Check out our Costa Rica series on YouTube to see the full journey, day by day!
We share tips, funny moments, and all the chaos and calm that comes with travelling full-time as a family.
🎒 Tips if You’re Thinking of Doing It Too
💵 Bring cash – Many campsites don’t take cards.
🔦 Take a good torch – Jungle nights = pitch black.
🔋 Charge your devices whenever you can – Power isn’t always available.
🔥 Bring a lighter and marshmallows – Campfire joy!
👙 Plenty of swimwear – You’ll live in it.
🥽 Snorkel gear – So worth it.
📚 A good book – For quiet nights and lazy mornings.
🧴 Suncream + hats – The sun here is intense.
💧 Lots of water – Stay hydrated!
🎲 Uno – Ultimate family camping essential.
🧘♀️ A laid-back attitude – Things don’t always go to plan… and that’s okay.
🌺 Final Thoughts
If you’re dreaming of doing something different as a family—this is your nudge. Rooftop camping through Costa Rica gave us freedom, wild beauty, family connection, and so many stories we’ll be telling for years.
It’s not the cheapest or easiest way to travel—but it’s one of the most rewarding. Also, it worked out a lot cheaper than renting an air bnb and a hire car combined so win win!
We’d do it all again in a heartbeat. Maybe next time… we will take our a bank loan!
