Are you going to Costa Rica for the first time? Yay! Now it’s planning time to make sure your trip is as amazing as you’ve hoped for. (You can check out our Costa Rica trip planning timeline to help you get organized).
Although there is a lot of information about Costa Rica on the web, there is there is still so much misinformation out there. This is one of the reasons why we started the blog. Yeison, my other half and the other brain behind this blog is Costa Rican so we wanted to give our tips with his local flair to help as many people have a fun and stress free time in Costa Rica.
In order to help clear up some of the confusion and mumbo-jumbo that’s out there on the web, here are 17 things to know about Costa Rica before you visit.
*This post was updated April 2020* **Please check out Costa Rica COVID-19 for latest information.**
1. Costa Rica is not as cheap people think
This is one of the most important things to know about Costa Rica. Many people assume that Central America automatically equals cheap travel. Nope.This is the biggest common misconception about Costa Rica. Yes, its northern neighbor, Nicaragua is dirt cheap but it’s is also one of the poorest countries in Latin America so you can stretch your money very far there.
So it’s no wonder that tourists who didn’t research properly get a nasty surprised when they find out tours can easily cost $100 USD, food can be the same price as Canada/USA/Europe and gas is nearly twice as much as the USA. Without careful planning and budgeting, you can blow through hundreds of dollars fairly quickly.
But we can help! Read about the cost of Costa Rica in these posts to help you stay within your budget because it IS possible to travel in Costa Rica on a budget.
- Cost of traveling in Costa Rica: See how much food, transportation, tours, hotels and souvenirs cost.
- Save money in Costa Rica: Our local insider tips for saving money traveling in Costa Rica.
- Cheap things to do in Costa Rica: Activities under $20 USD.
- 1 week Costa Rica budget: See how much 3 people spent in Costa Rica for 1 week.
2. Costa Rica is a small country but it takes longer than it seems to get around
Costa Rica is a little smaller than West Virginia and Denmark so it’s easy to think you can road trip the whole country in a week. Technically you can, but trust me, that wouldn’t be very fun!
This is because the roads in Costa Rica are never as the crows fly. They do have highways and paved roads but they usually have only one lane. Unfortunately, all the big trailer trucks drive on the same roads causing a lot of traffic and congestion. Additionally, there isn’t one main highway with a nicely paved road that goes all along the coast of the country.
For example, Tamarindo to San Jose is 259 kilometers or 161 miles and it takes us 4 hours driving on a good day with no traffic. But there have been times when it has taken us much more! The longest was 10 hours due to an accident that blocked both lanes since there was only one lane per direction. Many people when planning their itinerary try to stuff as many places as possible but think about it. Do you really want to be driving 3-5 hours every 2 days and not have enough time to truly get to relax and enjoy? You’ll be more tired from driving than anything!
This is one of the mistakes to avoid when traveling in Costa Rica. Don’t try to drive everywhere in a short trip. Don’t try to go everywhere! In Costa Rica, it’s best to take it slow and enjoy the scenery. Don’t need a vacation from your vacation. For a one week trip it’s best to choose 2 destinations or pick a home base and do day trips. Plan smart, travel easy.
3. Tap water is safe to drink in Costa Rica
In the cities and most touristic destinations, you can indeed drink the tap water. Hotels will indicate whether the water is safe and tour guides will let you know which faucets to use. We love the tap water in Monteverde, that mountain water is delicious!
Though tap water is generally safe to drink (avoid in rural areas and always ask your hotel), I still recommend bringing a filter if you’re sensitive. You can also help the environment by bringing an insulated water bottle and filters instead of buying bottled water.
Read more about drinking tap water in Costa Rica.
4. Dengue, not malaria is the main disease from mosquitoes in Costa Rica
The mosquito borne disease travelers should concern themselves with in Costa Rica is dengue fever, not malaria. As it turns out, Costa Rica has been leading Central America with the most reported cases of dengue. There were over 22,000 reported cases in 2016 but the lowest number of cases (5561) in 2017 and 2735 cases in 2018.
It’s a huge misconception that Costa Rica is rampant with Malaria and Zika. In fact, Costa Rica has had a 90% reduction in Malaria cases between 2000 and 2010. As for Zika, there have been 2,000 cases in 2017 nearly all from local citizens, not tourists. In 2018, there were 431 cases of Zika, mostly in remote jungle areas. Mosquitoes are in Costa Rica year round and are worse in rainy season (they breed in stagnant water) so protect yourself!
Read our tips for protecting yourself against mosquitoes in Costa Rica.
Extra travel safety tip: Make sure to purchase travel insurance just in case you do catch something! You can read more about Costa Rica travel insurance in this post.
5. Costa Rica gets cold but it doesn’t snow
Costa Rica experiences typical tropical weather but it has many micro-climates. It doesn’t snow but it does get quite cold in some areas due to the elevation and the ecosystems. It gets chilly when you’re up 3,000 meters (almost 10,000 feet) in the clouds! You can read more about Costa Rica weather in this post.
Some of the colder areas are Monteverde, Poas, Vara Blanca, San Isidro de Perez Zeledon, Chirripo and San Gerardo de Dota. Temperatures in those areas can get down to a windy and chilly 60s Fahrenheit (15 C) at night. The coasts stay nice and hot, mostly in the 80s and 90s (27 – 32 C) and high humidity.
Make sure to research the area you are visiting so you come prepared. For packing tips, check out our Costa Rica packing list to see what you need to bring for different activities and destinations.
6. US dollars are readily accepted and are the standard currency in tourism
Hotels and tour companies quote their prices in USD in Costa Rica. This is because for many years, tourists to Costa Rica were mainly from the USA. Additionally, Costa Ricans can have bank accounts in USD as mortgages and car payments are quoted in USD. US dollars have become the standard currency in tourism.
So when you’re trying to get your money together, don’t stress too much about exchanging it all beforehand as it’s not 100% necessary if you live in the USA. USD is accepted in pretty much every touristic destination.The best place to exchange currency is at the bank, not at the airport exchange rate booth.
If you are Canadian however, it will be better for you to have Costa Rican currency due to the Canadian dollar and USD exchange rate. Ask the hotels or tour companies if you can pay in colones instead and how much the exchange would be. Canadian dollars and other currencies are not accepted in Costa Rica, only USD.
Also make sure you check what the exchange rate is. Since the exchange rate is around 565 CRC to 1 USD, some places may try to stiff you by using a 500 to 1 rate and you will lose out a bit. The exchange rate changes daily so always ask if you are paying in USD.
Read more about handling money in Costa Rica.
Tip for exchanging currency: supermarkets accept USD and if you pay in USD, they will give you your change back in Costa Rican colones. Easy way to exchange money without having to go to the bank. The supermarket should have a sign of the exchange rate for the day near the front or by the cashier.
7. You can still visit Costa Rica in rainy season and have a great time!
Summer or dry season in Costa Rica has the best weather. Thanks to the sunny days, it is also our high tourism season because everyone wants to escape the winter up north and soak in the sun. From January to April, it’s hot, sunny, dry and beautiful. On the other hand, rainy season is equally as wonderful but many people are scared to visit Costa Rica during this time because they want to avoid the rain. However, it’s really not that bad!
Here are some other things to know about why it’s actually awesome to visit Costa Rica in rainy season.
- Rainy season is also Costa Rica’s low season. This means less tourists!
- Prices for hotels and tours go down quite a bit. It’s the best time to travel cheap in Costa Rica.
- A typical rainy season day is sunny and hot in the morning, cloudy in the afternoon and rainy in the evening/night.
- Rainy season is the best time to see certain wildlife like whales and turtles.
If you’re not sure, here are 6 more reasons why you should visit Costa Rica in rainy season. In my experience, I love rainy season in Costa Rica. Less crowds, not as hot, more wildlife and it’s cheaper!
Costa Rica’s rainy season is around beginning of May to end of Nov/beginning of December. The rainiest months for most of Costa Rica is September and October and November and June for the Caribbean. You do need to pack and research more for rainy season though. Check out our Costa Rica rainy season packing list for tips.
8. Sloths aren’t everywhere (sorry)
As much as I hate to break it to you, sloths aren’t everywhere. I know Costa Rica markets their cuddly sloths so much it seems that the roads are crawling with them but it’s not true. Sloths, being the masters of camouflage, are normally very difficult to see without a guide or trained eye.
Sloths are found in almost all of Costa Rica but are very hard to see in some places than others. For example, it is incredibly difficult to see one in Guanacaste due to the extremely dry climate. Head down to the humid South Pacific or the Caribbean and sloths are much more common.
One of the main “complaints” I’ve heard from visitors is that they didn’t see a sloth. I asked them where they were in Costa Rica and many of them were at the Pacific coast or in the city where sloths don’t live. If you really want to see a sloth, then you need to go to where they live! Find out where are the best places to see sloths in Costa Rica in our guide.
To make sure you see a sloth, hire a guide. They have trained eyes and normally have binoculars or telescopes to find them!
9. Police can stop and ask for your papers at any time
In Costa Rica, police are legally allowed to stop any car and ask for papers. Always have a color copy of your passport and photo of your tourist stamp with you. Remember that to legally drive in Costa Rica as a tourist, you need to have your original passport (not a color copy), your original driver’s license and a valid tourist stamp with you.
If a police stops you, they’ll ask you for your passport, ask you where you’re going and then send you on your way. Most of the time they don’t ask anything else and many of them speak a degree of English.
Also something else to note is that the police in Costa Rica are generally very nice. They don’t have a “shoot first ask later” mentality here.
10. Wi-Fi is readily available…
…at hotels. It is common for hotels to offer free Wi-Fi and many of them have it available throughout the whole property. Some hotels may only have it in reception but it is free.
However, it’s hard to find open Wi-Fi in public places. It’s not like NYC where you can find a Starbucks and use the free Wi-Fi. If you see a restaurant with a secure Wi-Fi connection, you can ask them for the password. I’ve found most places are OK with giving it out as long as you are a customer.
If you always want Internet during your time in Costa Rica, we highly recommend getting a prepaid SIM card for your phone. Find out how to get a prepaid SIM card in Costa Rica. Car rentals also have Wi-Fi hot spots for rent so you can always stay connected.
Travel tip: The way SIM cards work is you will take out the existing SIM card in your smartphone you use at home and put in the Costa Rican one. Now your phone will be on the Costa Rican network so you can make local calls and texts in Costa Rica and be able to go on the Internet. Your phone number from home will NOT work anymore. A prepaid sim card will subtract the credit used (from calls/texts/internet) from your balance accordingly. When your balance is low, you can add more credit to it.
11. Tip is not absolutely mandatory in Costa Rica
This is something important to know about Costa Rica. Tipping is not absolutely mandatory in Costa Rica. This is because tip, or service tax, is already included so Costa Ricans don’t tip extra. However, if you would like to tip your guide, driver, hotel maid, etc. you may do so and it is well appreciated, especially for those who work in tourism.
The standard amount to tip in Costa Rica is 10% and you can tip in Costa Rican colones or USD.
Read more about tipping in Costa Rica in this post.
12. Drive defensively in Costa Rica!
People are always surprised by the driving in Costa Rica and it’s something I warn people about when they are renting a car in Costa Rica.
One of my friends was so taken aback that she asked me why the driving is so crazy if it’s supposed to be pura vida? She was shocked and she lives in Seattle. And it is true, the driving in Costa Rica can be a bit messy!
Simply stated, if you’re not used to this kind of driving, be very careful and always drive defensively, especially in San Jose. You will probably get cut off and tailgated. There’s a good chance you’ll see cars jump the line, not heed stop signs or traffic lights and not use blinkers. Of course not all Costa Ricans drive this way but generally, their driving culture is not very organized and the infrastructure is not the best. Once you get out to the rural areas, it’s much more relaxed since there are less cars but you still need to drive defensively because there are always people, dogs, chickens, cows and other things in the middle of the road due to lack of sidewalks and street lights.
13. San Jose’s not as bad as people make it out to be…
…for a couple days. I’ll be honest, we don’t loooove San Jose. For a capital city, it’s not that aesthetically pleasing. However, it does have some hidden gems and all it takes is a day or two to get to know San Jose. You can find some of the best restaurants and craft beer in San Jose!
Then there are the cultural treasures: the National Theater and museums. Any history lover will want to stop by the city as there are few museums of this quality anywhere else in the country.
So when it comes down to it, San Jose really isn’t as bad as people make it out to be for 1 or 2 days. And honestly, it is the best place to experience Costa Rican life since over 1 million Ticos live and work in the capital city (out of a population of nearly 5 million). Although we don’t highly recommend it, we know many visitors who use San Jose as their home base and take day trips from there. San Jose is centrally located so you can see many beautiful places on a day excursion.
Have a few days in San Jose? Check out our San Jose, Costa Rica travel guide for the best things to do or our San Jose day trips post. You can even get our San Jose tours discount to save some money!
14. English is widely spoken but not all Costa Ricans speak English
People assume that because Costa Rica is a touristic country and that there are so many North Americans here, that all the locals know English. Though many Costa Ricans know a degree of English, not all of them do. The Costa Ricans with higher education and who work in tourism or call centers are fluent in English.
The bottom line is don’t assume that all Costa Ricans know English. As foreigner tourists, it’ll be helpful to learn a bit of Spanish, at least the basic words. You can download our handy Costa Rica Spanish cheat sheet and learn some important words and phrases. We always learn how to say the basics like hello and thank you in the language of the country we’re visiting to be polite and not be *that* tourist.
So make sure to practice and brush up on your Spanish! It’s one of the “do’s of Costa Rica”.
15. It gets dark by 6 PM everyday in Costa Rica
As Costa Rica is only 8-12 degrees from the equator being a tropical country, it doesn’t do Daylight Savings Time nor have big changes in sunset/sunrise.
The sun rises at 6 AM and sets by 6 PM everyday throughout the year and country. It changes only about 15 minutes throughout the year.
So make sure when you are planning your trip to know that it gets dark by 6 PM everyday! (Our personal tips: we don’t recommend to drive long distances after dark or to walk on the beach or streets at sunrise or after sunset).
16. Costa Rica doesn’t have much in common with Mexico
For some reason, many foreigners think Costa Rica is like Mexico. But Costa Rica and Mexico are completely different!
Costa Rican food isn’t like Mexican food at all and even the Spanish is different. In Costa Rica, they don’t say andale andale or anything like that. They are two completely different countries with their own cultures, traditions and customs.
So when you visit Costa Rica, don’t crack any jokes about Costa Rica being Mexico or Costa Ricans as Mexicans. It’s one of the points about being a responsible traveler and as guests in a country, we can be respectful.
PS. Costa Rica is not Puerto Rico either. For some reason lots of people get these two mixed up!
17. Costa Rica doesn’t have a military and theft is the most common crime against tourists
Did you know that Costa Rica is one of 23 countries in the world with no military? There is only the police force, the OIJ and GAO (like a swat). Costa Rica is a safe country in Latin America for traveling, especially families.
The most common crime in Costa Rica is theft: car/house break ins and pick pockets. To prevent this, a lot of it is common sense for tourists. Don’t hang your purse on the back of your chair, don’t put your backpack in the overhead compartment of the bus, don’t leave your wallet on the dashboard of your car.
So when you’re traveling in Costa Rica, make sure to always lock the door, roll up the windows, have one person stay with your stuff at all times and don’t leave any valuables visible in the car. Don’t park in remote, dark areas. Use your common sense and be more alert and aware.
You can read more Costa Rica safety tips here and our Costa Rica tourist scams.
Read more Costa Rica travel tips below!
Types of accommodation in Costa Rica
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Nat says
My boyfriend and I are headed to Costa Rica this upcoming July. Place we are planning to visit include: Monteverde, La fortuna, Playa hermosa, and Tamarindo. Do you recommend a 4X4 car for this trip?
Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Nat, for Monteverde it is recommended to have a higher car, especially in rainy season. A 4×4 is not a must but a higher car or 4wd is usually fine.
Emily says
Great info!
I am leaving the country Jan. 2020 and have been looking for a good place to start my journey. I think I have decided on starting in Costa Rica.
Your post has really helped me with some questions I’ve had about Costa Rica.
Thank you,
Em
Sissel says
Thank you very much for all this great information we are looking so much forward to our one month trip from cold Norway in January. We will visit osa the tree first weeks, 2 weeks at bosquelcabo and one week at the beach, Punta preciosa before we visit leaves and lizards near bye vulkano and hot springs with horses.
Suzanne says
I have been loving all your tips about Costa Rica and looking forward to coming later this month. I can’t find any useful info about drinks. I understand that it’s a good idea to bring spirits but what about wine? Is it really expensive? Is it Ok to drink? I don’t want to spend $15 per bottle…..
Sammi says
Hi Suzanne! So wine is pretty expensive here if you want to get a nice bottle… Costa Rica does have their own wine but it’s box wine and around $6 a box. If you want nice wine, like from Italy or Chile, it can get expensive. If you want reallllly nice wine, it can get up to $100 but you can find wine of all qualities and prices.
GSE Solutions says
I have just found this site and is really helpful, it is great you have included some basic Spanish words as well, thank you!
Sammi says
You don’t need a specific stamp to drive a car, you just need the normal tourist stamp you will get when you go through immigration. How long the visa lasts will depend on your passport, you can read the immigration and customs requirements for each country here: Costa Rica entry requirements
It is better to use a GPS device, Waze the GPS app works best in Costa Rica.
Jacqueline says
Where do we get the tourist stamp to drive a car in Costa Rica?
How long is the stamp good for? If were driving, should we to use a map or is it better to use GPS?
Jasmine Aguayo says
Hello!
Thank you SO much for this! It is so helpful and I cannot wait to read everything else you have on Costa Rica! I am planning on visiting in late July, and we are going to be staying in Tamarindo! Any recommendations or do you suggest we stay somewhere else?
Thank so much!
Sammi says
Hi Jasmine! You are very welcome. We have written several articles about Tamarindo you can read here: Things to do in Tamarindo and Tamarindo Costa Rica
Ting-Ting says
Hi Sammi!
Before anything, I want to give a huge thanks to you for making this website and being so helpful anyone that’s planning to visit Costa Rica. It’s real rare to see videos of driving on the actual road. Your advises are thoroughly explained and it’s just heart warming to know that someone out there is looking out for first time traveler like me.
My boyfriend and I are going to Costa Rica the first week of April. We’re going for ten days and are hopping from San Jose to Manuel Antonio National Park, La Fortuna, and finally the coast for beautiful beaches. As for La Fortuna, I’ve noticed that both the Waterfall and Arenal closes at 4pm. What do you recommend for activities after 4pm? Also, which beach do you recommend going first?
Sammi says
Hi Ting Ting, I’m glad that the blog has been helpful for your trip planning! If you want to hike, I recommend going to the Arenal 1968 private reserve which is right next to the national park but it closes at 6 PM. This is a really nice reserve with hiking trails and great view points. You can read about it here: Arenal 1968
And of course you have to visit the hot springs which this area is famous for. There are several in Arenal and best to go at night when the temperature is cooler so you can enjoy the hot water more. You can read more about them here: Best Arenal hot springs
As for beaches, which coast will you be going to? Guanacaste coast or the Central/South Pacific coast?
Colleen Corbett says
This is so helpful! I can’t wait to read all your posts before my trip in April
Sammi says
Hi Colleen, glad it’s helpful!
Kenda says
Your whole site has been so helpful for my sister and I, who are planning a 2 week trip in February. I’ve soaked up all your advice and especially value your local knowledge and personal-experience based insights, which I have no doubt are going to be useful to us – Thank you so much!
Sammi says
Hi Kenda! Aw we’re so happy to hear that! Our main goal for Mytanfeet is to help as many people as possible have a safe and fun time in Costa Rica so I’m glad to hear that. If there is any topic you’d like us to cover, please feel free to let us know and we will do our best 🙂
JRM says
Don’t forget to be vigilant if you go to Costa Rica. My friend just returned from there where he was robbed and beaten, and he’s still in the hospital.
From what I gather, this is nothing new as several Americans that I’ve talked to have either been targeted in some way, robbed, or had their stuff stolen from them in during break-ins while they were gone exploring.
You would be better off- or safer- if you considered a different country. I figure it was worth mentioning.
Stacey says
Thanks for the tips! Just returned from CR. Definitely found your info to be true-it takes a very long time to get places. We did not get to do many of the things we wanted. Plus when the Braulio Carrillo park at Volcan Barva did not open on time at 8am, it put us behind and unable to complete the day’s adventure. (We wanted to visit from both entrances but not enough time to drive around before they closed at 3:30. We still had a great visit though!) we did see a sloth but only thanks to a local kind enough to take the time to point it out-would never have seen it otherwise.
Also, it was chilly to cold most of the time. Being from the Gulf Coast of the US we expected temps/climate to be similar. But with the rain and altitude we were never really hot. Very glad we brought rain gear for our hikes!
Great adventure in CR. Just wish we had more time….
Sammi says
Hi Stacey! Yes definitely that’s one of the greatest (and most confusing) thing about Cost Rica is that there are soo many places to go but it’s so hard to get around, even with a car because of times and schedules for places opening, traffic and long drives. Right now is rainy season so it does get pretty cold in the mountains and central Valley. Always best to bring a rain jacket!
Glad you enjoyed CR and hopefully next time you can come back for longer!
Sammi says
Hi Janice, you can read our post for recommendations and ideas for best places to stay: Best places in Costa Rica for first timers
Janice says
Where is the best location to stay.. I am confused with all the different areas.
I want to do the ATV, zip lining, beach and see the volcanos
Sammi says
Hi Chayanne, thanks for your kind words and glad the blog is helpful! I don’t know where your house is in Ojochal but many of the houses in that area are up in the mountains and the road into Ojochal is not paved, so a 4×4 is a good idea especially for that area. A lot of roads in the Costa Ballena up in the mountains are steep and unpaved so they do require a 4×4.
There aren’t many ziplining tours in that area but there is a private reserve, Hacienda Baru near Dominical that has one. We visited it last year and wrote about it here: Hacienda Baru. It’s about 20-30 minutes driving from Ojochal.
There should be taxis in Ojochal but since it’s not a super touristic area, I wouldn’t count on taxis as your main form of transportation. It’s good you’re renting a car because that area is hard to get around without one (you’ll see lots of people hitchhiking). It’s best to have a car, or hire a private driver but that can get expensive. Uber only exists in San Jose.
Have a great time!
Chayanne says
I LOVE your article and have been reading all of the comments. My boyfriend & I are flying in to San Jose & driving to a house we rented in Ojochal. It appears that our house is near “Tortuga Arriba” & “Calle del Bosque”. Would you ancipate this is a tough drive? We plant to rent a 4×4 and have planned on about a 4 hour drive.
Also- is there a zip lining place in Ojochal you can reccomend?
Lastly- is there a taxi service that could pick us up and bring us places? I am from NYC so am expecting big differences.
Thank you for any & all info/help! 🙂
Steven says
Hey everybody,
Thinking about heading to CR in late June/July and maybe staying at Hotel Del Rey or Jaco for some unwinding and debauchery. Im early 30s, speak near fluent spanish and seeing if anyone wants to buddy up just to hang and for safety as most of my friends are married/too broke to go. -Steven. (stevenjames102@yahoo.com)
Jess says
Hi! We are headed to Costa Rica next year! I am just concerned about safety. We plan on renting a car to drive to the house we rented in Avellanas from La fortuna. I have been hearing stories of robberies. I figured common since should be enough but am just worried. Is it safe?
Sammi says
Hi Jess, if you’re talking about safety while renting a car, just make sure to never leave anything in the car, don’t leave a bag or backpack out in the seat even if it’s empty because if a thief sees it, he could try to steal it. We’ve known people who left their bags out right in plain view in the backseats and got their car robbed so make sure never to leave anything in the car. As for houses, it’s fairly safe in Costa Rica and Avellanas is not a very busy area. Always lock up, don’t leave your valuables in sight and close your curtains. Most houses here have gates on windows and doors, so always lock the gates and many places that are rented to tourists have some sort of security system set up so I’d ask the person you’re renting from if there is anything you need to be aware of.
Kemme says
Hi Sammi,
So glad I found your article and these post! I’m planning to travel there for my birthday next month, but also want to visit Panama. I want to experience the culture, food & nightlife of both places…where should I stay in CR to be able to spend time in Panama?
Sammi says
Hi Kemme, Puerto Viejo is the best option. It’s really close to the Panama border and they even offer 1 and 2 day trips to Bocas del Toro so you can take a bus/shuttle to the border and then visit Bocas for a few days.
Florence says
Very interesting article. I may rethink my vacation destination!
Karen Paul says
We are flying into San Jose and renting a car, is it better to take a tour bus to the volcano Poas or is it worth driving ourselves and saving the money? Or which volcano is the best one to visit?
We have 2 days on our own before we have to be at our hotel (Jungle Creek Villa) is it worth staying a night in Jaco or somewhere else before we head to Manuel Ontonio?
Sammi says
You don’t really need to take a tour to the Poas Volcano, the national park isn’t huge and lots of people visit on their own. But if you want a guide and don’t want to drive, then you should take a tour. Poas Volcano is the most popular and it’s not too far from San Jose, plus the trail is very well maintained and they have nice facilities.
Sammi says
I have a bottle of 100% Deet and when I use it, it works like a charm. Granted it’s a lot of chemicals but it really does the job so if you plan to use that, then you should be pretty ok. If you’re really scared or paranoid about getting bit, make sure you’re always wearing long sleeves and pants as that gives the best protection. The mosquitoes in the Guanacaste area are bad, but dengue fever has gone down a lot in the past couple years and it’s quite rare (not impossible) for people to get it, you’d have to be really unlucky. But it seems you are taking the necessary precautions so just make sure always have a bottle handy.
The road to Tenorio Volcano National Park where Rio Celeste is is pretty bad – it is definitely recommended to get a 4×4. If you get stuck, car rental companies have an emergency hotline you can call and they also give you an emergency kit with an extra tire, fire extinguisher and if you get the full insurance, most rental car companies have you covered 100% up to a certain amount, say $5 million.
We have a post about tips for renting a car you can check out here: Costa Rica car rental tips and we also offer a car rental discount here: Costa Rica car rental discount
Jess says
Im going to arenal and going to do the waterfall repeling.
Then from arenal springs hotel to the rio celest hideway then to the beach at the guanacaste.
Im super nervous about dungue. I plan on using 100 deef spray but do u think i have concerns to get this, if so what kind of percentage rate?
This trip will cost be 5000 and im worry i will not be able to enjoy it due to the misquote’s.
Do they bite often if u use the bug spray?
Also will there be so many on the beach that it will be unenjoyable?
Lastly: do i need a 4 by 4 vehicle for the locations im going? I heard that the rio celest hideway has some rocky roads? I then heard it was paved? Unsure what to believe. I did contact the resort but havnt heard back.
Would i be ok with a regular 4 by 2 car? It saves me 300 bucks but i dont want to get stuck! I also plan on paying the extra for insurance and getting fully covered.. So if i did get stuck by a rock or such in the road, would i be reliable? Or would that be covered with the full protection.
Belinda says
We will be doing a tour, just for the relaxing aspect of the trip, but after its completion we want to go to the sloth sanctuary. Is it worth it, and what is our best way to get from San Jose to Cahuita? Are there tours from San Jose to the sanctuary?
Sammi says
There is a bus from San Jose to Puerto Viejo but I actually recommend going to the Jaguar Rescue Center instead. That one is very close to Cahuita.
Sammi says
Hi, if you’re visiting Playa Hermosa next to Jaco, we have a post about things to do in Jaco/Hermosa here: Things to do in Jaco and a things to do in Tamarindo guide here: Things to do in Tamarindo
If you’re staying in Playa Hermosa in Guanacaste, we have a things to do in Playas del Coco which is really close to Hermosa here: day trips from Playas del Coco
Wendy says
Visiting both Playa Hermosa then Tamarindo. What is the best to see and do while in Playa Hermosa then the best to see and do from Tamarindo.
yeison says
Hello Angie, congratulations for your daughter’s wedding, if you are planning to stay I would recommend you to take a boat tour, visit a volcano like the rincon de la vieja and enjoy some waterfalls you can find information about all this activities:
Boating Gulf of Papagayo
Hacienda Guachipelin combo adventure tour
Catarata Llanos de Cortes
There are more things that you can do but all the ones above are not that far, please let us know if you have any questions and if you like to book any of this tours we can help you.
Angie Dahm says
We will be attending our daughter’s wedding in Playa Ocotel in late .April 2017. We want to stay another 4 days after the wedding and explore another part of CR. Any suggestions? We love the outdoors & nature and hiking. Flying in and out of Liberia
Jim says
We could use some advice on getting From Dominical to Sierpe. We want to travel on a Sunday. I expect we can catch a bus from Dominical to Palmar Norte then a cab from there to Sierpe. However a lot of places Sunday is a family day, might we have a problem finding a cab in Palmar Norte? Or should we try to get private transportation from Dominical. Renting a car is not an option as we are going on to Drake bay and then flying out from there. Thanks Jim
Sammi says
Hi Jim, being Sunday doesnt matter for cab drivers, there are taxis all the time especially in touristic areas so you should be able to find one.
Sammi says
If you like culture, I recommend flying into San Jose. There are a handful of museums and cultural sites in the city that are really interesting and the city is really the only place in Costa Rica with that many excellent museums and historical/cultural sites. Then head down to the South Pacific towards Panama. The SOuth Pacific area: Dominical, Uvita and Ojochal are really beautiful and full of nature, here are some things to do in Uvita: Things to do in Uvita and Dominical and here is our San Jose guide: Things to do in San Jose
Ionela says
Hey guys! I’m having difficulties drawing an intinerary. I will have 2-3 weeks to chill in Costa Rica and my plan is to cross into Panama from there. Where do you think I should fly? Liberia and the go south? Or south and then go all around? I’m more in nature and cultural tourism. Wanna see places and people. Thank you
Elizabeth says
I hate to be the one to ask this, but you have any advice regarding buying Marijuana while in Costa Rica? We are going to be staying in Puerto Viejo and as Marijuana enthusiasts we are hoping to buy some. Any tips?? Thanks for any help you can offer.
Sammi says
Hi Elizabeth, you should be able to find some pretty easily in Puerto Viejo (super hippie laid back town). A lot of locals sell and most are hanging out near the beach. If you guys are staying in a hostel, you can ask the other backpackers too since it’s not a rare thing to find in PV.
Anne Kinchen says
Is San Jose to Uvita too long of a drive to make in one day by first time visitors in a rental 4 x 4?
Anne
Sammi says
Hi Anne, the drive is around 3.5 hours. It’s not that bad, but I do recommend using Waze to navigate your way out of San Jose. Once you’re out of the city and on the highway, exit to Jaco and just keep on going south. Pretty easy drive once you’re out of the city so it’s definitely doable for first time visitors, just use Waze for San Jose.
Jim says
Hi
Do you know if there is an ATM machine close to Playa Flamingo Beach Hotel?
Does the ATM accept Canadian bank cards that have a chip ?
Thank you !
Sammi says
Hi Jim, yes there is a bank at Flamingo, it should accept all CC’s.
yeison says
Hi Jim, I have seen a couple of ATM’s around the Flamingo Beach hotel and most of the North American Cards works here, just make sure to ask your bank about international withdrawal fees and all that. In the worst case scenario you will have to go to Tamarindo downtown where you will find many banks and ATM’s people from all over world use them without any problem.
Tess says
Thanks so much!
This is very helpfull!!
Sammi says
You’re welcome! We’re glad it’s helpful 🙂
Manuel says
I read that most places accept credit cards that have raised numbers on their surface only as they will be pressed on a paper voucher. is that true? all banks in the US only issue flat card with chip nowadays.
where do you recommend exchange currency? at the airport, bank or atm?
Thanks.
yeison says
Hi Manuel,
WE used to used those credit cards “machines” but that was long time ago, I haven’t see them for years, now everyone uses the credit card wireless machines that reads chips. The best place to exchange money is at the bank make sure to bring a picture ID otherwise they will not exchange any money.
Michelle says
These are all great tips! I’ve never been but I would love to one day.
Sammi says
Thanks Michelle, hope you can visit one day 🙂
Rosemarie Driscoll says
Great guide! It helps knowing what you could expect before going there. Hope you to see your next adventure!
Sammi says
Thanks Rosemarie!
Gina says
Great post. At least we are aware if ever we’ve got a chance to visit Costa Rica.
Sammi says
Thanks Gina, glad you found it useful!
nutshellortwo says
I enjoyed this article. Great advice for first time visiting
Sammi says
Great to hear!
fendi says
nice tips
Sammi says
Thanks!