I’ve been here before in 2013. It was a week-long tour from the company I worked for. I lived in hotels from the covers of advertising brochures, fried on white sand beaches and climbed through wild jungles. Costa Rica seemed like paradise.
In 2018, I planned a trip on my own. I lived in the capital, San Jose, saw Cartago, the religious center of the country, and visited the wild Atlantic coast. I took a shuttle bus to Arenal Volcano and a ferry to Tortuga Island with sea turtles. Life in Costa Rica turned out to be much more varied than the tour operators offer.
In San Jose, I stayed with acquaintances, so I didn’t pay everywhere like a regular tourist. But based on my expenses, I made a rough budget for the trip.
What a country
Costa Rica is a country in Central America, on the narrow isthmus between Panama and Nicaragua. It is bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east.
Costa Rica is the third richest country in the world in terms of natural resources. There are beaches, mountains, volcanoes and tropical forests with several thousand species of exotic plants. It is these forests that served as a prototype for the green thickets of “Jurassic Park”.
In Costa Rica there are a lot of tourists, especially from the U.S.: they fly here as a cottage. In expectation of them, prices in resort areas are set in dollars and inflated beyond reason. On my first trip I didn’t even think about the fact that dollars should be changed into Costa Rican money. There is no other currency in the resort areas.
Millions of travel agencies try to maintain the image of Costa Rica as an expensive paradise: they impose premium hotels, take you on all sorts of excursions and charge high prices. To save money, I advise you not to trust them and choose less explored places for your vacation.
When to fly
The best time to fly to Costa Rica is from February to April. At this time the temperature during the day does not exceed 30 °C and there is no rain. On the coast the air in the sun heats up to 35 °C. In the evenings in the central part of the country or in the mountains it is not more than 20 °C, it can be cool and windy.
I think it’s best to plan a trip to Costa Rica for two weeks. This is enough time to acclimatize to a different time zone and justify the cost of the flight. On my first trip, one week was categorically not enough for me. And on my second trip, I was tired of the unfamiliar food, scorching sun and unfamiliar Spanish for a month.
Money
The national currency of Costa Rica is the colón 1 ₡. You can pay almost everywhere with a card, but cash is also needed. In the capital a few thousand colones are useful to pay for transportation and small purchases. When traveling around the country, sometimes only cash can be used to pay for parking or entry to a national park. After the first week of traveling, I started carrying at least 30,000 CRC just in case.
Cash dollars can be exchanged for colones at the bank. Even in small towns there are offices of the Central American BAC San Jose or the local Banco Nacional.
You can also pay in dollars. They will be accepted in cafes, souvenir stores and hotels in resort areas, where everything is oriented towards tourists from the USA. The exchange rate, however, can be robbery. If the price is in local currency, it is safer to pay in colones.
Communication
There are three mobile operators in Costa Rica: Spanish Movistar, South American Claro and Costa Rican Kolbi. You can buy a SIM card at the airport, where English is understood and it is easier to understand the terms of the tariff, or in communication shops in large malls.
I bought a Kolbi SIM card. When I signed up, I paid 2808 CRC, which was immediately credited to my account. Then I topped up my account at supermarket checkouts using the code word saldo – “balance” in Spanish.
The default tariff on my prepaid SIM cards is Kolbi Prepago, and I did not change it. The terms and conditions of the tariff are complicated, and the salespeople in the shops spoke only Spanish. So I was unable to find out detailed prices. In 31 days I spent 13,800 CRC. I spoke to locals for no more than 15 minutes a week and used messengers, social networks, and the navigator.
Transportation
Rent a car. There are rental shops everywhere, for example right at the airport or on Paseo Colón in San José. It is better to rent a car in popular tourist areas. There the cars are newer, the choice is greater and prices start from $30 per day.
Insurance is added to the cost of rent – $12-25 per day. Depending on the company, it may be called differently: TPL – third party liability, LP – liability protection, TPI – third party insurance. It is not always indicated when calculating on the website, but you will still have to pay it on the spot.
Cab. The official cab of Costa Rica is red in color. A trip around the city is not cheap, on average it will cost 9000-12 000 CRC depending on the route. In tourist areas, where distances are less, for a trip up to 5 kilometers cab will cost about 5500 CRC. Payment by meter.
There is also an Uber operating in Costa Rica, it will be a little cheaper.
I used a cab twice: going to the bus station in Puntarenas and returning from the thermal springs in La Fortuna. In both cases, the girls at reception helped me order a car.
Shuttles are the fastest way to get from one point in Costa Rica to another. They come in two types: private, when you buy the whole minibus, and combined – with payment for a seat. The capacity of shuttles is from 5 to 14 passengers.
The cost of traveling within the country – from $30 per person. You need to book a shuttle in advance – at the tourist office or transportation company.
Buses are the most convenient transportation in Costa Rica. They can be used to reach both famous places and the most remote point on the coast. Intercity buses are modern, air-conditioned and sometimes equipped with wifi.
There are bus stations in all major cities. As a rule, they are premises with clean toilets, a café and a comfortable waiting room. Tickets are sold at ticket offices or from the driver. The cost of a ticket does not exceed 2500 CRC per trip.
Buses can leave a few minutes late. The driver may stop along the route just to chat with friends from the suburbs.
Cities
I lived in San Jose most of the time. The other cities were only passing through. All of them are somewhat similar: typical one-story buildings, broken sidewalks, hot asphalt. And the small settlements on the coast are more like villages.
Cartago, the ancient capital of the country, deserves special attention. But I ended up there on my way to the volcano. I would hardly go there on purpose.
San Jose. The capital of Costa Rica is unpopular with tourists. You rarely see a person in shorts here, and the locals don’t speak English. But I was curious to look behind the tourist facade, to touch the life and cultural heritage of Costa Ricans.
In the center of San Jose, low-rise buildings, graffiti and dust. All this coexists perfectly with modern civilization and European monuments of architecture: until 1821 Costa Rica was a Spanish colony. On Avenida Central, the pompous building of the national theater, the main museums of the city and the cathedral stand next to palm trees along the broken road.
I loved the atmosphere of Paseo Colon, the very beginning of Avenida Central. It’s like the Elysian Fields of San Jose, where the residences of the American rich used to be. In memory of the former grandeur, there are chic mansions and villas converted into hotels, stores, car rentals and bistros.
San Jose has several parks where you can take a break from the heat and hustle and bustle. My favorite is the National Park. It is located next to the former Atlantic Station building.
The Escazu neighborhood, a suburb of San Jose, is located on a hill with a beautiful view of the central valley. Here is located the largest mall in Costa Rica – Multiplaza, many restaurants and cafes. From the center of San Jose you can get here by bus or Interurbano train.
Escazu is mostly inhabited by American immigrants, so you can finally see people in shorts here. It’s an island of familiar civilization. Even the air here seems to be fresher than in San Jose itself.
Cartago is the oldest city in Costa Rica. It is located at the foot of the Irazu volcano, on the road to the Atlantic coast. This city was once the capital of the country. Now Cartago remains the religious center of Costa Rica. Here stands the Cathedral of Our Lady with a statue of the patroness of the country – the Black Madonna, La Negrita.
Volcanoes and nature reserves
Costa Rica is one big national park in itself. One of the main attractions here is a trip to the volcanoes. Only active in the country five pieces. On the fertile, ash-enriched soil of volcanoes – lush vegetation, at the foot of rumbling waterfalls and flowing thermal springs. The best place to see animals and birds is in nature reserves.
Arenal Volcano is the most famous volcano in Costa Rica. It is located in the central part of the country. The bus ride from San Jose takes four hours and costs 2,200 CRC.
At the foot of the volcano stands the miniature town of La Fortuna. There are tourist offices at every turn, which organize excursions to the volcano, the lake and thermal springs. There are also extreme entertainment: rafting, canyoning, canopy and horseback riding. Excursions cost from $30.
Five kilometers from the city is the La Fortuna waterfall. Entrance costs $15. You can swim in the waterfall. It is better to leave valuables upstairs in a box at the entrance desk.
The volcano is home to thermal springs. The most famous ones are Tabacon and Baldi, they belong to luxury spa hotels. Not for hotel guests, entrance costs 60$ and 36$ respectively.
A cheaper source is Termalitas del Arenal. The staff here do not speak English, but the scenery is the same and entry costs 5,000 CRC. You can rent a towel and a locker for valuables for the same price.
Volcano Irazu is located 30 kilometers from San Jose. It is the highest volcano in the country, but it is not very popular with tourists, most likely because it is located far away from other natural parks. Entrance to the territory costs $17, payment in cash only.
I got to the volcano by car. It wasn’t difficult to find my way, but the area around was rural, the roads were mountainous and narrow, and it was a dubious pleasure to drive while constantly checking the course on the navigator. Waiting in traffic at the entrance took an hour and a half. I regretted that I hadn’t brought a snack, because there is no food on the volcano.
It’s much more comfortable to get here by bus, which leaves from downtown San Jose every day at eight in the morning.
The bus departs from the bus stop at San José, Calle 1-3 Ave 2
La Paz Reserve is located 37 km from San Jose, near the oldest volcano in Costa Rica, Poas. You can get to the park from San Jose by bus, making a change in the city of Alajuela.
The park is private. A ticket to it costs a lot – 44$. For another $14 you can get a buffet lunch.
As soon as you enter the park, you can have your picture taken with toucans and large parrots: the park keepers will put them right on your arm. There are also cages with monkeys, sloths and cheetahs. Special nectar feeders have been organized for hummingbirds so that visitors can get a closer look at them.
The park is famous for its waterfalls. There are five of them, separated by a 5 km long hiking trail. The park also has a butterfly farm, an orchid garden and a serpentarium.
I was not impressed with the park, it is definitely not worth the money. It is interesting to see parrots and toucans up close, but otherwise it’s like a regular zoo. All the animals are in cages, a lot of butterflies flying in a confined space and only one big waterfall.
I think I’d rather go to the Monteverde Reserve with its cloud forests. It is located in the town of St. Helena, a three-hour drive from La Fortuna. It costs $22 to enter. Another alternative is the Manuel Antonio National Park 160 kilometers from San Jose. In addition to the park there are sandy beaches and a blue lagoon of unearthly beauty. Entrance costs only 16$. I myself have not gotten to these places yet, but I am going to come again.
Pacific coast and beaches
In Costa Rica most often vacation on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Popular resorts are located in the province of Guanacaste, in the northwest of the country. There are a lot of picturesque bays, white sand, luxurious chain hotels and the same asshole prices. Not far from San Jose, in the central part of the country, there are also beaches, but they are more like ordinary European resorts.
The beaches of Costa Rica are wild: scorching sun, dried vegetation and an abundance of driftwood thrown on the shore. No sunbeds with umbrellas, changing cabins or toilets, it is good if the shower works.
Locals cope as best they can: hide under trees, pull up awnings or put tents on the shore. For a full-fledged vacation it is more comfortable to pay for a good hotel with a swimming pool and beach.
Conchal. On my first trip to Costa Rica, I vacationed in Conchal. It is a small village in the epicenter of resort life. It is here that the most famous beaches of Costa Rica are located: del Coco, Flamingo, Hermosa.
I was staying at the five-star hotel The Westin Playa Conchal. The city beach near the hotel seemed like paradise to me at the time: a long shoreline, blue ocean and white sand. But now I can’t say that it was much cleaner or prettier than the rest of the coast.
But there were plenty of activities on the beach: banana rides, scooters, fresh fish and even a touching wooden whistle seller. Prices are high, but the facilities are luxurious.
Near Conchal there is an airport where tourists from the USA fly in. It is also home to the best surfing spot in the country, Tamarindo.
Tambor is a small settlement in the southeast of the Nicoya Peninsula. It is peaceful and secluded.
The easiest way to get to Tambor is by ferry from the city of Puntarenas. A ferry ticket costs $25 per car and $1.5 per person. If you travel without a car, on the other shore you will have to travel 24 kilometers by bus or take a cab.
My acquaintances invited me to vacation at the Tango Mar Hotel, which had its own clean beach with showers and a swimming pool. Swimming in the ocean in Costa Rica is an amateur’s pleasure: the water is salty and the waves are strong. Therefore, during the whole trip I saw no more than ten people in the ocean, all the others sitting in the pools.
From Tambor for 50$ we went to the island of Tortuga. It is famous for its crystal clear water and sea turtles. The turtles didn’t show up, but near the shore we snorkeled and looked at the fish.
The island itself disappointed me. There is only one small beach and a stream of tourist groups, each having lunch on the shore. There is no sewage system, the toilet is horribly dirty, and it costs $2. If it weren’t for the gorgeous views and a half-hour ride in the open ocean, I wouldn’t have written about it at all.
Puntarenas sits on a sharp peak jutting out into the Pacific Ocean. It is the capital of the province of the same name in Costa Rica, the largest in the country.
In addition to the marina and ferries, there’s a lighthouse, a public pool and a huge beach, which is what lured me here. Puntarenas has a beautifully landscaped promenade and a succession of hotels along the coast, but the atmosphere is still urban. You can feel the pulse of ordinary, non-touristy life here. There are many students on the streets and a school next to the hotel.
There is no tropical nature in Puntarenas and not much to do there, but it was my first trip to the ocean, so I was impressed. The beach was practically uninhabited, I walked along the ocean line in the mornings and enjoyed the sunset from a beachside cafe in the evenings.
Atlantic coast
The Atlantic coast here is called the “Caribbean”. It rains more often here, the nature is wild and free from tourist invasion. Prices are more democratic than in other parts of the country. There are no all-inclusive hotels.
I went to the Atlantic coast to look at beaches and it was a mistake. I couldn’t find any normal beaches. In a day I drove south along the coast to the Panamanian border and was back by evening.
From San Jose to the coast is 230 kilometers, four hours by car. The road passes through the Braulio Carrillo National Reserve, a pristine rainforest. As the one-lane highway twisted through the overhanging greenery and the rain fell, I felt like Indiana Jones.
First I arrived in Limon, the administrative center and port. It reminded me of scenes from apocalypse movies: empty streets, boarded-up buildings, no modern signs, and minimal people. The streets are said to be unsafe in the evenings, but I didn’t see anything suspicious during the day.
The town beach of Bonita, with its kebabs and nineties atmosphere, scared me. I got in the car and drove another 30 kilometers south along the ocean to a place called Cahuita. It’s a Rastaman village. There are only two streets, but at least a dozen restaurants and bars. There is a strong smell of marijuana in the air.
In Cahuita I remembered the lush vegetation. They say there is a national park with gorgeous beaches nearby, but I couldn’t find it.
Housing
In San Jose, I stayed at a friend’s house, but I booked a room anyway in case I was checked at the border. A double room in an off-grid hotel near Avenida Central cost $80 for two nights. For the same price, I could rent an apartment on Airbnb.
When traveling through volcanoes and reserves, it’s easiest to rent a hostel – about $15 a night.
In Costa Rica there is also a special format of accommodation – cabinas. These are small rooms in private houses, sometimes even without air conditioning. Cabinas can be located both in towns and along the road. Breakfasts for guests are prepared by the owners themselves. The price for a room starts from $30.
Both Booking and Airbnb offer bungalows and villas for rent in the heart of the jungle. There are even tree-houses suspended from trees. Such a pleasure costs from $70 per night and is suitable for a large group of nature lovers.
I stayed at the Hotel Arenal Xilopalo on the outskirts of La Fortuna. The distances here are minimal – you don’t have to rent accommodation right in the city. For $71 for two nights I had a huge shabby room with two double beds and a small kitchenette at my disposal. In the mornings you could feed hummingbirds, sloths and other inhabitants of the tropics in a special place. This is a common practice in Costa Rica.
Cabanas are popular on the coasts and condominium apartments are common. But tourists stay mostly in all-inclusive hotels. They are more expensive, but they guarantee access to the ocean, a swimming pool and a jungle atmosphere.
In Tambor, I stayed at the Tango Mar Hotel. The room cost $150 a night, including breakfast. In the inner garden of the hotel I saw monkeys and magnificent parrots. There was a waterfall and a viewing platform nearby.
In Puntarenas, I stayed at the Hotel La Punta, 200 meters from the port. The atmosphere there was like that of a villa: tiny rooms with windows in the courtyard and absolute silence, broken only by the hum of the ferry from the pier. The room cost $60 a night. The hotel is tiny, there was no food, only coffee and tea. But for me it turned out to be one of the most cozy places in Costa Rica.
When I was booking hotels, I read about hot water outages. But in a few weeks I have never encountered this problem. But in small hotels in Costa Rica there is no hair dryer. To my question, the receptionist shrugged and asked: “Why?”
Food
Markets. Locals do not call Costa Rica “American garden” for nothing: fruits and vegetables are here at every step. It is more profitable to buy them at the markets or at special markets along the road, but also in the stores the prices are ridiculous.
For 1000 CRC you can buy a kilogram of fresh mangoes – I have never tasted such delicious ones in my life. Papaya and pineapples are popular, and they are even sold peeled and cut, vacuum-packed.
Bananas are used as a garnish here. The variety for frying is called “platano”. They are larger, less presentable and unsweetened – they are not eaten raw.
Supermarkets. I shopped at the large chain supermarkets Auto Mercado and Mega Super. My average check was 16,000 CRC.
Costa Rica has a lot of yogurt, ice cream and cheese. I have never seen such a selection in European countries. I liked fresh cow cheese, similar to our Adygeisky cheese. It tastes better in small shops.
Meat is more difficult. Once I bought an expensive steak, but it turned out to be inedible. It’s safer to get chicken or fish.
Café. The traditional dish of Costa Ricans is casado. It is made of rice, beans, meat or fish. A portion costs about 4500 CRC. I tried it with chicken, I didn’t like it. It feels like eating a whole side dish: rice, beans, and sometimes french fries in one plate.
Mexican cuisine is also respected in Costa Rica: corn tortillas and nachos chips are popular here. At a bistro in La Fortuna, I had a delicious beef burrito for 2400 CRC.
On average, I spent 13,000 CRC per day on food. When I lived in San José, I ate at home more often and ate fast food while walking around the city. When I traveled around the country, I ate in taverns and bought fruit, yogurt, fresh cheese, and nachos for breakfast and dinner.
A hearty lunch in a tavern in a small town or by the road costs 5000-6000 CRC. Fast food is 5,000 CRC. A meal in a restaurant costs 10,000-15,000 CRC per person. A 10% tip is automatically added to the cost of the meal.
People
On my first trip, I never saw the main value of Costa Rica – the people – behind the fence of a luxury hotel. The kindness of the locals knows no bounds. Most often they don’t know English, but they are still genuinely willing to help. And I am not just talking about resort areas, where tourists are a source of income.
In San Jose, passers-by greeted me in the mornings, and cashiers in supermarkets patiently explained themselves on their fingers. At the entrance to a national park, I couldn’t find any cash – and they let me through for free. My acquaintances gave me the family car and the keys to the apartment for a week without any worries.
I’ve heard a lot that in San Jose you have to watch your belongings, don’t carry a cell phone in your hand, and don’t go into certain neighborhoods at all after dark. That may be true. But in several weeks in the capital, I have never once encountered rudeness, much less crime.
Only once, on a city bus, a senile grandfather with a crazy look started pointing his finger at me and shouting obscenities in Spanish. Fortunately, I didn’t understand a word, and the man next to me stood up for me.
Results
Costa Rica is unlike any other country I have been to before. I think everyone will find something to do here to their liking. Someone will choose active entertainment: canopy in the jungle, rafting on mountain rivers or surfing. Someone will choose to relax on picturesque beaches and relax in thermal springs. Some will want to travel around the country, enjoy the natural landscapes, observe the life of animals and birds.
I’ve been here twice, and the trips turned out quite different. The first time I saw the glitzy and glossy side of Costa Rica, which is usually offered to tourists for a lot of money. The second time, I traveled around the country, explored city life, and got a taste of history and culture. I enjoyed the second trip much more. I met amazing people and fell madly in love with Costa Rica.
