In terms of tourism, Costa Rica is a well-oiled machine. In our three month stay in the "rich coast", we wanted more than to be just another cog in this machine so we searched to discover Costa Rica beyond typical tourism. It may not be easy to do but it is certainly doable.
Costa Rica has travel itineraries for everyone; the budget backpacker, the discerning traveler, and those in between. We mixed and mingled throughout this spectrum of options. Here is a our biased synopsis as well as some helpful tidbits if you plan to make the trip:
Costa Rica has travel itineraries for everyone; the budget backpacker, the discerning traveler, and those in between. We mixed and mingled throughout this spectrum of options. Here is a our biased synopsis as well as some helpful tidbits if you plan to make the trip:
~San Jose/Escazu:
Chances are you will be flying into San Jose (SJO), and depending on your flight schedule, you may need to spend a night there. We personally suggest not spending a lot of time in San Jose, as it's uneventful, chaotic and has an uninviting energy. There is a handful of outdoor markets, museums and interesting architecture spread throughout the city yet we were not drawn in by it (many tourists and expats we talked to share a similar opinion).
Escazu is a better option for staying close to San Jose, however, other than mountain views, you will not see too much traditional Costa Rican life (Tico life) jungle wildlife or picturesque scenes. It has a suburban feel with traffic, modern homes, malls and a Walmart. The only Starbucks in the country is located here. It is also the home of many wealthier Ticos and diplomats and most of them have 24-hour guards stationed at the foot of their gated properties.
If you plan to travel around the country, Escazu could be a good option for a home base as it is somewhat centrally located. Also, if you plan to travel extensively by bus, there are many bus options and schedules departing from San Jose (Escazu is about a ten minute bus ride to San Jose). There are small, vibrant and more traditional towns outside of Escazu that are worthy of day trips. These include Santa Ana, the artisan town of Sarchi and the beach town of Jaco.
In Escazu we stayed with a wonderful hostess, Victoria, who has a bed and breakfast created from two adjoining mansions. It is comfortable and she has rooms within all price ranges. She can also connect you with a reliable and professional cab driver, Carlos, who is available for airport transportation and day trip tours. You can find more information about Victoria's rooms and availability here:
Victoria's Airbnb
Chances are you will be flying into San Jose (SJO), and depending on your flight schedule, you may need to spend a night there. We personally suggest not spending a lot of time in San Jose, as it's uneventful, chaotic and has an uninviting energy. There is a handful of outdoor markets, museums and interesting architecture spread throughout the city yet we were not drawn in by it (many tourists and expats we talked to share a similar opinion).
Escazu is a better option for staying close to San Jose, however, other than mountain views, you will not see too much traditional Costa Rican life (Tico life) jungle wildlife or picturesque scenes. It has a suburban feel with traffic, modern homes, malls and a Walmart. The only Starbucks in the country is located here. It is also the home of many wealthier Ticos and diplomats and most of them have 24-hour guards stationed at the foot of their gated properties.
If you plan to travel around the country, Escazu could be a good option for a home base as it is somewhat centrally located. Also, if you plan to travel extensively by bus, there are many bus options and schedules departing from San Jose (Escazu is about a ten minute bus ride to San Jose). There are small, vibrant and more traditional towns outside of Escazu that are worthy of day trips. These include Santa Ana, the artisan town of Sarchi and the beach town of Jaco.
In Escazu we stayed with a wonderful hostess, Victoria, who has a bed and breakfast created from two adjoining mansions. It is comfortable and she has rooms within all price ranges. She can also connect you with a reliable and professional cab driver, Carlos, who is available for airport transportation and day trip tours. You can find more information about Victoria's rooms and availability here:
Victoria's Airbnb
A side note about San Jose--we were warned, every day, of the theft in San Jose, especially towards tourists. The handful of times we were in San Jose, nothing happened to us, but we know of people who were robbed. So, street smart precautions are a must. Do not wear exposed jewelry, always be aware of your surroundings, make sure your bags and backpacks are closed, cut luggage tags off your suitcases, keep your passport and money in a zippered pocket, etc... If possible, make a photo copy of your passport, including the stamped page, and move about town with that in the event you are stopped and asked to show your passport by the policia (police). Keep your original passport locked up in a safe place. There is a strong market in Costa Rica for stolen U.S. passports.
~Monteverde:
Travelling to the higher elevation town of Monteverde includes a bumpy dirt road which may be what keeps the tourist crowds low. The hotels, tours and nature park admissions were priced on the high side yet there are many options on what to do and with flexibility on how much money you spend. The small town is becoming more popular for tourists and many told us that prices are on the rise.
We stayed at a good, clean hostel, Monteverde Hostel Lodge, where each dorm room of three bunk beds has its own bathroom, for $15. USD each per night. They also offer private cabins. The hostel is a three minute walk from the bus stop and is situated away from the road and on its own little piece of nature. The Don Juan Restaurante, which serves a yummy lunch with good coffee and The Blue Morpho, which also has delicious food, are both a short walk from the hostel.
The hostel hosts a nightly walking tour to spy on animals and insects, for $22. USD each, led by the talented and knowledgeable Sergio. We suggest taking this tour-it is a unique experience!
From Monteverde we made a day trip to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest. This forest is less traveled by tourists compared to Monte Verde Cloud Forest yet we heard it is just as beautiful. A shuttle bus picked us up from our hostel and for a few bucks each way, we took a 40 minute drive along a narrow hydrangea-lined dirt road. We were delivered to the forest's quiet entrance and the nice Tico boy at the admission booth only charged us the student rate of $7. USD (-;
We eventually found the perfect picnic spot and took a rest as we ate our packed lunch.
Travelling to the higher elevation town of Monteverde includes a bumpy dirt road which may be what keeps the tourist crowds low. The hotels, tours and nature park admissions were priced on the high side yet there are many options on what to do and with flexibility on how much money you spend. The small town is becoming more popular for tourists and many told us that prices are on the rise.
We stayed at a good, clean hostel, Monteverde Hostel Lodge, where each dorm room of three bunk beds has its own bathroom, for $15. USD each per night. They also offer private cabins. The hostel is a three minute walk from the bus stop and is situated away from the road and on its own little piece of nature. The Don Juan Restaurante, which serves a yummy lunch with good coffee and The Blue Morpho, which also has delicious food, are both a short walk from the hostel.
The hostel hosts a nightly walking tour to spy on animals and insects, for $22. USD each, led by the talented and knowledgeable Sergio. We suggest taking this tour-it is a unique experience!
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| seen on our night tour: una araña |
From Monteverde we made a day trip to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest. This forest is less traveled by tourists compared to Monte Verde Cloud Forest yet we heard it is just as beautiful. A shuttle bus picked us up from our hostel and for a few bucks each way, we took a 40 minute drive along a narrow hydrangea-lined dirt road. We were delivered to the forest's quiet entrance and the nice Tico boy at the admission booth only charged us the student rate of $7. USD (-;
We eventually found the perfect picnic spot and took a rest as we ate our packed lunch.
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| hiking trail options at Santa Elena Cloud Forest |
The next day was spent at Selvatura Park. The park entrance was crazed with a lot of tourists, all dropped off from their buses at the same time, and in line to pay the $30. USD entrance fee. At first, we doubted our choice of plans for the day, yet once we got through the madness there were not many humans to be seen and the walk along the suspended bridges above the canopies was well worth it! (If you're interested, you can get your zip lining fix, called canopy tours, here too.)
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| hanging treetop walking bridges |
You can catch a little vid of our day we made while hanging out in the cloud forest (and then spotting a kinkajou later that night at our hostel--and turn up your computer's volume for full effect).
~San Isidro and Quebradas:
My Love recently wrote two blog posts about our time spent here. Find these posts on our blog for some thorough information on San Isidro, a small but vibrant city and its neighboring village, Quebradas, where we lingered for a couple of weeks to experience Tico life.
My Love recently wrote two blog posts about our time spent here. Find these posts on our blog for some thorough information on San Isidro, a small but vibrant city and its neighboring village, Quebradas, where we lingered for a couple of weeks to experience Tico life.
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| the sweet little cabin where we stayed in Quebradas |
~Uvita:
We loved our weekend getaway in Uvita. The town has less tourists, some expats and many Ticos. It is also next to the quaint, adorable surf town of Dominical. We stayed in Uvita's hidden hostel, Cascada Verde, a real gem. They have private room or dorm options and we went for a private room and bathroom at the bargain rate of $30. USD per night. The hostel is located on serene property, but just a 15 minute walk to town where there is more bustle. At the hostel, you can relax in a hammock, take a yoga class or sit and talk with the international crowd of folks that tend to stay here.
You can also buy groceries and cook your meals using the large communal kitchen. One morning we enjoyed desayuno (breakfast) hosted at a Tico's home turned restaurant, about a 10 minute walk from the hostel. We ate a delicious egg burrito and fresh mango smoothie for $7. USD each and had the opportunity to talk with the local families.
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| a unique mariposa (butterfly) spotted at night outside our door |
~Zancudo:
Our final destination in Costa Rica was Zancudo, a remote peninsula across from the Osa Peninsula. After a 5-hour bus ride and thirty minutes on the boat taxi, we were happy to arrive at our jungle beach abode where we stayed for one very quiet month.
A slice of isolated beach paradise, Zancudo is a place where you usually see more wild life than humans each day. The dark sand beach lined with palm trees and the sound of crashing waves gave us the illusion it was all there for us.
The hot and humid weather slowed our pace down for the month and we spent our time relaxing on the front porch, watching and listening to animals (there were three species of monkeys around the house every day!) or just sitting on the beach. The green season (rainy season) was just beginning as we left in mid-May.
Our final destination in Costa Rica was Zancudo, a remote peninsula across from the Osa Peninsula. After a 5-hour bus ride and thirty minutes on the boat taxi, we were happy to arrive at our jungle beach abode where we stayed for one very quiet month.
A slice of isolated beach paradise, Zancudo is a place where you usually see more wild life than humans each day. The dark sand beach lined with palm trees and the sound of crashing waves gave us the illusion it was all there for us.
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| anybody here? |
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| Cricky shops for coconuts |
The hot and humid weather slowed our pace down for the month and we spent our time relaxing on the front porch, watching and listening to animals (there were three species of monkeys around the house every day!) or just sitting on the beach. The green season (rainy season) was just beginning as we left in mid-May.
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| views from our porch: daily visits from iguanas, we named this little guy Dinosaur Jr. |
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| views from our porch: I am unsure if we were spying on this monkey or the monkey was spying on us! |
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| so cute yet so mischievous as they throw mangoes and sticks at us! |
And finally, a few last travel tidbits.
~Travelling Around Costa Rica:
Transportation is fairly easy in most places. Towns, cities and villages are walkable and there are local buses and reasonably priced cabs too. Moving around the country in long distances can become tricky. Renting a car is muy caro (very expensive). Some cab drivers may agree to drive you on long trips however you will pay a hefty price. An example is how we traveled from Zancudo to the San Jose airport, about a 5.5 hour drive, and were quoted $300.-$350. USD for a cab. We decided to rent a car, costing $200. for 24-hours plus $50. for gas (about $8. per gallon).
There are shuttle bus options in some parts of the country, yet because of our schedule and destinations we did not use them (you can find more info about them online). There are also small airports and airlines for intra-Costa Rica destinations. Our luggage situation did not allow the option to take these flights (my darn guitar case).
It seems most people travel around the country by bus. It is cheap and runs extensively. Although the type of bus experience you'll have is just a gamble. With some luck you will have the opportunity to sit back and relax during a smooth bus ride. You might even spread out and sit at a window seat with a window that actually opens. Your luckiest of karma days will find you on a bus with air conditioning (we never got this lucky, but heard they do actually exist).
There are shuttle bus options in some parts of the country, yet because of our schedule and destinations we did not use them (you can find more info about them online). There are also small airports and airlines for intra-Costa Rica destinations. Our luggage situation did not allow the option to take these flights (my darn guitar case).
It seems most people travel around the country by bus. It is cheap and runs extensively. Although the type of bus experience you'll have is just a gamble. With some luck you will have the opportunity to sit back and relax during a smooth bus ride. You might even spread out and sit at a window seat with a window that actually opens. Your luckiest of karma days will find you on a bus with air conditioning (we never got this lucky, but heard they do actually exist).
Sometimes the bus ride can be uncomfortable especially when the bus is hot and crowded. My poor six-foot-tall girlfriend could not fit her lanky legs behind the seats in some of the buses and she would have a bruise or two after the ride. )-: And while it's fun to see what people bring on the bus (chickens, furniture, a surfboard or two) it's not very funny when your bus ride experience includes a boat oar banging into your knee (again, my poor Love had this bus experience).
Because much of Costa Rica has narrow, windy, dirt roads it can take three hours to travel just fifty miles. While this is a good route for seeing the beautiful sights of mountains and fruit trees, we do suggest taking along a bus survival kit: Dramamine, salty potato chips, bottled water and a barf bag for that just in case moment.
Also, if you do not know exactly where your bus stop is, you will most likely encounter missing your stop and all that comes along with it. On several different occasions we asked, in Spanish, for the bus driver's help to signal to us when our stop arrives. However, it always fell through... Some people have told us that this is part of the tensions that exist between Ticos and tourists, others will say the bus driver's simply forget. I believe it's a bit of both.
~Food:
Just about anywhere you go, you have access to fresh and lovely fruitas y verduras (fruits and vegetables). In several towns we shacked up in, a weekly food truck came right to our door and this was our main food shopping method. Depending on where you are and what you buy, 2 big bags of food cost about 10,000 Colones ($20. USD). For those who care, a negative side to this is because Costa Rica is home to big farming corporations like Dole, you are unsure to know if your food contains GMOs or not. We thought about asking yet it is a fact that within Tico culture, most will will tell you answers that you want to hear.
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| a dozen fresh eggs, cheese, squash, and fresh raw milk: delivered and totaling $8. USD |
A good way to experience cheap and local food is to visit a Soda. This is what Ticos call a traditional-style restaurant. Look for a SODA sign anywhere on the building and there is a pretty good chance that inside you will find good and inexpensive local flavors. One of my tastiest meals was at a soda, taken there by a Tico friend, in the small town of Puriscal and it only cost 3,000 Colones ($6. USD).
A side note for fellow vegetarians: like most of Latin America, they love their meat and do not understand vegetarianism. "So, you are vegetarian, ok, I will make you a nice chicken soup with vegetables and beef broth" says the cook at every Tico restaurant! Many places will offer meat dishes, with meat sauce and a side of more meat! It will be important to specifically request (this is where knowing Spanish comes in handy) for meals at restaurants that do not contain meat, including broth made from meat or pieces of pork for flavor in your rice and beans. Just say: sin carne! Yet be prepared, once your meal arrives, you still may have meat in your meal, but our experience is that they will gladly correct this.
~Tico Culture:
To my surprise Costa Rica is not culturally deep. Perhaps some people would disagree with me, yet I have heard similar opinions from other visitors. I would not call Costa Rica culturally flat, but I believe it does not compare in thickness to other Latin American cultures such as in Mexico or Ecuador. It seemed to be lacking artisan and hand-made crafts, traditional music and cultural celebrations in the towns and cities we visited.
We did go to the annual ox cart parade, a cultural gem that takes place every March. The event celebrates the pride and tradition of boyeros (ox herders) as they bring their ox and hand-painted wooden carts for the parade in San Rafael within the province of San Jose.
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| carreta de bueyes del festival |
We also ran into a cebolla (onion) festival in the small town of Santa Ana. Essentially this was a large farmer's market dedicated to onions! The farmers were so proud of their crops and that was a treat to see.
Our Tico who introduced us to Cacique Guaro, the official liquor of Costa Rica, legally produced by the government and illegally produced by others. The potent sugar cane liquor is usually mixed with a fruit juice of orange or strawberry, and after I drank two glasses, I was forgetting my name. Apparently, we were disappointing our Tico friend because we couldn't handle too much of the stuff. But, I suppose it is best to be loved for more than your liquor consumption abilities!
Our Tico who introduced us to Cacique Guaro, the official liquor of Costa Rica, legally produced by the government and illegally produced by others. The potent sugar cane liquor is usually mixed with a fruit juice of orange or strawberry, and after I drank two glasses, I was forgetting my name. Apparently, we were disappointing our Tico friend because we couldn't handle too much of the stuff. But, I suppose it is best to be loved for more than your liquor consumption abilities!
~Spanish language:
Know as much Spanish as you can! In several locations, English is not an option for communication. And unless you are in a tourist-based situation and location, the more Spanish you know the better standing you'll have with Ticos and this makes a big difference in the quality of your visit. Many Ticos are friendly and to have a conversation is a fun experience. A few of my favorite moments have been conversing with locals, and some would ask for help with learning English and in exchange they helped with my learning Spanish.
Know as much Spanish as you can! In several locations, English is not an option for communication. And unless you are in a tourist-based situation and location, the more Spanish you know the better standing you'll have with Ticos and this makes a big difference in the quality of your visit. Many Ticos are friendly and to have a conversation is a fun experience. A few of my favorite moments have been conversing with locals, and some would ask for help with learning English and in exchange they helped with my learning Spanish.
~Money:
The local currency is colones yet the US dollar is accepted in many places and some prefer it. Also, we noticed prices and costs change in Costa Rica like the weather, so use all mentioned prices in this post as a baseline.
The local currency is colones yet the US dollar is accepted in many places and some prefer it. Also, we noticed prices and costs change in Costa Rica like the weather, so use all mentioned prices in this post as a baseline.
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| colones and sloth art! |
~Coffee:
It might be because of Costa Rica's rich coffee-growing history, but getting a bad cup of joe in this country has some pretty low odds. We did not experience bad coffee anywhere. Even our coffee making at home using the traditional Tico coffee sock method, with a basic bag of coffee grounds (at $4. USD a lb.) was muy delicioso!
It might be because of Costa Rica's rich coffee-growing history, but getting a bad cup of joe in this country has some pretty low odds. We did not experience bad coffee anywhere. Even our coffee making at home using the traditional Tico coffee sock method, with a basic bag of coffee grounds (at $4. USD a lb.) was muy delicioso!
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| using the coffee sock; the Tico coffee maker |
So there you have it. Of course it makes all the difference on how long you visit Costa Rica, where you go and what you like to do, but I hope this post helps you in some way.
If you have any questions, just e-mail us!
If you have any questions, just e-mail us!
Ciao!
~Deb
~Deb
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