Dalai Lama
“Once a year, go somewhere you have never been before.”
It’s really easy to explore Costa Rica. It’s a calm and safe country; rugged enough to feel adventurous but developed enough to make travelling around a breeze. You might have read that Costa Rica doesn’t have an army – it’s just not needed here. They’ve managed to keep their small country a haven of tranquillity; a place where wildlife and people can exist peacefully.
Travelling in Costa Rica is not the same as travelling in Europe or the USA – and nor would you want it to be. But if you’re looking for a gentle introduction to Latin American travel, Costa Rica is a great place to start.
People in Costa Rica
The Costa Ricans (or “Ticos” as they call themselves) are genuinely some of the kindest people you will ever meet. I’m sure the phrase “give you the shirt off their back” must have been thought up to describe them. Despite having the lowest poverty rate in Central America, it’s still at over 20% of the population, and most live very simple lives, working the land etc. Yet they happily share all they have – whether that’s a meal, their home, or access to their stunning landscapes.
One thing to bear in mind is that English isn’t spoken widely in Costa Rica, so it’s worth learning as much Spanish as you can before travelling. The people are patient and will always help as best they can, but with even a bit of Spanish you can enhance your experience of the country so much more. You could even take a Spanish language course whilst there, or opt for a homestay so you can really hone your skills.
Getting around in Costa Rica
Coach travel – Costa Rica has a good network of coach travel that can be easily booked online. The roads in Costa Rica are developed to a high standard and so coach travel here feels safe and comfortable. The biggest challenge we experienced was locating bus stops – both when getting on and off the coach – as they’re often not clearly signposted. It helps to prepare in advance – make sure you know exactly where you’re getting on, and leave plenty of time in case of any issues. When you’re on the coach, ask a local or the bus driver to let you know when you’re near your stop, or the bus driver may just fly past it. It’s worth knowing too that sometimes you might book what you think is a coach, but if no one else has booked it you could end up in a private car. That can be confusing when you’re not warned in advance!
Car Hire – One popular way to travel around Costa Rica is to hire a small 4×4 vehicle. Most of the roads are well maintained and so a 4×4 isn’t necessarily needed, but it can be handy to give you access to some more remote hidden spots, especially if you’re travelling during the green season when rainfall is higher.
Air – Costa Rica has a couple of domestic airlines that are a safe and efficient way to travel, in small planes. The Osa Peninsula can be a particularly challenging (but worthwhile!) part of the country to get to, so many tourists opt for air travel to save time on a shorter trip.
What to wear in Costa Rica
Anything goes really in Costa Rica although the locals are generally quite modest when it comes to clothing. These days, most wear what they call “American fashion” i.e. your typical modern clothing. There are no rules, but with lots of adventuring to be done it’s probably best to opt for comfort over style!
Travel money in Costa Rica
I’m normally quite reluctant to use cash when travelling these days, but it’s worth taking cash out in Costa Rica just to see their beautiful notes. Instead of historical figures, Costa Rican Colón notes feature images of the country’s most iconic wildlife. Whilst cards are widely accepted, you may still need to use cash in some smaller businesses or more remote regions. ATMs are plentiful and pretty easy to find in Costa Rica.
You might have read that it’s possible to use USD in Costa Rica – this is true however Colón is definitely the more widely used and preferred currency. You may end up paying over the odds if you choose to use USD.
Hidden Corners 