So you are thinking about Costa Rica vacations? I don’t blame you! This is a beautiful country with an incredible amount of biodiversity, friendly locals, savory food, and stunning beaches. But before you toss your flip flops, passport, and beach towels in a suitcase, read this handy guide about vacations and traveling in Costa Rica.
Flying There
Costa Rica has two major airports: The Juan Santamaria Airport in San Jose and the Liberia International Airport in Liberia, Costa Rica. The San Jose Airport is ideal for most vacation destinations, since San Jose is located near the center of the country. From this central point you can easily drive all over the country. The Liberia Airport is located in the province of Guanacaste, and flying into Liberia is an excellent option if you are spending your vacation along Costa Rica’s Gold Coast. This area includes the popular beach towns of Tamarindo, Flamingo, Samara, Nosara, and the Gulf of Papagayo. Flying into Liberia rather than San Jose can save you a 4 or 5 hour drive if you plan on staying in Guanacaste.
There are several small airports in Costa Rica that are too little to accommodate commercial sized flights. That’s where Nature Air and Sansa come in. These two airlines based in San Jose make flights throughout Costa Rica, thus shortening your travel time significantly. Still, you should know that both Nature Air and Sansa have strict baggage weight restrictions, due to the size of their planes, so if you’re planning a very long stay, it’s best to check their luggage requirements online before booking with them.
Locations for Nature Air and Sansa Domestic Flights:
-Arenal
-Barra del Colorado
-Bocas del Toro, Panama (Nature Air only)
-Drake Bay
-Golfito
-Liberia
-Managua, Nicaragua (Nature Air only)
-Nosara
-Palmar Sur
-Puerto Jimenez
-Punto Islita
-Quepos/Manuel Antonio
-Samara
-San Jose
-Tamarindo
-Tambor
-Tortuguero
Safety First
There are a lot of rumors floating around on the internet about crime in Costa Rica. Still, when traveling in a new and unfamiliar place, it’s best to play it safe and be prepared.
Watch your belongings- This advice is great for both Costa Rica and any major city anywhere in the world. Always be aware of your belongings. Do not leave luggage unattended, do not leave your valuables unwatched on the beach, and do not leave anything visible in your rental car. Most petty thefts occur because the thieves recognize an opportunity to steal something easily. Don’t give them that opportunity.
Use Common Sense- Does that dark alleyway look like a good short cut? Do the handsome young Costa Rican men offering you a ride look trustworthy? Listen to your gut and use your common sense! It’s best not to walk around late at night. Instead, take a RED taxi. The red taxis are the official taxis of Costa Rica. Other men with cars may claim to be taxis, but as a tourist, you are always better off taking a red cab. Be on your guard at night, and don’t carry all of your cash, cards, and valuables with you at one time. Don't flash your cash.
Women: It’s best not to accept rides from strangers, no matter how friendly they seem.
Avoid the Beach at Night- Nothing sounds more romantic than a moonlit stroll on the beach. Still, the beach can be a dark and isolated place, and many muggers hang out at the beach hoping to stumble upon some unsuspecting tourists in the night. If you do want to take a walk on the beach in the evening, leave all of your valuables behind. Take only the most necessary items and keep a watchful eye.
Keep a Copy of Your Passport with You- It’s not always safe to carry your passport around with you. Something that valuable is often best left in the safe in your Costa Rica hotel, vacation rental, or luxury resort. Still, it’s good to have your passport information with you in case of an emergency. The best thing to do is make a copy of your passport at your hotel or in an internet cafe. Copy both the main page with your picture, as well as the stamp you were given when you entered Costa Rica. Sometimes the Costa Rican immigration officers will stop tourists and ask to see their paperwork or traffic cops will pull over tourists and ask to see their passports. As long as you have a copy of the photo and name page, as well as the a copy of the stamp you were given, they should let you go with no problems.
Use the Local Currency- The national currency of Costa Rica is the colon. It’s a good idea to carry both dollars and colones with you during your stay in this paradise destination. Of course, it can be very confusing to try to calculate the dollar to colon ratio in your head if you are not used to the conversion. A good rule of thumb is this:
500 colones = $1
1,000 colones =$2
2,000 colones = $4
This makes converting dollars to colones MUCH simpler. When you arrive in Costa Rica, don’t change your money at the airport. They offer very bad exchange rates. Instead, find an ATM and take money out there for a much more favorable exchange rate. Whenever you can, pay with colones rather than dollars. You are much less likely to get ripped off if you pay with the local currency.
Don’t Plan Too Much
You know that old saying “my eyes were bigger than my stomach”? The same can be true of Costa Rica. At a glance, the country looks very small and you might think you are capable of visiting several different areas during your week long stay. This is a frequent error made by first time visitors. Costa Rica is a breathtakingly beautiful country and it is a wonderful place to relax. That being said, when you visit for the first time, you probably want to limit yourself to one or two locations only. While there is a fantastic new highway system in Costa Rica now, not all of the country has smooth roads. Many places are nearly impossible to get to without a vehicle with 4 wheel drive. It’s usually best to pick one or two areas fairly near each other to visit. Want to enjoy the beaches of the Central Pacific coast? Think about a 3 day stay in Jaco beach and a 4 day stay in Manuel Antonio or Dominical. Are you planning to see Costa Rica’s Gold Coast? Consider visiting Tamarindo and Flamingo. Are you ready for a volcano adventure? Visit La Fortuna, the city in the shadow of the famous Arenal Volcano, and then move on to visit the incredible Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. The key to a perfect vacation to Costa Rica is to know what you want to do and what area you want to visit. And be sure to leave yourself plenty of time to relax! This is the pura vida!
Know When to Visit
Costa Rica has two seasons: dry season and rainy season. During dry season, there is sunshine everyday and it’s very warm. During rainy season, there is sunshine in the mornings and rain in the afternoons. Everything is very lush and green during this time of the year. Dry season lasts from December to April, and this is the high point of tourism in Costa Rica. Expect most places you visit to be packed with tourists and for tours and hotels to be charging the maximum rate. Rainy season in Costa Rica is considered low season for tourism, since most tourists want to avoid the rain. Still, if you visit during rainy season you will be rewarded with less crowds and lower prices. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what time is best for your Costa Rica vacations tour. |
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