Your ultimate medical resource must be your physician. We have provided some general information, and daily updates by qualified medical professionals are available on the WHO and CDC web sites. Volcanic Ash Back in March of 2015 Turrialba volcano west of San José began intermittent significant … [Read more...]
Practical Information & Logistics
Once you know when and where you want to go and what you want to see and do it's time to get down to the nitty-gritty, make sure your budget can handle the trip, get your documents in order, find out if your phone will work (if you want it to), pack your bags, buy travel insurance and stash away the $29 bucks you may or may not need for the departure tax. This section includes all the logistical information we've accumulated over the decades.
Discount Travel Websites
Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity, Priceline and dozens of others offer wily travelers savings of up to 60% in the U.S., but do they deliver in Costa Rica? Not so much-and here’s why 1) Limited participation – Corporate chains have entire departments who do nothing but manage discount site relations. … [Read more...]
On Your Own
How to Plan a Trip to Costa Rica On Your Own The easiest way to travel independently in Costa Rica is to pick a beach resort, go there and relax. Second easiest is to rent an SUV, grab a guidebook and wing it, finding places to stay as you go. If you're not comfortable with that much … [Read more...]
Who CAN You Trust?
Who should you take advice from when planning travel? Your mom? TripAdvisor? Costa Rica Guide? Fodor’s Guidebooks? The guy who cleans your pool? It can be confusing so we’ve provided some advice and insight that might help. Better Business Bureau Since its founding over a hundred years ago the … [Read more...]
Cell Phone Coverage
If you haven't already you'll want to determine if your phone will work at all in Costa Rica. Cell phone signals in Costa Rica are a bit like the wildlife, you never know what you're going to get until you get there and it could be there one minute and gone the next. One of our favorite spots … [Read more...]
Volunteering
It seems like there should be lots of volunteer opportunities in Costa Rica If you're willing to work hard all day setting fence posts to keep cows out of a wildlife refuge or teaching English to indigenous children it seems reasonable to expect a clean dry place to sleep and three square meals in … [Read more...]
Walk on the Wild Side
Walk WAY off to the side or it may be hazardous to your health Costa Rica's highway safety department (Dirección General de Tránsito) statistics show that about a third of the people who die on the roads are pedestrians or bicyclists. Compare that to around one percent in the U.S. or Europe and … [Read more...]
Airport Dehydration Alert
update January 2016 - The international airports have reversed the system described below and now operate like the rest of the world. Currently liquids are not allowed through security but if you buy them or fill your bottle after passing through security you are allowed to take it on the … [Read more...]
Common Costa Rica Travel Myths & Deceptions
Costa Rica is the Safest Country in Central America => True but misleading While statistically true, this is a bit deceptive. Guatemala has the highest murder rate in the world, El Salvador is close behind and Mexico is over-run with feuding drug lords. Costa Rica is in fact much safer than … [Read more...]
Reliable Online Reviews?
Who should you take advice from when planning travel? Your mom? TripAdvisor? Costa Rica Guide? Fodor's Guidebooks? The guy who cleans your pool? It can be confusing so we've provided some advice and insight that might help. You'd Assume People Would Know Where They Stayed Online Reviews Don't … [Read more...]
How Much Does Travel Cost?
Many people believe that Costa Rica is a developing country and therefore a budget travel destination. While cheap dorm beds and public buses are very economical for backpackers, the average traveler spends a bit more for convenience, amenities, and comfort. Use the average 2019/2020 costs … [Read more...]
Costa Rica Packing Checklist
If you're wondering why anything on this list is included or want more info on styles, types or brands we recommend the full annotated list is available here Gear for Costa Rica Plugs and voltages are the same in Costa Rica as the U.S. (120V flat prongs) Headlamp or Flashlight … [Read more...]
The Unique Experience
One of the main reasons travelers are traveling is for that unique experience. Sure you can buy mangoes at your local supermarket anywhere in the U.S. but they don't come with cross-cut inside-out opening demonstrations as they might from a roadside stand in Costa Rica. The first rule for … [Read more...]
Phone Emergencies
No, we don't mean when you haven't been able to get signal on your i-phone for sixteen hours to update the Facebook status of your sunburn... These are a few suggestions to help you make a phone call when you urgently need to - for example if your driver and van haven't arrived to pick you up … [Read more...]
The Twenty Five Pound Packing List
Trek, Fly, Boat Version of the Packing List for Travel to Costa Rica. Small planes and small boat transfers have weight limits ranging from 15 lbs to 40 lbs so if you plan to travel off the beaten path in Costa Rica you’ll need to plan a packing list for a smaller version of your stuff in a … [Read more...]
Gouge the Gringo
The Myth of the Costa Rican Credit Card Swindle There is a misconception among expatriates and travelers that Ticos are out to take advantage of Gringos. The myth has diverse origins but one of the most persistent is the extra charges at hotels, restaurants and tours for using a credit card. Other … [Read more...]
Patience Mañana
I'll be Patient Tomorrow but I Want My Rental Car Today... In a country where the national slogan is mañana, mañana… mañana it’s not surprising that sometimes service is not the same as in northern climes where not collecting the firewood in time for winter once meant freezing to death. As a … [Read more...]
Shell Game
Beachcombers Beware It is prohibited to remove anything (rocks, wood, plants, animals etc.) from inside national parks or wildlife refuges. On all other beaches (outside parks and refuges) only commercial collectors with the appropriate permit are allowed to remove sea shells. There are also … [Read more...]
Our 1996 Top Ten
The ten best places to go in Costa Rica in no particular order from our 1996 website. ...this is a page we wrote almost 20 years ago and we've found some new spots since 1999 so take a look around and see what you think and maybe we'll make a new list for 2016 on the Platinum Anniversary... This … [Read more...]
Get the Most for Your Money
About 30% of the cost of everything you buy goes to advertising and marketing. Sometimes it's over 80%. Too Cheap to Advertise The only way to consistently avoid paying for advertising is to stay below the marketing radar. Backpackers always seem to get so much more for their money because they … [Read more...]