Daniel Oduber Liberia International Airport Costa Rica (LIR) Check the status of your flight. All times are local (Central American Standard Time). Most airlines require you to be at the airport at least three hours prior to your scheduled departure time and Costa Rican law requires you to pay … [Read more...]
Travel
Practical travel information like transportation options, driving, safety, health, packing, lodging, holidays, festivals, money and much more. Includes a section on weather, seasons, crowds and pricing to help you decide the best time to visit
SJO Live Flight Updates
Juan Santamaría International Airport Costa Rica (SJO) Live Flight Updates Check the status of your flight. All times are local (Central American Standard Time). Most airlines require you to be at the airport at least three hours prior to your scheduled departure time and Costa Rican law requires … [Read more...]
Fording Rivers
This brief introduction is not sufficient to make you qualified to ford. River crossings destroy vehicles and kill people. If you don't know what you're doing don't do it. There's Not Always a Bridge When You Want One Over half the rivers we used to ford on a regular basis have been bridged … [Read more...]
Nature Air Unlimited Flight Pass
Note: Updated July 1, 2018 – It is evident that Nature Air will not be resuming operations. If you are holding tickets, coupons or vouchers for future flights they are probably worthless...see details NOTE: Nature Air discontinued their unlimited flight pass - we're keeping this page … [Read more...]
Rice Tico Style Recipe
Rice Tico style is the base for many meals including half of the ingredients for gallo pinto, stuffing for tamales and found on every casado plate. 3-5 sprigs cilantro (coriander leaf) 1 small or half a medium onion ½ small red or yellow sweet pepper (optional) 3 cups (700 ml) chicken … [Read more...]
Central Pacific Coast
The Central Pacific region is distinguished by the abrupt meeting of half a dozen small mountain ranges with the Pacific Ocean to their south. The Virilla River has its headwaters above San José and after flowing through the capitol follows a wide arc around the Cerros de Escazú and Turrubares … [Read more...]
Food is Average
Out of hundreds of travel reviews we’ve gotten we’ve never had one that spontaneously raved about the food in Costa Rica. Occasionally someone will mention a particular restaurant or resort, but on average they find the food pretty average and prices high. It's hard to make much of an … [Read more...]
Environmental Costs
How Much Environmental Impact Do Different Forms of Transportation Have? It will probably surprise you to know that environmentally it's about the same or maybe better to fly than take a bus in Costa Rica. Amazingly flying burns less fuel per person transported, creates less pollutants and carbon … [Read more...]
Costa Rica Time Travel
The time machine outputs your best Costa Rica trip in one of two ways... If you can travel any time - Input your priorities and the results will be the best time to visit and suggested destinations. If your vacation time is already determined - Input when you plan to travel and what you want … [Read more...]
Crime Against Costa Ricans
The Dark Side of Pura Vida Costa Rica works very hard to prevent crimes against tourists and for the most part does a very good job. Unfortunately the same cannot be said when it comes to protecting her own population. There are many reasons Costa Ricans are tens if not hundreds of times more … [Read more...]
Best Time To Go To Costa Rica Quiz
The best time to visit Costa Rica depends on a few main factors and the quick quiz below will help you determine your ideal dates. Answer the three questions below for yourself to determine when to come for a visit. 1) When can you go? If your work or school schedule forces certain dates … [Read more...]
Good News & Bad News from Southwest Airlines
You want the good news or the bad news first? At the beginning of June 2016 Southwest Airlines made a couple of big announcements about their Costa Rica flights to Liberia (LIR) and San José (SJO) International Airports. Good News - Super Cheap Airfare Round trip fares under $250 including two … [Read more...]
Southwest Airlines Airfare Roulette
Sue has become the master of Southwest Airlines new game "airfare roulette." Since Southwest added flights from Houston Hobby to SJO and LIR Costa Rica and we have easy connections from Colorado it's become our airline of choice. In April 2016 they announced direct flights from L.A. which gives … [Read more...]
English to Spanish Food Dictionary
general | fruits frutas | nuts nuez | seafood mariscos deserts postres | drinks bebidas beans & rice—gallo pinto—literally painted/spotted rooster. Black beans and white rice are cooked together with a hint of onion, red pepper, cilantro and broth to create this ubiquitous national dish. … [Read more...]
Spanish to English Food Dictionary
general | fruits frutas | nuts nuez | seafood mariscos deserts postres | drinks bebidas ajo—garlic arroz con pollo—if it were Chinese it would be chicken fried rice. Shredded or chopped chicken fried with rice and a variety of chopped vegetables. boca or boquitas—snack. The one word … [Read more...]
Remarkable Roadwork
Pothole Patching Like We've Never Seen in Costa Rica We spent a few days on the Caribbean coast a few weeks ago and saw a remarkable transformation. We started up north on Playa Westfalia and there was a crew with a truck full of asphalt, a few guys with shovels, a backhoe and a steamroller out … [Read more...]
Tortuguero Lancha Routes
There are NO roads to Tortuguero village or the turtle nesting beaches. You can drive nearly to the southern park boundary at Caño Blanco Dock, but if you want to visit the main station of Tortuguero National Park and the turtle nesting beaches you'll arrive by boat or air. Getting to … [Read more...]
Best Things To Do September, October & November
If you're going to Costa Rica in September or October the answer to the question "where's the best place to go?" is pretty obvious - head east to the southern Caribbean beaches. Select Month January February March April May June July August September October November December or … [Read more...]
Best Things To Do January, February & March in Costa Rica
The question of "where?" is simple to answer in the heart of the high season (January, February, March and mostly April). Go west. The Pacific half of the country is reliable for dry, warm, sunny weather for the beaches and activities inland in the forests and on the volcanoes. The most … [Read more...]
Costa Rica Rainy Season & Rainfall Map
The Pacific slope rainy season in Costa Rica is from May to mid-December with a dramatic peak in precipitation September into November. There's nearly no rainfall in the dry season between January and April. The Caribbean coast follows a different pattern with more consistent rainfall year round but … [Read more...]