Costa Rica is like the musical, Wicked. You hear everyone boast and rave about it until finally you think, “okay, I’ll go just to see what everyone’s talking about.” Then, at intermission you’re left speechless because Elphaba just sang “Defying Gravity” and it was the most incredible thing you’ve ever seen. Everyone says it’s that good because it’s THAT GOOD.
That, my friends, is Costa Rica: a rugged Central American country with lush rainforest landscape and coastlines on both the Caribbean and Pacific sides.
Kind, proud smiles fill the faces of Costa Rican people and you are left with a sense of “oneness” as being in this tropical tundra reminds you that you share this earth with so many other equally significant creatures.
A beautiful blend of thrilling adventure and serene reflection is what you can expect from your journey here.
Find all the important info along with my Costa Rica must-do’s below!
NEED TO KNOW
Language: Spanish – You will find many people that speak some English but you will find many people that do not! Knowing a few Spanish basics will go a long way.
Currency: Costa Rican colón – Many places take card and some places even take USD but having colón on hand is necessary.
Where to get your money: The ATM’s in Costa Rica are safe to use! They’re not difficult to find when in a city.
Transportation: RENT A CAR. Trust me. Outside of San Jose public transport becomes slim. You’re going to want to go where you want, when you want and this is the best way to do so. Depending on your itinerary and what time of year you plan to visit will determine what vehicle you’re going to need. We drove all the way from the mountains to the beach during rainy season. Therefore, it was best for us to have a large 4-wheel drive vehicle. Look at all the options.
Auto Insurance: Bare with me… This is intense. Costa Rican auto insurance is a government monopoly and everyone that drives a car (even if you’re a visitor renting a car) is required to have it by law. This might be redundant but just to be clear… You must purchase Costa Rican car insurance. US car insurance will not cover you. This can sometimes be just as expensive as the car rental. I would recommend waiting to purchase your insurance until you’re at the rental shop in Costa Rica and have someone who works there explain to you in detail the different options. It’s confusing, to say the least, and you may want to ask questions.
Climate: Rainy season (for budget conscious travelers) is May through November. Dry season, which is the more popular time to travel to Costa Rica, is December through April.
Temperature: The average year round temperature is 70-81 degrees Fahrenheit, although the lows can be in the 60’s and the highs can be in the 90’s. The coolest months of the year are November, December and January. The hottest months of the year March through May. The climate can differ drastically from the mountains to the coast so be sure to check that prior to your trip.
Zip lining
Costa Rica is famed for it’s thrilling outdoor activities and zip lining quickly made it to the top of our list of things to do. It was actually the first big activity we did and still remains as one of the highlights from our trip.
There are many different landscapes to choose from when it comes to zip lining in Costa Rica but we decided on the Sky Adventure Park situated in the cloud forest of Monteverde. With an altitude of up to 4920 feet above sea level, soring above one of the worlds most biodiverse rainforests is a thrilling and BEAUTIFUL ride. We were surrounded by fog, clouds and rain which added an element that made the trip even more exciting! Plus, the staff is amazing and really made our zip lining experience memorable with two guides and a personal photographer that caught our entire excursion on camera.
And don’t worry… if heights make you a little nervous there’s a bar at the top on the mountain for a little liquid courage. (Yes, we took a 9:30am zip lining shot 😉 )
Hanging Bridges
Soar above the tropical rainforest of La Fortuna on the Mistico Hanging Bridges. This lush, green nature sanctuary includes six hanging bridges, stunning views of the La Fortuna volcano, a sixty-foot waterfall and hundreds of species of wildlife. (This is where we saw monkeys!)
The Mistico Hanging Bridges Park has several tours some of which include a natural history walk, night tour, raft safari and horse ride. Although, you can do a self-guided tour through the park and enjoy the bridges, waterfall and sights for $26.
Have Lunch at a Soda
Do as the locals do and have a yummy meal at a Soda! A Soda serves what is known as “typico” or typical Costa Rican cuisine. Sodas are everywhere and you will find that they come in all shapes and sizes: some of which have a very simple menu and others a bit more broad.
A “casado” is a popular Costa Rican dish that you have to try! “Casado” translates to “marriage” which beautifully describes this plate as it’s a marriage of it’s ingredients consisting of rice, beans, salad, plantains and your choice of meat. To all my vegetarians out there (holla!) fear not… They have vegetarian casados as well!
Road Trip
As we were signing paperwork at the car rental shop we were told, “part of the adventure here is getting lost.”
Well, sir, you were right. Our Nissan X-trail became our second home as we made our way from the unpaved rugged terrain in the mountains to the winding coastal paths by the beach. There were many wrong turns, closed roads and turn-off-the-car-you’re-gonna-wait-so-long traffic jams but it was an adventure we learned to love. Keep in mind that Costa Rica doesn’t really navigate by street names. Instead they use landmarks and signs. (I’m totally serious). We downloaded the map of Costa Rica on Google maps prior to our trip, so although we didn’t have cell phone reception we did have GPS and could watch where we were on the map!
Things aren’t going to go exactly as planned. Just take a deep breath, enjoy the ride and be open to what comes your way! During a long drive we stopped at a random shop to grab a coffee and the next thing we knew the owner was taking us to his shop out back, turning on bachata music and teaching us how to make sugar cane juice. It’s such a spontaneous, fun memory and wouldn’t have happened if we didn’t give the opportunity the chance. So, in the midst of things getting crazy remember to enjoy the ride!
Hot Springs in La Fortuna
There are thermal water pools in various areas of Costa Rica but the majority and best-known are found in La Fortuna thanks to the nearby Arenal Volcano. There are many different hot springs in La Fortuna but we chose “Ecoterminales” as it encompasses more ‘nature’ feels and seeing that we were in a Costa Rican jungle we thought it would be suiting!
Ecoterminales is a five-pool, outdoor, geothermal hot spring with a poolside bar and home-style Costa Rican restaurant. We were there for hours enjoying refreshing cocktails and making our way through the different pools. There is a cascading 108 degrees water that’s safe to sit under (definitely my favorite part!), trickling cold-water umbrellas, pebbles that tickle your feet as you walk and beds made of stone! (Sounds odd but they’re so relaxing). This experience was definitely one of my favorite nights of the trip.
Shred the Gnar in Puerto Viejo
Puerto Viejo is a southeastern city on the coast of the Carribean Sea. The water is a beautiful clear blue and the temperature is like a luke-warm bath. I’ve never really been keen on going in the ocean as I’m not a very good swimmer but I decided to throw my worries to the wind and give surfing a try in paradise.
Coming from someone that’s always been afraid to try, there is no place better to start surfing than Puerto Viejo. From our helpful, encouraging instructors to the feeling of riding my first wave into shore, the entire experience was incredible.
With several different beaches encompassed in Puerto Viejo you will find a wave for every level. From the lighter waves near the reef break to Playa Cocles where you will find much bigger waves, if surfing is on your list of things to do, then you will find what you’re looking for here.
BE
Sometimes the highlights aren’t only the action-packed adrenaline rush experiences but also the moments in between: sitting in a hammock listening to the birds, watching the crabs pop in and out of their little sand hole at 5:30am, reading a book on the four hour car ride that you’re probably going to get lost on…Being in a place that’s as wise and alive as Costa Rica, sometimes the quietest moments speak the loudest. When you have a few minutes to relax before your next grand affair, just be.
Cheers to a belly full of delicious food and a heart full of happy memories 🙂
*P U R D A V I D A*