Costa Rica is one of the countries that we unfortunately had to rush through, and we really wish that we didn't have to! But with this beautiful country being so expensive we just couldn't part with the money to explore the whole country, so unfortunately we could only spend a week here! However, if like many others travelling to Costa Rica, you have the money to spend then you will not be disappointed. From Cloud forests and volcanoes, to sky diving, bungee jumping and white water rafting to idyllic Caribbean beaches and top surfing spots to some of the best wildlife in the world, Costa Rica really is a dream destination!
If you are on a long term trip like us, you may also find it hard to spend long here, but you HAVE to still pay it a visit, you will not regret it! In a country where the majority of tourists are Americans on vacation, you can almost feel like you're having a holiday within a holiday in this tropical paradise. A country well known to tourists, you can still find its hidden gems, this country has so much to offer and the locals make sure you know it! Oh and YOU WILL hear the locals proudly say PURA VIDA! to everybody that they meet, this isn't known as one of the happiest countries in the world for no reason..
If like us, you are entering Costa Rica from Nicaragua you may be tempted to stop in Liberia after crossing the border.. There is genuinely nothing here apart from a few fast food places that you won't have seen for a while and a big shock in store for you when you see the prices! However, it can be a very good stop over for the night if you are carrying onto the cloud forests and adventure sport havens of Monteverde or La Fortuna. If you are heading directly to San Jose and beyond, I would skip Liberia and continue down to the capital.
Definitely visit the bustling capital city of San Jose, but don't waste too much valuable time here! There is so much more to see! We headed directly to the Caribbean coast to Cahuita, to explore the beaches and the massively impressive National Park that is thriving with tropical wildlife, spotting toucans, howler monkeys and sloths to name a few. One major bonus about visiting this National Park is that, unlike other National Parks in the country, you will more than likely be one of the only people around and you can witness the animals in their natural habitat out in the wild, so keep your eyes peeled!
Next on our list was Puerto Viejo, a little further down the coast you will find this reggae inspired coastal town with some beautiful beaches, friendly locals and great nightlife. Rent a bike and travel down the coast to find your perfect beach (you will have a lot to choose from!). Make sure that you check out our 'Must Visit Place..' because you will find it here in Puerto Viejo!
This was our last stop in Costa Rica, but if you're lucky enough to spend more time and money here then make sure that you visit these other top destinations:
- Manuel Antonio National Park - Full of tourists, but you get up close and personal with the wild animals!
- Tamarindo - More commonly known as Tamagringo! This gringo haven is known for its quality surf and even better parties.
- Torteguero - A protected nesting area for Turtles.
- Jaco, Punta Arenas and Montezuma - Beautiful beach towns.
- Arenal Volcano - Beautiful views with rain-forests and hot-springs.
As soon as you cross the border from Nicaragua, you can say bye to the Chicken buses and shuttle buses and say hello to actual buses! With ACTUAL HEADRESTS! Jokes aside, the comfort and service is a huge difference from the rest of Central America, obviously helped by the huge amount of tourists that visit each year. Another bonus is the safety aspect, Costa Rica is known as one of the happiest countries on earth, with no military army and no conflict, which is a nice bit of relief from the more notorious countries nearby. When buying bus tickets just head down to the bus station to buy them, this will always be your cheapest option and sometimes the day before is the best idea to make sure that there is still tickets left for the longer journeys!
Here are some of the bus companies that we used or heard good things about;
- Grayline
- TicaBus
- TransNica
- Caribe Shuttle (To cross the border to Panama, this includes the boat to Bocas Del Toro)
- Capital City: San Jose
- Time Difference: GMT minus seven hours.
- Language Spoken: The official language of Costa Rica is Spanish, but English is widely spoken in most of the touristy areas.
- Local Cuisine: Rice, beans & meat or sometimes you can be lucky enough to get meat, beans & rice.. Haha! But all jokes aside, Gallo Pinto is the main staple here, but if you head towards the Caribbean coast you can sample some more flavoursome grub, such as Rondon (A spicy seafood gumbo), Chifrijo (rice, beans, corn chips, salsa & avocado), so much fresh seafood and of course our favourite Caribbean speciality, jerk chicken!
- Local Beers & Drink: The most common beers you will find here are Imperial & Pilsner! Make sure to also try the Guaro!
- Visa: Not required for most nationalities for stays up to 90 days.
- Entrance & Exit Fee: No entrance fee but there is a $7 USD exit fee.
- Proof of Onward Travel: Yes, proof of onward travel is necessary! Either a flight ticket or bus ticket out of the country is acceptable. If you are uncertain of your onward travel plans, like us! There are a few ways around this, and I will explain more in the crossing borders blog post!
- Currency & Exchange rate (Aug 2018): Costa Rican Colon (CRC) £1 = $728 CRC / $1 = $566 CRC, the USD is widely used here as well.
- Useful prices to note;
- 1 night in a hostel (Dorm bed) = $5099 - $8014 CRC / £7 - £11 / $9 - $14
- (Private Double room) = $8014 - $36,430 CRC / £11 - £50 / $14 - $64
- 1 local beer = $950 CRC / £1.30 / $1.60
- A typical meal for one = $3000 - £4000 CRC / £4.10 - £5.50 / $5.30 - $7
- Average cost of a 3-4 hour journey = $4500 - $5600 / £6.20 - £7.70 / $8 - $10
Costa Rican Colon (CRC) / British Pound (£) / US Dollar (USD)
This was a tough call, but it has to be the JAGUAR RESCUE CENTRE in Puerto Viejo. We visited this rescue centre after hearing very good things, although we really didn't expect to love it as much as we did! Helping rescued animals recover from serious injuries and looking after orphaned infants, this really is a special place!
