One mistake you should avoid making while coming to CR – you need to make sure you are booking your flight to the right country. It may sound silly, but it can be an easy mistake for visitors to Costa Rica.
When searching for a flight be sure that you are looking up SJO for Costa Rica’s San Jose International Airport. The other airport that it is often confused with is in San Jose California. This could end up costing you a fair bit of cash if you end up not double and triple-checking your destination.
Costa Rica is a country of microclimates (12 of them in fact). It may also be raining on one side of the country and not the other or even one town may be overcast while another nearby still has sunny skies for the morning.
Rains one moment, nice, hot, and sunny the next one and everything is dry. This way you are getting 2 in 1 experiences.
The country may appear small and google maps only say an hour and a half…but in reality, it could be at least half an hour more minimum depending on where you are driving. If not longer.
Always give yourself extra driving time especially if you are visiting during Semana Santa (Costa Rica’s Holy Week), the high tourist season, or holidays. Everyone is trying to leave the city and usually headed to the beach….
Not to mention ongoing road constructions and Costa Rican roads are notorious for landslides, potholes, slow-moving vehicles loaded with cows, and anything else you can imagine. So needless to say, just give yourself extra time and enjoy the scenery!
And don’t expect to see the whole small Costa Rica in 1 week. It is impossible!
Don’t just assume it is only busy from December to Holy Week. Costa Rica is a popular tourist destination even after April as the green season brings nature into full bloom and the waterfalls and rivers flow.
Don’t make the mistake of waiting for a better deal because there may be nothing left and you are left with no deal at all. Especially when it comes to car rentals as they are booked up very quickly, months and months in advance.
Google Maps is a great tool, but may not be your best friend in Costa Rica, especially during the rainy season and off the routes. Waze is a popular app here in Costa Rica so you may want to have this along with your downloaded map offline. You will be grateful for it when you come across heavy traffic and accidents.
It’s not unknown to be following Google’s directions only to find yourself on some far-off road, surrounded by trees wondering if the water is too deep to pass on the washed-up road. Trust me, it happens a lot more than you think.
Maybe one of the most important tips for the foreigners
“Tico time” is no joke. So bring along a little patience and it will go a long way in having a good visit.
Don’t take the word “ahora” literally when you are in Costa Rica. Ahora may mean NOW, but not to those who use the word.
Plans can change depending on the weather, from rains making certain activities dangerous or washing out roads. It all comes along with learning to go with the flow of things here in Costa Rica so have some backup ideas ready. And it will teach you to slow down, you just will have no choice.
Google Translate can go a long way in helping you get by. It’s a great tool. It can also come in handy in the restaurant for menus that don’t have an English version. Although tasty and a Costa Rican favorite some might not be quite ready to dive into a bowl of sopa de mondongo. English is common mostly in some tourist areas. But in even big cities like San Jose - not so much. So have an app ready to help you not to get lost.
Even though the crime rate is not so bad in this country, DO NOT leave your valuables in the vehicle especially if you are parking in tourist destinations and designated parking for popular attractions. Even if you lock it, you could very well lose it.
Same with valuables on the beach - Remember: Better be safe than sorry.
You should always have some cash on you, both colones and US dollars. There are places where you can use only cash, or it would be better to use only cash.
Parking attendants, roadside stands, and some food vendors along your travels are just a few places. Don’t toss away those heavy coins either; they can add up quickly and will end up being quite useful.
Pay in USD when things are quoted in USD. These are things like tours, private/shared shuttles, hotels, etc. Usually the more expensive products in tourism. This is the best currency to use in Costa Rica for these kinds of things.
Tours are better paid by US dollars and not a credit card (as you should have with you as well) as you will be charged extra either 8% or 13% tax. Cash most of the time is tax-free.
Exchange money before you come to the country. Lineups in the banks can be hours long. ATMs are in English and Spanish and you can withdraw both Costa Rican currency and USD. It is still cheaper than paying extra tax with the card.
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