Costa Rica is the “easiest” country in Central America: every year millions of tourists visit it, it goes without saying that it is a country with an exceptional receptivity, a hotel for all tastes and activities to no end from the canopy tour of Monteverde, to the excursions on the Arenal volcano, Costa Rica is the ideal destination for those who love adventure and of course nature. From PeterPan Traveler you can have the best deaks.
General information in pills
When to go : the best time to visit Costa Rica is between December and the first half of April. But this is also the most crowded time for tourists. April / May and October / November are in my opinion the best times. Summer is the rainy season.
- Currency, Credit Cards and ATM: the official currency is the Costa Rican Colón.
- Practically everywhere you can withdraw cash with mastercard and visa at ATMs.
Security: Costa Rica is among the safest countries in Central America, but it is not exempt from theft or robbery. Despite this, the acts of crime are not very frequent especially if you use common sense rules such as not leaving suitcases and backpacks in beautiful cars on display. In the Mercado Central in San Josè, it is better to pay attention and not expose too many objects like valuable cameras or smartphones.
Public transport and transport: Public transport (buses) is very cheap but also very slow. If you do not have much time available, the best choice is to rent a car.
Wifi: present almost everywhere.
How much does it cost to travel to Costa Rica?
Unlike extremely economic countries such as Guatemala, Nicaragua and Honduras, Costa Rica is a fairly expensive destination, especially if you want to enjoy the country to the full by participating in guided tours and taking part in the various activities offered.
Hotels and hostels: the average price of a private room in a hostel is around 20 – 30 euros with shared bathroom. The hotels are more expensive, from 50 euros upwards. If you want to stay in some ecolodges (do it at least one night) the price of a room goes from 70 euros up, but it’s worth it.
Restaurants: the price of restaurants depends mainly on the location. In tourist places like Manuel Antonio or Tamarindo a dinner in a good restaurant costs 20-25 euros a head, but if you choose the sodas (small family-run restaurants) you can easily stay around 10 euros each.
Guided activities and tours
The sore point. They are all pretty expensive. A birdwatching excursion or trekking in the forest starts from 30 euros to go up. The canopy tour starts at 60 euros while a visit to the coffee plantations is around 40 euros. Entry to the parks is generally around 10 euros.
What to pack
Rain jacket or cape: even in the dry season it can often rain. A cape or a kway is especially important if you want to go hiking in the rainforest.
Trekking boots: when walking in the forest it is best to have closed shoes that protect the foot and help not to slip.
Personal security: it is always better to pack a money belt (those that are hidden under clothes) and a lock if you are in a hostel and you want to keep your belongings safe in lockers.
Protection: absolutely necessary to wear sun protection creams and a stick for insect bites.
