Nosara, Costa Rica: Image Credit: Elizabeth Lavis
I fell in love with Costa Rica the first time I crossed the Sixola River from Panama en route to Puerto Viejo. To call it spectacular is an understatement. Costa Rica is a place that must be experienced to be understood. No photograph of a deep salmon-colored sunset spreading across the vast beaches of Dominical can tell the whole story. You need to dip your toes into the sparkling bioluminescence of Potrero Bay or lounge in a hammock under the million stars of the clear Central Valley sky to understand it.
Costa Rica is nothing short of captivating, but it does come with a gentle learning curve that you need to understand and embrace before you pack your bags. Preparing for the mild culture shock and slight inconveniences will help make your trip smooth sailing. I learned them on the ground, but I wish I had a heads-up beforehand.
Prepare to Slow Your Roll
Americans tend to move at a breakneck, go-go-go pace, but as soon as you hop off that plane in San José or Liberia, you’ll need to pump the brakes and adjust your expectations. Costa Rica tends to move at a slower clip. Restaurant service can be slower, stores may or may not open exactly on the dot, and buses sometimes run off schedule. Patience is your friend, and budgeting extra time will stop your adrenaline from spiking and keep you feeling those pura vida vibes, even when things are not going exactly to plan.
The Insects Are Huge
There’s a lot to love about the tropics: the epic sunsets, wide sandy beaches, and warm balmy temperatures. Unfortunately, these features come with a few bugs, specifically in the form of huge insects. Inevitably, you’ll run across one of these creepy crawlies on your travels. Massive grasshoppers, gargantuan beetles, and my least favorite, larger-than-life cockroaches, are common. So, how do you deal with it? Book a room on an upper floor whenever possible, make sure your screens are secure, and don’t leave any unsealed food out. If you do snap on a light and spot a big old bug chilling in your bathroom, try to take it in stride. It’s a small price to pay for a fantastic experience.
Rain Is Different Near the Equator
To understand what rainy season looks like close to the equator, take the biggest thunderstorm you’ve been in and multiply it by at least three. Rainy, also known as the “green” season in Costa Rica, which varies by region but generally runs between May and November, can be next-level, causing mudslides, flooding roads and lower-lying areas, and making it difficult or impossible to travel. On the flip side, you’ll find cheaper accommodations and fewer tourists during these times. If you do opt to travel during the rainy season, prepare for delays, plan some backup inside activities, and understand that excursions are subject to the weather.
Capuchin Monkey: Image Credit: Elizabeth Lavis
Capuchin Monkeys Are Thieves
One of Costa Rica’s biggest draws is its biodiversity, and monkeys, especially the lithe and adorable capuchin monkeys, are a huge part of it. You’ll find these creatures in places like Manuel Antonio National Park, where they’re used to people and regularly swing down from the trees to get astonishingly close. While this can all seem like the Disney moment of your dreams, it’s important to remember that these animals are wild, strong, and fast, and they like to steal. Take out your phone for an up-close shot at your own risk. I’ve also seen monkeys work zippers, pilfering food out of unattended bags, or even vanishing into the trees with the whole thing.
Your Computer Will Hate You
I was shocked by how much of a toll Costa Rica’s weather took on my laptop. My new cable died. The laptop stubbornly and repeatedly refused to start properly. Although I’ve never been ultra-careful with my electronics, I never saw them degrade at such a rapid pace, even after shoving them into hostel lockers all over Peru and Colombia. At first, I thought this was a “me” thing, but then I spoke to several other people who had the same issue. Long-time residents told me that they had to buy new laptops every year. The culprits are humidity and salt air, and the answer is to keep your laptop as dry as possible. Consider a waterproof laptop sleeve or even a large zip-lock bag if you’re traveling for any substantial amount of time.
Cash is King
You’ll find plenty of ATMs and places that take credit cards in major tourist hot spots, like the party towns of Tamarindo and Jacó, but not so much in smaller beach towns or the Central Valley. Some places only have one working ATM, and if it’s out of cash, you’re out of luck. Smaller guesthouses and hostels are cash-only or charge an extra fee for putting your room on a card. The same goes for excursions. It’s a good idea to carry an emergency supply of cash for situations like these.
Sunset in Manuel Antonio: Image Credit: Elizabeth Lavis
Night Driving is for Locals
Renting a car is a smart play in parts of Costa Rica, especially in the Nicoya Peninsula, where public transportation exists but is spotty and time-costly. Enjoy cruising during the day, but prepare to reach your destination before nightfall. Night driving is for locals or people intimately familiar with the roads. After the sun goes down, poorly lit roads with little or no signage become substantially more difficult to navigate. There’s also the chance that you’ll encounter wildlife. Once, on the way to Jacó, I ran into a crocodile in the road. Fortunately, we caught a glimpse of it in the headlights and had time to stop and let it pass. I was with an experienced guide who regularly drove that stretch of highway, but even he was rattled. So, when the sun goes down, the car stays parked.
What are your top tips for visiting Costa Rica?
