Never
Been to
Costa Rica?
Here are some travel tips before you make your journey.
With cheap and direct flights from the US, a plethora of wildlife, stunning coastline, and pristine jungle it’s no wonder Costa Rica has become a hot travel destination in the last decade.We too were transfixed on beautiful images of the country and knew that it was time to make the trip. If you’re like us and dreaming of a Costa Rican vacation here are a few Costa Rican travel tips to help you plan.
USD is totally acceptable
The colón is the currency of Costa Rica, but just about anywhere will accept USD as payment too, you just may get a bad exchange rate. At the time of writing the exchange rate is 1 USD =566.518CRC. Make sure to download the Casa Breeze app so you can always stay up to date with the rates.
Bring Water Shoes
Seriously, if you plan on spending time around the waterfalls and going in the water it’s worth it to pick up a pair of cheap water shoes. They will help you grip the slippery rocks and protect your feet from cuts.
Wildlife
Costa Rica is home to more than 500,000 species with 300,000 of those insects. This staggering number represents nearly 4% of the total species estimated worldwide. That’s a whole lotta wildlife in one little country. Costa Rica is actually one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. No matter where you are in the country there are many amazing animals and birds to be found.
Tap water is generally safe
The tap water in Costa Rica is generally okay to drink. However, if you feel you could get an upset stomach easily you should stick to a water filter, bottled water, or boiling your water before you drink it.
Pura Vida
Pura Vida means Pure Life and is a way of life in Costa Rica. Ticos will use this term with each other and visitors to say hello, goodbye, and anything in between. It essentially means don’t stress, enjoy life, don’t worry, and be thankful. Embrace it and enjoy the Pura Vida lifestyle!
The Ticos are so welcoming
One thing is for certain about Costa Rica – the people are incredibly friendly. Costa Ricans or “Ticos” are happy to welcome you to their beautiful country, help you out, chat with you, and share their piece of paradise with visitors. We also found that most Ticos could speak English well too, but it certainly will help to pick up a few Spanish words.
Credit cards are widely accepted
I was pleasantly surprised to pay with my credit card at most establishments in Costa Rica. Even little soda shops were accepting cards. We always try to pay with a card when we can while traveling so we can rack up airline points.However, I would never suggest traveling around Costa Rica cashless. Always have some USD or Colons in your pocket just in case.
Weather
For a small country, there is a whole lot of weather and different environments going on. Around Monteverde and the cloud forest temperatures drop and it stays quite cool, especially at night.San Jose and the surrounding area are known to have an “eternal spring,” Guanacaste is dry and hot, while the coastal areas are just miserably hot and humid all year around. In general, the country sees a lot of sun and typically enjoys 12 hours of light every day. The sun usually rises before 6 am and sets just before 6 pm.