Costa Rica is a paradise for nature lovers. In addition to volcanoes, rainforests, sandy beaches, ocean and sea, you can be sure to see a wide variety of wildlife. Starting with frogs, snakes, monkeys, toucans, iguanas, and ending with the most important and most characteristic animal of Costa Rica – the sloth. If you still don’t know how to organize your trip to Costa Rica, this article will help you!

During our Costa Rica trip we have visited the following beautiful places:

• La Fortuna
• Puerto Viejo
• Uvita
• Manuel Antonio

If you are traveling from major European cities, you most probably have to expect at least one stop over, and an expense of about $500 – $600 depending on how far in advance you book your ticket.

If you are traveling from the U.S., depending on which city you are coming from, you can find tickets for as little as $50 without luggage and without a stopover – Miami for example! We advise you to plan your vacation in advance and keep a close eye on flight prices.

We always, really always look for the best flights on Skyscanner .

Car

The easiest way to travel around Costa Rica is to rent a car. This will make it easier to move between destinations and also allow you to get to many of the attractions. A 4×4 is the best choice, as getting to some of the attractions can be a challenge. But it won’t be required everywhere, it depends where you are planning to travel. Remember to book well in advance, because doing it last minute is not worth it. Prices go up considerably and a 24 hours car rental can cost up to $90. So if you buy your airline tickets, start planning your trip and book a car right away.

We personally left everything to the last minute and the cost of renting a car was so high that we had to give it up. Next time we will definitely choose a car to get easier around.

Shuttle Bus

If you don’t feel confident behind the wheel. you have planned everything to the last minute, or for some other reason you don’t want to rent a car, you can opt for a shuttle bus to travel between destinations. Those run from all tourist areas around Costa Rica.

This is definitely a convenient option if you want to have more luxury during your trips but don’t want to rent a car. There are a few companies which offer that kind of trips.

• RIDECR
• Caribe Shuttle
• Paradise Shuttle

Here prices vary depending on the distance, you can check most of the rides online at GetByBus .

• San Jose – La Fortuna: $39
• San Jose – Puerto Viejo: $50

Bus

For those who travel on a budget, Costa Rica offers bus transportation to get from one city to another. Prices are much lower and the comfort is as low. Buses are quite old, not very clean, no toilets, no air conditioning and depending on the carrier, also with only few stops. However it is the cheapest option for travel in Costa Rica, with prices starting from as little as $5.

If you travel on a budget, this is the best option for low cost travel. Apart from the low standard of travel it is almost a challenge to find a carrier, and in addition each carrier has its own station from which it runs. So it can prove to be a big problem for inexperienced travelers.

Most of the tickets can’t be purchased online, so you will have to go to their terminal, hope that a bus is coming and buy the according ticket. Sometimes you can find some informations about bus departure on the spot, but this like to change, so it’s 50/50 chance that the bus will departure on time.

Be sure to get to the bus stacion early enough (if you will find out when the bus is leaving) because the tickets are limited and you want to have a seat for yourself. Some companies (MEPE e.g.) sell more tickets than they have seats, so you will end up sitting on the floor of the bus. But if there is a seat number written on your ticket, you can feel safe that you will have your seat for sure.

The last obstacle is that the roads in Costa Rica are not the best and often to get to the next destination, you have to go through the capital San Jose, which greatly lengthens the travel time. Here are some options and prices for these trips.

• San Jose – La Fortuna with Transportes San Carlos: $5
• San Jose – Puerto Viejo with MEPE: $9
• San Jose – Uvita with TRACOPA: $10
• San Jose – Manuel Antonio (Quepos) with TRACOPA: $7
• Uvita – Manuel Antonio (Quepos) with TRACOPA: $10

The probability of finding a bus connection to the tourist attractions is very low. We only made it to Manuel Antonio to get to the beach. The same bus also goes to the park in Manuel Antonio. To get to the other attractions we used Uber or Taxi.

Uber

Even if Uber is not widely spread around Costa Rica, there are some destinations which offer their service. In our experience to order an Uber in San Jose and La Fortuna worked really well. In all the other destinations which we have visited, we were not able to use Uber.

Taxi

In most of the cities you will find a taxi, but as always, they will be more expensive. In some areas like Uvita in our experience, the taxis are very limited. We had to wait one hour at the bus terminal (where you would expect taxis) to get one. So if you depend on their service, it is always suggested to ask the taxi driver for his telephone number.

Costa Rica has a fairly well developed accommodation base, in addition to hotels you can easily find more budget friendly Apartments on Airbnb as well as options on Booking. Prices vary depending on the destination, you can find something for as little as $30 depending on what standard you prefer.

If you don’t have a car, it is important to book accommodation in the city center, so that you can get around on foot. If you rent a car, you can look for options a bit outside the city. In Costa Rica there is something for everyone, depending on your budget.

The best time to visit Costa Rica is between December and April. This is the dry season in Costa Rica, so you will be able to enjoy the days without rain and make the most of your time in this wonderful country. Keep in mind that prices in Costa Rica are higher during this time.

The hottest month in Costa Rica is January, and the „colder“ months start from May through August, when the average temperature is about 25 degrees Celsius, so it’s really hard to call it a low temperature. The rainy season in Costa Rica starts in May and lasts until mid December. Also during this season it is not raining the whole time, but definitely more than usual.

As in all countries, you will find several providers in Costa Rica to buy a SIM card and be mobile on the road. According to our research, Claro offers the best package at a fair price-performance ratio.

You can buy the SIM card directly in the arrival hall at the airport. When we were there, we could only pay with cash. Fortunately, there was an ATM in the same room.

Costa Rica is one of the safest countries in Latin America, but don’t forget the normal rules of safety. Don’t walk alone at night, in places you don’t feel comfortable. You should not leave any valuables in your car, as this can lead to break-ins.

Just use your common sense, don’t be too naiv and everything will be all right. We didn’t feel unsafe in Costa Rica at any time, except sometimes in San Jose but their you probably won’t spend that much time anyway.

Costa Rica is well known for its wildlife and some of those animals can be also dangerous if you get to close to them. So make sure to keep your distance and respect their space.

Not all people who wish to travel to Costa Rica need a tourist visa. You can check the visa requirements at the website of Costa Rica Embassy . Most foreign citizens only need a valid passport, and the maximum number of days you can stay in Costa Rica is 90. At the passport control you must show your departure ticket, within 90 days of arrival.

Immigration officer will also ask you about your purpose of travel and where you are staying during your trip. It is a good idea to have this information ready before you go to the desk.

If you are planning your trip in the dry season we recommend that you take short things like shorts, miniskirts or dresses and bikinis, The water in Costa Rica is certainly inviting and the beaches especially on the Caribbean side are stunning.

If you plan a bigger hike or night tour, good hiking shoes are a must. Don’t forget sandals, a baseball cap or hat, and sunglasses. Also pack a good sunscreen, we recommend 50, and a strong mosquito spray.

When it comes to Costa Rican cuisine, rice and black beans are the mainstay of meals, often served up to three times a day. But don’t worry, that doesn’t mean you have to eat rice every day, the restaurant base in Costa Rica is very rich and there is something for everyone.

Starting with Argentinean, Colombian, Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Indian and Mexican cuisine. The country is also rich in seafood and tropical fruits.

The tap water in Costa Rica is drinkable, but we always drank bottled water because we sometimes get sick while traveling. Nevertheless many other travellers had no issue drinking tap water. When we cooked we always used tap water.

If you decide to cook in Airbnb you can find pasta, rice, ready-made sauces, eggs, oil and dairy products in local markets. Dairy products are unfortunately quite expensive, and we don’t recommend yogurt because the bacteria it contains can interfere greatly with your gut flora. Unfortunately we know that from our own experience. 🤢

In small markets the selection of fruits and vegetables is limited, but on the streets you can often find local vendors with fresh produce. Remember to wash fruits and vegetables in boiling water thoroughly before consumption.

The official currency in Costa Rica is the Colon, named after Christopher Columbus. Colones consist of colorful bills that depict some Costas Ricas most beautiful animals like sharks, monkeys, sloths and butterflies.

660 Colones is equivalent to approximately 1 $. US dollars are widely accepted in Costa Rica, but the bills need to be in perfect condition, they will not be accepted if they are ripped or torn. Euros are unfortunately not accepted in Costa Rica. In practically every place during our trip we could pay by card.

Costa Rica is often called the Switzerland of Central America. Actually, this is because Costa Rica is a neutral country. Another similarity with Switzerland is that it is quite expensive compared to the neighboring countries.

The prices are per person, except for the taxi and the accommodation, which we rent for 2 people.

Accommodation: $26 – $42 / night

Restaurant: $12 – $23 / meal

Snack: $2 – $6 / meal

Bus: $10 – $47 / ride

Taxi: $4 – $28 / ride

Activity: $6 – $55 / event