Costa Rica is a unique country set in the heart of Central America. On one side, it faces the Caribbean Sea and its vibrant culture, which includes traditional forms of Latin music, delicious food and incredible nightlife. On the other, Costa Rica faces the Pacific and boasts long expanses of white sand, world-class surfing and a beach culture that features both international nightlife and tiny, tucked away beaches and towns. Between these two coasts lie miles of dense rainforest, thousands of different species of animals, a series of towering volcanoes and adventure activities waiting around every bend.
This is just the place to find Costa Rica travel info and tips, including my first hand knowledge as a former resident. I’ve thoroughly researched the places and topics on this site and I've even enlisted the help of my Costa Rican friends while writing certain sections. My tips and info on Costa Rica travel will help you make the best of your vacation in this jewel of Central America. But first a little background on me.
I’m an avid traveler – I’ve been to Europe, the Caribbean, throughout Southeast Asia (lived in Bangkok for a few months), lived in Mexico for seven months and have been to every country in Central America. Even took a boat to Colombia.
I’d wanted to include Costa Rica in my travels for years, and then it finally happened. I had quit my job in the States and already been to Mexico and back, so I decided to improve my Spanish while diving and studying to be a divemaster. I just so happened to come upon an offer for a divemaster internship on the northwest coast of Costa Rica in a little pueblo called Playas del Coco.
I arrived with a plan to spend three months.
I came back almost exactly one year later.
So, be careful, the Costa Rican lifestyle can be a bit addictive. You might end up like I did…living there for a year and enjoying every second of it! And I’m putting my time spent there to good use by compiling a Costa Rica travel guide to help prepare any potential travelers. Though I’m sure when I’m through with you you’ll be chomping at the bit to hop a plane down here.
Why travel to Costa Rica though?
Costa Rica just has so much to offer:
Cheerful and friendly people – they call themselves Ticos (Ticas for the ladies)
26 National Parks – teeming with amazing flora and fauna (5% of all documented species on earth call Costa Rica’s 12 distinct ecological zones home)
And it’s closer to some US states than Hawaii and MUCH cheaper!
That was by no means an exhaustive list. You’ll have to poke around the website a bit to get a better understanding of this and all the great Costa Rica travel info I have to offer.
There are lots of wonderful little towns to get lost in for a couple of weeks of tranquility. But as a country that is the size of Vermont and New Hampshire together, it’s also easy to spend those weeks exploring all of Costa Rica with a rental car. You have even more options if you rent a 4x4 – which is required in some of the more remote regions, and just more comfortable on unpaved roads. Ticos will amaze you with their ability to use 2-wheel drive on rough terrain, but I did all my driving around in a 4x4. Makes those swimming pool size potholes along the coast a little more manageable – especially in the rainy season.
Don’t get scared though, road tripping around this country is a blast.
Costa Rica really does have it all. From luxury to adrenaline spiking adventure activities – imagine my heart rate when I was scuba diving and saw a ten-foot bull shark – this country will make a lasting impression on you. And perhaps you’ll begin a life long love affair as I certainly have. You wouldn’t be the first as there were over 80k expats counting Costa Rica as home in 2004.
Look around and find out what you’ve been missing!
Costa Rica Whitewater Rafting Costa Rica Whitewater Rafting Guide: Everything you need to know to plan an exciting whitewater rafting trip including river descriptions and helpful advice.
includes traditional forms of Latin music, delicious food and incredible nightlife. On the other, Costa Rica faces the Pacific and boasts long expanses of white sand, world-class surfing and a beach culture that features both international nightlife and tiny, tucked away beaches and towns. Between these two coasts lie miles of dense rainforest, thousands of different species of animals, a series of towering volcanoes and adventure activities waiting around every bend.
