Costa Rica Travel Advice

Costa Rica is considered as a perfect place to travel and it has become a recognized eco-tourism destination and its eco-system sustainability and rehabilitation has led to it being among the best holiday destinations in the world. It is more than a vacation destination; Costa is bestowed with over 500,000 plant and animal species with an intense array of biodiversity and environmental attractions – misty cloud forests, majestic volcanoes, hundreds of beaches along the Caribbean and Pacific coasts, and stunning river valleys.

Before traveling to Costa Rica one should gain some knowledge about the country such as about its weather, places to go and stay, driving tips, top destinations, adventure destination and activities, beach destination and lodging, and also about transportation facilities.

If the travelers have a well-grounded and realistic understanding about Costa Rica’s weather it will help to plan their trip and avoid unpleasant surprises. In Costa Rica, the rainy season starts in May and it is recommended to carry a light rain jacket or poncho. Dry season starts in December and lasts until April. December and January, however, are two of the nicest months. Usually the busiest travel times in Costa Rica are during Christmas, New Years and Easter Sunday. During this time most of the hotels and lodges are often fully booked well in advance.

Throughout the country, road conditions are quite variable. Due to the tropical climate and mountainous terrain, many roads are difficult to handle, and even some short distances can take much time due to poor road conditions or traffic. If it is rainy season, some roads are simply inaccessible as the rivers swell. It is better to check with a local to learn about the road condition before planning a trip.

In Costa Rica there are many destinations to explore and enjoy, so deciding where to go might be the hardest part of a trip planning process. It is better to choose one or two destinations, and then complementary locations can be found based on time constraints, proximity, and interest. Costa Rica is simply a paradise to see multiple locations and habitats on a single vacation. Arenal Volcano and La Fortuna, Manuel Antonio, Monteverde, Mal Pais / Santa Teresa, Tamarindo, Puerto Viejo, Jaco are some of the top destinations to visit. In many of these destinations, visitors are captivated by the unique natural landscape and habitat.

In Costa Rica, if you want to eat at local restaurants most meals will cost $7 USD or more and meals in a tourist area will cost around $12-20 USD. If you don’t want to spend much money you can eat from the street vendors where snacks and light meals can cost as little as $2. In this place, transportation costs are not very high, but there are some private coach operators that are about triple the price of the local public bus but are quicker and air-conditioned. Accommodations are available at varying rates, in differing locations and with a variety of amenities and luxuries. There are, of course, excellent choices with selections including beach resorts, seaside hotels, spas or mountain retreats. Here is some useful resources about traveling in Costa Rica:

Anamaya Resort

Anamaya Resort is an exotic place, situated in one of the most beautiful beach towns in the world. This resort is surrounded by verdant rainforests, epic waterfalls and gracing shimmering pools of clear cool water. In Sanskrit ‘Anamaya’ means “good health” and this is embodied in the organic gourmet cuisine offered, the 200 hours of yoga teacher training, yoga classes and retreats and a variety of other activities. This resort also offers excellent accommodation services, the exclusive fire dancing and circus entertainment that focus on harmony of mind, body and spirit. This retreat offers top-notch the 200 hours of Yoga Teacher training, yoga classes and memorable Yoga retreats.

Beaches

In Costa Rica there are nearly 300 different beaches along its stunning Pacific and Caribbean coastlines. The sand of the beaches varies from white, brown, black coloration and some of the beaches can be found full of shells or scattered with rocks, some other might be fluffy and soft sand.This website holds information about the beaches in Costa Rica, beach towns, places to stay in beach areas, about the surroundings and about the activities one can enjoy in those beach areas. Some beaches are suitable for enjoying surfing, scuba diving or sailing and others might be dangerous. If you want to visit Costa Rica beaches and enjoy beach activities this platform will be helpful enough for deciding where to go and stay.

Eco-lodges

If you are looking to get off the grid and away from it all and want to spend some time close the the nature, wake up in the morning listening the singing birds, spend your days through pristine setting you can chose an eco-lodge for your holidays. On this website you can get the information about many of the famous eco-lodges in Costa Rica and also about the facilities and tours they offer. Find the eco-lodge that perfectly matches your interest and enjoy activities like bird watching, hiking and snorkeling. Enjoy sustainable living.

Surf camps

If you are planning to tour Costa Rica soon and want to enjoy surf tours but don’t know where to surf suitable beaches for surfing in Costa Rica, then you can get help from this travel portal. In Costa Rica there are many surf schools and camps that organize surf trips for beginners as well as for the surfers who want to get better. From this single platform, surfers can find the suitable surf camps by getting information on ten renowned surf camps and the facilities they offer while arranging surf tours in Costa Rica.

Map of surf spots

Costrica, with its 300 beaches, is a surfing paradise for all level surfers. If you are searching a site where you can get all the surfing activities information found in Costa Rica then this is a one stop site with information ranging from the best Costa Rica Surfing schools or camps, surf resorts and retreats, and the top surf spots in Costa Rica. Sometimes it might be difficult to reach your favorite surfing destination because you don’t know the way. In this platform you will get an interactive map showing all the best surf spots in Costa Rica. Use this map while traveling to your favorite surf spots.

Scuba diving

This is one of the most popular scuba diving websites in Costa Rica. It provides a wide range of scuba diving information including best diving spots, accommodation, and cost. It also has information on scuba diving resorts and diving areas such as Caño Island, Tortuga Island, Cocos Island and many more. Cocos Island National Park is considered one of the world’s best destinations for scuba diving and snorkeling. Learn about Cocos Island’s diversity, its species and its water, dive sites and surroundings.

Yoga retreats

In this site you will get information about many Yoga retreat centers and studios in different regions of Costa Rica. Yoga lovers can also find some knowledge about yoga clothing. In Costa Rica there are so many yoga centers offering different types of Yoga sessions, workshops, training programs based on different yoga techniques, so it might be difficult to find out the best one. Before going to a resort to take a yoga session, if you want to know about the place and facilities then this online platform is useful.

Malpais Beach

If you are planning to go for a tour among the beautiful beaches in Malpais and Santa Teresa and the beautiful rugged jungle of the place then this is one of the best websites for travel information about the breathtaking Malpais Beach. It has information about hotels of all classes, ranging from high-end boutique hotels to medium-priced beachfront hotels, and even a few low-priced ones. In Mal Pais there are beautiful waterfalls, rocky coves, white sand beaches, rainforests and also some excellent yoga retreats.

Rancho Delicioso Farm

This website is all about the eco friendly 8 Hectare (20 acre) property Rancho Delicioso. The owner and all the staff are completely dedicated to developing an organic community in the area. All the construction of the farm has been done without any kind of environmental damage and the products used in this farm are all eco friendly. Foods are prepared only with produce from a nearby organic farm. In the eco village there is a permaculture volunteer center. If you want to know about this eco friendly property or join as a volunteer you can get enough information about the place, farm, village, tasks, food, and surroundings from the link above.

Real Estate

Tropisphere Real Estate provides and rents properties in the southern Nicoya peninsula for anyone willing to invest in Costa Rica. There is a comprehensive catalogue of Real Estate across the country. Whether you want a beach front home or something on a hill top, they have it all.

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Most visitors can get into Costa Rica without having a Visa and can stay for 90 days. If you are visiting the country for the first time, you should find a good map (found at any Adventure Hotels of Costa Rica member hotel) and in addition to paper maps you can also use a GPS map from various providers. Costa Rica does not name their streets, and only the major highways have a number, however in most cases they are not used. To find your way in Costa Rica, you will need to rely on following the directions given using by well-known buildings, stores or other landmarks.

If you want to join a volunteering program, there are several opportunities to engage in volunteer work in Costa Rica. These volunteer packages are based on turtle conservation, building houses, teaching English and community development work. For exploring the natural beauty, to watch the wildlife, enjoy different types of health programs including yoga and meditation or enjoy adventure activities like hiking, scuba diving, surfing, snorkeling, sailing, zip lining, water rappelling, bike riding, horseback riding, or kayaking. Costa Rica is just like Paradise.