Ten tips for travelers.
Written: Dec 24 '01
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Pros: Stunning scenery throughout the country and in any weather; friendly people; varied wildlife; great beaches.
Cons: Bumpy dirt roads in the countryside; scarcity of ATMs; bureaucracy at provincial banks.
The Bottom Line: I really recommend Costa Rica. Although there are luxury tours, it is also great for budget travelers and students.
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| verbatima's Full Review: Costa Rica |
At the outset, I must say that I really, really recommend Costa Rica. I hasten to add that if your preference in traveling to far-away lands gravitates towards lounging on an overdeveloped, extra-safe beach with a diluted local flavor, Costa Rica is probably not for you. You have to be prepared for wild (but very beautiful) beaches, bumpy dirt roads, and closely rubbing elbows with the locals, most of whom speak little or no English (Costa Ricans are so friendly, though, and so eager to help that my husband and I did not find the language barrier a big problem, though neither of us speak Spanish). If you like hiking, nature sports, and natural sights, and don't mind a few bruises and muscle aches from white-water rafting, you'll have a great time in Costa Rica. Having said that, here are a few tips if you are planning to visit:
1. Take seriously the guide books' advice to bring a flashlight and spare batteries. As most of Costa Rica's attractions are outside of the capital of San Jose, you will frequently find yourself in poorly-lit rural areas walking steep and uneven trails and roads. At night, it is pitch-black. When we were in Monteverde, for example, we ended up having to call a taxi, wait for it, and take a bumpy round-about trip from the Ecofarm to Moteverde Lodge, separated by a forest trail which would take only ten minutes to walk, had we only taken a flashlight. As for the night-time forest walk by the Ecofarm ("Finca Ecologica"), the guide will provide you with a flashlight for the duration of the tour. Whatever the situation though, bring a flashlight just in case.
2. Have some cash colones and travelers checks on hand, but try to save them for cash-only transactions. Sometimes you will need cash even where you would normally expect to be able to pay with a credit card -- for example, even though the Monteverde Lodge takes credit cards for most payments, you must pay in cash for your use of the safety deposit box and for massage. You'll also need cash for small water and food purchases in shops along the highway between destinations. ATMs are scarce in rural Costa Rica, and many of those in existence are either broken or don't recognize non-Costa Rican cards, notwithstanding the fact they may display a matching sign, such as Cirrus. You can make a withdrawal or draw a cash advance the old-fashioned way through a bank teller, of course, but you'll have to do it during bank hours, wait in line between 40 minutes and one hour, and go through a long procedure frequently involving several bank officials. We spent approximately 1.5 hours at the Banco Nacional in the town of San Ramon trying to withdraw an equivalent of $200 (US) from our checking account. No one at the bank spoke English or French, and we do not speak Spanish. In the end, they gave us an equivalent of $2000, not $200; we felt like we had robbed a bank and spent the rest of the trip schlepping around several thick wads of Costa Rican money.
3. There is no ATM in the Monteverde area (including the town of Santa Elena).
4. If you are planning to rent a car in Costa Rica and do your own driving outside of the San Jose area, rent a 4WD vehicle. Don't even think about driving up to Monteverde in anything other than a 4WD vehicle.
5. Arenal: the volcano is becoming dormant.Most photographs and accounts depicting Arenal as continually exploding and spitting fire are actually from the 1980s and early 1990s, a local guide told us. Nowadays, the natural fireworks are infrequent, and over the 24-hour period that we spent in the area, we did not hear any explosions, although we did see some steam on the active side of the volcano. I still recommend visiting the area, however: the volcano, with its impressive height and nearly perfect conical shape, is a spectacular sight even without the burning lava, and old lava trails are very exciting. The whole area is very picturesque and you can observe a lot of wildlife there. Also, you can visit hot springs near the volcano, including the upscale Tabacon Spa.
6. Pacific coast (Playa Tamarindo and thereabouts): Take a night-time tour watching enormous leatherback turtles nest on the beach. It is a great experience for both adults and children.
7. Playa Tamarindo and thereabouts: unless you see something unique, don't buy souvenirs here. The Tamarindo area is geared towards US and other western travelers, and by Costa Rican standards, it is grossly overpriced. You will buy souvenirs at considerably lower prices elsewhere, even at such tourist traps as a hotel gift shop in San Jose.
8. Playa Tamarindo and thereabouts: it is a wild beach, which has not been "groomed" for tourists, and where there are no lifeguards. While it is great for swimming, and the water is pleasant, you do have to watch out for underwater rocks and undercurrents. Walk until you find a clear section of the beach with no rocks and be careful when wading in the water. You don't have to be a great swimmer to enjoy this beach, but, at the same time, this is no place to start learning how to swim. I sense that the Costa Rican approach to swimming safety simply calls for one to exercise common sense.
9. Always carry a small pack of Kleenex and hand sanitiser. Although bathroom facilities along the Interamericana highway in Costa Rica are fairly clean, sometimes there is no toilet paper and no water in the faucet.
10. When you leave Costa Rica, you must pay an airport tax of $17 (US) per person (as of December 2001). Just outside the San Jose airport, on the curb, some official-looking, finely groomed and suit-clad people will try to sell you tax stamps. Don't buy the tax stamps from them -- our local guide told us that some travelers have been scammed. Buy your tax stamps inside the airport.
Lastly, since we don't speak Spanish, we took a guided tour of Costa Rica through Costa Rica Expeditions. We really liked this company for the great itinerary, commitment (and sometimes overcommitment) to safety, and top-notch service. I recommend it highly.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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Epinions.com ID:
verbatima
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Location: Jersey City, NJ
Reviews written: 74
Trusted by: 47 members
About Me:
"[If] I had six minutes to live, I'd type a little faster." Isaac Asimov
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