Things to know before traveling to Costa Rica

digiparkerJanuary 14, 2022

312 4 minutes read

Costa Rica is a paradise for nature explorers. Moreover, it is home to gorgeous beaches, tropical rainforests, unique wildlife reserves, volcanoes, and biodiversity. San Jose is the capital and the busy city, home to popular museums, charming squares, coastal villages, and stunning attractions. There are myriads of turquoise beaches on the Caribbean coast with their calm waters and unique cultural vibes.

If you plan a trip to Costa Rica, here are a few things to know before traveling to Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is not that inexpensive as you think

It is one of the very basic yet important notions while planning a trip, especially an international getaway. Many people think that traveling to Costa Rica might not cost much, but that is not true. Moreover, you might have to pay approximately $100 per traveler, including food similar in Canada or USA. However, if you plan your itinerary carefully, you might save a lot and also get access to additional discounts. For instance, you can find cheap fares on vacation packages at many U.S Airlines, including Frontier. You can check the availability of low-fare deals and flight schedule by dialing Delta Airlines Español.

Get ready for thrilling outdoor activities in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a wonderland for adventure seekers; therefore, it provides plenty of opportunities for thrilling sports. Tourists can do hiking on the high-altitude trails, surfing in the warm waters, trekking, and whatnot. Moreover, Monteverde and La Fortuna are two of the northern sites ideal for such adventures. In short, it is the favorite place for backpackers and sight seekers. Furthermore, one can explore the beautiful national parks, cloud forests, and volcanoes within the area.

Costa Rica is a small country but takes much longer to explore

Costa Rica is a smaller country than West Virginia and Denmark in terms of geographical aspects. It will take at least a week to explore the major landmarks, and you can do sightseeing on road trips. However, there are many routes, having only one lane, causing a lot of congestion and traffic. In short, no road goes all around, so you have to plan the day accordingly. Remember to take one hour extra even if the Google Map says something else. For instance, when coming from Tamarindo to San Jose, the total distance would be 259 kilometres or 161 miles.

Tap water is safe to drink in Costa Rica

There are some cities and countries where it is safe to drink tap water, including Costa Rica. Moreover, hotels and other accommodation options give tap water from faucets to the locals and tourists. However, many remote and rural areas, including Sarapiqui, Golfito, Santa Teresa, Osa Peninsula, and Tortuguero, have bottled water to drink. You can save money by not buying plastic bottled water, and it will be great for the environment too.

Don’t forget to carry local currency

Most importantly, don’t forget to carry local currency while coming to Costa Rica. You can keep U.S. Dollars or Colons to make payments at gas stations, local shops, grocery stores, and restaurants. Moreover, you can exchange your currency at the airport or any of the exchange stores in the nearby shops. However people accept credit or debit cards, but it is still safe to have the local currency in your pockets.

Drive carefully on the roads of Costa Rica

If you are planning to drive in Costa Rica, make sure that the road conditions are not that great. The highways are not in great condition; therefore, you must drive carefully, especially when coming from Nicoya to Santa Teresa. Besides, hike on the hiking trails in the forest regions or rent a 4 x 4 with a professional driver. It will be safer as the drivers are quite familiar with the routes and can easily navigate them. Most importantly, it would be best not to forget to get travel insurance before setting off on the trip.

Learn the language while going to Costa Rica

One of the great things to know before traveling to Costa Rica is learning the native language. People believe that it is a tourist country, and there are plenty of North Americans living here and speaking English. However, the majority of the inhabitants don’t speak English but communicate in the Spanish language. If you know the language, you will not struggle with a conversation with locals across the country. To relish a seamless experience with language, download the translation app on your smartphone and learn the basic words.

It will be dark after 6 pm in Costa Rica

The sun rises around 6:00 am as Costa Rica is about 8 to 12 degrees from the equator. However, it changes for about 15 minutes the entire year, so plan your day trip accordingly. It would be better to avoid long drives after dark or walk on the beach before sunrise and after sunset.

If you follow the above tips and suggestions, you are going to have the best time in Costa Rica. In case you are looking for assistance at JetBlue or want to talk to the booking team, dial Jetblue Español. The flight representative will search for the best flight and tell you about the ongoing deals on holiday packages.