Costa Rica: The Backpackers' Bible
Locations to Stay:
The most important thing to figure out is what route you want to take to make the most of your time. The best place to start is San Jose as it is easy to fly into and most public transport routes will travel from here.
Recommended locations:
Places I stayed but didn't love:
Monteverde - We enjoyed the ziplining and high ropes courses at 100% Aventura but found that compared to other areas, there was not a lot to do and it was quite expensive. We didn’t get a chance to go to the cloud forest or try bungee jumping but this could have changed my mind!
Jaco - Had lovely long beaches but found it very touristic with a lot of supermarkets and shops but not a lot else.
Montezuma - The walk up to the waterfall was a nice adventure but we spent too long here (4 nights) thinking there would be more to do :( It might be worth staying here for 1/2 nights as it is also close to Santa Teresa if you are travelling there.
Money Savers:
When travelling on a budget it is super important to learn the best ways to save money so here are my top 5!
1) Travel Slowly 🚎 - Transport accounted for a big portion of my budget so select a small amount of places to go and travel slowly to save money on moving around.
2) Book Hostels in Advance 🛏️ - I travelled at the end of peak season and booked last minute to be more flexible and so availability was sometimes low. This meant prices increased.
It may be better to book hostels early to avoid this problem. Try and find hostels with kitchen facilities to make life even easier!
4) Pay in Local Currency 💵 - When using card machines to pay, it may offer to pay in your currency, e.g. GBP, or local currency (Costa Rican Colon). Always select the local currency as it will give you a better exchange rate.
5) Cook for Yourself 👩🍳 - In most of the recommended areas, it will be easy enough to do a food shop for yourself. Buy simple things that can travel if necessary e.g. dried pasta/rice and sauces and buy vegetables and fresh items as you go.
The national dish is Rice and Beans which is easy enough to recreate in your own kitchen. This is also a great way to meet other people at your hostel!
Know before you go:
Packing List🎒
- There are a lot of items you cannot get whilst out there so make sure you pack them. The most important of these is going to be bug spray. You can buy spray out there but usually it is no higher than 15% Deet and I'd recommend getting 50%. (I got some nasty bites even with that.)
- For people who get periods, it is nearly impossible to find tampons and when you can they cost at least £6 a box! Pack these before you go or use alternatives like menstrual cups (can be hard to clean whilst travelling) or pads.
Learn some Spanish 🇪🇸
- Spanish is the national language and so it is polite (and necessary) to learn at least a few key phrases before you go. Hello, thank you, where is...? how much is...? etc. You can often take free Spanish lessons whilst you are out there which can also be a great way to meet other people.
- Some hostels provide lessons on site and some don't. You can also download Spanish on Google Translate to use when you don't have internet. Try to read the translation rather than showing someone so you learn as you go!
Be prepared for humidity ☀️
- There is often no A/C in hostels as they usually provide fans instead. The climate is extremely hot and humid so try to pack light, breathable clothes to stay cool. 🥵
Download an E-SIM 📱
- I wish I had done this as they end up being much better value for money. You can usually buy physical SIM cards in airports/ larger towns but it is much easier to download an E-SIM which automatically activates as you arrive in the country. Plus, who is organised enough to not lose the little pin the opens the SIM holder?!
Always check the tap water 🚿
- You will need to stay hydrated especially when moving around a lot. A lot of hostels will provide filtered water in coolers or have bottled water available to purchase when the tap water shouldn't be consumed. However, it is always best to ask in the hostel/restaurant to be on the safe side and buy bottled water when you are unsure.
Tipping and Taxes 💰
- Tipping is expected when you are using any sort of service. (E.g. Food/Drinks/Activities/Sometimes even hostel owners) We usually paid around 15% added onto our bill for a tip so save room in the budget for this!
- Taxes are sometimes added on to the original price. We had to pay extra taxes (local taxes etc) on a few hostels so double check these before you book.
Thank You!
Thank you for reading over my guide. I hope you have a fab trip and love this country as much as I did 🦥🌎
The home for unique & authentic travel
