Highlights

- Canopy tour in Monteverde. Fly through the trees, or in rainy season dart in and out of clouds! Must be experienced.
- La Fortuna waterfall. Absolutely stunning end to a slippery steep hike.
- Manuel Antonio park for close encounters with capuchin monkeys.
- The Caribbean coast. Fewer tourists, isolation, and beautiful scenery.

Monkeys in Manuel Antonio

Quick Tips

- If you are student, bring your ID for discounts. It shouldn't be necessary to get the international student ID; everyone accepted my college ID.

- Many banks' ATMs do not give money to people with foreign accounts. Use the cooperative bank ATMs (e.g. CoopeMex in Santa Elena or CoopeAlianza in Quepos). Banco Nacional will let you withdraw money from the teller. Or just stock up on cash from San Jose, where there are more bank choices.

Heliconia—ubiquitous Costa Rican flora

- Costa Rican food can be tasty, but there's little variety. If you stay anywhere with a community kitchen, USE IT to save money. You'll get your fill of native food when you don't have a kitchen.

- Don't lug around more than one guidebook. No guidebook is accurate enough, so just stick with one and get the rest of your info from locals!

- Don't forget to save money for the departure tax—$26.

Getting Around

- The cheapest way to get around the country is the bus. The most expensive ticket I bought was from San Jose to the Caribbean, about $6 one-way. It's possible to take the bus to the airport too, which saves a lot of money.

- I would consider renting a car with at least one other person, preferably more. But for one traveler, it's far too expensive and probably too hard to navigate.

- Within San Jose, taxis are reasonable. I never took a city bus. A taxi between bus terminals was about $2.50. A taxi to the airport unfortunately cost about $11, but I had just burned out on buses by then.

<   previous      •      next   >