Costa Rica is the vacation and travel destination of the moment. Tourists and travelers from all over Europe and America come here to enjoy the beautiful nature, beaches and cozy restaurants and boutiques. A trip through Costa Rica is definitely recommended, and has been at the top of our favorites list so far. Are you curious about what to expect when you make a trip through Costa Rica? We'll tell you in this blog!
Official documents for a tour of Costa Rica
To enter Costa Rica you have to arrange a number of things and have them with you when you enter the country. For example, when we visited the country, you needed proof that you had been vaccinated or tested. It was important to have already submitted this when applying for the Health Pass. It was not looked at for long, but you had to have filled in the form to get into the country.
UPDATE: This Health Pass will no longer be required from April 1, 2022!
In addition, you must have proof that you will leave the country within 90 days. This can be a plane ticket or bus ticket. In the end, we were not asked to show this, but this depends entirely on where and with whom you pass customs. Sometimes they also ask about your work, where you live, or where you will be staying. If you meet all requirements, you will receive your entry stamp, which is valid for 90 days.
We entered Costa Rica from PanamaThe exit from Panama was also separate from the entry of Costa Rica. Probably partly because we went overland, our luggage was not checked at all. When you leave Costa Rica, by land or air, you pay the $10 in tax. You have to pay this before you get your exit stamp at immigration.
Since these rules can always change, it is smart to check all entry requirements yourself. This website is very useful!
Accommodations and transportation
For a roundtrip through Costa Rica you have to save some money. Everything is quite pricey, including the hotels. Besides that, hotels and airbnbs are often fully booked. This makes it difficult to book a hotel last minute during your trip. If there are still rooms available in a hotel, they are often very expensive. As a result, your costs can be quite high if you have not booked anything in advance.
Renting a car is also incredibly expensive, if one is available at all. So if you want to travel through Costa Rica with a rental car, we recommend that you book one well in advance. Well before you get on the plane.
Renting a scooter is possible in many places in Costa Rica. Compared to the many other things in Costa Rica, this is also not very expensive. However, the price depends a lot on where you are. The more touristy the place, the more you will pay to rent a scooter. This is probably one of the best ways to discover the area. So we definitely recommend it!
You also have the local bus. This one is very cheap and easy to use. Sometimes it can be hot and noisy on the bus. We often just put our airpods in with noise canceling on. This made the long trips by bus a lot more enjoyable!
Activities and tourism
Costa Rica is by far the most touristic country in all of Central America. You won't be able to travel for long without encountering many other tourists. Unless maybe you avoid all the tourist spots, but even then it is difficult and there is not much left to visit. 😉 Partly because Asia was locked down, Costa Rica is one of the most popular travel destinations of the moment. Many tourists we encountered also indicated that this was the reason they visited Costa Rica or Central America.
Costa Rica is largely made up of tourist attractions. This is because almost all nature is located in a nature park. This means you have to pay for everything, but it is a lot easier to visit everything. Some of these tourist attractions need to be booked online in advance. Very busy attractions can also be fully booked, so make sure you make a reservation on time!
During a tour in Costa Rica you can not miss all the delicious restaurants and nice boutiques. You can find them in almost every city, and they are too fun to skip. Unfortunately, these can also be pricey depending on the location. For example, shopping in a nice boutique can be €60 for a shirt.
Safety during a roundtrip through Costa Rica
You don't have to worry about safety during a trip through Costa Rica. Of course you should always pay attention and go by your own feeling. Yet there is no place in Costa Rica where it is really unsafe. The only place where you might want to be a little more careful and not stay too long is the capital San Jose. Here it is also wise to just use an Uber as this is one of the few places where that is possible. Read why this is a wise choice in our Panama tips.
Locals
The locals in Costa Rica are very nice and helpful. However, they are very focused on making a lot of money from tourists. You notice that the prices are often increased for tourists. Of course, this is something that doesn't just happen in Costa Rica. This is exactly the same in many other countries.
However, you will not get a complete feel for the locals and their culture if you only make a tour along the tourist spots. Firstly because you mainly see other tourists, almost more than locals. And secondly, because many Americans and other tourists live there. The people themselves are also more developed here and more “American” than in other countries in Central America. As a result, the country also seems to have less poverty than the other surrounding countries.
Wildlife and nature
Costa Rica has many different nature reserves. The Caribbean part is very green. Here you will find beautiful nature parks with many animals, but also a beach with volcanic sand. The middle of Costa Rica also has beautiful forests with beautiful waterfalls. Here you can also see many different volcanoes, both from a distance and up close. In addition, there is the Pacific side where it is a bit warmer and drier, with lovely beaches and the most beautiful sunsets.
There is also no shortage of animal spotting in Costa Rica. You can admire most of them in nature parks such as Cahuita or Bogarin trail. But also outside the nature parks you can easily spot sloths, monkeys, frogs and lots of birds.
If you would like to see rainforest, waterfalls, beaches, wildlife, but also nice restaurants and boutiques in a short time, then a trip through Costa Rica is really something for you! Are you still curious about the costs, the food or the best destinations in Costa Rica? Then read our other Costa Rica blogs!
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