Central America: Discover Costa Rica!

central america costa rica
central america costa rica

If you are planning your trip to Costa Rica, there are several things you should know. Tourism in this Central American country has changed a lot in recent years, it is becoming more and more popular not only for Latin Americans but also for Europeans and North Americans.

 

Things to know before traveling to Costa Rica

 

This increase in tourism has generated many myths that are worth denying so that you don’t get an unpleasant surprise once you’re there.

Of course it is never possible to be 100% ready for a trip and knowing everything beforehand but without a doubt these tips before traveling to Costa Rica will certainly help you a lot.

 

It is not cheap

 

Contrary to what many people have in mind, which is that because Costa Rica is a Central American country it will be cheap, it turns out that Costa Rica is not as cheap as you think.

Many people travel to Costa Rica with the idea that a few dollars will make them rich in this paradise but the reality is different.

I’m not saying that it’s expensive or impossible to travel, it’s just that you take it into account when making your travel budget and avoid any surprises.

 

The distances are long

 

Most people think that because it is a small country everything is close by. They are wrong. Even though it is a small country to move from one point to another can take a long time.

The roads in Costa Rica are not the most modern because they are usually only one lane out and one lane back, so you are likely to encounter traffic caused by cargo trucks.

Perhaps on the map you can see that “point A” is very close to “point B” but it turns out that the roads are not straight, remember that you cross many natural parks so it does not always mean that a few kilometers are equal to a short time.

 

It’s Cold

 

It is true that most of the year it is a tropical climate, but it is worth mentioning that Costa Rica has many “mini-climates” within the Natural Parks depending on the height of the parks and the ecosystem, so if you have a list of volcanoes to visit (which you probably do) then don’t forget to pack a jacket.

Also in Monteverde and Poas the weather is almost always quite cold and humid at the same time, investigate well before traveling if it is rainy season or not, if so then in addition to a raincoat pack clothes a little warmer.

 

There are many mosquitoes but it is not to be scared

 

Being a tropical country, mosquitoes are our daily bread.  In recent years Costa Rica has reported cases of Malaria, Dengue, Zika and Chinconguya, but dengue fever is the most common.

The cases of Malaria and Zika are very low and nothing to worry about. As a traveler, your concern should be about dengue fever, not that I want to scare you or that you avoid traveling to this country you just have to take the right precautions.

It’s worth being informed and carrying repellent with you at all times, plus some bite ointment just in case.

 

The internet is bad and there is no Wi-Fi everywhere

 

It is common for hotels to offer free Wi-Fi but it will not be common for the Internet to be available throughout the property. Prepare to be able to browse only at the reception desk in the common area of the hotel.

You won’t find a lot of Internet connections in public spaces either, it’s not like in other cities where you can find Starbucks or where to connect at every corner.

If you are concerned about being connected during your trip then I recommend that you purchase a local SIM card, you can find them directly at the airport, supermarkets and local shops; they will ask you to present your passport in order to purchase one. The companies are KOLBI, MOVISTAR, CLARO, TUYO MOVIL.

They cost about $4 dollars and to activate the Internet you will probably have to pay $5 dollars for a week.

 

Take a look at our category here for more articles about the American continent.