Costa Rica is a beautiful and vast country that I will never forget, because it's where I had one of my most adventure-filled trips to date. I can't talk enough about how great of a time I had! Nestled between Nicaragua and Panama, Costa Rica is actually one of the most eco-friendly countries in the world (it's predominately powered by renewable energy sources; think geothermal energy from the volcanoes, wind energy from wind turbines, etc.), and is known for its beautiful beaches, lush rainforests, breathtaking landscape views, and biodiversity. I also love Costa Rica for its friendly people and delicious, fresh food (and all of the fresh fruits. Sooo many good fruits. I was in heaven!) Below I have an itinerary based off of a previous trip I took with friends that includes food and things to do while in various parts of Costa Rica.
**Any listed prices are accurate to time of purchase/booking, but may have changed.
What To Bring
Depending on the time of year and the type of trip you're visiting Costa Rica for this list will change, but for this trip in particular (water sports and adventure excursion-heavy) this is what you should make sure to pack.
Passport
ID (Print copies of this & your passport and keep them on hand in a separate area in case you lose the originals!)
Cash, credit/debit cards, etc.
Sunscreen
Bug repellant
Bathing suits (multiple, you'll basically be living in them)
Athletic wear & shoes
Water shoes
Water-proof phone case (Thank me later!)
Mini safety kit (you wouldn't believe how many random scrapes & bruises we all ended up with)
Comfy plane outfit for when you're headed home
I also always pack one pair of jeans 'cause like...you never know lol
Toiletries, undies, medications, you get the picture
Accommodations
Cabo Velas Estates (Check this link for booking info and pictures!)
Located in Playa Grande, Costa Rica.
Playa Grande is a small beach town within the Guanacaste region, and is located about 4-5 hours away from the capital city of San Jose. We chose this area because of its central proximity to all the areas we wanted to visit as well as its quiet beach vibes in a local town, while still being close enough (about 15 minutes) to the more lively and touristy town of Tamarindo.
For this trip, we booked a week stay at 2 separate villas on the same estate, and since there was a total of 8 of us, 4 people stayed in each villa, but each is meant to hold up to 6. The property is right in the middle of a local neighborhood (which I loved) and is only a few minutes walk from Salon Victoria, a quaint and welcoming restaurant and bar. During our stay, we ate there basically every day that we weren't off doing excursions. There are also markets and corner stores within walking distance, and Playa Grande Beach is 4.5 miles away. The villa had all the possible amenities you'd need: a fully equipped kitchen, WiFi, air conditioning, washer/dryer and more! The property even has a beautiful back patio area and a pool for guest use.
Transportation
(You can also read up on the awesome company reviews on TripAdvisor!)
This was our first trip to Costa Rica, and while there were the options of buses, taxis, and rental cars, it was decided that because of safety, our (lack of) knowledge of Costa Rica's roads, and our group size, that the best option would be to book transportation with a private shuttle company. From the airport transfer to each location of our many excursions, Ariel and his friendly, professional and knowledgeable team took great care in getting us to where we needed to go. We traveled around Costa Rica in an air conditioned van that was also stocked with beverages to keep us cool. This is a small business with a passionate team, and I can't express how thankful I am to this company for a job well done. I always felt safe, pick ups and drop offs were always on time, and Ariel himself kept in constant contact with us before, during, and even after our trip. Click the links above if you'd like to book with them!
What To Do
Costa Rica is a country with a plethora of fun, adventurous things to do, and my group of friends and I took advantage of this! The entirety of our itinerary was booked through our chosen transportation company, Playa Grande Shuttle & Tours, which was an amazing choice because it reduced the hassle of trying to determine what activities to do, and what companies to do them with. Since Ariel is a small business owner that has lived much of his life in Costa Rica, he knows the best options for every excursion available (and good for coming through with the discounts). Here's an overview of what we did (and some pictures too!)
Cost: ~$550 per person
*This included airport transfers, transport to and from excursions, transport for a night out and a day at the beach, as well as payment for the excursions themselves
Zip-lining, Horseback Riding & White Water Tubing (Lunch Included)
2 Hot Springs Visits
ATV Adventure & White Water Rafting w/ Lunch
Sunset Sail & Guided Snorkel on a Catamaran
*Let me know if you want a more in-depth look at the excursions we participated in! Maybe I can make a little story time post for all of them, because LOOK, I have some stories to tell lol
Night Life in Playa Grande
So, Playa Grande is the sleepy cousin in comparison to the lively town of Tamarindo. Playa Grande is much more serene, and we even woke up one morning to cows from a nearby farm roaming freely in front of our neighbor's doorsteps. There isn't much of a nightlife in Play Grande, but we did spend a night with locals at Salon Victoria for a Karaoke Night. It was definitely one of the best nights I experienced while there. Basically, if you're looking for more of a turn up, Tamarindo is the place to be. Plenty of restaurants, bars, and clubs are in this area so you'll have lots of fun.
Food
Everything is FRESH. Everything is DELICIOUS. All of the fruits are SO SWEET. You can definitely taste the difference in quality and it's astounding. I wasn't ready to get back to America's hormone-filled meats and honestly lackluster fruit selection (can you tell I really enjoy fruit?). The food is also relatively cheap! Mind you, many of the places that we ate at that weren't included in our excursions were more of the "Mom-And-Pop" variety. We didn't stay in more touristy areas like San Juan or Arenal, where a meal might cost double as much. For us, a full meal with a drink cost around $10 USD.
Currency
The paper and coin currency used in this country is the Costa Rican colón, and $1 USD is equivalent to about 582 Colónes.
TIP #1: It's a great idea to check the exchange rate right before your trip! I love using the CurrencyConverter app to get quick exchange rates for any country I visit.
Tip #2: It's usually cheaper to exchange money at a local ATM in the country you're visiting, but if you want to have at least some cash on hand, especially in cash-dominant countries, then only exchanging a portion of your money at the airport is a good way to go.
Another thing to note: Costa Rica is a Spanish-speaking country, but overall the language barrier wasn't a problem! It can always be a little nerve-wracking to visit a country where the language is one you're not fluent or comfortable in, but most people we interacted with spoke English, and we knew some basic Spanish as well.
It's always good to at least learn the basics (like Hello/Goodbye, Thank you, "How much?" "Where is the bathroom?", etc.) of the official language where you're visiting, and attempting to speak it first before switching over to your native language is just common courtesy, and 9 times out of 10, will get you an even better interaction with the person you're communicating with.
I hope you enjoyed this guide to a trip to Costa Rica! Let me know if there's anything I missed, or any things that you have questions about. I know that we can't do much in terms of travel right now, but I hope this inspires you to wander when it's safe. Pura Vida!
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