Costa Rica

Featured Costa Rica Blog Posts

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Costa Rica was a big step for me, it was the first country I traveled to after a year and a half of staying isolated in the U.S. during the pandemic. It’s also the first country I lived in and worked as a digital nomad. Because of this, my time in Costa Rica was a learning curve, it made travel feel like a new experience, and I was so grateful to be out exploring the world again.

My favorite part of Costa Rica is easily the nature and the Caribbean coast. Truth be told, Costa Rica is pretty touristy, expensive and at times I felt like I wasn’t getting authentic experiences even though there was so much natural beauty to be found. However, that was not the case in Puerto Viejo or when exploring off the beaten path waterfalls. If you visit Costa Rica, I suggest going with a large budget so you can rent a car and fully experience the country with an open mind, outside of the restrictions of the main attractions.

How is Costa Rica for solo travel

Costa Rica is a really popular place for all types of travelers, including solo travelers. It’s really easy to meet people here and there’s a lot of tours and things to do. However, it can be more costly, similar to U.S. prices.

Costa Rica is also generally safe to travel to, although women especially should be careful in San Jose, Jaco, and walking to the beach alone along secluded pathways and should avoid the beach at night due to increased reports of assault.

I haven’t visited Costa Rica since 2021, but had heard of these incidents then and still now on social media. I suggest doing your own research from other creators as well and following what makes you feel comfortable.

Know Before You Go

Language

The official language of Costa Rica is Spanish.

Currency

Costa Rican colón

SYMBOL: ₡

ABBREVIATION: CRC

CONVERSION: The currency rate is subject to change but 1 USD ≈ 640 CRC

Plugs Used

Costa Rica uses plug type A and B (the same as in the U.S.). The standard voltage is 120 V and the standard frequency is 60 Hz. This is the same as the U.S. so you do not need a travel adapter if you are from the USA.

Visa

U.S. citizens can travel without a visa to Costa Rica if staying for less than 90 days. Visa information is subject to changes so read more here.

Health

To check health advisories and what vaccinations are needed to travel to Costa Rica check the CDC website and the TravelState.gov information page. To see what travel COVID restrictions are in place in Costa Rica, check their travel website.

Safety

Before traveling anywhere I suggest checking the U.S. Government Travel Advisory just for your own knowledge. I’ll be honest I take it with a grain of salt and don’t let it completely determine my travel plans but rather to keep me advised.

As I always say, safety is a tricky term because a “safe” place does not mean there 100% won’t be unsafe people and there’s no way to determine that. That being said though, Costa Rica is considered a very safe place to travel.

I personally was advised to avoid Jaco, which once a big tourist destination has become a hub for drugs, pick pocketing, and prostitution. The only other place I would be a little extra cautious is in San Jose. I experienced so much cat-calling there, and it is a city which typically means you should be extra aware.

Some Places You Could Visit:

Puerto Viejo

Manuel Antonio

Santa Teresa

La Fortuna

Monteverde

Tamarindo

Resources for your trip:

Best Time to Visit:

The best time to visit in terms of weather is December to April during dry season. However, a trip during rainy season will be less expensive and less people.

Add These to your Costa Rica packing list

Typical Costs

Costa Rica is quite expensive compared to other Central American countries. In fact a lot of times you’ll pay U.S. prices and a lot of the activities like zip lining and tours will be upwards of $100 USD. Staying in hostels will help cut expenses a bit, but even still those can be $20-$30 a night for a dorm bed which is quite pricier for most budget travelers. Another added expense is renting a car which, with the required insurance, could be $60-100 USD a day.

For this reason, I would budget at the lowest $50 a day in Costa Rica and more if renting a car.