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The Lowdown on Costa Rica Climate

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The Lowdown on Costa Rica Climate

One of the most frequent questions I get from Package Costa Rica customers (or potential customers) is, hey, CRG, what’s the weather like? Or, a variation, such as, we were thinking of coming in x or y (month), is that a good time to come, weather-wise?

I usually provide a curt and self-serving answer like “well, any time is a good time to come to Costa Rica.” And for the most part, that’s true. But we do have weather. It does rain. And there are some seasonal differences. So I thought I would do a post today on the topic of Costa Rica climate.

A Tale of Two Coasts with a Mountainous Spine

Like the U.S., Costa Rica has a west coast (the Pacific) and an East Coast (the Caribbean). However, unlike the U.S., our two coasts are only hours (not days) apart. They are divided by a mountainous spine consisting of the Talamanca, Central, Tilaran and Guanacaste mountain ranges. These mountains slope to the Pacific on one side and to the Caribbean on the other. The small size of Costa Rica might lead someone to think that the weather would not be that different on one slope than it is on the other. Wrong! The Pacific slope and the Caribbean slope have different weather patterns. On the Pacific, the rainy season starts in May and runs through November. On the Caribbean, the rain comes a little earlier (April) and sticks around though December. Also, the Caribbean experiences a brief period of dry weather, a veranillo, usually occurring in September and October. In contrast, these can be two of the months with the most rain on the Pacific side.

Seasonally Speaking

In Costa Rica we have only two seasons. The summer (or dry) season (Verano) and the winter (or rainy) season (Invierno). The previous paragraph explained the degree those seasons differ whether you are talking Pacific or Caribbean slope. Rainfall amounts differ dramatically with the seasons. However, temperature is fairly constant year around and varies much more by altitude than by season. The coolest months of the year actually are some of the driest ones of January, February and March, when the trade winds tend to blow the hardest.

Geographical Gyrations

The effects of the seasons vary for each major geographical division. For instance, the northern half of the country on the Pacific slope, consisting primarily of the province of Guanacaste, experiences the most intense dry season with very strong winds and virtually zero precipitation. The Central Valley, where the capital city of San Jose is located, experiences the mildest weather patterns. This is why it is the most populated area of the country. Temperatures are mild throughout the year and the rainy season is not as intense as in other areas. The southern half of the Pacific slope experiences a shorter dry season and a longer and more intense rainy season.

Temperatures in Costa Rica can very considerably by altitude, if not by season. At the summit of peaks as high as Chirripo (3,820 meters above sea level) you can actually get morning frost. At the same time, down at sea level on the Pacific or Caribbean the temperatures remain hot and humid throughout the year. The most moderate temperatures are felt in the central valley, which enjoys an almost eternal spring-like climate.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

The evil demon that our customers always want exorcised from their vacations is rain. But wait a minute. One has to realize that without the rain, there is no Costa Rica. At least, not the Costa Rica that beckons 2,000,000 tourists per year to its lush green jungles and mountains teaming with flora and fauna. So, if you want to come to Costa Rica and are adamant about no rain, then opt for Guanacaste in the months of January through April. But up there you won’t see lush green tropical jungles because it is just too darn dry. For that you need to go South or East. Rainfall is more prevalent in those areas, hence their spectacular greenness, but it is still predominantly dry on the Pacific and Caribbean slopes for the months of January through March. You can have a dry Caribbean experience in August, September or even October, which is in stark contrast with the rest of the country where it is likely raining cats and dogs.

But dry season also brings crowds and higher prices. To avoid those, you might want to consider the green (or rainy) season. If you do, don’t fret too much about rain since it usually consists of afternoon showers that start around mid-afternoon and last until dusk. Mornings are typically sunny and nights clear. On the Pacific Slope, the rainiest months, when one can really experience endless days of constant downpour, are September and October. So, if those are the months when you want to come, consider our Arenal and Puerto Viejo design, or our Costa Rica Caribbean design, as an alternative.

The Unruly Child – El Niño

Costa Rica experiences a recurring weather phenomenon about every two to seven years (although it seems more frequent lately). It is generally detectable by an unusual warming of Pacific ocean waters. This little bugger can really turn normal weather patterns on end. When it occurs (the last time was actually last year), the rainy season is a lot dryer than normal on the Pacific slope. It also can wreak major havoc on Caribbean slope weather, with a wetter than average winter. With El Niño, things go a little haywire and are far more unpredictable than is the norm.

I hope this little post on Costa Rica climate helped calm your Costa Rica vacation-related weather anxiety. I am no weather expert, so I may have gotten something wrong above. If there are any meteorologists out there who want to take issue, or elaborate, on anything written above, by all means do so.

Post by CRG

Source: Technical mumbo jumbo gleaned from the World Headquarters Report on Costa Rica Climate.

Eat Like a Tico – Costa Rican Food

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You might’ve stumbled across my post on what to drink in Costa Rica. It seems to be one of my most often visited posts…go figure that one…

But, hey, we gotta eat too…right?

So this post will focus on 10 common Costa Rican food varieties that will have you eating like a tico on your Costa Rica vacation…

1. Gallo Pinto – this is the signature Costa Rican dish. While it exists in other countries (Nicaragua, for instance), it is ubiquitous at the tico breakfast table. It basically consists of rice, beans (usually black), with onions, cilantro and lots of salsa lizano. It is usually eaten with eggs, either scrambled (revueltos) or fried (fritos) and a big dollop of sweet sour cream (natilla) is recommended. Ask for a slice of queso frito (fried cheese) on the side and maybe chorrizo (spiced pork sausage), to bring the whole concoction to its peak of artery blocking power.

2. Chicharrones – these are fried pork medallions. They are delicious, but deadly. Great with an ice cold Imperial (or Silver).

3. Chifrijo – a variation of chicharrones, but the dish also adds (in layers) rice, red beans, pork rinds, freshly chopped tomato and/or pico de gallo (fresh vegetables with a dash of hot sauce), and served with a fried tortilla chip.

4. Casado – in Spanish the word means marriage and that is exactly what a casado is…a marriage of food. Because in sickness or in health, till death do them part, the casado will feature a meat (chicken, beef or fish), beans (usually black), rice, usually some type of vegetable casserole (like potato or yucca) and a small salad. It is the signature dish of the countless mom and pop restaurants known as “sodas” that can be found any and everywhere in Costa Rica. A great option for good and cheap comida tipica Costarricense.

5. Ensalada de Palmito – palmito, or heart of palm, is a vegetable harvested from the inner core and growing bud of certain palm trees, notably the coconut palm. Costa Rica happens to be one of the primary exporters of this delicacy. A salad featuring heart of palm, or ensalada palmito, is one of the more healthy Costa Rican treats on my list.

6. Olla de Carne – this is a tipico beef stew that consists of lean beef, short ribs, potatoes, cassava, carrots, corn, green plantain and perhaps sweet potato. Pretty good…in Colombia they do something similar called sancocho, but there it is always cooked over an open fire.

7. Gallos Tipicos – these are bocas, or small dishes (like appetizers) that are often served in bars. They consist of a corn tortilla topped with an infinite variety of choices. You can have a gallo with chicharron, or frijolito molido (re-fried black beans), aguacate (avocado), a “picadillo” with potato or arracache, as well as many other things.

8. Patacones – these are flattened and fried green plantains. Served very salty and often with re-fried black beans (frijolito molido). Great with beer.

9. Empanadas – these are corn dough pastries filled with seasoned meats (pork, beef, or chicken), or cheese, beans, or cubed potato stew, and then folded and fried.

10. Arroz con Leche – finally a dessert! This is a very sweet sort of rice pudding made with, of course rice, condensed, evaporated and whole milk, lots of sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Delicious, especially if you can catch it recently prepared (and warm).

Honorable Mentions:

 – Tres Leches – my favorite dessert in Costa Rica, but it also exists in many other Latin countries, so not exactly 100% tico. It is basically a vanilla sponge cake soaked in a three-milk mixture (whole, evaporated and condensed) and topped with a delicious meringue icing. It has about a gazillion calories per single bite, but man is it good!

– Pescado Entero (Pargo Rojo) – this is a whole fried fish (head to tail). Usually will be of the pargo rojo (red snapper) variety. Great choice at the beach, or anywhere, for that matter. That’s me in the photo above partaking.

– Salsa Lizano – Costa Rica’s signature sauce. Very worcestershire-like, but perhaps a bit more “mustardy.” Very good on almost anything.

I know I am missing a bunch of other things that you can eat in Costa Rica (oops, forget to mention my favorite cooling off beach treat…the “granizado” – Google it)…

If you make it a point to try each of the above, you’ll have had a good sampling of the kinds of Costa Rican food that ticos actually eat.

Pura Vida,

Post by CRG

Guide to Costa Rica Booze

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Now here’s a topic that I know pretty darn well!

I realize many of you wonder what to drink on your Costa Rica vacation.

Well, here’s my Costa Rica booze post with your main choices in terms of Costa Rican national brands, as well as a few of my favorite imports from nearby Latin American neighbors…

Beers…

Imperial – hands down the king of Costa Rican beers. You’ll want to buy a t-shirt too. Oh and I should mention, it is traditional down here to drink your beer with ice.

Imperial Silver – this is my favorite beer. It is basically a slightly lighter version of the regular Imperial (loses the after taste that tends to get in the way of my thorough enjoyment of regular Imperial).

Imperial Light – too light (definitely for wimps).

Pilsen – this is a heavier beer than Imperial, both in terms of taste and alcohol content. Some say that real men drink Pilsen, but I don’t know about all that.

Pilsen Frost – Frost is to Pilsen as Silver is to Imperial…slightly lighter version.

Bavaria – I don’t really drink this. It appears to be a darker beer, but usually you see girls drinking it. I believe there is a light and a dark version, but like I said, never touch the stuff.

Rock Ice – a favorite with the females.

Toña – an import from Nicaragua…very good and ranks second on my list to Silver. I only wish they would start importing Victoria, which is my favorite Central American beer (out of all the ones I have tried), but so far still not available outside of Nicaragua.

Hard Stuff…

Centenario – Costa Rica’s national rum. Pretty good, but not nearly as good as the next one on the list.

Flor de Caña – this import from Nicaragua has to be one of the best rums on the planet. I love either the 7 or 12 year versions.

Havana Club – actually this Cuban import also ranks high on the list, but more expensive and really no better than Flor de Caña, so why pay the extra?

Zacapa – I have only tried this once. It is a Guatemalan rum and that one time was delicious. Quite expensive compared to those above, however.

Aquardiente Antioqueño – Colombian firewater from Medellin. If you’re partying with Colombians, your going to be drinking some of this. Better stick with the “tapa azul” (blue cap) as it is lower in sugar content, which means you get drunk a little less quick and the hangover is a lot less severe.  This stuff will creep on you, so be careful (and I do speak from experience!).

Cacique – Costa Rica’s sugar cane distilled white liquor that is guaranteed to make your brain, as well as you liver, hallucinate. Not recommended in more than minuscule quantities.

Cafe Rica – this is a Costa Rican coffee liqueur that is very good with coffee.

Wines…

All of the Casillero del Diablo varieties – I love this Chilean import that comes in reds and whites of all flavors. Really excellent wine and not too expensive.

Chicha – a homemade wine generally made with either fruit or corn (I think)…very popular with indigenous cultures, but go easy, this stuff is stronger than it tastes and the hangover is epic!

There you have it…Costa Rica Guy’s guide to imbibing on your Costa Rica vacation.

And remember to drink responsibly!

Post by CRG

Currency Exchange in Costa Rica – 10 Tips

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I thought I’d take a risk and post something sort of boring, yet insanely useful to readers.

Since 99.99% of our Costa Rica vacation customers ask about currency exchange, I figured a post on that topic might fill the bill for usefulness.

So, here are my 10 tips on currency exchange in Costa Rica.

1. Currency Math – Since I am no math genius, I have simplified the issue by assuming a currency exchange of 500 (colones – by the way that is what Costa Rica currency is called) to $1.00 (good old U.S. greenback). Since most tourism related transactions do not involve large quantities of dinero (money for a Spanish-speaking person), it really doesn’t matter a whole heap if the rate is 500 to 1, or 545 to 1. Using 500, a nice round number, keeps it simple enough for even me to do the math in my head.

Costa Rica bills come in the following denominations…

– 1,000 divided by 500 = $2.00
– 2,000 divided by 500 = $4.00
– 5,000 divided by 500 = $10.00
– 10,000 divided by 500 = $20.00
– 20,000 divided by 500 = $40.00

Simple enough?

We actually have a 50,000 bill now (I’ll let you guess what that translates to in dollars), but it is as rare as the resplendent quetzal…I have yet to actually see one in circulation.

2. How Much to Exchange – Costa Rican merchants readily accept dollars and credit cards, so it’s really not necessary to be in a frantic rush to exchange a bunch of money. I always recommend exchanging a small amount, say $100, and once that get’s low, then do it again.

3. Where to Exchange – Don’t do it in the airport as the currency exchange kiosks in there operate at the least competitive rates imaginable. The best and most convenient place is right at your hotel front desk. But they probably won’t exchange more than the aforementioned $100 at a time.

Other places are banks and “Servimas” booths, usually located in certain grocery store chains like “Mas por Menos.” But get ready to wait in line at those places to save a couple of pennies. Like I said, just do it at the hotel front desk and you won’t waste the time that should be used enjoying your vacation.

4. Paying with U.S. Currency (and credit cards) – As was mentioned above, you can pay for most things with U.S. currency or credit cards. Change will invariably be given in local currency, which is why it helps to get jiggy with the currency math (see primer above).

So, why do I need local currency? Mainly to pay for things like the following:

– taxi cabs
– street vendors
– small grocery stores (called “pulperias”)
– small restaurants (called “sodas”)

The reason those places might not accept dollars is because they cater mainly to local people who pay in colones. So they are just not accustomed to receiving dollars the way places are that cater to tourists.

5. Large U.S. Bills – If you are in a rural place and all you have is a wad of $50 and $100 bills, consider yourself as broke as an artichoke. No one will take them, except a bank and even then after careful and excruciating examination of the bill’s molecular structure. So, make sure that your foreign currency is kept in small denominations, nothing larger than a $20 is highly recommended.

6. Bills in Bad Shape – Also make sure your U.S. dollars are at least in semi-mint condition. If they have a bit of wear and tear about them, they might be rejected…even at a bank.

7. Getting Cash from Machines – Yes we do have ATMs in Costa Rica. Usually, these days, they will dispense either local currency, or U.S. dollars. So, if you have a debit card, or a credit card with cash advance permission, then ATM machines are a very convenient way to get local currency. There will generally be a pretty hefty ATM fee or around $3,00 per transaction though. Whether or not your bank will charge some type of “foreign transaction” fee is something you will have to check with your bank…I know mine doesn’t.

8. Using Traveler’s Checks in Costa Rica – My strong advice is forget about it. The only way you’ll be able to use them is by first enduring a painful process of going to the bank to exchange them for money. And even then, there is no guarantee for success. They are just an outmoded way of dealing with money during travel and it doesn’t work well…at least not in Costa Rica.

9. That Damn 23% Charge – When you buy a meal at a restaurant or a bar in Costa Rica and use your credit card, you will notice two charges that might alarm you. One has the initials I.S. and the other I.V. The one with the I.S. is for “impuestos de servicios” and is a 10% tip that is almost always included in your bill. While that might get you hot under the collar, settle down a bit because no one expects you to leave anything over and above that required tip. The one with the I.V. is for “impuestos de ventas” and is the Costa Rican sales tax of 13%.

And yes those fees are also added if you pay with cash…colones or dollars.

10. Currency Exchange Rate Etiquette – Usually most merchants will use the 500 mentioned at the outset, since that makes the math easy for them as well. But if you want to be sure you can always ask by saying “cual es el tipo de cambio?” If you want to whip out a calculator (like the one on your Iphone) and do the math that way, that’s fine (even though a little awkward). But don’t get too anxious because most vendors are not out to “get the gringo” by making currency exchange errors in their favor.

But watch out for taxi cab drivers…which is why I recommend having some colones to pay those guys. And, of course, get fluent with your exchange rate math before you really need it.

I hope this little primer on currency exchange in Costa Rica has been helpful.

By the way, we have a document that we always send out to customers who book Costa Rica vacations with us entitled Useful Tips and Information. It is loaded with information like what was provided in this post, but a lot of other stuff too. In the spirit of connection-age benevolence I have inserted a link where you can download it.

And while you’re at it do me a flattering favor and fill out the form below to sign up on our email list and receive my 100 Cool Things to do in Costa Rica eBook.

Post by CRG

10 Tips for Staying Safe in Costa Rica

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The post today lists 10 “legitimate” risks of Costa Rica travel, along with Costa Rica Guy’s 10 tips for staying safe in Costa Rica…

1. Getting Robbed – keep your sh** with you (or at least within eye site if you’re a fast runner) and if renting a car, don’t leave anything in the car…anywhere…since valuables in a rental car are to a thief in Costa Rica like a bleeding (in the ocean) Peter Benchley is to a Great White Shark…

2. Getting Robbed by a Hooker – don’t pay for sex….

3. Dengue – OFF works!

4. Getting Swept Away by a Landslide – duck, dodge and … dodge…

5. Drowning in the Ocean – don’t swim in it (at least not past knee deep)…

6. Getting Eaten by a Croc – go for the eyes!

7. Catching Food Poisoning – smell first…

8. Drinking Bad Water – don’t go to Mexico either immediately before or after your visit…

9. Getting Arrested – obey the law (at least in public)…

10. Having an Awkward Communication Moment (aka, an “ACM”) – learn to say “can you speak English” in Spanish (WTF?)…

There you have it, Costa Rica Guy’s 10 Tips for staying safe in Costa Rica.

Pura Vida!

Costa Rica Rivers – Cabeza de Agua

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Costa Rica is indeed the land of many rivers. Where I live is no exception.

With the highest mountain (Cerro Chirripo at 12,533 feet) less than an hours drive away and the beach only about half that time, you can imagine that there are many Costa Rica rivers running through it. And sometimes quite ferociously at that.

That’s the main attraction of Perez Zeledon for this Costa Rica Guy.

In May I visited one of my favorite waterfalls in the area, Nauyaca Falls.

It is one of most beautiful I’ve seen in all of Costa Rica and also, usually, one of the best for swimming and diving off the rocks.

You can do the falls in one of two ways, by horse or by foot. I have written in the past about the horse-back option.

By foot, the predominantly mild hike is around 45 minutes. There can be a lot of mud during the rainy season as the trail doubles as a horse path.

You may see some animals, such as white-faced monkeys and toucans along the way.

It began lightly raining as we embarked on the hike. That might should have been taken as an omen of what was to come.

When we arrived, the fall was certainly pumping harder than during dry season months (December through April), but not too strong and still with its normal beautiful turquoise green color.

When we first entered the water it was possible to swim up to the fall, climb up the first level of rock ledge and dive off.

We did that a few times, then just rested there, taking in all of nature’s beauty.

Suddenly I began to notice that the quantity of water was increasing and organic river trash was accumulating at the base of the fall.

Nauyaca Falls - Cabeza de Agua

In a flash the water turned rust brown and the fall began pumping at an alarmingly strong rate. I decided to get the heck out of there and dove in. The current heading downstream was overwhelming. I would have been taken right down the river to who knows where if I had not been able to get a hand-hold on a rock near the place where we would normally exit the water.

What had just happened is what in Costa Rica is referred to as a “cabeza de agua.” I believe in English the appropriate term is flash flood. It is not an uncommon experience in the wet season. They can be deadly.

The thing is while it had been raining a bit at first, well into the hike the sun came out and by the time we reached the fall, it was completely dry.

Doesn’t matter. A cabeza de agua doesn’t occur due to rain where you are, it’s what’s happening up there in the high mountains that causes this phenomenon. And up there it could be raining cats and dogs and you’d never know it.

So, if you’re in Cost Rica during the rainy season, be careful with those gorgeous Costa Rica rivers…they can turn dangerous in a flash!

Costa Rica – The Great Big Little Country

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Most blogs about Costa Rica are promotional in nature (certainly this one is no exception).  There are a precious few really good ones out there, but if you pay too much attention to what is being said, you could get the wrong impression.

Often, since most people live in or around San Jose, you get a constant stream of gripes about life in the city.  About the crime and the grime, the traffic and other daily annoyances. I lived there for 10 years and if you search for them you’ll find a few posts like that in this blog.

And all that is legitimate and true, but to capture a real vision of Costa Rica, I believe you have to step back for a moment and take in the bigger picture.

First of all, Costa Rica is not San Jose, nor is it Jaco or Tamarindo, or those places where people tend to gather.  This is Costa Rica – the great big little country.

While being tiny in geographical comparison to most others, the country is overwhelmingly rich when it comes to diversity, all kinds of diversity…not just the biodiversity of flora and fauna that you here so much about.

And therein lies the number one amazing fact about this great big little country that I have grown to love so deeply.

I was traveling around a while back in pursuit of a Costa Rican Indigenous project, making art buys in places like Guaitil, Guanacaste and Guatuso, Alajuela.  These are remote little gems that most people never get to see or experience, but are well worth the effort.

You see, to really get to know this country you have to get a little bit dirty and that ain’t going to happen if you make a b-line for the beaten path.

You need to take a few  of the “scenic routes.”

You’ve got to take to the open road, park and walk down not so well-lit paths.  Doing so is good for the body and the soul and amazing discoveries can be made.

Below I have inserted a short video showing some of Costa Rica’s gems that are off those beaten paths.

So those of you out there considering a Costa Rica vacation (don’t know why else you’d be reading this), go ahead and do your research…

but I am here to tell you that often what you are reading belies the truth of the bigger picture…

a picture that’s nothing short of amazing!

Cultural Faux Pas in Costa Rica

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I thought I would bring to your attention a few cultural faux pas in Costa Rica that we gringos are often guilty of and that aren’t very endearing to the typical tico or tica.

10 that quickly come to mind are:

1. Slamming doors – this is especially the case with taxi cabs. You should know that most cab drivers are “packing” and will not hesitate to reach for it if you slam that door hard enough. This is a habit I am still trying to get my kid Zack to relinquish when he visits…before he gets shot!

2. Being rude – We gringos have a tendency to take politeness less seriously that folks do down here. Case in point: you will get approached by street vendors wanting to sell you all manner of things you haven’t the slightest interest in, as well as beggars who just want some of your spare change for whatever reason. Here is a tip…refuse politely…with a “no gracias”…not a get the f*** out of my face attitude…others will notice.

3. Being impatient – related to the above. Ticos are many things, but “in a hurry” ain’t one of them. And they don’t appreciate in the least gringos who try to rush them.

4. Flaunting wealth – In general Costa Ricans don’t enjoy anywhere near the level of material excess that most gringos, even poor ones like me, enjoy. It is just bad form to show off when you are down here. And it is an invitation to get robbed, or worse. A good rule to go by is “never tempt a poor person.”

5. Flirting inappropriately – This one is for the guys. Yes, Costa Rican women are beautiful. I am sure you have heard about that and may suffer from the mistaken assumption that they are “easy” as well. That would be woefully incorrect and acting on that assumption can get you in a whole heap of trouble with the ladies. Now I am not talking about the ones in places like the infamous “Hotel Del Rey.”

6. Being overly suspicious – I have seen many times, even with my own customers, an overly suspicious manner of dealing with the ticos. It usually surfaces mainly out of confusion about currency exchange, but it comes off very offensive. As if you are insinuating that every commercial exchange is an opportunity to “rip the gringo off.” That’s not true. Get clear on the currency math (it’s not that difficult) and lighten up on the economic paranoia.

7. Vulgarity and General Bad Manners – Costa Ricans (and Latin Americans in general) are not vulgar and don’t appreciate vulgarity…not with speech nor in other forms. Burping and worse, definitely a no no…even among friends and family.

8. Drawing Undue Attention – Loud and obnoxious is not the way to win the hearts and minds of the ticos…sure, they can be that way, especially during a heated fútbol match, but this is their country…so they kind of have a right to be that way here, we don’t.

9. Expecting people to understand your English (or poor Spanish) – I have to admit this one tripped me up quite a bit back in the day (when I couldn’t muster up the fluency to ask where the bathroom was). If you don’t speak Spanish, communicating in a place where that is the language spoken will be a challenge. Accept it as such with a light-hearted attitude and you’ll have more fun and get by just fine. If you take every communication mishap as a personal affront it will be much more difficult to win friends or influence anyone.

10. Calling ourselves “Americans” to the exclusion of the rest of America – Oh this is a big pet peeve of mine. Here is a geography lesson for you. America actually consists of two continents (North and South) joined by a “land bridge” (Central). All of the inhabitants of those three land masses have the right to call themselves “American”. Technically, Central America (including Costa Rica) is part of the North American continent, just as is the U.S.A.

I am definitely playing the role of “black pot” here and don’t mean to sound as if I am preaching to the kettle. If so, just take it as coming from someone who has been here and done many of the above more times that I would want to freely admit. It is not endearing to the folks down here, so best to avoid all 10 of the above cultural faux pas in Costa Rica.

Oh and note that the term “gringo” is not used pejoratively in Costa Rica…so don’t take offense to my use above, nor to the frequent usages you will definitely encounter upon arrival…Costa Ricans are quite fond of us actually, as long as we act in the manner of a gracious guest.  And, after all, you would demand no less from them, correct?

The Ultimate Costa Rica Vacation Package

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the ultimate Costa Rica vacation package

Intriguing headline, ey? I recently created a little eBook entitled 100 Cool Things to do in Costa Rica. It features 10 cool things to do in 10 cool places. If you haven’t already ordered it…please do…it’s free! And just the title itself provides an idea of how much there is to see and do in this tiny little country.

A Costa Rica vacation package will generally pick say 3 out of that list of 10 places. Let’s not even get into the specific combinations of activities that one can engage in with those 3 chosen destinations. But the question I pose this morning is this…if there are 10 places to choose from and a typical 7 to 10 day vacation will consist of 3 of those, how many possible combinations of choices are there? If you guessed a bunch of them…you’d be right. I believe the correct answer is 120, or 120 ways to configure a Costa Rica vacation. If there are math geniuses out there who want to take issue, please do so (since I am a far cry from being a math genius, or genius of any sort actually).

What’s my point and how does it tie into the headline of “the ultimate Costa Rica vacation package?” Well, the bottom line is that “it” just doesn’t exist. Costa Rica is a tiny little country, but within its 4 borders it packs a powerful tourism punch. And the reason is based on the math…there is just an overwhelming number of ways to do a Costa Rica vacation. Which is why that in Costa Rica at least, custom is always king. Might not be the case with Cancun, Cozumel, Cabo or the Cayman islands, but in Costa Rica, custom is king.

You should simply ask yourself, perhaps after a bit of research (maybe starting with my book…wink), what do I want to experience on my Costa Rica vacation? And then either go about the daunting task of making those plans, or hire a schlub like me to do it for you. Don’t let anyone tell you it has to be this way or that way. The math tells us that it can be our way. The cool thing is that no matter where you want to go, or what you want to do, it can pretty much be planned within a 7 to 10 day Costa Rica vacation. So when thinking of a Costa Rica vacation, always go custom.

A custom Costa Rica vacation package designed with your specific interests in mind is always the ultimate way to experience Costa Rica. Might be a self-serving opinion, but it’s also one that I really believe is true.

Post by CRG

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